Can Geauga Lake truly answer this question.

Wow, you guys sure do have a lot of nerve attacking Cedar Fair like this saying its politcally unjust to not accept the Read to Succeed vouchers.

I dont mean to be rude but if you guys would have just looked at the Read to Succeed press release on the Six Flags website. The Read to Succeed Program was CREATED by Six Flags. These vouchers were meant to be used as a marketing tool for Six Flags. So why would Cedar Fair a competing company accept free admissions from another companies program?

So there you have it that is why Geauga Lake wont be accepting the vouchers because its not a special not-for-profit organization its a Six Flags program. *** Edited 4/11/2004 6:43:25 AM UTC by sros208***

My lack of practical business knowledge tells me that if Six Flags invests in a program, Six Flags wants the payout. I will return to my assertion that SF does not want CF to honor these. SF invested, they do not want CF getting the return. The free ticket is nothing. The extra tickets and the subsequent per capita spending is the return.

It's late, the Soprano's is almost over (West Coast feed,) and I need to get some sleep so I can add to my 20+ years of practical business knowledge in the morning.

Actually an enthusiest that I met opening day at SFA used his SFWOA pass at SFA for admission. He had had his season pass processed from his 2003 picture. They told him at SFA that they will accept his pass at all current SF parks. His plans were to keep that pass, and then buy another Geauga Lake pass since that is his home park.

I might be considered a "fan boy" but I attacked this policy of CF not accepting the Read to Succeed tickets in another thread.

This would basically cost the park nothing. And, it might go a long way toward making the park money. Would those people have otherwise come to the park that summer? Many may not have.

I run an ice cream store. We have accepted other's coupons and I know for a fact it helped us. I have had one couple who was so glad we took the coupon the first time that they made us their regular ice cream store and have been coming back ever since...without any coupons.

This is a shortsighted decision by CF that doesn't come as a real shock to me. They are not being "friendly" with the very people they hope to attract to their park, the locals. The locals are who will make or break Geauga Lake. What would CF lose by accepting these tickets? Nothing, that's what. *** Edited 4/12/2004 3:37:36 PM UTC by wahoo skipper***

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CoasterDad64 said:
I will return to my assertion that SF does not want CF to honor these. SF invested, they do not want CF getting the return.

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never even thought about it that way... good point! -- but how would six flags even know? :-P

-- alan j

So, I suppose that Pizza Hut should stop giving away pizzas for Book-It, too, right?

The bottom line is this- if it's a small program how in the hell is the park going to really feel the pinch from letting a few dozen kids (who will bring their parents along) into the park for free?

No, it's not bad press if they don't let them in, but it WOULD be GOOD press if they did.

I know that I wouldn't want to be the one to tell little Suzie that, no, she can't go to Geauga Lake even though her shiny little certificate says she can because somebody else bought the place. Would you?

Yeah, I'd love to tell little suzie :)

I just put the situation into my own terms. I have a 6 year old daughter.

If she read books for a chance at a trip to SFWOA and this happened. I'd explain the situation, smooth it over with a "we'll try to go to one of the other SF parks so you can use your voucher, we'll see - but at least you got to have fun reading and those books we're pretty cool, huh?" and she'd be fine. Disappointed, maybe, but hardly in the realm of upset. Not even in the remote vicinity of tears. In a hour she'd have forgotten totally about it. Kids are like that. It's most likely not to the point where trips were planned and at this stage there was probably little anticipation beyond the program itself. I'm not sure anyone is giving kids enough credit - and if the kids were on the older end of the spectrum then they certainly would understand.

Little Suzie needs a reality check.

*** Edited 4/12/2004 7:46:16 PM UTC by Lord Gonchar***

I for one can say that Book It actually opened me up to a world of books. I love reading books now, while I may be an outlier to the norm I think these programs still work. I think GL should honor these even though they didn't support the program. This will provide them with an audience to display what they got at GL. I don't think they have to or its the end of the world. But to me it seems that it could benefit them with a free audience and the community. This is unless SF did mention something about the program in the selling of the park. There won't be a program next year so the problem is solved. Unless SF still runs it, which wouldn't make sense. This will also provide the perfect audience CF wants to attract to GL, families! Families spend more on average than Enthusiasts. While I think it will be good PR to accept the tickets I don't really see this affecting them positively or negatively in PR. But I do think its a great chance to show off what your doing to a free audience that SF helped you with. I wouldn't pass that up if I could.

