Train is on the Track! | Snoopy's Tenderpaw Twister Coaster | Knott's Berry Farm Vlog #32 | 4/10/24

Spike on Montezooma's Revenge is GONE!! | Knott's Berry Farm Vlog #28 | 3/6/24

Knott’s Berry Farm launches pay-per-ride option to rival Disneyland

Knott’s Berry Farm has torn a page from the Disneyland and Six Flags playbooks with a new pay-per-ride option that will let riders skip the line on the most popular roller coasters and dark rides without paying for an all-day Fast Lane pass.

Knott’s Berry Farm has quietly rolled out a new pay-per-ride option that charges $7.50 and up per individual ride as part of the Fast Lane front-of-the-line program.

Read the rest at OCRegister

MonteZOOMa reimagining now slated for 2025!!!

Soo there has been a lot of rumors lately causing panic among people concerning the fate of Monte. I haven't reported on them as they weren't even really rumors, just speculation that didn't have me convinced. So what were they:

Last month Knott's updated their park map which didn't include MonteZOOMa on it. The park website still had Monte listed on it and the map doesn't have any of the future Camp Snoopy attractions in it, so to me not an accurate representation of what's to come. Could just be a temporary change to keep public focus on Camp Snoopy.

Cedar Fair's SEC filing mentions a terminated project at Knott's. This is known. Not new. The project as it was and with the manufacturers they were using was terminated. Doesn't mean they stopped looking for new people to restart the project.

When photos of Knott's team surveying Monte surfaced I had a gut feeling it was them getting things in order. It has been too long with nothing said for it to have been cancelled. Now if only I had the same confidence in Mystery Lodge coming back...

Work now "re-zooming" on MonteZOOMa!

Work is "re-zooming" on our reimagination of Montezooma's Revenge. Get ready to launch into new thrills when MonteZOOMa: The Forbidden Fortress opens in 2025. 🎢https://t.co/iCcFa3i69Z

— Knott's Berry Farm (@knotts) March 1, 2024

Warner Bros. Discovery CEO Zaslav not ready to make deal for Paramount but options remain on table

Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav "is not in deal mode," and his conversations about a potential tie-up with rival studio Paramount Global are said to be more exploratory, suggesting that the speculation of a near-term mega media merger between the two outfits is more wishful thinking than real, according to people with direct knowledge of the matter.

Read the rest at FoxBusiness

Knott's News: Doesn't seem like it's gonna happen. It does however seem like Paramount Global is on the market, and I wouldn't be surprised if Comcast bought them to bolster Peacock and integrate some of that valuable IP into the Universal Parks. I think Star Trek, Ninja Turtles and SpongeBob have stood the test of time and are safe bets for park integration (SpongeBob and Transformers are already in Universal Studios). 

Once again, all speculation. Would've been cool to see the three IP I mentioned in Cedar Fair parks like Kings Island (I'm a huge Star Trek fan) but Warner still offers them plenty of IP to play with. Its just a question about wether Cedar Fair is serious about immersive entertainment and theming.

Warner Bros. Discovery in talks to merge with Paramount Global

Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav met with Paramount Global CEO Bob Bakish on Tuesday in New York City to discuss a possible merger, Axios has learned from multiple sources.

Read the rest at Axios

Knott's News: Ummm...so Warner Bros has a licensing agreement with Six Flags, which will be extended to Cedar Fair after their merger, buuuttt the question becomes whether that will then extend Paramount Global assets to the parks (Star Trek, Nickelodeon, Ninja Turtles, etc.)? That would be some serious IP to leverage and an interesting return for the former Paramount Parks. All speculation at this point that wouldn't affect Knott's but something to think about.

Last chance to ride Huff and Puff, the High Sierra Ferris Wheel, and the Rocky Mountain Trucking Company on January 7th!

