Rumor is that the parade is gone this year.
Show lineup is TBD, however it is confirmed that Four Drummers Drumming and Tinker's Toy Factory are returning. I'd expect the Peanuts show to return too.
Kings Dominion WinterFest 2023
- Thread starter mtorange
- Start date
Show lineup is TBD, however it is confirmed that Four Drummers Drumming and Tinker's Toy Factory are returning. I'd expect the Peanuts show to return too.
I’ve also heard the same rumors. The parade’s demise doesn’t surprise me because it was not well attended, except for on weekends. I’m quite surprised by the backlash I’m seeing because of that alone. They had to cancel the parade for so many nights last year because of low attendance around the time of the parade. It’s just too cold to wait until 9pm to do a parade.
Facebook comments are revealing that Holly Jolly Trolley may have been cut, and that Sounds of the Nativity is returning. Peanuts Guide to Christmas is also confirmed to return.
I don’t anticipate the event lineup to change much outside of those two being cut. But we’ll have to wait and see. But yeah, budget cuts strike again.
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I think the issue isn't so much that the parade got cut but that it got cut and nothing additional has been added. I have been a big fan of Winterfest since it's first year but it's already starting to feel a little stell and hollow to me. The parade was really the only significant add since it started and now after just one year that is gone. With the merger I only expect it to get worse in the coming years.
I'm not willing to be that negative about an event that may not be fully announced and certainly hasn't opened yet.
All of these rumors seem to have stemmed from a blog post that only talked about uncharge add ons. I'd wait a bit before jumping to too many conclusions!
Very fair, but I will add that some of these rumors have been circulating since before this article came out yesterday.
Full entertainment lineup was announced today. Only three shows this year(Tinkers, Nativity, and Peanuts Guide to Christmas), and five music groups(Four Drummers, Jingle Jazz, Cool Yule Christmas, The Mistletones, and The Kris Kringles). The parade is indeed cut from the lineup.
Here is the full WinterFest lineup and changes for 2023!
**I'm not sure why the website is separating shows vs music groups because they're all shows. Cool Yule Christmas, for example, definitely has more show elements than Sounds of the Nativity, and only Nativity is considered a show. Very odd. I'm not using those labels.
Shows
Activities and Experiences
Other notable updates
**I'm not sure why the website is separating shows vs music groups because they're all shows. Cool Yule Christmas, for example, definitely has more show elements than Sounds of the Nativity, and only Nativity is considered a show. Very odd. I'm not using those labels.
Shows
- Tree Lighting Ceremony - Grande Bandstand
- Four Drummers Drumming - International Street (presumably near Beserker)
- Jingle Jazz - Grove Stage
- Cool Yule Christmas - Grande Bandstand
- The Mistletones - Old Virginia Christmas Gazebo
- The Kris Kringles - Roaming around International Street
- Tinkers Toy Factory - Kings Dominion Theater
- Sounds of the Nativity - Toy Soldier Alley
- A PEANUTS Guide to Christmas - PEANUTS Playhouse
Activities and Experiences
- Snow Flake Lake
- Charlie Brown's Christmas Tree Lot
- Sally's Christmas Crafts - This has been moved to Joe Cool's Driving School from Snoopy's Boutique.
- North Pole Post Office
- Jack Frost's Igloo Village
- Carriage Rides
- St. Nick's Pics
- Mrs. Claus' Kitchen
- Midway Merriment - While not mentioned on the website, I am confident that this is returning based on various social media posts.
Other notable updates
- It doesn't look like Firehouse BBQ is getting a WinterFest rename.
- I don't see any mention of the Coca Cola Polar Plaza in Tinsel Town, but I highly doubt this will be taken out.
- I also don't see any mention of Snowman Alley, but I also don't believe this will change (this is the Dominator Plaza, for those keeping track).
- I'm shocked at the lack of any mentioning of Midway Merriment on the website, as this is popular with crowds and is a very unique part of WinterFest in general.
- New Year's Eve at WinterFest is returning this year, and will also function as the last night of WinterFest.
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While I’m not 100% sure, I believe it’s a mix between the budget cuts that have been looming and low attendance (which is why I’m confused by the backlash of there not being a parade this year…).
