Cedar Fair vs. Paramount

[marlfox_21]

Please forgive me for entering this vital topic yet again. But now that Cedar Fair has really taken over, and shown the direction that they want for the park to be moving in, what are your opinions/facts of the way that the company is managing the park when compared to Paramount.

In my opinion, they are doing what I hoped they would do. They are reintroducing the entertainment value of the park that they have gone without for many years. From setting fanciful records, to cleaning up the park visually, with Skydivers, larger fireworks shows, and bringing in attractions like the Brady's, Kings Island is in my view catching a lot of forgotten attention. Firehawk, is in my opinion the most fun coaster in the park today. I love the classics, and I know that Firehawk does not break any records, and was not even an original coaster concept by Cedar Fair, but none the less, the ride is great. Halloween Haunt is bigger, and better, and adds a lot more theatrically to the event than FearFest did, and I like the rest of you am greatly anticipating Diamondback.

Again, KUDOS, Cedar Fair. You have taken a great park, and made it even BETTER!!!!!

What do you think?

[Beast1979]

I love what Cedar Fair has done, with the numerous special events, more (Great) live shows, a cleaner and prettier park, not to mention Firehawk and Diamondback!

Paramount, you shall not be missed by this man!

[RailRider]

Well if you can get over Cedar Fairs poor naming of past Paramount attractions then I dont know how you couldn't be happy with the change from Paramount to Cedar Fair.

Now Cedar Fair just needs to figure out what they are doing with the Crypt and put some TLC in to the other themed coasters like AE and BLSC and add some more dinning options and KI will be back to its glory.

[Beast1979]

Well if you can get over Cedar Fairs poor naming of past Paramount attractions then I dont know how you couldn't be happy with the change from Paramount to Cedar Fair.

Now Cedar Fair just needs to figure out what they are doing with the Crypt and put some TLC in to the other themed coasters like AE and BLSC and add some more dinning options and KI will be back to its glory.

Well, Rail Rider, I do not know why anyone would be concerned over such a trivial thing as a ride's name!

But knowing Cedar Fair I would not doubt that they have plans to rejuvinate most every aspect of the amusement park's experience in Kings Island, but the Crypt is the one aspect you mentioned which I think they are done with for a while.

[Guest rcfreak339]

Can somebody tell me why they closed the IR? They should really open that back up!

[BoddaH1994]

Can somebody tell me why they closed the IR? They should really open that back up!

They closed it because it wasn't profitable.. simple as that. That was before Cedar Fair, though.

[The Interpreter]

Also see:

http://www.KICentral.com/forums/index.php?...nal++Restaurant

[gigacoaster2k]

I say, go Cedar Fair.

The ride name changes were for a reason, and the rides I like haven't changed, so that doesn't bother me. The park is a little more flashy than it used to be in a Cedar Point-esque kind of way. I like the tall KI flags in the midway by the games (similar to the flags seen at CP), and they play much more upbeat music than they used to, plus the ride ops seem a lot more "into" their jobs. I like to be excited about going to an amusement park, and KI has certainly embraced that concept for their guests since CF took over.

It seems that when Paramount owned KI, the park just kind of sat back and let people come to it. Now, Kings Island is one of those places that many more people are starting to see on the map.

[westcoaster]

Cedar Fair Rocks: and the de theming is fine Firehawk is great : And the new coaster looks great Heck the park looks so clean:

[flightoffear1996]

How can you say Paramount didnt give the park anything. They gave us pretty much all of Action Zone. Flight of Fear, Tomb Raider, IJST. Action Zone seems to be the back bone of the park right now. i like cf manging the park better but come on paramount did an okay job with the park. When they knew they were going to sell is when they slacked off.

[Phantom Theater]

How can you say Paramount didnt give the park anything. They gave us pretty much all of Action Zone. Flight of Fear, Tomb Raider, IJST. Action Zone seems to be the back bone of the park right now. i like cf manging the park better but come on paramount did an okay job with the park. When they knew they were going to sell is when they slacked off.

Yeah,but if they still owned KI,we would'nt have FOF anymore.Plus they added a whole new kids area before they sold it.

[The Interpreter]

...which just so happened to be tied to what was once the parent company, with a relatively short term license for same. Pretty smart, if you ask me. They did all that just in the Nick of time.

