brenthodge

Hence why it needs to be redone with terraced seating. Could do flat levels-a few with tables and chair at the top and others with bench seating closer to the bottom. Could also look at adding a few support poles to hold up a more permanent roof with heaters. It would make it more flexible for all season use and add a dynamic energy to that area at WinterFest. Even if they didn’t do that they could install infrared heaters to melt the aisles. They do that for parking deck ramps.

Totally agree with all points. Tinkers is “fun” but unless the show is ramped back up to its 2005 version it’s just as much a waste of the main theatre as CBCS was (almost more in that it doesn’t even use the fly space and isn’t as “big” with the production numbers.)

Jim Stump is usually Santa in all the shows of all the years I’ve seen.

Maybe with a much smaller area they can actually add and maintain some decor. No reason there couldn’t be a smaller bier garden where the unused bar behind emporium is with new seating, overhead lighting and flags. Actually that “mini land” could be quite cute. Might need to rework Viking Fury queue a bit to not dump out right into seating area as much, but it really doesn’t need the massive line it has. Even if they gave it a little plaza cut back into the mulch wasteland back there. Would be great if they could get one more flat worked in to the right of Festhaus. Even something that played off the Maypole idea like a Samba tower with sone cool trim elements. I think they would definitely need to have some solid German food in FestHaus (I’d kick out panda and do it there so it doesn’t get burried in with the other side- then keep the other side one line “bad American “ and the other rotate out different countries using the CARNIVALE food template. Give Festhouse and overall “International food hall” feel. At Christmas put a giant spinning pyramid where the stein topiary goes.

Transportation theme. It’s got air flight, fast cars, slow cars-could something be made of SRR to tie into that?

I was bad and we had this thing called COVID that had… fevers.

Great idea. I don’t think it could stay in PS. though as that area often gets the busiest. Even if they did it at 11 or 11:30 to “start” tricks and treats from the parade gate on IS -across the front- around to the tower and have the cast do a show stop there. Floats could be designed to be 2-3 additional treat stations and park around the tower for the remainder of the event.

I do agree it’s a lot of work to NOT use the most obvious theme that is already there.

I’d venture that JRA will turn out a better developed product. I feel R&R is a bit lower end in look and overall execution. JRA definitely is has the chops to knock it out of the park.

True - and in both parks it ties into a PARK story (Lion Country/Adventure Village) so I guess it does have some organic tie-in

Disappointed they are already planning on the fountain breaking and being turned into a planter LOL. The park REALLY needs the kinetic energy of water features - how hard is a tiered fountain to make work? This area is EXACTLY what I thought for a while would be the easiest way to make some logical sense out of the theming of the area. Wish there was something more compelling than airbrushed t shirts for the main retail location in this new area - could we not have something more interesting? If you really look att he concept art, there are really minimal changes here - mostly all cosmetic. Maybe a few infrastructure here and there related to the new rides, but basically this looks like a cleaning up of the area and installation of permanent carnival country area decor. Look forward to seeing the actual execution and in-person in that the misty, foggy atmosphere they keep showing certainly adds to the feel of the concept art, but as HAUNT has shown us - they don't do foggy areas any more LOL

Cool to see them all together-we definitely got the weakest of the three, but since this is more of a “retheme” of existing assets and a couple of adds, I’d expect that. Bodes well for the future. Main complaint is that of the three, ours has pretty much nothing to do with local culture or history. I guess it’s more tying into park history, but I love that the others feel very indigenous to the locations they are in.

Loved it.

It seems more “Latin American/South America” than Spanish.

Yes

Love the concept, but it further eroded what little was left (or could easily be reclaimed into) Oktoberfest. At this point I really wish they would just kill the Concrete Zone” area and make that Oktoberfest. Pop in 1-2 more flats to make it a bit more family friendly and really make Festhause a full “international food hall” with a strong German presence.

Ugh - that looks TERRIBLE - Just when you think they are making strides toward looking better, they pull that!

