brenthodge

no - why would any for profit company care about where the revenue comes from. Thats like a Jr Higher running the company and shooting itself in the foot for petty reasons to prove a point (but try using that justification for investors). They stopped painting Diamond Back because IT IS RUNNING during the part of the day that you would actually paint something - Dragster can be painted any time of the day, Budget cuts are mandated across the board to hit margins that may be set be people with little actual operation experience, and maybe Don got tired of dealing with conspiracy theorist and wanted a simpler life - who knows?!?

I HATE THE WAY THE PARADE IS RUN. I've complained about this since we started parades again. It is always like this has nothing to do with budget cuts - they do a show and then its mass chaos as performers run off - people on floats jump down - at Christmas - people anchored to floats just have to ride it out back to coney. It is HORRIBLE SHOW. At least now there is a big red sticker that says PARADE ENDS HERE so supposedly no one stands past that point to see the parade, but it you are at that point you only see a show stop and whatever is in front of you...it ends... people scatter and eventually security clear a path for empty floats to run down. I REALLY wish they had done it right and made the area behind BooBlaster parade and entertainment services. Yes you'd have to move "Park services" and dumpsters etc, but there should be room to store floats as well as necessary trash for the few food places on that block. Then run the parade OUT the Showplace side - run down the path to Coney - push back the landscaping in this area to create wider sidewalks for viewing - show stop 1, turn down coney by Dodgem - down coney - show stop 2, turn down the path to I street by VIP - show stop 3, turn down I street - go further down and wrap across the front entrance - wider for better viewing (worked great for 50th street party) - final show stop, parade travels IN FULL PARADE MODE around other side up to path by Graeters - takes slight right/left back into area behind BOO. Might've needed to relocate a fire hydrant there and a few other things, but would've made for a MUCH cleaner ending, full circuit and not the odd 2 stops in the same zone. And yes, the saving of having the parade at 7 to get performers off the clock by 8 for a 12-8 shift has to be offset by the loss of revenue when people empty in droves by 7:30, but then theres no real ending show or CARNIVALE characters out after the parade, so I guess there not really anything to stay for. I feel like they are looking for quick savings and not looking at the big picture of overall revenue

Agree. I was like “Music?”

personally I wish they would just get rid of the "Security footage" TVs. That whole part of the story line was convoluted and didn't really make sense... it's abandoned... but it's not...so there is security... in present day? or the past? It was just a layer that was too complicated to make sense in a queue with no real narrative or explanation. I think most people just assume it's a live feed of the ride thats visible in the queue for some reason. The whole "urban explorers" storyline just has too many details. I'd say "Its an abandoned lumber mill... something happened years ago... it makes an old truck come to life... you get in for some stupid reason... you find out the evil is "in the shed" you barely make it back (would've been SUPER COOL to have a separate unload so the cars came back empty - THAT would've been a way to create a story.

Hence why the focus on FOOD AND BEVERAGE was definitely not an aspect that got cut (except loosing India, and that may have been the lowest volume country for food sales - even though it’s featured in the show and parade -as is MardiGras and neither have food options.

The whole thing just seems… off this year. Honestly I almost wish they had “saved up” a year and brought it back big. Coming back after a pretty solid 2021, then last years packed 50th, this years CARNIVALE just seems a bit scattered and “we had to do it because we had to”. Even if they had done a mini fest in Adventure Port using some of the day of the dead (less “dead” ones) props and set pieces from haunt, done just central and Latin American tasting booths, live music and maybe a mini parade using some of the Jungle X ideas? Would’ve been a way to put the focus squarely on this new area (especially when they didnt even include it… an international, food themed area, in CARNIVALE.)

Nope. It seems chaotic and a bit confrontational and weird like they are sample models in the fragrance dept trying to get people walking through to “party” with them.

Ok, just spent a LONG time filling out a new survey. I’ve gotten used to half heartedly filling these “specific topic” surveys out-trying to force my ideas and opinions on other topics in LOL but this one… has anyone else gotten it. It’s very specific about my last visit. Why I came (CARNIVALE) my opinions based on that experience (ehhh used to be better) what I’d like to see added in ALL AREAS - food, rides, live entertainment, merchandise. Asked if Park could contact me regarding all my opinions and feedback-sure, NEVER had that option before, and an invite to a KI panel that will be sent regular surveys and questions regarding Park improvements and future plans. This makes me feel like 1) something is up as in they know attendance is soft 2) people are noticing and complaining more vocally than in past 3) “bought in” passholders and fans are a valuable and valid base to tap into for feedback. Interesting to see if they call, if more “panel surveys” come and who else got this survey?

It worked last Tuesday just fine. You mean the stoning black light that makes “it’s in the shed” show up? It’s there!

