WOF Guy

Herschend used that name for the nighttime show at Celebration City in 2008; four years prior to Luminosity. Why should Cedar Fair care if Herschend recycles its own name?

It bothers me that people assume WOF is in Kansas.

Afterburn is my number one steel coaster. Definitely ride it. As for the souvenir cup; I have heard that Carowinds has a more strict policy regarding refills. At one time they supposedly required a current year sticker to be visible on the bottle in order for it to be eligible for a refill. If they're not willing to refill their own cups from previous years I don't expect they will knowingly refill a cup from another park. On the other hand, if your 2011 KI cup is the blue WindSeeker design you could be in luck. It's very likely that Carowinds will sell a near identical cup for 2012. If they do end up using that design, I think you could easily get away with a few refills.

I think Soak City could be a second gate in 2012 if the park acts quickly. Obviously, it would be best to honor all 2012 season passes for both parks (as well as advanced tickets already ordered). Anyone presenting a valid two-park ticket or season pass at the train station gate could receive a plastic wristband upon entry. This wristband would allow re-entry into both parks.

IMO, catered picnic pavillions are a great place for self-serve freestyle machines.

Last summer at VF's coaster event someone asked why the Corksrew was painted the same in the same scheme as Corksrew at MIA. The director of maintanence explained that all color choices for repainting rides are made by the corporate planning and design office in Sandusky. So I imagine the same person/group of people chose the colors for both Stinger and Invertigo.

I recall PTC saying they would be willing to build cars with backward facing seats. They just voiced their disapproval of parks retrofitting trains that were built to face forward.

IIRC, KI purchases its sunglasses through Global Eyewear.

IIRC, the 49ers owner was a partial backer of JMA's tenative purchase of CGA. I imagine the 49ers owner wasn't to eager to put up said capital or having an interest in the park. I suspect the 49ers sought an agreement with CF and when it was obtained pulled their funding from the deal. Without the funding JMA cancelled the purchase.

I had originally heard that HW purchased the old, refurbished trains that came of Gwazi. Is that not the case?

It may have to do with the fact that ACE Spring Con will be at the Point in late May next year. The park held Mania in September of 2004 when ACE Coaster Con was the park that June.

This article is acutally complete B.S. The show was always titled Half Pint Brawlers and both taglines had been used since the begining. The park made no concessions, retractions, or alterations in response to any public outcry.

Wally Cards and respective points are also used to pay for individual rides. So points orginally purchased to pay for rides can also be used to buy food. http://www.waldameer.com/plan_admission.asp This is a brilliant move. The park will spend less resources to prevent employee theft of cash, preparing tills, counting tills, and trying to resolve over/shorts.

Almost all CF apparel is designed by corporate and shipped from the manufacturer to Sandusky before it is split up to the respective parks. The t-shirt in the original post has an illustration of a wooden coaster; not a photograph. It's not Beast, nor is it Son of Beast. It's a cartoonish representation that could be used to promote almost any wooden coaster. Even so, it's not uncommon for photos/renderings of other coasters to be used in merchandise. For example WOF has new Timber Wolf t-shirts with a picture of Renegade on them. Once corporate finds a design they like they will often resuse for different rides and parks. It's no different than TV commercials using footage of other parks' rides.

The following is an email response I received from Kings Island So at the front gate it would appear that you can buy one day for $51.99 or you can buy two days for $51.99. I wonder which will be the more popular choice.

The park's website lists the gate price for a two day ticket as $51.99.

I personally don't consider the new price set up to be unreasonable for a number of reasons. First let me point out that a Ride & Slide ticket at Worlds of Fun (includes both dry and water park) is $56.99. I can think of few people who consider Kings Island/Boomerang Bay to be inferior to WOF/OOF. Secondly, the new price will create a higher perceived value for a KI experience. As others have already stated it makes season passes more appealing but it also makes the guest who only pays $35-$45 feel like they are getting a great deal. Third, It's $51.99 for two visits not just one. This will have a very positive impact on in-park spending. If I am only spending one day at a park I am going to eat fewer meals in the park and spend all of my time rushing from ride to ride. With a second day, I can visit the park with a slower pace and visit more games and gift shops. Fourth, many who come to the park as a result of a coupon or other discount promotion may opt to pay the full $51.99 to get a second day. Really if you think about it they haven't raised the price of a one day ticket; they've just stopped selling them at the gate. Unless you have a special coupon or other discount you have to buy a two day ticket.

Have you already forgotten that fantastic partnership CF developed that resulted in Rock Band Live?

If I were in charge of Cedar Fair I would: Give more power to each park's local management. Corporate would not mandate pricing. While food and merchandise would still be bulk ordered through corporate for the most part, each park would get to choose what products they ordered and would not have items shoved down their throats. Expand the Micros POS system used at the former Paramount Parks to all of the legacy parks for food, retail, and accommadations. I would also push each park to use the software to develop an enticing purchase rewards points program for season pass holders. Dump the ugly 70s style employee uniforms and go back to polos. I would also eliminate the neck tie requirement for most supervisors that spend their time outdoors or doing mainly physical labor. Focus the company's long-term investment strategy on opening more attractions outside the gate. These would vary by location but could include aquariums, wax museums, challenge parks, hotels, etc. The idea would be to attract a somewhat new audience while consolidating expenses such as marketing, maintenance, IT, retail, etc. with the existing properties. Create a Corporate Alliances division similar to Six Flags (but not quite as excessive). Sell effective but tasteful sponsorships and install queue line TVs.

One major thing I think has been overlooked is what this could mean for the park's group sales business. If the new dino themed attraction is relatively educational, schools will have an easier time justifying field trips to KI.

Some could say that Son of Beast's name is as good as mud.

I remember CP had a job posting at the end of last season for an entry level marketing representative to handle the park's social media. If this is a new position it would make the blog an easier task for the marketing department to get done.

Based on m understanding of the Gate Central system, a KI Gold Pass should hypothetically work for parking lot entry at other Cedar Fair parks.

Cedar Fair (and many other parks) has this policy in place to prevent the same season pass or ticket being used by more than one person. Yes, season passes have photos, but that doesn't mean that the ticket taker is looking.