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Remember they let TWO original parks go. The Fair half of Cedar Fair was also sold off along with the 3rd Six Flags.

Yeah, an article floating around about Great Escape said Enchanted will gain access to the park within 4-6 weeks to start the changeover so I assume St. Louis is on a similar timeline too.

Hearing the "crown jewel" talk is surprising to a degree, but also not surprising as well. The bones of the park and setting seem good enough to where someone with an actual plan could probably make a good amount of money with it. SFSL is like an earlier game (and therefore easier) roller coaster tycoon level that's fun to play where you inherit a park that already has some good attractions and fun terrain as well as some decent space to add-on, but isn't attracting new visitors. Your task is to improve the overall guest happiness by improving the theming/decor and adding a marquee roller coaster or two. And much like roller coaster tycoon or some other theme park game, there's probably very much a time limit involved for the new company to accomplish said goals here! If nothing else, I am so happy that this park is no longer under the thumb of the horrible previous ownership. What a dumpster fire of an org that turned out to be. In regards to the money people being based in KC and therefore it doesn't matter because the actual park management is based in Florida, yeah that's probably not totally true going by real world experience. You WANT the bean counters to be able to take their kids to a park(s) they are helping finance, even if they technically aren't "involved" in that side of the business!

Correct - Innovative Attractions rebranded to Enchanted Parks. All the parks were part of the fixed package except for St. Louis. They apparently demanded that our park be included to make the deal. Read some where enchanted parks management is going to be on site soon. Their CEO seems engaged and Enchanted Parks customer service on social media appears to be very responsive

Seriously though, continuing to maintain historic rides like the carousel and Screamin Eagle will be an early indicator of what type of operator the new company intends to be.

No, they're saying the exact opposite - they're saying that SFStL has potential, potential that was being ignored, not only by the newly combined SFEC but also Legacy-Six for decades. You do realize that one of the other parks that SFEC sold, Valleyfair, was the "Fair" part of the Cedar Fair name, right? This sale didn't pick sides. You should look on the bright side; if the park wasn't sold to EnPark, there's a good likelihood it would have just been closed SFA-style.

apparently the deal was contingent on SFStL being part of the parks sold. not sure if it's true, but have now seen it reported several places that THIS park was the one they wanted most.

Well I guess deep down we all kinda knew it was coming. It's one of those things that are shocking but at the same time not surprising at all. Nothing to do but think happy thoughts and adopt a wait and see stance. IF it's true that it was considered the "crown jewell" (I saw that too) then theoretically it should be a good thing as it would be at the top tier of investment. Of course we have no idea how much the new company has for investment or what the quality of that investment will be. I really don't care about the DC theming but if they can't use it for Justice League they will have to basically have a whole new ride. Same ride system and track but essentially an all new ride. Maybe that will end up being the first "new" attraction. Curious to see if they honor ACE Coaster Con, in 2027 it was already announced that it would be held at SDC and SFSTL. I think this might say more about the shape SF is in than anything else. If they were willing to let one of their original parks go, one that has always been reported as being profitable, then they might be in more trouble than anyone really thought. On the other hand if you live near MM or GAdv or CP or any of the parks still in the SF chain you are probably relatively happy as it should mean, again theoretically, that they will have more investment for those parks. If nothing else it will be interesting to see how it turns out over the next few years.

Allow me to introduce: removepaywall.com Option 3 tends to always work for me, but sometimes you need to archive the page you're looking for yourself.

I honestly found Valleyfair the most shocking park in the announcement. It's an original Cedar FAIR park!!! I realize SFStL is also, but that park has felt on the way out for years already!

Nice!

