Carol Motsinger, and Mallorie Sullivan

Cincinnati





Winterfest is coming ... back.

Kings Island officials at a Thursday news conference announced the return of the holiday-themed festival, among other new additions to the 2017 season.

"The No. 1 question I'm asked as general manager of the park is, 'When are you going to bring Winterfest back?' " said Greg Scheid, vice president and general manager of Kings Island in Mason.

Winterfest includes ice-skating on the fountain, Christmas lighting scenes, a craft fair and live entertainment, including carolers. The park's iconic Eiffel Tower will also be transformed into a 315-foot-tall Christmas tree.

"Winterfest is all about family memories, family fun," Scheid said.

International Street, below that Eiffel Tower Christmas tree, will become a winter village for about two months. So, of course, Santa will be there.

"I think what you are going to see is that technology is taking us to a new level," from the shows to the lighting, Scheid said.

The festival will be included free for 2017 Gold and Platinum season-pass holders, officials said. That offering ended in 1992.

Operating times, hours and ticket prices will be announced at a later time, though officials did hint at opening the day after Thanksgiving and operating through the end of December of next year.

Winterfest debuted at Kings Island in 1982. The festival went on a 12-year hiatus after "attendance was very light back in 2005," when it was last held, Scheid said. "But, we did not include the season-pass holders back then."

Planning for the 2017 Winterfest began about six months ago. Scheid noted it's a project that requires about two years of work.

Kings Island not the only park operated by Sandusky, Ohio-based Cedar Fair that will offer Winterfest next year.

When the company announced its second-quarter results on Aug. 3, Cedar Fair executives said it was adding the event at Great America in California's Bay Area. "In fact, we are extremely excited about the potential WinterFest represents for extending the operating season and expanding the entertainment offerings to guests at a number of our parks over the next several years," said Matt Ouimet, Cedar Fair's president and chief executive officer, in a news release on the earnings.

The company's Carowinds park outside Charlotte, North Carolina and World of Fun park outside Kansas City, Missouri also announced Thursday they were adding Winterfest.

Cedar Fair is a publicly traded partnership that is listed for trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol FUN. In addition to Kings Island, Cedar Fair owns and operates 10 other amusement parks, three water parks, one indoor water park, and five hotels.

Officials also revealed other plans for the 2017 season at Kings Island, including a new Soak City amenity package and a new smokehouse restaurant.

The menu will include smoked pulled pork, smoked or grilled wings, chicken tenders and shrimp. It's the first time Kings Island's dining program will include smoked foods, Scheid said.

The waterpark also will be doubling the number of lounge chairs, enlarging deck areas, and adding more fans, shade structures and changing stalls, officials said.

Earlier this August, officials for the 364-acre amusement and waterpark in Mason revealed its upcoming 16th coaster, Mystic Timbers.

The wooden coaster, slated to open in April, will have more than 3,000 feet of track and will hit a top speed of 53 mph.

Kings Island reveals new roller coaster: Mystic Timbers

This coaster's length will give Kings Island a new accolade: It will have the longest collective footage of wooden tracks in the world at 18,804 feet. Mystic Timbers will be the park's fourth wooden coaster.

Daily operations for the 2016 season at the park will end Sunday.