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While non-profitability certainly could have been a factor for the closure of the park’s Kennels, I think re-evaluating this service could be advantageous. The American Pet Products Association announced in February that during 2019 Americans came very close to spending $100 BILLION -with a B- actual $95.7 B on their pets. These are the four categories they track and the amounts spent in in each. Boarding and pet sitting fall into the Other Services designation. While consumers spent the least amount in this category, Other Services spending increased 6% over 2018 making it the second highest category for year-over-year growth. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/americans-pet-spending-reaches-record-breaking-high-95-7-billion-301012852.html I stand behind my hypothesis that adding kennels to Kings Island would have a very low overhead cost, be extremely profitable, and drive traffic inside the park during a recession.

If we’re speculating, I’m going to fantasize that He’s taking Orion’s first rides with Claude Bolliger, Walter Mabillard, and a bunch of water dummies. Everyone is at least six feet apart and those clamshells aren’t too tight, just right.

Anyone know when the kennels were removed? I’m curious to know under which management structure the decision came from. Paramount removed antique cars but Cedar Fair decided they were valuable and reintroduced those to the park. Their parks currently offering kennels are Cedar Point, Carowinds, Kings Dominion, Canada’s Wonderland, and Knots. Obviously this a valuable service to all of the company’s top preforming parks, except for Kings Island. Anyone else see the value and usefulness of offering this service and would you use it? Super curious.

Have any of you been keeping up with his new documentary/biography series about Walt’s life and how certain experiences inspired and influenced his value system and ideas for Disney, their evolution into a large studio, and eventually Disney parks.? I think they’re his best yet. He somehow is doing this while relating to and informing on other amusement, exhibition, and technology history. If you haven’t seen them, they come highly recommended. The first episode is somehow about the first Ferris wheel while also relating it to Walt’s very early childhood. Masterful. Also, the Action Park episode is a classic and a personal favorite.

@kimv1972 Thank you very much for indulging my curiosity and sharing even more of your experiences and park history with us today. I agree that it would be really cool to return to the train for the parks 50th. Maybe members from the forum could follow your example and write letters to the management to help make that happen. Just an idea

Are you a fan of the World Showcase at EPCOT? I’m getting that vibe :)

What an interesting artifact! What were the “extremely interesting” qualifications you wrote about in your letter? How long were you with the park working on the railroad? Do you remember what other things you asked about in your letter?

Do they serve Moose Tracks at Wonderland? That seems like an appropriate ice cream selection for that park.

Holiday World and many other theme parks (including some Cedar Fair parks) offer kennels on site to guests with pets. Discovering their Holidog Hotel allowed me to take a spur of the moment and lengthily (3 hours drive each way) trip to their park that wouldn’t have been possible without it. They offered indoor air conditioned spaces for about $20 and outdoor covered spaces for $10. They required recent vaccination records along with an agreement that you provide your dog with food and a short walk every two hours. My dog is very small and I was allowed to put a bed and some of his favorite toys in the crate with him for comfort. I absolutely loved being able to take the longer trip and hang out with my dog periodically while riding coasters all day. The kennel was so helpful that I researched other parks that offered this service. Most major chains and Cedar Fair competitors offer some sort of on site pet care. Pet care onsite is inconsistent across Cedar Fair’s parks and I believe this could be a great and inexpensive upgrade (Compared to large scale ride construction) to drive traffic to their parks and add a revenue stream in the difficult economic climate all parks will be opening their doors to when it is safe. Would any of you take your dogs to the park if it meant you could visit more often, travel from further places, or spend more time in the park?

I couldn’t care less about an expanded story and elaborate theming. Kings Island doesn’t feel super cohesive as a whole to me in terms of theming. Unlike Disney, a 100 year old media company who use their properties to sell park admissions and sponsored products from other brands, Cedar Fair is using a model for their business that is quite a bit different than that I think. People like Cedar Fair parks for thrilling rides and nice kid friendly and family attractions. Walt was a freaking genius who integrated his brand vertically from the very beginning and has maintained loyal and enthusiastic fans for decades. The attention to detail in those parks is mind boggling and often very educational. Cedar Fair doesn’t need this level of theming to keep people coming to their parks because I believe their customer base isn’t going to the park to live inside of a fantasy story all day or stand in long lines to learn about science and engineering (although I’d hit those exhibits up). I think Cedar Fair’s customers would appreciate more shade, fans, air conditioners, and heaters (for those chilly fall and winter nights) in their queue lines. I haven’t been to a Disney park since I was a kid, but the lines were so so long, I learned more there in three days than I did at school that year, and thrill rides were very scarce. I guess I’m saying people don’t go to Cedar Fair parks for fully immersive experiences and people don’t go to Disney to ride coasters.

I learned that Canada’s Wonderland opened the day I was born. Since we have the same “birthday” I’m thinking of celebrating my 40th there with them. Maybe they’ll give me an ice cream or something?