TheKlockster Posted January 31, 2006 Share Posted January 31, 2006 Well I can see the decisions. There were nights in summer where the park would stay open an hour or two after fireworks (10pm). Everybody would leave, and I remember sitting down at Troika getting 3-5 cycles an hour. Vortex would have like 8 or 9 people on each train. We even cycled empty trains! It just makes sense to shave off those extra hours, as the public for the most part does not attend during these hours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoddaH1994 Posted January 31, 2006 Share Posted January 31, 2006 As far as Nights of Fire - I bet what they are doing is closing the park at 10, then doing the fireworks, then everyone goes home. In the past they reopen some rides after the fireworks - but it is kind of pointless. From what I saw last year, alot of people go home after the fireworks anyway - and not all of the rides reopen. The ones that do are only open for an hour. True, but if you recall the past few years, they have encouraged people to stay in the park after the fireworks to avoid a massive traffic jam in the lot. Last year Dane and I hung around until close and didn't get out of the lot until about 1am or so (I think they closed at midnight). This could be rough if they do that... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted January 31, 2006 Share Posted January 31, 2006 Not to be the skunk at the Sunday School picnic, but I also would not assume the new owner (if there is one) will continue with Winter Fest, especially if it wasn't profitable last year... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoddaH1994 Posted January 31, 2006 Share Posted January 31, 2006 "Times are subject to change" I wouldn't get too worked up. Yet. As much as I'd love to agree with you, I think the implication is that the park can close early if needbe. Kind of like how it closes at like noon on season passholders' day... every year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TQZ Posted January 31, 2006 Share Posted January 31, 2006 Are we all a group of none or something? Are the people on PKIC the only people who think this way? Is the public so naive? Or are we just losers who go to the park all of the time? Why does PKI continue to operate how it does? I know I am just one person and they could care less if they get my 90 bucks each season. I know I am not the only one disappointed with the early closings. I loved going to PKI on the weekends and staying so late. Whoever said they like the lights at the park is right. For the most part in the summer, you wouldnt be able to get much enjoyment out of the lights at 10PM because it doesnt go fully dark until about 9:40. I know my opinion doesnt count. But I wish they could take care of their true fans of the park first. Maybe they face the facts and know that even though we complain, we will be there anyways... Does anyone else think there should be a limited sale of goldpasses and then treat goldpass holders like they really have something? I would pay 200 bucks for a gold pass if it was LE and we got treated live true VIP every once in a while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheKlockster Posted January 31, 2006 Share Posted January 31, 2006 Yeah I have to agree with you about the Gold Passes. It is only five bucks more - so pretty much everyone gets the gold anyway. They should limit it and treat the gold pass holders more special. And don't get me wrong about my comment above - I too am one of the parks big fans - but when they make decisions like shaving off those extra hours at the end of the night, they are thinking about all the families that don't spend time at the park. The park makes its money from families who go to the park and buy food and drink and ice cream and tshirts and hats and those spinny glowing things and on ride for every ride. They don't make a lot of money off guys like us who pay 100 bucks a year for a gold pass, buy the special cups with the $2 refills and don't buy food and souvenirs. So yeah - they are going to make decisions with the business in mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted February 1, 2006 Share Posted February 1, 2006 If you think PKI got its hours cut back, look at how many weeknights that Carowinds now closes at 8! http://www.carowinds.com/visit/visit_calendar.cfm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reclaimer Posted February 1, 2006 Share Posted February 1, 2006 To clear things up, I decided to go to the source... I spoke with Maureen today, and as Klock said, they're trimming the hours a bit because the attendance in those extra hours just weren't enough to merit staying open extra. International Street will open at 10am along with the rest of the park. They will be keeping a close eye on attendance to see how this tweak in hours goes. On busy days like July 4th weekend, they may open the gates a bit early to allow people to trickle in to avoid a riot. On these days, it will be like years past, with ropes set up 'til the official opening time. They're still working out the details for walkbacks and gold pass events. So there ya have it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Bowser Posted February 1, 2006 Share Posted February 1, 2006 SO...just because attendence wasnt record breakin they scale back the hours they've always had..thats a shame. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted February 1, 2006 Share Posted February 1, 2006 As Delirium_Guy pointed out this morning, this is a year that the Paramount Parks are officially for sale. Any reasonable thing that can be done to make the parks' books more profitable before the sale may very well be. Attendance figures aren't the major goal of theme parks. Making money is.... If people weren't spending much that last hour or two, and no one new was coming in, they may well find that closing earlier reduces costs without overly reducing revenue, or perhaps without having any measurable effect on revenue... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
appleda Posted February 1, 2006 Share Posted February 1, 2006 I think they should be open until midnight on saturdays and fridays. I am glad that they are not staying open till midnight on fridays and saturdays it sucked working late.. When we would close the ride we still had to clean up and put the trains away..We would be there for another 30 to 40 mins doing everything which ment by the time we got out of the park it would be 1 am almost which sucked if u had to open the next morning.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoastersRZ Posted February 1, 2006 Share Posted February 1, 2006 I think the cut back in hours, as decribed above is a result of them wanting to improve their bottom line, to look better for potential buyers. Cutting off those couplde of hours can save on staffing those hours, in which they most likely were not generating much cash flow. It will be ashame to not be in the park before the rides open at ten. It will be interesting to see how they handle the gold pass ert and the ACE walkback. