Kentucky Kingdom

[BeeastFarmer]

17 hours ago, Losantiville Mining Co. said:

 

The "rogue" placement is definitely a consequence of the Premier Parks-era Six Flags expansion of the park when Chang, T3, and the go karts were added in 1998. As nice as it probably was for all of those parks to receive such rapid growth at the time, it has only caused issue after issue after issue for Six Flags and almost every park that they owned.

T2 was added before Premier.  It was a Ed Hart install.  When the park expansion to "the other side of the road" happened, he said his vision was for that section of the park to emulate a boardwalk park, like rollercoasters by the sea. In a radio interview, he said Kentucky Flyer was the completion of this vision.

 

8 hours ago, Orion-XL200 said:

Wasn't Kentucky Flyer a part of the "expansion" land (acre or so) that the Fairboard gave to the park? Maybe not the whole acre used by the ride, but part of it.

In the same interview mentioned above, Ed Hart said that the entire parking lot from the berm ( which is made of Chang concrete!) to the hotels had been allocated to the park by the fair board. With Kentucky Flyer, they took a tiny morsel of that for a part of the coaster (turnaround?) and the fair board pitched a hissy fit. The governor had to intervene:)

[Imperial79]

Kentucky Kingdom posted their schedule for the year a few hours ago, and the summers hours are only till 8 pm for the whole week, only staying open 10 am - 10 pm July 3 and 4 for Independence Day. I believe the weekends at least used to close at 9 pm or 10 pm last year, so cutting back a little bit. 

[Losantiville Mining Co.]

This is one of the reasons why I'm glad Kings Island has (so far) opted to keep their 10AM-10PM operating schedule for most of the summer. It's a rough time for the amusement industry right now so any changes like this have started to worry me. Hopefully Herschend — seemingly the strongest regional operator in North America — just made this decision because they think it will work better for the park and not because they needed to cut hours. 

[Shaggy]

22 hours ago, Imperial79 said:

Kentucky Kingdom posted their schedule for the year a few hours ago, and the summers hours are only till 8 pm for the whole week, only staying open 10 am - 10 pm July 3 and 4 for Independence Day. I believe the weekends at least used to close at 9 pm or 10 pm last year, so cutting back a little bit. 

I believe this to be a strategic move to further cement the changes from its past reputation as an "amusement/thrill park" to a "family theme park."  

[Losantiville Mining Co.]

Can you expand more on how changing the hours helps to define a park more as a "family theme park" as opposed to an "amusement/thrill park"? Is it in the fact that families might leave earlier in the night compared to those who go to an amusement park?

The line between "amusement park" and "theme park" is very blurry at this scale of company. The new Six Flags lists all of their parks as "theme parks", despite only having a few that could actually qualify with Canada's Wonderland, Fiesta Texas, Kings Dominion, and Kings Island. A few other SF parks could probably also qualify for the title (maybe CePo and Caro) but the Six Flags brand is pretty much "generic amusement park". Other regional parks like Dollywood and other pre-Palace Herschend parks definitely qualify because of their abundant theming, but they also have similar lineups to the Busch parks in terms of balancing theming with thrills.

[Orion-XL200]

I think a lot of the issues of security/fights/etc. happened later in the evening. While these issues could happen at any time, it seems as if the later it is, the more severe the issues become. So trying to keep it "family friendly," by reducing the risk of issues later in the evening.

[Shaggy]

14 hours ago, Losantiville Mining Co. said:

Can you expand more on how changing the hours helps to define a park more as a "family theme park" as opposed to an "amusement/thrill park"? Is it in the fact that families might leave earlier in the night compared to those who go to an amusement park?

The line between "amusement park" and "theme park" is very blurry at this scale of company. The new Six Flags lists all of their parks as "theme parks", despite only having a few that could actually qualify with Canada's Wonderland, Fiesta Texas, Kings Dominion, and Kings Island. A few other SF parks could probably also qualify for the title (maybe CePo and Caro) but the Six Flags brand is pretty much "generic amusement park". Other regional parks like Dollywood and other pre-Palace Herschend parks definitely qualify because of their abundant theming, but they also have similar lineups to the Busch parks in terms of balancing theming with thrills.

I think you answered your own question.  Once the waterpark closes each day, families tend to vacate KK.  In the past, that left the later hours predominantly filled by teens.  And its no secret that KK has had more than its share of "issues" with teens in the park.  I'm sure its a multi-tiered decision, but I guarantee that was a large factor.

As for "theme park" vs "amusement park" - its pretty clear what the Herschend strategy is with this park.  Just watch their latest construction video (part 1) - skip to the thirty second mark.

 

[BeeastFarmer]

I think Kentucky Kingdom got the better of the three Vekoma family coasters installed in the tri State area in the last two years.

[TheCrypt]

It does look pretty fun for a kids ride. I do think, however, that it wouldn't be as good of a fit at Kings Island... maybe not even at Holiday World. The three that have been installed seem to fit each park's needs very well. Glad KK got another solid addition, and glad to see new age Vekomas keep cropping up.

