Theme Park University: Could Closing DK Signal SEAS Decline?

[DJTLG]

Theme Park University posted an article titled "Could the closing of Curse of DarKastle Signal the Beginning of A Sharp Decline for SeaWorld Parks?"

http://themeparkuniversity.com/theme-parks-101/closing-curse-darkastle-signal-beginning-sharp-decline-seaworld-parks/

I hope the answer is a big no. Only time will tell.

 

[Ghost of Pretzel Kaiser]

RE: Theme Park University Article

I'm not sure I would call it a harbinger of destruction for the chain. Cost vs ridership vs new opportunities for the location most certainly had a factor, but recently the chain has been churning out major attractions at a steady pace despite the recent economic setbacks.

 

[Lord Robert]

In spite of such problems it seems to me the park is still able to make new attractions, financial problems aside. So I don't think it is the ringer of doom as the article says.

 

[SLC Headache]

I'm choosing to believe that DarKastle's closure was done to be able to afford Project Madrid being a coaster and not a tower, not just desperation.

 

[Unagi]

I'm choosing to believe that DarKastle's closure was done to be able to afford Project Madrid being a coaster....

This.

I can't divulge any specific details but SEAS had big plans to revamp the DarKastle space for a new 4-D attraction. They decided at the last minute to cancel that and focus all the funding for project Madrid.

 

[Shane]

I am more inclined to agree with SLC Headache and Unagi on this topic, but Theme Park University has a history of having a lot more information on a topic then they are able to share and tend to be correct. If the budget and problems SEAS is experiencing went away, I am sure that DarKastle would not have to be sacrificed for Madrid.

It is extremely rare for an E-Ticket attraction to be closed in order to afford the cost of opening a different E-Ticket Attraction. This is more like closing Alpengeist to afford to build Invadr than it is closing the Big Bad Wolf to build Verbolten.

 

[horsesboy]

I am more inclined to agree with SLC Headache and Unagi on this topic, but Theme Park University has a history of having a lot more information on a topic then they are able to share and tend to be correct. If the budget and problems SEAS is experiencing went away, I am sure that DarKastle would not have to be sacrificed for Madrid.

It is extremely rare for an E-Ticket attraction to be closed in order to afford the cost of opening a different E-Ticket Attraction. This is more like closing Alpengeist to afford to build Invadr than it is closing the Big Bad Wolf to build Verbolten.

I liked Darkkastle and will miss it but I am also going tosay I am not sure its fair to still call it an E ticket attraction. Even last year on the 4th of July when the park was filled and most rides had an hr plus wait DO was about a 5 minute wait. Most days if you went it was a strait walk on. I am sorry but its ridership levels alway looked close to what Shockwaves were when KD closed it. I think that given those conditions it kind of made sense to close it.

 

[Shane]

I don't think that a ride just looses it's E-Ticket status due to age and ridership changes. It has all the qualities of an E-Ticket. D-Ticket Darkrides are Boo Blasters and The Cat & the Hat at IOA.

As far as ridership goes, I feel like that has a lot to do with DK not being maintained to the standards it should have been. If the ride was kept in top running condition and had gotten regular upgrades --and even used the initially touted ability to keep the ride current by updating and changing scenes (which they only ever did once) then I think it would have maintained ridership.

But none of us have crystal balls so, what do I know.

 

[wombat96]

As far as ridership goes, I feel like that has a lot to do with DK not being maintained to the standards it should have been. If the ride was kept in top running condition and had gotten regular upgrades --and even used the initially touted ability to keep the ride current by updating and changing scenes

The thing I found strange about "regular updates" is while none of the scenes changed since 2006 there has been some updating. Very recently in the past five years the park has been replacing projectors throughout the ride. Knowing that the park follows a five to ten year plan I feel that they wouldn't have continued to pump in money to an attraction they knew were closing.

I just wonder how recent it was when the budget cuts became too large for this E-Ticket attraction to close.

 

[Alf33]

I sure hope that this article is wrong and the company isn't in a big decline. Closing DK is sad but it almost seems like a self inflicted wound by virtue of them not keeping up with the maintenance. Regardless any decline by the company probably could have been mitigated if they took a far more aggressive approach in fighting Blackfish. I really would have liked to have seen them sue the film maker, producer and CNN for slander once they had the ammo to prove most of their claims false. They have a legal department. They should have used them better to refute that documentary! It would probably have helped in their PR a lot to attack back fast and hard and not wait like they did.

One thing the author of that article is wrong about is that Seaworld usually schedules their end of the year conference call/report in late February or early March. So him saying this is an item of concern for him is wrong. About four years ago they didn't hold their year end report until like March 21st!

 

[Mushroom]

I'm choosing to believe that DarKastle's closure was done to be able to afford Project Madrid being a coaster....

This.  

I can't divulge any specific details but SEAS had big plans to revamp the DarKastle space for a new 4-D attraction.  They decided at the last minute to cancel that and focus all the funding for project Madrid.

That the company had to close a dark ride to facilitate funding of a new project doesn't strike me as good news...

 

[CastleOSullivan]

This seems to be a recent trend. In 2017 the park closed Europe in the Air when there was absolutely no need to do so, other than potential cost-saving. I have to wonder how long DarKastle will stay..."dark"...

 

[BGW Family]

The last time we rode it things where "business as usual" with it. Sync, screens, projectors or sound off in places on random rides. What broke so much that they couldn't run with the deficiencies it had? It wasn't unbearable and better than no ride at all. Still VERY unhappy about the unceremonious announcement with no last ride chances, BTW.

So BGW, adding this to our Christmas Town experience and that 4 hour drive/3 day weekend every month is looking less and less worth it. The park "experience" is just loosing it's luster. No wonder you are suffering if you don't serve your customers instead of serving the almighty buck, yourself or your stockholders. The customers are the ones providing you with the almighty buck in case you forgot.

 

[phareous]

And now they've closed Jungala at BGT to cut costs...

 

[Peej1212]

I dont think DK closing is because there are so many issues with the ride itself. After riding it a few times you get to see where the ride doesnt sync or its down for repairs. I love the ride dont get me wrong but there are alot of issues with it. And honestly if it was as bad as the article makes it sound it will take ALOT more to save the company than closing DK.

 

[Merboy]

Oh I'm sure it'll all work out.