Six Flags posts loss for quarter, with increase in per cap spending

Also attendance wise consider this:

1) Six Flags Astroworld is closed down.
2) Six Flags New Orleans is not opening this year.
3) Six Flags Darien Lake hasn't open for '06 season yet.
4) La Ronde hasn't open for 06' season yet.
5) Great Escape hasn't open for 06' season yet.
7) Wild Waves & Enchanted Village hasn't opened for 06' season yet.
8) Six Flags Great America and a few more parks only opened for 06' last weekend or within the last month.
9) Wyandot Lake hasnt opened for '06 season yet.
10) The Water parks aren't open yet, and considering this summer is supposed to be a hot one i suppose the waterparks are going to play a big dent in attendance rising.

When you put this into consideration many of the parks havent even begun operation and still most have only began operation a month or less then a month ago other then a few parks. Kids aren't out of school yet etc. Also when you are illiminating two major parks for the attendance figures this year (SFNO/SFAW) thats going to affect it as well and considering both those parks would have been open in the first quarter also makes more reason for the attendendance drop.

**** This post was edited by j_o_e_y__ 5/12/2006 6:33:55 PM ***

Was Six Flags even including SFAW and SFNO in the comparison between first quarter 05 and 06?

^^ With the exception of SFAW and SFNO, none of the other parks mentioned would have been open in the first quarter last year either. And from what SF themselves have said, AW and NO didn't contribute that much to attendance figures anyway.

This article states that not counting SFNO, last year's first quarter attendance was 1.48 million (instead of 1.5 million).

Couldn't find anything solid on SFAW. :(

So subtract another 20,000 from my earlier post outlining the real attendance drop and you're down to 80,000 not counting the weather excuse or the SFAW numbers. :)

I had never heard about this site until today when I was looking up how much SFAstroworld sold for. It had been on the local news this week.

As a mom who had many enjoyable years at Astroworld I was just as shocked that it was closing. (I was there the last day it was open to get my daughter to ride Greased Lightning which she never wanted to ride. Of course she loved it and we kept getting back in line.) After reading all of your comments I do know that money is always the bottom line.

I've thought about some things since it closed that I had been concerned about over the years...1) the help at Astroworld had gotten lazy. Too many young people not being enthusiatic about their job. SFFiesta has more adults working there like they do at DisneyWorld who care about the guests. 2)Nothing had been done with the water show in the middle of the park for at least 2 years. 3) It was too accessible to kids by city bus who came without parents which resulted in a day last summer where students had to be asked to leave the park. The brawl was carried over to a nearby convience store.

But I do think the market here is wonderful. As Fierce Pancake said, we have had commercials and emails regarding the other SF themeparks but I am not too happy with them right now. I won't go out of my way to go to D or SA this year. We have so much land around Houston for someone to come in and develope into a beautiful new park someday. I do think that pricing is a concern. If it only takes two visits to pay for a season pass that may not be enough, but I wouldn't want it much more than it is. Interesting business. Thanks for letting me vent!