Rumor Water Park Becoming a Separate Gate?

[kmccarthy27]

I know its screamscape but he's reporting there is some language in the Season Pass stuff for SFA that they are making the water park a second gate. Has anyone heard more? This may make some sense as to why Coyote Creek is shutdown, Mind Eraser is right behind the Wave Pool and if its becoming a second gate it needs its own entrance and room to expand more. This would be really bad for SFA as its like a 70/30 thing when it comes to people going to the waterpark versus the rest of the park during the summer.

Six Flags America

www.screamscape.com

"Six Flags may be intending to turn all the waterparks that used to be included with admission into a second paid gate. What is confirmed so far is if you look at the benefits for the different tiered 2023 Season Passes at Six Flags America, the lower tier (Gold) no longer includes access to Six Flags Hurricane Harbor. You will have to pay more to purchase the Platinum tier pass to regain access to Six Flags Hurricane Harbor for the 2023 season."

 

[warfelg]

Neither part of the park is big enough to warrant this.

 

[horsesboy]

He is not wrong in the wording but I would wait and see.

 

[CoasterTalkBob]

I know its screamscape but he's reporting there is some language in the Season Pass stuff for SFA that they are making the water park a second gate. Has anyone heard more? This may make some sense as to why Coyote Creek is shutdown, Mind Eraser is right behind the Wave Pool and if its becoming a second gate it needs its own entrance and room to expand more. This would be really bad for SFA as its like a 70/30 thing when it comes to people going to the waterpark versus the rest of the park during the summer.

Six Flags America

www.screamscape.com

"Six Flags may be intending to turn all the waterparks that used to be included with admission into a second paid gate. What is confirmed so far is if you look at the benefits for the different tiered 2023 Season Passes at Six Flags America, the lower tier (Gold) no longer includes access to Six Flags Hurricane Harbor. You will have to pay more to purchase the Platinum tier pass to regain access to Six Flags Hurricane Harbor for the 2023 season."

This is probably a copy/paste error like the wordage on the KD silver pass that raised questions about Haunt becoming a separate event or that they were going to at least dump the park and have everyone re-enter for Haunt.

Then again, this is Selim.

 

[rswashdc]

Neither part of the park is big enough to warrant this.

Weirdly enough SFA’s pricing structure might be able to justify this, though parking can’t work at $30 if they are going to split the park. It would basically be admitting that SFA is little more than a glorified fun center, which might make some sense from a market placement position vice trying to be a destination park.

 

[warfelg]

Weirdly enough SFA’s pricing structure might be able to justify this, though parking can’t work at $30 if they are going to split the park. It would basically be admitting that SFA is little more than a glorified fun center, which might make some sense from a market placement position vice trying to be a destination park.

29 dry park rides, 16 water park rides. Yea it’s basically two fun center if you split it with just big coasters. Either they really need to grow SFA fast or just let it be a small 2 park thing and whatever. I wouldn’t mind seeing SF use CF’s plan for Dorney where they care for the dry side, but make the water side really nice. Maybe they could sell to someone who manages smaller parks like Palace.

 

[kmccarthy27]

This is why I figure, you close off Coyote Creek, tear down Mind Eraser and Rapids, move the bumper cars elsewhere, and you have plenty of land to add/improve and gate off the water park. And may be after all these years replace the Wave Pool that has the archaic operation of having to get out every 45m to have a 15m rest period, when all other wave pools are continuous operation.

 

[Zachary]

I honestly believe this is a great plan. It justifies further investment into SFA's current cash cow (the water park) and SFA is set-up BEAUTIFULLY to accommodate a new water park gate.

There are days where it almost certainly makes financial sense to open the water park but not the amusement park. Operating the water park may generate enough revenue to justify the entire operation of the park on a given day, but if the amusement park was closed, that water park minus all the dead weight could be making absolute bank.

Similarly, water parks want to be open earlier and theme parks often want to be open later. With two gates, operating hours can be offset FAR more effectively.

Hell, if it were up to me, I'd subdivide SFA even further. The children's area borders the parking lot too. Carve it out into a new standalone children's park. Again, a lot of the same justifications apply. Children's park's justify different operating calendars, different hours, a different tone, a different clientele—hell, maybe even a different type of staff.

 

[kmccarthy27]

This is why I figure, you close off Coyote Creek, tear down Mind Eraser and Rapids, move the bumper cars elsewhere, and you have plenty of land to add/improve and gate off the water park. And may be after all these years replace the Wave Pool that has the archaic operation of having to get out every 45m to have a 15m rest period, when all other wave pools are continuous operation.

My thoughts in an image: (ignore the green dots, I hate using the Preview markup on my mac)

 

[warfelg]

@Zachary the only reason I dislikes it is because SF would likely charge a premium for a park hopper ticket and would drive me away. SFA was 10 min away and what I liked was the ability to get in, ride some coasters, hit the water park, then finish up on some more rides. I’m not a huge fan of separate gated parks unless both are a full day section on their own. And I have no faith in Salim to make each park a single day park.

