Read And Ride With Snoopy!

[The Interpreter]

Kings Island has started a new program to help encourage reading in schools.

The "Read and Ride with Snoopy" program is designed to help support and assist teachers in the classroom by showing students reading is fun.

During visits to schools, libraries and bookstores, a PEANUTS story is read to the students while Snoopy acts out the parts....

All Read and Ride with Snoopy appearances are free of charge.

http://www.chillicot.../NEWS01/3220317

Talk about Terpy being conflicted:

a. I think this is a very nice thing for the park to do. I'm amazed it's free. I think it will encourage kids to read. I think it gives the park a good reputation. I think kids will pay attention and love it.

b. I can hear activists claiming it's commercialization for Cedar Fair in the schools and unfairly promotes Cedar Fair at no charge to Cedar Fair. For the most part, I think this is crap, yet I can see their point...a little.

I know we have kids, teachers, students studying to become teachers and even principals here, not to mention some very good people with sound ethics and principles. What do you think?

And parents, do you like this? Have a problem with this?

Ironically, I can see Snoopy doing this, but have great problems imagining Dora or any Nick character doing it. I can see Scooby doing it even better than Snoopy would, though...

Please, let's talk about THIS program, and not politics in general. This place is not the place for that...

[alluna]

This same topic has been on my mind... I'm sorely tempted to try to arrange him to come to our school just so I can stand on the sidelines and see how it all pans out.

It is, of course, nothing but beneficial to KI..I'll assume they will hand out Wendy's style coupons and maybe even some info on the new part of the park.

But...I think we have a Ronald McDonald situation on our hands, where the character is garnering a symbiotic relationship with families. Snoopy wants to promote the park, and we want a fun and educational character experience.

Major contention, if any, would probably point to the 'slippery slope' scenario, as in 'who else we are willing to let into our schools for a promotion'.... The Chik-Fil-A cow teaches math, Tony the Tiger swoops in for a lesson on wildlife. But at this point, my school is having regular 'fundraising nights' at Chik-Fil-A anyway, so I think we already have the 'I'll scratch your back if you scratch mine' thing going on. Now, if Snoopy had any kind of religious message, I'd be more likely to cry foul of him getting into our schools. But if he's just pandering to a local theme park, then he's not only teaching reading, but bonus lesson in capitalism as well.

[Beast1979]

It gives kids a good time, shows activism in the Community, promotes reading....this is out of Cedar Fair's style.

Then again, the entire process of turning Nickelodeon Universe into Planet Snoopy has been out of Cedar Fair style.

Jackson, thinking he was on Facebook, looking for the "Like" button.....

[standbyme]

I think it is commercial...but in a good way. I think if you make learning fun the kids do learn easier.

Ironically, I can see Snoopy doing this, but have great problems imagining Dora or any Nick character doing it.

This is an odd statement since both Dora & Diego are basically learning shows.

Now, if Snoopy had any kind of religious message...

Does it count as religious if Snoopy keeps saying "For God's sake...don't you kids even know who I am?!!"

[KIfan1980]

I can see nothing wrong with this at all. It looks like KI is being a good community partner.

I wonder if this is occuring at all parks with new Planet Snoopy's or just KI?

[Thrill_Biscuit]

I understand that conflict, Terpy.

I write and produce the presentations for my company's Junior Achievement "Job Shadow" days, where eighth graders are bussed here to spend a couple hours learning about the business world (they then go on to visit a few other companies around Cincinnati as well). The materials are heavily themed around our famous product lines, as well as highly-recognizable characters associated with our national advertising (picture a smiling, red pitcher crashing through the wall...) The trick is to make sure we're making an interactive learning experience for the kids, and not just making them sit through a 2-hour commercial for our company. The focus is on the learning, and at the end of the event, the kids share what they've just learned about our type of business.

I haven't yet seen any protests or complaints, but our program seems much smaller in scale and public visibility.

I think that after the Snoopy program, kids will go home and share more about what they learned about the importance of reading than they will about their knowledge of what's new at Kings Island in 2010.

It would seem to me that anyone raising any kind of stink about this would probably just do so to get publicity for some safety website or something.

[SOB_TOM]

My thoughts, as a member who is going into the teaching profession, is a positive one. Yes, there is going to be some promotion, however anything to get children to read more is a plus in my book. Kids need to put the controllers down and open a good book every once in awhile.

[PREMiERdrum]

Kings Island has started a new program to help encourage reading in schools.

