Are licensed characters crucial to the bottom line of Cedar Point?

I posted this on Coasterbuzz too. But, I thought there might be a different crowd of people here to add to the discussion...

The "new" kid's area at CP got me thinking about the whole characters and licensing today. I'm wondering if the licenses are really worth it to the parks. Jeff mentioned the parks have to pay "royalties" on Nick merchandise, and I know they have to pay for the license of the characters to use their likeness on the rides, etc...

I can see the merchandise, because they sell that at an inflated price and make profit off of it. So, it makes some sense to me to offer popular characters because they'd sell better than something kids weren't familiar with.

But, my question is in regards to the "theme" of the kids areas. I'm wondering if Snoopy/Spongebob/Thomas/Wiggles are really all that important to the bottom line of the park.

I know the best example of characters and their draw is Disney. But, I think that's an extreme case. Disney is known worldwide and kids want to see these characters in person. Plus, Disney isn't just a regional park. They need to draw people from all over the world, so obviously the characters are important there.

So let's take Sea World as another example. Obviously Shamu is the draw there. Yes, Shamu is a "character", but it's way more than that. People go to Sea World to see Shamu, not a stuffed Shamu walking around the park. The kids area at Sea World (Ohio) was Capt'n Kids World when I was growing up. Shamu got us to the park, and we didn't really care what the character was on the play structure. It was fun and we loved it. I really don't think anyone flocked to Sea World Ohio for the kid's play area and its "branding".

Cedar Point has Snoopy. But, is that the DRAW for families at Cedar Point? Or, is it just that there are a bunch of things for the kids to do? Is it relevant to the kids and getting to the park in the first place if it is Snoopy or Spongebob?

Holiday World only has Holidog as far as I'm aware. But, they are very popular with the families and their attendance just keeps going up. So, obviously licensed characters like Snoopy or Spongebob are not crucial to their success.

So, my question here is would a park like Cedar Point be hurt at all if they got rid of their paid licensing of characters? Since the park is regional, I'm guessing families don't go there because of a beagle or a sponge. They go for the experience, right? For the most part, they're not saving up for five years to make a trek to see Snoopy (like they do for Mickey).

Obviously Cedar Point has a bunch of talented people working for them. After seeing what they can do with Halloweekends and their new parade, it's obvious they have some creativity there. So, why doesn't Cedar Point come up with their own character or characters? It would create a unique area just for their park and I would think be cheaper than paying for a Snoopy or Spongebob license. But, it wouldn't prohibit them from selling Snoopy or Spongebob merchandise. It would just be the theme of their kids areas.

So, what does everyone think? If you have kids, do they want to go to Cedar Point (or whatever park) because of the characters on the rides? Or, do they want to go to the park because of how much fun they have? If Snoopy and/or Spongebob was eliminated from the park and replaced with some other character (that was created by CP), would the kids still have fun and obtain your business? Granted, the character has to be cool and fun! I mean, we went to Cedar Point every year growing up and all they had was Kid Arthur's Court. We went because we had tons of fun, not because of Kid Arthur.

By the way, I'm not trying to start a debate on "is Snoopy in or out". That's why I created a new thread. I was hoping for some discussion on the impact of licensed characters on REGIONAL parks and if it really is worth the ongoing licensing costs.

I think you have a point. The excution of the theme is more important than the theme itself.

To me, while I know the argument over Nick characters are more popular "FOR KIDS", but one think I like about Snoopy is that he is so universal. Grandparents, parents, teenagers, and kids can all relate to Snoopy in all different ways. Grandparents/parents remember the comics, teenagers remember the television specials, kids see a friendly looking beagle named snoopy.

I'd like to know more about royalties that need to be paid on Merch. When I was at Valleyfair in September, they were selling Disney Merchandise in the main gift shop up front (figurines and others). It confused me to say the least.

Although my children are a little too old for the kids area - 15 & 17.

The original draw to Cedar Point was not the characters, or Merchandise...

Whenever a Fair, or Carnival came to the Area, seeing all those tall rides, all the colors, they wanted to go SEE them.

> Can we go over there --- NO!

> Ooh what's that dad --- NO!

> Wow that's neat! Can we...--- NO!

Never the less - My kids were drawn to the cool looking things by the sports arena, in the high school parking lot, the mall...And we never really went to them.., they just saw them. -- Although a small merry-go-round park opened in the Woodville Mall, with about 5 small rides, and we would take them into that to hit 1 or 2 rides every so often.

So when they got old enough - 5 - 6 years of age, they got to see the worlds biggest carnival known to man... Cedar Point -- Their faces were priceless.

All they wanted to do is ride the rides... And today that's all they want to do. Ride the Rides...(and eat)

So for my family, whatever character is there, it doesn't matter to us...

PB-Reader said:
All they wanted to do is ride the rides... And today that's all they want to do. Ride the Rides...(and eat)

That made me laugh.

All they wanted to do is one thing, ride the rides and eat. Two things. All they wanted to do is two things, Ride the rides and eat and play games. Three things. All they wanted to do is three things, ride the rides, eat, and play games, and watch shows......




(50 bonus points to whoever can name the reference.)

^the jerk - movie

(where is my 50 points) :)
*** Edited 11/6/2007 9:02:55 PM UTC by PB-Reader***

Hey, that's still what I want to do as an adult. Ride the rides and eat, though if I eat too much I won't be able to ride the rides! :)

^^ - well, I certainly wasn't expecting that. But nope.

^ - Pete, you can still ride the rides. Its just that you may be leaving a that last meal on the sidewalk when you're done.

Though I love snoopy, and think he fits in well at CP, characters like Geauga Dog or Holidog from Holiday World have always made me smile, too. No licensing really involved with that.