[WoodVengeance]

1 hour ago, TheCrypt said:

It does look pretty fun for a kids ride. I do think, however, that it wouldn't be as good of a fit at Kings Island... maybe not even at Holiday World. The three that have been installed seem to fit each park's needs very well. Glad KK got another solid addition, and glad to see new age Vekomas keep cropping up.

It doesn't help that Kings Island already has a Vekoma SFC. Granted, it's not as modern or smooth, but it would still be difficult to market.

[Losantiville Mining Co.]

Well when a company shows they care about the park they run (jk) I think Snoopy's Soapbox racers is really nice for what it needed to be, and I think this is exactly what Kentucky Kingdom needed as well. Kentucky Kingdom needed a good rebuild, while Kings Island has needed to re-strengthen its already-good existing lineup.

[Shaggy]

I'm keeping a close eye on KK.  For the first time in its history, I think its making some amazingly positive changes.  From what I hear, the investment shows - and the revitalization will continue.

[IndyGuy4KI]

Just now, Shaggy said:

I'm keeping a close eye on KK.  For the first time in its history, I think its making some amazingly positive changes.  From what I hear, the investment shows - and the revitalization will continue.

Me too. I actually want to go this year to see all the changes they have had time to make the last few years. 

[Losantiville Mining Co.]

Here's the real question: Is it cheaper for me to go get a season pass than it is to pay for a ticket and parking? I think the Silver Pass is about $10 more than the highest ticket+parking price, but the Gold Pass would either even out or be less expensive than purchasing the ticket+parking+drink bottle. For reference, it's only $6 more expensive to buy a Silver Pass to Kings Island than it is to get a ticket+general parking.

[WoodVengeance]

15 hours ago, Losantiville Mining Co. said:

Here's the real question: Is it cheaper for me to go get a season pass than it is to pay for a ticket and parking? I think the Silver Pass is about $10 more than the highest ticket+parking price, but the Gold Pass would either even out or be less expensive than purchasing the ticket+parking+drink bottle. For reference, it's only $6 more expensive to buy a Silver Pass to Kings Island than it is to get a ticket+general parking.

In the summer, 1-day tickets range from about $39.99 to $44.99 with weekends being more expensive. However, tickets for the fall seem to range from only $19.99 to $24.99 according to their website. Parking would run you about $15 per car, however, there is a list of free parking days that are listed on the Kentucky Kingdom website. Also note that parking at Kentucky Kingdom can be weird, as the parking lot is shared with the Kentucky Expo Center, so some lots may be unavailable depending on if you go during an event at the Expo Center. This might also affect the price of parking as well.

[Oldiesmann]

If you plan to visit more than once the gold pass is a good deal. Tickets for specific days range from $40 to $47 depending on the day. The gold pass is $100 and includes free parking, free drinks, 15% discount on food, merchandise and photos and more. The Silver Pass doesn't include parking.

[WoodVengeance]

33 minutes ago, Oldiesmann said:

If you plan to visit more than once the gold pass is a good deal. Tickets for specific days range from $40 to $47 depending on the day. The gold pass is $100 and includes free parking, free drinks, 15% discount on food, merchandise and photos and more. The Silver Pass doesn't include parking.

The Silver Pass does include parking.

[Oldiesmann]

Somehow I missed that earlier.

[silver2005]

Upon looks, I'm very impressed with the new coaster.  For its footprint, it has a good amount of path interaction and its got a pretty good length for what it is.  I'm excited to try it this summer. 

[nhimes90]

I just wish all the success to Herschend and Kentucky Kingdom. I’m hoping it will force Six Flags to keep Kings Island  competitive, beautiful, and well themed. 

[Oldiesmann]

I visited Kentucky Kingdom today on my way home from HoliWood Nights. It was my first visit in nearly 2 years so this was my first glance at seeing the changes Herschend had made.

The new coaster is a lot of fun and a great addition to the park. I got two rides on it - front row and back row (and those were just the rows I happened to get assigned - I didn't ask for any specific row either time). It's at the front of the park right next to Lightning Run, but you can't get to it directly as part of the path is blocked off. Instead you have to cut through King Louie's Kingdom.

The new Discovery Meadow section, which debuted last year, is quite nice. There are now quite a few kids' and family rides in the back half of the park (near Mile High Falls) where there used to be a bunch of empty space, plus a play area and more. It's going to be interesting to see what else Herschend does with the park in the coming years. I'm already seeing reports on Facebook of another major investment planned for next year.

[DiamondbackFan]

59 minutes ago, Oldiesmann said:

I'm already seeing reports on Facebook of another major investment planned for next year.

Wild Moose

[Losantiville Mining Co.]

