Six Flags having a soft year in US and Europe

Hmmm.... bad weather?

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"Roller Coaster favorite ride , let me kiss you one last time" Blink 182

Ah, Six Flags is probibly kicking themselfs in the butt so hard it's not even funny! 3 YEARS OF EXTREAME expantion and 2 Bil. in debt with 100 mil in intrest each year on top of 15% softer earnings. All you Six Flagers, don't expect too much new stuff cause chances are you won't get it!
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Cameron Willis
Dr. Doolittle 2: "So young, so angry. Damn that rap music!"

That sux for Six Flags but not for the guests!!!

Thats because potential repeat customers are not returning and the food and souvenier prices are so dang high people aren't forking over the cash.....

What this fails to show is that attendance is up at SF parks and that there net is down but there cash flow is up. Remember CF Disney Universal are showing loss of attendance in some cases as high as 10%(CP and DW), SF is reporting for the year an increase of 9.4% attendance level increase, if you dont include seattle and montreal there is only a 5.3% increase but that's an increase compaired to how other's are doing.
Its there european park's that are causing all the problems here with bad weather and low per capita spending according to Kieran Burke chairman and chief executive officer.

http://biz.yahoo.com/rf/010813/n13253624.html

http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/010813/132616.html


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Army rangers lead the way
*** This post was edited by supermandl on 8/15/2001. ***

What else is new? Everyone's having a bad year.

Six Flags parks really do need to clean up a little bit rather than add many, many new attractions in the next year. Sure some parks could use big new rides, but a lot of Six Flags parks need to focus on other things like working towards better maintinence and ride capacity.

-Bob
www.thrillzing.com
If I act like I know what I'm talking about... I probably don't!

First off all, don't over-react. It's funny how some enthusiasts suddenly think they're MBA's. The company isn't going to go under or cease all capital investment.

Attendance is worthless if people aren't spending money. The bit about per capita spending down in a soft economy makes me wonder exactly why these parks continue to give away the gate as they do. The other companies don't give away season passes and tickets with ridiculous discounts. Eventually they'll figure out in light of competition (or lack thereof) they can charge far more than $40 for season passes.

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Jeff
Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com
"From the global village... in the age of communication!"

I think it is funny how parks can think that they can charge a crazy amount for entry fee, parking and have the prices of gifts up to but then have the nerve of charging 2 and three bucks for a bottle of water. I Have heard many gp say they won't go some where because of the price of entry food, parking, and every thing else. IF they would lower price then more people would come and generally spend more.

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chill factor

Whats the difference, Cedar Fair charges the same, if not more, for admission, drinks, etc. They're both having a bad year and blaming it on weather. I dont know about the west coast but in the Northeast its always hot, we have had one day of rain in the past 2 weeks, i dont know of any bad wetaher. At least both chains attendance are down, instead of one dominating.

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HurricaneGeauga- Just in case

Weather is always a factor but I dont think its the case here in the US .I think people are holding back on spending at parks in general.People are packing there own lunch and refilling water bottles. Big themers should take a lesson from Holiday World...free drinks free parking with a clean and pleasent atmosphere,I always spend MORE on gifts and food when IM happy and didnt get hosed for parking and a $4.00 water!!!!

Jeff's got a point in that season passes were CHEAP - I paid $40 for mine - (SFKK during SRM trip). Decrease the parking and food prices, up the gate, and people wil walk around the park happier - and more willing to spend. When I have a season pass and have spent $25-30 on sodas and parking, I'm a little less likely to buy souvenirs, and less likely to return for repeat visits. Remember this about souvenirs - they are FREE advertising for the park. Six Flags may have the most, sometimes even best, coasters, but HAPPY guests return, spend more, and bring their (paying) friends with them. And considering how much SF paid for the parking lot and the soda, HW DOES have the idea - making people happy. Somehow I think the big themers may have forgotten what business they're in...And weather conditions won't be changing for the BETTER in the next few years, so maybe some of the misting fans in the longer queue lines would be a wise investment - I know CP thinks so.

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rollergator - intent on improving the "guest experience" - coming soon to a park near you

i dont think free pop would work at big themers unless every 20 feet there was a pop stall. Holiday World doesnt get the people like a SF park, if they did the line would be way too long for drinks, sort of like why you have to pay to do a skycoaster or a rock wall. I would be happy if the chains would start with free water then see what happens

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HurricaneGeauga- Just in case

Umm, what parks DONT have free water?!?!
jeremy
--who has seen at least one Water fountain in every park he's been to...save Holiday World :)

I've gotten free glasses of ice water at both SF and VF parks. Just ask.

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Current favorite coasters:
Wooden: 1) Beast 2) Raven 3) Son of Beast 4) The Boss 5) Timber Wolf
Steel: 1) Raging Bull 2) Millennium Force 3) V2 4) Wild Thing 5) Mr. Freeze

Six Flags Worlds of Adventure, 2Hostyl. I did not see one water fountain while I was there. You can get free glasses of water though.

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CDNSN

You meant the $5.50 they charge for a 20oz.??
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Thanks for riding Tidal Wave and enjoy your day here at Marriott's Great America!!
www.angelfire.com/oh4/tk173

Craig: I drank from a fountain @ SFWoA, though admittedly, it was on the WildLife side. I could have sworn there was a fountain next to the bathroom by Hydes...

JC: When I asked the girl @ SFKK for some water, she told me all she could give me were these little "jello shot" cups :) I was rollin!
jeremy

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"I propose that a smart death ray be designed to smite any who attempt to smoke in a line queue. " - Figaro

I drank out of something that looked like a fountain, outside the bathroom by Hydes, I don't think I was hallucinating. I only buy water when I am feeling dehydrated and I am stuck in a queue line.

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Parks for 2001:
PKD,PKI 3x, CP 2x
SFKK 2X, SFOG, SFStL,SFWOA, SFGAM,SFGADV
HOLIDAY WORLD 2X, INDIANA BEACH 2X, Kennywood, Lakemont, Knoebels