brenthodge

In other news this week HFE completes acquisition Palace Entertainment “This is a landmark moment—not just for Herschend, but for every host, guest, and community we serve,” said Andrew Wexler, CEO of Herschend. “To us, this is so much bigger than adding attractions to our portfolio of family brands—growth is about people. It’s about creating a great place to work so our hosts love what they do and can create memories worth repeating for our guests for generations to come.” Quite a different strategy coming out of an acquistion (or merger) isn't it?

I’m a wee bit worried about HFE and all they’ve taken on. I think we will definitely see spin/sell off. They aren’t averse to selling/closing things that aren’t performing (CelebrationCity) They simply can’t afford to loose the reputation on their marquee parks. Just the headlines alone about “Dollywood “owner” buys Kennywood” show that. No story DIDNT mention Dollywood or 3x best theme park winner SDC in favor of HFE. They MUST have the reputation of their key properties to drive the “luster” to their new acquisitions. Plus Dolly alone won’t let the operation of a partner sully the reputation of her namesake in her hometown.

I don’t think HFE would be interested for a while at least. They bitten off a big bite this week and I don’t want them to loose sight of what got them where they they are. Thankfully Dolly still owns half of her park and if they ever got in over their heads and the product suffers, I could seriously see her buying their half out and hiring most of the team to keep running DW. Because FUN wasn’t in much better shape fiscally. The hope is that combined revenue and reduced spend through eliminating redundancy (and piling more on fewer people) they could EEEK out enough additional revenue, eliminate competition and cover most all markets with the new portfolio. I feel like SIX financials were worse than expected and they are having to react quickly to satisfy shareholders who were overpromised results.

Agree to that as well. If they are giving away the gate to cheap pass holders, might as well move through the merch as well. They need $$$.

I think they should be MARKETING THE HELL out of some real, meaningful events with quality entertainment and real food offerings. They’ve got to drive attendance and in-park spending with the existing resources they have. This “cut to the bone” mentality isn’t going to work. Just seeing the lame 50th offerings at KD is an example. I’m seriously considering cutting the trip because it seems so lackluster.

Wish I was there today (at Dollywood) really like Mike. Looked for him the other day (Tuesday) when I was at the park.

Just walked by with my kid. I swear I’ve said nothing to him about it. He looks at the thing with its already puckered AstroTurf and says “why isn’t this in Camp Snoopy over Pig Pen’s tables. It looks like a camping tent.” Ahh out of the mouths of 10 year olds who get it more than those making the calls these days.

its horribly placed. Id say they should fire the person that approved it and the one that designed it, but they probably already did - though not for those reasons.

I honestly don't think they give a sh!% what things look like any more to care enough about things tying together. That thing that they put up has NO relation to anything and looks like the picnic pavillion at a halfway decent suburban neighborhood park.

If you see it in person… it’s worse.

It’s ok for WHAT it is…horrible for WHERE it is. It would look fine on the other side, tucked back behind Shiwpjace- then demo the winterfest leftover food stand and build 4-6 permanent swing food stalls that can be redressed and reset depending on the event. This is just ugly where it is.

Agree - and been saying that. This is a total disconnect in color and flavor.

And the trend of a schmaltzy attempt at an emotional “Disney” ending of the day. It really only worked for the 50th. At this point, just make them fun again! This new show is recycled drone images of ride logos from last year, barely any use of the side lasers other than to make sparkles, a “new” song that wasn’t necessary since it basically sounds like the last two. Couple that with the loss of a grand fountain for water that pointlessly squirts up and down at full force the whole time.

Well. They always say “wait to you see it in person before you pass judgement” I have. It’s bad. They are too similar in scale and mass, yet too dissimilar in style. Whoever “planned” this should’ve been let go in the purge. Oh, and the ENTIRE area is now synthetic turf. All of it curb to curb.

Notice anything missing?? This coupled with the animated snoopy on the “signature attraction” that lost his flag a week after opening, along with the major cuts to theming in this new area is disappointing. The decision to not include a ride already themed to a tree in an area themed to nature still baffles me. On that whole island that could serve as a perfect entry into camp Snoopy, they chose to only retheme one of the three rides? Oh well… flags are flying.

Backbeat BBQ is better than anything Coney BBQ tries to be. Brisket is amazing. Chicken fall off the bone juicy. Potato wedges seasoned right. Big rectangular plates with theme appropriate wax paper. This park in general is putting our food to shame. Clearly KI has realized they don’t even need to try with the 1000s of dining plan people “popping in for dinner”

LaRosas and PotatoWorks in RiverTown would be perfect to at least cover and add fans and heaters.

Exactly - it was never WESTERN in the classic sense of the word. Personally I'd love it to decide when it is actually set time-wise. It feels like we have landed on "Modern redone river town". I'd love to see more played up along the lines of "urban explorer"or abandoned spaces (Mystic Timers, The Beast) and "Outdoor adventure sports" for WWC and maybe even somehow Diamondback. I wrote a whole backstory a few years ago I should post here.

I’d settle for fixing the darn flag in the snoopy “side to side spin” anamatronic that broke a week or so after opening last year.

well - at least that WinterFest leftover will make some sense now

This was always a stronger attraction that Phantom Theatre. It is sad though that by the end, the park saw a better use of funds in replacing instead of refurbishment, but I think a lot of that had to do with the fact that so little upkeep had been those last few years that the cost was too great.

Maybe they are running behind on the dividers. I’m sure they are coming if they are on the other side.

Look great (men’s Side) but a few things seem not quite done. No dividers between urinals (an odd choice given our current societal attitudes) and the trough style modern sinks don’t really drain well at all.

This exactly. I’d love to see build a bear gone and that be plush/toys. No ride merch in trading co- only park themed product either a dedicated “the park at home” area and mini shops of individual concept groupings. Emporium a series of mini shops themed around areas/rides with a dedicated camp/ Planet Snoopy “shop” for on the way out kids purchases. there just needs to be a reason to go from shop to shop. Clearly they are afraid someone might decide not to buy if they have to walk 50’ back to where they saw it before. Based on that logic, every food place should just serve chicken strips… wait….

The core of what you say is what frustrates me. It also gets me in trouble with the “if you hate it so much don’t go” crowd for my critiques and observations. I don’t hate the place at all. I love it and so want the park to live up to its full potential.