17 hours ago, Oldiesmann said:

The new Discovery Meadow section, which debuted last year, is quite nice. There are now quite a few kids' and family rides in the back half of the park (near Mile High Falls) where there used to be a bunch of empty space, plus a play area and more. It's going to be interesting to see what else Herschend does with the park in the coming years. I'm already seeing reports on Facebook of another major investment planned for next year.

I'm hoping Herschend puts some love into their waterpark for 2027/2028. It would be amazing to see them move the wave pool to connect the layout of the dry park. Either way, they seem to be turning it into quite a nice little family park.

[Timchat2]

If the market around Louisville responds well to what Herschend is doing, Kentucky Kingdom could end up being one of the more surprising turnarounds in recent theme park memory. Things look promising so far.

[WoodVengeance]

5 hours ago, Timchat2 said:

If the market around Louisville responds well to what Herschend is doing, Kentucky Kingdom could end up being one of the more surprising turnarounds in recent theme park memory. Things look promising so far.

The park was packed when I went opening day, and there was a huge crowd that showed up for the opening of Flying Fox. Attendance definitely seems to be higher than it was before Herschend started investing into the park.

It's worth noting that Kentucky Kingdom still competes with Holiday World and Kings Island. However, Holiday World doesn't invest into new attractions very often, and Kings Island's investments have been slightly diminished due to the merger with Six Flags. If Herschend continues to consistently invest into Kentucky Kingdom, it may become much more enticing to get a season pass there, not to mention their season passes are still the cheapest of the three parks.

[Oldiesmann]

It wasn't packed when I was there on Sunday, but it did seem busier than it had been in years past, even outside of the water park.

[FoF96"]

23 hours ago, WoodVengeance said:

The park was packed when I went opening day, and there was a huge crowd that showed up for the opening of Flying Fox. Attendance definitely seems to be higher than it was before Herschend started investing into the park.

It's worth noting that Kentucky Kingdom still competes with Holiday World and Kings Island. However, Holiday World doesn't invest into new attractions very often, and Kings Island's investments have been slightly diminished due to the merger with Six Flags. If Herschend continues to consistently invest into Kentucky Kingdom, it may become much more enticing to get a season pass there, not to mention their season passes are still the cheapest of the three parks.

I was just thinking this.  If 2027 truly is the indoor wild moose as is rumored, I would think the next best move would actually be updating the flat ride package with some more modern things like a screamin swing, disco, some sort of frisbee that’s less carnival like than cyclos was, wave swinger, stuff along those lines for 2028.  Then for 2029/30 do the waterpark enhancement.  At that point they may run into some of the older flat rides like Himalaya, Breakdance, Flying Dutchman finally aging out.  They could decide to immediately replace those or take the big jump and make a major investment in the now completely open and vacant land near Deluge, T3, Raging Rapids, Eye of the storm.  That area could very easily become the flagship land of the entire park.  Even if it were something like big bear mountain as the coaster attraction.  If that happens even somewhat similar to that, I’d think Kings Island would be forced to take it more seriously.  It’s really not that many moves away from going from small family park to a regional draw.

[Losantiville Mining Co.]

3 minutes ago, FoF96" said:

They could decide to immediately replace those or take the big jump and make a major investment in the now completely open and vacant land near Deluge, T3, Raging Rapids, Eye of the storm.

I feel like the best major investment for the T3 and Raging Rapids area is to move the rest of the waterpark there. Kentucky Flyer is so far out of the way from the rest of the dry park. If Herschend has the ability then they should do what they can to close the gap in KK's dry ride layout. That's probably easier than removing the road that divides the park in two.

[FoF96"]

40 minutes ago, Losantiville Mining Co. said:

I feel like the best major investment for the T3 and Raging Rapids area is to move the rest of the waterpark there. Kentucky Flyer is so far out of the way from the rest of the dry park. If Herschend has the ability then they should do what they can to close the gap in KK's dry ride layout. That's probably easier than removing the road that divides the park in two.

I hope that’s not the direction they go.  The water park is already large for what the park is.  Really all they are missing is a water coaster since Deluge left. Something I just now thought about as possible (speaking in fantasy of course), is the removal of Mt. Slide Hai.  It’s very old and removing that wouldn’t create any new gaps that haven’t already been filled by Plummet Summit and Wikiwiki Wai slide complexes.  Doing this (along with castaway creek) would also allow them to make a large continuous block from discovery meadow all the way back to where T3/Rapids were. I really don’t know what else they could add to all that land for the waterpark that it doesn’t already have, and they definitely aren’t going to out “water coaster” Holiday World, so not sure what the payoff would be.  I guess it depends if they want to push this into a Dollywood style park or just remain a local family attraction.  Time will tell! Exciting times!

[BeeastFarmer]

The master plan for the expo center calls for the road to be removed at some point during the renovation. I seem to remember that the parking lot between Kentucky Flyer and the hotel is supposed to be for the parks use at some point, as well as the vacant land from the stunt show amphitheatre down to the main road and freeway exit ramps.