Hank Posted November 11, 2010 Share Posted November 11, 2010 I know it may sound a bit far fetched, but I wouldn't put it past the current head honchos at Cedar Fair to make the new WindSeeker rides an extra charge, pay-per-ride attraction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PREMiERdrum Posted November 11, 2010 Share Posted November 11, 2010 I'll buy you a beer if so. I doubt they'd have left that out of the announcements. The negative press they'd get come springtime would more than negate the nickles brought in by such shenanigans. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoastersRZ Posted November 11, 2010 Share Posted November 11, 2010 And why would they do that? They have not been marketing them as such. Not to mention that these rides hold 64 people per cycle, which will equate to decent throughput for a flat ride. (Drop Tower only gets 40 people per cycle, and some rides like the Scrambler can get even less, depending on how many single riders there are. While Cedar Fair may be trying to earn all the nickles they can, I can safely say they will not make these upcharge attractions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hank Posted November 11, 2010 Author Share Posted November 11, 2010 And why would they do that? They have not been marketing them as such. Not to mention that these rides hold 64 people per cycle, which will equate to decent throughput for a flat ride. (Drop Tower only gets 40 people per cycle, and some rides like the Scrambler can get even less, depending on how many single riders there are. While Cedar Fair may be trying to earn all the nickles they can, I can safely say they will not make these upcharge attractions. Are you attempting to "tell me off" or say "I'm nuts" or what? I started-off the post by saying it might be far fetched - I just know that in ANY business, if an extra buck can be made, it should be made. Whether or not the pay-per-ride things ever happens or not was not the intent of the post. I just like to try and think like the "rich people" might think - all the time remaining the poor Polish Boy that I am and will always be. Besides, IF it comes true, PREMiERdrum will buy me a beer - which I will gladly share with him. (I might even buy him his own, I'll be so darn tickled it happened). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkroz Posted November 11, 2010 Share Posted November 11, 2010 Let's put it this way - we don't even know if the darn things will make it off the ground at all. I'm keeping it in the back of his mind that there are zero (count 'em, zero) Mondial WindSeekers on this planet, and probably none on any others either. Come next spring, there will suddenly be four. And if even one experiences some sort of difficulty or delay, I bet the rest will, too! If you ask me, if they make it an up-charge, it definitely won't make it off the ground! No reason to run it if there's no one on it, after all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted November 11, 2010 Share Posted November 11, 2010 Oh, there's always somebody who will pay for anything, just about. Terp, who once paid to ride a Zamperla flying coaster...and bought a piece of 2010 Cedar Point pizza...please don't make me choose which was worse...(I KNOW that paying to ride The Roller Coaster at New York, New York Casino was worse!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hank Posted November 11, 2010 Author Share Posted November 11, 2010 ^ AMEN! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoastersRZ Posted November 11, 2010 Share Posted November 11, 2010 No, I wasn`t trying to tell you off or say you were nuts. I was simply stating that in general, up charge attractions are low capacity, which is part of the reason they are made up charge attractions. If they were free, the line, although short in terms of number of people, would take hours. By charging guests, they can generate some revenue, while also weeding out enough people to make the experience enjoyable for those willing to pay for it. Which is also why the price of Slingshot and Skyflyer go up once they start to get a line. There is a greater demand for those, and the good old economics principles of supply and demand dictate that when demand is high, and supply is limited, the price will go up. Many years back, on P&G day, P&G rented out Thunder Alley. It cost guests nothing to do. While there were only maybe 40 people in line, because only about twelve cars at a time run, the line was nearly an HOUR for go karts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
touchdown62 Posted November 11, 2010 Share Posted November 11, 2010 Let's put it this way - we don't even know if the darn things will make it off the ground at all. I'm keeping it in the back of his mind that there are zero (count 'em, zero) Mondial WindSeekers on this planet, and probably none on any others either. I have heard there is one on Pluto... maybe 2. Touchdown, who's surprised Terpy didn't come up with this one first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hank Posted November 11, 2010 Author Share Posted November 11, 2010 ^ CoastersRZ, I was being humorous and did not expect anyone to take me seriously - however, there's always that chance that CF could try to pull-off something like that and........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoddaH1994 Posted November 11, 2010 Share Posted November 11, 2010 You'd think if they were going to make a new attraction an upcharge they would have done it with Diamondback, which is a ride that people would have certainly paid to ride. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted November 11, 2010 Share Posted November 11, 2010 Believe it or not, there is a poster here who thinks everyone would be happier (after they got over the initial shock)...from frequent parkgoers to occasional guests to the park itself if the industry could just ween itself from so called "pay one price." The concept has already been greatly eroded (what with all the pay per ride attractions, pay to jump the line, etc.), lines are far longer than they were back in the days of pay per ride, parks are far more crowded but per cap spending overall times admissions may or may not generate more revenue, etc. That person has also often wondered if both parks and frequent park goers would actually be better off with a very low admission price and pay per ride. One would think not, though, given that only Knoebel's comes immediately to mind as a user of this model, and even they do offer a pay one price option (with or without wood coasters) on days expected to not be all busy. They also have "free" parking, as does Holiday World... And yes, season passes are a form of pay one price, and I've often thought parks and MOST guests would be better off if there were no such thing. Note, though, that just this past season, even Kennywood jumped aboard what Mr. Kinzel would call the "season's pass" train. And Six Flags' Al Weber and Jim Reid-Anderson, during the investor presentation at the Waldorf Astoria, referred to season passholders as valuable and their best customers. Believe it or not, this is somewhat of a contrarian and minority view in the industry. Many consider passholders an unavoidable annoyance, a part of the public that comes too often, spends too little and is far too hypercritical, but a revenue base that most parks cannot figure out how to do without. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IndyGuy4KI Posted November 11, 2010 Share Posted November 11, 2010 Indiana Beach started offering a season pass last year as well Terpy. They still have the POP and single pay. At least in the 2010 season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaptorGuy Posted November 11, 2010 Share Posted November 11, 2010 They won't make WindSeeker a pay per attraction ride, but they will charge you a buck for those cheap crappy 3D specs to use to "enhance" the ride experience! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
