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KI's was a huge venture and was poorly executed. Sorry if I offend any former "PKI" peeps with that comment, but it's true. The event lost a lot of money too, but according to a former credible employee, they had expected to loose money the first year, although I imagine they didn't expect it to be so poorly attended. They had daily operations in the week leading up to Christmas, and I think I went on a Tuesday and overheard a net Alpha call of like 800 from a security guard's radio that happened to be near me. Winterfest was however a beautiful and wonderful event. Definitely the most immersive thing that Paramount ever did with the park. The shows were incredible and the food was fantastic. In my opinion, there were certain key things that were done wrong, some from the start: - At the announcement, they said that you need to buy tickets early because there's a good chance of certain days selling out. Instead of creating the sense of urgency that they wanted, I think that it just made people assume that the park would be crowded, so it was a bad first impression. -The event was priced out of the market. I think it was like $25 originally, and they ended up selling tickets as low as $10 by the end of the event. I think I even got a coupon through e-mail offering tickets for $8. $10 or $12 would have been a much more reasonable price point. When the papers came out talking about Christmas events, KI looked like a bad guy with their even costing $25 and everyone else's was no more than $10 or so. -They had a golden opportunity to promote the next year's season passes with it and let it slip. They offered a discount with a 2005 (I think) season pass, but it really should have been free... at least for one visit. The discount was like $22 instead of $25, so it was hardly worth buying a pass early for that reason alone. -The park had a LOT of trouble finding employees to work the event, and it would be event tougher now with new minor labor laws. -Paramount threw in a taste of, "Over-promise and under-deliver" that we became used to. Scooby Doo and the Haunted Castle was supposed to have a Christmas makeover, but it just ended up being open like normal. They also let things fall apart after the first weekend. They had a wonderful light display over Swan Lake (now DB's splashdown) and they had some very obvious strands of lights burnt out within the first few days. What was a magical display the weekend after Thanksgiving looked like Charlie Brown's Christmas tree by New Year's Eve. -They had an overcomplicated system that wasn't necessary. In anticipation for the "sell out crowds" they created a ticket system for the KI Theatre's show, "Santa's Toy Factory," in which you'd have to go to the Return Visit Booth (where you now buy Fast Lane tickets) and get a ticket for one of the night's shows. The night that there were like 800 people in the park, I attended a show that literally had 15 people in the theatre and they still made me go to the Return Visit Booth to get a ticket. Some things affected attendance, but some made people not want to come back. I think the small crowds created a downward spiral. There was a lot of stuff to do, but with no one in the park you could do it all in about two hours, so it felt like there was nothing to do. Perhaps that was both the initial and ultimate blow.

I only remembered it because, for a few weekends, it was the home of the "FAMOUSE" deep fried potato!

Ah it makes me smile to hear a Great Taste, Less Filling story, truly a Viking Fury tradition that the park should mandate into a park rule. I would have to pick 1974 in this shot, due to the fact of how serene the park looks from this angle. On a side note, it seems like KI present day is a lot more.....bushy. I have not really ever stepped back to think, but KI does have a LOT of trees.

I love BOTH of the photos in today’s set. 1974 There is so much I love about looking at this photo, the skyride, the people on the lower level observation deck, the banners, the swans...truly a great time to be in the park! 2011 Judging by how little of the bottom of the “dock” you can see I am wondering if the park keeps the water level higher than back in 1974...or I just caught it on a higher day. Does the park adjust the water level in the pond? (Anyone...anyone....Bueller....Bueller...) So where would I rather be today? Even after listing all of the great stuff in the 1974 photo I can not say that I choose 1974. I love Viking Fury...so I can’t vote against it in the 2011 shot...so today I refuse to choose. As always ever and ever thanks for all of the participation...and have a great weekend!

Good morning...or afternoon to you late sleepers! When you put it like this I agree, I love nature. ("I love the outdoors, whenever i'm not indoors that's where you'll find me." - Frank Burns) The problem I have nowadays is no matter how much I like seeing exotic animals, I can't get it out of the back of my head how much happier most of them would be out in the wild. But that would make you old...too! Today’s photo set is a slightly different...because it’s not quite in the park. 1974 I have some fond memories of the trams...it seemed so magical to wait and board them and be taken to the park. (Although now that I am older I can’t imagine wasting my time waiting for one when I could just walk and be at the entrance faster. ) The two things that caught my attention in this photo are: A. The boy in his tube socks...oh what a time period...the boys of today don’t know what they missed having those “cool” fashion accessories. (The only downside of having the striped socks is that you had to find a matching pair...nowadays I just grab any two white socks in my drawer.) B. The lady on the back of the tram looking up...it’s like she’s just thinking “I wonder if it’s gonna rain today”. 2011 Where would I rather be today...1974 or 2011? Well if I base it solely on these two photos I would say that I would go for 2011 because I think the trams are a waste of gas...BUT I would choose 1974 if I could reach into the picture and grab me one of those old Scooby Doo parking signs! Thanks for all of the comments!