hamoperator Posted November 4, 2009 Share Posted November 4, 2009 I have heard that a few years ago they had a Winterfest or something like that? Do you think they will ever do another? Would it be profitable for a two or three week period around Christmas? Some lights and trees, some place to just walk around, maybe a few coasters? What was it like and how many people actually went? I'm sure they could even throw together some kind of holiday show inside FestHaus. Anyone else wish for this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flightoffear1996 Posted November 4, 2009 Share Posted November 4, 2009 I went and wish I didn't. I have been to both winterfest the old and the new whiel I dont remeber the old one the new one stunk. Not much to do and they charged extra for ice skating after being soaked $15 to get in. I dont think the park made any money and if they did I don't know how. Leave the park closed please!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thrill_Biscuit Posted November 4, 2009 Share Posted November 4, 2009 It seems to me that it would be more profitable to just run a winter flea market in the parking lot. Afterall, during the holiday season, people want to spend their dollars on gift shopping, rather than on skating around in a fountain. It's a wonderful idea on paper; just not in the present economy. Just my opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IndyGuy4KI Posted November 4, 2009 Share Posted November 4, 2009 No, I do not think it will be coming back. If they made money on their Winterfests is the past, they would still be doing it today. Plus, if I am thinking correctly, wasn't it CF who cancelled WF after they acquired the park when Paramount was selling tickets during the regular season? I never attended WF. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarketingExpress Posted November 4, 2009 Share Posted November 4, 2009 I have heard that a few years ago they had a Winterfest or something like that? Do you think they will ever do another? Would it be profitable for a two or three week period around Christmas? Some lights and trees, some place to just walk around, maybe a few coasters? What was it like and how many people actually went? I'm sure they could even throw together some kind of holiday show inside FestHaus. Anyone else wish for this? I don't see them doing another WF anytime soon. It wasn't profitable before, how can you be when there are more employees in the park than guests. No coasters would be open due to it being too cold to operate, not to mention it would disrupt the winter maintenance schedule. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gabe Posted November 4, 2009 Share Posted November 4, 2009 The park is much more interested in making Halloween Haunt the premiere fall attraction in the region. CF makes a good deal of money on it, so that's why so much time and effort goes into planning it. Winterfest was a joke, at least the new one was. The coasters aren't designed to run in very cold weather and who would want to ride a coaster when it sub freezing outside anyway? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IndyGuy4KI Posted November 4, 2009 Share Posted November 4, 2009 Who would want to ride a coaster when it sub freezing outside anyway? Probably just us enthusiasts! Could start a Roller Coaster Polar Bear Club? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
standbyme Posted November 4, 2009 Share Posted November 4, 2009 Winterfest was a joke, at least the new one was. As always, I guess it is just a matter of opinion...my family and I all thought it was a nice unique experience...and we had to drive over 3 hours to get there...we even had pre-paid our tickets for the next year...then it was cancelled. The coasters aren't designed to run in very cold weather and who would want to ride a coaster when it sub freezing outside anyway? I can't believe you would ask this on this site! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoastersRZ Posted November 4, 2009 Share Posted November 4, 2009 Ok. The original Winterfest (which ran from 1982 through 1992) was widely popular and from all accounts I`ve heard was also profitable. Paramount decided to discontinue it after the 1992 season so that they could extend the post season of the park through the entire month of October (back then, they only used to be open the first few weekends in October). Then in 2005, Winterfest was brought back. The idea sounded great on paper. However, there were some flaws when they brought it back. They now had competition across the street with The Beach`s HolidayFest. There, the Beach allowed passholders in for free, and admission was relatively inexpensive. At Kings Island, guests had to pay nearly double what it cost to get into HolidayFest, and pass holders also had to pay a fee to get in. However, Santa`s Toy Factory in the then Paramount Theater was awesome. The parade was also very well done, just like the Nickelodeon Celebration Parade was. And the train ride featured live entertainment that made the train ride fun and entertaining. I went several times to Winterfest back in 2005. But crowds were very light with this reincarnated tradition. Remember, there was a lot more competition this time around than before. I do not see Cedar Fair bringing Winterfest back anytime soon. For one, they are not in the best financial position to be gambling on bringing an event back that was not really successful in 2005. Secondly, they are focused on continuing to improve Halloween Haunt. Back in 2005, there were several odd weekends when all the Haunt stuff was out, but Christmas decorations had begun to appear throughout the park. In short, don`t look for Winterfest to come back again anytime soon. You`ll have to enjoy The Beach`s or the Cincinnati Zoo`s winter events instead. (Or venture down to Dollywood for Smoky Mountain Christmas). