1979. “Rumrunners” dark ride model that got me my first job @knotts at 21. This (POTC only with Gangsters) was designed for their “Roaring 20’s” area but never was built. pic.twitter.com/yhLajX751x
— Eddie Sotto (@boss_angeles) November 17, 2023
Friday, November 17, 2023
Former Imagineer Eddie Sotto reveals "Rumrunners" dark ride pitch for Knott's Roaring 20's area
Former Imagineer Eddie Sotto reveals a secret nod to Knott's at EDL
A secret nod to @knotts at EDL. “Tugg’s Overalls” in Ghost Town becomes a family business “Tugg’s and Sons” above Disney Clothiers. Fictional brands crossover! pic.twitter.com/uXjl1BeGhu
— Eddie Sotto (@boss_angeles) November 17, 2023
Friday, November 10, 2023
Wednesday, November 8, 2023
Tuesday, November 7, 2023
Apple Orders New CG ‘Peanuts’ Feature From ‘The Peanuts Movie’ Director Steve Martino
The film isn’t billed as a direct sequel to 2015’s The Peanuts Movie from Blue Sky Studios, however, the director of that film, Steve Martino, is back to helm installment.
This is the first feature co-produced by Apple TV+, Peanuts Worldwide, and Wildbrain, although the three have produced many specials and episodes of the franchise together.
Read the rest at CartoonBrew
This is the first feature co-produced by Apple TV+, Peanuts Worldwide, and Wildbrain, although the three have produced many specials and episodes of the franchise together.
Read the rest at CartoonBrew
Friday, November 3, 2023
Cedar Fair, L.P. (FUN) Six Flags Mergers of Equals Conference (Transcript)
Richard Zimmerman
Barton, I have had this one before. We have loyal and passionate customers, deeply held loyalty and passion around our unique regional brands. We think of this as a broader portfolio with incredibly powerful brands, but we really respect, Cedar Point and Magic – Six Flags’ Magic Mountain. Everybody has and every region has such a unique identifier. I view this as an opportunity just to reinforce the strong regional brands and understand who we are. We sort of talked about the difference between regional and destination. This is really an opportunity to enhance our regional brands and over time, create more value and choices for our customers.
[...]
Richard Zimmerman
Thanks Paul. Great question. One of the things that excites me is somebody who came into the Cedar Fair organization from the Paramount side understanding the movie studio and the drive for exploiting IP and enhancing that along with Six Flags. Looking at the Warner Brothers, we have – as we have said on prepared remarks, really three powerful IPs that we can think about how best fit within the portfolio Peanuts, DC Comics and of course the Warner Brothers connection. I am so excited to think about how we could potentially roll out and enhance the guest experience in all our regions and rethink how we use IP. IP is incredibly important, differentiator in the minds of our consumers and I think our ability to unlock how we look at that in the future gets me really excited and I know for our internal design staff on both sides. As we think about how to plot and plan the guest experience going forward, I think our challenge is working close – is to work more closely with the holders of the IP and think about how we might both benefit from a closer association.
Read the rest at SeekingAlpha
Knott's News: Mergers of Equals conference transcript that gives you an idea of how they're approaching IP integration and regional branding.
Barton, I have had this one before. We have loyal and passionate customers, deeply held loyalty and passion around our unique regional brands. We think of this as a broader portfolio with incredibly powerful brands, but we really respect, Cedar Point and Magic – Six Flags’ Magic Mountain. Everybody has and every region has such a unique identifier. I view this as an opportunity just to reinforce the strong regional brands and understand who we are. We sort of talked about the difference between regional and destination. This is really an opportunity to enhance our regional brands and over time, create more value and choices for our customers.
[...]
Richard Zimmerman
Thanks Paul. Great question. One of the things that excites me is somebody who came into the Cedar Fair organization from the Paramount side understanding the movie studio and the drive for exploiting IP and enhancing that along with Six Flags. Looking at the Warner Brothers, we have – as we have said on prepared remarks, really three powerful IPs that we can think about how best fit within the portfolio Peanuts, DC Comics and of course the Warner Brothers connection. I am so excited to think about how we could potentially roll out and enhance the guest experience in all our regions and rethink how we use IP. IP is incredibly important, differentiator in the minds of our consumers and I think our ability to unlock how we look at that in the future gets me really excited and I know for our internal design staff on both sides. As we think about how to plot and plan the guest experience going forward, I think our challenge is working close – is to work more closely with the holders of the IP and think about how we might both benefit from a closer association.
