Cedar Fair posts strong 2nd Quarter

[WindingSon]

• Cedar Fair reported record net revenues of $424 million for the six months ended June 28, 2015.  This 5% increase over the same period last year reflects the Company's continued success in all areas of its business, including attendance, guest spending and out-of-park revenues.
• Cedar Fair is on track for a sixth-consecutive year of record results.  Net revenues through this past Sunday, August 2, 2015, increased 5%, on a 2% increase in average in-park guest per capita spending, a 3% increase in attendance and an 8% increase in out-of-park revenues compared with the same period last year.

For more: http://ir.cedarfair.com/newsroom/press-releases/news-release-details/2015/Cedar-Fair-Reports-Record-Results-For-The-First-Half-Of-2015-Strong-Performance-Continues-Through-July/default.aspx

[The Interpreter]

Slightly missing analysts' expectations:

http://www.dakotafinancialnews.com/cedar-fair-l-p-fun-announces-quarterly-earnings-results-misses-estimates-by-0-01-eps/312876/

[WindingSon]

"We are going to test virtual reality on an existing coaster..."

 

"Aggressive season pass renewal offering with Fast Lane..."

 

"Amateur sports stadium overlooking Cedar Point..."

 

"All of the parks are going to announce their new for 2016 attractions over the next few weeks..."

 

Those have been the most interesting things said on the conference call so far.

[WindingSon]

Though what's almost always more interesting is what they leave out of the calls.

Nothing about Rougarou. Sounds like the public didn't buy it as a new coaster.

[ethancoaster]

Nothing about Rougarou. Sounds like the public didn't buy it as a new coaster.

I wonder what this means for Carowinds' Vortex of even the one at CGA. Maybe they'd even consider altering the track layout with the conversion.

[The Interpreter]

Virtually...oh, my.

[homestar92]

Though what's almost always more interesting is what they leave out of the calls.

Nothing about Rougarou. Sounds like the public didn't buy it as a new coaster.

As they shouldn't. Things that are nearly 20 years old aren't new.

[The Interpreter]

Wicked Cyclone?

Twisted Cyclone?

[calakapepe]

Since when is that a 20 year old track?

[Joncars05]

Though what's almost always more interesting is what they leave out of the calls.

Nothing about Rougarou. Sounds like the public didn't buy it as a new coaster.

Well I will say I spent 6 days in the park at CP this year. I never saw the line over 15 minutes. Most of the time the line was on the bridge where you walked over the water (3-5 minute wait) if not a walk on.  People knew it was different but I believe they had such a bad experience on Mantis that they didn't really give it a shot. I can tell you I really liked the conversion. The ride is much more fun in its current version.

[WindingSon]

I found Mantis to be the worst roller coaster I had ever ridden when I rode it last year. I felt like I had been in a fight for about an hour after riding. It was terrible. I'd gladly give Rougarou a chance though.

[WindingSon]

On the "Virtual Reality Coaster"

 

 

Cedar Fair spokeswoman Carolyn McLean said the specific park and roller coaster will be revealed in a few weeks.

 

"This is only a test, but it starts to give you a flavor for the opportunities that could happen over time where we could create a compelling and reprogrammable experience with less capital," Ouimet said. "We expect to be in a position shortly to announce other projects of this nature."

 

http://www.mcall.com/business/mc-dorney-park-parent-reports-earnings-20150804-story.html

[The Interpreter]

...less capital.

Hoo Boy.

Are we into "cheap and cheerful" again?

See also Guardian.

[WindingSon]

I think you're right. Wonder Mountain's Guardian is a coaster, and would make the most sense to do this with.

[The Interpreter]

My point is that this changeable on the cheap thing is exactly how they hyped Guardian, which has been widely criticized as being a major cause of anticipointment.

[WindingSon]

Ohhhhhhhh. Yeah, I get that. My stance is mixed. While I think it is possible for a screen or virtual things to help enhance a coaster or ride, I hope they're not thinking people will buy into these things as "good as the real thing" because that's not going to happen. If I wanted to watch a screen, I'd play a video game at home. 