[flightoffear1996]

How can you say Paramount didnt give the park anything. They gave us pretty much all of Action Zone. Flight of Fear, Tomb Raider, IJST. Action Zone seems to be the back bone of the park right now. i like cf manging the park better but come on paramount did an okay job with the park. When they knew they were going to sell is when they slacked off.

Yeah,but if they still owned KI,we would'nt have FOF anymore.Plus they added a whole new kids area before they sold it.

Were is your proff on that???

[The Interpreter]

If you mean the Flights of Fear, there is no iron clad proof of same, but the Kings Dominion one had already been closed in preparation for its move, a decision Cedar Fair rapidly and wisely reversed. That all being said, higher ups at Kings Island, for one, have recently been saying ride rotation is the coming thing, most recently having said so at a gathering of fans of a certain theme park website...one you may at this time be reading...

[WooferBearATL]

Can somebody tell me why they closed the IR? They should really open that back up!

They closed it because it wasn't profitable.. simple as that. That was before Cedar Fair, though.

Pure and simple?

Never known IR to be a money losing operation.

It was never a large money maker, but that was never it's design.

The location was to offer a diverse dining option with a full service menu.

It had served it's purpose up and until the point that Paramount choose to close the location.

[Beast1979]

It had served it's purpose up and until the point that Paramount choose to close the location.

Paramount's Idea to close IR? Why am I not surprised?

[Gordon Bombay]

As Boddah said, perhaps it was Paramount's decision to do so simply because it had not been as profitable, which is a somewhat broad statement, no offense Boddah. Maybe it made money, but not enough money. As Woofer, a former food service/carts employee pointed out; its purpose was to offer a diverse dining option, at the time of its closure Paramount Parks, just like the Six Flags chain and many parks around the country began weeding out their diverse and unique dining options in favor of fast food options which were cheaper to make and easier to prepare. Luckily, it seems this logic is still around, yet is being complimented by better options. I.E. Cedar Point and Six Flags Great Adventure now offer a wide choice of dining options including sit down, full service options. In the times I have been up to the I.R. for various events I always think how nice it would be to see it used again, such a great view and the decor is very nostalgic, maybe CF will develop something. Everyone laughed at the "nostalgic" notion at the beginning of the season, yet this seems to have been a GREAT year filled with such "nostalgia."

[WooferBearATL]

As Boddah said, perhaps it was Paramount's decision to do so simply because it had not been as profitable, which is a somewhat broad statement, no offense Boddah. Maybe it made money, but not enough money. As Woofer, a former food service/carts employee pointed out; its purpose was to offer a diverse dining option, at the time of its closure Paramount Parks, just like the Six Flags chain and many parks around the country began weeding out their diverse and unique dining options in favor of fast food options which were cheaper to make and easier to prepare. Luckily, it seems this logic is still around, yet is being complimented by better options. I.E. Cedar Point and Six Flags Great Adventure now offer a wide choice of dining options including sit down, full service options. In the times I have been up to the I.R. for various events I always think how nice it would be to see it used again, such a great view and the decor is very nostalgic, maybe CF will develop something. Everyone laughed at the "nostalgic" notion at the beginning of the season, yet this seems to have been a GREAT year filled with such "nostalgia."

At one time there were fantastic Receptions in the Taft Suite.

I remember a very impressive one from when Mikhail Barishnikov performed at Timberwolf. There were politicians and dignitaries from the Tri-State region that came and attended.

[Outdoor Man]

i would like to chime in on the Ride Op. statement.

Maybe they are more into their jobs on the "thrill park" / water park side... but quite honestly there is a percentage of them that have no business in the Nick U. area. I spent most of the last two years there with my daughter and sometime around June 1 their attitude tanks.

They could use a bit of Disney training which really isn't all that difficult; "families choose to spend a lot of their moeny at our location. Our job is to make the most of their experience." of course that is a paraphrase; never been through their training myself, but a co-worker attended their training instituted for corporations and is pretty much a disciple of it.

[Outdoor Man]

I'm going to have to check the spelling on that one Woofer.................

impressive!

[WooferBearATL]

I'm going to have to check the spelling on that one Woofer.................

impressive!

