Kentucky Kingdom (SFKK, KK) Discussion Thread

[ShaneH]

I'm just happy they aren't marketing the super loop as a coaster

 

I'm pleased with these additions. With 2017 being an off year they sure are doing a lot to improve the park. Small things like more ticket booths and extra shade can really make a day at the park more enjoyable. As for the super loop I am actually excited. I think the hang time at the top make these things awesome and the ride will improve their already solid collection of flats.

[Rabbit_in_Red]

They're fine additions for an "off year", as it was described. I just would've preferred a Zacspin to a Super Loop. Nothing wrong with the loop though. Hopefully it does well. It's still exciting that they're investing so heavily in the park. There's not been a year since it's reopened that they've not added something new and cool.

[SteelForceless]

A Superloop? That's fine for the park, especially considering it's an "off year".

 

Now here's the million dollar question: Will any of these rides named after storms be able to operate in one? Mild Rain?

[njcoasterguy34]

...whats next a takeover of the tilt a whirl, round up, scrambler, octopus as the "new" ride of the moment? lol

 

If only. I love those rides.

[JPRIC01]

Really excited that they're adding a new entrance for Hurricane Bay! Will be much easier to access that part of the park during hot days.

[sfkk]

This addition looks great! I think it will be a hit with the GP and will bring the number of inverting flat rides to 3, which is pretty impressive for a small park. Also the improvements sound like they will really improve guest experience. Also, the 2017 operating calendar was posted online. Still no long-awaited halloween event. Oh well, maybe next year. Also it appears as if they will only be open weekends during the state fair next year, so be careful if you are planning a KK trip in August. This park is a great community asset for the city of Louisville and it is very well received. All of these new additions and the new direction the park is heading in are more than worth not having your home park for four summers!

[Rollercoaster Rider]

13th Larson Super Loop in the last 4 years.

[Rabbit_in_Red]

It's not what I would've preferred (Super Loop), but it's really hard to be upset. This park is heading in a fantastic direction and I'm really excited for all of the new changes coming next year and beyond!

[Dar]

Saw on Coaster Force that Ed Hart, the CEO, has said that they've spent an extra $10 million dollars during their first development plan, over the past 3 years, than they said they would!

 

So whilst a Larson Loop is a bit "meh", it's understandable given the money they've spent, and committed to spending in the future.

 

They're starting a second 3 year development plan to bring the number of visitors up to 1 million, from 600,000 this year.

[SFOGdude25]

^"Park objective: Must reach 1,000,000 visitors by Year 4, and achieve a park rating of at least 700."

[JT325]

I haven't been to the park since it's re-opened. There were many reports of poor (Six Flags like?) operations, one train ops, etc., is that all true?

[Rabbit_in_Red]

I haven't been to the park since it's re-opened. There were many reports of poor (Six Flags like?) operations, one train ops, etc., is that all true?

 

There were some newness and growing pains, but overall it's heads and shoulders above Six Flags and getting better.

[sfkk]

And actually, just to let everyone know, KK did 800,000 visitors for the 2016 season. 1 million does not seem to be too far off, especially with all of the infrastructure improvements and the rumored new coaster coming in 2018 (or less likely 2019).

 

https://www.kentuckykingdom.com/kentucky-kingdom-sets-attendance-record/

[ytterbiumanalyst]

I love this park. It's small, but they pack so much in that it feels like a full sized park, just with less walking. The building stage is over, and they're going to proceed a little more slowly now, but it's good enough now that I wouldn't mind going back with nothing new at all. I tried out a Larson Super Loop (Brain Drain at Frontier City), and I wasn't all that impressed. So if I do get to go back (that was the original intention, but I'm concerned about the economy, so we may take it easy next year), it'll pretty much be like there's nothing new. And that's perfectly fine with me.

[Skp2016]

I wish they would put a tunnel at the turn around at the bottom of thunder run after the lift hill. Add thunder effects, lighting and mist in the tunnel. More like you are "running from the thunder " Thunder Run

[GCI Wooden]

^"Park objective: Must reach 1,000,000 visitors by Year 4, and achieve a park rating of at least 700."

