Amusement Park Memories
Thursday, 16 Jun 2005 | Childhood
On the way in to work this morning, I remembered a couple of fond childhood memories I experienced at amusement parks.
I remember going to SeaWorld in San Diego on several occasions. It was great fun to see all the sea creatures. But the one attraction that held much fascination for me was the Dancing Waters show hosted by Sparkletts Water. It was an indoor water fountain show with beautiful lights choreographed to music. The songs that I remember most fondly in the show were Memories by Barbara Streisand and Times of Your Life by Paul Anka. This attraction has since closed and I miss it very much.
Another memory is going to the San Diego Zoo with my aunt Betty and my cousin Brian. I recall having a picnic lunch that day. My aunt brought assorted chips, but in particular Bell Brand chips. They weren't the best chips in the world, but they were notable and fun because it was a brand I never got at home.
Then there was a trip to Magic Mountain with my parents and my uncle Kim and aunt Ko Ja. On that trip, we had lunch at one of the fast food places in the park. That, in and of itself was cool for a child. But the thing I remember the most was how the hamburger my uncle Kim bought me was packaged. It was wrapped in brightly colored foil and was skewered in the middle with a party toothpick. You know, the kind of toothpick that has pretty frills on the end in either red, blue, green or yellow. Something about that presentation was fascinating to me. That also reminds me of a set of plastic toothpicks in a clear case we had at home. They were shaped like little swords with handles in a variety of colors.
It's funny how certain little details stand out in our childhood memories. It doesn't make sense to me, but I find I do get a nice feeling of contentment when I reminisce about them.
Comments
Kathya said at 5:55 AM on Friday, June 17, 2005
Lovely memories! I like to look back at our family's outings at amusement parks also... fun times! :D
disneymike said at 12:18 PM on Tuesday, June 21, 2005
Thanks, Kathya! :)
David said at 6:04 PM on Monday, September 5, 2005
Ah yes, the Dancing Water show. It's good to know someone else remembers that besides me. Sadly, many of the rides and attractions that we knew as kids are closing or are being replaced. We're getting old my friend.
Because of your name ("disneymike"), I assume you are a bit of a Disney buff? If so, you might be able to answer a question for me. About 4 years ago, I stumbled onto a website while Googling Disney attractions. On the site, they had downloadable .wav files of what sound like copies of the original Disney attraction sound tracks. The quality of these files is very good - too good to be taken by a tourist with a tape recorder. I have Pirates of the Caribbean, The Haunted Mansion, America Sings, the Matter Horn Bobsleds, and a couple others. There is a little degradation in the sound quality, but I attribute that to file compression.
At the time, I didn’t think much about it. I did have the foresight to copy everything to CD, however, and I’m glad I did because now I can’t seem to find that website. Furthermore, I can’t seem to find any reference to any sound tracks anywhere! Makes me wonder if these were bootleg and the site was shut down.
I did a little research and I discovered that there were actually two America Sings sound tracks. The first one was deemed too politically incorrect and was changed just prior to the release of the original sound track. Most of us remember this from the Prospector character:
(Texas accent)
Who shot that hole in my sombrero?
Who put that bullet through my hy-at?
Who shot that hole in my sombrero?
Who would do a turrible thang like thy-at?
I cain't figger
who'd pull that trigger.
You don't reckin mah wife could be back in ty-own?
But the original sound track went like this:
(Thick Mexican accent)
Who shot that hole in my sombrero?
Who put that bullet through my hat?
Who shot that hole in my sombrero?
Who would do a terrible thing like that?
Was it Pancho,
from the rancho?
Did he do this because I kissed his wife?
I went back and checked my copy. Sure enough, I have the politically incorrect, pre-released version!
Here’s my question: given that I have a pre-release copy of America Sings, and also that I can no longer find these sound tracks on the internet, do you think it’s possible that I have authentic copies of the attraction soundtracks? Is this a big deal, or are these available other places that I’m not aware of?
Anyway, great site! Keep up the good work!
Dave
disneymike said at 10:52 PM on Wednesday, September 7, 2005
David - It's neat to know someone remembers the Sparkletts Dancing Waters show at Sea World. :)
I checked the version of America Sings on the 6 CD Collector's version of A Musical History of Disneyland available exclusively at Disneyland. It has the version with the man with a thick Mexican accent.
Phil said at 1:20 PM on Monday, December 5, 2005
In the 80's I lived in San Diego and my favorite was the Sparkletts Dancing Waters show at Sea World.
I remember tourists from Japan amazed at it. There were different lights and multiple colors. There were shows on the hour and we would wait in line outside the entrance and enter an arena with the previous crowd exiting. They timed the water jumping with the music and I think one of the songs was "These Dreams" by Heart. So 80's, yet it came before the Bellagio in Las Vegas.
I can't find any other info on the Internet! Anyone please post.
Victor said at 1:10 AM on Monday, May 1, 2006
Wow I definitely remember the Sparklett's watershow. It was amazing! Way better than that stupid 3D show they have now at Sea World.
