Michigan's Adventure has record year, will add interactive water attraction

No new attraction in 2010 and the park still has a record year. Doesn't sound like the economy completely sucks.

See, I think the poor economy has actually helped MA. It's very reasonable at $24, and I know several families that went there instead of Cedar Point because of the cost. It's about the same distance to drive either way.

Why spend $24 on a mediocre park when you can spend a few dollars more and visit one of the best, especially if they are the same distance from your home?

LostKause said:
Why spend $24 on a mediocre park when you can spend a few dollars more and visit one of the best, especially if they are the same distance from your home?

Large families perhaps? Relatives in one area but not the other? Younger kids who perhaps would enjoy MA over CP?

Some people simply don't have those few extra dollars to spend.

See, right now Cedar Point isn't the best for my family. We still go several times a year, but my little boy is 44 inches this summer. At MA he can ride mad mouse and Zach's zoomer, two of his favorite rides. Plus they still have a log flume.

I think the bigger draw for the families I know was the water park included. To me, Cedar Point is a multi-day destination, and I do think that's what Cedar Fair wants I guess that's the nice part about being close to both, we get to choose.

I wasn't trying to be argumentative. I really was just asking why. Good answers.

At 37" and 44", there are more "big kid" rides that both of my kids can ride at Michigan's Adventure than at Cedar Point. My kids can go on the rapids ride, the swings, the log flume, a wooden roller coaster. All of which Cedar Point cannot offer. For some reason, the CP counterparts have a higher height requirement.

I went to Michigan's adventure this year, and even though they did not add a major attraction, there were plenty of other upgrades, like new restrooms by Thunderhawk, new game stands, and plenty of food carts.

And, I agree that the lousy economy helped MA a lot, as more of the people who live in the area decided to go there instead of leaving the area for the bigger parks, and other attractions. Especially when Cedar Point and Great America cost almost double of what it costs to go to MA. It could also be that the people who normally go to those parks, may have never been to MA, and wanted to do something new for less money.

You can also bet that they drew huge crowds from the Rothbury music festival, which saw over 50,000 cars in just a few days. And, potential new costomers from word of mouth, as a result of the concerts, where people come from as far away as California to attend.

So, there is a lot to be said about the success of the park. I just wish they would offer more discounts to get people to go more often. $1.50 off is like getting a trickle of water on your face when it's 100 degrees outside. Where are the $10.00 discounts?

As for this new water attraction. They already have something similar to this. Why build another one? If anything, it might distribute people through the water park more evenly, and hopefully take some of the lines away from the better slides and funnel of fear, but, I doubt it.

If they're having record-setting attendance, it would be a supremely poor decision to offer admission discounts on what is already a VERY inexpensive gate price.

I don't see how Rothbury Music Festival drew 50,000 cars, since it was cancelled for 2010. And Rothbury Homegrown that replaced it, either didn't draw jack or got cancelled too. I wouldv'e remembered if Rothbury had abig music festival this past year since I live 10 miles from there.

Corkscrew Follies said:
I don't see how Rothbury Music Festival drew 50,000 cars, since it was cancelled for 2010. And Rothbury Homegrown that replaced it, either didn't draw jack or got cancelled too. I wouldv'e remembered if Rothbury had abig music festival this past year since I live 10 miles from there.

Um. If I recall they had an over view of the dirt lot on the news during one of the concerts, and the lot was full. They were saying that the event was going to be cancelled, and something happened, and it was back on. There was also talk that the new owners of Double JJ ranch would not be able to profit from the concert, and the money raised was going to pay off the debts of the previous owners bankruptsy. But, I could be wrong. I'm only stating what I saw on the news.

At any rate, you also have to consider the other big draws in Muskegon. Like the summer Celebration, and the big Bikers festival. They were saying they had 30,0000 for that alone. And the Concerts at the Celebration usually draw big crowds too...up 25,000 to 30,000 each day for that. I would bet that a good portion of those folks also hit Michigan's Adventure before the shows.

I know that I went to Michigan's Adventure during the day, and then saw Poison at the Celebration at night.
There were 19,000 people just at the concert. I know a lot of people that did the same. But, that is just one example I have done both multiple times. I also saw Pat Benatar and Journey after spending the day a MA.

So, there are a lot of factors that go into MA's continued success. I also wanted to add the other Rothbury music fest with Snoop Dog. You can't tell me that one didn't happen.