Read the rest at SeekingAlpha
Knott's News: Mergers of Equals conference transcript that gives you an idea of how they're approaching IP integration and regional branding.
Six Flags / Cedar Fair merger roadmap laid out in Investor Presentation
So more information was made available during the investor presentation and it seems like good news for those concerned about Cedar Fair parks loosing their identity.
The Investor Presentation in full can be found here
Third slide down, it says "Leverage Cedar Fair’s recent park investments experience to accelerate the transformation underway across Six Flags’ portfolio" I may be reading this wrong but not only does it sound like Cedar Fair is the controlling party in this merger (with their headquarters being used, CEO Richard Zimmerman and CFO Brian Witherow running it, and Cedar Fair being the majority stake holder), but that their current tactics are going to lead this new company. This certainly relieves some concerns I had with Knott's future, as I really like their current direction and ex-Disney leadership.
The Investor Presentation in full can be found here
Third slide down, it says "Leverage Cedar Fair’s recent park investments experience to accelerate the transformation underway across Six Flags’ portfolio" I may be reading this wrong but not only does it sound like Cedar Fair is the controlling party in this merger (with their headquarters being used, CEO Richard Zimmerman and CFO Brian Witherow running it, and Cedar Fair being the majority stake holder), but that their current tactics are going to lead this new company. This certainly relieves some concerns I had with Knott's future, as I really like their current direction and ex-Disney leadership.
Being an Ohio guy, I would love to see Looney Tunes, Hanna-Barbeara and DC somewhere like Kings Island, as I always thought Peanuts are too quaint and wasted on such a MASSIVE kids area. It would be incredible to see Scooby-Doo back in the park after all these years, maybe revert Boo-Blasters back. Would love to see that Justice League dark ride make its way to one of the Ohio parks who are in desperate need of a dark ride. Would also like to see that Glow in the Park night time parade that Six Flags did a decade ago make a return. I definitely feel like Kings Island could benefit from the IP that Six Flags could bring but I'd like to see it done right, not just slapped on random rides like Six Flags does (and Paramount Parks did), that's such a waste. I'd like to see the entire Action Zone bulldozed (except Banshee) and replaced with a Metropolis / Gotham City DC area with dark rides, themed stunt shows and themed eateries, something like Marvel Superhero Island at Islands of Adventure. I'd like to see the current Peanut's kids area split up into zones; Camp Snoopy, Looney Tunes, and Coolsville. All the other areas would remain IP free with their distinct themes.
That said, Peanuts are perfect for Knott's and should remain there, with Bear-y Tails characters and others making up an original IP roster. I would not like to see other IP there, it just wouldn't feel right.
In the end, some parks could really benefit from this merger, others...we'll just have to wait and see. Fasten your seatbelts, this ride is gonna have a lot of ups and downs and maybe even throw us for a loop.
Thursday, November 2, 2023
Cedar Fair and Six Flags will merge to create a playtime powerhouse in North America
Zimmerman will be president and CEO of the combined company. Selim Bassoul, president and CEO of Six Flags, will become executive chairman.
The company’s newly formed board will include six directors from Cedar Fair and six directors from Six Flags.
The company will be headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, and will keep significant finance and administrative operations in Sandusky, Ohio, where Cedar Fair is based.
Six Flags is now based in Arlington, Texas.
Read the rest at APNews
The company’s newly formed board will include six directors from Cedar Fair and six directors from Six Flags.
The company will be headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, and will keep significant finance and administrative operations in Sandusky, Ohio, where Cedar Fair is based.
Six Flags is now based in Arlington, Texas.
Read the rest at APNews
Knott's News: Ok, there's a lot to unpack here. I quoted above what I think is the most important information. Cedar Fair is the controlling party in this merger. Other than that, we don't know a whole lot. We all have a ton of questions and even more concerns when it comes to Knott's and whether it'll maintain that certain level of autonomy that Cedar Fair has granted it over the past decade. All we can do at this point is wait and see what happens. Hopefully Six Flags doesn't drag them down and that the inevitable downsizing that happens with mergers isn't too painful.
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