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Was KI better off with some other company than cedar fair or cedar fair


stashua123
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Well, that depends

With-

Gained Diamondback

Gained WindSeeker

Gained new pathways

Gained new restaurant

Gained new Halloween event

Lost Boomerang Bay

Lost RR lake

Lost Crypt

Tough decision, yes and no, they gave me new ideas and thrills, but they took a very great area of Kings Island (As I say, they took out a Aussie, for a few pirates, beach bums, and a few people with steel drums)

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That's like asking "Would what-is-now-the-U.S. be better off if the Revolution hadn't occurred and Great Britain was still in power?" In other words, I couldn't even begin to imagine the limitless alternate realities that would exist for each and every decision that might've been made under different owners.

Cedar Fair is doing a fine job with the park. Some of us may not be crazy about their way of doing business or of their priorities, but the park is open (something it might not've been if previous owners had stayed in power), attracting new customers (again, not something that would certainly have happened otherwise) and expanding (again, we can't say for sure...)

Kings Island is also in a very unique place in that it has changed hands many, many times. What it is today is due to those many hands who have touched it. Every one injected its "flavor" into the park and what exists today, September 6, 2012 is the product of that. It's not as simple as "movie themes" vs. "not movie themes." There are subtleties and major operational differences from one owner to the next.

Your topic title is confusing. Your poll is even more so.

What if I asked "Would you like white bread or wheat bread?" then only allowed you to answer with "yes" or "no."

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Well of course Disney would of been a better operator for Kings Island. KI would be open all year round with christmas and winter events during what is currently known as the dreaded "off-season." We would have even older characters roaming the park. Great food and dining options. Great rides. Attention to detail.

I guess I can only dream of Disney's Kings Island or Mickey's Vacation Getaway.

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Can you imagine the expenses just to run Christmas and winter events with guests freezing their buns in the freezing cold and at the same time trying to rehab all the rides for the next season? Never mind the admission fee just to get into the park if Disney would to own it and have these events.

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You think it doesn't get cold in Orlando? I did work in 40 degree weather while at WDW. Also I'd imagine WindSeeker, DB, FH, would been replaced with family indoor attractions like Toy Story Midway Mania, Country Bears Jamboree, Space Mountain, Star Tours etc, etc.

Winter lineup could be:

Toy Story Midway Mania, instead of BBoBH

FOF

Star Tours in FX Theater

Space Mountain in The Crypt

Haunted Mansion in a new building

Country Bears Jamboree in a new building

Tower of Terror where DT is

Hall of Presidents in a new building.

Disney could operate in the North and Midwest.

Yes Disney cast members get FREE admission to any Disney park but Hong Kong, I believe.

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If Disney characters were available at the local amusement park, would as many families pay thousands of dollars for a Disney vacation? I'm pretty sure that having these exclusively is a huge draw for children. Consider that Disney Parks has an annual revenue of about six times FUN and SIX combined.

Sure, they could operate the park with different IP not used in Disney Parks if they really wanted to; DIS owns enough. Even so, they probably don't want to enter an industry that competes for the same entertainment dollar as its cash cow Disney Parks. They don't want to encourage people to trade down from vacations to regional theme park visit(s). Besides, after the epic failure of the regional DisneyQuest, another experiment in regional entertainment seems highly unlikely.

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^^ Would Disney care if the family spent money for seven days to travel to Anaheim or Orlando or decided to spend money year round at Disney's Kings Island or Mickeys Vacation Getaway? Either way Disney is getting the money whether in FL, CA, or elsewhere.

Yes, they would, if the family spent less at Disney's Kings Island during the year than they would have spent on their WDW vacation. The average WDW guest pays a lot more per day than the average Kings Island guest, and most guests don't spend even 7 days at regional amusement parks. Consider that a DIS vacation for a family of 4 costs ~$2000 plus gas/airfare and food, and KI season passes for 4 is <$350 (2 adults + 2 children, or 4 adults in the fall).

Then why were they exploring Disney's America in the DC area?

They're exploring vacations beyond the typical theme park vacation, of which Disney's America would presumably be a part of. See their new resort in Hawaii, their expanding cruise ship business, and their new Adventures by Disney vacations.

Their vacation revenue now exceeds their film studio revenue, in fact. So, I personally doubt they're interested in entering an industry that tries to get people to stay within ~100 miles of home. I'd love to be proved wrong, though.

What about a Bush/ Seaworld ownership that would be great too.

Even the Cincinnati zoo branching out adding a safari ride with animals in a new section Africa

Something Kings Island truly lacks now no animals!

And have the park now be named "Kings Island's Wildwater Kingdom"? (Joking!)

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^^ Would Disney care if the family spent money for seven days to travel to Anaheim or Orlando or decided to spend money year round at Disney's Kings Island or Mickeys Vacation Getaway? Either way Disney is getting the money whether in FL, CA, or elsewhere.

Yes, they would, if the family spent less at Disney's Kings Island during the year than they would have spent on their WDW vacation. The average WDW guest pays a lot more per day than the average Kings Island guest, and most guests don't spend even 7 days at regional amusement parks. Consider that a DIS vacation for a family of 4 costs ~$2000 plus gas/airfare and food, and KI season passes for 4 is <$350 (2 adults + 2 children, or 4 adults in the fall).

That's apples to oranges. You are comparing a vacation to a season pass. Hundreds of thousands of guests would still flock to WDW and DL every year. I bet D.K.I. wouldn't hurt their bottom line, if not help it. There would be more repeat customers who would spend money on each trip.

Also Disney does not make money off any airfare. The airline makes that money. Also some people go off property to eat dinner.

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What? Wildwater Kingdom is a Cedar Fair name. See Dorney. Or Geauga.

Right. And it now sits atop what was Sea World Ohio. (My attempt at a joke based on westcoaster's desire to see what SeaWorld would have done with KI)

Hundreds of thousands of guests would still flock to WDW and DL every year. I bet D.K.I. wouldn't hurt their bottom line, if not help it. There would be more repeat customers who would spend money on each trip.

I'm sure if Disney owned KI, people from this forum would be taking a lot more trips to Disney Parks. Sadly, not everyone is an amusement park enthusiast who would take multiple trips to each of KI, WDW, and DL each year.

If you could meet Mickey Mouse and ride a couple E-Tickets at KI, some families (obviously not yours) would accept this as a substitute for visiting Orlando or Anaheim. WDW and DL might seem less "special", as you could drive <100 miles for a similar experience. These families might use the money and time saved on a non-theme-park vacation. But you're right - Disney's Kings Island could try to get people to make this vacation a Disney destination, even if it's not to a Disney Park.

However, I'd prefer that KI try to give guests their "best day of the year" at the park rather than book them on a trip for it.

Letting the vacation industry buy the "staycation industry" doesn't seem very good for competition, either.

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  • 2 weeks later...

From what I've read here, I am led to believe Kings Island was 'better off' sometime in the late seventies or early eighties, under either Taft or KECO.

Kings Island was burgeoning. Some say Kings Island looked to be becoming a destination attraction...

Circumstances changed, and that too. Cedar Fair did have influence in this- merely as a competitor.

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