8 hours ago, guy1115 said:

There is a bit of it in this video:  

 

 

With the emphasis of bringing back once what was old, would also love to see the KI singing penguins make their return.  In the original 80’s Winterfest  years, they became a KI tradition, loved by kids, and were again brought back in 2005.  

Its a warm day at Winterfest today!

Looks like no Flight of Fear this year during Winterfest. I wonder why they decided not to run that. It was great to get out of the cold. 

They probably don't want people over by the construction. I assume close the spot under racer- and back off. Got to remember, they are redoing that facility area for new the area. May be doing electrical and remodeling lockers etc

The website shows that KMAA and Mystic Timbers will be open for winterfest.

https://www.visitkingsisland.com/play/winterfest/attractions

 

I am sure X-Base/Area 72 will be completely closed off. From the Orion renderings, it looks like they are adding theming, new concrete, and a complete restructuring of Flight of Fear’s outdoor queue and lockers. I could see it being open in 2020 when the construction is done though.

HEY THEIR ANTIQUE CARS! WELCOME TO WINTER FEST!

(Edit: Flight of Fear isn't on the winter fest list for this year, because of Orion and the construction of the new AREA 72)

Am I remembering correctly that with a gold pass we can only go once to Winter fest?

26 minutes ago, DonnaFan said:

Am I remembering correctly that with a gold pass we can only go once to Winter fest?

Incorrect, Gold pass can go to winter fest anytime they want.

26 minutes ago, DonnaFan said:

Am I remembering correctly that with a gold pass we can only go once to Winter fest?

You should be able to go to Winterfest 26 times this year with a gold pass.

I saw that Tinker’s has a new title and may be different this year.

 Looks like there is only one roller coaster at Kings Island for Winterfest while the other Cedar Fair parks are getting at least two except for Canada‘s Wonderland.   

 But on the flipside Kings Island does have an expensive train to operate While the other parks do not except for worlds of fun

1 hour ago, super7 said:

 Looks like there is only one roller coaster at Kings Island for Winterfest while the other Cedar Fair parks are getting at least two except for Canada‘s Wonderland.   

 But on the flipside Kings Island does have an expensive train to operate While the other parks do not except for worlds of fun

If expense was really the reason then Kings Island/Cedar Fair would not have invested all that money summer 2018 insulating the Flight of Fear building so they could heat it and run the ride in freezing weather.

1 hour ago, super7 said:

 Looks like there is only one roller coaster at Kings Island for Winterfest...

For me, riding a coaster during the winter was really something that I only wanted to say that I did...just for the novelty of it. Now that I have done it, once was plenty. This year I plan on hitting up some of the other things I missed out on last year. Winterfest really does offer SO much to do!

(Now if it just doesn’t turn into the nightmare crowds of Halloween Haunt all will be good.)

38 minutes ago, SnakePlissken said:

If expense was really the reason then Kings Island/Cedar Fair would not have invested all that money summer 2018 insulating the Flight of Fear building so they could heat it and run the ride in freezing weather.

I don’t think it being too cold is the problem here, but maybe I am wrong. It is probably because of all the construction that will be going on back there.

6 minutes ago, FUN&ONLY! said:

I don’t think it being too cold is the problem here, but maybe I am wrong. It is probably because of all the construction that will be going on back there.

Cold is not the issue and nobody said it was. The post I quoted was implying that The Flight of Fear was too expensive to run. It is likely due to the Orion construction.

3 hours ago, SnakePlissken said:

Cold is not the issue and nobody said it was. The post I quoted was implying that The Flight of Fear was too expensive to run. It is likely due to the Orion construction.

That's what I say yesterday.

Who here thinks that the star on the tower tree could be improved? Half the time you can barely see the star.

1 minute ago, Klabergian Empire said:

Who here thinks that the star on the tower tree could be improved? Half the time you can barely see the star.

 

yes.  yes. and yes.  If you get much past the parking lot you can't see the star at all.  Though, I saw the same rod/hook on top of the tower yesterday, so it will likely not happen.  

Also, FoF is likely closed so the area can be revamped.

6 hours ago, Klabergian Empire said:

Who here thinks that the star on the tower tree could be improved? Half the time you can barely see the star.

Fully agree. I cant remember where, but somewhere out near Hillsboro off of Route 50, there is super bright star. Kings Island needs something like that. You can see the thing from a ways away. 

As of today, Winterfest starts in 50 days!

57 minutes ago, Klabergian Empire said:

As of today, Winterfest starts in 50 days!

*Holiday in the Park! LOL! But in all honesty, after what Cedar Fair has done with Winterfest, it would be so sad to see Six Flags come in and mess it all up! I love Winterfest!

17 hours ago, FUN&ONLY! said:

*Holiday in the Park! LOL! But in all honesty, after what Cedar Fair has done with Winterfest, it would be so sad to see Six Flags come in and mess it all up! I love Winterfest!

If by "Mess it all up", you mean open Diamondback, Banshee and a ton of other coasters and make it much better then okay. Honestly Six Flags taking over these Cedar Fair holiday events would probably be the one actual positive to come from this potential, probably nonexistent deal. Six Flags actually does a very nice job with their lights and decorations too because they don't actually do anything and contract Oak Island Creative to do it for them. lol

It is hard to believe it is almost time! Blog from yesterday.

https://www.visitkingsisland.com/blog/2019/october/winterfest-returns-in-50-days

1 hour ago, coasterbill said:

If by "Mess it all up", you mean open Diamondback, Banshee and a ton of other coasters and make it much better then okay. Honestly Six Flags taking over these Cedar Fair holiday events would probably be the one actual positive to come from this potential, probably nonexistent deal. Six Flags actually does a very nice job with their lights and decorations too because they don't actually do anything and contract Oak Island Creative to do it for them. lol

I’m pretty sure the manufacturer doesn’t suggest running the rides in such cold conditions, correct me if I’m wrong though.

