Ideas for Future Winterfest Events

[upstop]

What ideas do you have for future Winterfest events?

1. I’d like to see BLSC plaza used for a model train display

2. How about putting an “ice castle” meet and greet on the “mountain” also know as Flight Commander pad?

3. WindSeeker Tower could be used for a light show, perhaps Christmas tree number two. 

4. Of course SR&R could operate with an awesome light package. 

5. Theme the back of Coney Mall to Rivertown as the Ice Kingdom with those white jeweled lights like the trees in Ice Zone.  (They are beautiful!)

6. Perhaps an area dedicated to the Nut Cracker Ballet. 

There are so many things they could add. I’m excited for next year!

[beastfan11]

A good model train display would be a welcome addition in my book. 

[IndyGuy4KI]

4 minutes ago, beastfan11 said:

A good model train display would be a welcome addition in my book. 

Maybe a partnership with EnterTRAINment Junction??

Paging @BoddaH1994 to get that ball rolling!

[beastfan11]

1 minute ago, IndyGuy4KI said:

Maybe a partnership with EnterTRAINment Junction??

Paging @BoddaH1994 to get that ball rolling!

Let's make that happen. I'm actually headed there tomorrow. 

[BoddaH1994]

1 minute ago, IndyGuy4KI said:

Maybe a partnership with EnterTRAINment Junction??

Paging @BoddaH1994 to get that ball rolling!

I’m sure that they’re always willing to talk. Plus the park has a fantastic relationship with EJ. Maybe it could happen!

[BlondyRidesOn]

Drop Tower decorated to look like "The North Pole."

Open the Eiffel Tower observation deck (probably the 265' platform) to get a 360 degree birdseye view of the event. Maybe call it "Santa's Treehouse." This may not be a possibility due to the windchill and the wires that may be all over the platform for the lights.

[dtk1378]

How about doing a New Year's countdown event with fireworks at midnight or maybe do it at 10 instead for the kids like the zoo does? I mean, it's not like Kings Island doesn't know how to do fireworks...

[upstop]

Great idea! I could see several “new years” band stand venues throughout the park with live band performers like in nyc with a “ball drop” from the WindSeeker and have a year on top of the tower.  Who knows, maybe next year... 

[whengodsaysgo]

I think there should be an exclusive spot for Scrooge and his fans like me!

Bah Humbug!

But I will say this, Winterfest has helped diminish the holiday blues, just a little. 

[MDMC01]

Winterfest has been outstanding this year, with so much to see and do. Honestly, my only recommendations for next year are these: 1) If they are going to bring "Everest the Elf" back, at least give him the proper deep ("Al/Haunt) voice! 2) Viking Fury and Shake, Rattle and Roll could possibly be added to the rides lineup and 3) If they are going with the new 4-10 hours, maybe push ahead some of the show times to match this.

[mayaman2]

On 12/22/2017 at 2:14 PM, BlondyRidesOn said:

Drop Tower decorated to look like "The North Pole."

Open the Eiffel Tower observation deck (probably the 265' platform) to get a 360 degree birdseye view of the event. Maybe call it "Santa's Treehouse." This may not be a possibility due to the windchill and the wires that may be all over the platform for the lights.

KI closes platforms with anything additional on the Eiffel Tower. The higher platform is closed during Haunt when they have the eyes up, and they closed the Eiffel Tower two weekends before Haunt ended because they were starting to string up the lights for Winterfest. With that in mind, it's highly unlikely that the Eiffel Tower will be open during Winterfest or late Haunt in the upcoming seasons.

Edit: any changes to either Drop or WindSeeker for Winterfest would likely also result in premature closings.

[BuckeyeBond]

I'd like to see both sides of Racer open for WinterFest. I'd also like to see Woodstock Express open. I mean most of Planet Snoopy is already open.

[upstop]

It would be wonderful if they could open them, but I think they can only operate with higher temperatures. 

I would love to see a “lodge” type spring-up building in the woods behind either the Crypt building or behind The Racer with comfortable setting around a Roaring fireplace where guests can enjoy an atmosphere similar to the Reds Grill sing along and watch it snow from the lodge windows. All would be Comfy and cozy having spiked drinks and singing carols.

[KImom]

On 12/23/2017 at 8:29 PM, whengodsaysgo said:

I think there should be an exclusive spot for Scrooge and his fans like me!

Bah Humbug!

But I will say this, Winterfest has helped diminish the holiday blues, just a little. 

I actually love this idea! With all

the things they do for the haunt, what about a walk-through Christmas Carol...kid friendly...but almost like a play of a Christmas Carol except you walk through it. Anything extra they could add for indoor entertainment would be a plus! 

[KImom]

On 12/25/2017 at 7:26 AM, BuckeyeBond said:

I'd like to see both sides of Racer open for WinterFest. I'd also like to see Woodstock Express open. I mean most of Planet Snoopy is already open.

