If you were able to run your home park, and you had complete control, what would you add or change?

delan said:

^He had me at 'Zumingaro'

It's the twin to Rougaro... ;~)

Well lets see... My home park is the Walt Disney Resort.

I'd add myself as CEO and take it from there.

I'd sell the land to developers, take the money and live happily ever after without the stress of running a park.

I'd build a hotel powered by a solar farm.

I admit I did make some bad spelling errors looking at it now, so it probably wasn't the best idea to post at 2:30 in the morning and I probably won't anymore. Also its not that I need to visit cedar point, but Great adventure doesn't really have any good thrill ride flats. It just happens that the S&S Swing and Huss swing are 2 rides I'd actually be willing to wait for in-between coasters.

^Ideally, Gadv will take a page out of Carowinds's book and fill in all those empty concrete pads they have with some *permanent* flat rides. Apart from that the park is doing well as it is.

Okay, for Knotts, I'd lengthen the Calico & Ghost Town enough to let the locomotives stretch their legs a bit. I'd also obtain a smaller locomotive that can be used in the off season in lieu of the Galloping Goose.

Then I'd have both band organs restored and remodel the carousel building back to the way it was before with the big organ facing inside protecting it from the weather.

For Pioneer Waterland, the second 5 year plan would include heavier investments and more a sophisticated dry ride list with careful budgeting and proper marketing, we could gain enough revenue to make these dream plans happen.

• Further adverting toward other states:
  • Currently the first 5 years we've marketed to the locals and entire Cleveland area.
  • Expand Market to all of northeastern, Ohio -Phase 1 marketing expansion
  • Expand Market to Michigan (up to mid-Michigan) -Phase 2 marketing expansion
  • Expand marketing campaign to Indiana and Pennsylvania. -Phase 3 marketing expansion

In my first post listed below, you'll notice that my main focus was setting the park up with infrastructure while still slowly expanding both the wet and dry land areas and keeping costs lower. The second 5 year plan (year 6-10) will focus on tackling our competitors attractions. In order to bring new cliental to this park and make them WANT to return, we will need to add attractions that our competitors do not have that would be unique to the area.

In this plan we also need to consider what we could do to bring in business throughout our downtime season when the waterpark can not open. This is a major issue with other smaller park's like us - the lack of revenue while we are forced to be closed because of school, weather, off-season weather, etc.

During the holiday's there are several special events, why not bring some of those events to our park. We become the host of other people's events.

Keep in mind I am basing my expansion assuming our budget is low to start with until our marketing expands

Our closest local competitors include:

• Wild water Kingdom, Aurora, Ohio
• Soak City, Sandusky, Ohio
• Columbus Zoo, OH (has a great waterpark)
• Conneaut Lake, PA
• Waldameer Park, PA (Major competitor)
• Indiana Beach, IN
• Holiday World, IN

• First 5 Year Plan (listed in last post)

• Year 1

  • Create an expandable waterslide structure with 2 levels, 90ft (for body slides) and 60ft (for tube slides) big enough to be able to have 4 slides per level (8 for the structure)
    • On the upper level for Year 1 include 2 looping pod slides unlike any other in the state of Ohio.
    • On the middle level for Year 1 include 1 family raft ride.
  • Repaint all current slides their original blue color
  • Add second permanent snack stand
  • Add Cabanas to the park's existing Olympic sized pool
  • Add a new go Kart Track, the only multilevel in Ohio (similar to the ones found at Fun Spot America)

• Year 2

  • Add Twin Bowl Slides to the new waterslide structure.
  • Improve the picnic areas further.
  • Add portable snack carts throughout the park
  • Add a Merry-Go-Round

• Year 3
  

• Add 1 new enclosed Speed Body Slides that will wrap around the new waterslide structure from year 1
  

• Dry Ride Package

• Add a mid-sized ferris wheel

• Add a Spider thrill ride

• Add a swinging ship thrill ride

• Add 3 small kid friendly roundabout rides
  

• Year 4

  • Add a small family roller coaster (will acquire from some where who is selling a used family coaster that is in good condition) because of low budget.
  • Add a new drop pod style speed slide (but where it simply drops straight down)

• Year 5
  

  • Finish the new waterslide structure with the addition of some kind of unique ProSlide tube slide attraction unlike any other in Ohio.
    

