WinterFest 2025

[CartersCoasters]

Tinker’s Toy Factory has been relocated to Six Flags Over Texas.

[Timchat2]

Tinker's Jingle Bell Ball at Kings Island has the same description but presumably it will be a different show despite the plot sounding very similar to the original Tinker's.

[CoasterJack]

Glad to see we're getting a new show.

Also...

USA Today Best Holiday Theme Park Event Poll is out, hoping my vote helps even a little. We're currently 15th 

 

https://10best.usatoday.com/awards/best-theme-park-holiday-event/?fbclid=IwZnRzaAN2OZ9leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHrrH9asmi9Kvp4REyV8mf7ddqj56Qxk7G8WN1m0kfbEgdKcHjVYNuz9PF3gD_aem_21OFL-KIiu2KHlT69yR_rQ#nveyus18c4q33dzplilqonterkatvrtd

[Cedar Fair Fanboy]

2 hours ago, Timchat2 said:

Tinker's Jingle Bell Ball at Kings Island has the same description but presumably it will be a different show despite the plot sounding very similar to the original Tinker's.

Maybe it's something having to do with new toys having technical problems, or you maybe right.

[Diamondback_Is_King]

3 hours ago, CoasterJack said:

Glad to see we're getting a new show.

Also...

USA Today Best Holiday Theme Park Event Poll is out, hoping my vote helps even a little. We're currently 15th 

 

https://10best.usatoday.com/awards/best-theme-park-holiday-event/?fbclid=IwZnRzaAN2OZ9leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHrrH9asmi9Kvp4REyV8mf7ddqj56Qxk7G8WN1m0kfbEgdKcHjVYNuz9PF3gD_aem_21OFL-KIiu2KHlT69yR_rQ#nveyus18c4q33dzplilqonterkatvrtd

12th now! I did vote for KI, but I have to say Dollywood's Christmas event is really fun! One of my favorites, if not my #1 favorite Christmas event at a theme park!

[Losantiville Mining Co.]

CW's website also has a dedicated Winterfest tab, while the Kings Island and Carowinds websites don't. You'd think the extra 3-4 months they had to work on these websites (considering they were originally slated to be published in July) would've allowed them to fix these mistakes.

 

Has anyone had the chance to go through and see what might be new and what looks like it isn't returning to Winterfest this year?

[Timchat2]

At Kings Island the apparently new shows are Tinker's Jingle Bell Ball and It's Christmas, Charlie Brown! (in place of A Peanuts Guide to Christmas).

Blizten's Brass Band isn't listed on the site but I believe the group wasn't listed last year but still appeared in the park.

Songs of the Nativity mentions "a stable of live animals", which it didn't have in its new Planet Snoopy location last year.

The WinterFest event page touches on cookie decorating, Sally's Christmas Crafts, and ice skating, so most of the major activities seem to be intact. The ice carvers in Action Ice Zone are returning, so it's possible the sledding will return as well.

[Losantiville Mining Co.]

A lot of things on the new websites are incorrect/outdated. It would've been nice to have a complete list of correct information with these new websites, but it seems Six Flags' historic [lack of] quality control has been retained by the merged company.

[super7]

I don’t think Kings Island Winterfest will ever win the best Christmas event simply because it only operates 20 something days compared to how many days the other events like Dollywood and Busch Gardens operate. More days means more people means more votes.

[DonHelbig]

5 minutes ago, super7 said:

I don’t think Kings Island Winterfest will ever win the best Christmas event simply because it only operates 20 something days compared to how many days the other events like Dollywood and Busch Gardens operate. More days means more people means more votes.

With the right marketing, promotion and relationships, they could win it. 

[rexpostal]

10 minutes ago, super7 said:

I don’t think Kings Island Winterfest will ever win the best Christmas event simply because it only operates 20 something days compared to how many days the other events like Dollywood and Busch Gardens operate. More days means more people means more votes.

Also,  because its nowhere near as good as many of the other Christmas events.  

[DonHelbig]

Here’s a piece I published on TPBD on how Kings Island transforms the Royal Fountain into Snow Flake Lake at WinterFest.

https://themeparksbydon.com/kings-island-snow-flake-lake-ice-rink-winterfest/

 

 

[Orion-XL200]

I have a feeling another show for Winterfest will be added...hopefully a fan favorite.

