News Six Flags Great Adventure Steals Christmas

[netdvn]

I'm sure GAdv gets heavier crowds during spring break than they do Holiday in the Park, so while losing Holiday sucks, at least all the coasters will be up and running in time for spring break to start. Every time I've been to Holiday, its been a ghost town, so its no surprise the park decided to axe it.

This spring-summer has been pretty rough with Toro, Batman, Flash, the log flume and Jersey Devil all down extended at some point in the year. Hopefully going back to March-November scheduling will help keep those rides running in better shape come springtime.

 

[GASM]

The one time I went to HITP, it was pathetically empty. I really don’t think this is a bad sign, but a cost cutting measure that genuinely does make sense.

 

[Timchat2]

I’ve heard rumblings that Carowinds’ event is expected to still go on this year, but offerings will be cut back significantly. Other than many of the shows being cut, I don’t know the extent of the cuts.

Any word on what shows? I assume something like the WinterFest Wonderland Parade would be an easy cut.

 

[harry580]

I know fright fest this year has shows like dmp & unleash removed

 

[mtorange]

Any word on what shows? I assume something like the WinterFest Wonderland Parade would be an easy cut.

I have not heard any specifics, unfortunately.

 

[Thriller]

Sure, but seeing the chain surrender to the concept that the only business that matters is pass and group sales should be super concerning. Other parks and chains seem to still be drawing attendance well beyond those categories, but Six Flags seems to be waiving the white flag.

I tend to believe that the continued existence of cheap meal and drink plans are the real culprit here. Other parks and chains are making money off pass members when they visit—Six Flags often is not—in fact, the inverse is true—in the short-term, increased visitation from pass members actually cuts into margins. A really perverse incentive has been created by the success of these programs. The parks' finances depend far more on getting people to buy-in for a season with all the add-ons rather than driving actual visitation throughout the season.

The meal and drink plans are absolutely the culprit. While I personally enjoy the ability to have these plans and make visits more affordable they never make good business sense to me.

The whole idea of selling season passes was to get people to come back and spend money. Especially on drinks and meals. These passes have given people the ability to overuse their passes to the point. They’re no longer profitable to the company back when it was just simple season passes. They were still profitable to the company because people were eating when they came to the park and paying.

These extended season events are just people using their passes more and not spending money IMO

Busch realize this after attempting the season pass meals, and reversed course successfully.

However, when Six Flags tried to eliminate them a few years ago, it killed their attendance. The same thing would happen with the cedar fair crowd if they tried to eliminate them because they are so ingrained in the customers now.

So their only solution is cut cut cut to make up for the cheap passes. But they have now come to the point they are cutting so much. It’s reducing the customer experience to the point they’re going to start losing ticket and pass sales.

I know personally I will not buy a season pass anymore if Winterfest is eliminated at all the parks. That’s my favorite time of year to go, and I could live just fine without going to these parks in the blazing hot weather with their lack of indoor attractions.