  • Add another go-kart multilevel structure

• Year 6
• Introduce a new park name for the 'dry park', KEEP the Pioneer Waterland name as the waterpark name.
  • Remarketing a park as old as Pioneer Waterland completely would be a very bad business decision no matter where this park is heading toward. That is why we would simply 'add' a name' and keep the Pioneer Waterland branding for the waterpark.
    • Ultimate Escape Amusement Park
      • For the first year under this name, we would be re-painting most of our older attractions to give it fresh colors.
      • Names of rides/attractions for the dry park may change slightly to fit a selected theme, however this new park name is simply a marketing tactic.
• New compact wood roller coaster - we would find a way to either deliver "The Big Dipper" from Geauga Lake (if that is even possible) OR goto Rocky Mountain Coasters with a very low budget and ask them to create us a world class roller coaster for a low price.
• Possible styles could include, the T-Rex style track (this is steel I understand, however at this point I'd expect this style roller coaster will still be barely used throughout the world, therefore may be a good investment for a small looping roller coaster that'll give riders a punch.
• Other possible style is a traditional, yet modern non looping wood roller coaster of which is compact.
• Pioneer Waterland waterpark side will add a cool new sprayground on the island of where the lazy river is now. The sprayground would feature 6 kiddie body slides, and over 24 aquatic gadgets throughout the structure.
• Introduce DEADFEST, a all new Halloween themed attraction where we would set up a designated pathway throughout our woods with monsters roaming the maze.
  • Scary Wood trail at evening through night
  • Family Halloween activities during the day
  • Source to local companies for a bid to bring in such an event.
  • Out source to food vendors specializing in October Festival style food and beverage
    • Add temporary lighting for nighttime events
• Marketing expansion - Phase 1
• Begin getting more involved with the local community further
• Year 7
  • For this year, we will add a stunning 3 new classic flat rides.
    • I am thinking maybe go to a ride manufacturer and have them create me a modern style tumble bug or rotor. What ever rides that are chosen, I want my guests to have the chance to experience 3 rides from the 1950s, 60s, and 70s brought back with a modern twist. A scrambler may be the answer to one of these 3 rides as well.
  • DEADFEST RETURNS and expands (weather permitting)
    • Open the major roller coaster for night operation, market as a spooky roller coaster add special lighting and fog for theming effects
    • Open 1 Go Kart track (non elevated)
    • Open arcade, mini golf
  • Marketing expansion - Phase 2 ONLY FOR HALLOWEEN EVENT
  • Expand the waterpark again. (we don't want to get to big to fast, but we do want to continue to bring in new cliental as well as returning guests.
    • Add a new expandable tube waterslide structure with 4 slides capacity. Does not need to be taller than 60ft.
      • Introduce 2 tube slides with unique layouts unlike our competitors
• Year 8
  • For the dry park, focus on the quality of our general operations.
    • The goal is to identify any operations issues, flaws, and reorganize it as needed.
  • We also will expand our food service options, every year that I own this park we will have new food options, however I want to build us up so that we have maybe 1 or 2 new food stands for this season.
    • To save money, possible bring in 'local' branded food chains (Paninis, Mr Chicken, Winking Lizard) as a in park service.
  • Source to local event planners and come up with a business deal to hold holiday events
    • Introduce local Christmas themed event
      • Sell Christmas trees
      • Sell other Christmas/holiday themed items
  • Bring back the DEADFEST for a 3rd year, evaluate the entire event program.
  • Marketing Plan Phase 2 - entire year
  • Add a new miniature golf course that is possible for 'glow in the dark'.
  • Update arcade
  • Update existing attractions as needed
  • Add new path lighting for evening events.
  • Introduce evenings for dry park.
  • Introduce more special events, local concerts
  • For the waterpark, a giant family hot tub.
• Year 9
  • Add a family raft slide attached to the expandable structure.
  • Various park improvements as well.
  • Special events return
  • DEADFEST returns
  • Expand Christmas event concept somehow
    • Weather permitting (open a couple of small dry rides)
  • Add a new large thrill ride to park line
  • Marketing Expansion Phase 3
• Year 10
  • Add a new state of the art thrilling tube water slide to the expandable structure. (completes tower)
  • Add a themed family coaster that travels around the park low to the ground more as a tour ride but with a few small thrill elements added. Theme to mine train.
  • Continue special events, expand and adjust off season events as needed.

I'm not sure I understand your plan, could you be more specific?

Could I get a TLDR version of that?