Future Beagle Scouts get ready! 🏕️ New and exciting things are coming to Camp Snoopy in 2024! To make room for these new additions, we’re giving you a last chance to ride Huff and Puff, the High Sierra Ferris Wheel, and the Rocky Mountain Trucking Company.🎡 pic.twitter.com/cjjS3KOWUT

— Knott's Berry Farm (@knotts) December 11, 2023

Knott's News: I was hearing rumors that Huff and Puff was going to be part of the Camp Snoopy’s Off Road Rally reimagining of Rocky Mountain Trucking Company. Guess this confirms it. Makes me feel a little better about Monte's status but not enough to let my guard down. Hopefully we have a separate announcement soon to let us know what's going on there. I'm just surprised that they're not even starting demolition until 5 months before opening is scheduled Memorial Day.

Knott’s Berry Farm adding 4 rides in Camp Snoopy makeover

One goal of the Camp Snoopy refresh is to make Knott’s visitors feel like they are joining the Peanuts characters during a day at camp, according to Cedar Fair Creative Development Director Ken Parks, who headed up the Camp Snoopy makeover.

“How would the Peanuts kids use Camp Snoopy if this were a real camp?” Parks said during an online video interview. “That’s really at the core. It will feel like the kids go to camp here.”

Read the rest at OCRegister

Knott's News: This will answer a lot of questions people may have: 

Snoopy’s Tenderpaw Twister Coaster is replacing Timberline Twister and Camp Bus. 

Sally’s Swing Along is replacing the High Sierra Ferris Wheel. 

The Meet & Greet Headquarters that was introduced during the 30th Anniversary will be removed and the characters dispersed throughout the land. 

Rocky Mountain Trucking Company will be expanded and renamed Camp Snoopy’s Off Road Rally (no word on whether the expansion will be utilizing Monte's footprint or if its relocating entirely as the video shows it side-by-side with the train).

The Grand Sierra Railroad will be rethemed to Beagle Express with new show scenes and an electric engine replacing the classic steam engine (this explains all the land clearing we've been seeing under Silver Bullet). 

Camp Snoopy Theater will be relocated and redone with a much more permanent setup. 

The Grizzly Creek Lodge will be rethemed to a camp ground mess hall, and Woodstock's Airmail will be relocated as rumored. 

It sounds like it'll be pretty well in-line with the Fiesta Village overhaul as far as creating thematic consistency and expanded storytelling (I love that Sally’s Swing Along will have music to accompany it, much like SolSpin). I think the video they released doesn't give us a great idea of what they're planning, as we don't see the interconnectivity and too much of them look like they were made in Planet Coaster with generic landscaping / theming.

Camp Snoopy - More to Explore in 2024

Reimagined Camp Snoopy opening Memorial Day weekend 2023!

Cross into the world of the reimagined Camp Snoopy and become an official camper, joining Snoopy and the PEANUTS Gang for the camp's annual jamboree, a fun week of camp competitions and activities.

An off-road adventure, a new family roller coaster, a giant swing, and the carefree fun of summer camp bring so much to explore starting in 2024 at Knott’s Berry Farm next summer. Check out these exciting details about the six-acre, reimagined Camp Snoopy, the place where the iconic PEANUTS™ Gang made its first debut outside the comic strip back when it opened in 1983.

Inspired by the California High Sierras, Camp Snoopy allows campers of all ages to become full-fledged Beagle Scouts as they explore new rides, new character experiences, new entertainment, a new dining hall, camp store, plus more seating and ambiance.

Read the rest at Knott'sBerryFarm

Knott's 2024 Camp Snoopy reveal coming 12/7!

Snoopy is hard at work today! 🔨🐾
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.
.#CampSnoopy pic.twitter.com/Bq4aTfJAhf

— Knott's Berry Farm (@knotts) December 4, 2023

Former Imagineer Eddie Sotto reveals "Rumrunners" dark ride pitch for Knott's Roaring 20's area

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

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

XCELERATOR IS BACK!!! | Knott's Berry Farm | Vlog #25 | 11/7/23

Knott's Merry Farm Nov. 17, 2023 - Jan. 7, 2024

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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.