Is Six Flags growing too fast as a company?

The three coasters are just the beginning of a major expansion plan that will extend all the way to 2003. As was told to me at the X/Deja Vu announcement. Plenty will be done for the non-coaster rider, however, SFMM will not fool themselves into believing they are anything but a thrill ride park. Frankly, with tourist flocking to DCA and Disneyland every year, SFMM doesn't need quite the same accomidations as CP. SFMM simply wants to be included when people tour the LA based parks. With a coaster record, as well as a major expansion plan in action, they're well on their way. Still doubting me? Take a look at this:


http://www.channel2000.com/news/stories/news-990502-151600.html

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Life's too short! Let's go ride some coasters! *** This post was edited by Simcoaster on 1/11/2001. ***

The problem with primarily addressing thrill rides and leaving out everything else is that the younger crowds they attract don't have as much disposable income.

For example, many top-40 radio station in the 80's and 90's tanked because there is only so much you can advertise to the target demo (teens and twenties). Not only that, but how much of the product they're advertising can be purchased by the same people?

Same holds true for a theme park. If you have a nice mix of kids attractions, shows, accommodations, etc., you attract a larger audience. As I've said before, a family of four will spend a lot more money than any one teen who visits a park.

They do appear to be creating some balance with the kids attractions, but non-riding adults don't have much of anything to do. Not only that, but the focus of last year's marketing (at least in the Cleveland market) was squarely on rides.

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Jeff
Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com

But I think that is exactly the reason SFO is combining the two parks Jeff. To be more than just a thrill ride park. That's the intent anyway.

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Life's too short! Let's go ride some coasters!

I guess my last comment was more relevant toward SFMM.

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Jeff
Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com

Well with SFMM I'd have to agree, but they've been a pretty steady park(attendance wise)for over 10 years. Someone said recently, "If your going to compete with the best chicken stand in the world, you don't make more chicken, you make hamburgers". Disneyland has the family thing covered, families are not going to choose SFMM over Disneyland *ever*. As far as young people and disposible income. Judging by my kid, young people are perhaps the *only* one's with that kind of income, I have to pay bills, they don't.

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Life's too short! Let's go ride some coasters!

If I were to say, own a park, I could not get upset if I made 9 million less this year than last if the 9 million less I made this year still put money into my pockets. How much money would I want to make? Not all the money. If I took it all, well..... You can't expect to make all the money all the time, as long as I can survive I'm doing something right, but that's not the world now. Six Flags has two parks that I can reach if I drove and drove for hours. No other "park chain" has a second park as close as these guys that may offer the kinds of rides that are available to some other parks that are really far away from me and too expensive of the vacation for someone with an income like mine. Cedar Point, IOA, SFMM, I could list the parks all day long that I will probally not get to visit. Sure attendance and intrest will fall, a park or several will close. The Six Flags franchise growing like they have is nothing but good news for me, and what's good for me, cannot be good for everyone. At least it gives a few more people the option of having fun here and there.

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slithernoggin said:
"But your Dollywood logic holds true for SFMM--if the attendance gains are only temporary, then in a few years SFMM will have attendance returning to previous levels, and a resulting decrease in in-park sales and revenues."

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I'm saying SFMM is trying to break from that. I think they're trying to have a pop of increase this year, and then keep it that way, by becoming Cedar Point over Los Angeles, and being a yearly destination for coaster enthusiasts, just like the Point.

Hope you can follow my logic a little better now. ;)

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Matt Lynch
Co-Webmaster, Kennywood Boulevard
http://kennywood.coasterbuzz.com

I do
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It's all about the X Baby:]

About time we get some civilized conversation that stays on topic! :)

Personally, I don't like it that SF buys previously owned parks. They expand on that park for a few years and leave it. There are a few exceptions, but I'll be surprised if this doesn't happen with SFO.

The move to buy Sea World is mind boggling. I think that Six Flags should get themselves out of the hole before they buy more parks.