New ride(s) for michigans adventure?

LostKause said:
I bet overhead for an amusement park is pretty high, though.

Insurance alone can cost a pretty penny. I'm willing to bet that a park's highest overhead expense is labor. Even at min wage rates, it adds up quickly when there's 200, 500, 1000 or in CP's case 5,000 workers in a season.

Heaven help you if you're nuts enough to open a park from scratch. You could easly be out 50-100 million before you ever think of dreaming of turning a profit.

I thought that cedar fair was self insured?

So where is everyone getting these attendance numbers? Cedar Fair does not release this type of information.

I was wondering that to.

I do know that duing the summer last year they were friggin packed, even mid-week.

Mike :-})

I've been to the park pre-Cedar Fair and after, and that park has done a 180. They are getting all of their pieces in the right place to make the park an exceptional experience, it just won't happen overnight. $8.00 to park is a little irritating, though.

Not as irritating as $15.

I would consider $8 reasonable, I have been to much smaller parks that charge more. Heck, I visited an FEC this past November that charged for parking. AN FEC!!!

I know a park that offers a heckuva lot more to do without charging a cent to park.

Would this park be in Indiana?

Or a park by the name of Knoebels?

Actually I was thinking of Kennywood, but now you mention it, I know of three parks (probably more, if I was motivated enough to think it through) that offer more with free parking.

Then again, the day pass for Kennywood is greater than $8 more than MiA, so I guess you could almost call it a wash.

Ensign Smith said:
Then again, the day pass for Kennywood is greater than $8 more than MiA, so I guess you could almost call it a wash.

Is there really much difference between paying $26 to get in and $8 to park or paying $36 to get in?

All I know is that the 'free' parking costs my family of four a total of $32 more to get in the park.

Free indeed.

Always amazed at how easy it is to fool people with some nice wording.
(not directed at you, ES, but rather at people in general)

Lord Gonchar said:

Is there really much difference between paying $26 to get in and $8 to park or paying $36 to get in?

All I know is that the 'free' parking costs my family of four a total of $32 more to get in the park.

Free indeed.

Always amazed at how easy it is to fool people with some nice wording.
(not directed at you, ES, but rather at people in general)

Unless you are at knoebles, where the parking AND gate are free.

If you don't ride anything, sure.

But the second you ride something, you're paying for it.

The point is these parks aren't taking a loss. If they were they wouldn't be in business. They need to get X number of dollars from each guest - how they break it up on paper doesn't mean a thing, the bottom line does.

In answer to your question about park attendance. When they opened Thunderhawk, they had an end of season boast on the local media, where they reported attendance over 700,000 for the season.

In the same report, they discussed the new RV park that may be open this summer, which is right across the street from the park. There is also talk of a future on site hotel/indoor waterpark. Similar to castaway bay at Cedar Point, so they can get winter guests.

The media also reported attendance after Grand Rapids, and Shivering Timbers were constructed, as both rides boosted attendance in a big way. I think attendance trippled when ST was built. I have never heard of it going down, only up.

crazy horse said:

Timber-Rider said:Also, a huge portion of the money that was spent on th Thunderhawk project also went to landscaping and buildings, which include the Thunderhawk store, paths, and new restrooms. not to mention a slew of new games and concessions added to the park last year.

I also think the whole bumper boats thing is stupid, and nothing to get excited about. Even the local Craigs cruisers has bumper boats. Big Deal.

A slew of games and concessions?.....Where?

In answer to your question about the games, they are everywhere. there are a couple new ones right under Logger's run, and another over by Adventure falls. Also various new concessions, face paintings, temp tatoos, and things like that scattered around the park.

There is also an employee around every corner wanting to take your picture, so they can sell it to you later. Just like they do at Cedar Point. But, I know they have 2 times as many stands then they had the year before.

I do agree about the bumperboats.

I wish I was getting excited to ride Demon Drop this year instead. I doubt there are many in the Allentown, PA area as excited as what would be here ino Michigan!

Well, as far as I know, there has been no mention here in Michigan about the park getting the Demon drop. Just the fact that they insulted us with the crappy bumber boats while all their new aquired parks are getting one coaster after another, is a huge disapointment.

The park usually shys away from rides with poor capacity. (The removal of the spider for one.) The Demon Drop is also a ride that had lots of mechanical issues, and was frequently closed, or broken down while I was visiting Cedar Point. I think they would do better by getting a S&S Tower.

But, I wouldn't mind having it come to Michigan. It would certainly be welcomed here, and probably get lots of riders. As there are no other thrill rides in the park.

Have you been living in a cave? Demon Drop is at Dorney.

http://coasterbuzz.com/Forums/Thread/56925.aspx

Heaven forbid someone doesn't know that.