Leaderboard

Yet another sign of opening day getting closer. Woodstock's Whirlybirds are on the track! Also the ride vehicles for Phantom's Theatre are starting to dissapear at the royal fountain stage.

It feels like this new leadership team might be recognizing the strengths of these parks instead of flatly looking at the cost of running everything. They also seem to finally recognize that the Six Flags of 2026 can be a different company from the two legacy corporations that formed it. Let's hope that they can continue whatever good momentum they're getting into. Attendance being down seems about right considering some parks cancelled their holiday events. Spending being up also sounds right with all of the fixes they're trying to accomplish. As for Reilly declining to comment on the Enchanted Parks filings, I'm not putting much stock into whatever that could mean. Is it a sign that there are active negotiations or that nothing is happening? Ask me again in July and maybe we'll have a better answer.

I was optimistic about him being named CEO, and remain so after listening to the earnings call and talking with people that know him.

Could this mean talk of Winterfest leaving KI stops and perhaps a return to some version at KD and other parks that had these types of events removed? “In hindsight, that decision did not optimize profits at every park the way we needed it to. Those events can be meaningful demand drivers, and removing them created a self-inflicted headwind in terms of both attendance and operating leverage. We’re taking that learning directly into our planning for 2026, and we will rethink the winter holiday strategy with a tighter, returns-driven approach, market by market, rather than applying a broad brush.”

I think Cedar Fair could have. They are/were able to hold their own with Knott’s on the west coast. In a pre- Blackfish world, there was interest in buying/merging with the Sea World parks too. I think it could’ve worked at that time. Not sure if Six Flags in 2026 could hack it, to be honest.

Overall after listening to the earnings call, I think John seems to understand that each park is unique, and it's a good sign that he's been traveling to each park to hear from leadership, instead of commanding a "this is what we should do response", he seems to be taking his time to truly understand what makes each park and market unique. Though also found it interesting that they declinded to comment at this time on the Enchanted Parks filing.

Don't forget their single park meal plans get upgraded too

There's a ton in Mystic Timbers' theming, but there's also some Calico (Knott's) references in Adventure Port and other park references elsewhere.

I hope the park can find a way to host more stuff like this in the KIT throughout the year! It's a nice venue and could easily host smaller concerts or the award ceremony stuff for Music in the Parks. I think the A/C would make up for the lost capacity moving from Timberwolf. They used to host the awards and lunch over in Picnic Grove, though I don't recall when they moved it. I know Carowinds uses their indoor theater for a Festival of Music (somehow different from MitP) and it seems nice enough for it.

Apparently the first 150 groups get a free ukulele...

I've said before that I would like them to convert the current Peanuts Showplace space to a Phantom Theater museum/gift shop area that features props from the old Phantom Theater ride as well as that being where the character meet and greet could go. They could move the Peanuts meet and greet to Beagle Scout Acres (which they sorta already have over there). Or they could go back to having Snoopy and the gang on International Street. Maybe bring back the Peanuts Block Party and have shows on the bandstand during the day like before?

Another "wish" I have which won't happen this season and likely won't happen in the future as the ROI likely isn't worth it to those in charge is to see popular rides with very little shade get a shaded structure. I mocked up some "queue house" ideas for Diamondback and Flight of Fear (the old Firehawk queue which is used more than the current indoor queue). Diamondback's is based on the old Rivertown Mining Company building that used to be there and FOF's is based on the theme of Area 72

It has been stated on these forums by KIPR that it was drained during Vortex construction if I remember correctly.