Winter Park closed for season, but sets new attendance record

KEWAUNEE – Winter Park may have ended its 2017-18 season on Feb. 24, but not before setting a new attendance record for the season.

After opening Dec. 23, the hill drew 11,073 visitors for snow tubing, skiing and snowboarding during the nine weeks that it was open to the public, according to the Kewaunee County Promotion & Recreation Department. Of those, 10,004 people spent time snow tubing and 1,069 went skiing and snowboarding.

The previous best happened in 2013-14 with 10,953 guests: 9,981 for snow tubing, 977 for skiing and snowboarding.

County Promotion & Recreation Director Dave Myers said the installation and operation of the Magic Carpet, the new stand-up lift ride for the tubing hill, played a key role in the increased attendance.

“This was our first season with the Magic Carpet in operation ... and it was a big draw as well as a huge success,” Myers said. “We were able to get tubers up the hill at a much more efficient pace and I’m excited to see the attendance that next season brings, once more people know what we have to offer for winter recreation in Kewaunee County.”

The park hosted visitors from more than 20 states, including Wisconsin.

“It’s really neat when you talk with people and find out that they’re not only driving over to Kewaunee County from another part of the state because they’ve heard great things about Winter Park, but they’re also coming from across the U.S. when visiting the area, said Jennifer Schneider, Kewaunee County Tourism Coordinator and Public Information Officer. “This season we even had one family bring a friend from Australia.”

Myers said with the help of the Winter Park Association volunteer support group, the county hopes to repurpose the tow rope system on the beginners' ski hill, which is the old tubing hill rope.

This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Winter Park closed for season, but sets new attendance record