How can CP maximize profits?

I'm too lazy to summarize it, but here is what I posted last night over at CB regarding one-train operation on coasters:

************Only one train operation bothers me. No matter how you look at it, it is considerably frustrating. I can understand only two train operation on a ride capable of three, and have seen this system work fairly well recently on Raptor and Magnum. But one train is pushing it, and fortunately I've never seen it happen at CP, except for WT.

Additionally, about keeping people in the park. I agree that people will leave early if the park is empty, but I don't see how it helps to just make them stand in lines longer.

In my opinion, the best way for parks to make money is to install virtual queueing systems that consistently give out about a 30-45 minute long waiting time. If the system gets backed up, patrons would still be called back in 45 minutes but would have to wait in a line. That way, you guarantee that people stay in the park at least another hour, yet they get to go out and eat and shop instead of standing in line. Invest in having attractive looking and unique shops/food, and you'd do pretty well in my opinion.

At the end of the day though, remember that parks have done nothing but sit around and figure out how to maximize profits, so I'm sure all of this has been thought of and shot down at some point. *****************

I was thinking about it more earlier, and wondered if CP and other parks really do consider these options and if not, exactly why they don't work as well as the ones in place now. Anybody have any knowledge of these decisions and/or want to share their opinion on how CP can maximize profit? *** Edited 10/6/2006 8:48:29 PM UTC by lettuce***

I think CP can maximize profits by doing what they already do. Build great coasters, great atmospheres & serve great food. Really, I think they're on to a winning formula already and they've tried forms of virtual quesing (i.e. - FreeWay) that haven't given the results they were hoping for.

I'm not sure they are positioned to maximize profits. They are certainly doing well, and I think things are getting even better with impressive Halloweekend operations, but I'd like to hear why they haven't explored other options and what people think might work.

Freeway is vastly different from the system I proposed. My system would issue tickets that always had a moderate, reasonable virtual waiting time. If this is unattainable because of great demand to ride a certain ride, then people would just return to the ride and wait in an actual line. However, this guarantees that people stay on the midway for the longest amount of time possible, and would work much better than Freeway.

I'm sure CP HAS thought of these ideas. Just because people have presented them online and the park hasn't immediately implemented them doesn't mean they haven't been considered.

There is quite a bit of infrastructure to keeping a virtual queuing system like you propose up and running. What you propose is very similar to Disney's, and even they don't open the FastPass for some rides on the less busy days. At CP, this system would only be necessary for only about 2 months of the year (.5 June, July and .5 Aug). There might be a couple other sporadic days (some of the Halloweekend Saturdays) but it would be pretty much limited to 2 months. I don't have the fiscal evidence, but I'd imagine its just not worth it to put in the infrastructure for 2 months of (possible) necessary use.

Fair enough, there is room for improvement in the park and always will be.

I do also see the differences between FreeWay and VQ but from I gathered during the FreeWay days, the general public have a hard time comprehending new queueing (sp?) methods. I heard a lot of people complaining about others (FW users) cutting in line and there always seemed to be a lot of confusion surrounding the system.

Well, thats where CP didn't get it right. All the passes were handed out at once for the remainder of the day. And it was my experience that it wasn't very well advertised to begin with.

The Disney system fires up in the morning (if necessary) and hands out passes throughout the day. As a ride gets busier, and more people get FastPasses, the return time gets pushed back further. So sure, if you come late in the day, theres a good chance none will be available. But if you come by 2-3 hours after park opening, you'll still have a chance to get one (which was never the case with MF or TTD).

Lastly, the FP entrances are near the regular entrances. This was and is a confusing point with regards to Magnum in particular as people still try to use the FW entrance to access the ride.

Jugga,

Agreed. FreeWay could've been a bit better.

Yeah, I agree that the system may get confusing to a lot of guests. There would always be the option of getting in a conventional line and just waiting it out. The vq line and conventional line would merge at some point just like Freeway did. I think it could work.

