BeeastFarmer

According to the article, the individual parks will retain their names. This is just a name for the holding company. Perhaps a change will come in the future. Or not.

I don't see how they could be labeled as crooks. They refunded passes and allowed gift cards to be redeemed or refunded. (Or maybe it was part of the contract of sale that mama would bear those costs and mama was the money source). Coney owners took away memories past and future most likely. But the only people who know the rationale of selling are the ones involved...not us. Maybe it was a decision made in October. Passes already sold. Maybe it was made two years ago, but they relied on pass sales money to run their business. People seem to forget that 4 years ago, we started to hear about a highly contagious virus in China around now, the likes of which has had devastating effects worldwide. Imagine if you made 100k in 2019. Things are going great! Now in 2020, because of sickness, you only make 10k. Then in 2021, you only make 40k because you owed the 60k to you banker. And your costs for everything have gone up exponentially, taking away 20k. In 2022, you claw your way up to 90k, but your costs have gone up more, so now you are just taking away 60k. In 2023, you've gone back down again to 80k and your costs remain steady at 30k. Now you have 50k. In four years you have made $140k. Had a catastrophic event not happened, all things being equal, you would have made 400k. You are barely surviving, if at all, because you lost 360k. This is why we see things like Coney Island close and SIX and FUN combine. I'd expect more fallout for years.

Actually, post merger, it will be FUN, not SIX that will have to make these decisions. The ticker will be FUN, but the company will be called Six Flags. This is going to take some getting used to.

RFYLCB to Kings Mills Log Flume Backlot Stunt Coaster to what the area really looks like to Junkyard Coaster The Area Formerly Known as Coney Mall to Coney Mall Woodstock Express to The Beastie (this could bring back nostalgia and tie into Camp Snoopy (ghost stories are told around campfires!) All the buildings on International Street to their countries--The Spanish Building, The Italian Building, etc. Drop Tower to something more original

When was in Nights of Thunder?

They didn't cut the cranes at CP!

2023 was truly a let down, but for perspective...2022 was arguably the BEST season for Kings Island. So there's that. The park ambassadors were a true asset, but in doing their job flawlessly, they were largely invisible. I do think it's a portence of things to come. In fairness though...Cedar Fair historically runs great parks. I dont think 2024 will be anything close to the terrible Viacom/ CBS years.

I might be conflating this, but I thought in Evans book, he related how they were over budget with the construction and had to scale back on the original concept. Something about they didn't have the money to build The Italian Building beyond a shell until the pizza idea come into play. They probably took all that money from Big Pizza and saved it in a CD so the could finish the international theme and that finally came to fruition with.....wait for it...The Italian Job: Stunt Coaster! (I'll show myself out, folks...)

You know that spitting on someone is battery if they press charges, right? I hope you have decided not to do this as you have matured.

I like everything but two things: 1. The pedestals. 2. Not bringing back the street lamps.

Were they swans or those terrible geese? If they were geese, I hope they ended up on someone's dinner table...go tell aunt rhodey!

I might be misinterpreting your wording. I don't think it was an excuse. Don has publicly said, at Coasterstock, that he designed the event so relationships can be made, outside of your own club. Logistically, it may help to combine into one group instead of several groups during the season, but I don't see that as an excuse. Three of my coaster friends I made at Coasterstock are traveling buddies nine years later and they are from different clubs. ( Coasterstock was my first event, I just got into coasters as a hobby the year before Coasterstock began). I'm glad for the ACE event and hope I get off work to be able to attend. But I doubt ACE said " host us that weekend or we walk!" The park could have hosted another event later in the year for ACE and kept Coasterstock. I'd imagine ace does quite a bit of the legwork, and let's face it, the tickets seem to be quite a bit more than Coasterstock. I'd guess the park gets a good portion of each portion as ace is non profit. So, not having to plan an event as in depth and making more money seems a no brainer to me. But then again, none of my guesses could be accurate. Only the organizers and park people know everything. And I'm fine with that. I think the less I know of what happens in the holy of holies , the better off it am.

