brenthodge

Still feel “Sounds of the Nativity” is the most underrated, under appreciated live entertainment option at Winterfest. Awesome vocals, well produced lighting and just a “classy” experience (with sone tweaks). They’ve done a few things in past year to this to draw attention, but think the “light up tombstone “ sign should go further down on the main path. Then line the path back with all the other “tombstone lanterns“ with stained glass designs leading to the big stained glass nativity. Even lining the path with snow drift trees and luminarias. The assorted lanterns they used over the old “Pumpkin Eater” path this year would be beautiful to hang over the path to really draw attention. Then PLEASE put some benches or cafe tables back there in front of the stage. Put the animal food vendor right by the entrance or someplace NOT right by the stage so you could actually focus on the entertainment if you didn’t want to pet the critters. Actually they NEED sone seating at all of these temporary show venues to make more enjoyable to actually watch the show.

The whole food thing I feel has been real “hit or miss” this year for Winterfest. No real published “features” menu or signage in front of places like Tricks and treats. It’s more “wander up to a place and there might be a sign highlighting Winterfest features”

Nothing says “horror area” like a big play area in the middle LOL (come to think of it… squealing kids kinda IS a horror)

If you are expecting Swinging into Christmas to be an even swap for Charlie Brown you will be disappointed. It’s great to have a live band and it’s good, but it’s a typical FestHaus review show with a fairly “cheap” set that is a waste of the stage and capability of that space. That’s an odd space anyway in that it’s a full theater in a food hall. You “could” do a show with legit sets and lighting, but why in a space people barely pay attention as they eat. KI really needs to either upgrade International Showplace or invest in another legit indoor theatre. The show in Festhaus is exactly the type of show that should be in there, but it’s a shame we lost a show with more “production “ for it. I still wish they would bring back an ice skating show that extends the stage out into the dining space more

If you are at the final stop on IStreet it is always like this - which is a fail if you ask me. I wish they ride the floats all the way back to the start area - or al least stoped again just to let the performers "peel off" at the tower. Its just bad show for anyone past the final show stop. The show ends and elves and drummers just go running and jumping off of floats. The only ones that stay on are the ones "strapped on". They do this with every parade and its just a really unprofessional look to me

My thoughts- loose chick fil a, add a park unique Chinese concept there with revamped seating - more pavilion style open side-hard roof with heaters and fans, revamped landscaping to make it feel like Chinese garden to tie into international street. Loose skyline and add park specific indoor dining concept with breakfast, lunch, dinner sandwiches- with a few loose “international” influences for the lunch and dinner options. replace Panda in Festhaus with a dedicated German option, then make the other, larger side an international “food hall” with family friendly options lije pizza, burgers and chicks fingers one aside and rotating CARNIVALE-style food choices on the other line.

HotRod Highway sounds great, but you now have 2 “hot rod” rides with DemonRod or whatever that band was. Area 72 has a UFO “mindtrip ” indoor roller coaster and a “space exploration training module” loosely themed Giga Coaster. Seems like they are more different than just 2 space themed rides. I’d say still keep the new coaster music themed. Even if it was surf or dive it could play into 50s surf music.

No.

Like the idea, but maybe a different theme for the new coaster? Seems like a lot of car themed rides. Keep backlot and antiques the car themes. Maybe it’s just a great coaster with a loose “rock and roll” theme like RocketRocker -launched like you proposed. On board audio of 4-5 great classic rock soundtracks tgg HD at change each ride. Maybe 1-2 themed tunnels with simple lighting effects. DoWahDitty City SockHop City be a perfect tie in with TinselTown during WinterFest

totally agree- there are other ways to enhance the experience

Wow. This went in a different direction. I was thinking less costly, simpler lighting and projection overlays to existing ride experiences. Yes-there is a whole other depth this could be taken to, but I wasn’t thinking quite as involved. Interesting turn though!

With new theatre and effect tech making it easier to have different experiences using mapping, screens, and other lighting based effects instead of so many practical effects- what misses do you see where the park could really cater to its base that visits the park a lot throughout the season. There are so many things they could do to increase theming while at the same time enhance the re-ride experience by changing things up. Mystic was a dip in the water with this. What else could they come up with? First thing to my mind is mapped projection on base props in the tunnels on Adventure so that each tunnel has 2-3 versions that all vary giving almost infinite variations-with to the final hill being the one real practical effect.

With new theatre and effect tech making it easier to have different experiences using mapping, screens, and other lighting based effects instead of so many practical effects- what misses do you see where the park could really cater to its base that visits the park a lot throughout the season. There are so many things they could do to increase theming while at the same time enhance the re-ride experience by changing things up. Mystic was a dip in the water with this. What else could they come up with? First thing to my mind is mapped projection on base props in the tunnels on Adventure so that each tunnel has 2-3 versions that all vary giving almost infinite variations-with to the final hill being the one real practical effect.

