Timchat2

The setup is looking pretty nice so far throughout Tower Gardens with the tables and small Grand Carnivale-style tents, along with the decor in Oktoberfest to tie that area into the event as well. It will be interesting to see how guests react to the offerings.

Like Adventure Awaits before it, Under the Stars is great way to end an evening at the park. During a time when entertainment offerings are being cut back at many regional parks across the country we are fortunate to have a nightly spectacle of this scope so close to home.

The hot dog and the Ranch potato salad are really good. The potato salad in particular is one of the better tasting sides I've had in the park even if it isn't the healthiest. The red potatoes appear to have been roasted and then mixed into the salad so there is that added dimension of flavor.

There appeared to be a full rehearsal with drones and fireworks Wednesday night according to posts on the season passholders Facebook group.

On a similar note, it appears that some live shows at Six Flags Great America and Six Flags Fiesta Texas will only have performances on the weekends, unless these are just the schedules for the early weekends of the summer. The Six Flags live entertainment lineups are already pretty lean, so it will be interesting to see if this is a way to save on performer hours at the parks that still have shows.

Snoopy's Soap Box Racers was cycling tonight. The sound bites from the characters as the train moves through the course are a cute touch.

At Thursday's preview event we waited probably 75% of the inside queue (after the metal detectors). The ride ran consistently and our total wait was probably around 45 minutes. Re-rides were allowed in the last hour and we essentially walked on twice.

https://10best.usatoday.com/awards/travel/best-theme-park-entertainment-2024/ It's interesting to see Under the Stars coming in at number five on the list of Best Theme Park Entertainment considering the show doesn't debut until May 24th.

Along with Melt's issues as a chain lately, table-service restaurants don't really fit the current Cedar Fair dining plan model so it was only a matter of time. I wonder how much longer Chickie's & Pete's will stick around.

The new lagoon show has a lot of potential as well. Marathon of Mayhem and Ghoulish were great at HHN so it feels like Universal is getting a stronger sense of what makes a good nighttime show. If they can tie in all the beloved classic Universal Parks IP like Ghostbusters and Back to the Future we could have something pretty special.

Outside the Kings Island Theater:

Racing (Racer) Mini Eclairs at Sweet Spot:

The space under the stained glass window at the Festhaus has been painted dark brown. It is apparently becoming the Festhaus Bar. The existing Oktoberfest Bar is still outside by Viking Fury.

Some of the beef, which has a chopped brisket texture, was a bit fatty but otherwise had nice flavor. The portion was very carefully measured and ended up seeming like a better amount of protein than the shrimp and pork skewers. The potatoes are the same as the potatoes bravas but without the sauce/coating. The pierogis don't seem to be an option this year.

Honey Soy Glazed Beef and Garlic Potatoes from Grain & Grill:

Is "Axe Axe Baby" an axe-throwing game? It appears to be replacing the soccer game under Diamondback. Also, has the Coca-Cola Refresh at the train always been called "Libation Station"?

Valleyfair seemed to do a nice job on Grand Carnivale working within their means but it did seem like a large event for a smaller park. Between the reduced 2023 version and now only three parks still offering the event in 2024, will this be the last year for Grand Carnivale overall?

Valleyfair has announced their 2024 events and Grand Carnivale is not listed, so it appears that Kings Island, Kings Dominion and California's Great America will be the only three parks with Grand Carnivale this year.

Would those hot cross buns count as a snack credit?

With the right kind of warm summer night the Bandstand can have a pleasant vibe. The nighttime atmosphere around the Royal Rhythms with a full band at Grand Carnivale remains one of my favorite experiences at Kings Island. Admittedly even that show was a bit uncomfortable for the early evening performances in the late-day sun.

Without Grand Carnivale there likely won't be RetroSpect, so that is one large cast not returning. The Peanuts show The Music Goes 'Round & 'Round will be in Harmony Hall again, which has a fairly small cast. The major production at the Carowinds Theater will be the return of Brad Ross: International Star Illusionist. And at least from what is listed right now there are possibly down a couple of the street shows like the 325s band and the Swell Tones. Considering there had been large cast shows like Beach Blanket Beagle and other larger shows at Harmony Hall along with the various street shows in recent years, it appears that Carowinds has reduced its overall entertainment staffing for this season.

Center Stage Live was probably one of the strongest Bandstand shows in recent years. Everything really came together well there. Club K.I. in 2022 seemed to get the short end of the stick with so much going on production-wise across the park. It's one of the few shows I can recall receiving some cuts and reblocking after debuting, so it appeared the park was aware it wasn't everything it could have been.

Makes sense. Presumably Kings Dominion will also have RetroSpect this summer to go along with its Grand Carnivale.

Trailblazers X-treme! sounds similar to the All Wheel Sports production Elevation Extreme which ran for a couple seasons at California's Great America.

https://www.visitkingsisland.com/events The events calendar has been updated for 2024. Passholder Preview Day will be on April 19 from 4:00-9:00PM. Haunt, Tricks and Treats Fall Fest and WinterFest do not have specific dates listed yet.