 

I go to parks and ride roller coasters for the real-deal experience that cannot be emulated. Don't bring what can be emulated to the park. 

 

Probably getting ahead of myself since we don't know what this actually is, but that's my stance on "virtual content" at amusement parks.

 

If I want virtual rides, I'd never leave the mall. Mine still has this (no joke):

 

 

 

But hey, it may be the only way to ride Mantis anymore.

[The Interpreter]

I rode The Beast in one of those once. In Toronto. For realz.

[KIfan73]

What would "out of park revenues" entail?

[WindingSon]

Hotels, campgrounds, out-of-park restaurants, etc.

 

Any money spent out of the park. KI doesn't have much... or any of it, I don't think.

[KIfan73]

Ok, so entities owned by CF that are not actually in a park.  I was thinking about Kings Island, so that confused me.  I was trying to figure out how or why they would be able to track what people spent down the road!

[TheCandyManCan]

So far a very good year. Record numbers and profits (see CWinds) and now up chain wide for now. As a current LP holder, I'm quite happy to maintain my investment for awhile. Lets hope the trends keep going up.

[Oldiesmann]

When I went to CP a couple weeks ago, the line for Rougarou was about an hour around 7:00 on a Monday. It ended up being about a 90 minute wait due to downtime caused by a problem with one of the exit gates. It was a fun ride, but a little too much headbanging for my tastes.

[coasterfanatic83]

I rode Rougarou for the first time on Tuesday, and waited about 20 minutes. It was much better than Mantis, but there was some head-banging involved on the ride that detracted from the overall experience. I would say that it was a wise decision to make the conversion.

[silver2005]

With all this talk of Cedar Fair utilizing virtual reality, I know a certain building between The Racer turnarounds which would benefit greatly from that if they are up to getting the moving seats working again.  

[calakapepe]

http://www.latimes.com/travel/themeparks/la-trb-vr-coaster-canadas-wonderland-20150917-story.html

Canada's become apart of the testing grounds.

Cedar Fair officials went to great lengths to stress that the testing does not mean the VR coaster experience is opening soon at Canada’s Wonderland — or any other park in the chain.

[Tr0y]

http://www.latimes.com/travel/themeparks/la-trb-vr-coaster-canadas-wonderland-20150917-story.html

Canada's become apart of the testing grounds.

Cedar Fair officials went to great lengths to stress that the testing does not mean the VR coaster experience is opening soon at Canada’s Wonderland — or any other park in the chain.

So is it safe to say Mack Coasters are on the horizon for Cedar Fair chain?

[calakapepe]

Since you're asking me...

I have no idea

[The Interpreter]

You should have said, "I have no idea, Mack!"

Terp, exiting (one way or another) soon.

[Oldiesmann]

I'm still not sold on this whole VR Coasters thing, at least for outdoor coasters. It might work well for indoor coasters like Flight of Fear, but for others, half the fun is seeing the surrounding landscape. Beast wouldn't be the same without the wooded areas and hills. Even Invertigo wouldn't be quite the same without being able to see the parking lot or parts of Action Zone. If they go this route I hope it's entirely optional, or I may be skipping some coasters in favor of a traditional ride.

[calakapepe]

I'm not sold on the idea on the probability of sharing these devices with thousands of other people every day. Sure a theme park is going to be a very dirty place anyways sharing the seats and the lapbars being touched by everyone.. but these things are on your head. They will come in contact with our hair and be pressed up against our face... You can always wash your hands (And face, I suppose) but I'm not about to bring shampoo to the park, so if someone has something like lice, or even less extreme like really flaky dandruff, their skin is going to probably reside in my scalp for most of the day. Someone will have an extremely oily face.. especially during a scorcher.

 

Maybe I'm a germ-a-phobe, but I just don't like that process..

 

Also, what will this do to the already slow capacity numbers of some of Kings Island's rides?