Carowinds GM: Kinzel out, Fehnel in

Not sure if this is worthy of being official news, but Bart Kinzel is out at Carowinds and Mike Fehnel is in.

http://www.amusementtoday.com/2014/07/31/carowinds-announces-key-ch...tive-team/

Article says Kinzel resigned earlier this month (July). Anyone know more on if this is a force out or a career move? Fehnel was previously the GM at Dorney. The article doesn't state who is filling that spot.

This came up a few weeks ago on CarowindsConnection. It was hinted that the company is trying to put the right people at the park going forward with all of the expansion.

I'm thrilled that Bart is gone and Jerry Helms is still there.

I was wondering if this would ever hit any press. I doubt very much that Bart left by choice. I suspect as soon as his contract was up, he was out. His track record was not great, and the current executive team was not going to let anyone other than an A-player be in that spot when they're spending $50 million there.

I just hope (not counting the current construction going on that has seen the loss of many) that the new GM likes trees.

I'll never forget the former PR rep saying on a tour for intimidator that Bart doesn't like trees blocking the rides, and that off season lots of old growth had been removed from the park.

The problem with ^that^ is that it takes one person in charge to remove a bunch of trees, but takes 15-20 years or more before the place begins to look reasonably landscaped again. Think Worlds of Fun...you can find shade pretty much anywhere in the park.

Now I miss Will K. again....

If you are on the Cedar Fair ladder and get offered a position at Dorney Park you better take it. It seems to be a breeding ground for the future.

Having Bart in that position all these years was like having the coach's kid on your baseball team if he can't catch, throw or hit. It was demoralizing to just about everyone else in the company so kudos to the top brass for making the move that was long overdue.

I need to get to this park soon. I'm very curious about their future, especially their plans for a new giga coaster. Cedar Fair has been straying away from Intamin but would a B&M giga be all that different of a ride experience than Intimidator?

I don't know that anyone is complaining about the situation at Canada's Wonderland.

I got to met and talk with Fennel this past weekend at the loading area of Fury325, we talked about the new coaster bettering the "Mil Force at CP," that he has probably the best coaster in the world at Carowinds, we spoke about adding a single rider line, which he said he wanted to see about putting in place, as well as ride attendants asking for single and pairs when loading the trains...I liked it that he was for single rider lanes!!

JoshA said:

Cedar Fair has been straying away from Intamin but would a B&M giga be all that different of a ride experience than Intimidator?

Oh how precious. . . you haven't experienced Leviathan yet, have you? It kicks the panties off any giga coaster I have ridden, and I rode it on a cold (48 degree) day.

Leviathan is the only member of the B&M giga duo that I've ridden, but it's definitely a whole 'nother beast from any of their hypers, although Silver Star was mighty close.

But yes, if Fury is in any way similar in feel, and all the reviews I've read indicate that it is a better version of the same idea, then it and Intimidator are two VERY different rides.

Jeff said:

I don't know that anyone is complaining about the situation at Canada's Wonderland.

After Leviathan was announced there were lots of complaints of it being Behemoth 2 or just a bigger Behemoth. That all went away after the ride actually opened. It's got a very different feel and intensity than a B&M hyper.

So was Bart the last of the Robert Munger inspired people in the company? Lord I hope so...........

I doubt Munger had an influence on Bart. That guy walked on his own trail...largely in circles.

But he did have an influence on his successor..........