[Timchat2]

Rotating the smaller productions could be a nice budget-friendly way to have shows like Four Drummers Drumming, What the Dickens, and Holly Jolly Trolley return.

[IndyGuy4KI]

On 11/4/2025 at 11:10 AM, disco2000 said:

Apparently it is pick your pricing LOL

The $22.00 picture looks more fun. There is something cool in the distance too according to the pointing and amazement on their faces .  Will that help people pick the $22 option?

[johnjniehaus]

8 hours ago, Timchat2 said:

Rotating the smaller productions could be a nice budget-friendly way to have shows like Four Drummers Drumming, What the Dickens, and Holly Jolly Trolley return.

We NEED what the Dickens back or some other old English style Christmas show. That one was hilarious 

[Timchat2]

The last remaining What the Dickens was at Canada's Wonderland. Their version was cute but Kings Island had the stronger performers. This year What the Dickens is being replaced with a new comedy show called Small Town Snowmance, playing into the tropes of Hallmark Christmas movies. 

[johnjniehaus]

2 minutes ago, Timchat2 said:

The last remaining What the Dickens was at Canada's Wonderland. Their version was cute but Kings Island had the stronger performers. This year What the Dickens is being replaced with a new comedy show called Small Town Snowmance, playing into the tropes of Hallmark Christmas movies. 

I'd take that. I just think we need another story show when most of the entertainment is music based

[super7]

15 hours ago, rexpostal said:

Also,  because its nowhere near as good as many of the other Christmas events.  

IMO the main thing holding back Winterfest is the low quality of the production of the live entertainment and the lack of sit-down entertainment locations.     And perhaps its shorter five and six hour days compared to other events.
 

The entire park is lit up with lights (although they could do a better job with the lights in the trees like Carowinds in previous years, there are enough rides open, and Winterfest has some creative activities that the other events lack.   

 

 

 

 

[Losantiville Mining Co.]

I'd love a good indoor entertainment venue in Rivertown. The general lack of an entertainment venue in that area takes away from its potential. There used to be the Rivertown Reel amphitheater (where the arcade is now) and then the Back Porch Stage (where Diamondback's station sits now), and now there's nothing. 

FYI: the Red Garter Saloon is approximately 60' x 70' and the Rivertown Arcade is roughly 60' x 90'. With some good, thoughtful, extensive renovations (and maybe a facade-ectomy) it could be transformed into that kind of venue. Alternatively if the TR:TR building were to be demolished that would open a good amount of space for a Rivertown expansion where they could add a new entertainment venue, a flat ride, and some buildings that could return the "town" to Rivertown.

[Orion-XL200]

I did like when they had entertainment in Brew House for Winterfest. It was short lived, but appreciated.

[brenthodge]

7 hours ago, Losantiville Mining Co. said:

I'd love a good indoor entertainment venue in Rivertown. The general lack of an entertainment venue in that area takes away from its potential. There used to be the Rivertown Reel amphitheater (where the arcade is now) and then the Back Porch Stage (where Diamondback's station sits now), and now there's nothing. 

FYI: the Red Garter Saloon is approximately 60' x 70' and the Rivertown Arcade is roughly 60' x 90'. With some good, thoughtful, extensive renovations (and maybe a facade-ectomy) it could be transformed into that kind of venue. Alternatively if the TR:TR building were to be demolished that would open a good amount of space for a Rivertown expansion where they could add a new entertainment venue, a flat ride, and some buildings that could return the "town" to Rivertown.

I LOVE something better than that arcade there. The LaRosas and the drink stand could be reworked a bit and incorporated into an entire "food and entertainment" complex right there

[super7]

22 hours ago, Losantiville Mining Co. said:

I'd love a good indoor entertainment venue in Rivertown. The general lack of an entertainment venue in that area takes away from its potential. There used to be the Rivertown Reel amphitheater (where the arcade is now) and then the Back Porch Stage (where Diamondback's station sits now), and now there's nothing. 

FYI: the Red Garter Saloon is approximately 60' x 70' and the Rivertown Arcade is roughly 60' x 90'. With some good, thoughtful, extensive renovations (and maybe a facade-ectomy) it could be transformed into that kind of venue. Alternatively if the TR:TR building were to be demolished that would open a good amount of space for a Rivertown expansion where they could add a new entertainment venue, a flat ride, and some buildings that could return the "town" to Rivertown.

