Cedar fair acquisition of paramount parks complete.

Just got the news....

http://www.cedarfair.com/ir/press_releases/index.cfm?current_root=15&mode=story&story_id=77

Nice! The sealing of the deal if you will.

I found this quote quite interesting..

"We now have a well-balanced portfolio of operations with four parks producing annual attendance over three million visitors each (Cedar Point, Kings Island, Knott’s Berry Farm and Canada’s Wonderland)"

Now, they have a a sizable debt because of this aquisition, but they have a 6 year plan. It's just shows how well run Cedar Fair is when they can see that a park with over 3 million visitors can be an assett vs. a liabilty and handle a sizable debt.

It doesn't exactly hurt that those parks follow the same general business blueprint Cedar Fair already uses, fit into their portfolio almost seamlessly and are relatively profitable.

Not even remotely similar to the SF dealy-o.

Please please please Cedar Fair, bring back the charm to Kings Dominion.

- J

Good luck, J.

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ErinGoBraugh said:
Please please please Cedar Fair, bring back the charm to Kings Dominion.

- J

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HAH! They can't keep the charm in their flagship, Ruined dorney and I wasn't too impressed with what THEY have done to WOF.

I guess we can give em dibs on MIA but they had nowhere to go but up.

Seriously, I just hope they make some better decisions for paramount parks, It's been all take away three and add one since Paramount took over.

Chuck, who didn't see any details on licensing ect excpet that it was previously mentioned Nick would stay and could be used at their other parks.

Wow they'll be assuming management & operations of the new parks immediately.This should be interesting to see what they've done by the time I make it to PKD sometime within the next month or so.

I guess now's the time to start making them wishlists of what we would like CF to add to their new properties within the next few seasons,I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a decent sized floorless or hyper for PKD in the near future.

From the way they've talked previously there probably won't be a whole lot noticeable changes this season...at least from the public's perspective. Behind closed doors though...it might be interesting to be the fly on that wall!

I haven't been to PGA or PCar yet, but the other three parks, as mentioned already, seem to follow a pretty close blueprint to Cedar Fair anywa...wait...did you say PKD had "charm" at one point?

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Michael Darling said:
Good luck, J.

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Hey John, it's been a depressing day. It had been the Enterprise wheels... Today the Antique Cars, now I'm remembering the good ol' glory days of Yogi Bear's Cave, Kilamanjaro, those beautiful mountain-side fountains, Hanna Barbera land, and how magical it was at night. Now it's gutted out and Slime Zone'd and Hurled and Coke Zone'd to death. They took out two thirds of that mountain to put in that (sorry Intamin fans) ugly coaster that I'll never ride. It was a crying shame when they exposed Grizzly and took out so many of those trees. My best wooden coaster ride to this day was a starless, moonless night on Grizzly obscured by all those trees. PITCH BLACK. It was religious.

Never the same.

- J

How is it not possible to take over operations imediatly?

Paramount parks have for some time been based in Charlotte under their own operating dept of Viacom/CBS. Basically now the GM of Paramount parks now reports to Kinzel. Changes can be made later.

Chuck

J-

I know so much of the charm of PKD has been lost over the years but if you're relying on Cedar Fair to bring it back I think it's a lost hope. CP's my home park and I've watch it get pretty sterile over time, especially in the last decade. I've seen some of the sterilization of Knott's, too.

If they can't *keep* the charm, I really don't think they'll be bringing any back.

I weep along side you.

I wouldent expect any major changes this year. I am curius to see if they switch to pepsi from coke though.

The only thing that I might expect to see this year is the ride restriction signs. Got to make the lawers happy.

I bet they'll change from Coke to Pepsi pretty quick considering how tight CF and Pepsi are. But still, that's ALOT of fountain drinks and ALOT of vendin machines, but I'm sure it'll be done.

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Charles Nungester said:
HAH! They can't keep the charm in their flagship, Ruined dorney and I wasn't too impressed with what THEY have done to WOF.

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You know, I think you see what you want to see (not "you" personally, but in the general sense). I'm not even sure what defines charm, but I was at Cedar Point today, and people seemed to be having a damn good time. Ditto last time I went to Dorney.

People can have a damn good time at a park in 2006 even when it was much more charming 10 years ago.

Dorney may be one of my 2 or 3 least favorite parks I've ever been to but that doesn't mean other people couldn't enjoy it. *** Edited 7/1/2006 2:03:41 AM UTC by matt.***

Jeff, did you go to Kings Dominion before Paramount came in? Ever go there in the eighties? It's hard to realize what was lost when you haven't experienced what you no longer have.

And neither John nor I am saying that some of these parks aren't enjoyable, but the magic is gone. You have black and white fun. There's little of the color that used to be there. I enjoy SFGAdv but it doesn't have much charm, though it may be trying to get some back.

- J *** Edited 7/1/2006 2:07:02 AM UTC by ErinGoBraugh***

*Charm* seems to be an enthusiast point of view, one that in some cases I agree with. But the GP is obviously finding something they like because Cedar Fair parks are monsterously popular, in time where *supposedly* it's not a growth industry.

Although you may not see the *charm* return to the Paramount chain per say, I think you will see Cedar Fair offer more of a balance than Paramount did. With Paramount it was one extreme or the other, big thrill rides, or a complete shift to only the family demograpic. Extremes get stale, just ask Six Flags. With Cedar Fair (if Knotts is any indication), you'll get a whole lot of both.

Now I do have my problems with Knott's, horrible wooden coaster maintainance, sterile eviroments, removing charm in favor of the steel "coaster of the month" ect.

But you can't argue with the results, more people through the gates and frequent guest satisfaction.

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ErinGoBraugh said:

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Michael Darling said:
Good luck, J.

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Hey John, it's been a depressing day. It had been the Enterprise wheels... Today the Antique Cars, now I'm remembering the good ol' glory days of Yogi Bear's Cave, Kilamanjaro, those beautiful mountain-side fountains, Hanna Barbera land, and how magical it was at night. Now it's gutted out and Slime Zone'd and Hurled and Coke Zone'd to death. They took out two thirds of that mountain to put in that (sorry Intamin fans) ugly coaster that I'll never ride. It was a crying shame when they exposed Grizzly and took out so many of those trees. My best wooden coaster ride to this day was a starless, moonless night on Grizzly obscured by all those trees. PITCH BLACK. It was religious.

Never the same.

- J

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Ahh yes if only CF would bring back the charm that PKD once had back in it's early years,I just spent a good long while looking at the pics posted in the nostalgia PKD thread & it almost brough tears to my eyes when seeing PKD in a way I hadn't seen in well over 20 years....especially the lost world/fantasy mountain & candy apple grove pics.

Jeff- I see orange seat belts, white concrete, and legaleese signs. Those don't happen to be things I "want to see."