Darien Lake adds sea lion show

Here's what I don't understand. If a little seasonal park like Darien Lake (okay, granted, it's a PARC place, but still) can feature animal shows and exhibits, why can't Cedar Fair? Without starting the whole GL debate back up, it just seems that animals have been a proven attendance booster at amusement parks over the years.

Darien Center, NY is not Aurora, OH. It's just location. Remember that Busch had animals, and sold SeaWorld anyway because of declining attendance. Six Flags added even more animals, and it didn't help. With Cleveland having such a great zoo (and inexpensive, at that), I just don't think it could have worked.

I'm not thinking specifically of GL, which I kind of set aside in my mind as a singularity in the universe of amusement parks. For a combination of reasons, some known, perhaps others unknowable, it turned into a fiscal black hole that threatened to drain CF.

No, I was thinking more of the other CF parks. Once upon a time, Cedar Point had a number of animal exhibits and shows, which I always thought were quite popular -- although in its waning years, the aquarium didn't seem to get a lot of foot traffic. But if Darien Lake can do it, why not animals at Dorney? That would put it on more of an equal footing with Hershey. Or at the very least, wouldn't animals help a year-round facility like Knotts?

Because in Kinzel & Co. "world" it is still 1976 and "that's not what we do." They are more worried about dress shirts and ties and how well shaven male employees are or if tattoos are visible versus dealing with anything of substance that could save their financial butts. It's beyond laughable at this point. We all know that if the top few corporate managers were removed you would see an entirely different Cedar Fair that, while retaining much of its heritage, would function in the 21st century with management applications that actually make a difference both financially and operationally.

Let's hope one of the two new big investors (Q Funding, ya listening?) demand some changes and soon.

This is the same show that was at Elitch's last year. It's basically a self contained portable set up. The park doesn't have to take care of the animals because the trainers live with the sea lions around the clock.

As much as I hate to defend Cedar Fair, the CP situation was one of maintaining infrastructure combined with bad press around dying animals. The very show occupying that venue now is a contract show, much as this one at Darien Lake is. If the price was right, I imagine they'd be happy to have the same show. But we can probably guess it's not cheaper than a BMX stunt show.

Jeff said:
Darien Center, NY is not Aurora, OH. It's just location. Remember that Busch had animals, and sold SeaWorld anyway because of declining attendance. Six Flags added even more animals, and it didn't help. With Cleveland having such a great zoo (and inexpensive, at that), I just don't think it could have worked.

I would agree with you if Sea World was setup a few years before Busch sold it, but it obviously worked in some fashion since it opened in the early 70's. My thinking is Busch just didn't want to fund and care for animals all year round when the park itself was only open for 5-6 months.

Busch Gardens Tampa and Lowry Zoo in Tampa which gets voted one of the best zoos for children, co-exist just fine near eachother.

Yeah, SeaWorld opened long before it had to compete with video games, cineplexes and coaster giant Cedar Point.

Hey, wait! I thought Geauga Lake didn't compete with Cedar Point. If another amusement park didn't compete with CP, how could a marine park just 500 yards further?

::ducks::

Just couldn't resist! ;)