brenthodge

Remember when the Viking Fury actually had detail? Wonder why the last repaint just stopped at shiny poop brown? Then they reattached the figure head as it had been so it almost looks worse with its aging against the shiny, one color ship. There are so many details that could’ve been easily enhanced (and maybe even added back on the mast, sail and lantern) but at least sone dry brushing of gold or a light brown would’ve done wonders. Oh well… guess that Viking ship has sailed!

I feel if they wanted to offer a park-specific, one day option. With more value, they could offer the Dollywood “limited” timesaver option with a set number of “rides” that you can use on different attractions or all on one attraction, but each time, the card/wristband/lanyard whatever is punched. They even made “top tier” attractions one and done by printing those specific rides on a set number of tabs.

Wonder why we only got this one year. It’s really developed a lot more and would be a great “early season” driver. So much of the content has already been produced for Knotts and by a lot of it being character driven, it’s mostly voice dubbed. Wish we brought this back and expanded it to this level for a month or so when the park is open just weekends. weekends, then an early summer Carnivale, late summer BBQ, craft and music fest, then haunt. With Winterfest, we could have a solid season long festival focus to drive attendance. https://www.micechat.com/345229-a-rocking-peanuts-celebration-2023-at-knotts-berry-farm/

I didn’t say they were. I said “personally” as in my opinion. But still they can make changes to any program at any time (so says the fine print) lol

Personally I’d be fine with a higher price as it would reduce overall demand, then maybe limit the former “plus” attractions to one Fast Lane ride each if they want to differentiate somehow.

Agree on new (old) theme. I’d go one step further and call it Miami River Water Works using an old “ghost sign” with WaterWorks overlaid in new font. Play with the idea this is the old “water works” along the river that brought water to the KingsMills area. Keep bold, bright colors, but maybe have all the supports more industrial iron look. Love the more “steam punk” idea and get away from the tired, ineffective “beach” idea. It isn’t fooling anyone. Dollywood Splash country works because it leans into the natural landscape and feels more organic to the area.

You arent alone. It seemed to be a season of changes by omission rather than addition. I feel like the whole event needs a “5 year refresh” at this point with new themes or at least a reorganization of those themed areas. It’s starting to feel a bit stale.

totally agree with that - ALSO the trim throughout the park is generally designed to look great in the day AND night - in fact a lot of the trim details are lost at night since they don't do enough general building lighting to highlight it (like the fact that The Racer trim is one side red - one blue, even on the wreath - totally lost once its dark since its lit all white. I don't think it really needs to go longer into the season (although Dollywood always runs through the Sunday after new Years regardless of where it falls in the week.)

I agree that all the Dollywood Christmas shows are a tad too long (“it’s a wonderful life” clocked in easily a full hour a few years ago) I guess I was meaning “a proper feeling show” that if it was interesting and full of production numbers with several set changes, you wouldn’t mind if it clocked in a bit longer than the magic 25 min mark.

Tinsel Town has been weak since the first year they added it when they had the overhead garlands like a real 50’s downtown. Coney looked best the first year they “improved” the light show as well. It’s barely been synced to the music the last 2 times.

But does it, really? I still say that’s a waste of a theatre with a full fly rail to have a unit set that doesn’t use the fly other than to hold up some windows. Tinkers didn’t work in festhaus - as I don’t feel any show with a “plot” does since it’s such a loud, high turnover location. I even felt The 70s show and Swinging into Christmas were both about 10 minutes too long for the space -would rather see a shorter 15-20 show with different playlists more frequently so the stage was almost in constant use. But I think that KI theater needs to be used for a much more produced, longer (40-45 min) show, then move Tinkers to a renovated International Showplace (the existing iron work even looks like the original set) and bring back a modified Charlie Brown Christmas Spectacular in the peanuts theatre and find a new home for Sounds of the Nativity-which is also a bit of a waste of a performance space with lots of covered seating and better production capabilities than needed for a 4 person vocal combo with a petting zoo.

It wasn’t in FestHaus in 2022.

I think I hear the thumping sound of someone beating a dead horse. LOL

Just wish the visuals were better (to align w the audio) shiny green and orange steel coaster in a field doesn’t scream “mountain”

I was able to "book" a weekday stay. I didn't go through to payment (as I was just testing) but seemed to be open. Where did you see that were only open weekends?