Agree- racers should be open! They were lit up, my 8 year old flipped out thinking they were running. It's his favorite ride...

[Outdoor Man]

Two things, both regarding the giant Eiffel Tree.

• brighter lights on the star
• ease up on all of the lighting changes..  I get that the light strands have a billion or so functions.  choose 5, let them go longer

And perhaps a New Years Eve event.

other than that- for a park that is notorious for "over-hype / under-deliver"- this one exceeded all expectations. Well done, and hopefully an indication of things to come!

[Imperial79]

Add some garland and ornaments to the first level of the Eiffel Tower,  kind of like how they did with Haunt this year.  And if they could, have one side of The Racer running.

[westcoaster]

A christmas peanut dark ride 

 

New years celebration.

 

[upstop]

I’d love to see more indoor or covered/heated areas. We missed a close call with very good weather this year, but tonight (the last night of the event) is going to be frigid! Any way to hop from indoors to indoors along the way would be fantastic! Whose going tonight? It’s bound to be incredibly beautiful with the snow covering the midways!!! 

[MDMC01]

I'll be there! I currently have on long pants, jeans, a long shirt, t-shirt, sweatshirt and I will be weating a coat, plus hat and mittens. However, even with all of this on, my face was still cold when I was shoveling ~15 minutes ago. Dress Warm!

[upstop]

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-REDPqOYCzSc/UVBKZA26QrI/AAAAAAAADkc/-4kmNNsFtk0/s640/randy2.jpg

[Creed Bratton]

As long as our big Christmas tree doesn't look like this one I saw at Carowinds...I think we're good  IMG_4037.MOV

[Losantiville Mining Co.]

I was looking back at my 2017 Winterfest map (I miss the paper maps) and think it would be awesome for the park to look into: 

• Temporarily enclosing the Skyline Pavilion seating area, similar to what they do at Coney Bar-B-Que and Chicken Shack.
• Bringing back shows like "'Twas The Plight Before Christmas" and "What The Dickens?!"
  • the former was in the aforementioned Skyline Pavilion while the latter was in the Peanuts Showplace
• Moving the Coca-Cola Polar Bear Plaza to Action Zone.
• Renaming Adventure Port for Winterfest so it fits better into the event.
• Adding a big tent or two (or building some buildings) for people to warm up inside. 
  • Canada's Wonderland has one of these and really needs more as well.

Other Six Flags parks have some additional area names (RIP Kings Dominion's Winterfest) that I think Kings Island could pull from. Winterfest doesn't necessarily need to be revitalized, but something to shake it up a little could be fun and refreshing!

[kingsislandfan1972]

I'd say retheme one of the Haunt Mazes to a Christmas themed maze, to go along with WinterFest, not scary but something for everyone of all ages to enjoy! 

[beastfan11]

8 hours ago, kingsislandfan1972 said:

I'd say retheme one of the Haunt Mazes to a Christmas themed maze, to go along with WinterFest, not scary but something for everyone of all ages to enjoy! 

Entertrainment Junction had something like this. It was a lot of fun.

[Orion-XL200]

23 hours ago, kingsislandfan1972 said:

I'd say retheme one of the Haunt Mazes to a Christmas themed maze, to go along with WinterFest, not scary but something for everyone of all ages to enjoy! 

We sort of had one with Holiday Horror. I mean it was actually pretty cool....I think they could have invested more into it to keep it around.

 

[Losantiville Mining Co.]

I'd vote against turning an existing Haunt maze into a Winterfest attraction. Maybe if the maze were moved elsewhere in the park, but Haunt cannot stand to lose another maze (and needs at least two more as it is). The lines are already far too long most nights with only six mazes and two shows. 

If we were to get a new Winterfest attraction like Entertrainment Junction had, I'd love to see it go either in the other side of Action Theater or take over another space whose occupants can be moved elsewhere. 

[CartersCoasters]

Use Soak City as a new area called "Santa's Village." And this will sound weird but they could use the slides that don't enter pools (so excluding Tropical Plunge, Zoom Flume, Thunder Falls, Paradise Plunge, and Riverbank Slideout) as regular drained slides.

[kingsislandfan1972]

How about a Christmas scavenger hunt? With hidden pictures of Christmas images scattered around the park, possibly with a checklist, I think that would be fun for the entire family!

[DJSkyFoxx]

On 7/7/2025 at 10:58 PM, CartersCoasters said:

Use Soak City as a new area called "Santa's Village." And this will sound weird but they could use the slides that don't enter pools (so excluding Tropical Plunge, Zoom Flume, Thunder Falls, Paradise Plunge, and Riverbank Slideout) as regular drained slides.

I really like the idea of turning SC into a winter themed park. Call it "Snow City" to play on the Soak City name.