Kentucky Kingdom Celebrates 30th Anniversary!
WHAT A THRILLING RIDE IT’S BEEN ...KENTUCKY KINGDOM CELEBRATES 30YEARS OF FUN!
By Adam Birkner
Louisville, KY -Nestled in a town known for bourbon, race horses, fried chicken, and the legendary Muhammad Ali,Kentucky Kingdom, an amusement park and water park, is gearing up to celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2019. The park will open for the season on Sunday, April 28.
The park’s roller coaster history, with ups and downs, challenges faced, and accolades received along the way, is one of the great comeback (and comeback again!) stories in the amusement industry.
In the summer of 1987, the original Kentucky Kingdom, a small 10-acre park,was opened by a group of Texas investors.Between an unseasonably wet and hot summer and overzealous hype from the operators(the park’s small size and ride selection did not measure up to its pre-opening advertising campaign, which centered on “Disney Comes to Kentucky”). As a result, the inaugural season lasted a grand total of six weeks before the park was forced to close due to poor attendance.
The park remained closed for two years, but the 1990’s brought a new owner, Louisville businessman Ed Hart, and a new era of growth. Although he might be the only amusement park owner in the world who suffers from motion sickness and doesn’t like to ride rides, Hart broke new ground inthe amusement industry, including introducing North America’s first suspended looping coaster (still in operation today at Kentucky Kingdom). He was also one of the first to build a water park as an integral part of an amusement park, rather than as a stand-alone, separately gated attraction. In other words, only one admission price was charged for both parks.Throughout the tenure of Hart and his team in the ‘90’s, the humble 10-acre park grew to more than 63 acres, attendance rose from 130,000 visitors in 1990 to 1.2 million in 1997, and the park received numerous awards and recognition as the fastest growing theme park in the world.
Following its sale to a national theme park operator in 1998, Kentucky Kingdom’s attendance slowly began to dwindle,and the park once known for introducing first-of-a-kind rides and other innovative concepts began to stagnate. Arguably the park’s most impressive marquee attraction of the 1990’s, the stand-up steel coaster called Chang, was removed at the end of the 2009 season. This was ostensibly to make room for new water park attractions, but in reality,it was the final nail in the coffin, as the national operator shortly thereafter filed for bankruptcy and abruptly closed and abandoned the park.
The park remained closed until a group of investors from Louisville, including Hart, came to the rescue. They were encouraged by a group called “Save My Park,” which was formed by hundreds of former guests and employees of Kentucky Kingdom who wanted to see the park reopened and put pressure on both state and local government officials to do so.The investors (Hart, Ed Glasscock, Bruce Lunsford, and the Al J. Schneider Company, a major Louisville hotel operator) brokered a deal with the state to invest at least $42.5 million to redevelop the park, with an additional investment of $70 million over the course of the 50-year lease. As it happens, over the course of only five years, their investment has already exceeded $64 million.
Hart and his team reopened the “bigger, better, and wetter” Kentucky Kingdom in the summer of 2014 and have continued the proven strategies of the park’s 1990’s "golden era." The water park (Hurricane Bay) was doubled in size and many new rides and attractions were added. They include Lightning Run, a first-of-its-kind Hyper GT-X steel roller coaster; Deep Water Dive, the second tallest body slide in the world with a Skybox™ launch (in 2017, Universal Studios installed one that beats this height record by only one foot); and Storm Chaser, the first coaster in North America with a barrel roll drop right off the lift hill, named second best amusement ride in the world in 2016 by Amusement Today.
To celebrate its 30th anniversary, Kentucky Kingdom is adding its sixth coaster, the Kentucky Flyer, one of the most anticipated new rides in the amusement industry in 2019. With this addition, Kentucky Kingdom has introduced three new coasters in the past five years. As Hart likes to say,mimicking a famous line from a 1990’s political campaign, “It’s the coasters, stupid!” Besides the coasters, however, Kentucky Kingdom has added 24 new attractions since reopening, as well as many new amenities for its guests. Now the proof is in the pudding. The new Kentucky Kingdom is once again among the top tourist destinations in the state.
What else is in store for Kentucky Kingdom? If you ask Hart, he'll tell you, "Hang on! It's going to be a great ride!"
GOCC Will be having our Mid Summer Scream event here on August 17th... Watch the website for details.
Coaster History at Kentucky Kingdom
Copperhead Strike POV Video
Our friends at Carowinds have passed along a POV video of their new Copperhead Strike coaster to share with you... Will you be riding it this summer?
