SFGAM HH free with park admission!

Er, actually I never saw an episode. I wasn't in this country yet, and you know only America has television ;).

Last year, SFGAm's general admission price was $41.99. So, with the new HH, the price went up a little over a 7% increase.

See, that's what I'm saying.

VF nudged the gate up 3% ($32.95 to $33.99) while investing $3 million in cap ex.

SFGAM nudged their gate up 7% while investing over $30 million.

I don't think SFGAM will post a loss. They'll pay it off in three seasons tops, regardless of weather. On the other hand, they should be feeding the rest of the chain some cash.

The next time a SF fanboy wails 'Where's my hyper?' you know where to point.

-'Playa

You mean SFGAM is getting a 200' tall body slide, without inversions? :)

Here's your hyper, right HERE...;)

Okay fine, gator.

The next time an SF fanboy wails 'where's my hyper?' you can show them where the money should have come from.

I dotted the I, crossed the T, signed by the X, made every little bitty inference crystal clear and even used 'MOJ' in a sentence tho I doubt I've mentioned it since oh, two-thousand-friggin' THREE.

Better?

-CO

*** Edited 1/20/2005 10:47:41 PM UTC by CoastaPlaya***

"SFGAM HH free with park admission!"

Oh My!

Oh, wait. Let me put m'serious face on:

This suprises any of you? We harp on SFI for making bad business decisions all the time (and then some of you point out that those that do don't have a clue about business, wow, how many are posting in this thread that SFI dosen't know what they're doing...), and it suprises any of you that They're doing this?

Please. I would love to sell you all some Beach Front Property in West by God Virginia if you truely believed SFI was going to do something right in regards to getting rid of debt.

It didn't come as a shock at all when I read it, in fact, I would have been mildly suprised had HH in Chi-Town been a seperate Gate.

One of these days, Corporate will learn. Today was not that day, however.

But you have to admit it was QUITE the buckle from offering separate $79.99 season passes. Even for them!

-'Playa

I agree, and I even think it was a stupid decision. Esp. since most of the other 'top tier parks' that have a water park have a seperate gate.

But that still didn't make me think it was going to happen here, esp. since they've seemed to dance around the subject so much.

I just expected it. I think they knew from the get go that it was going to be same gate, which is why they're promoting it as SFGAm getting a new water park, and not Hurrican Harbor coming to Chicago.

Top tier parks? Hell, even VF's WWC debuted as a separate gate. Not that 6 slides, a lazy river and a kiddie pool inspired folks to whip out their wallets...but at least they tried.

You know, when people were actually walking in the door.

-'Playa

*** Edited 1/20/2005 9:34:57 PM UTC by CoastaPlaya***

LOL, I wasn't disagreeing ONE bit about any of the absurdity....just find it funny that anyone would ask SF "where's MY hyper", when we know darn well that the money for one ain't coming from corporate anytime soon...and decisions JUST like this one are the reason why...;)

edit: And yes, when they DO ask (and they WILL), I can pull out my atlas and point directly to Gurnee, and say "there's your hyper", right underneath that lazy river...:) *** Edited 1/20/2005 9:49:20 PM UTC by rollergator***

I strongly disagree, this a great move. Six Flags Great America is one of the few parks not afraid to take a risk...along with Cedar Point. Six Flags has people talking about this, this is the first time that I recall the GP talking about Great America and how they are excited since Batman. Six Flags Great America is one of the few preforming Six Flags Parks. Six Flags Great America remains a top notch quality park, while still being owned by that dreaded Premier. All you PKI fans, can you imagine how hard it would be to have a high quality park like it currently is if it was owned by Premier; SFGAM is doing it and SFGAM is right behind you on quality. Six Flags Great America will run at full capacity many times this year. It will turn profit, and the park's overall quality will reach an all time high in up comming years. BTW, Most Profits don't come from admissions they come from In Park Spending, which will take a major jump as attendence jumps.

Put a little trust in this Premier Park that could. *** Edited 1/20/2005 10:46:22 PM UTC by Planea380***

^I'm with you. Let's watch SFGAm's attendance jump. Sure, there might not be a separate admission, but there will be a lot more admissions. I'm reluctant to ridicule SF over this one. I actually applaud it.

Sirloindude, who would like to know where his hyper is. Oh, wait, it's right down I-95.

I *can* see this working if they could eliminate the heaviest discounts---and it might, if the before-school-is-out-only $31 deal doesn't get extended.

What does people talking have to do with anything? I'm talking right now, and not making a dime from it.

This is the lesson the company just won't learn: Undervalue your park by giving away the gate and you miss a chance to make more. I don't think their cap ex over the last six or seven years was a bad idea, but it would've been a better idea had they priced the parks, and especially season passes, the way the other chains and independents did. I mean, even Holiday World is a $90 pass and it's a fraction of the size of SFGAm!

I'm talking right now, and not making a dime from it.

Don't people usually pay you to stop talking, Jeff? ;)

mOOSH [sorry...couldn't resist]

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I don't think their cap ex over the last six or seven years was a bad idea, but it would've been a better idea had they priced the parks, and especially season passes, the way the other chains and independents did.

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And there's the key in my eyes. I read a lot of bashing on the spending they did and frankly, I think it was the right start. However the follow up to profit was handled in exactly the opposite way it should have been.

Really, how could you do the expansions/additions that some of these parks did and not come out ahead?

Of course with most SF park's lousy customer service, operations, and food they would not be able to deliver on the perceived value of a higher ticket or annual pass. Holiday World can justify the high season pass price because you're treated like royalty while you're there *and* your pocketbook isn't gouged with high food, drink, and amenities.

One thing no one has mentioned yet that is related to this subject...SFGAm has to come up with 350 lifeguards to staff HH plus staff for the other booths in that area.

This was addressed a bit at No CoasterCon. From what Ron Sevart said, they are going to be relying heavily on bringing in International recruits because they know the size of the available employment pool in the area, especially during the beginning/end of the season when school is on. *** Edited 1/21/2005 12:08:29 AM UTC by Brad G***

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Jeff said:
I mean, even Holiday World is a $90 pass and it's a fraction of the size of SFGAm!

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Holiday World? What about Michigan's Adventure?

-'Playa

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Jeff Sayeth once again:
I don't think their cap ex over the last six or seven years was a bad idea.

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Exactly right. The problem was not that they were building things or expanding. But were the parks maintained better (i.e. painted, cleaned, ride maintenence, etc.), Staff friendlier, food not overprice, gate and SPs higher priced, and some better internal decisions made, SFI would be a great company with lots of profits.

Basically, if the overall experience to go into a Six Flags park, branded or not, was on par with Paramount, Cedar Fair, or any other park that 'gets' that you have to treat your customers right, then people would pay a higher fee for season passes, gate admission, seperate gates, and the company would be able to afford to gloat right now, instead of trying to pull themselves out of debt.