I have always been a pretty big fan of Michigan's Adventure. My family and I would go there nearly every summer and we have so many memories. Whether it be the time I worked up the nerve to ride the Thunderhawk with my dad or getting absolutely soaked on Adventure Falls.

But outside of the rides, there is one thing about Michigan's Adventure that everyone remembers fondly; getting a hug from Snoopy or Charlie Brown while walking around the park. I thought that Snoopy was from Michigan's Adventure, so when he would show up on TV around Halloween and Christmas I would be so excited to see the "rollercoaster dog".

But considering how large of an IP the Peanuts brand is, now that I'm older I can't help but wonder - how is Michigan's Adventure able to use this brand?

Read More: Michigan's Adventure Dark Past: The Privacky Murders

An Amusement Park, Charlie Brown!

It boils down to a matter of licensing. While this sounds like a pretty no-brainer answer, the chain of ownership that leads to Michigan's Adventures having the ability to license the property is rather interesting. Michigan's Adventures was purchased by Cedar Fair Entertainment (CFE) in 2001, which owns other large parks like Cedar Point and King's Island.

According to The Theme Park Files, the idea for licensing the Peanuts came from a need to combat Disney's iconic cast of characters. This was originally done through licensing both The Berenstain Bears and The Peanuts. While the Berenstain Bears carried Cedar Point through the '80s and '90s, once that license contract was up, they pivoted to embrace Snoopy, Woodstock, and the Peanuts.

CFE achieved the Peanuts license in 1992 for all its Midwestern parks, so when Michigan's Adventures was purchased, it ditched its previous theme of "Deer Park Funland" and adopted the Peanuts theme that the other Cedar Fair Entertainment parks had. The rest is history.

Considering the recent resurgence of Peanuts and Snoopy specifically among Gen Z, it's good news for the parks that CFE recently reached an extension on their licensing until 2030. For me, I'm just happy to see Snoopy any chance I get.