homestar92 Posted September 24, 2014 Posted September 24, 2014 2015 announcement forthcoming: tomorrow, 9/25, at 1:30 pm. http://www.wave3.com/story/26619225/kentucky-kingdom-to-announce-new-attractions And yet, per the paper that I received (AFTER I had paid the cost of renewing my pass, mind you - not before) thanking me for "my continued support and enthusiasm" they have already "announced" most of the new things for next year: T3 (née T2) Raging Rapids River Ride The Enterprise (I feel like the latter two were SUPPOSED to open this year and it never happened, seeing as they are both labeled on the park map) Two new "family thrill rides" This is complete conjecture, but I would expect a couple new shops and such to open as well, as opening Raging Rapids and T3 will require the opening of a whole new section of the park. 6 Quote
The Interpreter Posted September 24, 2014 Posted September 24, 2014 Let's be honest. The marketing at KK this year has been comically inept. I think the average 13 year old coaster enthusiast would have done a better job of it. 7 Quote
homestar92 Posted September 24, 2014 Posted September 24, 2014 Sometimes I feel like working at the Kentucky Kingdom marketing department would be a bit like this: Come to think of it, I think this screenshot represents the Kingdom rather well. From the advertising, to the finances, to the guest count... And even the setting! - Homestar92, who carefully chose the correct level from which to take his screenshot. 14 Quote
TheBEASTunchained Posted September 24, 2014 Posted September 24, 2014 Chang?...... Vampire?... Is that You?..... - TheBEASTunchained....Thinking about the Kingdom's former acquaintances..... 1 Quote
homestar92 Posted September 24, 2014 Posted September 24, 2014 ^Chris Sawyer has said that many of the stages in the first RollerCoaster Tycoon game were inspired by real parks. This one just happens to be one of the more obvious correlations. Ironically, the second game had real Six Flags parks in it and was released during their ownership of KK. And yet, it did not make an appearance. Though you could go on a Great Adventure to a particular Mountain. 7 Quote
The Interpreter Posted September 24, 2014 Posted September 24, 2014 Great. Magic! Terp, helpin' 1 Quote
homestar92 Posted September 24, 2014 Posted September 24, 2014 That isn't the only Mountain you could visit in that game either! I'm trying to remember what the other one was, but trying to remember is hurting my Skull. 2 Quote
silver2005 Posted September 24, 2014 Posted September 24, 2014 The announcement may be on a Thursday, but its also a school/work day in Fall, when most people don't really think about amusement parks, at least compared to the attention of doing this in August. 1:30 pm? Really? 4 Quote
The Interpreter Posted September 24, 2014 Posted September 24, 2014 They like to do things differently at Hartland. Just because they can. For now. 2 Quote
homestar92 Posted September 24, 2014 Posted September 24, 2014 Let's be (Cedar) Fair though... A certain major park in Sandusky (whose marketing department is most assuredly FAR better than they have in the Hartland) made their 2015 announcement on a weekday before noon. This, however, followed several announcements of the announcements. Perhaps that makes a difference. Quote
The Interpreter Posted September 24, 2014 Posted September 24, 2014 I'd not say that park is a benchmark for excellence in marketing, either. Kings Island, on the other hand.... 4 Quote
sccard01 Posted September 25, 2014 Author Posted September 25, 2014 What is your guesses on the announced new attractions tomorrow? 1 Quote
TheBEASTunchained Posted September 25, 2014 Posted September 25, 2014 What is your guesses on the announced new attractions tomorrow? For starters, I'm hoping that part of the "T3" refurbishment is new Vekoma trains.....With the New Vekoma SLC vest restraints..... Quote
westcoaster Posted September 25, 2014 Posted September 25, 2014 To a better Kentucky Kingdom in 2015, at least a refurbished coaster, and a few rides like the river rapids. I think T3 will have a new name, some new restaurants possibly? Quote
The Interpreter Posted September 25, 2014 Posted September 25, 2014 Attendance figures are out. They are ... surprising. http://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/local/2014/09/25/kentucky-kingdom-drew-first-year-re-opening/16179885/ $8-10 million capex for 2015. I seem to remember this is substantially less than what was in their RFP proposal. Next comes the lease concessions request.... 4 Quote
Aaron88stang Posted September 25, 2014 Posted September 25, 2014 Those figures and the so far unannounced new rides are here: http://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/local/2014/09/25/kentucky-kingdom-drew-first-year-re-opening/16179885/ 3 Quote
Diamondbacker Posted September 25, 2014 Posted September 25, 2014 I'm pleasantly surprised. It looks as if the Kingdom will be back next year. I wonder how 600,000 compares to parks such as Holiday World or Kings Island. Quote
