Winterfestguy

During KK Winter Walk through last Saturday, it was mentioned that Herschend is now sole owner of KK as of January 1st 2022 (guess Ed Hart finally gave in and sold his last 20% stake in the park). The Keys to the Kingdom coaster event will be later than normal this year on Saturday July 16.

You really don’t need physical prize or redemption areas anymore. The use of the game card can track how many tickets are won electronically (on same the card swiped to activate the game). Then the card can be scanned at an automated prize vending machine for ticket redemption. These prize hubs are popping up at many hotel resort arcades now.

CF operates its parks on a 5 year plan (plans were likely adjusted during the pandemic slightly so this has been in the works for Great America and Valley Fair for a few years now. When you look at KI, they have continually reduced their number and investment of their haunts from 10 (plus a bonus fright lane escape room in lobby of KI theater) down to 5 in 2021, perhaps part of KI’s 5 year plan to transition in 2023 or 2024 to this newer, expanded model of ticks or treats. When you look at the 6 new tick or treats lands (Icky Ville, Spooky Spires, Point Peculiar, Everfall, Sweet Tooth Ave, and Conjure Creek), you can almost see where they might fit into KI. The good thing, depending upon how one looks at it, the description of these lands seems to bring more and new entertainment (which would be good for several KI locations). All of this is another CF chain wide swing from the adult oriented Haunt when they took over from Paramount (those that remember the look on CF management faces at the first KI showing of Dead Awakenings that first year of ownership) to more family oriented events (like this years KI tricks or treats event). If KI Haunt was replaced with Tricks or Treats, would people still come and make it a big money maker? Most likely yes - people want to use their season pass, meal plans, and drink plans as much as possible, plus enjoy the many fall cool night rides before winter Coker sets in.

Kentucky Kingdom released their disappointing summer schedule today with park opening on April 30 and water park May 28 - Shorter hours for both parks and totally closed on Tuesday and Wednesday the first two weeks of June. https://www.kentuckykingdom.com/plan-your-visit/calendar/#/2022/5

Doesn’t surprise me to see it closed all of 2022 (and maybe beyond). With all the lawyers and likely several potential lawsuits, it could take years to resolve them. It certainly does remind one of the Son of Beast situation and tear down years later after final lawsuit settlements were finally reached.

Interesting strategy but will likely fail in the age of social media. Person A comes back making $20/hr as ride operator checking restraints. Person B a new international student is hired as a ride operator for the same attraction checking restraints too and will make $15/hr for the exact same job that person A is making $20. Once international students find out they will be making less than their colleagues for the exact same job, they won’t come to work at CP (some McDonalds are paying $15 these days). International students also have to pay for housing that will quickly take a bite out of the smaller wage. I would expect like last year several sudden Monday and Tuesday park closures due to staffing issues as well as no housekeeping services during stays at any of their hotels. With the two new CP resorts opening this season, not sure how they will be adequately staffed at the lower wage for newer employees, especially with lifeguards.

Both of my friends had the same issue - they selected their t-shirt size at 10:12 and it wouldn’t let them proceed, assuming IT glitch or perhaps sold out - it seems CF has lots of IT glitches as the exact same thing happened with CP Winter Chill out (but Tony did make it right for those few). Very disappointing on the behalf of KI to see glitches like these. They need to have a waiting room software to keep there server from being overwhelmed and sales accurate to the time.

https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2022/02/09/entertainment/dolly-parton-college-pay/index.html

With Herschend announcing that the paid college tuition benefit will also apply to Kentucky Kingdom full time, part time, and seasonal employees, this will be a big benefit that could be valued in the thousands. (Was announced earlier today for Dollywood with the paid college tuition benefit by Dolly herself). This makes the KK overall benefit package likely more attractive than what Cedar Fair parks can offer.

We might hear more when SEAS releases their Q4 and Fiscal 2021 results on February 24. Their initial offer is probably too low considering in 2017 CF stock was trading in the low $70s

Wonder if Coasterstock will be open to any coaster fan this year (like CP CoasterMania is doing this season) or still exclusive to only members of park selected coaster clubs.

The ACE club CoasterCon event this year begins at CP June 19-22, so many coaster folks will be skipping CoasterMania and attending their CoasterCon later in June instead. This is probably an attempt to make sure the park sells out all of their limited tickets. Last year was the first year CoasterMania did not completely sell out in under 10 minutes as it did in all previous years (it took almost 2 weeks to completely sell out the approximately 1500 available tickets in 2021). Many coated fans have felt Coastermania has gotten stale with the same itinerary and same lunch selections year after year, and CP has been reluctant to listen to restore CoasterMania to the two day grand event it once was.

After a summer of fantastic quality and portion sizes at Coney BBQ, I had the worst meal ever at Coney BBQ on opening day of Winterfest (Nov 26) - the turkey breast portion was super small (reminded me of the wing portion size fiasco this summer until they fixed that), the Mac and cheese was ice cold and tasteless (no way did a chef taste it before serving), and then biscuit was so dry it fell apart in pieces. I have not been back to Coney BBQ but have found the Mac and Cheese bar to be fantastic and my place to eat during Winterfest. Consistency is the key to winning food awards and sadly Coney BBQ is not on my list anymore during Winterfest this season.

