SANDUSKY, Ohio--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Cedar Fair Entertainment Company (NYSE: FUN), a leader in regional amusement parks, water parks and immersive entertainment, today announced exciting plans for the 2024 operating season across multiple parks in the U.S. and Canada. These include the debut of Top Thrill 2, the world’s tallest and fastest triple-launch strata roller coaster at Cedar Point in Ohio, and Iron Menace, the Northeast's first-ever dive roller coaster, at Dorney Park in Pennsylvania. Kings Island will introduce its fifth kids’ coaster, Snoopy’s Soapbox Racers, as part of the new Camp Snoopy, an expansion of the park’s award-winning kids’ area. Two other parks will be making big splashes too, as Canada’s Wonderland introduces Moosehorn Falls, a giant water slide with a zero-gravity wall summit, and Schlitterbahn in New Braunfels, Texas, adds Bow Wow Blaster, the world’s first water coaster for kids. On top of that, there will be plenty of tasty new food and beverage options, and park event calendars throughout 2024 will be packed with seasonal festivals and special celebrations to delight everyone in the family.
“The investments we have made in our parks over the past several years have improved the guest experience and contributed to record guest satisfaction ratings, and we intend to build on that success in 2024,” said Cedar Fair President and CEO Richard A. Zimmerman. “Our capital plans for the year ahead are aimed at delivering one-of-a-kind experiences and entertainment that are unmatched in the industry, with something for everyone to enjoy.”
Among the highlighted plans and developments for the 2024 operating season:
- The multi-million-dollar transformation of the Knott’s Hotel will ring in the new year, with its first full year of operation as the quintessential extension of the charm, craftmanship and hospitality of the park’s founders, Walter and Cordelia Knott. The complete renovation of the 322-room resort property will provide a one-of-a-kind overnight experience for both Orange County business and leisure travelers alike.
- Cedar Point will once again redefine roller coaster innovation in 2024 with the debut of Top Thrill 2, the world’s tallest and fastest triple-launch strata roller coaster. The strata coaster, known as any roller coaster eclipsing a height of 400 feet, was first pioneered by Cedar Point in 2003. The park will build on that legacy with not one but two 420-foot-tall track towers, putting riders in the driver’s seat for one of the greatest races of all time. From the start, using an all-new linear synchronous motor (LSM) launch system, riders will peel out down the straightaway reaching speeds of 74 mph, racing toward the sky on Top Thrill 2’s original 420-foot-tall “top hat” tower. After experiencing a moment of weightlessness during the “rollback” – the coveted fan-favorite moment when the train’s momentum isn’t great enough to make it up and over the tower – the train shifts into reverse and into its second launch, reaching speeds of 101 mph. Riders will then see Cedar Point unlike ever before as they speed into a backward climb at a 90-degree angle on a new, 420-foot-tall track tower. After a second moment of weightlessness, the train shifts into drive and races forward into its third launch, clocking in at the ride’s top speed of 120 mph. Crossing over the top hat tower, the train decelerates momentarily before diving into a 270-degree spiral and crossing the finish line.
- Canada’s Wonderland is inviting guests to climb aboard a new raft adventure in its 20-acre water park next year with the addition of Moosehorn Falls, a giant water slide with a zero-gravity wall summit. This new Splash Works expedition will take up to six guests down a rushing river cascade of twists, turns and drops before being propelled to the summit of a zero-gravity, 13-metre wall. As rafters crest the vertical apex in a moment of weightlessness, the current will reverse and send them downstream to a crystal-clear pool where their journey ends with a breathtaking splash.
- Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom is diving into the 2024 season with the debut of Iron Menace, the Northeast's first-ever dive roller coaster, opening in 2024. It will be one of the largest capital investments in park history. Riders of Iron Menace will start their exhilarating journey in the remains of an old steel mill and then climb 160 feet where they’ll hang over the beyond-vertical first drop before diving into the first of four mind-bending inversions. With nearly 2,200 feet of steel track, this awe-inspiring roller coaster will feature a unique “hold and dive” element, where riders will find themselves hanging on the edge of their seats, breathlessly awaiting the heart-pounding 95-degree, 152-foot drop.