-------CREATED--------

The difference between these kids and your daughter is the fact that they probably don't have enthusiasts parents who are willing to make a LONG trip to the next nearest Six Flags park. It's simply inconvenient. I'm glad some other practical people have showed their distaste for this policy. Gonchar is just arguing to argue.

Hehe. Yeah, that's what I'm all about.

I think it's an obvious guess that you are not in a situation of parental experience.

The best part is that all the people that think this is not a big situation are the ones who are.

Kind of speaks for itself, don't you think?

I submitted a question to GL asking if it was CF's or SF's decision. Maybe I will get an answer.

Honestly, I don't think it is that big a deal. For those kids that do get screwed, it will build charactor. Life ain't fair.

Y'know, if McDonald's bought your local Burger King restaurant, would you all think them irrational if they stopped selling the Whopper there?

No, Vater - but if they didn't take my kids "free whopper" coupon, then it'd be their fault when my kids go into a deep depression, fail in school, turn to drugs and end it all on a killing spree. ;)

Bastards!

Even better analogy, Gonch. :)

Gonch.

Comeon buddy. You are making your point to the extreme. :) Remember, I have a daughter as well. While she likes to read already, I wouldn't have a problem setting her up for some free perks while she does it.

I am not ragging on CF for this and personally I don't really care. I just feel it's not a big deal to let these kids in.

sros208 says:

Wow, you guys sure do have a lot of nerve attacking Cedar Fair like this saying its politcally unjust to not accept the Read to Succeed vouchers.

Don't include me in that statement. I never attacked CF for this. I am just stating my opinion that they should honor the tickets. If they don't, oh well, life goes on.

Yes, I am - It has to get through eventually :)

Your daughter is another perfect example. Sure, it'd be nice, but even if she did something like this and then it fell through, she'd have enough common sense to understand. Mild disappointment ensues...maybe.

Kids aren't dumb, they know stuff happens. A simple explanation of the situation would be all it'd take.

And then you follow-up with reason:

"I am just stating my opinion that they should honor the tickets. If they don't, oh well, life goes on."

Exactly. Most kids involved would feel the same way.

It's not "low", "discouraging reading", "in very poor taste", "taking a reward away from children", about "good conscience" or "practical busniess sense" or whatever other spooky sounding terms get tossed out there.

Is a simple as CF not wanting to continue, deal with or participate in a program SF initiated.

Kids will still read, the park will still have people in it, the world will still continue to spin and a few elementary school children will be moderately bummed for a few minutes until Spongebob comes on an diverts their attention elsewhere.

Well, if you are going to include Spongebob into the mix, its all over from there. :)

I see your point. I also see mine. It's all good. :)

CF refuses to honor the passes. As people who have a much better business sense than I do have stated, that makes perfect sense.
I imagine if Suzie shows up with her "i read books" pass, and whatever adult is taking Suzie is paying admission, then CF would honor the pass for the sake of good customer service/relations. I could be wrong, of course, but to me that seems like the CF thing to do.
For CF to be THAT proactive with such a small customer service issue as to set up a system to handle this ahead of time would be a waste. Suzie will be fine, and change is good. :)

I'm not saying either particular side is right or wrong, but I think the idea of taking this as a lesson that the world sucks just isn't right. As much as some traditionalists might argue that you can't coddle kids, I don't think this is the right time to teach them how unfair life is.

When I was involved in reading programs as a kid, I saw it differently. I loved reading, and the opportunity to receive a gift for it gave me even more of an incentive to do it, so I loved it even more. And at the time, I was still young and impressionable and naive (and to a degree, I still am). How early are you going to take away childhood naivete and innocence? At what age is it okay to take the lollipop away from the baby?

Some people (not by any means limited to those on this board) seem to forget what it was like to be a kid.