July 28, 2025
The People Behind the Park: Meet the Team That Brings Kentucky Kingdom to Life
At Kentucky Kingdom, the magic of thrilling coasters, sparkling landscapes, and sweet summer treats doesn’t happen by chance. It’s made possible by a passionate team of creators, operators, and visionaries who pour their hearts into every corner of the park. We sat down with five hosts from across the park to get a glimpse into their daily lives, favorite memories, and the pride they take in making Kentucky Kingdom unforgettable.
Designing the Magic: Sarah Moriconi, Creative Director, Herschend Creative Studios
As the creative mind behind capital projects like Discovery Meadow, Sarah Moriconi plays a pivotal role in shaping the visual and experiential elements of the park. "I set the vision for the project by developing and defining all design aspects of the project, from the rides to the restaurants to the bench & light fixtures," she says. Sarah leads a collaborative team of designers, gathering ideas through sketches, storytelling, and shared concepts.
When it comes to balancing thrills and storytelling, her process is intentional. "Sometimes we choose a thrill level first and then back a story into the thrill level. We aim to have the storytelling match the thrill of the ride so those two principles go hand-in-hand. As we develop rides, we ensure the storytelling or thrill level isn’t too scary for the target age group for that specific ride."
One ride close to her heart? Scout’s Squirrel Race. "It’s just so cute! We knew we wanted this ride to take the shape of an animal, and who better to inspire a ride than our very own Scout?! He’s energetic and playful and we wanted to celebrate this in a way that would be appropriate for a squirrel – what better way than to have them chase each other!" Sarah hopes guests walk away from her creations feeling thrilled, inspired, and filled with lasting memories.
"It’s really rewarding to see guests taking pictures of their family members while on the rides, because you know that’s a memory they are taking with them to share with their friends and family, and hopefully to look back on fondly."
Behind the Controls: Mason Johnson, Senior Supervisor & Rides Administrative Assistant
Mason Johnson’s journey with Kentucky Kingdom spans seven years, and this season, he has stepped into a new administrative role supporting the rides department. His mornings begin with tracking ride throughput and distributing important updates. But his favorite part? Watching families make memories.
"I’ve seen three, four-year-olds ride it [Kentucky Flyer], and it was really cool to see little kids have that as their big first thrilling coaster."
Mason, a self-proclaimed theme park enthusiast, brings that same excitement to his team. "I’d say just bringing that enthusiasm that I have about the industry and especially this park, and just being excited while operating, but also we gotta keep the guests safe. That’s our number one priority always, so a little mixture of both is a really good recipe for success, I believe."
He also highlights how dynamic ride operations can be. "There’s over 200 people that work in our department alone, so you meet so many people that you’re working with as well. Obviously, so many different guests come in here every year, every day."
Sweet Treats and Teamwork: Komeil, Supervisor at Auntie B’s & Scoops
With just over a year on the team, Komeil has quickly grown into a leadership role in food and beverage. His mornings start early with setup and cleaning to prepare for busy crowds.
"I really enjoy the environment… Everyone is very kind, and I feel like when I get here, I can really be myself… I get to help make everyone else enjoy it [Kentucky Kingdom] the same way I do."
Komeil takes pride in the north side of the park, particularly Auntie B’s. "I really feel like we’ve come a long way, especially in my stand, Auntie B’s. We’ve gotten, you know, way better at like getting faster. Our communication’s getting better. Everyone’s talking in the stand, makes a better and friendlier environment.”
When asked about a must-try treat? "The blackberry funnel cake. It has the cream cheese on it. It has the blackberry sauce, and it’s our pride funnel cake."
Off the clock, Komeil enjoys Adventure River and grabbing a warm cookie from the Bluegrass Bakery. With the Funnel Cake Sundae, “The ice cream is in the middle of the funnel cake. You get two of both worlds: Scoops and Auntie B’s"
Catch Komeil’s full interview to hear how he keeps the sweet side of the park running strong.
Growing the Beauty: Brian Wright, Horticulture Team
Brian Wright has been beautifying Kentucky Kingdom for four years, working behind the scenes to maintain the park’s lush flower beds and seasonal displays. His team starts early, rotating between watering, weeding, and cleanup.
Brian shares that it's rewarding “seeing all the people have fun and then seeing what we’ve done."He adds to the guest experience by, "keeping the park clean and saying hello to them [guests] as they come in."
He’s especially proud of Discovery Meadow,. "It’s more open and there’s more things to do inside Discovery Meadow now."
When he's not on the clock, Brian enjoys the water park and grabbing nachos at Taco Tequila. As for how he beautifies the park? "Deadheading all the flowers.” It encourages them to bloom all summer long.
Watch Brian's full interview to explore how landscaping brings joy and beauty to every guest experience.
Planting Joy: Eve Mitchum, Horticulture Team
For Eve Mitchum, every day is an adventure. With five and a half years on the team, she thrives on variety. "It's anything but mundane. Every day is different. Anything from weeding and mulching, to turning trees, to building flower beds, and so forth. A lot of fun."
She credits the positive park culture as one of her favorite parts. "The positive atmosphere. The guests are always in the great moods. The crew and all of our team members are in positive moods. It makes for a lot of fun and a lot of days it doesn't feel like work."
Eve is proud of her work on Discovery Meadow. "It’s brand new. We've got lots of new beds. We worked very hard on that, and I think they’re beautiful."
Her favorite ride? Lightning Run. Second favorite? Wind Chaser. And when it comes to keeping the park pristine, Eve says it’s all about attention to detail. "All of our team members are spread out throughout the park, and we pay attention to trash and waste and weeds and all of that."
Don’t miss Eve’s full interview on YouTube to see how her green thumb helps create colorful, picture-perfect park moments.
From coasters to cookies, flowers to funnel cakes, it’s the people who make the magic real at Kentucky Kingdom. So next time you visit, take a moment to appreciate the care, creativity, and joy behind every ride, bloom, and bite. These are the faces making memories worth repeating.
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