The food this festival has been GREAT - actually this whole seAson, but this time of year I love fall foods and eliminating the "tasting size" concept has I think allowed them to explore some better rounded options. That said - I think the whole food aspect needs to be played up even more. Create areas with more "elevated" seating like carnivale and create mini festival zones wherever there are a few food options together that can (no pun intended) feed off each other - like the area between Rivertown potato and funnel cakes should feel really special with decor and entertainment - NOT the witch show, but local Indi music acts almost all day. Many of the food options are hard to find on the menu after you walk past the sign in the midway. they have TV menus - why not create special graphics that highlight the limited time offerings with random regular things. I get that pulling out all the food booths isnt practical this time of year, but it seems like 1-2 would be feasible and allow them to bring more food options together into fewer, centralized locations (like the one mentioned above, or the beer garden patio etc. Food can be a HUGE driver if they play it up even more. even if they could pull in some local vendors for ingredients to give a "farm to table" feel I think it would really tie into what motivated diners these days

That whole area needs to be rethought. The “Christmas clearance of random reindeer” needs to be better executed if that’s what they are going with (like use commercial grade LED deer instead of the random style, scale, color Home Depot ones all scattered around.) Below are some ideas using existing assets I came up with a couple of years ago. Some things they already implemented (you're welcome) but most of these are just refocussing the things they have in a way that creates stronger stories. WINTERFEST ASSET REALLOCATION ENTRY - No major changes INTERNATIONAL STREET - No major changes - Every “area” gets a large 20’ tree like the one in Coney decorated and lit to match the theme of the area -like a “signpost” ARCTIC WAY (Walkway to Action Zone in front of theatre) CHARACTERS - Snowflake Fairy, Ice Queen and Prince All of the snowfall lights/ blue lights from the walkway between Rivertown and Coney move here. Blue/ white uplighting, Lots of character interaction Menorah and Dreidel stained glass decor Main theatre show becomes “White Christmas Dreams” a show with live orchestra, vocalists and dancers that tells the story of a family that experiences the magic of Christmas one winter’s eve. Arctic Way ties International Street into IceZone ICE ZONE(Action Zone) CHARACTER - Jack Frost Ice Zone gets silver trusses with uplighting - maybe lots of LED snowflakes - modern and bright - all the spiral trees form Coney move here Big signature tree is modern, silver, maybe only lights AREA - ENCHANTED ELF VILLAGE (Octoberfest lake) CHARACTERS All elves Brass band becomes Elf Brass band Tinkers remains in Festhaus All elf set pieces move to the areas around the lake with better lighting to really enhance signature tree is lit red/green/gold with large traditional decor and toy ornaments FLORAL CLOCK - acts as major entrance feature for new Candy Cane Lane/Drum Line area Gets great lighting package. AREA - DRUM LINE CHARACTERS Nutcracker Suite Move trumpeters to the walkway leading to drummers with the MERRY CHRISTMAS sign and large gifts, toys etc Four Drummer Drumming moves to stage on Skyline seating pavilion Add uplighting to trees and possible 2-3 footers for lighting rigs to better light the soldier statues Area brightly lit Signature tree in red/blue/white AREA - CANDY CANE LANE CHARACTERS Candy Cane, Candy Dandy, Cotton Candy Fairy Moves to the path to River Town past floral clock Add large LED tree in red/white with light show on the old base where tree was WF’17 Add paved paths in this area (in the grass) to tree and to paved area for candy castle - these could be seating areas and landscaping during normal season and paths through cemetery for Haunt Footings from Winterfest Way WF’17 hold candy cane scaffolding with red/white overhead string lights Line main path and new paths with candy cane markers Kona Ice drink place becomes hot chocolate/candy “gingerbread House” food location TUNNEL OF LIGHTS - From where path straightens out leads into… AREA - HOMESPUN HOLIDAYS (Rivertown) Move all of the crafter booths to this area to play up the “homespun” theme. Some along the path, some set up like a little village in The Beast plaza signature tree with lanterns, white lights, homespun ornaments in the middle of crafters village (beast plaza) Improve look of crafter barns to make look like different style buildings in Rivertown More rustic decor Remainder of Rivertown as previous years AREA - Coca-Cola POLAR BEAR WAY (Path along former Vortex site) Red and white string lights overhead Coca-Cola billboards line the path (like a road to Tinsel Town) Plaza at Backlot becomes the Polar Bear Dance Party Basketball 3 point game gets Coca-Cola Holiday enhancement-maybe “ornament toss” Transition area in to Tinsel Town brighter and bolder AREA - TINSEL TOWN (End of Coney Mall) No major changes - giant tinsel trees are signature tree better clustering of trim elements AREA - CONEY CARNIVAL CHRISTMAS (Coney Mall) No major changes - add overhead color change LED lights from HAUNT (did this 2020) Make even gaudier, bolder, brighter - move the giant light sculptures from the path to River Town here More Silver Tinsel - almost an extension of Tinsel Town AREA - CHARLIE BROWN’S CHRISTMASTOWN (Planet Snoopy) Move the live performance aspect out of the petting zoo - Keep “Sounds of the Nativity” with lighting and music, but maybe Peanuts Narration and songs from the Christmas special instead. “What the Dickens” moves out to new area (keeps the indoor area for inclement weather) International Showplace adds better roof - possible temporary back and sides and heaters “Charlie Browns Christmas Spectacular” moves here with minor modifications. The two side stages of this performance space already work for this show. This brings all of thePeanuts entertainment to one area to create stronger destination AREA - DICKENS SQUARE (where 4 drummer drumming was) CHARACTERS Scrooge, Marley, Ghosts Makes sense tying into International Street Use Scrooge’s house set from 05 WF as background for “What The Dickens” - Can move to Peanuts Showcase during inclement weather Use some graveyard items to make Scrooges cemetary Add some “Old England” set pieces Bring this “Christmas Carol” theme to Boo Blasters AREA - OH HOLY NIGHT (Tower Gardens) Live performers from “Sounds of Nativity” move here - create stage area where Ginger Bread castle went when this was Candy Cane Lane Use existing footers to add light trusses to provide projected “light through stained glass windows” All stained glass nativity pieces move here - maybe not all on one big area, but in smaller clusters that are dim, but light up brighter when songs related to those characters are sung (shepherds, angels, wisemen etc) Twinkling lights in the trees for “stars” - Large star above (Star in the East) Benches provide seating for contemplation

