Worst hour cuts in Six Flags history?

I have to agree, googlewatt.

Although I do have faith that the chances are good that CF will "turn GL around", it's not a sure bet, and excuses aside it hasn't happened yet. I think that's probably the main reason why we're not hearing any definite rumors of a CF acquisition of SFNO. At least that would make business sense - wait until you've succeeded with the current project before buying another one, especially from the same people.

I still can't get the thought of GAFP out of my head.. if the price was right, would GAFP purchase SFNO? (also, would SF be able to go low enough for them to afford it?)

I find it comical and childish for ANYONE to complain about a park cutting back on staff or hours or raising prices, when they refuse to spend a cent on/in the park.

If you want a park to flourish....

SPEND SOME FRIKKEN MONEY THERE!

The Six Flags Season pass (regardless of where you buy it or how much you spend) is one of the last great bargains out there! even Cedar Point has a upcharge for their nearest sister park.

It's like complaining about the McDonalds closing up the street "that you never spent a dime at"!!!!

Sam hit it on the head. You don't support a park by just going there all the time squeezing every last cent out of your season pass. You've got to buy the occassional souvenir or play the occasional game.

I have supported the park for years and spend a good deal of money each season, including last year. I was fairly offended and dismayed at the way they treated customers (including me) last year. This is when I decided I probably wouldn't buy a season pass the next year. Cutting hours so badly before the season starts and if I even made up my mind just shows that they don't care about the customers even more. At this point, I could care less if the park shrivels up and dies. I think this is a slap on the face to other fans who continue to go there and more of a reason for me not to want to go there. If they want to save money, why don't they just not operate the park at all if it's doing that badly?

There's many other reasons why I don't want to buy a season pass (one other listed above that is besides the hour cuts). One of them would be understaffing a ride so bad that it results in a death because a ride operator cannot properly monitor the ride area... I just can't support a company that lets their limited budgets get in the way of safety. I don't care if there's other great Six Flags parks (I've been a few and had a blast). It's the same company, which also happens to run run those great parks with huge budgets, that excessively limits the budget so much that I'm out against.

Rephrased that last sentence, I'm not blaming big-budget parks! I know they pay for themselves several times over. *** Edited 1/5/2005 10:23:04 PM UTC by Cameraman***

Okay here's a better idea.

How 'bout they keep the same hours, raise your season pass price to $70 and snatch that $10 voucher they're giving away from you?

Wait, wait! I gotta better one!

How 'bout they keep the same daily hours, raise your season pass price and keep the park closed 'till May 15?

Oooh! Oooh! I'm snowballing here! Feets don't fail me now!

How 'bout the hike the price, open in May and close in mid-September? Even better huh?

Cuz $70 is the cheapest early-purchase season pass price in my neck of the woods. It'll go up to $90 when the park opens.

And seeing that the average SF passholder only visits the park THREE times total (source: 11/9/04 shareholder conference call) you're definitely on the freeloader side of the fence, statistically speaking. Looking a gift horse in the mouth. Receiving most generously as opposed to the average parkgoer.

I say take your cheap pass and button your lip.

-CO

Those great parks with excessive budgets pay for themselves...little parks with little budgets pay for themselves...why is it so hard to understand?????

---

CoastaPlaya said:

How 'bout they keep the same daily hours, raise your season pass price and keep the park closed 'till May 15?

---

Actually I wouldn't mind that as much. I think Six Flags season passes are a steal! I don't visit that much before May because there's very little to no night hours. I was perfectly happy with the summer hours.

---

john peck said:
Has anyone looked to see if all the other SF parks have cut their operating hours, or is this the only one?

---

The calendar on SFA looks to be exactly the same as the one last year, so it doesn't look like any cuts there. Also, I was checking the Magic Mountain calendar, have they always been open till midnight on Saturdays during the summer? I'm very jealous of the people in SoCal, year round parks, parks staying open till midnight, being able to purchase a season pass for the price of one day admission <sigh>

---

Cameraman said:
Cutting hours so badly before the season starts and if I even made up my mind just shows that they don't care about the customers even more. At this point, I could care less if the park shrivels up and dies. If they want to save money, why don't they just not operate the park at all if it's doing that badly?

One of them would be understaffing a ride so bad that it results in a death because a ride operator cannot properly monitor the ride area... I just can't support a company that lets their limited budgets get in the way of safety. I don't care if there's other great Six Flags parks (I've been a few and had a blast). It's the same company, which also happens to run run those great parks with huge budgets, that excessively limits the budget so much that I'm out against.

---

Alright a couple of things here...

First of all if not cutting hours before the season starts, then when during the season? The off season, when your making your hours,is actaully the best time to cut them, who knows they could add more during the season as many Six Flags parks have been known to.

As for understaffing leading to an accident that happend a couple years back. As I recall from visiting many other non SF parks with the same ride, or variations in the model, many parks will use that ride with one operator as many SF parks do, so is understaffing the cause of death? Or are all those other parks terrible companies you cant support as well. And remember SF isnt the only operator with budget cuts in staffing (and this isnt just at SFNO it happens at the "big budget" parks as well ... anyone remember SFMM years back? Look at SFGAd). Not to mention other parks have come out ot say that accidents have been caused by cutbacks in staffing (big thunder mountain anyone?) nobel of them to admit the mistake.

Now heres my issue, you started this thing freaking out about cutting hours, now you want to go to the extreme and cut all the hours by having SF close the park? I guess you just seem to me like you have no complaint. You werent going to visit this year anyway, you claim. Then your upset about the hours, then you want to go to the extreme and have no hours, closing the park. Originally I thought you couldnt care more though you say you could care less, now I think you confused as to why this conversation started in the first place. Im sorry but you seem to me like a dog chasing its tail. *** Edited 1/6/2005 12:49:45 AM UTC by googlewatt***

Like I always say, at least you have a home park. They could always tear it down and replace it with a horrid mills mall.