They have been removing eye sores from the park, such as the slingshot in the sky coaster.   But the Tomb Raider building and the Stunt Coaster are the two remaining biggest eye sores. Doing anything with that tomb raider building would be an improvement for the entire park.

[Losantiville Mining Co.]

Anything they could do to fix Rivertown would be a good thing in my book. Maybe the easiest things to do would be making [the former] Swan Lake look better/more natural and enclosing the top cattlepen of Diamondback's queue line (and making it look like a town again).

 

Back to Winterfest: If there's anything the park can do to to get a Winterfest 1.0 look on International Street, I think that would be a nice change and, if done with some proper planning, would be a great little "show" like the Haunt fountain shows were (but without using the fountain jets which are currently being covered). Think of this view with more warm white lights (this view shows cool white) and more foliage in and around Snow Flake Lake. Finding a way to color in the rest of the stars might also help.

It might also elevate the feel of the event while removing some of the stuff that makes it feel manufactured — which in turn could help it rise to the level of similar events at Dollywood and Silver Dollar City.

Image: Journal-News

Photo: ParkFans

[Diamondback_Is_King]

44 minutes ago, Losantiville Mining Co. said:

Anything they could do to fix Rivertown would be a good thing in my book. Maybe the easiest things to do would be making [the former] Swan Lake look better/more natural and enclosing the top cattlepen of Diamondback's queue line (and making it look like a town again).

 

Back to Winterfest: If there's anything the park can do to to get a Winterfest 1.0 look on International Street, I think that would be a nice change and, if done with some proper planning, would be a great little "show" like the Haunt fountain shows were (but without using the fountain jets which are currently being covered). Think of this view with more warm white lights (this view shows cool white) and more foliage in and around Snow Flake Lake. Finding a way to color in the rest of the stars might also help.

It might also elevate the feel of the event while removing some of the stuff that makes it feel manufactured — which in turn could help it rise to the level of similar events at Dollywood and Silver Dollar City.

Image: Journal-News

Photo: ParkFans

It's cool to see the difference in the park back when the old picture was taken to the present day picture! For some reason, I forgot how cool the Winterfest lights look until I saw that picture. Very excited to return this year, I just hope it won't be as cold as it was last year!

[CedarPointer]

I'm really glad that Yuletide Follies is back.That was by far my favorite show last year, although I wish it was in a better venue where the curtains aren't blowing open during costume changes.

[Timchat2]

Yuletide Follies is fantastic. With the talk of Tinker's Toy Factory possiblyy ending I had some hope Yuletide would have moved into the Kings Island Theater.

From what I understand the original intent was to have the show spread to the other WinterFest parks but that doesn't appear to be happening now.

[super7]

A show with dedicated, choreographed dancers like Yuletide Follies or even the previous Cool Yule (after the split the cast into dancers and vocalists) belongs in doors for the sake of the dancers well being.    The KI Theatre should host something that’s more of a total Christmas production like an expanded version of the Follies.     

[Orion-XL200]

13 hours ago, Losantiville Mining Co. said:

Anything they could do to fix Rivertown would be a good thing in my book. Maybe the easiest things to do would be making [the former] Swan Lake look better/more natural and enclosing the top cattlepen of Diamondback's queue line (and making it look like a town again).

 

Back to Winterfest: If there's anything the park can do to to get a Winterfest 1.0 look on International Street, I think that would be a nice change and, if done with some proper planning, would be a great little "show" like the Haunt fountain shows were (but without using the fountain jets which are currently being covered). Think of this view with more warm white lights (this view shows cool white) and more foliage in and around Snow Flake Lake. Finding a way to color in the rest of the stars might also help.

It might also elevate the feel of the event while removing some of the stuff that makes it feel manufactured — which in turn could help it rise to the level of similar events at Dollywood and Silver Dollar City.

Image: Journal-News

Photo: ParkFans

No thanks on the white lights....I need color with Christmas lights!

[Timchat2]

Ride availability at WinterFest:

https://www.sixflags.com/kingsisland/winterfest/ride-availability