Paramount Parks since Cedar Fair acquisition

Cropsey: Did Wonderland get a Nickelodeon parade this year? That was the reason that Kings Island got lines painted on the midway last season...

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

Speaking of, some of the yellow lines were starting to disappear as of Tuesday night at Kings Island. No sense in keeping them there after the parade has left.

I have a friend whose mother holds a high position at KI. From what she tells me her mother is looking for a new job as are a lot of others in the office. She says her mother says "it’s like rats from a sinking ship". Her new Cedar Fair boss tells her she "needs to do more"; her mom is working seven days a week. What more can she do? The sales office is on the "brink". Most are waiting for November to collect there bonuses, then they are out. We all know that there are a lot of good employees at KI. Hope Cedar Fair starts treating them better. Also of note is from what her mom tells her the annual "gay day" held on the Friday before Fright Fest is not going to be around in 2007. I guess Cedar Fair is not as progressive as Paramount.

Progressive or not, it's silly for a park to sponsor something so controversial. You end up alienating more people than it's worth.

It's not a park "sponsored" event...it's a standard buy out day like any other. The group pays the full amount to rent out the park (on a day it would have been closed anyway), then sells tickets to those who are of a mind to attend. It's pretty much the same scenario as P&G day at the park. (Which, even though I don't work at P&G, I don't find "alienating" at all...) *** Edited 8/4/2006 1:16:27 PM UTC by JZarley***

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RideMan said:
Cropsey: Did Wonderland get a Nickelodeon parade this year? That was the reason that Kings Island got lines painted on the midway last season...

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

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Dave yes I have noticed signs for the Nic parade but havn't seen it. Those lines could have been there before the CedarFair thing and I just hadn't noticed them!

Exactly JZarley, I'd be very interested to hear more details if this is true. KBF was still having Gay Nights up until last year (which only narrow minded bigots were ever "alienated" by), so maybe this has more to do with the company putting on the event than the new CF ownership.

I'll tell you right now though, CF will rule the day they unleashed the wrath of the Gay Bay party queens if they refuse to book the popular annual Gay Night at PGA!

Well correct me if I'm wrong but "gay days" generally don't refer to the same thing at every park, right? Some are officially sponsored by the park, some are organized by other organizations, some are just unnoficial gatherings...correct? I'm a card carrying homo but I've never really been to such an event mostly because when I'm spending money to go to a park I'm there to ride...not hang out with a bunch of fellow queers I otherwise have nothing in common with. ;)

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. . . "it’s like rats from a sinking ship". Her new Cedar Fair boss tells her she "needs to do more"; her mom is working seven days a week. What more can she do? Hope Cedar Fair starts treating them better. etc.

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Funny that folks who worked for a business most alligned with making television and film entertainment would doubt the abilties of a business who's sole purpose is to run amusement parks. Working seven days a week is not always indicative of working hard. Doing more could mean taking on more responsibity, finding process improvement etc.

KI was cut way back with Paramount. For example only one show this year. Two theatres sit empty all season due to Viacom, not CF.

As for treating employees poorly, asking them to "step up" is not treating employees poorly. Management types alway face the harshest reality of a corporate change. The good ones will adapt and stay, the others will be gone - either on their terms or CF's terms.

I need to note that I have no inside information as to what will happen. I am just a member of the GP like most everyone else here. I do however know how the business world works, and remember, first and foremost, these parks (all of them) are businesses.

CoasterDad I agree that it is a business. However the fact that so many of us here have strong feelings and personal relationships with those at KI make it harder to swallow. Paramount was not great, but Cedar Fair is looking to clean house, for no reason really. Take what I have to say with a grain of salt if you wish, or just believe that I got my information from the Dippin Dots guy. Cedar Fair is making a lot of good folks very nervous in the front office at KI. My friends mom is also in a weird situation because she feels Cedar Fair may fire here based only on the fact that they will have to buy her house. She relocated for Paramount; if here house doesn’t sell KI is on the hook for it. Sad. Log off Ride on, and smash good people every step of the way.

Cedar Fair culture is to treat the job like a lifestyle. Six day work weeks during the summer is normal (and two weeks off beyond normal vacation during the holidays). For the most part it has worked for them, and there are all kinds of eager seasonal managers who'd love to work their way up in the company.

There's no conspiracy here... Cedar Fair has their ideas of what is expected of full-timers. It doesn't mean they hate anyone or want to "smash" good people. If the folks don't agree with the new ownership's expectations, they're certainly free to leave.

^Pretty much describes the reason I don't work for the company anymore. I had a good job and enjoyed the people I worked with but my family is more important to me than my job.

Although I didn't have kids at the time I knew that when we had them I would not be able to enjoy them to the extent I wanted to. Summer, their time off, would always be unavailable to me. I just couldn't go forward with that in mind. Plenty of good people do it, and more power to them, but it wasn't in me.

As I said when this first went down, I expect to see some major changes throughout the "Paramount" parks.

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matt. said:
I'm a card carrying homo...

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I have a fake I.D. ;)

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CoasterDad64 said:
I do however know how the business world works, and remember, first and foremost, these parks (all of them) are businesses.

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That's a refreshing change in these parts. :)

wahoo - You made the choice that was right for you. For the record, I would have done the same.

Just like folks that leave the food service industry. I could not imagine working 70 hours week, week in and week out, for any salary, but certainly not a moderate one.

The hours come with the job - most folks know it, and when life priorities change (not a bad thing I might add) usually the career does do.

indyandrew - It is unfortunate that your friend's mother feels her job is in jeopardy solely as a result of her relocation. In most cases, when companies offer to buy homes at relo (a very rare perk now-a-days), it is actually a third party company that does it. If the third party buys the house, it will be at a reduced cost, and they will in turn sell it at a profit. CF or even Viacom has little to lose on such a situation. The loss (if any) is at the reduced price paid to the employee.

Gonch: Thank you.

*** Edited 8/4/2006 9:11:58 PM UTC by CoasterDad64***