These seem like a waste there. Wish they Woolf move that whole concept to the path to river town and use the footers from the first year to put them along the path with red/white lights strung overhead to make the candy cane lane. That area has had less and less each year as things have broken and not been replaced.

Attended. Liked. Thought had potential. Looking back it was overall weak decor with just basic plastic balls in all the trees/wreaths etc, but overall more cohesively integrated event (the Jack Rouse Associates influence)better Toy Factory set and production. Weak parade, better train experience. Interesting tree lighting with Pyro. Wish some of that could be combined with what we have now. It was too “timid” of a re-entry into what by 2005 had become a more crowded market (Christmas events). Not sure if CF hadn’t pulled the plug the next year it could’ve found it’s footing still if they hadn’t gone much bigger the next year. Current offering is a bit like a clearance sale in the Christmas aisle in it’s scattered “throw everything Christmas at the wall and see what sticks” (like 90 mismatched light up deer of every style and type) but it definitely has the “go big or go home” mentality needed to grow an event.

It’s called sarcasm. Point being winning that award with what they threw out there proves there’s no real validity to the said award.

Now that Tricks and TREATS (wow-suprised that wasn’t edited for me) has started, are they offering these food options beyond 6 on Saturdays? I assume not on Fridays

Totally agree. Even the decor is so well done and detailed you miss a lot of it only seeing it at night. Like the fact that Skyline trim matches skyline, subway matches, racer is two colors etc. most of that doesn’t even show at night. A 12 or 1 open would seem much better to get additional revenue. Even if shows didn’t change you could do those easier in the evening if you weren’t also trying to slot in rides.

Is this being marketed? I love that it ends the night, but seems like there could be an alternative version like at 8:30, 10:30 then the finale at 12 to give an additional entertainment option.