I've spelled TimberWolf Many Times, Silly!

[The Interpreter]

Oh, really? Then how come the first time you spelled it Timberwolf, and yet in this last post you spelled it TimberWolf? Things that make you go "Hmmmmm."

[marcia]

I never liked this idea in the first place yes they were some changes in Hollywood when CBS took over the compamy but they should have given some kind warning of a takeover sooner or later don't you all think so?

Marcia

[WooferBearATL]

Oh, really? Then how come the first time you spelled it Timberwolf, and yet in this last post you spelled it TimberWolf? Things that make you go "Hmmmmm."

Well one was at 10:15am at work and I was diving into a delicious Apple Dumpling at the time!

Yum!

[The Interpreter]

Rub it in....

Terpy, apple dumpling freak extraordinaire (and the two best places I have ever bought them were Conneaut Lake Park and Waffle Hut at exit 67 of I-79 in West Virginia...always worth a stop, any time...day or night

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&um=1...=1&ct=image

...open 24 hours, and you will see some characters in there, too...like, perhaps...me!) Likes my apple dumplings with ice cream on top...did yours have that?

[WooferBearATL]

Rub it in....

Terpy, apple dumpling freak extraordinaire (and the two best places I have ever bought them were Conneaut Lake Park and Waffle Hut at exit 67 of I-79 in West Virginia...always worth a stop, any time...day or night...open 24 hours, and you will see some characters in there, too...like, perhaps...me!) Likes my apple dumplings with ice cream on top...did yours have that?

I like it with ice cream but did not have ice cream yesterday.

Darn, I'm getting hungry for more.

May run down to Gabriel's for some yummy treats!

[gigacoaster2k]

i would like to chime in on the Ride Op. statement.

Maybe they are more into their jobs on the "thrill park" / water park side... but quite honestly there is a percentage of them that have no business in the Nick U. area. I spent most of the last two years there with my daughter and sometime around June 1 their attitude tanks.

They could use a bit of Disney training which really isn't all that difficult; "families choose to spend a lot of their money at our location. Our job is to make the most of their experience." of course that is a paraphrase; never been through their training myself, but a co-worker attended their training instituted for corporations and is pretty much a disciple of it.

Really?

I don't have kids, so I wasn't aware of that.

I spend most of my time in Action Zone, Coney Mall and International St., so I haven't seen the way the employees act in the kids' area.

If I were you, I'd say something next time. I've ran into a few rude amusement park employees, and I've called them on it (used their name too). Seems to shake them up a little bit, because when you use someone's name, it implies that you are remembering them for a possible talk with management later.

[WooferBearATL]

And as often as I'm in various parks around the country, I honestly never pay a lot of attention to the ride ops. There is usually not a lot of interaction with them.

If I notice customer service, it's normally from a food, merchandise, games or ecology person.

[A_Titanic_Mess]

I think Paramount brought a lot of great attractions to KI, but it never played out the way it was supposed too. Paramount wanted a vehicle to promote their film and television properties, much like Disney and IOA. The problem with Paramount is they would never invest the capital needed to make this work. Tomb Raider was really the first time IMO that they made an attempt and backed it with capital. Nick Universe was also well done. I think in the end you could say that Paramount did an ok job, but never lived up to it's potential. You just can't do theming half-way, and this became the legacy of Paramount.

On a side note, Paramount discussed many times reopening the IR, and re-theming it as the first-class dining room from the Titanic. Another possible theme idea tossed around was of course a Star Trek theme. Both plans were put on hold as the entire front gate was to be torn down and replaced with a new entrance/exit. The plans called for a massive gift shop that guests would walk through to get to the exit. A smaller exit would be available outside of the gift shop. The capital needed for this project was never approved, so the project was shelved. This was to have happened around the 2002 - 2003 season.

[jzarley]

^ I agree with your points. Viacom never found a way to truly leverage the synergistic opportunities at the parks. (And, CBS just wanted to get out with the cash...which they certainly did.)

I think things may have been different if Viacom wouldn't have acquired Paramount Communications in 1994. Redstone never really made it a secret that he didn't exactly hold the theme parks in very high regard in relation to their impact on the overall enterprise.