DollyWood Announcement
DOLLYWOOD BEGINS SEASON-LONG CELEBRATION OF BIGGEST YEAR IN PARK HISTORY
Dolly Parton surprises guests during annual tradition
PIGEON FORGE, Tenn. (Friday, March 15, 2019)— Dollywood’s 34th season—and undoubtedly the park’s biggest ever—opened today with a special preview day for season passholders and a surprise visit from Dolly Parton. In a year that also includes the opening of the largest addition in Dollywood history later this season—the $37 million Wildwood Grove—the award-winning park’s range of unique festival offerings, spectacular shows and memorable experiences make this the best year yet to experience the spirit of the Smokies.
Veteran Dollywood guests know each season offers a completely new atmosphere for families to enjoy. With Wildwood Grove’s thrilling new attractions, award-winning entertainment and fabulous festivals, 2019 is the perfect year to take advantage of a Dollywood season pass or multi-day ticket.
Dollywood’s Festival of Nations (now-April 14) allows guests to travel the world without leaving the Smokies. Cultures from around the globe come together in this festive event which offers the excitement of traditional music, dance, food and art from a wide array of countries. A number of internationally-recognized performing groups come to Dollywood for the first time in 2019. Headliners Lizt Alfonso Dance Cuba and Drum Struck bring unique, high-energy shows to Dollywood’s stages, while a number of returning favorites allow guests to reconnect with old friends. Festival of Nations is a fun, educational and uplifting experience for families to enjoy. The Passport to Food features authentic international cuisine, while daily celebrations by visiting nations throughout the park provide an exceptional escape to another world.
Bluegrass fans know Dollywood’s Barbeque & Bluegrass presented by BUSH’S® (May 24-June 2) provides them with 10 days of toe tappin’ music served up alongside some of the tastiest pulled pork, barbequed chicken and traditional sides anywhere! This year’s festival features an impressive bluegrass lineup with a heaping helping of free daily concerts from an amazing collection of talented performers. Grammy and International Bluegrass Music Association winner Rhonda Vincent & The Rage, IBMA winners Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver, and Dailey & Vincent are just a few of the headliners who make this annual tradition music to the ears! With the tantalizing treats from Dollywood’s award-winning chefs and the sweet sounds of bluegrass, Dollywood guests have the perfect recipe to kick off the summer!
Dollywood’s Summer Celebration (June 22-Aug. 4) is just that—a time to celebrate making memories with family at a place everyone enjoys! This summertime event gives families a unique chance to ride Dollywood’s world-class roller coasters, including Lightning Rod and Wild Eagle all day and well into the night! With the opening of Wildwood Grove, families can bask in a colorful kaleidoscope of summer fun as the area glows to life when the sun sets. Each evening ends with a spectacular fireworks extravaganza that lights up the night sky. High-energy music and shows like Dreamland Drive-In make dancing in the aisles acceptable and bring out the kid in everyone. Dollywood’s Summer Celebration is a great reminder that some of the best family memories are made after the sun goes down.
Dollywood’s Harvest Festival presented by Humana (Sept. 27-Nov. 2) provides fabulous fall family fun with the new Smoky Mountain tradition, Great Pumpkin LumiNights. Dollywood stays open until 9 p.m. every evening allowing families more time to enjoy the glow of thousands of carved pumpkins throughout the park. Several hundred performances by award-winning Southern gospel artists make the Harvest Festival’s Southern Gospel Jubilee the genre’s largest event in America. Grammy nominees The Isaacs and Ernie Haase and Signature Sound already are set to perform. Dollywood guests also can enjoy the spectacular artistry of visiting crafters from across the country, or sample the special harvest-themed food items from Dollywood’s award-winning foods team. Each day is a picture-perfect opportunity for families to enjoy the experiences of a Smoky Mountain harvest!
Named the Best Christmas Event at any theme park worldwide for more than a decade, Dollywood’s Smoky Mountain Christmas presented by Humana (Nov. 9- Jan. 4, 2020) provides the perfect holiday atmosphere to put families in to the Christmas spirit. Wander through the park’s more than five million holiday lights, enjoy the festive holiday performances and warm Christmas atmosphere, or taste the holiday-themed food, and it is easy to understand why it has become a family tradition for so many. From the cheer and joy of Dollywood’s Parade of Many Colors to traditional holiday shows like It’s a Wonderful Life and Christmas in the Smokies, Dollywood’s Smoky Mountain Christmas helps families create memories to share for a lifetime. Glacier Ridge returns to transport guests to the arctic with the Northern Lights, the Arctic Passage and a 50-ft. tall animated tree. Most of Dollywood’s signature rides and attractions operate in this merry environment. From the award-winning shows and elaborate holiday decorations to the twinkling lights and Christmas-themed menus, Dollywood captures the essence of Christmas.
For more information about multi-day ticket options or 2019 Dollywood season passes, visit Dollywood.com or call 1-800-Dollywood.
