Kiddie Kingdom

What does everyone see for the future of Kiddie Kingdom? It is terribly dated and feels like a concrete jungle in there. I can see a revamp probably coming in 2019 as we will have the Mean Streak revamp in 2018 appealing to the thrill seekers.

It certainly takes up a large number of space on a prime spot of the property with heavy traffic flow.

The kids who enjoy Kiddie Kingdom don't see it as dated. They see it as fun.

Parents probably see it as dated, and they're the ones spending money. That area is in dire need of some TLC.

But what would the park do with it? I would hope not another Peanuts makeover because with the two they already have there really isn't a need for more. Plus those kiddie rides really are at this point the children's version of "classic". So if a makeover is coming, which I agree it needs, hopefully it will retain the current rides and not bring in Snoopy.

Have you been to KI's Planet Snoopy? That area is all the argument needed for an expansion on CP's Planet Snoopy.

They could easily incorporate a few of the little spinning rides into an expanded Planet Snoopy.

I'd like to see a kids coaster like the one in KI up front in the Kiddie Kingdom area.

They have a suspended coaster that is great fun for kids and adults (Flying Ace).

Also, the Linus Launcher flat that KI has would be great in KK.

Ideally they could keep a couple of the classic KK rides, the whip, helicopters and a couple of the circular car rides, but also squeeze in a classic flat for families like the new country fair rides in Carowinds.

With the changes being made to other areas of the park as far as aesthetics are concerned (Valravn midway, GK/park entrance, Gemini midway), and especially with the park offices being located within KK, I think the park is well aware that this is an area that should be changing soon.

In an ideal scenario, any duplicate rides should be taken out and replaced. Things like 4x4s vs Peanuts Road Rally. Why are there two similar rides like this within a 5 minute walk of each other?

I'd keep a couple of the circular rides as well as the KK Carrousel. But a kiddie coaster that parents and kids can fit on and some other exciting kids flats would really liven the area up.

If they want to keep calling it Kiddy Kingdom, great! It's nostalgic and that's what they've been going for lately. But I would update the signage, especially the entrance sign with the giant bulbs. Seeing that and then looking over at the LEDs on Raptor, Giant Wheel, and Valravn just makes it seem so out of place.

Kids are smarter than you think. Especially a 4 or 5 year old who knows that they just rode the same rides over and over again, even if they're not even in the same area.

Kids have their own interests. Kids like things for how they look. One kid might want to ride the helicopter ride while another wants the sports cars. Same rides in the eyes of jaded adults but for kids that's a special thing. I say update the area to a point, but keep most of the classic look and feel.

Bluestreaker said:

The kids who enjoy Kiddie Kingdom don't see it as dated. They see it as fun.

According to who? I think if a kid looks at Planet Snoopy or the other Snoopy area over by Gemini, I think they will pick one of those two over Kiddie Kingdom.

Depends on the kids involved. Some kids will be drawn to familiar characters, some will be drawn to rides that look like fun.

bgiese said:

I'd like to see a kids coaster like the one in KI up front in the Kiddie Kingdom area.

They have a suspended coaster that is great fun for kids and adults (Flying Ace).

Other than being suspended, Flying Ace is identical to Woodstock Express.

I think the biggest issue with Kiddie Kingdom is how isolated it feels. Those rides would be great if they weren't in the shadow of the gigantic Colosseum building.

They seem to be updating pieces of the park every year. I would't be surprised if it happened in the next few years. I think they would probably do more to make it look nicer and easier to walk as opposed to adding a lot of rides like they did to the Gemini Midway.

Do any of you actually have kids?

Sure the little people enjoy Planet Snoopy, but they also thoroughly enjoy Kiddie Kingdom as is. They could not care less if a ride is replicated; all they know is that it's something they can ride and something that is cool and fun. They will ride it 3 times, 5 times, 9 times in a row if you let them. Replicated you say? Wonderful! Now I can ride a ride I love over here, over there, I can ride it anywhere! Would a Maverick lover complain if there were two Mavericks at different locations in the park?

They don't care if each ride goes in a circle and is essentially the same, they just like going on a ride that goes in a circle, whether it's a motorcycle, a car, or a spaceship. They don't care if there is a consistent, refreshing aesthetically pleasing theme (Snoopy), or if it's a colorful hodge-podge of rides (Kiddie Kingdom).

They don't care if the ride is from 1934, 1974, or 2004...nor do they even really seem to care if all the bells and whistles actually work. What they seem to deeply care about is having fun in a mechanical playground while mommy and daddy smile and wave back at them while they go in that circle, again and again.

Now all that said, yes, please do something with Kiddie Kingdom. As an adult, I can tell you, it looks pathetic. But don't pretend you're doing a favor for the kids; they already love it. Do it because you have some pride in how that hugely popular and busy area looks and feels. I feel like DJ (Brandon) and I had a conversation about this very topic not so long ago on here.

On the contrary, I was told about how I hated cedar point as a 2-3 year old kid because I kept saying "it's the same" whenever my parents would try to get me on a ride.

Social science is filled with outliers. 😉

Enthusiast babies are different from gp babies. Remember, enthusiast babies represent a very small percentage of baby visitors.

In conclusion, some kids will ride anything that moves over and over again just because it's a ride. Some kids are like Go Intamin and hated the rides because "it's the same" circular ride. Every kid is different. Just like every teen / adult is different. Some love Maxair, some don't. Some love roller coasters with inversions, some don't.

But I do agree that Kiddie Kingdom does need a makeover. It does need a theme of some sort, but not Snoopy, just because Cedar Point already has both Camp Snoopy and Planet Snoopy.

All I was told was that I would climb on any ride then when the ride stopped I'd cry and cry til my dad came up with another quarter for the operator. The tears would stop instantly then immediately turn into smiles when the ride started back up.
I'm still like that.

There's been a Kiddieland of some kind near that spot for as long as I can remember, and as I mentioned in the not too distant thread on this very subject, the area has some great vintage rides that I rode as a child and that I hope will always remain. I'm not sure what might be changed, unless the loose castle theme went away for something else. (I've always liked the snack stand with the turrets). Maybe they can put a nostalgic twist on the area, or just modernize the look similar to what happened with the Gemini midway. Or get a giant giraffe.

I'm not unhappy with the way it is now, and I'm also pretty sure the kids don't give a crap. (Except those that actually do)

If I wasn't so engrossed in binge watching Golden Girls on Hulu, I'd double check, but didn't what was then called Kiddieland previously on the other side of the building?

What Kevinj said.

Back in the 60s there was a mini golf course right on the midway where Kiddie Kingdom is now. Heading south was Rotor and Kiddieland was behind it toward the beach.
North of the Coliseum were the Tilt a Whirl and Flying Coaster flats then Pagoda. The flats moved outta there for the building that housed Earthquake.