2 years later, are you happy CF purchased KI?

[jzarley]

I second that it was mostly Six Flags problem......Cedar Fair tried to come to the rescue and save the park and when it couldn't be saved. Cedar Fair took the hit.

Ok...while I certainly agree with the premise that GL's problems were due to SF's bad strategy (Burke's SF...not Shapiro's SF), let's not fool ourselves about why CF bought GL. (And, no...I don't believe it's because Kinzel pictures himself as some sort of gallant "amusement park savior" ) Cedar Fair bought GL for two reasons:

1) It was cheap, and looked at the time to be a good investment; and

2) It kept any other theme park operators from competing with CP in its own backyard.

[The Interpreter]

I would also add number 3, which I don't see a thing wrong with:

3. Cedar Fair (and Mr. Kinzel) realised that even if the park couldn't be made profitable, its breakup value approached or was more than the price they paid...

It also had to have a certain deliciousness to buy the park from your vanquished rival who had attempted, and failed, to compete with Cedar Point.

[jzarley]

I would also add number 3, which I don't see a thing wrong with:

3. Cedar Fair (and Mr. Kinzel) realised that even if the park couldn't be made profitable, its breakup value approached or was more than the price they paid...

^ good point...especially when you think about what the real estate market was like when CF bought GL. At that time, a lake-side condo development could have been extremely viable (and profitable!)

[RailRider]

I would also add number 3, which I don't see a thing wrong with:

3. Cedar Fair (and Mr. Kinzel) realised that even if the park couldn't be made profitable, its breakup value approached or was more than the price they paid...

It also had to have a certain deliciousness to buy the park from your vanquished rival who had attempted, and failed, to compete with Cedar Point.

Nicely put, you know he got some joy out of buying GL from your floundering competition for an extremely cheap price.

[BoddaH1994]

So far I'm impressed with what I've seen out of CF. All the events that have taken place have been a great method of drawing attention back to KI as a unique park, not just a park to ride rides and leave.

The landscaping is quite impeccable. In fact, the park looks better than I've seen it for a long time. It now has character and a "welcome to our park" feeling.

All in all, I'm glad we have CF, they will treat KI the way its creators intended. Long live CF!

Kings Island is the place where records are made and records are broken... and it ain't over yet.

[XGatorHead 8904]

^So is Paul Revere getting married there again, making it the record number of times someone has been married at Kings Island?

[Vortexlover2]

Cedar Fair... paramount... none of it really matters that much to me. Unless something really drastic happens, I'm gonna have to say I really don't care.

[KIfan73]

^So is Paul Revere getting married there again, making it the record number of times someone has been married at Kings Island?

Well, I know a set a personal record for paying $6 for an ice cream cone when I bought one at KI the other day.

And, I'm gonna say, it was worth it.

I highly recommend the mint chocolate chip double dip waffle cone at Graeter's.

[RailRider]

Blueberry Twist for me...

[coaster_junky]

for Cedar Fair to have taken over Kings Island when they did (during the big Son of Beast accident) they are doing great and as much as i hated the decision to take out the loop they at least did what they could to keep the ride at the park so, at least so far they are doing an exellent job.

[The Interpreter]

Well, actually Cedar Fair took over before the Son of Beast accident, not during it....

[coaster_junky]

Well, actually Cedar Fair took over before the Son of Beast accident, not during it....

yea i know but it wasn't until the next year (in the publics eyes) that they came into view. (them waiting for the next season to drop the paramount in the title of the park.)

[WooferBearATL]

Need I remind you that the last few years that Paramount/CBS was in control of the park, the International Show Place sat vacant and had no shows all summer. Not to mention that the Festhaus last had a live show in it back in the mid 1990`s. You can`t complain about the amount of options for live entertainment you have this year!

I think the thing that was most disgusting about Paramount is how they took a theme park and dropped attractions in that had no relation to the area. Oktoberfest, gutted. WAH turned into a concrete playground. Rivertown, marginalized. International Street left to decay.

The second hard hit was how a company that was built on entertainment all but eliminated the parks entertainment department.

It's an absolute crime that the International Showplace sat dark for so long.

CF is making some long needed changes and adjustments. Are they perfect? Is anything perfect?

But it's a good bit better than the previous administration.

I second that it was mostly Six Flags problem......Cedar Fair tried to come to the rescue and save the park and when it couldn't be saved. Cedar Fair took the hit.

Ok...while I certainly agree with the premise that GL's problems were due to SF's bad strategy (Burke's SF...not Shapiro's SF), let's not fool ourselves about why CF bought GL. (And, no...I don't believe it's because Kinzel pictures himself as some sort of gallant "amusement park savior" ) Cedar Fair bought GL for two reasons:

1) It was cheap, and looked at the time to be a good investment; and

2) It kept any other theme park operators from competing with CP in its own backyard.

And, you really can't tell me that CF was too hurt to see competition for CP .... uhhhhh ... eliminated?

[Gordon Bombay]

But it's a good bit better than the previous administration.

On which of your recent visits did you decide this?

