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Popularity has nothing to do with it. There's a reason why full-time staff is being let go at parks, why departments will be run with minimal staffing on operating days, why events like WinterFest aren't returning to Kings Dominion and California's Great America. While Carowinds announced WinterFest as part of their 2025 events lineup, remember Kings Island did the same thing in 2006 only to cancel WinterFest mid-summer.

Personally I don't see Kings Island dropping their Winterfest event anytime soon when the event still draws in crowds like this.

Taken from a FB page. They are so nice:

I don't think we'll lose Winterfest....there's a chance, but I doubt it. With the Six special events being listed here: Winterfest is still a thing, while the specific parks may not be listed (other than Canada's Wonderland), Carowinds will have it again this year...I don't see KI losing it as it was a part of the park for much longer than KD.

Not bitter. Just a valuable lesson the hard way. The fans of KD probably feel similar… although I would understand them being bitter.

If only there was a podcast that told people to wait and see what they’re getting before renewing their season passes. Terms are subject to change. No refunds. Just ask your 2022 Prestige Pass friends.

Not that it means anything, but it looks like Cedar Point is the only park in the Six Flags Midwest Region that has released their events for 2025. Every other park in this Region either has no events listed yet or they have Education Days and Grad Nite (which I think was only shown on SF Great America's website). East Region: Carowinds, Six Flags Over Georgia, Great Adventure, Great Escape, Six Flags Over Texas, and Six Flags Fiesta Texas have all posted their events. Dorney Park still has last year's events/event dates listed. It's also notable that Kings Dominion's passes are all the same prices without Winterfest as they were with it... West Region: It looks like Knott's is the only park that has any events listed so far. I'm hopeful that the company deems Kings Island worthy of keeping/expanding it's events, but I also hope that parks across the chain don't get the short end of the stick like CGA and KD have gotten so far.

Viva La Fiesta is a similar event from Six Flags Over Texas and Six Flags Fiesta Texas. I'm curious to see what it will look like at Carowinds this year!

Crazy that KD cancelled winterfest it’s almost like they didn’t open their indoor rides, restaurants, or change the event line up once since 2018… This is classic CF, if it doesn’t work just cancel it, don’t try to change it, just give up. Happens all over the chain, what a shame.

Kings Dominion is a nice park, but it does not draw near the crowds Kings Island does.

It seemed that they were going to invest in Kings Dominion for the long term and elevate it back to a top tier park. That now seems to not be the case. Is it the new world's of fun?

One thing that people are forgetting with KD is that another major amusement park an hour away also has a big holiday event - one that's better than Winterfest from what I've heard (I've never been due to my work schedule that time of year and the fact that it's 9 hours away). I'm not sure how much the two parks compete for visitors, but I'm sure that was part of the reason for their decision. KI doesn't have that.

You seem bitter

Extensive events lineup slated for Kings Dominion’s Golden Anniversary in 2025 « Amusement Today Everything but Winterfest is listed here.

Jesus a $450k remodel for a merch stand?

All of this talk reminds me of the Woodchopper's Ball and the "Shameless Plugs" If ya know, ya know.

SIR YOU DON’t UNDERSTAND I HAVE THE PRESTIGE PASS AND A WICKED GREEN TOWER TOPICS T SHIRT THAT COMES IN ANY SIZE YOU CANT KICK ME OUT OF STARBUCKS

For a few years Cedar Fair would have charts in their FUNForward reports that showed the revenue mix between the parks. The most recent one I could find at a glance is from 2015: (Charts pulled from this blog post that includes links to FUNForward presentations.)

There was a plan to hold a summer nights event in 2020. I believe it was going to be in Action Zone. Carowinds did a similar event in 2019 in their Thrill Zone area. However, Covid messed that up and it was originally planned to debut in 2021 instead, it seems as if the park/corporate decided to go in a different direction.

Yes, I have been wondering what the lines will look like and how much rides you can get in one day. I've seen a few photos taken from the ground, and it looks really big! Can't tell you how excited I am for all of the lands. I think my favorite will be Dark Universe and Monsters Unchained: The Fankenstien Experiment will be my favorite ride. Either that or Stardust Racers (Yes, I am also looking forward to Harry Potter, but I think these two will be my favorites).

You missed one of the most notable ride sponsors: Top Gun, presented by Gillette Mach 3. In 1986, before the country show, one of the performers backstage would say after a "Delta Gets You There" jingle before the cast ran out on the stage, "Kings Island, Kings Productions and Delta Airlines are proud to present Deep in the Heart of Country."

Anyone else been watching them clear the ice rink? They have a few people just shoveling and such and earlier at least had snow blowers. Kinda comedic and 1/2 way done only. Do they know more snow is coming Friday? They should just get the zamboni and put a plow on it and be done....

Everything is below the wooden platform.

So i just noticed the fountains have been removed. Do they do that each year for cleaning as well?

PayScale differences aside. I've always respected managers who were willing to "get into the trenches" as you could call it, with their subordinates. There are plenty of managers who find the work of their subordinates beneath them and do nothing to help out.

I always enjoyed helping out in other areas of the park during the years I worked in the Kings Island marketing department. I parked cars, checked restraints on The Beast, The Racer, Diamondback and Mystic Timbers, made hundreds of pizzas at LaRosa's on International Street, the Festhaus and in Rivertown (I always loaded them up with extra sauce and cheese!), worked games at the basketball by The Racer, Wac-A-Mole, Football Toss, Ring Toss, and 3-Point Challenge, took shifts fielding calls in the Call Center, helped out in the Picnic Grove and Festhaus cleaning tables, worked in the admissions booth selling tickets and season passes, and worked the front gate turnstiles scanning tickets and season passes. I absolutely loved doing these different jobs and always looked forward to getting the call to help out elsewhere.

Solar panels in the parking lot would do some wonders for Kings Island. The benefits everyone have listed would be more than worth the trouble IMO. There are other good practices that would also improve the parking lot experience, so the park would not necessarily need to install solar structures across the entire lot.

Yes, I am sure no one would thoroughly enjoy sitting 300+ ft in the air, when on the ground the wind-chill makes it about -2 °F. I don't know what the math is to measure the temp up 300+ ft from the ground, but I know that it wouldn't be enjoyable!

Within a couple of weeks. I’d guess they’d be about down by now if the weather hadn’t been so bad. When they first started doing this, it took them days to put them up and take them down. Now it’s about a day’s worth of work. They won’t do it if it’s super-cold. Who would want to go up there in this weather?

At what point do the string lights go down on the Eiffel Tower?

Current view:

Actually, they could be using snow blowers. I bought a 21" SnowJoe Electric one for $65 in July from Walmart ($95 off) and it works great! The could have 4-5 of them and start at the center and work to the outside lined up stairstepped like they do on the highway.

Just a guess, but I think they already removed one top section. Maybe the second wouldn't support the weight of a machine?

It wouldn't surprise me if this was KD's last season with Winterfest. If the rumor is true of it not returning next season, it all but signifies they are raising the white flag. Their Winterfest event can't compete with BGW's Christmas Town an hour down the street...

That was pretty quick turn around to start adopting the Cedar Fair policies.

Six Flags Over Georgia is implementing a chaperone policy.