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I know i'm bumping my own thread, but anyone interested?

good thought - i believe that the parking is being expanded again this off season. maybe thats the long term plan.

This is why they went with the Six Flags name instead of Cedar Fair - to take advantage of the name recognition, but with that comes an eroding of the individual/uniqueness of the parks as they try to capitalize on the Six Flags branding. They want someone to go to a park and know it is a Six Flags park. As a result, we will see more and more corporate look/feel than individual look/feel. We ain't seen nothing yet.... Except for the enthusiasts, the casual observer or just reader of park news wouldn't necessarily know the names of the Cedar Fair parks.

It tells the auidence the somebody within the company knows how to use MS Paint. That’s about it.

There aren't as many true theme park people involved in this theme park company as there used to be.

I agree with you on this 100%. Everything is just Gibson Bold on a white or plain background, with a picture of a Gold/Prestige/whatever pass. This recent example from Kings Dominion has to be one of the worst ads that I have ever seen from a park. What about this ad tells the audience anything about the 50th Anniversary? What in this image compels the audience to purchase a pass? Make a visit in 2025? https://x.com/KingsDominionVA/status/1875270505097523311 Nothing about this ad connects to the audience on an emotional level. For a theme park company, it's such a shame that the branding/messaging is so consistently bland and boring.

+ 1 for individualized park logos. The chain as a whole could use a big brand refresh. The current fonts, colors, etc. are tired. A new look would be good post merger. Something less corporate-y and plastic-y.

Tbh I miss the customized logos for each park on the souvenir bottle showcasing the new attraction for that season. I think 2022 was the last time they did that with the 50th logo on the bottle that year. Also, ngl I miss the large souvenir cups they used to place to the right of the front gate plaza in the spring. I thought they were cool looking and idk why the park got rid of them.

This was always a strange fit for Kennywood, and it's a shame that this will end up being something like a Whistlestop Park.

Well they have officially announced the date of sale for WCO tickets. Tickets go on sale January 21st and 10AM. The event itself takes place February 22nd. And of course this event will come with yet another price hike of $100. Just.....yeah. But no doubt this event will set out. https://www.cedarpoint.com/events/winter-chill-out

This is a stumper, I can’t recall the exact locations of the fire alarms, other than the one at the front of the cave entrance. the best I can tell you is to watch some YT videos of Madam Fatel queue.

Thats what I thought. I did ride it in 08 and to this day nothing has ever actually scared me. Except that.

This is Crypt. 2008 Also, that was one HECK of a ride program!!!

Thanks for the clarification on Racer, Don. I thought it was a deal where PTC didn’t recommend backwards ops, and liability fears. Glad to get the facts. I retract my statement, and modify it to: “Cedar Fair finally chooses to run Racer backwards”. :^)

We now have a Buy or Sell segment as part of every episode. We'll also be adding back in the "Your Kings Island Stories" segment in February. Anyone interested in sharing their Kings Island story (favorite memory) can submit it via email to donhelbig@themeparksbydon.com. Use Story for TT in the subject line.

@DonHelbig, do you know about when you might do this episode?

Kings Island could run one side on The Racer backwards if they wanted to, but they choose not to. PTC didn't, after 26 seasons, tell them they couldn't do that. It was a management decision to run one side backwards in 1981, and a management decision to turn it back around after the 2007 season.

KK is moving the "adult" rides, minus Lightning Run from the front of the park to the newly expanded area between the Thunder Run Plaza and Storm Chaser. I look for everything - including Storm Chaser to be re-themed/re-named. They will close the path that ran from Storm Chaser to the former T2, mostly to remove rides and install a major "attraction" rounding out the two-year $25M plan. I believe the vacancies created by the loss of the rides at the front of the park will be filled with more substantial buildings & infrastructure (over time) that will allow them to flesh out their Halloween and Holiday events. IMO, if they don't seize the opportunity to relocate the carousel to the former location of Helivator, they're nuts. There's ZERO charm/interest to the front entrance plaza. Should the Fairgrounds ever plan to re-route perimeter road, it would obviously benefit the park greatly. But, as I understand, that's still a long-range dream. That having been said, it seems ironic that Hershend is clearing the rides from a side of the park on which a newly-routed road would need to go. The relocation of the rides could be killing two-birds with one stone - should the fairground ever move forward with a re-route. But for now the focus is on building the new Wing/Hall behind the existing West Wing. That's planned for the rear of the fairgrounds - not near or around KK. When that hall is complete, they will then move to the second phase and replace the West Wing & West Wing Pavillion. The WW Pavillion is adjacent to the entrance plaza of KK only. Of note, the renderings I've seen of the Fairgrounds remodel still show the road dissecting KK. (See pic below) One main issue that has always prevented the re-location of the perimeter road is the State Fair Midway. The Midway rides are all placed in the exact area where the new road would need to go - and there's electrical infrastructure placed in the lot that powers the rides and attractions. Not to mention the road would now dissect the SF midway from the park. During the State Fair - they "merge" the park with the Midway. But there's also been a long-standing rumor dating back to the Six Flags days that there's an intention to "flip" the entry of the park. As I understand, both Six and Hart discussed the possibility of pushing the main entrance to the (former) T2 area. With parking being placed in the lot adjacent to Kentucky Flyer. KK is still a mediocre (at best) half-day park. Here's hoping it can grow and improve. However it still fights many of the same battles it always has - mainly perception by the locals. That is, and always will be their greatest challenge.

Cedar Fair convinces PTC to approve running backwards trains on Racer (and Rebel Yell, American Eagle) Blue cones offered as smoothies or some other form A classic flat ride like Monster, SR&R is removed The Beast is still the longest wooden coaster in the world

In the next 5-10 years KI and CP will be owned by different companies?

That looks like it indoors. I can see the metalwork on the building in the video. Also this has the A frame like The Crypt and not a normal top spin. But I'm still not 100% sure if this is it or not.

https://www.wdrb.com/news/new-renderings-show-393m-planned-expansion-to-kentucky-exposition-center/article_34503172-60a4-11ef-917c-07d57c73762a.html Large scale renovation around the park will be happening soon as well.

Admission prices will increase by more than 20% over the next five years. Haunt will become a separate ticketed event, similar to Knott's Scary Farm. Small, themed escape rooms will be added as year-round, upcharge attractions.

The only thing that map tells me with any amount of certainty is that missing area of the park will not be open for 2025, which should not be surprising considering T3 is gone and Deluge still needs demo. Perhaps Rapids will reopen with a more appropriate retheme in 2026 or later with a whole new section of the park... maybe even with the new entrance and parking that I still think would be a good long term investment.

It would be a shame to remove the rapids ride because it was one of the best of it's kind in my opinion. Rode that more than some of the coasters during my visits. I understand rides must be removed for the future expansion of the park but announcements beforehand is always appreciated.