I remember the water even coming down from the cieling. A few of the songs i remember were "What a feeling" from Flashdance plus one time I went they did like a California theme show. They featured Beach Boys music and the Mamas and the Papas. I miss that show a lot it brings back lots of memories.
The dancing water at Bellagio is cool but honestly I thought this show was better. It had so many cool special lighting effects too. By the way Mike HUGE Disney buff here too.
disneymike said at 9:42 PM on Monday, May 1, 2006
Phil - Thank you so much for sharing. I'm so happy to know the Sparkletts Water Show is remembered fondly by other people too.
Victor - Thanks! It's cool that you remember the show and you're a big Disney fan as well.
Mr. Briggs said at 11:11 PM on Friday, February 2, 2007
I am a huge fan of the "Water Fantasy Show" Sponsored by Sparkletts. When I was a boy, my family would trek to Sea World in San Diego every year, sometimes twice a year. Funny, the only thing I loved about the park at that time was the Water show......and thats the one thing my parent's hated! Oh Sure, they would wait an hour under the sun to watch Shamu, but to see some fountains spit out water and play " Showers of Diamonds".. forget it!
I have several pics of the Water Show that I have amassed online over the past few years,and I am willing to share them with anyone who asks.....I also have lots of pics of the Old Sea World.....the way we all remember it! I can send them too!
I also have MP3s of both the Water Fantasy Albums that Sea World put out. I can post them to the Usenet if anyone wants me to?
Did you know that Rain Bird Corp. put in the Sprinkler system, and that the first track on the first LP was entitled "Showers Of Diamonds" for a reason? It was the Company's theme song?!
If anyone else has pics or sounds of the Water Fantasy show to share, please do!
Thanks!
rodd said at 12:55 PM on Friday, March 16, 2007
Thanks for posting a thread on this! I do indeed remember the Sparkletts Water Show. In fact, it is probably the most vivid of my few memories of Sea World from the early to mid-70's.
After that, the next time I went to Sea World was in the 90's and by this time the amazing water show had been closed down.
The Sparkletts Water Show was absolutely, vividly beautiful and it surprises me that someone doesn't build an indoor attraction like that and just keep it there...it would seem to have a basic and timeless sort of appeal!
After many years of remembering images of this, I finally got around to looking up photos of this installation, and have been grateful to find a few scraps here and there.
Chrisity said at 9:07 AM on Friday, May 23, 2008
I remember the Sparkletts show. Actually, I started thinking about it when I had a memory of a beautiful Japanese pearl diving show at either Disneyland or Sea World. Google searches reveal nothing. Anyone remember this show, and which park it was located in? I remember being mesmerized as a child...
Natalie said at 1:38 AM on Wednesday, June 25, 2008
I went online to see if there were any photos of the Sparkletts Water Show and was happy to see some fellow fans. It's so sad that it's gone. I was looking forward to sharing it with my nephew, but no such luck. Now I have no reason to go to Sea World. I can see interesting marine life at numerous aquariums (Carmel, Long Beach, etc.), but no one else had a spectacular water show like that.
Maureen said at 4:37 PM on Monday, October 13, 2008
I, too, fondly remember the Sparkletts water show at Sea World. I was 70's child, grew up in San Diego, and had a Sea World annual pass for many years. I remember how it was always so refreshingly cool inside that building. There was a strobe light effect they used at one point in the show, with the water coming down from the ceiling at one point which was very mesmorizing. Does anyone recall the theme song at the beginning? It went something like, "The waters of the world are one..."
disneymike said at 11:10 PM on Sunday, October 19, 2008
Maureen - It's good to know there's others who loved the Sparkletts show as well. :)
captbdgeoffers said at 6:31 PM on Tuesday, October 21, 2008
The Sea World Dancing Waters sponsored by Sparkletts was awesome. My parents would take me to San Diego several times a year, and it was always a hit. My dad liked the soundtrack so much, he bought it from the Seaworld gift store, on what was then a LP album (33 1/3). All the tracks were cool. I wish I could find it again today.
katie said at 7:52 AM on Monday, November 17, 2008
I also remember the Sparkletts water show! Funny, though, I don't remember any of the music. I was young, probably younger than 10 when I used to visit my grandparents in CA every summer in the late 70s. We went to Disney, Sea World and Knotts Berry Farm most every year, and the thing about the Sparkletts water show that I remember most is the sequin-y, glittery Sparkletts logo. Anyone remember that? It was even on their trucks that we would see around town. For some reason, that's an even fonder memory to me than the actual show.
I also remember the pearl diving show that another commenter mentioned, but I don't remember which park that was done at, either. My guess is SW, though.
disneymike said at 10:30 PM on Thursday, November 20, 2008
Katie - Thanks for your story. I do remember the glittery Sparkletts sign. I had forgotten about it until I read your comment. It's a nice memory for me too, now that I remember it! LOL
TSF said at 9:04 PM on Saturday, September 26, 2009
I do remember Sparkletts Water Fantisy show. I used to love this show, unfortally never got to see the California Dreamn show in 86. I love to see any photos out there of the show, i love to have some for my computer desktop photo, as well
as the 4 seasons show MP3s,
if anyone has em please email me asap.
I love to see em
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