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avatar Posted November 4, 2009 Share Posted November 4, 2009 Great feedback post standbyme and CoastersRZ. The Toy Factory show even won a best show award. in 2005 we had planned to go but a couple weekends it got super cold and had canceled a couple nights due to snow. We decided to wait to go the next year in 2006 in hopes for better weather and that the second year would be better that the first years operations, sadly it was canceled. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted November 5, 2009 Share Posted November 5, 2009 That all being said, the other Paramount Park that featured the new Winterfest was Carowinds. It did not have significant competition. So few people went that The Charlotte Observer rather famously ran this headline about Winterfest (one of my all time favorites): WALKING IN AN EMPTY WONDERLAND It was true. I was there. More than once. A grand time I had. With very, very few other people. And I had a ticket to the next year's Winterfest at Carowinds which Cedar Fair had to refund.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoastersRZ Posted November 5, 2009 Share Posted November 5, 2009 I still believe that part of the problem with the Winterfest events in 2005 was NOT the quality of the event. Instead, it was the price point that they were asking people to pay to attend the event. Yes, the events were really well put together. But charging $25 for admission was a little steep. I think they wanted around $18 for pass holders to get in, and pass holders had to pay for parking as well (even if their pass had free parking). That price of admission was rather high, in my opinion. Especially since they needed to build the fan base for this event. Look at the numerous Six Flags parks that have introduced Holiday In the Park events. Clearly there is some money in having winter events. And from everything I`ve heard, the original Winterfest made tons of money in its heyday. So clearly it works, just the model that Paramount Parks used in 2005 was flawed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted November 5, 2009 Share Posted November 5, 2009 Assuming, of course, that Paramount Parks reintroduced Winterfest with the idea of continuing it in the future, as opposed to showing what could be done by a new owner. Remember, it was shortly after this the parks were put up for sale...and virtually all the decorations, etc., were rented...not purchased...a hint in and of itself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoastersRZ Posted November 5, 2009 Share Posted November 5, 2009 Right. But I stand by my statement that given the right price point, a Winterfest event at KI still could be a revenue maker for the park during a normal off time of the year. But having a winter event also can distract the park from its core business of generating revenue in the summer and fall months. Personally, I would love to see Winterfest return once again to KI as I have fond memories of going through the end of the `80s and the early 90s. But realistically, I doubt that we ever see a winter event at KI ever again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gigacoaster2k Posted November 5, 2009 Share Posted November 5, 2009 who would want to ride a coaster when it sub freezing outside anyway? I went to CP in November for closing day 2 years in a row.. that may as well have been sub-freezing temps! I'd put on a Carhartt coat, several layers of clothing, insulated gloves, boots and a ski mask.. I say bring it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rotag Posted November 5, 2009 Share Posted November 5, 2009 i once rode a scooter for 30mile (15 one way) in 29 degree weather travelin around 55mph with the only thing on my face being a pair of goggles. it was very refreshing, not smart, but it did keep me awake though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diamondback96 Posted November 5, 2009 Share Posted November 5, 2009 Was the inside of FoF cold during HH? Because they could at least open that... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rotag Posted November 5, 2009 Share Posted November 5, 2009 about average, but was payin more attention to the ride than the temp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gigacoaster2k Posted November 5, 2009 Share Posted November 5, 2009 When I got back from CP, my dad said, "I bet Dragster was a cold ride!" Honestly, it wasn't. During a launch from 0 to 120 in 4 seconds, the temperature outside tends to be one of the farthest things from your mind! But Millie and Maggie?.. BRRRRRRR-R-R-R!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