shark6495 Posted September 25, 2014 Posted September 25, 2014 That means the park had, on average, about 6,400 guests per day in the park. http://www.mynews13.com/content/news/cfnews13/on-the-town/article.html/content/news/articles/cfn/2014/6/3/theme_park_attendance.html Take it for what it is, which means it may not be or is true, but it states that KI in 2013 has 3.2 Million visitors... Quote
Aaron88stang Posted September 25, 2014 Posted September 25, 2014 i believe that figure bests its final year or so under Six Flags. That is some measure of success particularly with much of the park still shuttered and a relatively short operating season. As a fan of KK and a KY tax payer I am pulling for them I hope they up their marketing attempts next year as well. That was certainly lacking this year. 3 Quote
MDMC01 Posted September 25, 2014 Posted September 25, 2014 Check this out: 4 new rides (2 "new" rides, two brand new ones) + T3! http://www.kentuckykingdom.com/attractions/thrill/ Quote
KIBeast Posted September 25, 2014 Posted September 25, 2014 I'd like to take a spin on their antiques car ride. Quote
sccard01 Posted September 25, 2014 Author Posted September 25, 2014 Attendance figures are out. They are ... surprising. http://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/local/2014/09/25/kentucky-kingdom-drew-first-year-re-opening/16179885/ $8-10 million capex for 2015. I seem to remember this is substantially less than what was in their RFP proposal. Next comes the lease concessions request.... Did you really think he was going to invest no more than $2.5 million a year? Quote
McSalsa Posted September 25, 2014 Posted September 25, 2014 I'm pleasantly surprised. It looks as if the Kingdom will be back next year. I wonder how 600,000 compares to parks such as Holiday World or Kings Island. Based on attendance estimates I have seen... Kings Island: 3,000,000+ (has risen up to 3.5 million before) Kentucky Kingdom Late 90's: 1,300,000+ (After Debut of Chang, right before Six Flags "decline" started) Holiday World: 1,100,000+ (could shoot up to 1.5 million with Thunderbird in 2015) Kentucky Kingdom 2014: 600,000+ While 600k is fairly impressive for a smaller park just now coming back, they are still far behind Holiday World and far from where they were in the late 90's attenance-wise. And they have NEVER even gotten close to Kings Island. As for the new-for-2015 rides...they look like nice additions, if not anything huge. Cyclos in particular looks really cool, and they are getting on the chair swing ride bandwagon it seems. Not exactly anything that looks like it's going to blow the $10,000,000 budget they seem to have though, and the once promised 2015 B&M coaster is nowhere to be found... Quote
homestar92 Posted September 25, 2014 Posted September 25, 2014 Did I miss something? When was a B&M promised for 2015? Quote
McSalsa Posted September 25, 2014 Posted September 25, 2014 ^Pretty early in the proposal- Hart said he was only spending $15 million on it though I think (with that budget I doubt it would have been much since most B&M's run $20M plus these days). When the park was approved to be re-opened, the new-for-2015 coaster seemed to get dropped and T3 was made the main-new-thing for 2015. 1 Quote
jcgoble3 Posted September 25, 2014 Posted September 25, 2014 I thought the planned new-for-2015 coaster became Lightning Run and showed up a year early. Quote
upstop Posted September 25, 2014 Posted September 25, 2014 The reopening of rides and the new ride selection of rides is rather interesting. Unless I'm reading it wrong, does the Cyclos ride completely loop? That could be intense. Quote
McSalsa Posted September 25, 2014 Posted September 25, 2014 ^^That could have been what happened- especially if Hart & Co. decided their $15M budget wouldn't get much of a B&M. Though I'm reading the Kentucky Kingdom proposal PDF again and checking this- they state "an amazing one-of-a-kind" new coaster for 2015. Though Lightning Run is not mentioned it seems...also I corrected KK's attendance figure above, they had 1.3 million at peak in 1998, not 1.5. EDIT: Reading the proposal, I found a section where it states one of the "new rides" will be a 135-foot swing ride. Well- that one comes true next year. 1 Quote
The Interpreter Posted September 25, 2014 Posted September 25, 2014 With the pent-up demand, a "new" park and the high proportion of season pass sales, I continue to say the attendance figures are...amazing. Especially given the 9.99 "advance" ticket offer for KK during the State Fair. Amazing. Shockingly so. They are. Amazingly LOW. I'm stunned. 4 Quote
bkroz Posted September 25, 2014 Posted September 25, 2014 Attendance figures are out. They are ... surprising. http://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/local/2014/09/25/kentucky-kingdom-drew-first-year-re-opening/16179885/ $8-10 million capex for 2015. I seem to remember this is substantially less than what was in their RFP proposal. Next comes the lease concessions request.... Did you really think he was going to invest no more than $2.5 million a year? THAT starts in 2016. Big investment this year. Medium for 2015. Then $2.5 million a year perpetually thereafter. Quote
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