These may be just “boiler plate” hours subject to change closer to the actual scheduled week. Interesting they are scheduled to be open on Easter Sunday April 17 (12-7pm) as many businesses like Target and Costco are closed on Easter (so park could be packed depending upon the weather or could be very empty). Also, some may recall the CP disaster when they decided to close on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at the last minute in June after many had already made their travel plans based upon their released schedule early in the season.

Since the Eiffel Tower paint color is the same as International Showplace, it would have been the perfect time to give the International Showplace some paint and restore it to it’s original glamor for the 50th celebration. Instead of the overhead tarps, install a more permanent metal roof and upgraded stage and decorative lighting to make it more of a year round entertainment venue, especially when it rains or snows.

Wonder if all season pass holders actually received an email about new season pass terms after their purchase. Been a platinum pass holder for many years and have visited every Cedar Fair park many times, but never have received any emails from KI as my home park (not even in my spam folder as I check for potential misrouted email daily), and always verify my email address is correct each year at time of renewal (as well as making sure my email address is correct on my KI account). Never got this recent email about new season pass terms (my friend also a platinum pass holder didn’t get the new season pass terms email either). Never have gotten any pass perks over the years since all tied to a KI account email address. Just gave up trying with KI over the phone over the years to fix whatever is potentially wrong in their system (spoke with many nice but clueless KI customer service reps on the phone over the years about the issue, but just gave up attempting to fix it)

Let’s hope the Christmas Collections and Trim-a-Tree shops have new merchandise this season rather than the old stale left overs from 2017 (which were put out again in 2018 and even put out again in 2019). With the pandemic supply chain shortages of Christmas decorations this season, will just have to wait and see.

Definitely have to make the best use of sampling if you buy 6 tastes as a pass holder - $7.50 for one cupcake (as both cupcake pictures show) is way over priced and definitely a money grab. However, some of the other tastes may be worth $7.50 such as the mounds of meat or tot hash may is more reasonable be worth the price.

Interesting Universal is installing g clear plastic dividers in their houses. Wonder if Cedar Fair is thinking something similar for their indoor mazes.

Maybe it’s staffing or maybe Haunt is starting to take a new direction with less and less mazes and more focus on family daytime events - it was just a few years ago you got 11 mazes with one special escape room (the viewing) along with a souvenir skeleton key with Haunt FastLane for $50 ($4.16 each)

Fright lane is pricey for a Saturday - $70 for 5 mazes is being advertised. That’s more than last season for 7 mazes (Blackout and Urgent Scare appear retired in 2021).

Update on the girl hit with sensor plate and inspection findings https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2021/08/24/cedar-point-accident-top-thrill-dragster-woman-injured-update/5570033001/ Just my opinion but with three separate injury incidents (2004, 2016, and now 2021) unlikely to reopen for 2022 season as well and may even be destined for removal (all depending upon any lawsuits and/or trials)

That’s not true that Genie+ will get you on all the non e ticket rides as many times as you can throughout the course of the day. “Guests will be able to make a second reservation 120 minutes after their first reservation even if they have not yet redeemed the first Genie+ selection. In practice, this means that you might make a reservation at 7:05 am for Splash Mountain that has a return time of 10:00 am. At 9:05 am–before riding Splash Mountain, you’d be able to make another ride reservation.” So depending upon park hours, the most Genie+ reservations you could make in one day for non e ticket attractions would be 6 for example if the park hours were 9am-9pm, keeping in mind that some popular attractions that you may want may not have availability.

For Walt Disney World, $15 per person for something that used to be free with FastPass+ is nothing more than a money grab. The Genie+ for $15 per person only gives 40 less popular attractions across all four parks via the new lighting entrances. For the more popular rides like Seven Dwarfs Mine Train in the Magic Kingdom, it will cost extra for the lighting lane (on top of the $15 per person already paid - example crowded spring break weeks could cost another $25 per person based on the dynamic pricing model for the mine train lighting entrance). Across all four parks, example such as busy spring breaks weeks, to ride via the lighting lane seven dwarfs mine train, avatar, ratatouille, and slinky dog could be an extra $100 for something that used to be free. The same 4 rides on off peak times could be just $5 per person extra again all based on dynamic pricing model). A family of 4 traveling during peak times like school vacations therefore could expect to pay an additional $460 to ride the best attractions that all used to be free with FastPass+ (not to mention the cost of their park hopper tickets). It all about how much will you be willing to pay now to ride certain attractions.

2019 Presidents Day had a sale on FLP just before the March pandemic shut everything down. Of course that was off season, and may not happen again. And tonight ends the flash sale when you purchase or renew a season pass, you get a free FLP to be used by Oct 31 (free FLP not valid on Saturdays or Sept 5)