standbyme Posted November 5, 2009 Share Posted November 5, 2009 ...just the model that Paramount Parks used in 2005 was flawed. And another example of that flawed model was how the park (wrongly) kept stating that if you wanted to make sure that you could get in on a certain date that you should buy your tickets in advance because they were limiting attendance...my family agonized about which date to pick...pre-paid the tickets...then sat back and hoped the weather was good because the tickets were non-refundable. I am sure that scared some people off back then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted November 5, 2009 Share Posted November 5, 2009 And then there was the night they called off Winterfest. It snowed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarketingExpress Posted November 5, 2009 Share Posted November 5, 2009 And then there was the night they called off Winterfest. It snowed. While I can see the irony of Winterfest closing due to snow, this was no light dusting. I believe the night you are talking about there was 5''+ of accumulation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TromaKing Posted November 5, 2009 Share Posted November 5, 2009 I miss the old Winterfest. It was great. You could ice skate on the fountain. Sit around with your friends sipping hot chocolate. Ride the horse drawn carriage through Coney Maul. The peaceful train ride. All the lights. It was a blast to go every weekend and it was always busy it seemed. The biggest problem that it always had was keeping the ice frozen on the fountain. During slightly warmer days there was always a puddle at the end. Was it profitable? I have no clue. I just remember how much fun it was, But I was also the kid that was fascinated by watching the person making stuff out of glass and could stand there watching for hours. Winterfest could work again if done right. They don't seem to be leveraging area they have. Water Works or whatever its called now would be able to handle it. The crowds are not going to be like they are in the summer time so theres no real need to have the main part of the park open. They could bring back the horse drawn carriage, have a small petting zoo, Set up a Santas workshop, have the train running. This idea is not all that far fetched as it is the basic thing the Beach has been doing for years. Well I may get bashed on the idea but I like it and would love to take my kids to do some of the fun things I used to do as a kid. Lastly BRING BACK THE TRAMS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
standbyme Posted November 5, 2009 Share Posted November 5, 2009 TromaKing...Welcome to the site, a very good first post! I love your description of the original Winterfest...I wish I could have experienced it. Ride the horse drawn carriage through Coney Maul. Halloween Haunt meets Winterfest! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diamondback96 Posted November 5, 2009 Share Posted November 5, 2009 I miss the old Winterfest. It was great. You could ice skate on the fountain. Sit around with your friends sipping hot chocolate. Ride the horse drawn carriage through Coney Maul. The peaceful train ride. All the lights. It was a blast to go every weekend and it was always busy it seemed. The biggest problem that it always had was keeping the ice frozen on the fountain. During slightly warmer days there was always a puddle at the end. Was it profitable? I have no clue. I just remember how much fun it was, But I was also the kid that was fascinated by watching the person making stuff out of glass and could stand there watching for hours. Winterfest could work again if done right. They don't seem to be leveraging area they have. Water Works or whatever its called now would be able to handle it. The crowds are not going to be like they are in the summer time so theres no real need to have the main part of the park open. They could bring back the horse drawn carriage, have a small petting zoo, Set up a Santas workshop, have the train running. This idea is not all that far fetched as it is the basic thing the Beach has been doing for years. Well I may get bashed on the idea but I like it and would love to take my kids to do some of the fun things I used to do as a kid. Lastly BRING BACK THE TRAMS The only problem with that is not as many shops will be open, and the Eiffel Tower is the centerpiece of the park all year. They could open FoF, The Crypt (if it is still here in the next few years), Action Theater, and SD&THC (or whatever it will be next year). Oh yeah, they should bring back Phantom Theater. Or at least Enchanted Voyage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rotag Posted November 5, 2009 Share Posted November 5, 2009 Hookyboysb, I was thinkin more along the lines of tra la la la la la tra la la la la. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RollerNut Posted November 5, 2009 Share Posted November 5, 2009 I worked Winterfest 2005 at Carowinds and up until near Christmas, Winterfest attendance was low enough to close the park early on a few days. However, the last 2 days before Christmas and after Christmas, attendance was good. It was reported to employees that Carowinds broke even for Winterfest 2005 just like SCarowinds 2000 did. The major problem with Winterfest was that the rides are more than likely not meant to operate in the cold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CedarPointer Posted November 5, 2009 Share Posted November 5, 2009 Lastly BRING BACK THE TRAMS YESSSSSS!! They even still have them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheSonofBeast Posted November 6, 2009 Share Posted November 6, 2009 yeah, i saw them last time i rode drop zone just sitting there. seems like a waste. they have been out in the open for a long time.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coaster Kid Posted November 7, 2009 Share Posted November 7, 2009 I have heard that a few years ago they had a Winterfest or something like that? Do you think they will ever do another? Would it be profitable for a two or three week period around Christmas? Some lights and trees, some place to just walk around, maybe a few coasters? What was it like and how many people actually went? I'm sure they could even throw together some kind of holiday show inside FestHaus. Anyone else wish for this? "maybe a few coasters" Ohhhhhh how I would love that so. Have DB dressed up as Reindeer so alwsome whould that be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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