Not sure I get your point. We got BOTH, the better closing show AND the better parade/party plus 3 original park specific shows (actually 4 when you put the media/video component of 70s in the mix.) we blew the other milestones this year away!

Wow. I feel like with everything I see out of Carrowinds in relation to their milestone, we DEFINITELY got the way better deal. Did this just roll out, perform and roll back? Thought they would get all of the elements (lightly modified) that we had. The more I see this year, the more I’m AMAZED at what we got last year. our (with original song DIFFERENT than the other original song for the fireworks) for reference

As to his expectations and ideas… he confirmed that last years lineup for Timberwolf was not what had been envisioned. He said they were “that close” to signing a few acts that would’ve really surprised people and set a new bar.

Forgot about the bands as well. I remember 2019 was almost like Winterfest with WAY too much to do in one night. We didn’t have passes that year and actually bought tickets just for the evening to come in-didn’t ride a single thing-went show to show… area to area… and was actually sad we didn’t have passes that year (I came pretty close to buying another ticket later in the run, but it got miserably hot) if you give people a reason…. They will spend. I was wondering tonight just how much in entertainment payroll they save moving the parade up to get most E staff off the clock by 8, when as I left right after the parade, there was a mass exodus of spending people all leaving with me. I feel like there is a lot of “immediate savings” thinking going on right now without enough thought given to lost ROI and potential damage to the brand. Honestly at this point, I’d suggest going to every other year if they can’t make it have more ooompf than this year.

The whole event feels way “less” than even 21, which already eliminated the individual country stages and crafts that gave it its true “culture festival “ feel. Now if you aren’t eating or drinking or watching one parade, theres pretty much nothing to do. That said. after talking to Koontz just now (for about 15 min) he pretty much agreed and said it’s a conversation he’s even had as recently as yesterday with corporate live entertainment. He mentioned that a lot of times when they try something new, they might “throw everything at the wall” and go too big just to test a lot. Then, when they have to scale down to an executable scale, the passionate fan base here definitely notice it and call it out. He said it’s almost a good problem that our base cares and notices so much. I really felt like it pains him to see how gutted the event is. He puts a game face on, but you can tell he knows and knows YOU know it’s just not as good. Very interesting conversation. Caught him after the opening (after it has started for an hour) ceremony. He just kept talking (lots of interesting, border line “too much” info) -like I eventually said, “well I know you’ve got a park to run…”to wrap it up. I think he liked having a great complement (I told him how my 9 year old recreated the new Adventure Express with his train sets) and sharing with someone who understands it’s a publicity traded company, with budgets, that he doesn’t have complete control of, but they are trying to give the best experience within those constraints. It’s a numbers game, and like those games you slide the tiles around… there’s only so many tile, you just have to kept sliding them till you get something that resembles a solution.

Unofficial confirmation from a top of the heap source that yes, there are still supply chain issues affecting some of the planned effects for Adventure Express. Hopefully more to come.

Totally agree.

Looks like they cut the trampoline unit (as they have at the other parks that have already done Carnivale) was hoping that was just a temporary thing at KD, but looks like it applied everywhere.

Those aspects that you mentioned are really getting noticed and called out in other channels as well. It’s not just the “crazy loyalists” that are noticing the drop in quality recently. Slipper slope here.

did they not even bother with lights on the floats? They all look dark. I mean you are having the nighttime light up parade in broad daylight, so I guess why bother?!

don't count on it - they went the whole event last time mostly all dark with dangling plugs - was hoping this time around they MIGHT have actually taken the time to plug them in. They used a lot of them just wadded up at the bases of the poles on the concrete blocks - seems like a poor use of the assets they have to work with. It's cool that they actually match the flags of the country they are used in, so some thought went into them.

Did they actually get all the lit garlands plugged in or do they all just have the plugs hanging from them like they did on Tuesday. Seems like a waste to buy garlands lit with specific colored lights to match the garlands-hand them on buildings covered in outlets and never plug them in.

Bad Tuesday night after reopening from storm.

Wonder if that has anything to do with moving CARNIVALE parade up to 7 this year. Easier to shave off an hour if most of the major stuff is done they’ve shown they are cool doing fireworks at 9 a few times this year

Well, there are quite a few weeds. Lol

Agree on The Racer thing. It seems like it was off and on like this all the time with one side down. Seems like now it’s just an “official” thing. Overall I don’t thing it’s that bad-there have always been “hit or miss” food stands at KI- the list of closed venues is even more staggering at Disney with their attendance and world-wide status. Been that way for years there as well. I get that as a passholder I can have a “shrug my shoulders and say ‘oh well, I’ll catch it next time” approach, but day ticket customers should be more in their focus.