I expect something that detailed only if you're asking me for $50M to get the plan started...

rollergator said:

I expect something that detailed only if you're asking me for $50M to get the plan started...

You are more than welcome to lend me that money, but I only would need 10 million to get started and lended in a 4 year period with payouts. But I'll always take more!

Back to the original topic. You all know my home park is MA.

Things I would change.

1. Reduce prices of parking and lockers. to $5.00 for parking, and $5.00 for lockers with no key refund.

2. Nix Fast Lane, and instead offer cut to ride tickets at $2.oo a pop. Use them only for the longer lines. You coukld easily get 10 rides for 20 bucks wth zero or no wait. Or. Price each ride differently some just $1.00 to cut, or like a carnival. $1 tickets with diferent amounts for each ride. Maybe 3 for Timbers and Thunderhawk.

3. Add a second train to the wildcat. Some days the wait can be over 2 hours.

4. Remove the trabant. Nobody rides it. replace it with the new design Enterprise.

5. On weekdays offer free tubes for people in the wave pools, or a discounted price.

6. offer buy one get one free admissions during the times the park is generally slow.

7. Add a couple decent thrill rides. maybe a drop tower or a ride like gyrator in RTC3. or whirling Dervish.

8. add a theater or some kind of air conditioned entertainment. Maybe a 3D movie.

9. New coaster. Probably a B&M hyper. Doesn't have to be over 200 feet, But, should have some decent air time hills. Something similar to Goliath at La Ronde. But, a new coaster is really not needed yet.

10. Add a Halloween weekend. They could use the park train for a great ride through haunt, and enclose the Buffet buildings. They could easily make a great haunted attraction there. Have only certain rides open, and have the parking be free. They would get tons of people. maybe have a costume parade on halloween. Maybe show the Rocky horror show for adults after midnight.

11. Prepare to file for bankruptcy when park finances become unsustainable.

Excuse me a minute, I need to get something before I dive into this latest dispatch from West Michigan....

Give me a minute as I wonder if TR actually made some of those really stupid suggestions that could make a park go bankrupt...

I have the day off and a few minutes to kill before The Chew starts, so.....

Timber-Rider said:

2. Nix Fast Lane, and instead offer cut to ride tickets at $2.oo a pop. Use them only for the longer lines. You coukld easily get 10 rides for 20 bucks wth zero or no wait. Or. Price each ride differently some just $1.00 to cut, or like a carnival. $1 tickets with diferent amounts for each ride. Maybe 3 for Timbers and Thunderhawk.

Reducing income (stop selling Fast Lane) and increasing costs (you'd have to print far more tickets to replace the wear-all-day wristbands, you'd have to have a system to collect, store and remove the collected tickets) is not the way a business succeeds.

3. Add a second train to the wildcat. Some days the wait can be over 2 hours.

Really? Because that has never been my experience. (Next time you're considering a visit to the park, check the operating schedule and pick a day with shorter hours. That indicates the park is expecting fewer people to be in the park.)

6. offer buy one get one free admissions during the times the park is generally slow.

You do realize that going to the park when it's generally slow solves your two hour Wildcat wait problem, don't you?

10. Add a Halloween weekend. They could use the park train for a great ride through haunt, and enclose the Buffet buildings. They could easily make a great haunted attraction there. Have only certain rides open, and have the parking be free. They would get tons of people. maybe have a costume parade on halloween.

Combined population of Sandusky, Toledo and Cleveland (Cedar Point): 716,000

Combined population of Cincinnati and Columbus (Kings Island): 1,088,000

Population of Kansas City (Worlds of Fun): 500,000

Population of Charlotte (Carowinds): 732,000

Combined population of Muskegon and Grand Rapids (MI Adventure): 226,000

A Halloween event would not get tons of people because there are not tons of people to be got. Even if parking is free. Michigan's Adventure just doesn't have the population base to support a Halloween event.

slithernoggin said:

A Halloween event would not get tons of people because there are not tons of people to be got. Even if parking is free. Michigan's Adventure just doesn't have the population base to support a Halloween event.

Heh.

Halloween_event : MI :: hotel : SFGAdv

My reply about TR's post is a little shorter. Lowering prices and adding expenses is not good for business, especially when the park is doing fine the way it is.

ApolloAndy said:

Ooh. I can't wait 'til Timber Rider chimes in.

Well worth the wait. And exactly a month--to the day--from the original post.