Kentucky Kingdom

[Youthere]

All we can do is support, if we like the new Kingdom, and wish them the best.

Exactly! It's going to be a wonderful run for the Kingdom!

[RailRider]

Lets push this plan forward for the sake of politics and doing something.

We can worry about details later... Ahhh The American Political Machine at its finest.

[MrPKI]

NOW, the Fair Board wants a master plan? Now? Really?

What's up with that? Wonder if Mr. Hart knows?

http://m.bizjournals.com/louisville/news/2013/12/19/fair-board-seeking-firm-for-master-plan.html?r=full

don't know. probably a park employee, possibly an intern.

I know with 100% certainty, that's not John

though.

Gee, I wonder who knew that!

Terp, who likes to ask questions

I'm led to believe this young man is (PR Director) John Mulcahy's son, making him John Mulcahy Jr. It provides an explanation as to why he might have received such an opportunity. See https://www.facebook.com/SaveKentuckyKingdom/photos_stream#!/photo.php?fbid=189627414505964&set=pb.173986686070037.-2207520000.1387551947.&type=3&theater'>photo from "Save My Park" group where he stands next to the man we know as John Mulcahy.

[The Interpreter]

All we can do is support, if we like the new Kingdom, and wish them the best.

Exactly! It's going to be a wonderful run for the Kingdom!

Indeed. And for Messsrs Hart and Lunsford, too if--as I suspect--this deal is going to get a whole lot better soon.

Let's see. Do a RFP with one set of terms, no one else bids, negotiate a deal, then suddenly a new master plan--that had it existed, others would have bid.

Indeed. It's going to be a wonderful run for the Kingdom.

Perhaps not a very long one, but a very enriching one, for some.

And all at almost entirely the risk of the Kentucky taxpayers and the Commonwealth. If the park does well, so do Messrs Hart and Lunsford, with constrained upside for the Commonwealth and its taxpayers. If they don't go well, it's the Commonwealth and the taxpayers who have the most to lose...including the land and rides.

Political indeed.

Yes, indeed.

[TombRaiderFTW]

Got an email from Kentucky Kingdom today. After scrolling through the list of email addresses the email was sent to (?), I found the message that the water bottles for the first 500 pass purchasers have been mailed today. I'm guessing I'll get mine after the first of the year.

[jcgoble3]

After scrolling through the list of email addresses the email was sent to (?)

Somebody needs to teach them what a Bcc: field is for. Or better yet, a proper mailing list.

[The Interpreter]

And that they are apparently violating privacy laws in Kentucky and other states.

This more and more looks like amateur hour as opposed to professional marketing.

[TheBEASTunchained]

Nice rendering of Lightning Run.......

(Photo Courtesy of Kentucky Kingdom)

[CedarPointer]

It looks very... Arrow.

[thekidd33]

I was thinking the same thing.

[PKIVortex]

As it should as Morgan as formed from people who used to work at Arrow!

[bkroz]

In terms of scale and even layout it reminds me of Sky Rocket, just without a launch.

This looks like a nice little ride, but if it's to be the park's major draw during its grand reopening, they better hope they crowds stay light (while simultaneously hoping they don't). My guess (which is of course unfair not having ridden it) is that waiting longer than thirty minutes for this would lead to quite a bit of frustration.

[TombRaiderFTW]

I wonder if they'll introduce a Fast Lane/Flash Pass equivalent. It'd certainly help with profits and the line issue. Considering the incredibly minimal advertising, though, I think crowds will be light whether they want them to be or not. (Did Six Flags management offer Flash Passes at the park? The Lo-Q/accesso system would definitely offer something unique to the area if SIX didn't already try it.)

I'll be at Kentucky Kingdom as soon as I can. This is starting to feel like Hard Rock Park to me.

[BB1]

I would hope that in an effort to sell Season Passes, that one could get cheaper "fast passes" i e half off, that way I wouldn't have to fork out an arm and an leg to get my queue lines quicker.

I'm going to Kentucky Kingdom ASAP, I will probably be there the opening week or so of the Kentucky Kingdom.

[The Interpreter]

I don't recall that Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom had Flash Passes. I know they did not use Lo-Q.

[Tuskin]

In 2007 I do not believe they had Flash Passes. Any other years I am not sure about.

[Outdoor Man]

Just a thought, the low level of season pass marketing could be intentional. Maybe. It could be that they want more people paying the gate price than fixed one-time pricing. As essentially a start up they don't want customers like me and my family that pay for 10 admissions months before at the price of two then use their facilities all season long. Probably would rather discount admission at the gate and make a certain dollar amount for each person all season.

Ed is in media so very likely he knows more about timing than most of us... or at least knows people that do. They probably hired the agency of record to contract their media buys for maximum impact to put bodies in the park when open. Remember, they don't need 3 million the park like ki to be a success... More like a third of that.

Aggressive season pass sales will be more important after this season.

[The Interpreter]

Interestingly enough, when Ed Hart last owned Kentucky Kingdom, season passes, though available, were not stressed and were among the most expensive in the business. I believe they took at least eight visits to pay for themselves.

Interesting that this time around, the former general manager of Carowinds and food director at Valleyfair has watched what happened when Dick Kinzel tried to convert the Paramount Parks cheap season pass model to Cedar Fair's 'pricing integrity' model--higher season pass pricing, parking NOT included--a near mutiny by passholders. Cedar Fair ended up refunding parking pass money to early buyers and including parking at the originally announced price.