Some think Don owned the park (figuratively). For many enthusiasts, he was the face of the park. I think most would agree that he authored Coasterstock and it wouldn't be the same without him. I didn't think it would continue this year but I decided not to go if it did. Sometimes it's good to walk away and reevaluate later. I do plan to go to the ACE event pending work request is given. But the event and Coasterstock are not the same thing. People would be foolish to go in with the mentality of nitpicking. I've only gone to one ACE regional event at Kentucky Kingdom (I know, I know, I'm a bad ACEr) but they seem to have top notch events. I think this takes alot of the pressure off of KI to plan and execute an event, placing it on ACE, and giving them a breather.

How about a Kahn's Sausage Haus? Or a Rain-Bo Backerei?

The sheer scale of this merger would be off the charts. Think about it – combining Cedar Fair's regional dominance with Six Flags' national footprint could create an amusement park juggernaut. More parks, more visitors, and, hopefully, more rides. Economies of scale, y'all! With a mega-merger, they could slash costs left and right. Bulk purchases, shared tech investments – it's like getting a season pass for your wallet. And you know what that means? More money for mind-blowing attractions that make your stomach do somersaults. Now, picture this: Cedar Fair's cozy family parks meeting Six Flags' thrill-seekers haven. It's a match made in coaster heaven. Diverse parks would mean a diverse fan base, appealing to everyone from adrenaline junkies to families with little daredevils in training. Could SeaWorld join the party? Imagine the New Six Flags Entertainment Corporation with marine life, rollercoasters, and killer shows. SeaWorld Entertainment (SEAS) blending into the mix? It's like the Avengers of the theme park world, right? However, let's not ignore the elephant in the room – antitrust concerns. The regulators might be eyeing this merger like a hawk. But hey, if it goes through, we could be witnessing the birth of a theme park empire. So, buckle up! Arms down, head back! The Cedar Fair and Six Flags merger might just be the thrill ride that shapes the amusement park industry for years. And who knows, maybe SEAS will join the squad for the ultimate theme park crossover event!

Once the rides were gone and they didn't invest in the waterpark, the writing was on the wall. Coney lovers, would you rather it die a slow, festering, miserable, stinky death, or amputate the gangrene and start fresh?

If the merger is consummated, I predict that all the junkyard coasters will be relocated. KD to KI. KI to KD. Then the following year: KD to Cwonderland. Cwonderland to KI.

Maybe I'm misinterpreting your post. Kings Island beginning was anything but humble. The Happy Land of Hanna Barbera was da bomb diggity as kids. We went to Disney world once and the folks gave us a choice each summer. Kings Island or Disney. We always chose KI. Dream world: the merger goes through and we see Snoopy and Charlie cohabitating!

I don't know this person myself, but I do wish her the best of success in this role and I hope she climbs the corporate ladder very very quickly. If this merger happens, the world can be at her doorstep. Criticism of Chad's career and mistakes, I can see as he is old and has been elsewhere. This is her first time getting into the pool and she was kind of thrown in. Let's help her swim, and hope the best of the best rides to the top and the worst is flushed out of the sand filter.

The Beast. Just was not feeling it at Winterfest this year.

I just want Gabriel's Oboe to return, along with ET and whatever the video game music is that sounds like cool instrumental music. Some polka and Spanish chi chi music would be good too

Well, duh. This is for the front gate renovation that will happen post merger where they are going to rename Kings Island to Six Flags over Cedar Point -Ohio South. It's obvious. This post is sarcasm.

And Selim to get a large bonus at merger close, with a percentage being given up front and a percentage after a period of time, as a retention bonus. If I remember the article correctly, it's in stock vs cash..

I could like this! https://www.facebook.com/share/va658nUifTHxSfTR/?mibextid=WiMSqg

I did get to experience the magic of WinterFest a moment ago... scrolling through the KISP Facebook page, someone posted that Scrooge got to meet his mini me. Attached were several photos of a young boy dressed up like Scrooge, even down to the cane. And it looked like he was matching Scrooge's facial expressions. Those are some lifetime memories for this family. That's what the essence of Kings Island is.