There are other venues the music could move to in needed as well. Peanuts theatre, The Holly Holiday set behind Hanks, Mistletones stage…again, I think a lot of it comes down to wanting to get people moved to one area of the park by 11:45 or so.

Agree that smaller “temporary stages with live acts would be good. I think they honestly don’t want too much spread through the park though since the goal is to funnel people down to I street by 12 so they can get the park empty and closed. Maybe a stage in front of Festhaus and use the stage from 4 drummers for another act.

Dollywood runs through the last WEEKEND of the season. Like if new years falls on Tuesday they would still be open till Sunday of that week. This year with where the holiday fell, they just ended on the 1st.

As others have said, the rides do have to close (great that they didn’t do a “hard close” at 10) but I agree on the shows. I think they definitely could do one more, the problem is the tinkers cast do the countdown-balloons riot at 9:30 and wouldnt have time between parade and that. This year they also had to move over to FestHaus and SWINGING wouldn’t have a place to do a later show with the switching around of shows. Last time the tinkers cast could do the countdown and could’ve done another show right after at 10:30.

I agree on the Knotts thing. I’ve talked to Mike a couple of times this season and every time I mention how I love seeing a shift to embrace a bigger picture with more entertainment, experience, theming and less focus on JUST ride stats he always gives a very “knowing nod” and agrees that is the way they see more long-term success and “brand building” going forward. I feel like the CF parks have the operational resources to fill in some of the blanks where I hear the Herschend parks are struggling (sadly) right now. Great job to you and all you did this season. I’ve offered “constructive observation” on things you may have been involved with, and you’ve provided “in the trenches” context around that, but know that those comments are only based on the incredible strides I see the park making, and the excitement I feel in seeing what you guys are truly capable of. Keep up the GREAT work.

GORGEOUS night with a sheen of rain on the pavement reflecting the lights. Koontz lit the tree tonight, and it was a pleasure to catch him right after to give him and the ENTIRE TEAM props for the best season I personally have ever seen at this park. I missed the “glory days” but based on what I’ve seen this year, we haven’t been too far off with some of the best entertainment, ops, food, and EXPERIENCE at any regional park. Do I wish we could hit Knotts level? Sure, but darn him proud to call this “my KI” these days!

I think it’s the angle of slope that’s the concern. I think it they redid the “tent roof” into something more hard-even if they had to add support poles and enclosed the sides like they do with coney BBQ and added heaters, they could have a decent most year round theatre. Of course they also have a decent covered performance space with donkeys and goats in it back in Plant Snooped that has great vocals wasted in a petting zoo.

It would be cool if you could work the show and food TOGETHER in FestHaus like a “feast of Christmas” with 3 seatings pr night (5:30, 7, 8:30) but I can’t see people wanting to commit to the 45min-hour it would take to make it make sense. You’d have to get rid of the buffet lines and do more of a “pre fixe” like Stampede or Pirates Voyage and it would definitely have to be an upcharge, but Winterfest might be an ideal time to try it as long as they added additional indoor seating for dining and shows someplace else.

Do you mean “must stay in KI theatre? It WAS in Festhaus. I agree about “swinging” it just didn’t gel for me. It wasn’t really “big band”. Mistletones sort of have that vibe. but then Bruno Mars thrown in it was was too much like Cool Yule. It was just… weird and not different enough. Almost would’ve been cool to somehow have over in TinselTown area and use the Mistletones as more roaming entertainment now. I’ve often said that FestHaus is really hard to do anything BUT just song and dance though since it’s just a really odd performing space and most people are just eating and talking. I think they really need to redesign the international showplace to make it usable for Winterfest with less sloped seating, better coverage and even heating to do something there and in the KI theatre more “scripted” then do the review type thing like swingin into Christmas in festhaus. Since it is German, would be nice to actually do something more traditional, but with todays crowd it would probably be even MORE tuned out if it wasn’t loud and upbeat. It was fine and talented cast and b by and. I just don’t like that it took the spot of a more produced show when we also lost Charlie Brown Christmas Spectacular with more production numbers. It doesn’t seem like the kind of show that needs full production capabilities.