---

googlewatt said:

You werent going to visit this year anyway, you claim. Then your upset about the hours, then you want to go to the extreme and have no hours, closing the park. Originally I thought you couldnt care more though you say you could care less, now I think you confused as to why this conversation started in the first place. Im sorry but you seem to me like a dog chasing its tail.

---

Yes, I suppose you're right about that. I was not planning on buying a season pass, but hoped something (good) would come along and help change my mind. Not necessarily a new ride, just anything that seemed positive! However, this happens and just pushes me farther away from wanting to go back.

My comments based on my visit last year and a youth spent in N. O.

The place was empty when I was there, though there was a long line for Batman anyway.

Going clear back to the late 50's Orleanians have always preferred to go to the park in the evening to avoid the heat. (Pontchartrain Beach back in those days.)

It makes sense to cut daytime hours. It's a mistake to cut evening hours.

Exactly my point, thrillerman. Try not having a home park period for 24 years, and then see if you complain...

Even though I feel your pain on some points Cameraman, I will still re-new my pass anyway regardless of what I think of the park. Gotta love it anyway. I travel alot so I can use it at other SF parks and like you said "Its a Steal." I trust you will re consider.

I am not taking any side here but just for the record......

I was not here for the Jazzland era but do know someone who was a supervisor during that time.

My friend tells me there were 3 employees working rides that in most all parks today are staffed with one operater. Use to be 3 or 4 employees plus a Supervisor assigned to one section to keep clean Ect ect. I hear it was great and the park was imaculate Bla Bla Bla.

So where is Jazzland now?

Not trying to be a smartass here, just trying to make a point.

What we apparently have here is a lack of ability to control the day to day operations at the park..This as I've said in the past is a conglomeration of ignorance and ineptness of the parks upper management ..Everyone who works at the park touts how the GM is so park oriented and wants the park to suceed but I have not seen one (1) improvement as far as customer relations being improved in the last 2 seasons..We have the same crew running the ship as in the Jazzland era. And I'm sure that has a significant impact on how the park is run today..It is only a matter of time before we belly up and I can not blame SFI for it totally..New Orleans is a city that likes underdogs and under achievers look at the saints , the city and state are being held ransom for a new stadium by a owner who couldn't beat a high school team if they needed to but we still follow them and wait for that time when we can say it was worth the wait!!!! That i believe won't be the case with SFNO..They are trying to suceed by shutting down future economic growth instead of improving their status with the community..We are building a utitlity shed but i don't think it will be big enough to house all the rides after the park closes...The only good part about purchasing a season pass now is the options to visit other parks...

Calcajun , If I am not mistaken is the GM and Public Relations Director from the Jazzland era.. The staffing cuts discussed earlier this year have now apparently happened,, I thought we were heading for better waters but my sources have proved me wrong again ..They must have some plans for the park, it seems to be going in a down hill spiral, SF must need a tax write off for 2005, because the way they are driving people away they are heading for the rocks

I went to Jazzland in late June 2001, and like many of you have already mentioned, the place was empty. I said it then and I'll say it again, N'awlins just is not a good place for an amusement park, period. It doesn't matter if it's Six Flags, Cedar Fair, independant or whatever. When people go the the Big Easy, it isn't for roller coasters, it's for Burbon Street, the Garden District, Jazz music and the other historical aspects of the city. Pontchartrain Beach had a long history and it eventually was closed. Why did an upstart like Jazzland think it would be able to succeed where Pontchartrain Beach failed?

This just goes to show you that just because there is a large population and a tourist base a park is automatically needed. This park is failing not because of Six Flags, this park is failing because people are not coming through the gates. Perhaps Jazzland & SF made decisions that sped the process along, but the overall problem isn't management, its demographics.

Reminds me of the discussion about having a park in Phoenix.
*** Edited 1/6/2005 2:51:41 PM UTC by Soggy***

I bet they could do something to win back locals though. Like others have said, night was the only time they would visit, so why not open later in order to stay open later. Make it more of a nighttime destination and more accesible for locals.

It seems like the normal Six Flags approach isnt working so they are giving up rather than try something outside the mold.

Oh.that has already been hasched over..The employees on one of the other message boards threw fits because they did not want to work past 9 in order to get home at a decent hour..I'm sure some of the employees had a say in the new hours..I would love the park if it opened at 1 and closed at 10 or 11. A lit up park makes for a much nicer atmosphere since the park is pretty much a concrete circle with canopy covers..Ponchartrain beach was great to ride at nite, cooler, and people just got out more in New Orleans later in the day to shy away from the blistering heat and humidity. SFNO is spending a chunk of money for a maintenance shed that will .. not enhance the customer appreciation for the park, they could have spent that money on the start of the proposed waterpark which could possibly keep the park alive,The Zephyrland project was killed but they couldn't stop Gulf Islands in Gulf port, Ms and that will just about finish off any future plans for a waterpark at SFNO . If SFNO would revamp the hours and make them later you would probably suck back a few return visits but once they get a taste of poor customer service they won't return no matter what the hours..I haven't heard anything from anyone at the park noting that the problems with guest relations will get resolved this year...Six Flags could take advantage of the Mardis Gras season / Sugar Bowl and Big name events and cater to the influx of out of towners and open the park weather permitiing for those weekends but NO they won't do that , it makes too much sense...Lack of Fresh new Ideas from our Public Relations Director has caused this park to become stale....