 

[kmccarthy27]

This is probably a copy/paste error like the wordage on the KD silver pass that raised questions about Haunt becoming a separate event or that they were going to at least dump the park and have everyone re-enter for Haunt.

Then again, this is Selim.

If its copy paste, the duplicate is Six Flags Over Georgia.

 

[Crunchewy]

SFA has always had smaller dry side lines and lots of people in the waterpark. And it is a pretty good waterpark (not counting the wave pool needing rests). But seems to me this change would mean even fewer people in the dry section which may not bode well for its future as a dry park too.

 

[rswashdc]

If they price and market the dry park appropriate to its size, that would be ok and probably more sustainable in the long run. Reality is SFA is a few hour experience, and shouldn't be marketed as a destination type park.

 

[Zachary]

@Zachary the only reason I dislikes it is because SF would likely charge a premium for a park hopper ticket and would drive me away.

Yeah, but if SFA can charge a premium for their water park, lower overcrowding, improve the guest experience, and increase profits, they should do that, yeah? I suspect SFA's water park has been undervalued for a long time.

A 12 months Aquatics Pass to get into the Prince George's County pools and small municipal water parks is $250+ per person or $420+ per family. Why on earth should access to a full water park and a full amusement park cost $55 for the water park's entire operating season? Just doesn't make any sense.

I believe prices across the board need to increase, but I don't think the dry side of SFA is in a super good position to justify such increases. That said, it seems that the water park likely is. Exercising that increased potential revenue steam seems like it stands to potentially benefit the property as a whole substantially.

 

[warfelg]

Yeah, but if SFA can charge a premium for their water park, lower overcrowding, improve the guest experience, and increase profits, they should do that, yeah? I suspect SFA's water park has been undervalued for a long time.

An Aquatics Pass to get into the Prince George's County pools and small municipal water parks is $250+ per person or $420+ per family. Why on earth should access to a full water park cost and a full amusement park cost $55 for the water park's entire operating season? Just doesn't make any sense.

I believe prices across the board need to increase, but I don't think the dry side of SFA is in a super good position to justify such increases. That said, it seems that the water park likely is. Exercising that increased potential revenue steam seems like it stands to potentially benefit the property as a whole substantially.

My easy is, I like your idea, I don’t trust SF to do it the right way.

 

[rswashdc]

Yeah, but if SFA can charge a premium for their water park, lower overcrowding, improve the guest experience, and increase profits, they should do that, yeah? I suspect SFA's water park has been undervalued for a long time.

An Aquatics Pass to get into the Prince George's County pools and small municipal water parks is $250+ per person or $420+ per family. Why on earth should access to a full water park cost and a full amusement park cost $55 for the water park's entire operating season? Just doesn't make any sense.

I believe prices across the board need to increase, but I don't think the dry side of SFA is in a super good position to justify such increases. That said, it seems that the water park likely is. Exercising that increased potential revenue steam seems like it stands to potentially benefit the property as a whole substantially.

This is definitely a case where one of the individual parts is more valuable than the combined entity. Based on other area water parks, they could easily charge 2-3x what they currently are for just the water park season pass, whereas the dry park really can’t price any higher. Make day tickets say $30-40 for an individual park, and they’ve got a much better business model.

 

[Crunchewy]

This is definitely a case where one of the individual parts is more valuable than the combined entity. Based on other area water parks, they could easily charge 2-3x what they currently are for just the water park season pass, whereas the dry park really can’t price any higher. Make day tickets say $30-40 for an individual park, and they’ve got a much better business model.

They made the dry-park-only season pass only a little less expensive than the the pass that gets you into both (in both cases, just to SFA).

 

[warfelg]

Ok giving this some more thought:
SFA could do with a split.

But, my imagining would take some work:
1 - I don't know what the feelings on the ride are but either get rid or take down Batwing.
2 - I can't recall what's next to WW Lasso of Truth, but take that out, and expand back there. I know it might sound 'lazy' but put an off the shelf coaster, and a few flats back there.
3 - Maybe hot take? Ditch DC theme elements at this park. Embrace Americana. County/State Fair area close to Wild One. Colonial America by Roar. Western Expedition back by ROS. Three main themed areas around the park.
4 - I'm not sure what they own outside of currently built areas, but use the overflow lot west of the water park, take out Wahoo River, and open up out there. Do a new lazy river, splash pad, and you have space for many more slides.

 

[Crunchewy]

1 - I don't know what the feelings on the ride are but either get rid or take down Batwing.

No. Very no. One of the best rides in the park and one reason I go there,

However I very much like the idea of ditching DC theming throughout the park. But I don't get the impression that is going to happen.

 

[warfelg]

No. Very no. One of the best rides in the park and one reason I go there,

However I very much like the idea of ditching DC theming throughout the park. But I don't get the impression that is going to happen.

Then they need to do more around it. I think I went to it once all year but honestly I can’t remember it’s there because I have no real reason to go back there.