Cedar Fair Details Plans for 2022 Season at Several Parks

© Cedar Fair

On the heels of Kings Dominion's exciting announcement of a new themed area and roller coaster for next year, Cedar Fair put out a press release that details some other changes they have planned for the 2022 season.  The full released can be found at this link, we will take a look at some of the plans in more detail in this post.

 

“We’re in the business of making people happy, and we are actively investing in our parks to help us deliver the type of fun, immersive experiences that our guests crave and our associates love to provide,” said Cedar Fair President and CEO Richard A. Zimmerman. “Based on positive recent trends and our renewed confidence in the recovery of the business, we now plan to invest between $175-$200 million for the 2022 season to improve the guest experience at our parks.”  

 

© Kings Island

Kings Island will be celebrating the park's 50th anniversary in 2022.  It sounds like it will be a big celebration, perhaps on the scale of Cedar Point's 150th, but we'll have to wait a while longer for more details.  For now the company says that the celebration will feature "limited time events, enhanced food offerings and all-new live entertainment – each telling the stories of Kings Island’s first 50 years and sure to delight all ages and create lasting memories."  In order to get ready, the park is closing the Eiffel Tower after this weekend to start a total repaint of the 314 foot tall structure.  It'll be like new in '22!

 

© Knott's Berry Farm

Knott's Berry Farm will be coming off the park's 100th anniversary celebration and will spend 2022 filling the year with a series or "seasons" of events, giving visitors a ready to visit many times per year.  They will start with the Peanut’s Celebration, move into an extended Boysenberry Festival that takes place in the spring, followed by Ghost Town Alive! for the summer months, and the year will close out with both Halloween and Holiday events.  Also of note on the capital front, the company will perform a major renovation of the Knott's Berry Farm Hotel, which features more than 300 rooms.

 

© Canada's Wonderland

Canada's Wonderland will follow a similar format of featuring different seasons of fun throughout 2022, one of which will include an all-new International Food Festival with "a diverse menu of culinary tastes, treats and drinks from around the world."  There will also be a series of special fireworks displays over long weekends, Celebration Canada, KidZfest and both Halloween and Holiday events.  The park will also add a massive new "multi-level, rustic lodge-restaurant that will be the park’s largest dining facility to-date.  Inspired by the striking beauty of the Canadian wilderness, it will feature a sprawling patio overlooking Yukon Striker and the Frontier Canada vista, room for 500+ seating, and indoor and outdoor fireplaces."

 

© Cedar Point

Cedar Point will be bring back the Celebrate Parade next year, so if you didn't get a chance to check it out this year it sounds like you're set for the future.  The Springtime Frontier Festival will also return, along with Cedar Point Nights and Halloweekends.  As detailed in the earning call, both Castaway Bay and Sawmill Creek will see the completion of massive renovations.  Inside the park there will be a new "chef-inspired signature restaurant" located in Frontier Town, but no details yet on if it's a renovation of an existing space or an addition.

Cedar Fair also notes that they will continue to invest "millions" into both Schlitterbahn parks, with next year focusing on infrastructure and aesthetics throughout the parks.  Grand Carnivale will return again to six parks, including Dorney Park, Worlds of Fun, Valleyfair and Carowinds.  Next fall six parks will feature Tricks & Treats events with two others hosting other not-described-by-name family Halloween events.  Winterfest will return to 5 parks, Carowinds, Kings Island, Kings Dominion, Canada's Wonderland and California's Great America - but not Worlds of Fun it seems. (it also doesn't seem to be happening this year either at Worlds of Fun).

For those wondering, this release does not mean that it includes all changes, as there will probably be many smaller ones that will be announced later by individual parks.  It does strike me as a listing of the biggest things planned for next year, though.