The Interpreter

Nice picture. About two months ago, VIACOM (yes, VIACOM) announced they intended to pursue international theme park opportunities. Kind of odd, eh?

Not only that, but Six Flags New England has always been well landscaped. The crowds that park gets, along with Six Flags Great Adventure, pose...how to put this?....unique challenges that midwest parks for the most part do not have to deal with. I can't imagine Six Flags Great Adventure, in particular, being managed by Cedar Fair or even Paramount. The bravest security people at either organization do not have the daily challenges that those two parks' patrons frequently present...

Actually, that was a great idea. Not unlike the Sun Wheel at Disney's California Adventure.

That hasn't been established yet, though I can't imagine that the Kings Island/Dominion names will change. The Paramount's part may or may not be gone, though.

Yeah PKI was #1 in the USA, and PCW was ranked #1 in North America with about 15 other mega themed Disney and Universal type parks taking the other top spots. Uh, no. Tops for SEASONAL parks, yes. But those "other" top spots were actually THE top spots.

I take it you have been to those Six Flags parks THIS year? If not, your experience isn't all that relevant, given Six Flags is under new management. For the record, the filthiest park I have been to this year, BY FAR, was Paramount's Kings Dominion. It was worse than ANY Six Flags park I have ever been to.

Nothing is going to happen until the sale closes, which is expected during the third quarter---July to September. Or so they said during the conference calls.

During today's conference call, the CF representatives said there were no "substantial" commitments for rides at the Paramount Parks for 2007. They defined substantial as being in the realm of Ghostrider at KBF. I doubt seriously any major coaster is being installed at any Paramount Park next year. And don't even get me started by telling me that some enthusiasts' group is having a convention there next year. Parks do not plan major investments around enthusiasts' conventions.

Now you done went and done it. I wasn't going to say this. Now I have to. CF is gonna take the P out of KI. What you think of that is up to you.

More than once, the CF people referred to the Paramount Parks as "great parks" during the conference calls. Then again, you'd expect them to. They just agreed to spend a ton of money to buy them!

Write it down. Peanuts is a United Feature Syndicate property. It was never owned by Nickelodean, which was and is a VIACOM property. Charles Schulz would not have wanted it any other way. Nick did rerun some of the Peanuts specials, but running a program and owning it are two entirely different things.

The Disney people would like a word with you...or two or three...

They were? No, they weren't. . . As has already been stated once in this thread.

I wonder what happens to that Coke deal that Paramount Parks so proudly signed right before the probable sale was announced. Will we find Coke in some Cedar Fair parks next year? Somehow, I doubt it.

Well, yeah. That, too!

Wooden coasters built in an earthquake prone area with strict building codes don't come cheap. To say the least.

Perhaps. You might be surprised at what they cost. And I doubt free parking for passholders survives. Then again, Dorney offers it...

PCWi sent the same email. Probably a common issue to all Paramount Parks. And a way to sell a few more passes!

I think it WAS kind of rushed. A deal was only struck last night, though a handshake agreement had been reached about a week earlier. Then there was the little matter of Kinzel telling the Toledo Blade that Cedar Fair was interested in acquiring Kings Island, before any public announcement. I bet the lawyers were squirming over that one, and that it accelerated an announcement.

Nothing silly about that! Scarowinds at Carowinds is a great experience, but an upcharge. The CF people on the call were very proud of Halloweekends, and seemed to think Paramount Parks could benefit from something similar. They didn't seem to know about Fearfest or Scarowinds!

The deal is expected to close in the third quarter: July-September....

It was several times noted that Cedar Point is the engine of Cedar Fair. I don't see anything that will change that. Yes, it was noted several times that PKI and PCWo both have over 3 million patrons a year. Still, it was also noted that individual markets dictate what goes in the parks, and that the family direction at PKI is successful. Also, that no major investments are on the books for 2007 at the PP for whichCF would be on the hook.

You say that as if that were an easy thing. If it were so easy, would it not have been already done?

Not yet. It could still fall through, but that is unlikely.

Shaggy, you are being far too logical to post here!! Mr. Kinzel himself called them "five great parks."