Already, Kentucky Kingdom has extended promotional pricing on the season passes. They are already priced absurdly low. Then again, the park knows what it is offering. We, at this point, don't truly know for sure.

[LoraX]

I went to Kentucky Kingdom numerous times over the years and never recall any form of fast pass. I also do not recall the park ever being insanely crowded on most days, either. Then again, I have been going to KI for years so the crowds may have just been much less than KI.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[bkroz]

I would hope that in an effort to sell Season Passes, that one could get cheaper "fast passes" i e half off, that way I wouldn't have to fork out an arm and an leg to get my queue lines quicker.

That could be suicide what with the current pricing system.

Season passes are currently $15 more than a general admission ticket. That means that $60 gets you unlimited admission, rides during the fair, $1.00 soft drinks, and a 20% discount on food and merchandise across the board.

My GUESS would be that season passes will be a standard like it seems to be in the Kings Island area - it'll just be more or less understood that kids will get a season pass for their birthday / Christmas, as will all their friends, even if it takes a few years to get there. At that point, having a deep discount on a front-of-the-line pass would be silly. Imagine if KI Gold Pass holders got 50% Fast Lane... I think Fast Lane would have about as many people as the regular line in that case. EDIT: And if they advertise "Upgrade Before You Leave" type deals, season passes could be big. An overwhelming majority of KK visitors will no doubt be very locally based.

[The Interpreter]

As the Fair Board sits out in the parking lot, cashiers at the ready to collect for each and every visit. Parking was the one item the Fair Board (and the Commonwealth, for that matter) was seemingly unwilling to negotiate.

[shark6495]

Honestly, I could see the parking being the thing that hurts this park the most. Buy a season pass for 60 bucks and attend as many times as you want. However, as someone on here mentioned, the fair board in the past sold a parking pass that paid for itself in 8 visits? Even if parking is only $5 (I know when I went down for a convention center thing, parking was closer to $8) thats 40$ per month X 3 months of operation (June July August) thats an additional $120....

Not the lack of rides/entertainment. Nor the limited advertisements or bad history of the park. Just a few people who are more interested in making money off of their parking than seeing something take off...

[bkroz]

After the CC / BCC fiasco mentioned earlier, things like the FAQ are a little disconcerting too. Free games? Terms of use on the physical printed season pass are not correct? Email links?

Also odd is a really lengthy explanation of alcohol policies that typically don't need that much elaboration. The policy is apparently "no different than the standard practices at Disney Parks, Sea World (sic), Busch Parks (sic), and Cedar Fair parks (Including Kings Island)." Why is that all necessary? The final sentence of that first paragraph was also not very well composed. Seems like a simple idea to convey.

[The Interpreter]

Honestly, I could see the parking being the thing that hurts this park the most. Buy a season pass for 60 bucks and attend as many times as you want. However, as someone on here mentioned, the fair board in the past sold a parking pass that paid for itself in 8 visits? Even if parking is only $5 (I know when I went down for a convention center thing, parking was closer to $8) thats 40$ per month X 3 months of operation (June July August) thats an additional $120....

Not the lack of rides/entertainment. Nor the limited advertisements or bad history of the park. Just a few people who are more interested in making money off of their parking than seeing something take off...

The someone was me. The old season pass paid for itself in eight visits. The parking pass did not pay off in a season of 33 visits! It was and is meant for employees who work five or six days a week.

[bkroz]

The someone was me. The old season pass paid for itself in eight visits. The parking pass did not pay off in a season of 33 visits! It was and is meant for employees who work five or six days a week.

... Who have to pay to park at work?!

[The Interpreter]

In the past, yes. Some did, some didn't. Seasonals were paid so little they didn't. Full timers did.

[shark6495]

Oh thats nice of them. At least they didnt have to work an hour or more to pay for parking each day....

[RollerNut]

In the past, yes. Some did, some didn't. Seasonals were paid so little they didn't. Full timers did.

Some college and universities charge their staff for parking. Normally all students paid for parking even if they dont have a car. I called it the *** parking fee.

[TheBEASTunchained]

Kentucky Kingdom has now announced that they will be holding a Job Fair at the Crown Plaza Hotel (On Phillips Ln. which is near the park) on January 4th.......

Details......

http://www.kentuckykingdom.com/employment-2/

[The Interpreter]

Some interesting things there:

Ride operators must be 18. Ride attendants apparently need not be. I wonder if such fine distinctions are observed in Bowling Green, where the state is not what amounts to a business partner. A ride attendant ushers "passengers" on and off attractions. PASSENGERS? Now there's a word the entire industry has avoided using. Passengers ride conveyances. A very important distinction. Something or other about standard of care. Gee, I seem to remember something about common carriers, rides and California. But the new Kentucky Kingdom's rides have passengers. Really?

And a very public reference to the Mayor's summer jobs program. Several things. Is that a pat on the back for someone? Sure looks like an endorsement. All that city money...uh. And does that further subsidize these jobs, diluting the park's promised economic effect?

Then note how Deep Water Dive (one syllable--two syllable--one syllable AND adjective noun noun and D object D--sure reminds of a Six Flags name--why do I think of Dare Devil Dive?) graphic has been quickly altered to REGION's tallest water slide---that bigger one conveniently just out of the region.

Passengers.

Wow.