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PKIWorker19 Posted February 1, 2006 Share Posted February 1, 2006 Really this does not surprise me at all. As an employee I like it because it will get me out of there earlier. If you look at all the other parks (Dominion, Carowinds, and Great America) you see that the latest they stay open is 10, some only stay open til 9 or 8. We were the only park out of all of them last year to be open til midnight and 11. You have to roll with the punches and so what if there is a big rush in the morning... I personally think that this is a good thing because working in food service I was at a stand that had to be open at 9 when I-Street opened and we were lucky to get any business until 10 or 11... it makes sense because you are cutting back on labor and you are cutting back on operating expenses. And as someone posted, they are going to monitor attendance very closely and might make some adjustments. And to answer someone's comment about low attendence being the reason to cut back on hours.. yes, attendance does play a HUGE roll in that. Why stay open until 11 if people are leaving at 9 or 10... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Picard Posted February 1, 2006 Share Posted February 1, 2006 I think they have been improving their bottom line for years by not putting in big attractions. I think they know they have went about as far as they can go with that and need to get out as the bottom line is about to dive. The cutting could be because of low season pass sales. The passes would be about the only way to know what attendance is going to be like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheKlockster Posted February 1, 2006 Share Posted February 1, 2006 SO...just because attendence wasnt record breakin they scale back the hours they've always had..thats a shame. No - it is because there are so few people there during those hours - that they are actually losing money staying open that extra hour. Plus - they know they won't **** off that many people by taking that hour off. Probably 90% of the people that do stay in those extra hours between fireworks and park closing, just stay because they can. They wont care one way or another if the park closes an hour earlier. For that remaing 10% of people - probably 75% of which post on this forum - we just have to deal with it. It really is what is best for the park. It will be nice to get off work earlier - closing at midnight and having to be back the next morning at 9am sucks. But - that is not why I support this decision. I support their decision - because it saves the park money, and is better for the company. Who knows - maybe some of that extra expense saved by earlier closing can go toward new rides and better maintenence of theming/special effects! As far as getting rid of the 9-10 am period - yeah that is probably because sales at the shops aren't that good. People will go in and browse - maye a few people will make purchases - but it really isn't profitable. Neither is having those security people on hand to stand by the ropes for an hour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RollerNut Posted February 1, 2006 Share Posted February 1, 2006 Actually most of thoose nights weren't cut back. Our days are longer but our season is shorter. There is more 10-10 days, and there are some 9AM opening days . Also, the PKI appears to have been taken down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Picard Posted February 1, 2006 Share Posted February 1, 2006 You probably will not get off work earlier it may be more time to push a broom. If I remember correctly PKD had this kind of hours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheKlockster Posted February 1, 2006 Share Posted February 1, 2006 We push broom no matter what. If the park closes at midnight, then we typically get out 12:30-12:45 am. So if the park cuts that back to 10pm close, then were out at 10:45 instead of 12:45. Fine with me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Bowser Posted February 1, 2006 Share Posted February 1, 2006 Whatever the reason...I still dislike the fact that there will be no more fireworks after the park closes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheKlockster Posted February 1, 2006 Share Posted February 1, 2006 You sure about that? They have fireworks when they close at 10. So if they close later - they still have them at 10. If they close earlier - no fireworks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reclaimer Posted February 1, 2006 Share Posted February 1, 2006 Also, the PKI appears to have been taken down. What is up with the PP sites? They're, like, moving them all to site destinations like http://www2.paramountparks.com/kingsisland/index.cfm ..and it really screws up some of the links on the sites. edit: Calendar is gone too. "Check back soon for 2006 Operating Calendar" http://www2.paramountparks.com/kingsisland...it_calendar.cfm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Bowser Posted February 1, 2006 Share Posted February 1, 2006 You sure about that? They have fireworks when they close at 10. So if they close later - they still have them at 10. If they close earlier - no fireworks. I was told Fireworks were to be gone this season Klockster. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TOPGUN1993 Posted February 1, 2006 Share Posted February 1, 2006 http://www2.paramountparks.com/ Did anyone know that Bonfante Gardens was a Paramount park ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reclaimer Posted February 1, 2006 Share Posted February 1, 2006 They manage it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RollerNut Posted February 1, 2006 Share Posted February 1, 2006 We also manage CBS TV City. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WooferBearATL Posted February 1, 2006 Share Posted February 1, 2006 Ahhhh, what ever happened to the voice of Resale. The park staying open later into the evening allows a few things. (Now I'm speaking from a Food Service Stand Point.) That final hour (actually 2 hours plus) International Street gets hit. When I supervised Ice Cream Shoppe - I had all registers open, 2 people on each ice cream freezer, a person or two working sundae bar, sipper cart (with a runner that was stocking) and popcorn cart. (using sipper carts runner) and a Cashier Foreman. When I supervised Funnel Cakes we had one or two people on each fryer, all registers a runner and a prep person with a cashier foreman. Munchen tower had both registers and a runner and fresh fruit with all registers. It was hopping every night. The time in the morning just allows people to filter in while all the stands are setting up. I think that they'll find all this out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted February 2, 2006 Share Posted February 2, 2006 I am told that there will be fireworks for the Fourth of July. That is all... And as I posted earlier, do NOT assume Winter Fest will be happening. NO ONE knows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scooby_Doo Posted February 2, 2006 Author Share Posted February 2, 2006 I am told that there will be fireworks for the Fourth of July. That is all... And as I posted earlier, do NOT assume Winter Fest will be happening. NO ONE knows. ^Huh eh? WinterFest was already annouced to return in 2006 I read about in the Dayton Daily News a couple of weeks ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted February 2, 2006 Share Posted February 2, 2006 Just because something is announced by Owner A doesn't mean that Owner B will be doing it.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RollerNut Posted February 2, 2006 Share Posted February 2, 2006 He is right, however I doubt Winterfest will be canned again, because it was a success. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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