Timchat2

The last remaining What the Dickens was at Canada's Wonderland. Their version was cute but Kings Island had the stronger performers. This year What the Dickens is being replaced with a new comedy show called Small Town Snowmance, playing into the tropes of Hallmark Christmas movies.

Rotating the smaller productions could be a nice budget-friendly way to have shows like Four Drummers Drumming, What the Dickens, and Holly Jolly Trolley return.

At Kings Island the apparently new shows are Tinker's Jingle Bell Ball and It's Christmas, Charlie Brown! (in place of A Peanuts Guide to Christmas). Blizten's Brass Band isn't listed on the site but I believe the group wasn't listed last year but still appeared in the park. Songs of the Nativity mentions "a stable of live animals", which it didn't have in its new Planet Snoopy location last year. The WinterFest event page touches on cookie decorating, Sally's Christmas Crafts, and ice skating, so most of the major activities seem to be intact. The ice carvers in Action Ice Zone are returning, so it's possible the sledding will return as well.

Tinker's Jingle Bell Ball at Kings Island has the same description but presumably it will be a different show despite the plot sounding very similar to the original Tinker's.

https://www.sixflags.com/kingsisland/shows The redesigned website is listing WinterFest shows including a new show called Tinker's Jingle Bell Ball.

Some blue and white Christmas lights were glowing in Action Zone on Friday night, so it appears that area is still being used for WinterFest this year. The lights were also up in the White Water Canyon tunnel that becomes the queue for the train.

New (or at least new to me) rigging in the carousel pavilion, presumably for WinterFest?

The lights are still in place and operating in the fountain along with the pyro:

I assume that means no more fountain shows on the hour this weekend, even a version with pyro and lights but no water? I can't remember what happened last year with the midnight show.

Every year I'm reminded how great it would be if the music loops in Rivertown and Coney Mall existed all season and not just during Tricks and Treats. It's just the right vibe for those areas of the park.

The other "big" parks like Cedar Point, Carowinds, and Canada's Wonderland appear to be keeping the Haunted Attraction Pass as well.

The official websites for Kings Dominion, Dorney Park, Valleyfair, and Worlds of Fun have banners stating that haunted attractions will be included in admission for the remainder of the Haunt season.

https://investors.sixflags.com/news/press-releases/press-release-details/2025/Six-Flags-Announces-Corporate-Governance-Changes/default.aspx Executive Chairman Selim Bassoul and Lead Independent Director Daniel J. Hanrahan to step down December 31, 2025. Marilyn Spiegel elected non-executive Chair of the Board of Directors, effective January 1, 2026

The loud CLANG of the poles falling over in the KillMart queue is almost as much a sound of Haunt as the Undertaker's laugh on International Street.

The crowd is indeed small but it has been a beautiful night to be at the park. The Conjuring had no line whatsoever around 9PM but that might have been due to the new access pass procedure.

Hopefully they can save the aquarium and Seaport Village buildings in some way. It would be nice to have recreational activity in them again like a small eatery or concession stand for the new park.

Wasn't the Haunted Attractions Pass $30 on Saturdays when it was first offered? The pass is listed as $15 for all of the remaining Haunt Saturdays. The pass is $10 on Thursdays, Fridays, and Sundays.

Security was checking IDs at the end of International Street in addition to the check outside the gate. The Conjuring looks to be just as popular at Kings Island as the other parks so far. They seem to have tapped into a clear demand for this kind of experience.

https://www.dollywood.com/themepark/rides/nightflight-expedition This looks VERY ambitious. I can't wait to see how it turns out.

While we didn't purchase the Haunted Attractions Pass we did notice that none of the haunted houses seemed to have any lines throughout the evening on Saturday, even at peak times like the 9-10PM hour. CornStalkers looked to have the longest line, possibly due to long dispatch intervals between groups.

The park does feel more grown in but it is still a long way from having anything meaningful shade during the heat of the day. There is some noticeable wear-and-tear throughout the park. Some sections of the Celestial Park fountains were out entirely and the nighttime color-changing lights seemed to be having some issues in places (which is understandable considering the raw number of lights across the entire middle of the park). We finally ate at the Atlantic Restaurant and it was wonderful. The food, view, music, and service was some of the best we've experienced in a theme park restaurant. The dining options really are one of the Epic Universe's major strengths.

Each visit to Epic Universe has made me appreciate the park more and more, particularly in how it offers experiences and environments unique from the other UO parks. Hopefully the annual passes will include Epic soon since it will be nice to have places to hang out like Celestial Park and its various restaurants on a pleasant evening.

We took a shuttle bus during our visits. It stood out to us that they were using a full-sized touring bus one time.

With its trademark Herschend hospitality, food, entertainment, and special events, Silver Dollar City is easily one of the best regional parks in the United States.

Will any music from Phantom Theater Encore show up, even just as Easter eggs? I'd imagine "Happy Feet" would be in the mix.