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The Interpreter

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Everything posted by The Interpreter

  1. No one has bought it. . .yet. The sale is "well underway."
  2. I also think it somewhat likely that the Canadian park may not go with the others in the sale...it may have a separate buyer. I am sure CBS will sell the parks together or separately, whichever ways brings the most shareholder value ($$$).
  3. And finally, not only could someone in HR get fired for leaking this information (which they SHOULD be, even if they did have it to start with), they could be in very serious legal trouble with the Federal Government, specifically the SEC, and with individual shareholders. Anyone who did have this type of information and leaked it is hardly an admirable source...they are more correctly described as a despicable person who can't be trusted with information that they had access to only as a trusted associate, and violated that trust. Wonderful. Just wonderful. It's certainly up to the mods, but I'd recommend this entire thread be deleted, or at least that the subject line be changed. And that's not to say that it's impossible that Cedar Fair is buying Paramount Parks (it is possible but highly unlikely), but that the subject line is very misleading...
  4. There is NO WAY in the world that the HR department at CF would know this information before it was released to stockholders and the public. The SEC would be on this in a heartbeat. Further, there has been no recent movement of FUN stock consistent with any such a leak. Sorry, I chalk this one down as a bunch of hooey.
  5. True, but Knott's has nearby competition from Six Flags and Disney. If Cedar Fair buys Paramount Parks, the Ohio parks will have NO nearby substantial competition.
  6. Can I say Shivering Timbers was contracted for and built by the old owner, before selling to Cedar Fair? Can I say Ghost Rider was also contracted for by the old owner, before Cedar Fair? Villian you say? Six Flags contracted for it. Cedar Fair now owns three CCI's. It agreed to build not a single one of them.
  7. Yes, it does. For Cedar Point....more parks to borrow money against to fund more rides for Cedar Point! I doubt seriously it would mean bigger rides for Kings Island. After all, look at all the big rides they have put in at Geauga Lake since they bought it...can you say none?
  8. The CEO of Viacom knows nothing about the deal. Viacom has no ownership of or connection to Paramount Parks. None whatsoever...other than as a licensor of film related rights.
  9. ...and service? Surely you jest! Ever buy a pass from Cedar Fair? How long did you wait in line to get it processed? Compare to Paramount Parks. Service? Try reriding ANY coaster. Service? Have a problem and talk to guest relations. Sorry, Paramount Parks has CF beat to pieces in service. At least that's the way it looks from where I sit.
  10. I guess I am odd. I think the perfect weather for opening day would be a very light mist, such that most of the public stays home, yet the park remains open. Then, on Saturday, let the warm, cloud-free day come, with large crowds to ensure the park's success!
  11. I will believe this when it is announced. Not one second before. I doubt CF has the financing, the hutzpah or even the legal ability to own all the Paramount Parks. Perhaps THIS is the "trusted source?" http://www.thepointol.com/editorsdesk2.html
  12. What's truly odd was I was at opening day at Paramount's Carowinds, where nearly every ride was operating, and in high capacity style, the ride ops and park staff were VERY friendly, the food stands were almost all open, the food was very good and not so overly priced as it was at PKD--a tiny slice of pizza at PKD was $3.99, and burned at that. PCWi was so very, very nice. I am trying very hard to say something nice about opening day at PKD. They gave me a receipt for my parking. Does that count? (ten bucks it was, too)
  13. Assuming, of course, that those rides are actually open. I had the unfortunate experience of going to Paramount's Kings Dominion opening day, which was last Saturday. The park did NOT let in the first guest until opening time of 10:30 arrived. By then there was a very long line of guests trying to enter the park. After about 20 minutes, I was admitted to the park (the only places I have ever experienced a similar wait to get in are Cedar Point on a very busy day and Six Flags Great America the day Raging Bull first opened and they did not have sufficient admissions staff). Then came the shock. Closed were: Rebel Yell backwards, Hurler, Flight of Fear, Avalanche, Volcano: The Blast Coaster, Italian Stunt Whatever, all the shows, about half the food locations, many of the games, and I don't know what all else. There were NO signs outside the park to indicate all the closures. The park was packed. The employee attitudes, especially when compared to the Six Flags I had just left, were lackadaisical at best and downright hostile in many instances. The entire park had a pall to it that one would expect if the place were for sale. I left, but later than I should have, and went to Busch Gardens Europe, formerly known as Busch Gardens Williamsburg, where, even though the park was far busier (gee, I wonder why), I had a much nicer time, all the rides were open, and the cleanliness and overall themed-ness of the place stood out in shocking comparison to PKD. Yes, I will be at PKI for opening. Yes, I hope to have a good time. But, I, for one, can't wait for a change of ownership. Based on what I saw at PKD, things can only go up from there.
