Winterfestguy

Just like with steel vengeance there are not enough lockers outside of the TT2 entrance to accommodate everyone’s loose articles, especially later in the day. Common sense would tell you no loose articles on a coaster of this magnitude so you design with the coaster with an in-queue lockers just like Universal does. What a stupid big miss my CP - can’t wait to see and hear all the complaints

Used our drink passes at Tower drinks today as virtually no line. It was interesting that a group of kids in front of us asked for “water cups”. The associate said water cups were not available at this location and to check with any of the eating places. Could KI finally have solved the kids hack of asking for a water cup at the drink refill stations and then proceeding to fill it with soda? Just thought it was interesting and will see if that policy holds all season or Tower drinks has just not yet stocked their water cups.

It is sad when they mention the nachos and smoked wings for the Brewhouse in the chef’s write up and then don’t even have them listed on the released menu link. Also noticed the menu link does not identify which menu items are actually on the meal plan (only identifies snack items on the premium dining plan). Will wait to see how many “up charges” occur with the various menu items later tonight.

Last season the steel vengeance lockers went down, and since serviced by an outside contractor, were out of service for several days forcing people to use the small bank of paid lockers outside the entrance (which were all use). We decided not to ride as it was way too far to go back to the closest locker set and return to ride. If CP wants to be like Universal, then they need to get an adequate supply of lockers to support the number of people that the queue can adequately hold (and have plans to fix the lockers quickly if they go down).

Not too surprising KI wants to push alcohol sales by adding another dedicated location since alcohol drinks have a huge profit margin, and as they say, alcohol sells (which equals more profits for the park). However, families are looking for food/snack options, not alcohol, and probably agree the choice of a cocktail location by the park was probably a poor one in terms of an overall family/child/teen park satisfaction.

New Holiday World Tours - seems like KI has really missed the boat in added extras to their potential summer attendees. KI could have easily restored their Beast early morning walkback with breakfast in the Feathaus for $199.

Now KK has also added a Petal Palooza festival as well as announcing a Forth of July festival with extended hours. Nice to see new and exciting functions coming to the park. https://www.kentuckykingdom.com/explore-the-park/festivals-events/petal-palooza/

It is interesting that the KK event runs through January 4 giving the school kids and families extra time to enjoy their vacation time while KI Winterfest ends on Dec 31. Wonder if more days will equal more profits for the park? Will be interesting to see how this event competes with the Louisville Down Undef Lights which is very popular.

Nice to see Carowinds open on Easter March 31 (Easter is early in 2024) and open for the entire week after Easter for spring breakers. But at the same time sad since Kings Island won’t be open on the Easter Sunday in March.

Getting in the front gate at opening time is ridiculous as everyone crammed shoulder to shoulder in a small, tight space along with the the secondary age/chaperon check. Lots of little kids, wagons and strollers. Lines for houses stretched over 70 minutes in some cases. Monsters Rock just needs to be retired (monster costumes were the worst in years and the band is louder than the singers). Nytewalkers had pretty much capacity crowds for all but their first show, a little better than last season. With a lack of a main show on the fountain stage, Haunt lacks the feeling it used to (miss the fire eater/spinner). I only saw two monsters on Coney Maul, and in general less monsters everywhere, even in the scare zones - budget cuts are very obvious. They are pushing alcohol this year as there is a new bar made from shipping containers in drop zone and a portable beer stand by the Eiffel Tower. Agree, it is an entirely different atmosphere than previous years (with all the little kids and strollers making Haunt almost family friendly). Time will tell if this new direction of a more family friendly Haunt is just as profitable.

I think they are experimenting with cleaning the park at Carowinds to make their bag policy more effective. If you enter during the day, you can bring purses, diaper bags, fanny packs, etc. (probably strollers prohibited as well) - With the cleaning of the park, in theory, all these times would leave the park (assuming they will reset and clear out the lockers of items left behind during the daytime hours?). Wonder when KI will have the park clearing and enforcement of the bag policy?

Are you sure about the front of the card is insignificant? Typically for early ride times, you must show your season pass at the control point inside the park (just show season pass and the card is not scanned a second time). Since Platinum will be no longer a valid type of a season pass (even though the bar code may be valid on it) I doubt you would be able to use it to go through the control point for early ride times. Security may be saying next season “sorry, not a valid type of season pass for early entry”.

All CF has done this year has totally confused the season pass purchasing with new and multiple new add on choices. Take the gold pass, then add passport for all parks, then if you want to add the all park meal plan to the all passport gold pass, looks like you have to make two transactions including an upcharge for all parks. All too complicated.

Agree with getting rid of the fun perks corporate position. As a platinum season pass holder for as long as I can remember, I have never received any park pass perks. (Tired many times over the years to call the park to get resolved, but just get transferred and never get a resolution). Yet, park pass perks is a supposed season pass benefit which I have never received. The park pass perks program obviously is not working as intended.

Not sure where the marketing research was behind this that supports elimination of Platinum and it’s associated perks like early entry at other parks, but if you have any CF stock (which is down to $37.40/share), now could be the time to sell before it could fall even lower after this announcement chain wide. It is a good possibility the new season pass passport may sell less or people like my family and several other families won’t be renewing any season pass. Guess will have to wait and see how Q4 results turn out for 2024 season pass sales (which season passes this year were at an all time high) and if this was a good or bad business move.