The "Read and Ride with Snoopy" program is designed to help support and assist teachers in the classroom by showing students reading is fun.

During visits to schools, libraries and bookstores, a PEANUTS story is read to the students while Snoopy acts out the parts....

All Read and Ride with Snoopy appearances are free of charge.

http://www.chillicot.../NEWS01/3220317

Talk about Terpy being conflicted:

a. I think this is a very nice thing for the park to do. I'm amazed it's free. I think it will encourage kids to read. I think it gives the park a good reputation. I think kids will pay attention and love it.

b. I can hear activists claiming it's commercialization for Cedar Fair in the schools and unfairly promotes Cedar Fair at no charge to Cedar Fair. For the most part, I think this is crap, yet I can see their point...a little.

I know we have kids, teachers, students studying to become teachers and even principals here, not to mention some very good people with sound ethics and principles. What do you think?

And parents, do you like this? Have a problem with this?

Ironically, I can see Snoopy doing this, but have great problems imagining Dora or any Nick character doing it. I can see Scooby doing it even better than Snoopy would, though...

Please, let's talk about THIS program, and not politics in general. This place is not the place for that...

Well, as an educated person, AND a new parent (2 weeks ago, to be exact), I see nothing but good here. I wouldn't say that the publicity comes "at no cost" to Cedar Fair, as it certainly won't be a volunteer inside the Snoopy suit and I doubt that person will walk to the school.

The bottom line is that the kids will benefit, and that should be the major concern of the schools. Now, if RJ Reynolds was the sponsor and Joe Camel was reading to the kids, I'd see an issue.

Way back when I was in school, and every Pizza Hut had a dining room and buffet, my elementary participated in the "Book It!" promotion. You would collect points for reading a certain number of books, and the points were redeemed for a free personal pizza at Pizza Hut. Of course, your parents would inevitably end up ordering plenty of additional food items when you got there, which is probably why Pizza Hut donated the freebies. Now, even though I participated in Book It! for all 5 years, I didn't develop a nasty pizza addiction.

When all is said and done, the kids will have a memorable day that hopefully got them a little bit more interested in reading, and the park will have both gotten kids familiar with their new mascot, and earned goodwill with parents. Win win.

[alluna]

Book It! was the reason I read my way through grade school! Nothing tastes sweeter than my own personal pan pizza.

Congrats, WSYXnewsguy on the new baby! :D Our oldest is 12 and our youngest is 7, so we kinda miss babies around here. You've probably heard it a lot, lately, but it goes by fast!

[CedarPointer]

Does it count as religious if Snoopy keeps saying "For God's sake...don't you kids even know who I am?!!"

You, sir, owe me one bottle of monitor cleaner.

[bkroz]

Well, as an educated person, AND a new parent (2 weeks ago, to be exact), I see nothing but good here. I wouldn't say that the publicity comes "at no cost" to Cedar Fair, as it certainly won't be a volunteer inside the Snoopy suit and I doubt that person will walk to the school.

How right you are! From Kings Island's Facebook page:

Also, congratulations on your parenthood!

[CedarPointer]

Isn't that the Diamondback veichle?

[bkroz]

Diamondback is like, soooo 2009. PS is where it's atttt!

[Colonel_SoB_fan]

Diamondback had 6 metro buses

[RailRider]

What is the difference between this and any other partnership a school has with a local business. There is a benefit for both sides, especially the students, even if it is only one that becomes interested in reading.

How many schools have discount cards they sell to raise money for programs, Larosas Cards anyone?

What about professional atheletes coming in to schools to read or participate in physical fitness days? Are you telling me that a Cincinnati Bengal visiting your local school is only to benefit the children and not to generate ticket sales, new fans, and jersey sales?

Many companies have special programs like "Box Tops" or "labels" that are collected and then after so many a school gets a new computer or two.

What about Dr. Seuss day at many schools? Memory serves me correctly in the fact that Universal still has Suess Landing?

Book It is a great example of this community promotion.

I see no issue with this and it is just a great way to build interest in reading and some cheap marketing to a target audience.

[PREMiERdrum]

Diamondback had 6 metro buses

And a Ford Fusion!

[Colonel_SoB_fan]

Aw yes I forgot about the Ford.

[CedarPointer]

There is also a van which looks similar to the Snoopy one, but I can't ever recall seeing it from anywhere but the Eiffel Tower. Does anyone know what I'm talking about?

http://www.visitkingsisland.com/attractions/category.cfm?ac_id=72

Interesting...