Has so much potential to be great again. Please install better sound system so you can actually hear the custom soundtrack (that actually tracks the entire ride). Needs speakers thoughout. On board not needed as they really only can run one cycle at a time in the show building. Please install intelligent lighting in the spaghetti bowl to add to the “chaos”. Please at least clean the mirrors in the queue do the effect works and the secret isn’t spoiled. Please use the indoor que switchback so people can actually see (what little is left of) the show. This in one case where the original experience isn’t too far gone to bring it back and even enhance it. (Why along with MYSTIC this isn’t given a real holiday (and Haunt) overlay is beyond me. Even the addition of a projection screen or two -especially at the MCBR-and one that you go through as you make the final inversion- would provide a place for seasonal images to be changed out to increase re-ridability.

Great idea reassigning Delerium just so the “mini area” has 2 rides and a food option.

The curtain in the load area is not the red curtain in the concept art. That actually never made it into the finished attraction. The black panel to the right when you enter the load area is there to block sight lines into the actual ride. Feels like it was maybe an error that was caught during test/adjust and that was the solution. It’s not really needed now as nothing you could see from that spot would spoil the ride. If it wasn’t there you’d be able to see where the phantom with the curtain was from load.

Not all of that detail from the concept art made it into the final project. It was definitely a bit more bare bones than the concept art makes it look.

I personally don’t care for the mazes. I go for the overall, park-wide experience. That’s where I feel like events like this can, and should be different than other offerings out there. I can go to individual indoor haunted mazes other places. The ability parks like KI have to build extended “worlds” beyond those is what I enjoy. Again, I can only evaluate the product I experienced, and I understand weather constraints, but the event is marketed as an immersive event. That’s what I was reviewing. If a light rain impacts their ability to deliver on that, then it illustrates the need to develop better outdoor venues to deliver on that. I have season pass, so outside of gas it was no loss to my wallet, but if I had been paying (as I ran into a few friends who did) I would’ve been disappointed I paid full price when the diminished experience wasn’t disclosed at the gate or on the ap. No love loss, just wish I had a better opportunity to review the overall intended experience.

Well it kind of limped to a close tonight with no outdoor shows, no one in any scare zone and no fountain. Guess I have no real way of truly evaluating Haunt 2022 other than from my actual experience. So based on that-it sucked. I totally get that Rain screwed it all up, but people always say “don’t form you opinion without actually going” unfortunately tonight was the only night I could go, so it was what it was-a very lackluster event that is majorly affected by weather. Oh, and food ops were a mess all 3 places I went with the staff more involved with taking down fall decor (why is that their job and why are you pulling it down at 6:30?) than taking orders-weird! Ride lines were great though so there is that.

Yep. Another example of bad show. Every paying guest should get the same core experience throughout the entire run of the event.

Well-the tree is up so I guess it’s time for hallo-mas. There is NO REASON such a visible element for one event is put up totally blocking a key element for another event. That tree should be the first thing they do AFTER haunt. There seem like way more “easily hidden” things that could be done and ready to go. It’s just terrible show.

Hence why it needs to be redone with terraced seating. Could do flat levels-a few with tables and chair at the top and others with bench seating closer to the bottom. Could also look at adding a few support poles to hold up a more permanent roof with heaters. It would make it more flexible for all season use and add a dynamic energy to that area at WinterFest. Even if they didn’t do that they could install infrared heaters to melt the aisles. They do that for parking deck ramps.

Totally agree with all points. Tinkers is “fun” but unless the show is ramped back up to its 2005 version it’s just as much a waste of the main theatre as CBCS was (almost more in that it doesn’t even use the fly space and isn’t as “big” with the production numbers.)

Jim Stump is usually Santa in all the shows of all the years I’ve seen.

Maybe with a much smaller area they can actually add and maintain some decor. No reason there couldn’t be a smaller bier garden where the unused bar behind emporium is with new seating, overhead lighting and flags. Actually that “mini land” could be quite cute. Might need to rework Viking Fury queue a bit to not dump out right into seating area as much, but it really doesn’t need the massive line it has. Even if they gave it a little plaza cut back into the mulch wasteland back there. Would be great if they could get one more flat worked in to the right of Festhaus. Even something that played off the Maypole idea like a Samba tower with sone cool trim elements. I think they would definitely need to have some solid German food in FestHaus (I’d kick out panda and do it there so it doesn’t get burried in with the other side- then keep the other side one line “bad American “ and the other rotate out different countries using the CARNIVALE food template. Give Festhouse and overall “International food hall” feel. At Christmas put a giant spinning pyramid where the stein topiary goes.