-Josh

I agree. Though I must say that it's fun to get your picture taken with Scooby Doo at KI, or the Looney Toons at one of those monstrosities that are called Six Flags.

Hmmm, are they crucial to the bottom line? Well I think we would have visited the park when the kids were younger without them, but I don't believe that it would have become a family tradition that evolved into season passes. It became a place that evoked feelings of fondness that would not have been as stong at all without looking forward to a yearly pic with the beagle & running in the pumpkin patch at the Snoppy Boutique.

So yea, I guess I do believe they are crucial to many families having a stronger attachment to the park.

^^ i agree, surprisingly at six flags, the justice league characters are a huge hit among teenagers, looking to get their picture with batman, or the green lantern, or wonder woman. Its not the reason they go but they find it enjoyable.

edited for spelling *** Edited 11/6/2007 11:24:16 PM UTC by GAM man 68***

I took my two daughters ages 4 & 1 to KI this summer ONLY because they had the Nick characters. My sister took her kids to KI this summer as well (ages 8, 5, & 3) ONLY because KI has the Nick characters.

We drove 6 hours one way ONLY for the fact that KI had the Nick characters. It was well worth it. My kids and her kids still talk about it. We plan on going back next summer, unless of course CP decides to add the Nick characters.

*Side note: How come at KI there is ALWAYS 2-3 costumed characters at the front gate. It was always a pleasant surprise seeing them just as you entered and as you exited the park. It allowed the kids to say hello give them and hug and say goodbye when they were leaving. No matter what time of the day, there was 2-3 characters at the front gate. At Cedar Point, while occasionally you will see a costumed character at the front gate, it is RARE.

I had an interesting experience with a 3.5yo boy in my day care this morning this morning, a bit lengthy with the backstory but I think relevent to this discussion.

My preschoolers were playing with some sight word cards -- I have them for the older kids but the little guys found them and were putting together "sentences." They held up a card for me, with the word 'ride,' and asked me what it said. I told them, and just from that, the 3.5yo declared, "Snoopy, ride on!" I asked him to repeat it, and he did, and then asked him what he was talking about. He didn't really answer me, so I asked if he meant from Cedar Point, and he said yes and talked about 'the snoopy ride.' (Not sure which one he meant.)

Then he spent the next bit of time walking around the house singing 'Snoopy Ride On' to the tune of 'Sloopy Hang On.' I'm not that familiar with the kids section of the park, but I don't recall that there, LOL.

Anyways, I found it really interesting. He took three amusement trips this summer; one was to the local fair so it doesn't count in quite the same way. In maybe June or so, he took an impromptu trip up to CP with mom and his brothers (5yo and infant,) only because Dad got some free tickets the day beforehand. Although they had a nice day, there was no beforehand prep or buildup of any sort. In August, I took him (along with the rest of the daycare kids) to KI, which we started talking about six months prior and really working up to three or four weeks beforehand, familiarizing them with the rides, how to ride safely, etc. I'm also almost positive the family had SPs to KI the previous summer ('06,) and went a handful of times.

This is a Nick kid; they don't watch a ton of TV at my house but what they do watch is Nick, Disney, or Noggin (which carries Nick shows.) Spongebob, Dora, Diego, etc are big deals. AFAIK, he's seen very little (if any) Snoopy/Peanuts. But, clearly Snoopy (and the 'ride on' slogan) stuck with this kid.

So... I'm trying to figure out what I draw from this. LOL. I think the licensed characters are an important draw, and may affect a 'vs' argument -- they made the decision between CP and KI for our trip this summer for me. But, I think you can get people in the gates without them. More importantly is the point made above, by several people I think, that it's the integration of the experience and the return draw that's more important. And for that, I don't think it does have to be a licensed character -- 'Snoopy' is nothing to this kid, but clearly he made an impact enough for him to talk about it several months later. I think a 'Holidog' or other park-created character would have done the same thing.

In a way, I almost think that's better. Anytime I see Holidog, I'll think of HW. But I see the Sponge, Dora, Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Batman, etc, a million different times in a million different ways; they're not synonmous with amusement park fun.

I guess in the end, for me, there's plusses and minuses on both sides. I think a character of some sort is important, but I don't think it necessarily has to be a *licensed* character. They have the plus of the draw, but in every discussion I've had with every kid I "park"ed with this summer, the characters haven't been mentioned once (aside from as a 'label' of the ride,) until this Snoopy encounter. As long as the day is fun, it doesn't matter "who" we see along the way.

Wow. That's a great post!! Very interesting observations too. Deep down I'm loving that the kid was singing Snoopy Ride On. :) I watch that video every once in a while just when I want to smile.

Doesn't CP play the song during the opening of the park? We always go in the Marina or Resort gate, so I'm not sure what goes on up front. Besides Youtube, where else would he have even heard the Snoopy Ride On song?

PS: I miss when the ride ops say "Ride On" at the end of their spiel.

I know the song was used in the pre-show for the ice show this past summer, and I believe it could be heard playing now and then in Camp Snoopy and outside of the front gates.

im pretty sure it played at the end of the of "hot summer lights" too.

halltd said:

PS: I miss when the ride ops say "Ride On" at the end of their spiel.

Some of my friends on another ride told me that during the summer supervision told them they couldn't say "Ride On" anymore. For the early part of the season I just figured it was something that would stick to the end of the spiels much like "America's Roller Coast."

For me, Mr Skyward is the only licensed character I need to see at CP.
A visit to CP without a Mr Skyward sighting just isn't right! :)

Jo
Lifetime Raptor flights: 1229 :)

I haven't seen Mr. Skyward lately, have you?