Will the new owners get the hint?

[Browntggrr]

Toledo Blade article

I wonder if the new owners will get the hint that some of the park's current pricing is too high. When the best park for 8 years slashes prices and not quality, that has to show the rest of the industry something.

[Vortexlover2]

Is it possible that cutting the prices at Cedar Point was done just for the reason of other parks cutting prices? Amusement Parks copy eachother all the time!

(Example: Cedar Point guy coming to PKI and the next year Cedar Point has a giant frisbee and they get recognized for it in roller coaster tycoon three instead of us. We got Delirium two years before their giant frisbee didn't we?)

~vl2

edit:

the giant frisbee wasn't put on rollercoaster tycoon three until Cedar Point got theirs.

[jzarley]

I think it will be interesting to see how Cedar Point markets their lower prices... So far, I've only seen it listed in newspapers and industry articles. For instance, I wonder if they'll compare their prices directly to PKI to try to attract the crossover audience? (i.e., "25% less expensive than a day at Kings Island!")

[Vortexlover2]

I think it will be interesting to see how Cedar Point markets their lower prices... So far, I've only seen it listed in newspapers and industry articles. For instance, I wonder if they'll compare their prices directly to PKI to try to attract the crossover audience? (i.e., "25% less expensive than a day at Kings Island!")

haha

that would be so embarasing for Kings Island!

~vl2

[WooferBearATL]

I think it will be interesting to see how Cedar Point markets their lower prices... So far, I've only seen it listed in newspapers and industry articles. For instance, I wonder if they'll compare their prices directly to PKI to try to attract the crossover audience? (i.e., "25% less expensive than a day at Kings Island!")

They may not market the price change directly.

The whole key behind the price change is to get people into the park. It's to have people that would normally be put off by a price to decide to go to the park rather than spend less and do something else.

[Enchanted Voyager]

Does anyone think the sale of the park will affect this year’s attendance? From a marketing stand point it could make people think they are going to get something less this year than the year before, like paramount won’t be paying any attention to the place because it is selling. Now i'm not saying they are, I havn't been yet this year, but the sale could change peoples thoughts of the place. What are anybodies thoughts on this??

[jzarley]

I think it will be interesting to see how Cedar Point markets their lower prices...  So far, I've only seen it listed in newspapers and industry articles.  For instance, I wonder if they'll compare their prices directly to PKI to try to attract the crossover audience?  (i.e., "25% less expensive than a day at Kings Island!")

They may not market the price change directly.

The whole key behind the price change is to get people into the park. It's to have people that would normally be put off by a price to decide to go to the park rather than spend less and do something else.

Of course, lower prices only succeed in attracting more people to the park if people are aware of it...

Although, if I was Cedar Fair and was going to make that a marketing point in any market, it wouldn't be Ohio--it would be Southern CA.

[jzarley]

Does anyone think the sale of the park will affect this year’s attendance? From a marketing stand point it could make people think they are going to get something less this year than the year before, like paramount won’t be paying any attention to the place because it is selling. Now i'm not saying they are, I havn't been yet this year, but the sale could change peoples thoughts of the place. What are anybodies thoughts on this??

To be honest, my guess is that if you're not a theme park enthusiast (or a CBS shareholder), the average member of the GP isn't even going to know the parks are for sale. (Nor would they be aware of the whole Viacom/CBS split, or even that Viacom had been the parent company of the parks prior to that...)

We all actively seek out this type of information (and discuss it ad infinitum <g>), but with most members of the GP it just wouldn't register.

[Erosarrow05]

Jzarley...

I completely agree... and you beat me to it...

A class i took last quarter involved writing a paper with a prompt that was perfect for the viacom split - paramount parks for sale scenario...

I gathered information from 200 students at UC and the results were interesting....

The survey consisted partially of the following questions....

1. Are you a Paramounts Kings Island season pass holder

48 yes - 152 no

2. Have you been a season pass holder between 1993 and 2006

167 yes - 33 no

3. Are you aware that Paramounts Kings Island is for sale

77 yes - 123 no

4. Does the change of ownership affect your plans to visit this summer

1 yes - 199 no

5. When you visit Paramounts Kings Island do you purchase your tickets at the gate

6 yes - 146 no

6. Are you aware that Cedar Point in Sandusky, OH has lowered admission prices?

2 yes - 198 no

7. If Paramounts Kings Island lowered admission price up to 20 percent, would you consider adding an additional trip to Kings Island this year?

41 yes - 111 no

26. Where would you be more willing to spend your dollar - Any of the summer destinations - or at the gas station?

200 summer destination - 0 gas station

The survey is about summer plans and factors that contrible to additional or less trips. The locations on the survey were PKI, State Parks, Lakes and Reds games.

So as always, you can take it for what its worth but it was interesting to me.

[Enchanted Voyager]

good post Erosarrow05. I didn't think to take into account the number of people who wouldn't even know the park is for sale.