Walnutport,PA-USA
Since this site not only deals with ride announcements, there are lots of great links to business articles such as Motley Fool (an investment site). Those guys are experts and they've been talking a lot about marketing recently. Not only have they had articles about the whole Six Flags deal, but they've also written an article or two about the offloading of the Paramount parks and the loss of marketing opportunities.
There was a great article and interview with Will Koch from Holiday World last year, and some of the challenges they've encountered in marketing the park.
Check the list of Podcasts (the red link to your upper right). With twenty-three of them, there are some great topics in there to choose from. For example, there was a whole podcast dedicated to an interview with Dink Kinzel of Cedar Fair. You could get loads of stuff out of that one. The only tricky thing would be the copyright issue, but you could always contact Jeff Putz--the webmaster--and ask him for permission to use some of the quotes.
Intamin Fan said:
I'm finding it hard to believe that you're having trouble finding anything on the net about the business or marketing of a themepark, but I see this is your first post.
So what you're saying is that the number of posts I have on a website is somehow a related measurement of Internet competence based on this system of your own arbitrary judgement? I have only come to the boards because I have already exercised many of the resources that this and other, similar websites have to offer. I tried the Will Koch interview, and I received the papers back with an attached note that read, "You did not speak with this person, revise for tomorrow." What does this lady expect? Basically, the woman who is collecting my materials knows nothing about the industry, and seems to have made a living out of regurgitating assignments that other kids and myself put hard time into. Most students simply research the job that their parents are in, rather than choose a profession they actually want to become involved in. The backlash of that on me is since most kids hand in their information complete with dessert (parents do their work), the teachers are disappointed that my information can't always come through direct interviews or dumb things like home-recorded movies. Your post sounds condescending, although I do appreciate the help, but the problem isn't with my efforts - it is the expectations of the people I submit my information to that you should have a hard time believing.
1) First of all, you didn't bother to come up with a topic title besides "Help!" You would get more help if you posted "Need help with amusement park marketing assignment" There are lots of people with diverse backgrounds on here who could possibly point you in the right direction, but they need to know what the subject is first. It also helps if you mention a deadline.
2) If you've only made one post before the rebuttal, how is it that you've exhausted (not excercised) all your resources?
3) I absolutely wasn't being condescending. Your initial post did not mention that the interview had to be in person. You said you had to cite the person/s, meaning that you had to quote them only. Had you mentioned that the teacher rejected the Will Koch comments because you didn't meet or talk with him, that would've given your post a whole different spin.
As I said, there are a lot of business articles on here, something you don't see on other websites that often, so I figured you may have missed some great stuff.
4) You have seven years with ACE. Surely you must know some people who have contacts with the parks to set up the ERT events, like your local representative. I don't get the part about not being able to interview personnel from a park you've been to. That makes absolutely no sense at all.
5) Have you called or emailed IAPPA? They are all about the busines and marketing of themeparks as evidenced by their annual tradeshow. *** Edited 3/6/2006 8:54:53 AM UTC by Intamin Fan***
zacharyt.shutterfly.com
PlaceHolder for Castor & Pollux
I would suggest you sit down and write (type) a good old-fashioned letter to the person in charge of marketing at several parks in which you're interested. Many park websites identify who that person is. Maybe mix up a few larger and smaller parks. Finding out what strategies and resources are used by parks of different sizes might be interesting.
Be very specific in who you are, why you are writing to them, what your project is about and what you are requesting of them. But don't expect anyone to divulge any company secrets or private information.
Oh yeah, be very very very polite and courteous too. And that means sending a quick note of thanks back to anyone who responds to you. Save copies of all your letters and use them for documentation for your project file.
Just my recommendation. Take it or leave it. Good luck with your project.
2Hostyl said:
Chuck: That's sarcasm right? He has been an "ACEr" for seven years not seven years old. Working on a "senior" project implies that he is at least in high school, maybe college. But the "16" in his nick screams high school to me.
I had my 16th birthday on the same day my dad went to the hospital for heart failure years ago...more of a commemorative number than something I intended to "scream high school." I've gathered some online materials from the University of Phoenix that go hand-in-hand with the materials I will use for my presentation, although they do not directly deal with the amusement industry. I solved my own dilemma by speaking to professors, who qualify as credible sources, about industry and the entertainment business in general, allowing me to finally fulfill the incomplete criteria required for my presentation. Now that my requirements have been met, I can use more of the content that everyone has so graciously provided in a less-structured manner to cushion the finer points of my project. Thanks everyone!
You must be logged in to post