Even CP is having a bad year

New report came out today that CP's attendance is down 9% from last year at this time. Anyone else notice a decline in your parks attendance. Ive been to SFDL 5 times this year and its the busiest i've seen it in a while.

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Army rangers lead the way

Everything goes in cycles. Could the current high that park popularity has been on have reached the peak and be on the way back down?

Or are we going to blame the weather?
Or the economy?
Or the lack of a new major attraction?

What are your theories, buzzers?

I persoanlly think it's a little of all of the above.
*** This post was edited by Lord Gonchar on 8/2/2001. ***

New rides I don't believe is a factor. Weather maybe. I know for me, I would be going in this heat.

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You are the Weakest Link, Goodbye.

Last year, almost every day seemed like a rain-out... now it's hot, humid weather. Which would you rather goto a park in?

I'll take the hot & humid weather any day. I don't understand why park attendance is down this season. Could it be the economy? I think so moreso than the weather or lack-there-of new rides.

Maybe people are being tight-wads and just not going places they were last year (unfortunately that's the case this year with me too).

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The Great Escape... Soon to become Six Flags Adirondack Escape!!!

Well I think 2001 wasnt a big year for rides. I mean 2000 CP got MF and most people went then. 2000 PKI got Son of Beast and most people went then. Just my idea that most of the "major" attractions were built last year. I may be wrong though.

From what I`ve heard, Paramount`s Kings Island`s attendance is up this year compared to this time last year. One main reason their attendance was down last year was because it rained on more than 40 of the days that they were open.

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www.geocities.com/coastersrz I`ve riden Son of Beast 43 times!

PKI attendence up? Thats strange. Every time I am there, I walk onto most rides, with the exception of FOF. Huh. Funny how things in this world work

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http://www.islandguide.8m.com
all about PKI
the Beasts` Den

Something Dick said in the press release was kind of ironic. He mentioned how CP is becoming more of a destination resort, i.e., something like an Orlando park. Last year he mentioned how the regional parks would likely do fine in a weird economy. I guess the park really is reaching its "destination" goal, but the timing is extraordinarily bad.

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Jeff
Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com
"From the global village... in the age of communication!"

I'm not sure how much "we" matter in the figures (probably very little), but I'm sure many enthusiasts already rode MF last year and decided not to return this year.

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Batwing-Bow Down

if CP wants to be like a orlando park they need more then one park, like universal, or disney. just a thought

CP is owned by Cedar Fair. Cedar Fair owns Michigan's Adventure, Knott's Berry Farm, Valley Fair, Dorney Park, and World's Of Fun...

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8 feet higher and a 6.5 feet longer drop, could never contest with a 80 degree, non-braking giga-coaster... Sorry, Steel Dragon 2000

i went to kings island wednesday and the only ride i had to wait for was fof for 45 minutes. i waited for the beast 3 mins and that was because i had to wait for the train to get to the station, top gun 10 mins, and vortex 10 mins. of course this is a far cry from saturdays.

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Vortex rules!!!! (still)

mforcealldaway said:
"CP is owned by Cedar Fair. Cedar Fair owns Michigan's Adventure, Knott's Berry Farm, Valley Fair, Dorney Park, and World's Of Fun..."

I think he's referring to the different parks like, say, Disneyworld in Florida has -- numerous parks, but in the same general area. (Magic Kingdom, Epcot, etc.) I disagree. To be a "destination" park doesn't mean you have to be like a Florida park. It simply means that people from all over the country know of and make plans to go to your park. (Cedar Point has reached that, I'd imagine.)

I really think that the down attendance is due to Millennium Force. I mean, I certainly don't think the Point thought attendance would be up this year, do they? Obviously, there was going to be (and was) a mad rush to ride Millennium Force, as it was the Next Big Thing. (It still is, but) Once people did that, they maybe decided to go to Six Flags or somewhere else and wait and see if something new goes to CP in 2002.

Some people, scratch that. Most people don't go to more than one amusement park a year, and it's very feasible that people passed over Cedar Point this year in lieu of another park. While I definitely went to and still plan to go to more than one park this year, Cedar Point isn't on my list. I'd like to get back, but new-to-me parks (a la Holiday World, Paramount's Kings Island) are higher priority now. I'll just wait 'til 2002 to get back to the Point.

It was a rant, but that's my take on the down attendance. :)

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Matt Lynch
Co-Webmaster, Kennywood Boulevard
http://kennywood.coasterbuzz.com *** This post was edited by Lynch on 8/3/2001. ***

There are only a handful of parks across the country that are meeting or exceeding projected attendance figures. I just read a story this morning in the business section that Disney was reporting another loss...much of which was attributed to down attendance at the parks.

I say again, this is not a park trend...it is an industry trend. Figures are down at movies, sporting events, concerts, broadway, theme parks, etc. I can even get on my local golf course much easier now than last year. The whole industry was basking in the ability to raise prices whenever they felt like it (Orlando just went above the $50 mark) but now it is coming back to bite them in the butt.

I wish I owned a Blockbuster franchise this summer. They are making a killing!!!

I think it's the weather and no new rides (coasters) mainly! and how could I forget the prices 40 bucks to get in and 9 to park - if you don't have a season passes you'd go broke just to in

I agree about the "destination" thing. If that wasn't true, they wouldn't own so many hotel rooms and Sandusky wouldn't have the base of lodging it does. I personally think that the park has reached a level-off point for yearly attendance. With that, it's going to go up and down every year, probably higher in the years they have a new ride, but generally staying in the same range.

All things considered, I think this makes Lighthouse Point an even better idea because it provides quick ROI in an area they can't build enough of: resort space.

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Jeff
Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com
"From the global village... in the age of communication!"

Attendance may be down 9%, but so what? It's not down 15 or 20%, which could happen. That kind of decrease in attendance isn't really hurting anyones' pockets at CP. Everything's all good, still. Masses of people do things in trends, it's no secret. Some companies, like Cedar, have been around syrviving and paying their bills for years, a company like Disney, sees that they should have made 10 billion more dollars for itself, lays off a few hundred people or does this or that, but do they realize the money they do bring in, they don't act like it, Just because some dude made 5 million last year, he shouldn't be ill that he made 3 or 4 this year. Things even out over time.

As for Blockbuster, you want nothing to do with them! They're involved in a lawsuit payoff right now, read the backs of your receipts.