- Kings Island will expand its award-winning kids’ area with the addition of a new adventure play space, Camp Snoopy, featuring the park's newest roller coaster, Snoopy’s Soapbox Racers. It will be the amusement park's first family boomerang coaster, which races riders both forward and backward on the same track. With the addition of Snoopy's Soapbox Racers, Kings Island will become the Kids Coaster Capital of the World, offering five different coaster experiences for future thrill seekers. Also debuting in 2024 will be Beagle Scout Acres, a shaded, nature-themed play area where kids and their families will be able to explore and play on their own among turfed mounds and grassy areas filled with camping equipment.
- Schlitterbahn Waterpark and Resort in New Braunfels, Texas, will continue its tradition of premiering first-of-its-kind attractions by adding Bow Wow Blaster, the world’s first water coaster for kids. The new water coaster will be part of Schatze’s Storybrook Park, an all-new kids' area which will include water slides, 70+ interactive water features, spray toys, splash pads and a 1,200-gallon tipping water bucket.
In addition to new rides and attractions, Cedar Fair will continue to invest in upgrading and expanding food and beverage facilities across its portfolio in 2024. There will be an array of new signature menu and beverage items to tickle the taste buds and provide experiences that guests can’t find anywhere else. As in recent years, these capital investments will be focused on improving the capabilities, technologies and efficiencies of the parks’ food preparation and delivery systems.
Also on tap for 2024 is a lineup chock full of popular seasonal events. The always-popular Grand Carnivale celebration will return to a number of parks next summer. Carnivale at Orleans Place will be back for another run at California’s Great America, while the Frontier Festival will return to Cedar Point. In the fall, most of our parks will offer Halloween-themed special events such as Tricks and Treats or Halloween Haunt that are sure to appeal to those looking for some frightful family fun or a good scare. And as temperatures drop, WinterFest will return to Carowinds, California’s Great America, Kings Dominion, Canada’s Wonderland and Kings Island. This one-of-a-kind holiday spectacular is filled with millions of lights, enchanting themed areas, live holiday entertainment, sweet and savory treats, and a variety of additional activities for the entire family.
“Making people happy is what our parks do best, and with 2024 season passes now on sale, we’re more excited than ever about the year ahead,” said Zimmerman. “Whether you’re a rabid fan of sky-high coasters and water slides, a food lover on the prowl for something unique, or a lifelong devotee of great festivals and live entertainment, you’ll find something to enjoy at our parks in 2024.”
For more information about 2024 season passes, please visit www.cedarfair.com and click on your favorite park property.
About Cedar Fair
Cedar Fair Entertainment Company (NYSE: FUN), one of the largest regional amusement-resort operators in the world, is a publicly traded partnership headquartered in Sandusky, Ohio. Focused on its mission to make people happy by providing fun, immersive, and memorable experiences, the Company owns and operates 13 properties, consisting of 11 amusement parks, four separately gated outdoor water parks, and resort accommodations totaling more than 2,300 rooms and more than 600 luxury RV sites. Cedar Fair’s parks are located in Ohio, California, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Missouri, Michigan, Texas and Toronto, Ontario.
Forward-Looking Statements
Some of the statements contained in this news release that are not historical in nature constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, including statements as to the Company's expectations, beliefs, goals, and strategies regarding the future. These forward-looking statements may involve risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict, may be beyond our control and could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in such statements. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct or that the Company's growth strategies will achieve the target results. Important factors, including general economic conditions, the impacts of public health concerns, adverse weather conditions, competition for consumer leisure time and spending, unanticipated construction delays, changes in the Company’s capital investment plans and projects and other factors discussed from time to time by the Company in its reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) could affect attendance at the Company’s parks and the Company's growth strategies, and cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations or otherwise to fluctuate or decrease. Additional information on risk factors that may affect the business and financial results of the Company can be found in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K and in the filings of the Company made from time to time with the SEC. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether a result of new information, future events, information, circumstances or otherwise that arise after the publication of this document.
This news release and prior releases are available under the News tab at http://ir.cedarfair.com
