Cedar Fair Attendance Down

[d-r]

Cedar Fair reported a 7% drop in attendance at their parks this so far this year. They blamed in on "the weather." Guess that really explains camp snoopy in the mall of america, huh. And what kind of weather do the have at knotts berry farm? Here in Michigan we've had great weather (well, considering, I mean, it is MICHIGAN), so I don't know how Michigan's Adventure could be impacted.

We all know that the reason are the short summer hours. Remember when I posted the cedar point hours on that thread that was talking about the walt disney world hours?

And don't get me started on the lack of show. Show? They ain't got none, do they? That must be the reason.

Right?

DR

 

[MulanMom]

Cedar Fair also owns Dorney Park and Wildwater Kingdom located in Allentown. Believe me, the weather here has been awful until the last week or so. And I forget how many weekends straight it has rained.

I'm very impressed with what Cedar Fair has done at Dorney Park. The park is extremely neat and clean, the employees are friendly and helpful, they do a lot with their landscaping, and they are continually adding something to the park. Being the parent of 4DS and 6DD, I'm very appreciative of their Camp Snoopy. What impresses me further with Camp Snoopy is that it is geared for the little folk, a lot of which are not paying customers as you must be 4 years old or so many inches tall before you are required to pay for park admission. At WDW, I questioned the value of paying for my just-turned 3 y.o. I know it's an apples to oranges comparison, but for the type of park that it is, Dorney Park is a really nice, family-oriented park, IMHO.

 

[hopemax]

You know, in the article it said which parks had been affected by rain: Cedar Point, Dorney Park and Worlds of Fun (not Knott's, Mall of America or Michigan's Adventure).

It also said Dorney Park had 22 out of its 47 operating days were affected by rain, compared to only 8 days in 2002. Their June rainfall total is normally 4.25" and this year they had 8.3". Dorney Park, in 2002 had 1.6 million visitors or 14.8% of Cedar Fair's total attendance in 2002. Cedar Point accounted for almost 30% of the total in 2002.

If those two parks are down 10% for the year, that would account for 4.5% of the decrease. If Dorney Park was down 12% and Cedar Point is down 18% (they also have a problem that their big ride for the season is not operational and may have to be rebuilt!) that would account for the 7%. Wait, Dorney is supposed to be suffering the worst, so DP down 20%, CP down 10% and everyone else down 2% would also be a 7% drop total.

But like the CF rep said, they still have almost 70% of their annual attendance still to go.

 

[Cindy B]

Could it be due to the 25 million dollar "coat rack" called the Dragster?


I was lucky enoough to ride it on Mem. Day weekend. I know many many people base vacations on that ride.... and it has been down a LONG TIME!


As for Dorney, that is my "home" park for my season pass. It has cleaned up a lot, in the past few years.. not that it was terrible or anything... My daughter loves "Snoopy Camp Out!", and my son could ride Steel Force and Talon until the cows come home!


The rain has been horrible in the Northeast. I think it rained 17 weekends or something horrible like that since the beginning of the year... It was practically every weekend for a very long time.. maybe since April.. it just let up last weekend or so. So that is April, May, June, etc...

 

[lrodk]

Since this thread seems to have nothing to do with Disney I'm transferring it to the Community Board.

 

[d-r]

But Hopemax, nobody believes the articles that say attendance is off at WDW because of reduced travel to Orlando and reduced international travel! Why should we believe this silly weather story? Isn't it really the lack of show and closed attractions (e.g., top thrill dragster)? Wouldn't people come out on nice cool days and enjoy them if they had the top attractions working?

Or is it just Disney that makes up excuses about attendance?

DR

PS Don't you all know I'm kidding? Mall of America?

 

[Lesley]

I have to agree that weather is significant for Cedar Fair parks....I don't know how the weather has been in Sandusky Ohio, but I'd guess that attendance at Dorney Park this year has been next to nothing.....from family reports that part of PA has been cold and rainy ever since the beginning of the Dorney Park season. I know Dorney is not one of their more major parks....but I'm sure its attendance has been abyssmal (sp?)....and running a park when no one is paying to get in has to hurt the whole company. If the weather has been similar in Ohio, then they're really hurting. I think Cedar Point is their biggest and most popular park.

Granted, their parks do have other issues....but for many its either go to a Cedar Fair park or don't go to an amusement park at all. I know I've seen Dorney incredibly understaffed early in the season....until the college kids come back from school. But the weather has been horrible there.

I've been really thankful to have moved to SC this year! Its been unusually rainy here from what I hear....but its warm and it hasn't really been that bad.

 

[Fire14]

I know central Ohio has had a bunch of cold raining days since start of Cp season. Heck I personally even left early that Mem weekend B/c I was cold.