brenthodge

I was just about to post something about that as well. They made this big deal, then nothing. Also why have lights NEVER been added back into tunnel 1 which is now the “mine”. Even some flickering lanterns… something. They made this big deal about gem mines, but then we just get a dark tunnel with pick axe noises.

So… another new “theme” added to a beach-themed water park for no real reson. Sounds about right. I’m not impressed with the leadership direction these days and this underscores it. The water park “theme” wasn’t great, and the kids area needed a refresh, but to just randomly go off in a new “RiverCountry” direction makes no sense.

Until they don’t. Original IPs -when well done, are better long-term source material for rides and attractions. With the right branding, marketing and merchandising, original characters could become so “loved” that people would come to the park just to experience them.

You hit on an interesting aspect of this- the random , moved around, dates it always gets. Why isn’t this “the festival that always runs on weekends in August” or something like that. It actually feels a bit wasted in July with all that’s already going on. With all the parks that have dropped it, there are PLENTY of decor, costumes and infrastructure items to allocate to 2-3 parks permanently and not have to reschedule the event to pass it around. I feel this really should’ve been a “Taft park” exclusive. The Eiffel Tower and international street just make it “work”. If they had seen the success in year one, invested in some real infrastructure like permanent smaller stages, semi permanent food booths that could be redressed for other festivals, development of tower gardens and Oktoberfest into the main festival centers…. But I think they got stars in their eyes (and dollars on their bottom line) and tried to roll it out almost chain-wide only to see it get so diluted at the parks that launched it, that it was no longer a valid offering. Sadly i agree this felt like a “wake” year more than a grand continuation.

We already get that. I’m concerned that either 1) there will be even more crossover or 2) winter fest will be even more scaled back do they know they can knock it out in less time because we KNOW it’s not 3) they are hiring a huge crew to make the transition from visible HAUNT to visible WINTERFEST in record time.

OMG. I think we are out of our “smaller portion” phase of the season.

Still dont understand why we have an indoor, Air Conditioned and heated, food and beverage ready location with restrooms sit empty most all year. Why is VIP not in International Restaurant. The capacity could be reduced from time to time on the very limited times the area is used for other things.

Like the HAUNT parade last year at Carrowinds. Would be interesting to see the learnings from that as the night version was very cringey trying to be a “scary Disney parade with catchy nightmare song”

How does adding something water it down, and there used to be fireworks at Winterfest, so why not a closing drone show? They could do it between the last 2 skate times while the rink is essentially empty. Right after the 8:30-9 resurface like at 8:45 as the parade hits its final show stop. Might keep people in place a bit more so parade units could return to storage easier. Make it less “fountain dependent” but still do some lasers and projections on the ice/tower.

Yes

Forgot about that. Nope. So I guess they just sent a set to each of the “tower” parks since the event overlapped. Regardless, KD has the server had last year, and we have the set we had in 21. Again, they might not ship “park to park” but from a central storage area they go back. Not sure where the components are stored between years. We do know they are broken down and I believe the bases kept to be redressed for Winterfest.

I think since Dominion started a week earlier, they couldnt have Carrowinds as they were back to back weeks. KI’s might’ve gone to KD last year after the event, or- are they stored at Kern in NewOrleans? Not sure. They might all go back there each year for storage-refurbishing since they aren’t stored in the tents (just odd pieces and parts and still parts of the 50th, that’s hopefully headed to KD next year to recoup that investment.

Yea, we had that one last year. We had a different dragon as well. It looks like we have the set that was at Carrowinds this year, and KD has the set we had last year. Not sure what happened to the self driven ones we had the first year that were fabricated here in BlueAsh- the opening, the air ship and the elephant. I wonder if the chassis were used here in 22 for the gift floats (since those were self driven) and the parts were just reassembled onto towed bases instead. Those 3 units are definitely a different design style.

Pretty much the same at previous years. The show stops have been simplified (as they don’t select kids to drum on the India float, and drummers in general have been cut. Plus we haven’t gotten the airship float with the “explorers with flags” for a couple of years.

Oh I know. I had a great conversation with senior leadership toward the end of 2022. Truly thanking them for an amazing season. They agreed that if you got a little lump in your throat when the line “here in our own backyard” echoed through the park, it wasn’t happenstance, but very intentional to highlight the multi-generational, memory and tradition building aspect of the park. It sounded believable, because it was authentic, and , I believe, rooted in a strategy and sincere plan to do that. Fast forward to 24 and they try to force some of that into Under the Stars, but it just comes off as marketing buzz words, because I don’t think they really believe that, and certainly aren’t supported corporately any more, to do that.

Oh, I agree that those were build up years to the peak of 2022. I get it was the 50th, and I don’t think anyone expected 15 minutes of fireworks every night the next year, but there were operational and strategic decisions being made that seemed to be setting the park up for long-term success and greatly enhanced guest experience. Those decisions, sadly have either been reversed, or so undermined by new objectives and strategies that it feels like nothing was learned from that time. I’m honestly surprised the darn dog show hasnt returned yet.

2021-22 was truly a new “Golden Age” for the park. It felt “right” for the first time in a long time. I have to believe it also showed in revenue numbers. The problem with corporate structures though is, the highs have to carry the lows. That was a pretty dismal year for other parks in the portfolio, and unfortunately anything we “banked” was spread thinned to cover for others losses.

Black Forrest Trifle totally not worth the price. I didn't event realize it was that much till I tried to figure out what the heck I bought last night that showed up on my card statement as $10.13.