Indeed, Diamondback and Banshee wouldn't be able to run most days of Winterfest due to temperature.

Kings Island will be busy getting all their coasters ready to open on Opening Day 2020, something not all park chains will achieve.

38 minutes ago, Ben43065 said:

I’m pretty sure the manufacturer doesn’t suggest running the rides in such cold conditions, correct me if I’m wrong though.

I have no idea, but what I do know is that Six Flags does not care. It's not that they just don't care, they don't care on an unimaginable, hilarious and spectacular level. We rode Nitro when it was 19 degrees 2 years ago. Raging Bull runs in the snow frequently. Great America runs 8 coasters in the winter in Chicago on the lake (including every single one of their B&Ms). Raging Bull frequently runs when it's actively snowing and has run with temperatures down into the teens.

Our home park is Great Adventure and there is no minimum temperature for anything. This was a few years ago, it was 22 degrees.

10 minutes ago, malem said:

Indeed, Diamondback and Banshee wouldn't be able to run most days of Winterfest due to temperature.

Kings Island will be busy getting all their coasters ready to open on Opening Day 2020, something not all park chains will achieve.

Remember that this is a hypothetical discussion about if Six Flags were to buy the park (which it's since become clear will not be happening as news broke about that in the middle of the discussion). I don't expect Cedar Fair to run those rides but Six Flags wouldn't care about this at all. Closing rides "due to temperature" is not a thing at any northern Six Flags park (aside from that hunk of junk giant Boomerang in New England).

 

4 hours ago, coasterbill said:

If by "Mess it all up", you mean open Diamondback, Banshee and a ton of other coasters and make it much better then okay. Honestly Six Flags taking over these Cedar Fair holiday events would probably be the one actual positive to come from this potential, probably nonexistent deal. Six Flags actually does a very nice job with their lights and decorations too because they don't actually do anything and contract Oak Island Creative to do it for them. lol

I think Cedar Fair handles Winterfest really well! I don’t ever see Banshee and Diamondback running in the cold weather because that would damage the rides. Also, Winterfest is not about the rides, it is about the experience and the atmosphere. Kings Island and Cedar Fair have done a great job of making Kings Island’s Winterfest one of the best Christmas events around. I really enjoy it! I would not want Six Flags to touch Winterfest! Renaming it to Holiday in the Park would also take away the nostalgia factor that Winterfest has. People remember going to Winterfest as a kid, and now they are taking their kids and making new memories together as a family.

1 hour ago, coasterbill said:

I have no idea, but what I do know is that Six Flags does not care. It's not that they just don't care, they don't care on an unimaginable, hilarious and spectacular level. We rode Nitro when it was 19 degrees 2 years ago. Raging Bull runs in the snow frequently. Great America runs 8 coasters in the winter in Chicago on the lake (including every single one of their B&Ms). Raging Bull frequently runs when it's actively snowing and has run with temperatures down into the teens.

Our home park is Great Adventure and there is no minimum temperature for anything. This was a few years ago, it was 22 degrees.

Remember that this is a hypothetical discussion about if Six Flags were to buy the park (which it's since become clear will not be happening as news broke about that in the middle of the discussion). I don't expect Cedar Fair to run those rides but Six Flags wouldn't care about this at all. Closing rides "due to temperature" is not a thing at any northern Six Flags park (aside from that hunk of junk giant Boomerang in New England).

 

So you are saying I now actually have a reason to visit a Six Flags park since I love riding Mystic Timbers when its freezing.

52 minutes ago, FUN&ONLY! said:

I think Cedar Fair handles Winterfest really well! I don’t ever see Banshee and Diamondback running in the cold weather because that would damage the rides. Also, Winterfest is not about the rides, it is about the experience and the atmosphere. Kings Island and Cedar Fair have done a great job of making Kings Island’s Winterfest one of the best Christmas events around. I really enjoy it! I would not want Six Flags to touch Winterfest! Renaming it to Holiday in the Park would also take away the nostalgia factor that Winterfest has. People remember going to Winterfest as a kid, and now they are taking their kids and making new memories together as a family.

To each his own. Six Flags has "experience and atmosphere" too, but they also have coasters. Obviously there's a market for this kind of event. I don't believe that Six Flags would purposely damage their rides though. I believe that the issue with running them in the cold is just that they can run way under-speed early in the day and they can go down mechanical more often (all of which is true, but maintenance just doesn't take no for an answer). They're incompetent in many ways but give them some credit.

51 minutes ago, SnakePlissken said:

So you are saying I now actually have a reason to visit a Six Flags park since I love riding Mystic Timbers when its freezing.

Yes. We probably go to Great Adventure more in November and December than the entire rest of the year combined. It's like a completely different place during Holiday in the Park. The same goes for Six Flags New England and they even sort of polish the turd that is Six Flags America enough that I even like their holiday event (and all of those parks run between 5-10 adult coasters).

Anyway, I can't believe I'm actually saying nice things about Six Flags. I'll give them credit for their holiday events though, they're fantastic. Too bad I don't feel the same way about their parks the rest of the year or for their atrocious Halloween events when Cedar Fair puts them to shame. lol