DonHelbig

100 percent inaccurate!

Camp Snoopy is new for 2024. What efforts has the park made to ignite interest, excitement, and anticipation since the August announcement? There's a lack of news stories, social media buzz, and blog features about the new ride, about Camp Snoopy, and all there will be for families to do. Why didn't the Kings Island communications team capture a momentous occasion -- the groundbreaking for Camp Snoopy -- by photographing General Manager Mike Koontz alongside Snoopy and Charlie Brown, all sporting hard hats and holding shovels, and subsequently share this captivating image with the Associated Press? By capturing that photo, and including a cutline such as, "Snoopy, Kings Island's EVP/GM Mike Koontz, and Charlie Brown make history at the groundbreaking ceremony for Camp Snoopy at Kings Island Amusement Park in Mason, Ohio. The park's award-winning kids' area is set to unveil this exciting addition in spring 2024," they could have secured extensive earned media coverage across news outlets spanning Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and beyond. Nobody at the park or corporate team is going to notice missed opportunities like this because people outside of PR can't really judge how well a PR person is doing because they're so out of the scope. Camp Snoopy is geared for storytelling. Hoping to see some stories soon across all communication channels!

Here’s a piece I wrote about Camp Snoopy. https://themeparksbydon.com/construction-on-kings-islands-camp-snoopy-takes-shape/

To all the fantastic members of KIC, may your Christmas and Holiday Season be filled with rollercoaster-sized joy, laughter, and unforgettable moments!

It would be interesting to see how many of the people expressing negative sentiment about Coney Island's closure on social media visited Coney Island over the past 10 years. Everyone came out of the woodwork when it was announced Cincinnati Gardens had been sold and would be torn down, and it's the same story with Coney Island.

If you did a comparison of say the past six months for 2023 vs. the same period in 2022, 2021, 2020 and 2019, well, that’s a picture some wouldn’t want Bob Ross painting.

I can solve your interest and curiosity, but have a call coming in that I have to take.

There are social media tools available that allow you to conduct a competitor analysis and examine your competitors activities and performance going back several years.

The extended hours garnered a lot of news media stories in Pennsylvania. Dutch Winter Wonderland also extended its hours.

Wrote a piece on my new Theme Parks By Don blog (Story #50) about Coney Island closing. It won’t win a Pulitzer, but I think it captures the spirit of the thing. https://themeparksbydon.com/goodbye-coney-island-this-time-for-good/

Buc-ee's visit and sandwich if I had to choose.

Buc-ee's! I talked about Buc-ee's.

The train will lose part of its authenticity and charm going from a steam locomotive to an electronic locomotive.

I wrote a piece on Knott's Berry Farm's Camp Snoopy makover. It looks great! A Beagle Scout Adventure Unveiled at Knott's Berry Farm - Theme Parks By Don

I like the Millennium Force shirt. I’ll have to get one.

No. The people I worked with and reported to during my PR years enjoyed seeing earned media placements for Kings Island in Columbus, Cleveland, Toledo, Detroit, the Sandusky Register.

When I did PR at Kings Island from 2007-2017, I made a minimum of two media trips a year to Columbus (and other key outer market cities) to visit the TV stations, which included in-studio morning and noon news show interviews. I'd go before Memorial Day to talk about what was new each year along with Soak City opening and being included with park admission, and again in the fall to talk about Halloween Haunt before the event opened. Long before I started working at the park, the PR folks like Ruth Voss would book me for interviews on the TV and radio stations in these markets to talk about my ride exploits on The Racer, The Beast, what was new, and how having a season pass made it affordable for me to spend as much time as I did at the park. When i was doing PR it was never difficult to get booked to do in-studio interviews to talk about the park. It was as simple as pitching here's what's new and why it mattered to their audience.

Auditions don’t start for 10 days, so it’s probably too early to give those interested in auditioning notice and information on the website, mobile app, social media, and stories about the auditions placed in news media outlets throughout Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Tennessee.

Wrote a piece about the Tinker’s Toy Factory show. I think it captures the spirit of the thing. https://themeparksbydon.com/tinkers-toy-factory-cant-miss-show-at-kings-islands-winterfest/

Here’s an article I wrote for the Sandusky Register on the construction milestone being achieved. https://sanduskyregister.com/news/493492/construction-milestone-achieved-at-cedar-point/

These adrenaline-pumping toboggan hats are the perfect addition to your Christmas shopping list for any die-hard Kings Island enthusiast. https://themeparksbydon.com/kings-island-ride-toboggan-hats-for-the-ultimate-fan/

Dust off your dancing shoes and warm up your vocal cords! Kings Island will be holding auditions for its 2024 Summer Season this month. https://themeparksbydon.com/seize-the-spotlight-audition-for-kings-islands-2024-season/

Universal Destinations & Experiences has officially unveiled the Universal Kids Resort. https://themeparksbydon.com/universal-kids-resort-to-be-magical-haven-for-family-fun/

Dollywood has once again proven itself a beacon of exceptional customer service, earning a place in Forbes’ prestigious Best Customer Service list. https://themeparksbydon.com/forbes-recognizes-dollywood-in-top-1-for-customer-service/

The Hatbox Ghost has materialized on one of my all-time favorite rides, the Haunted Mansion at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom. https://themeparksbydon.com/hatbox-ghost-a-spine-chilling-addition-to-wdw-haunted-mansion/