Bring Back Oceana

JUnderhill said:

... Cedar Fair already employs skilled people when it comes to rides, but would have to hire or rely upon contractors to take care and maintain an animal based exhibit...

The same is actually true with the petting zoo also, they are an outside contractor that the park brings in. The animals belong to them and they do all the care and feeding. I'm not sure how the contract is written to see who pays who, or for what. But if they ever did another aquarium they would probably do something similar.

I fondly remember the penguins inside CP's old Sealand aquarium (previously located where the Tiki Twirl now stands) and anyone remember those electric eels? Those always fascinated me. As for bringing one back to CP? After visiting the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta a few years back, all of the ones I've been to since then (including the Shedd in Chicago and Cleveland's own pale in comparison. I highly recommend everyone go to the Atlanta location in your lifetime. I wouldn't be sad if one didn't return to CP.

I'm sure it could be argued that Cedar Point could partner with an outside company like Merlin, etc. to build an aquarium on the shores of Lake Erie. The attraction could be an upcharge and open year-round. Again, I understand its a long shot- but if I was looking at expanding outside the gates- this is one venue I'd consider. Its weather-resistant, and if it was an additional fee, it could pay for itself.

Where do the petting zoo beasties go when the park is closed for the season?

Atlanta gets plenty of year-round visitors. Likewise Orlando. And Gatlinburg, and Nashville and .....

And Sandusky doesn't. I just don't see how an aquarium at the scale of a Merlin or a Herschend operation could be viable in a seasonal resort area.

I guess Kalahari, Great Wolf and Castaway Bay don't attract people year-round? An aquarium would give people a reason to come year-round.

^^ I don't think those 3 indoor waterparks attract nearly as many people as we might think when I'm constantly getting Groupon emails for $99 or less per night stays. Also, with only looking at Castaway Bay's schedule the park isn't even a year round operation. They have sporadic hours from September through April with being closed all of November. http://www.castawaybay.com/public/explore/calendar/index.cfm

That, and the fact that Toledo, Cleveland, Columbus, Pittsburgh and Detroit all have some sort of aquarium attraction I don't see there being the need for it in Sandusky or at Cedar Point.

Kalahari does a pretty solid off-season convention business, and Great Wolf gets a lot of that action as well. I wonder about Castaway though... seems like they miss out on something.

Tilt-a-Whirl said:

I guess Kalahari, Great Wolf and Castaway Bay don't attract people year-round? An aquarium would give people a reason to come year-round.

No one says they don't. But consider what percentage of the off-season guests at each of those resorts might be interested in visiting an aquarium relative to the volume of guests needed to make an aquarium of the size of those Orlando/Gatlinburg etc aquariums successful.

Would a smaller-scale aquarium work? Possibly, but as WolfBobs notes, there are plenty of aquarium attractions.in the market.

Ohio has a really awesome aquarium, Sea World Ohio. Its right across from Geauga Lake! Oh wait...

Jeff said:

Kalahari does a pretty solid off-season convention business, and Great Wolf gets a lot of that action as well. I wonder about Castaway though... seems like they miss out on something.

As who's been staying at Kalahari and Castaway the last few years, it's value. Just comparing the two for a stay we have booked for this May, Castaway is ~$40 less per night, all in. Which may seem substantial if you haven't been to both. Not only is Kalahari's waterpark superior, so too is the entire resort. It's not even close.

Even the rooms at Kalahari justify much of the added cost. For another ~$30/night, you can upgrade to a suite with a full kitchen at Kalahari. Eat 1 meal per day in your room and you're coming out even, and that's ignoring the value of having a nice suite.

Probably the only advantage Castaway holds is location, the value of which CF seems to overestimate. For us, if we're driving into the park at all, it doesn't make a big difference if we're driving 10 minutes versus 20.

Kalahari is actually the only one I haven't been to. It doesn't always have a good reputation when it's crowded.

Agreed on Kalahari, when it is so crazy busy it is not a great experience at all. From check-in to cleanliness to amenities available as a per guest ratio.

Although when it is not overbooked it is a beautiful and clean friendly facility.

I'm looking forward to see what Mr. Ouimet & Co. Have In store for Castaway Bay.
Cedar Fair is missing out on massive revenue that kalahari takes in year round.

Indeed, that place gets crazy when busy. That's why we avoid weekends like the plague.

Side note: Michigan's Adventure is getting a petting farm again this year. Probably reject animals from last year from other CF parks :)

Yep, they're getting the ones that poop where they are not supposed to, those that bite and those that smell. Oh yes, and I hope they get the one that peed on Sarah's foot.

Morté615 said:

JUnderhill said:

... Cedar Fair already employs skilled people when it comes to rides, but would have to hire or rely upon contractors to take care and maintain an animal based exhibit...

The same is actually true with the petting zoo also, they are an outside contractor that the park brings in. The animals belong to them and they do all the care and feeding. I'm not sure how the contract is written to see who pays who, or for what. But if they ever did another aquarium they would probably do something similar.

I spoke to the people in the petting zoo area last year, and all those animals were rescued by the farm that owns them. A petting zoo of already social, rescued animals is not even in the same ballpark as a live marine show of any kind.