Cedar Fair Kicks Off Its Most Exciting Year Yet With New Thrills, Youth Sports And Expanded Operating Seasons In 2017

SANDUSKY, Ohio, Sept. 27, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Cedar Fair (NYSE: FUN), a leader in regional amusement parks, water parks and active entertainment, is kicking off its most exciting year yet with an array of new rides and attractions for the 2017 operating season – including Mystic Timbers, a world-class wooden roller coaster at Kings Island, and Cedar Point Shores Water Park, an expanded and newly themed 18-acre water destination at Cedar Point.  These are just a couple of the many new investments from Cedar Fair, including thrill rides, hotels, season-expanding special events, a new amateur youth sports facility and more.

"2017 is mapping out to be another outstanding year for us, as we will be investing in all aspects of our business to enhance the guest experience and build upon the unique brands of our parks," said Matt Ouimet, Cedar Fair's president and chief executive officer. "We are committed to creating an immersive experience that gives our guests the opportunity to have FUN in every way possible – and that's what makes our parks different. Whether it's a new ride, attraction or technology, our investments for 2017 will remind families and thrill seekers alike that our amusement parks are THE place to be for FUN." 

The following are the major attractions that Cedar Fair's parks will introduce next year:

• The Company's ongoing investment into Kings Island, one of the largest amusement and water parks in the Midwest, has paved the way for the construction of Mystic Timbers, the park's fourth wooden roller coaster. Coming in at 3,265 feet in length and soaring over steep cliffs, ravines and water at 53 mph, this new coaster is set to debut in spring 2017.
  
• Cedar Point Shores Water Park will be a complete transformation of the existing Soak City Water Park, featuring four new water attractions - Point Plummet aqua drop, Starboard Surge & Portside Plunge tube slides, Lakeslide Landing and Lemmy's Lagoon. In addition, guests will enjoy a new restaurant, Crystal Rock Café, merchandise store and other upgraded food locations, plus all-new amenities in the one-of-a-kind setting of beautiful Lake Erie and Cedar Point's mile-long beach.
  
• The Company continues its investment in Knott's Berry Farm, their legendary theme park in Southern California, with an expansion and renovation of Knott's Soak City Water Park. As the largest water park in Orange County, Soak City will debut two new water slide towers – Shore Break and The Wedge – with each offering exhilarating experiences for both families and thrill seekers. The renovated water park will also feature upgraded food and merchandise locations, plus additional amenities, such as more cabanas and shade areas, for guests to enjoy. This aquatic playground will open just in time for summer in May 2017.
  
• Coming to Canada's Wonderland in 2017 are two unique and adrenaline pumping attractions. Muskoka Plunge, a 60-foot-tall water slide complex featuring four heart-pounding drop slides, is being added to the park's exciting collection of water attractions. For thrill seekers who prefer to stay dry, Soaring Timbers, the first ride of its kind in North America, will send guests spiraling through the sky while rotating 360 degrees.
  
• The Company's world-class amusement park in Charlotte, North Carolina, Carowinds, will be adding four new vintage thrills for the entire family to enjoy. Do-Si-Do, Electro-Spin, Rock N'Roller and Zephyr are all slated to open in spring 2017.
  
• Cedar Point, the Company's flagship park in Sandusky, Ohio, will also be adding several enhancements to its overnight accommodations in 2017, including a complete transformation of Breakers Express into Cedar Point's Express Hotel with 69 new rooms to the popular overnight haven. Construction on the hotel is already in progress and will last throughout the winter.
  
  • The Hotel Breakers, Cedar Point's signature hotel, is also growing. Fresh off a complete renovation in 2015, an additional six-story tower will be added to the classic beachfront property. This new tower will feature 158 additional rooms, bringing the Hotel Breakers total to 669 rooms and making it one of the largest hotels on the Great Lakes. The new tower will be under construction throughout the 2017 season and is slated to open in spring 2018.
    
  • Also making its debut at Cedar Point in 2017, is the Cedar Point Sports Center, a state-of-the-art youth sporting complex with multi-purpose fields for various events and tournaments, including baseball, softball, soccer and lacrosse.
    
• Defying the laws of gravity, California's Great America will introduce Patriot, the first floorless coaster in the park's 41-year history. When this new coaster experience debuts in 2017, riders will be taken up 91 feet before plummeting into a 360-degree loop at 45 mph.
  
• In 2017, Carowinds, Worlds of Fun and Kings Island will join sister park, California's Great America, in extending their seasons with a celebration of the new WinterFest holiday festival. Each park will be transformed into a spectacular winter wonderland set to include classic characters like Jack Frost and Charlie Brown, Christmas crafts and activities, holiday décor, live shows and more. Plus, select rides will be open to the delight of their thrill fans.
  
• New rides and attractions at Dorney Park, Kings Dominion, Michigan's Adventure and Valleyfair round out the highlights of the 2017 Cedar Fair capital program. These investments span FUN for the whole family: Kings Dominion will celebrate the 2017 season with an expansion of its Planet Snoopy children's area; Dorney Park will debut new live entertainment, Cirque Imagine, as well as two new rides, Kaleidoscope and Dodgem; Michigan's Adventure will introduce new water park attractions, Half Pint Paradise and Splash Pad; and Valleyfair will usher in a new Starflyer ride, North Star, named to celebrate the great outdoors as well as the region's affinity for being "up north."

Additional investments across Cedar Fair's collection of parks will feature new catering facilities, live entertainment, and multi-week special events.

"These exciting attractions are just some examples of the many ways we are investing in our parks to enhance the overall guest experience and make 2017 another record year for Cedar Fair," concluded Ouimet.

About Cedar Fair

Cedar Fair Entertainment Company (NYSE: "FUN") is a publicly traded partnership headquartered in Sandusky, Ohio.  The Company, which owns and operates 11 amusement parks, two outdoor water parks, one indoor water park and five hotels, is one of the largest regional amusement park operators in the world.  Its parks are located in Ohio, California, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Missouri, Michigan, and Toronto, Ontario.  Cedar Fair also operates the Gilroy Gardens Family Theme Park in California under a management contract. 

This news release and prior releases are available online at www.cedarfair.com.

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SOURCE Cedar Fair

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