"We have set a goal to introduce Snoopy to ONE MILLION PEOPLE outside the park this year. Tri-state area residents are certainly familiar with Snoopy and the PEANUTS gang but many have never actually met them. "We want to make sure everyone in the region understands who Snoopy is," Kings Island's Vice President and General Manager Greg Scheid said."

[KIfan1980]

The van was seen at various events around town including the 4th of July Festival in Mason and a couple of parades I was at. I'd guess it was the same van as the Planet Snoopy one by my recollection.

[PREMiERdrum]

There is also a van which looks similar to the Snoopy one, but I can't ever recall seeing it from anywhere but the Eiffel Tower. Does anyone know what I'm talking about?

http://www.visitkingsisland.com/attractions/category.cfm?ac_id=72

Interesting...

"We have set a goal to introduce Snoopy to ONE MILLION PEOPLE outside the park this year. Tri-state area residents are certainly familiar with Snoopy and the PEANUTS gang but many have never actually met them. "We want to make sure everyone in the region understands who Snoopy is," Kings Island's Vice President and General Manager Greg Scheid said."

They're doing a great job getting their customers familiar with the new characters. They're tackling the issue of character relevancy head on.

[CedarPointer]

And, at the same time, admitting that Snoopy is not well-known with today's kids.

[standbyme]

Interesting...

"We have set a goal to introduce Snoopy to ONE MILLION PEOPLE outside the park this year. Tri-state area residents are certainly familiar with Snoopy and the PEANUTS gang but many have never actually met them. "We want to make sure everyone in the region understands who Snoopy is," Kings Island's Vice President and General Manager Greg Scheid said."

They're doing a great job getting their customers familiar with the new characters. They're tackling the issue of character relevancy head on.

I think the point CedarPointer was making was that that quote doesn't quite match the 5@5 answer for a similar question a few days ago!

Q: Rain Blanken - Any tips on how to get kids excited about the new Planet Snoopy area?

A: You know, Rain, it's interesting. You hear some people claim that kids today don't know who Snoopy is but then when you take him out for an appearance, not only do kids know who Snoopy is, they also know who his friends are (Charlie Brown, Linus, Lucy, Woodstock). Many of the kids Snoopy meets also seem to be aware and excited about the all-new Planet Snoopy kids' area at the park. Sure, there may be some kids that don't know who Snoopy is but most of them do based on what we've seen the past couple weeks when Snoopy has been out in the community.

For the record, I find Mr. Scheid's statement to be more honest...but of course everyone here knows that I am biased against Snoopy coming.

[PREMiERdrum]

And, at the same time, admitting that Snoopy is not well-known with today's kids.

Which is, at the onset, a disadvantage. However, in the long run this could prove to be a big advantage, as the character's relative obscurity will allow the park to have much more control of the characters' context. Outside of the park, and the occasional holiday special, most families won't see Snoopy or Charlie Brown on TV or in Toys R Us.

Remember last year when the new "grown up" Dora the Explorer debuted? Parents groups went on the offensive, claiming that the new Dora was too "sexy," and grown up. The controversy eventually died down, but if there would have been a larger backlash against the franchise, what could the park have doen to protect their own image?

With the PEANUTS, the park gets near-exclusivity of the characters, albeit with a built-in fanbase and library of work to reference. With the Nick characters, the park had over-exposed and often quickly-dated franchises that I think could have been a bigger liability (financial and otherwise)than most of us realized.

[The Interpreter]

They could always have made Dora a part of Halloween Haunt....

Terpy, who just HAD to

[PREMiERdrum]

They could always have made Dora a part of Halloween Haunt....

Terpy, who just HAD to

Hot Blooded! Starring "sexy" Dora.

Truly, nothing is off limits.

[The Interpreter]

But, Dora IS off limits now....

Unless they want to pay VIACOM!

[PREMiERdrum]

But, Dora IS off limits now....

Unless they want to pay VIACOM!

That all depends on what "Q"'s intentions are...

040810

[The Interpreter]

No matter what Q's intentions may be, VIACOM will want to be paid if Dora is used...and they would win, too!

[PREMiERdrum]

No matter what Q's intentions may be, VIACOM will want to be paid if Dora is used...and they would win, too!

And who says Q wouldn't want to pay them? Or sell the park to someone who would?

[The Interpreter]

Given what VIACOM has been asking for theme park licensing in North America, I'd be stunned if Q was willing to pay...VIACOM may well have its own plans for parks in North America again...