  14. If there ARE new owners, which, by the way, is looking more and more likely. I think I heard the sound of Sumner thinking of counting the proceeds!
  15. a. Glad you enjoyed Busch Gardens Europe (yeah, that's what they are calling that place now....kind of odd since it was once Busch Gardens, The Old Country!). I actually was there Saturday, and also was very impressed with Dar Kastle. When Busch does theming, they do it right. And they maintain it, too! b. Also glad you got to Hurricane while it's still there. For those headed down that way, don't overlook Swamp Fox at Family Kingdom, which is visible from the Hurricane! It's one incredible wood coaster... c. Welcome to the new Six Flags. So far, every Six Flags I have visited has seen this transformation. I might wander down to Kentucky Kingdom this weekend to see if it even carried over to there. The thing that has impressed me most about Georgia this season has been the park's incredible cleanliness and the amount of staffing and their attitudes. At closing time, the senior management stands at the gate thanking each and every guest for coming. They act like they mean it, too. Yes, $15 for parking is insane, but they are running trams, lots of them. I paid $10 to park at Paramount's Kings Dominion last weekend, and all I got for that was a receipt...and snarled at! d. Goliath sounds awesome...I guess I will find out soon enough...I have other plans for this Friday, or I'd be there this weekend. I'd have gone last, but I had to be at opening day at Great Adventure. There was NO way I was missing that. Kingda Ka was running, too...and I scored yet another front seat ride on that magnificient beast. It sounds as if y'all had a great trip!
  16. Which means, of course, that Mapquest was right. Why anyone would want to go to that Outback when there is a perfectly wonderful Popeye's in a Shell Station and a neato Mexican place where Knapp's used to be is beyond me. Then again, I have weird food tastes!
  17. I remember feeling VERY sorry for the enthusiasts who were there that day...apparently some of them were riding the flume very early that morning in temperatures of, oh, about 40 degrees! Worse, they had been told to dress as if it were a warm summer day, as a commercial shoot was in order. At least the elephant showed them some mercy!
  18. Maybe that was the reason and maybe it wasn't. Most, but not all parks, do not soft open rides before the media day, if there is one. Disney is one of the biggest exceptions. Then again, most of the Florida and Southern California parks do business differently than seasonal parks do!
  19. Given what's going on with Six Flags, I would not assume that Kentucky Kingdom will always be there. In fact, if Cedar Fair wanted to buy it tomorrow, I am sure Six Flags would be happy to entertain offers....then again, the Commonwealth of Kentucky would have a say in that matter, as well....It's their fairgrounds and parking lot!
  20. Oh, really? That isn't likely at all. People would SAY they wouldn't go. And then they would anyway. More than enough to make it worth the purchase...
  21. SFMM costs more to get in than Disneyland. Parking is also more. Why is a question that many puzzle over. So, competition alone may not cause lower prices, but lack thereof certainly does encourage higher prices and fewer investments by the park.
  22. Yep, Cedar Point has such an amazing multi-inversion looping coaster. If you like Corkscrew. Enjoy! Besides, ain't you the same person who just posted how great it would be if Cedar Fair owned PKI? Then you'd have no choice of another Ohio park chain to buy a pass from. Think about that!
  23. If CF had a monopoly on Ohio parks, they could charge what the market would bear. Season passes might be several hundred dollars. New rides would be installed much less often. That's what happens when there is no competition. Still think it is such a great idea?
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