 

While a super loop isn't real exciting, given all the other amazing additions in the past couple years, no one should be complaining.

[coasterbill]

^"Park objective: Must reach 1,000,000 visitors by Year 4, and achieve a park rating of at least 700."

 

[Rabbit_in_Red]

I wish they would put a tunnel at the turn around at the bottom of thunder run after the lift hill. Add thunder effects, lighting and mist in the tunnel. More like you are "running from the thunder " Thunder Run

 

That would be absolutely KILLER!

[RAWKIN_coaster38]

I haven't been to the park since it's re-opened. There were many reports of poor (Six Flags like?) operations, one train ops, etc., is that all true?

I was never at the park before, but I didn't think so at all. There was one-train ops when we were there, but it was so quiet that even with one-train, Storm Chaser was just about a walk-on (one cycle or two and then on). The employees were pretty friendly, overall we had a great experience!

 

I do think its funny that a carnival ride that has been around since the 70's (Super Loop) is finally taking over the amusement park world... whats next a takeover of the tilt a whirl, round up, scrambler, octopus as the "new" ride of the moment? lol

You know, I've always wanted a park to get a more permanent version of the Zipper, and never understood why no one has (that I know of). They're the best rides at the fair!

[eugjackson]

^"Park objective: Must reach 1,000,000 visitors by Year 4, and achieve a park rating of at least 700."

 

While a super loop isn't real exciting, given all the other amazing additions in the past couple years, no one should be complaining.

 

Should have got a Skyline Skywarp costs the same and is a better ride. Any parks buying Larson Superloops over Skywarps are committing malpractice.

[prozach626]

Larson is really raking it in. It's almost like they're giving these Super Loops away at a discount or something. Does anyone have any reasoning behind the sudden trend of parks installing these like hot cakes?

[eugjackson]

Larson is really raking it in. It's almost like they're giving these Super Loops away at a discount or something. Does anyone have any reasoning behind the sudden trend of parks installing these like hot cakes?

 

To be fair of the 12 of the 22M Giant Loops since 2014, 8 have been bought by Six Flags. The other 4 are by small parks and now 5 with KK. SF as a big corporate park operation should not have bought so many. They bought a cheap ride which is pretty poor and now a better ride is available at equal cost in Skywarps, surely some regret if you're a SF exec.

 

The reason parks bought them is they are inexpensive, Giant Loops are about 2M, little under. Some parks market them as coasters, when to me they are a flat ride and have flat ride price. They build their coaster count depending on howthey label it at a flat ride place. In fact many flat rides costs more, a Zamperla Endeavor, Hawk, or Discovery are about 3M.

[coasterbill]

SF as a big corporate park operation should not have bought so many. They bought a cheap ride which is pretty poor and now a better ride is available at equal cost in Skywarps, surely some regret if you're a SF exec.

 

What's your position in the industry? Clearly you have a comprehensive understanding of the return on investment that these rides are providing, the operational costs of them compared to a Skywrap (which would require more staff since it has 2 loading platforms that load simultaneously) and the level of regret that the Six Flags executives have been feeling each and every day since they started installing these so I'm just curious.

[DirkFunk]

I'm sure they are extremely upset that they didn't purchase a different, untested, likely more expensive and labor/space consuming product unavailable to the market at the time that they made their acquisitions.

[eugjackson]

I'm sure they are extremely upset that they didn't purchase a different, untested, likely more expensive and labor/space consuming product unavailable to the market at the time that they made their acquisitions.

 

Try do basic research on rides. They aren't more expensive. Skywarp footprint is small. Superloops are a garbage carnival ride that is neglected by riders, no matter that desperate execs at SF try to pretend they aren't roller coasters. A ride that costs the same that people will actually ride b/c it's better, is a better investment. Btw, it can be marketed as a coaster without people calling BS, while costing the same. Btw. please don't bring up the lame labor costs. If parks were overly concerned about workers they wouldn't waste labor on so many games, which on all but crowded weekends amount to people sitting around 95% of the day doing nothing.