Winterfestguy

I am surprised that KI did not really add anything new for Winterfest like the new lighted Christmas parade which was selected by Cedar Fair to strangely debut at Carowinds instead of KI. Looking at the weatherbug KI webcam, Istreet looks very bland without the large trees containing canopies of lights and the heights of the old pedestal wire frame lights on the ice rink to compliment the overall lighted atmosphere. To move up in rankings (today currently #3), KI is likely going to have to step up their decorations and new versions of entertainment for the future. Both Branson and Dollywood have stepped up and added additional lights/decorations and show this year (and if you have not visited these two parks before, it’s a must on the Christmas time travel list as two of my favorites)

Dollywood Is now offering a Free Pre-K season pass for kids born in 2015 (5 year olds) and 2016 (4 year olds). Like many parks, under 3 typically free. I wonder when King’s Island will join the rest of the Cedar Fair park chain and and the rest of the amusement park competition to finally offer a Free Pre-K season pass? https://www.dollywood.com/tickets/season-passes/pre-k-pass?utm_source=non_passholders&utm_medium=email-smc_dw&utm_campaign=evergreen20-pre_k_pass&utm_content=smc_em-191104-non_passholders-outer-christmas_pass_info&utm_term=row2a&spMailingID=41035775&spUserID=NjU5OTU1MTU0OTkxS0&spJobID=1640313513&spReportId=MTY0MDMxMzUxMwS2

And without the pedestals which held giant, tall lighted wire frames of fountain lights in the middle of the ice rink, it may also also make Istreet super underwhelming compared to the past seasons. It will be interesting to see what is in the middle of the rink this season, if anything.

Same number of operating days as previous years - just happens that Thanksgiving this year just happens to be the latest on the calendar that it ever can be. What is interesting is that Carowinds Winterfest opens on Sunday Nov24 which is after KI debuts their Winterfest on Nov 22.

Unlike KI and CP, the crowds at KK for Hallowscream have been just right with minimal wait times. It was nice to see the park alive again at night (last time was when SF owned the park). One really cool thing KK did was to line and light the pathway track of the antique autos with tiki touches - really cool and spooky touch. KK also used their picnic grove to outsource their two haunted houses (free with 2020 season pass). Maybe KI could utilize their picnic area for some desperately needed new haunt mazes (it really is a good use of typically unused space in October, and outsourcing is the word in business these days.)

It’s always nice to see the former pedestals and spray jets in the Royal Fountain on the original International street. How much the park has grown since the episode is amazing.

Disney had down played the accident and advertises that the Skyliner is experiencing “unexpected down time” despite multiple guest photos showing the station crash. I imagine the Skyliner will be out of operation for awhile while Some type of new station parts are engineered to prevent a recurrence.

If the description is correct, it will be a welcome sight to see a 40 foot Christmas tree return to Winterfest Way. Last year they moved that tree over to Coney Mall by the Zepher and Winterfest Way was lacking something nice (just the white lights did not do much for the pathway).

There is still some very bad feelings among the Kentucky State Fair Board members of how Six Flags closed the park and took several rides with them. While Ed Hart once again may be looking to make a profit from a sale if approached by Six Flags, I the State Fair Board (who owns the land) would likely not approve of a sale to Six Flags again.

It’s not unusual for other parks to visit their competitor parks, and this may just have been a coincidence, or was it a sign of something in the works? Guess the next few weeks will tell what happens to KI in the CF chain

RIP

With the emphasis of bringing back once what was old, would also love to see the KI singing penguins make their return. In the original 80’s Winterfest years, they became a KI tradition, loved by kids, and were again brought back in 2005.

I tend to agree people will still show up for Haunt for the same old stuff, nothing spectacular. And some nights there are even fewer scareactors roaming the park. Even though I have a season and meal pass, my five friends don’t. Between admission, food, maze fast land, and souvenirs, all total for all five of them is around $600. However, this year they voted to try something new and not do the same old boring mazes that have been the same for years and the lackluster entertainment. Instead, they voted to head down to Kentucky Kingdom’s new Hallowscream event this year.

Hallowscream line up was announced this afternoon. For their first year this line up looks very impressive and offers something new from some of the other parks that will have the exact same haunted houses/mazes as last year. https://www.kentuckykingdom.com/halloscream

Unfortunately, as much as I enjoy KI in the fall, I can’t vote the park as best Halloween event, especially since when several of the other nominees have invested heavily in their Halloween events this season. KI has lost three mazes over the years with no replacements (Holiday Horror where the animals are now, the Delta Delta where Coney BBQ is now, and Carnevil which left last year to become a theater). Some of their older mazes like Urgent Scare are so dated, that it has actual real cobwebs that have formed throughout the maze. Some of the best KI fall entertainment along with the cool skeleton key rooms have all suffered budget cuts. It’s nice to KI investing in a coaster for the summer, but it seems Haunt has gotten less and less in the budget over the last few years. There are several other much better nominees this season. https://www.10best.com/awards/travel/best-theme-park-halloween-event-2019/halloween-haunt-at-kings-island-mason-ohio/

Since KI made the decision (after tons of customer feedback to have bathroom facilities) not to include bathrooms in the new Area 72, I wonder if KI may come up with a bathroom pass lanyard like Disney did for Avatar. Otherwise there may be a few wet seats on the train after people are waiting 2-3 hours to ride Orion. https://wdwnt.com/2019/03/new-pass-will-let-you-leave-re-enter-avatar-flight-of-passage-queue/

The park advertises “Pass Perks” as a season pass benefit. I too just got the $4 Carmel Corn and find that insulting, especially since the park is no longer open weekdays. Whomever the park hired to be in charge of this “perk” program just re-invented the previous reward program without any research, thinking, or special programming in the system. The program could be really great, but in it’s current very sad state could not agree more to get rid of it.

Kentucky Kingdom 2020 passes were on sale during the Kentucky State Fair this weekend for $59.95 (same benefits as last year and entry into park for the rest of 2019 plus Hallowscream this year.) Also, the two new huge season pass parking lots behind Kentucky Flyer are now complete and likely ready for use at Hallowscream.

Since anyone (including parks) can contribute to Wikipedia, what is the actual definition then of a “giga”?

Let’s hope a Winterfest parade returns to KI this season. After a successful Grand Carnival parade this summer, I would think KI would also want to add this to their Winterfest line as well.

Hoping the site is not complete yet .... with the listed Haunted Homecoming show (which is the worst ever in the history of Haunt) and Monsters Rock show (which is time for retirement) I am hoping neither are returning. If they are, such a shame in the entertainment department when Carowinds is getting all three new shows (Bone Birgade, Overloards’s Awakening, and Overloard’s Revenge). Since CP typically recycles shows among their parks, there still might be hope for something new for entertainment at KI for Haunt.

Not only are the Christmas trees being assembled in Timberwolf for Winterfest, but also the red/white LED lights are going up around the tree trunks in the park - look for the giant candy canes in the next few weeks to be installed throughout the park (they have to set all the Christmas stuff before they build the Haunt in the park).

Maybe one of the new season pass Fun Perks will be 2 tokens to the White Water Canton water blasters - a $1 value!

Half way through the summer season and still no pass perks - why even have a program if some are not getting any of their season pass perks?