I'm not sure I buy the argument that the investment isn't worth it. I'm sure this system would not be more than the cost of Skyhawk, and I think it's just as marketable. Americans are fat and lazy and love convenience, and would probably be more interested in that than a smaller new ride.

^^ But at least it was better than Ticket To Ride (or so I hear as I don't really remember TTR).

^ - ok, so you put it in, and market it. But then its not open on a Tuesday in May because the park doesn't have the staffing at that point of the season. But due to school trips, MF has an hour and a half wait. Now you've advertised a cool new Virtual Queuing system that does nothing for me because its closed.

I admit that in some situations, it might be worth it. But I just don't think that the total time that it would be necessary at CP justifies the cost of putting one in.

Right. I'm not disappointed that theres no VQ on a day like Jugga suggested if it doesn't exist.

It seems to me that the ways it could negatively influence a patron's stay at CP outweigh the possible benefits.

Why would you care about how much profit the company makes if you're a customer?

Why does it require any more staffing than one more person to control the merge point? The machines would be entirely electronic and require no staff. The system would be in place any time a ride had a physical line of over an hour, and would be available on only the biggest coasters. The extra staffing then wouldn't matter and it could run when necessary on any operating day.

Jeff said:
Why would you care about how much profit the company makes if you're a customer?

Why did you care to create the site if you're just a customer? I also have a small share of the company, and it would be to my advantage if they performed even better. Plus, I just want to know what's holding them back.

Hehe, someone just described CP as being held back. 120MPH, 420FT, 93MPH, 311FT, biggest, fastest, tallest....

That just doesn't scream "held back" to me ;)

They certainly invest with a heavy hand, so they're not holding back in that respect. They're holding back from maximizing profits because they have an inefficient method of queueing. Every year the park has slightly increased in-park spending, and that tells me that the potential is probably there to make it explode. And having people spend half their time in the park in a line is like trying to win a race after cutting off one of your legs. Keep them on the midway!

The people at CP know this, and they are holding back on what they could do. Have you seen how much money that new basketball game makes? They could do that same type of thing 20 times over in the park and they would all make money if more people are on the midways. Americans love fattening foods, so throw in some unique stands that have irresistable looking food. How about their investment in the teen girl clothing store this year? They know the potential is there, but they're not reaching it quickly enough. *** Edited 10/6/2006 10:27:24 PM UTC by lettuce***

Personally I don't like virtual queues. If the rides had higher throughput, they wouldn't be required anyways. I just think they end up wasting more time than they save. You have to go to a ride to get your "place in line", then you have to come back later to ride. If you do the park in a loop (which is the most efficient), backtracking is a huge waste of time. And, if you're virtual queuing on multiple rides, you end up backtracking all day. I'm a HUGE fan of them eliminating the FreeWay system.

I feel that the queues that they have could be altered with technology, and I do love electronic devices, but I don't think that's the right direction for an amusement park. I don't wanna be restricted to a certain time schedule or else miss my ride, I don't like that about school and I like that even less about where I go to have fun. I like to be able to say, hey I think I'm gonna go ride Mavie now, and just go wait without anyone saying, I have a ticket!! Ha! That could get out of hand, no?

If some people have to wait in line, all should have to. The queues also provide a place to congregate while anxiously awaiting the sweet bliss of the short-lived ride to come. It's a time to relax, maybe call someone, or make out ;) If the queues were gone, people would have to run all over the place to meet schedule, and that sucks enough as is with sweeps, yet missing a coaster train would be much worse!!

Although good arguments can be had for both sides, I say that what they've got now works quite well, and although rather hectic at times, is currently the best of all proposed solutions...

I think that the best way for Cedar Point to maximize profits would be to cut costs, or to somehow increase revenue. Or perhaps some combination of the two.

Ensign Smith said:
...would be to cut costs...

AHH! Not again!

Sorry. Couldn't help myself.