[Cormaster]

Honestly, I think I am happy with the Cedar Fair purchase of the park. I know its shocking to everyone who has seen my complaints about ride restraints... however I haven't had a single problem fitting on any ride, its my wife who has. I'll tell you guys right now I that most of my posts were nothing more than blind rage, and honestly I don't really blame Cedar Fair for it, but well I gotta blame someone. Anyway Cedar Fair bought the park and the immediatly added Firehawk and later announced the 2009 project. Its hard to complain about a company buying the park and adding 2 roller coasters right from the get go. Crazy thing is the 2009 rumor which ended up being true dates back to like summer of '06. Paramount apparently had the ride exchange program, which meant a new ride means minus one old ride. They proved that when they added Delerium but took away King Cobra, added Tom Raider but took away the old log flume, and added Italian Job Stunt Track but took away the Antique cars. Its nice to see a company thats going to add these 2 coaster but not take away anything!

[Browntggrr]

Why would Cedar Fair do either of those things? They are in business, after all, to make money...not to perturb the public.

Im just saying. You never know what they are going to do next!

You were surprised that CF closed GL? You even started a topic about the way TG (now FD) looked and questioned if the ride was going to last. And that was just a ride. While at GL, most rides were walk-ons, even on the weekends.

You expected CF to support a park that could not support itself? That would hurt all the other parks. They took the lesser of two evils- 1) upset a small group of people that actually went to GL. -or- 2) upset most of your guests by not adding attractions to the parks that do support themselves to support GL. CF made a difficult business decision, and I'm sure a decision that they second guessed themselves many times before pulling the trigger.

And what is the difference when CF closes a ride vs. when Paramount closed a ride? Because the way I see it so far is CF has removed a lake, and yet installed(-ing) 2 major rides and fixed another. As well as brought new entertainment to the park that was lacking under Paramount; and entertainment company.

Can you imagine the state of the park today if CF would not have purchased the parks?

[The Interpreter]

Yep, when I look at what some people think of Cedar Fair these days, especially those bitter with the closure of Geauga Lake, I can often C...BS. Much more of CBS and heaven knows what would have happened. I really liked Viacom and Paramount, but CBS was a whole 'nother story.

[WooferBearATL]

Yep, when I look at what some people think of Cedar Fair these days, especially those bitter with the closure of Geauga Lake, I can often C...BS. Much more of CBS and heaven knows what would have happened. I really liked Viacom and Paramount, but CBS was a whole 'nother story.

It's quite possible that Paramount would have run out of second rate movies to name rides after.

Can you imagine if they had to revert to naming attractions after some of their classic films?

[The Interpreter]

I'm not talking about theming or ride names...I'm talking about what was happening under CBS: the greatly reduced investments in the parks, the relatively lousy operations, the reduced staffing, the major cutbacks in shows and entertainment--even when compared to recent years under Viacom, the lack of emphasis on the customer, the starting of a ride rotation program (including the proposed relocation/removal of Flight of Fear), the constant cost cutting, and what now can clearly be seen as what it was--the dressing up of the balance sheet and costs in order to get a proposed buyer to act...including even the what now appears to be cynical reinstatement of Winterfest, to show what could be done.

I can't see how anyone can say Cedar Fair is not a MAJOR improvement over CBS.

[Browntggrr]

Believe me, I am not always happy with the decisions CF makes.

I was very upset when WWL was removed at CP. But CF had to make a business decision to remove a ride that was not attracting the guests like it once did as well as costing an arm and a leg in maintenance. But at least they removed WWL for a really good ride. Whereas Paramount removed KCKC for the same reasons (again, I was not very happy with that decision) and installed TR (arguably not a good ride).

[WooferBearATL]

Believe me, I am not always happy with the decisions CF makes.

I was very upset when WWL was removed at CP. But CF had to make a business decision to remove a ride that was not attracting the guests like it once did as well as costing an arm and a leg in maintenance. But at least they removed WWL for a really good ride. Whereas Paramount removed KCKC for the same reasons (again, I was not very happy with that decision) and installed TR (arguably not a good ride).

And then just removing a ride for removal sake.

ie - Flyers.

You know, I would suspect that Shake, Rattle and Roll would be removed by Paramount by now.

[Browntggrr]

And then just removing a ride for removal sake.

ie - Flyers.

You know, I would suspect that Shake, Rattle and Roll would be removed by Paramount by now.

I know it was mentioned before,

-but-

Can anyone imagine if FoF would not be at KI anymore?

That was the direction for KI's FoF was headed under Paramount.

The FoF at PKD was already closed in antcipation for removal prior to the sale. CF quickly opened it back up after the sale.

[Phantom Theater]

Im very happy that Cf bought KI.They have done a lot so far to all the old paramount parks.Also on Geuaga Lake today.com someone said their taking the bricks from the front entrance at GL and replacing the ones at KIs entrance.

[The Interpreter]

There are bricks at Kings Island's front entrance? Or do you perhaps mean the pavers around The Royal Fountain? They wouldn't need to replace them if they and former management didn't drive vehicles over them all the time! Perhaps merely re-placing them as opposed to replacing them would be enough. And does it even make sense to move brick that far in these fuelish days?

[Browntggrr]

Im very happy that Cf bought KI.They have done a lot so far to all the old paramount parks.Also on Geuaga Lake today.com someone said their taking the bricks from the front entrance at GL and replacing the ones at KIs entrance.

All I have to say is:

Consider the source.

[Cormaster]

sounds like Cedar Fair saved the park just in time before it self destructed. I don't know the names of all the companies that hid behind the Paramount name. At first though it seemed to be a good thing with the whole movie theming, but in the last couple years it hasn't been good. I am glad Cedar Fair owns Kings Island now. Cool thing too is the Platinum pass... buy it and you got admission to Kings Island and Cedar Point all summer. Its too bad not too many other of the former Paramount parks chains are near here.