I don’t know if we’ve taken the brunt of it. If so, it’s only because we got the lions share of good. Dominion’s CARNIVALE is dark on Wednesday nights (and was on Tuesdays last year) Carrowinds 50th was hollow compared to ours just one year prior (rehashed logo, reused parade parts without the actual fun of a parade, fireworks that reused a theme song from a ride that was never there, minimal live entertainment (and still next to none) . I think we got a great lucky run of: Initial concept event CARNIVALE that was essentially designed for the “International street parks”, followed up with a CARNIVALE (and season in general) that rode the “post Covid” wave of pent-up visits and spending. That funded an amazing 50th that got all of the budget that had been allocated for it, then the poop hit the fan. I’m impressed we’ve been able to hold onto what we have, but so many of these things I’m talking about could’ve been solved more more long-vision planning. I guess when the money is flowing, you assume it always will, then when the cuts come, it’s harder to “fake it”

I agree to some extent, but there still seems to be some leeway just based on variances you see from park to park doing the same event. I neither blame the solely or excuse them completely.

That’s why sites like KISeasonPassholders that copy paste anything the park tells them to, or gush about how “amazingly, fabulous, wonderfully, specially, amazingly wonderful” everything is don’t help. There’s little room for actual dialogue about how things might not be as rosy as they paint. I’m all for having a good time regardless, but I refuse to go on and on about how AWESOME this event is when it simply isn’t anymore. It’s fun… it’s ok… it doesn’t cost me anything extra and that’s about what I’d spend on it now. Flashback to 2019 when I didn’t even have a pass and bought 3 after 5 tickets and 2 tasting cards and went 2x. Once alone and once as a date night with my wife. Felt like I could’ve gone a third time to catch all the local entertainment, tried 2-3 more things that sounded tasty and seem the parade one last time. THATS what you aim for with events like this, not “let’s provide the bare minimum to the people who already paid to come and eat to hopefully milk them for at least another few dollars.” I’d be embarrassed to bring anyone to this “cultural food festival” as it stands now.

OK - Made it over last night and... Its a mixed bag for sure. Better than last year, way worse than first, reflects the new reality that I think we are living in. 1) The idea that this is a "cultural festival" left the building after year one when the mini-stages with authentic entertainment and country-related crafts never returned. It's definitely a "cultural appropriation and stereotype fest". Honestly the longer this runs, the more culturally insensitive I think it feels. Maybe its time to either return some authenticity to it, or just make it "Summer Party-Gras" 2) There's really nothing to do after the "opening" and before the parade (see above items that got cut) outside of one craft tent and the scavenger hunt. Really wish there was more entertainment options to make it feel more "alive". Even if this went to weekends only to make it stronger... I'd be all for it. 3) The lack of food tents affects the feeling of a true festival. Most all of the food has moved to "relevant" permanent food service locations and seems to be just sort of mixed in with the regular stuff. Why they didn't just go ahead and use Grill and Grain for Spain and not even bother with that tent, or move China there since half of the G&G grain menu has already gone Asian - maybe add India back in. I don't know... people seemed to be snapping up LaRosas WAY more that Lasagne Frita or Canolis. The lack of tasting cards makes sense now as I honestly think they are ok with reduced sales on these items, as moving them into the regular service line cuts down on payroll which probably makes up for the loss of revenue. Also the kitchen staff would be stretched if they were cranking out high volume of these things - heck a triffle at "Germany" took close to 10 minutes with only one person in front of me. They have cut so much of support staff, that I don't think the volume that tasting cards drives could be supported, and the "food festival feel" is gone without tents or temporary structures everywhere to taste at. I certainly didnt see a lot of tastings on people's plates. To me, I only do desert as thats what I can't get on meal plan since the cards went away. 4) Parade looks great... until the end. FOT THE LOVE OF GOD can they not figure out a good way to end this thing that isn't a traffic nightmare. I threw out a suggestion in the parade thread of a way to end it around the tower so the cast could just organically go to the closing show, some of the floats could stay, and a few others "sneak back" right before the fireworks. This could add to the overall festival feel. 5) Speaking of closing show and fireworks, the ending is... ok. But I REALLY miss the first few iterations where the show just flowed right into the fireworks. I thought with the later parade time they were doing that this year, but it just ended, the stage went dark and quiet, the cast all left and a few minutes later the regular closing show started. We have GREAT infrastructure now - way more that we ever had in 2019. Craft a CARNIVALE exclusive closing that can be used every year, but only runs 2 weeks during the event. Maybe another original song. Drones make flags of different countries as lyrics are sung in that language - cultural landmarks in drones bring France, China and Italy to life. Bandstand cast close with live version of the chorus. The way it is now is just clunky and kills any momentum they had going. I used to want to never leave when it was the big dance party, now I had to convince my kid to stay another 15 minutes for fireworks. It really feels like - as much as I hate to say it - this has run its course. Maybe I've just been there too much, but so have a lot of us. SO MAKE IT BETTER EACH YEAR!! There are so many things that could be done to build on the energy that 2019 started, but instead its been a slow drain. Some things - like permanent festival stages or food/beverage locations that could've been built and adapted for other festivals - required long-term planning that just doesn't seem to be there for this. Long-term solutions for getting a parade to make a full circuit in a timely manner so cast can get to next mark that needed infrastructure reworked were never acted on. Decor and seating seems to have been cut back, but doesn't seem to be missed as most people seem to just wander through and reconvene for the parade. I really WANT to want to go back another time or two (or three) like I did in 2019 and 2021, but I just don't really care to make a trip just for this over the next week.

That adds 10000 times more maintenance, so…. Yeah you do the math. You’d have lit costumes (maybe 1/2of them if lucky) only the first night. There’s a reason PaintTheNight still sits in storage at Disneyland. Lighting tech on costumes with tons of movement synched to gloats is VERY expensive to maintain.

I’ve got a whole lot of thoughts coming out of my visit last night. Will post review/wish list later today.

That mass exodus already happens. Just now with a whole lot of chaos.