I would guess a combination of low interest and budget cuts. Every night that I stayed for the parade the whole bottom part of the route only had a small number of people watching. Crowds did pick up near the tower and main stage but most of the route was only sparsely crowded.
I'm not the least but upset by the loss of the parade. I'm far more worried about the other entertainment cuts.
The parade sucked up tons of resources (cast, crew, logistics, etc) and it was a one-time thing. If you left early, were busy—especially indoors somewhere, or just in the wrong place at the wrong time, you could miss it. Plus, I just generally think that the chaos it could cause on paths paired with not wanting to wait around for something to show up outside during a winter event just made it a middling offering at best.
I'd much rather see those staff, dollars, and effort go towards more path entertainment and/or atmospheric characters. I think offerings like that—things anyone can come across at any point in the night—probably result in more of the "special moments" an event like WinterFest should be attempting to create. That said, I worry that the cutting of other entertainment without replacement in addition to the parade is an unsettling sign...
The parade sucked up tons of resources (cast, crew, logistics, etc) and it was a one-time thing. If you left early, were busy—especially indoors somewhere, or just in the wrong place at the wrong time, you could miss it. Plus, I just generally think that the chaos it could cause on paths paired with not wanting to wait around for something to show up outside during a winter event just made it a middling offering at best.
I'd much rather see those staff, dollars, and effort go towards more path entertainment and/or atmospheric characters. I think offerings like that—things anyone can come across at any point in the night—probably result in more of the "special moments" an event like WinterFest should be attempting to create. That said, I worry that the cutting of other entertainment without replacement in addition to the parade is an unsettling sign...
Not really an easy fix to that given that the parade used both show performers and tied up the paths there really is no practical way to do it earlier.
Cutting out the parade is just a prime example of how Cedar Fair is operating these days. Cutting the guest experience with no replacement just to save a buck in the short run. In the long run, it chases off more attendance. This is the reason their attendance is declining. .
I will say the good thing about not having a parade is that the show schedule can be spread out more during the night. Previously all the shows that regurgitated the same performers in the parade had to end before parade time. Now it will be more possible to see all of the shows in one night. It also jams up the midway for those that want to walk around and look at the lights.
The parade was not a part of the original Winterfests in 2017 a Kings, Island, or Carowinds. I don’t think it’s a necessary part of the event. But anytime they reel back something without replacing it, it further degenerates the event and leads to a loss of attendance normally.
While Winterfest has superior lights than Christmastown, they really aren’t doing anything else to compete with Christmastown. It’s the same low quality shows at Winterfest and less shows. (this is not criticizing the performers, it’s criticizing the high school level production). No train. No aerial view of the lights. It doesn’t seem that this park ever tries to actually compete with Busch Gardens anymore.
I will say the good thing about not having a parade is that the show schedule can be spread out more during the night. Previously all the shows that regurgitated the same performers in the parade had to end before parade time. Now it will be more possible to see all of the shows in one night. It also jams up the midway for those that want to walk around and look at the lights.
The parade was not a part of the original Winterfests in 2017 a Kings, Island, or Carowinds. I don’t think it’s a necessary part of the event. But anytime they reel back something without replacing it, it further degenerates the event and leads to a loss of attendance normally.
While Winterfest has superior lights than Christmastown, they really aren’t doing anything else to compete with Christmastown. It’s the same low quality shows at Winterfest and less shows. (this is not criticizing the performers, it’s criticizing the high school level production). No train. No aerial view of the lights. It doesn’t seem that this park ever tries to actually compete with Busch Gardens anymore.
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I don't see them mentioned expressly on the website and I don't think there's a map out yet, but I'd be absolutely shocked if they didn't return. Seems like a safe bet that they'll be back.
The park just published an article with a lot more information about the event.
1. Midway Merriment is back! Characters like Jack Frost, the Sugar Plum Fairy, and the Belsnickels are listed.
2. The petting zoo is back! It’s mentioned under Sounds of the Nativity.
1. Midway Merriment is back! Characters like Jack Frost, the Sugar Plum Fairy, and the Belsnickels are listed.
2. The petting zoo is back! It’s mentioned under Sounds of the Nativity.