Did cedarfair decide to keep the paramount name on the parks?

I cant wait to see what season pass they will have to offer next year.

RollerGator: LOl
You might be right on that!
:)

Lets hope not.

By the way, I sent an e-mail to pki asking them about the season pass possibilities(sp) for this year and this is there response.

Hi, Dave. Thanks for your email. Your CP season pass will not work at PKI this year. We are examining the season pass program at both parks currently and should know more by the end of the summer. Thanks so much.

Maureen Kaiser,

APRParamount's Kings IslandMarketing Communications *** Edited 7/16/2006 5:37:45 AM UTC by crazy horse***

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Swoosh said:
Why not extend the Knott's name in California -- it is exremely well known.

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That's actually a pretty cool idea. If the Paramount name does end up getting dropped, we all know "Kings Island" and "Kings Dominion" etc, will be fine the way they are, and while most guests probably just call the park "Great America" having a brand on the front there definately gives the name more of a ring to it, at the very least. And like you said, I think the brand is pretty well known, even nation wide up to a point.

Frankly I hope CF brings sweeping changes to the parks just for the entertainment value alone. I doubt it will really happen that way that quickly but how fun would it be to go to KI and start laundry listing all the things that are noticably different (hopefull for the better)?

*sigh*

Just wishful thinking probably. Can we at least get our old font back?

[url]http://www.themeparkbrochures.net/1979/images/pki1979_1.jpg

/\ If they do drop the Paramount prefix, isn't that a strong possibility? Going back to the "retro logo"? Valleyfair/Worlds of fun/ the company both have that "retro" look to them, I can't see why they wouldn't go back to that since it looks cool.

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matt. said:

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Swoosh said:
Why not extend the Knott's name in California -- it is exremely well known.

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That's actually a pretty cool idea. If the Paramount name does end up getting dropped, we all know "Kings Island" and "Kings Dominion" etc, will be fine the way they are, and while most guests probably just call the park "Great America" having a brand on the front there definately gives the name more of a ring to it, at the very least. And like you said, I think the brand is pretty well known, even nation wide up to a point.

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Bad idea, Knott's is definitely well known out here, attaching it to a subpar schizophrenically "themed" park that needs ALOT of work to even come anywhere near to the quality themed park experience of Knott's would only dilute the Knott's name.

After Marriott and prior to Paramount, the park was always known as just Great America, and most locals still call it just Great America. Has worked for all the other CF parks, returning PGA to simply Great America again makes the most sense for numerous reasons.

^You're assuming the subpar, schizophrenically "themed" park is going to stay that way. ;)

Also, I don't buy the dilution theory. Adding the name to PGA isn't going to harm the original park significantly considering the two parks don't share any sort of market. I'm not saying its likely, just an interesting, and my simple opinion, a pretty cool idea.

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rollergator said:
Keeping the Paramount name MIGHT prevent all you Ohioans from getting away with just one season pass...

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I doubt it, but I do think they will probably charge extra, just like the CP/GL upcharge. Thats why I got my pass in Michigan. I will probably end up doing the same next year.

^^ Respect your opinion, just looking at it this way. Anyone can slap a Mercedes emblem on a Kia but in the end, it's still a Kia. Calling it KGA would indicate a Knott's type park experience, which PGA is far from and would take years, possibly decades of multi-million dollar additions and improvements to even come anywhere near. I so wish CF would slap the Knott's name on PGA and theme the heck outta it like it was pre-Paramount, but we all know CF doesn't do heavy theming.

Knott's is definitely an institution out here, well know for it's detailed classic themed areas and authentic Ghost Town, great food, wonderful atmosphere, quality rides and down home charm, basically all the things PGA is not. Promising a Knott's park experience and delivering what is comparable to a half-arsed themed carnival-like park instead is where the dilution of product name comes into play. I know if I paid for and was promised a Mercedes and got a Kia instead I'd be pretty PO'd.

I see where you're coming from but I honestly think you could be over-thinking it a bit much. I don't think the GP is going to read "Knotts" and automatically thinking "theming." I actually don't think the average member of the GP even really differentiates themeparks from amusement parks really. Not saying folks don't appreaciate good theming but most people probably don't compare parks like that.

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matt. said:
I don't think the GP is going to read "Knotts" and automatically thinking "theming." I actually don't think the average member of the GP even really differentiates themeparks from amusement parks really. Not saying folks don't appreaciate good theming but most people probably don't compare parks like that.

