DonHelbig

Thanks for sharing these photos! The desserts do look really good.

The Bat will be there longer than a number of current full-time employees.

Everyone knows who the Schell Logan is. He knows what the Schell is going on at theme parks across the globe. And from what I hear, a Schell of a good storyteller.

The Bat isn't going to be retired in the foreseeable future. Congo Falls? Invertigo? Drop Tower? Monster? Place your bets!

"As of right now." Tomorrow, though, is a new day.

I thought the Turkey Ball was both interesting and really good!

I know someone with a Son of Beast track piece that might be willing to move it, if the price is right.

Snow Works is one of the few disappointments at WinterFest. It pales in comparison to the snow tube attraction for Christmas at Kentucky Kingdom.

Here's a piece I wrote for Theme Parks By Don on Carowinds retiring three rides. I note guests did not have a chance to say goodbye. https://themeparksbydon.com/carowinds-to-retire-three-rides-as-part-of-multi-year-expansion-plan/

Holiday World & Splashin' Safari has announced its 2025 Operating Calendar. https://themeparksbydon.com/holiday-world-unveils-2025-operating-calendar-with-longer-season-and-returning-events/

I'm hoping to visit this week to get in a couple rides on The Racer and Mystic Timbers.

I was, as Gary Wachs told me a few years ago, a "true carney." That's why I believe it's the wrong decision to not be transparent with park fans when a ride is going to be retired and let them know in advance so they can get in their last rides.

In previous years, NYE was promoted as an event by now on the park's website, mobile app, and Facebook. Information about the NYE event in the International Restaurant had been made available. So, don't be surprised if they cut the NYE event in the International Restaurant and change the hours to a 10 p.m. close on Dec. 31, or not open at all that day. All in the realm of possibility. Worth Noting: The event information for NYE on the website has not been updated for 2024: https://www.visitkingsisland.com/events/new-years-eve-celebration

Should have got the Holiday Meatloaf Burger!

Get your facts straight. If you read my posts or listened to the podcasts, you'd see where I said I was grateful for the 17 years I had there; grateful for the opportunity. There were no hard feelings when I left. I have maintained relationships with people that work there. It's fair game to call Elizabeth out for how she has gone about things, especially when it's in writing from content creators. She doesn't get a free pass.

Elizabeth was instructing content creators to distance themselves from me if they wanted to stay on the park's media invite list, and she blocked people until they proved themselves. She also lied to management when she said she wasn't hiding and deleting replies from Tower Topics on the park accounts, that it was a "software issue." But congrats to her on the new role with the new Six Flags.

Guess that now makes two parks that won't interact with me on social media.

On the outside, I can see where people would think it's not competition. Having been on the inside, it is.

Kentucky Kingdom, Holiday World, Dollywood, and Kennywood are very much what Kings Island considers as competition.

They don't hire them (PR/marketing) like they used to.

Holiday World may be smaller on scale than Kings Island, but Holiday World has a number of things that are better than Kings Island, including water park. The value I received as a 2024 Holiday World passholder was superior to the value I received as a 2024 Kings Island passholder. I live three hours from Holiday World; 22 minutes from Kings Island.

Come for the lights, stay for the food!

Christmas at Kentucky Kingdom!

The 1980 USA Olympic men's hockey team didn't win the Gold Medal because they had the best players. They won because they had the right players. Same thing applies here. For the restructuring to work, the regional PR and social media teams are going to need the right people involved. If they build the regional teams that way, it will lead to the improvements park fans want to see.

Once the director of PR for the Midwest Region has their team in place, the park level PR positions will be eliminated. They were just officially named to the position yesterday. In addition to internal candidates, there will be those outside of Six Flags that will be considered for these roles.