standbyme Posted November 11, 2010 Share Posted November 11, 2010 ...they will charge you a buck for those cheap crappy 3D specs to use to "enhance" the ride experience! You just won't let that go will ya...kinda like me and my "love" for Planet Snoopy! Maybe they should add to that old saying: "An elephant never forgets...and neither does RaptorGuy or standbyme". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hank Posted November 11, 2010 Author Share Posted November 11, 2010 Another humorous thought....... They might not separately charge you to RIDE it, but may charge you to get off of it! (PLUS the extra dollar for the cheap glasses!). ANYTHING for an extra buck in Mr. K's pocket. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoastersRZ Posted November 11, 2010 Share Posted November 11, 2010 I could, in all seriousness, see them going the Six Flags route of saying no loose articles. Loose articles must be stored in a locker or with a non-rider. Oh yeah, lockers are $5 and one time use only. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hank Posted November 11, 2010 Author Share Posted November 11, 2010 I could, in all seriousness, see them going the Six Flags route of saying no loose articles. Loose articles must be stored in a locker or with a non-rider. Oh yeah, lockers are $5 and one time use only. Good one! Loose women, spinning around at 25mph & then dropping, might be worth seeing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaptorGuy Posted November 12, 2010 Share Posted November 12, 2010 I could, in all seriousness, see them going the Six Flags route of saying no loose articles. Loose articles must be stored in a locker or with a non-rider. Oh yeah, lockers are $5 and one time use only. Yeah, that's the reason I decided to start wearing a fanny pack this year for the first time in my 35 year coaster riding career! They raised the price of lockers 150% from 75 cents to $2, which is absolutely HIGHWAY ROBBERY! So, basically, that makes Firehawk a $2 upcharge! Instead of putting shelves up there, which they could easily do with running it the way they do. So, I have to wear a fanny pack to put my stuff in, so I wont lose it on that ride. I could see them doing that same thing for WindSeeker. If they do, I will be ready with my fanny pack on! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoastersRZ Posted November 12, 2010 Share Posted November 12, 2010 Ironically, Kings Island does not make me take my glasses off on Firehawk. While riding Nighthawk at Carowinds, they made me take my glasses off, even with an athletic strap. However, prescription glasses are one item which you are permitted to leave in Firehawk`s station. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaptorGuy Posted November 12, 2010 Share Posted November 12, 2010 Ironically, Kings Island does not make me take my glasses off on Firehawk. While riding Nighthawk at Carowinds, they made me take my glasses off, even with an athletic strap. However, prescription glasses are one item which you are permitted to leave in Firehawk`s station. Yeah, this is starting to get a little off topic, but Cedar Fair is NOT consistent about that. I understand that at Knott's you can't wear glasses for any reason on Excellerator, but at Cedar Point, you can wear them with a strap on Dragster, a much more intense coaster. Go figure! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flightoffear1996 Posted November 12, 2010 Share Posted November 12, 2010 Maybe its not Cedar Fair but the coaster manufactor with the guidelines for whatever reason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CedarPointer Posted November 12, 2010 Share Posted November 12, 2010 Yeah, that's the reason I decided to start wearing a fanny pack this year for the first time in my 35 year coaster riding career! They raised the price of lockers 150% from 75 cents to $2, which is absolutely HIGHWAY ROBBERY! So, basically, that makes Firehawk a $2 upcharge! Instead of putting shelves up there, which they could easily do with running it the way they do. So, I have to wear a fanny pack to put my stuff in, so I wont lose it on that ride. I could see them doing that same thing for WindSeeker. If they do, I will be ready with my fanny pack on! Please let me know who held a gun to your head and forced you to buy a locker. Zipper pockets... (and no, they can't have a shelf. Have you seen how much room they have in that station?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XGatorHead 8904 Posted November 12, 2010 Share Posted November 12, 2010 I could, in all seriousness, see them going the Six Flags route of saying no loose articles. Loose articles must be stored in a locker or with a non-rider. Oh yeah, lockers are $5 and one time use only. Good one! Loose women, spinning around at 25mph & then dropping, might be worth seeing! This comment was in poor taste, considering that in 1991 a woman did drop out of a ride which was very near the site of WindSeeker. What "women" had to do with what CoastersRZ said, I have no idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
standbyme Posted November 12, 2010 Share Posted November 12, 2010 (and no, they can't have a shelf. Have you seen how much room they have in that station?) But you will admit that since Firehawk is a transplanted ride they certainly had a good idea what the lines would be like...so if the park had wanted to have shelves they could have just built the station bigger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LongliveKingsCobra Posted November 14, 2010 Share Posted November 14, 2010 I agree with Gator, Hank I don't even know what you were talking about, nor did I find it funny. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
faeriewench Posted November 17, 2010 Share Posted November 17, 2010 (and no, they can't have a shelf. Have you seen how much room they have in that station?) But you will admit that since Firehawk is a transplanted ride they certainly had a good idea what the lines would be like...so if the park had wanted to have shelves they could have just built the station bigger. I know lines never have anything to do with popularity, but that coaster seemed to lack lines the few times I saw it at Cleveland (but the park was semi empty as well those times). Since it came to KI I hardly go on it cause I lack the patience to put up with a line Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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