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If it were anywhere else I'd agree. Just that it's well known on the West Coast that DL, along with the nearby almost equally famous KBF are indeed considered the epitome of what a well themed quality family park is.

Everyone out here knows SFMM is for charmless high octane thrill rides, DL/KBF are for a well themed quality family park experience, and the GP does absolutely know the difference. But I do agree I can overanalyze crap too much ;o)

Maybe the difference is just in "themed" and "poorly themed" instead of "not themed at all" lol.

Knotts is "almost equally [as] famous" as Disneyland? In what universe?

Maybe in Northern Orange County and only in Northern Orange County...

Heck, a lot of folks still call it "Marriotts". The place has gone through so many name changes, I'd leave it alone. As far as name recognition is concerned, I don't think Knott's is as well recognized in Northern California as it is in Southern California. Down here we've been barraged with commercials our whole life. Up there, it's all about GA and Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk (Where everybody has a good time).

Speaking from a NorCal perspective, SoCal/Orange County is so obviously a well known family vacation destination. Coming back from summer vacations when I was in school, it was all that was talked about. Trust me when I say the Knott name is very well know up here, heck even my 85yr old Grandma still craves their chicken dinners and reminisces about the stagecoach and train rides. Just think of Florida, obviously everyone in the state knows about Disney. But I challenge you to find anyone in FL that's never heard of Busch Gardens, same difference here in CA. with KBF.

And forget the fact that you can still buy delicious jams and jellies (labeled KBF along with the whole Knott story) that can be found at most supermarkets and many restaurants. You all outside of CA underestimate the recognition the Knotts name carries out here, KBF has been around and entertaining us West Coast folks since the 1940's, not just since they added GR which was when most of you all probably first heard of it.

it all started with a berry stand . . .

*** Edited 7/18/2006 9:47:14 PM UTC by jomo***

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CoastersNSich said:
It is possible, as a rumor, though, they may keep the Paramount names on the five parks in 2007. CF claims that it would cause confusion in the long term.

How would dropping a name that most parkgoers don't use cause confusion? Do random surveys, among parkgoers, and ask them what they refer to the park north of Cincinnati as. I'm sure most don't outright say the full "Paramount's Kings Island" or even "PKI."

I made my point in them keeping the Paramount name for 2006, but I think it would actually hurt to keep it long term. Also, as many have argued, the quality of the parks has actually declined under the Paramount name - theming, attention to detail, live entertainment, food, capacity of rides, etc.

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Speak for your own Paramount park.

Before Paramount, and Vortex which was already in the works, Carowinds went 10+ years without a new coaster or major thrill ride, besides the (dearly missed) Frenzoid. Infact, they removed the Schwarzkopf shuttle loop White Lightnin' during that time. Since then, they built Hurler (which was a rather good coaster early on, even if its falling to pieces now), Top Gun The Jet Coaster, Drop Zone, Ricochet, one decent kiddy coaster and water coaster, upgraded the waterpark twice, added a skycoaster, and relocated Stealth. There have been missteps, like some of the appearance changes, and the bane of my existance Runaway Reptar, but all in all I'd consider the Paramount days good to my home park. If Cedar Fair does as well as they have, I'd be surprised.

Which is an invitation to CF. Build a giga for CFCar's 35th anniversary! Thanks. *** Edited 7/18/2006 10:32:02 PM UTC by Vincent Greene***

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janfrederick said:
Heck, a lot of folks still call it "Marriotts".

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I was at SFNE Saturday and I heard what must have been an 8 year old refer to Scream as Hellevator. Pretty remarkable considering the name change must have been made before the kid could talk, right? Maybe even before he was born. Old habits die hard I guess.

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Speak for your own Paramount park.

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An interesting take on it. Most longtime fans of the other parks (myself included) have noticed a general decline at their parks, but maybe Carowinds got a little extra love from Paramount since, as you mentioned, it had been sort of the "neglected" park in the chain.

It'll be interesting, to say the least, to see how CF approaches these parks.

^ Carowinds got a little *extra love* when HQ moved to Charlotte...

Expectin' (hoping for?) the same kind of results at SFGAdv...

Ehhh...I'm half 'n half for what Paramount did at Carowinds.

We got many new rides and coasters under them, but in return most of the original theming was dropped as they attempted to turn into a "movie park".

It's much more fitting to call the park "Parawinds" now. The "Caro" (Carolina) was ripped right out of it. :)