pics from yesterday's visit for "Feliz Fiesta" during Holiday in the Park. (and yes, they got TONS of lights from SFA - I asked and was confirmed that the Texas parks got things from several other parks as well that were no longer doing Holiday in the Park) the park is looking amazing, and the shows remain top notch! Majesty of Christmas, and the Dickens shows alone are worth price of admission, tho all the other shows are great as well. because of Texas Department of Transportation sending out a crapload of warnings about how I10 & Loop 1604 (ie: right were the park is) being closed all weekend for construction, we allowed just over 2 hours for the trip to the park from Austin today. so of course, we were so early that even tho the cones were up, they hadn't started any work yet, and traffic flowed - resulting in us being the first ones at the park, and stopped at the entrance gate. so we took advantage to get out of the car, and snap this pic which typically you only can get while driving by. but after about 15 minutes, the parking gates opened and we headed in (with all the other folks that had backed up behind us). of COURSE, this was right when the Six Flags app decided to update, and that made getting thru the toll booths a nightmare - how nice Six Flags stopped handing out physical (hard card) passes JUST before they updated the app and made it a huge mess to access your digital stuff. note: we did chat with mgmt about this during the day as lots of folks had issues, so it came up. they are aware of issues, and are working on solutions, so "please stand by" anyways, the park looks great. the Day ended up being PERFECT (low 70s after a week of temps in the 40s and 50s), and the construction kept many away from the area, resulting in a very crowd comfortable day. lots and lots of photo ops thru the park. as mentioned, I'm guessing some of them came from other parks no longer doing HitP and no trip to SFFT is complete without a stop in to say hi to "miss Connie" in Sangerfest halle. she's a celebrity, and my friends all know I tend to go there first to get a pic. after 1st rides of the day on Chubacabra, those of us attending Feliz Fiesta got to go backstage for a tour of the construction site that I posted yesterday. as part of that tour, we also got to go down into the Gully Washer reservoir (drained during the off season upkeep) for some fantastic shots of Iron Rattler's drops. and then it was time to eat something for lunch (as our dinner wasn't until almost 5). we headed into Blues BBQ, where here at Fiesta Texas, the Turkey Leg with stuffing is still included on the meal plan. and as it's Holiday in the Park? Santa was out all day, so we had to pop in and say hello. naughty bert! (and how fantastic that Santa played along) one of the shows in the main square. . I believe this was the Tinker-Belles and the wooden soldiers one of 3 large trees SFFT has on display. this one is at the end of the main avenue into the park (and the tinkerbelles stage is at the bottom) many, many characters were available today for Meet and Greets. not just the Looney Tunes in Holiday garb, but also multiple DC Heroes, and tons of Holiday themed characters. and the "handlers" are happy to take your phone to snap pics for you. this makes me laugh - this is what happens when they start snapping before you're ready for the picture. . . LOL durrrrrrrr. . . . . but we did get some great pics regardless another throne. .and I do love my thrones more characters. . a bit horrifying, I thought, but happy to take pics after this great meet and greet in DCU, I asked them how about an "action pose". .and that's the 2nd pic. they understood the assignment - particularly Flash walking back to the front for dinner in the picnic grove, caught the end of a Tinkerbelles & soldiers performance, and they were hanging around for pictures. and yet, ANOTHER throne. they must have gotten these from other parks. a night time shot of the tree at the end of the main corridor. here's the MAIN tree in the park, in Rockville, during the Tree Lighting ceremony (that includes fireworks, Looney Tunes characters, dancers, and Santa on the stage in front of it) .. oh, and "snow" Jim and I in front of the main tree, before heading into the Rockville High Theater to see the Dicken's show - one of the parks two signature HitP shows didnt' take any pics of the 1st part of the show, but it's a full on production with sets, dancing, and very good singing. the camera came out during Ghost of Christmas Future, as I love the design of it. ltr: Scrooge, Ghost of Christmas Present, Ghost of Christmas Past, Ghost of Marley, and Ghost of Christmas future. Scrooge seeing the error of his ways before he gets tossed into his own grave by Marley (oh. . "spoilers". . . LOL) after the show (and a few rides) we made our way up to the "big" theater in the park, for the amazing "Majesty of Christmas" - which, yes, includes live animals on stage in a wonderful production. after this show, the park was about to shut down, but attendees of Feliz Fiesta get some ERT on the CrackAxle coasters (Iron Rattler, Roadrunner Express, and Dr. Diabolical's Cliffhanger). . so we took the "Holiday Express" which is what they transform the train into, for a full loop around the park complete with Holiday songs and tons and tons of lights. including new this year, lights representing the 12 days of Christmas. . . that you pass on the train, AS the song is playing synched to what you are passing. so simple, but so effective and impressive. another photo op in front of Hurricane Harbor area and the 3rd and final tree, in Crackaxle, which I was told came from another park that is no longer doing HitP. it's a great event, and well worth going to.

Silver Dollar City has announced that Thunderation will retire at the end of the 2026 season, after operating for 33 years. After 33 years of runaway thrills through the Ozark Mountains, Silver Dollar City’s Thunderation will be retired at the end of the 2026 season, marking the end-of-an-era for one of the longest-running and most celebrated mine train roller coasters in the United States. The final day of operation is scheduled for Jan. 2, 2027. Opened in 1993, the runaway mine train-style coaster has entertained generations of families, becoming a rite of passage for thrill-seekers visiting the 1880s theme park. Among roller coaster enthusiasts, Thunderation is widely regarded as one of the best mine train coasters in the world. Since its debut, the Arrow Dynamics coaster has carried more than 27 million riders across more than 3,000 feet of track carved into the Ozarks terrain. While park officials maintain the coaster has become a City treasure, the Marvel Cave Mining Company has declared it is time for “real” work back beneath the mountain. Officials hint that its return to activity signals significant developments ahead. The Marvel Cave Mining Company is taking back this section of the park for geological surveys, ordering Thunderation to vacate the tracks to make way for resumed mining operations inside Silver Dollar City. The mining company, which initially ceased operations in 1889, insists it is time to return to “good, honest work underground” deep within Marvel Cave and that the rails currently occupied by the coaster must be cleared. “Thunderation has had its run,” said Foreman Jedidiah Campbell. “But this mountain was never meant to be borrowed forever. There are still undiscovered sections of that mine, and I intend to see what it holds. The work underground matters more than any cheer from above.” Rather than protest the decision, Silver Dollar City has declared the 2026 season a yearlong celebration of Thunderation, beginning with an opening-day ceremony on March 13 and culminating in a final sendoff on Jan. 2, 2027. Special ride moments, promotional offers, commemorative merchandise and limited-time offerings will be unveiled throughout the season. "Thunderation's opening kickstarted exciting additions to Silver Dollar City,” says Brad Thomas, president of Silver Dollar City Parks & Resorts. “Likewise, Thunderation's retirement at the end of 2026 will launch new and exciting chapters in Silver Dollar City's future. In this case, the end is really an exciting beginning. Please stay tuned!" Guests can plan their final ride at silverdollarcity.com.