How will the recession(depression)affect CP

I think that camper village may have an up year. We already bought our passes at the end of last year. We made reservations for camper village for 5 nights. A total cost to stay there is $300 for 5 people. I bring my own food for camping and am within walking distance to the lake, park,3 pools , 3 hot-tubs and soak city. That is the best economy vacation going!! I do believe the hotels will book slowly this year.

I think CF will have their handsful this year. Attendence (maybe), inpark spending, and the ever so haunting DEBT.

Hi, I'm new but anyways, I don't think attendance will be affected dramatically mainly because Americans turn to entertainment in tough times. During the great depression, the movie biz boomed and even now, video game retailers are one of the few organizations seeing climbing profits. I think as long as CP offers some incentives to go then attendance should be stable. It could even increase if families decide they can't afford a vacation at the beach choose to go to cedar point for a few nights instead. I know that I will buy my season pass as usual and I have a few friends who are getting one who didn't last year.

True enough. Some forms of entertainment did well during the Depression. Of course you don't have to be a historian to know that many amusement parks went under during that time period.

One problem is that entertainment is so much more expensive now than it was -- and I'm not talking about inflation. A movie ticket in 1933 would run you 25 cents; adjusted for inflation that same ticket should cost about $4 today, not the $9 + it typically costs you. That 5-cent box of popcorn back then should by all rights cost you about 85 cents today, not the $5 it actually does.

Amusement park rides frequently cost 5 cents to ride during the Depression. Now it's hard to find the park that will let you in for under $20. (They exist -- see Idlewild, for example; but it's the exception rather than the norm.) So what was a good deal in 1933 is not necessarily quite the same deal today. Throw in some exorbitant food/drink costs and it's nowhere near the same proposition it once was.

People used to care about how much money they lost in their retirement accounts. Now they are past that and just hoping they have a job in the next 6 months.

http://timeswampland.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/joblosses26091.gif

Speaking of entertainment and the game consoles. We've talked in the past that many kids could be spending their summers around the house playing video games, and not riding roller coasters.

I think that the economy make parents happy to go buy a $50 video game if that keeps the kid happy for a summer. Compared to the cost of an amusement park.

The really kicker is when gasoline goes back up this summer and tons of people are unemployed and paying $2.50-3 a gallon.

It would be one thing to pay $45 per ticket, but you could spend $300 on food / drinks in the park in one day with a family of 4 if you are not careful.

You have places like Comfort Inn who do more to get people to travel then CP does. Offering gas cards, rewards programs and so on.

I am not buying a CP season pass this year. If CP wants to get me to consider it maybe they should think of giving $50 gas cards out for the purchase of 4 platinum pass tickets, and $25 for in-park spending for all resort guests per stay. 4 Platinum passes is $600 large in CP's pocket in one day. Even the most frugal platinum passers shell out money for stuff at the park from time to time.

Seriously, a lot of parents are going to say no to $3 soda and $6 dippin dots this year. CP doesn't even realize it yet.

If you actually research the costs of amusement parks the trip just gets retarded expensive, and all of a sudden flying to Disney isn't even that much more expensive.

factory81 said:
If CP wants to get me to consider it maybe they should think of giving $50 gas cards out for the purchase of 4 platinum pass tickets, and $25 for in-park spending for all resort guests per stay.

So, you're suggesting that CP should make an already sweet deal even better, or you're not going to buy? Sorry, but something tells me your measly $600 (or, better yet, $150) won't be missed.

Not at all planning on buying, even if they were to offer some deals.

I think incentives go a long way to get families to come to places and I don't consider CP a sweet deal for families. Platinum Passes are a good buy, but in-park dining options are through the roof expensive, and if you can get people to look past that I think you might help yourself out.

People who have platinum passes are your regulars who drive a lot, so any gasoline will be very helpful to them. Resort guests are pretty much stuck buying CP food unless they go off point. So I think $25 per room of CP food money is a great way to encourage people.

The MAIN REASON I am not buying tickets. Gasoline prices are through the roof expensive. Last summer I spent around $1100 in gasoline going to the point. I also spend around $40-60 every time at TGI Fridays.

I am the guest Cedar Point needs. I spend my money in the park, and they know they need more guests like myself on a season like this one coming up.

I say I am the guest CP needs because I really believe CP will need every last guest they get this year.

Also peoples definition of a sweet deal varies in times like these. Free parking might have cut it in 2008 when we didn't know we were in a recession. But a couple million job losses later and a ripple effect through the entire economy makes free parking seem like a small gesture.

I should say, we are all the guests CP needs this year. Even if we just buy the $5.00 hot dog and chips.

These insane food prices will be the biggest thorn in CP this year. Those who will come will realllllly think twice about what to buy and where.

factory81 said:

I say I am the guest CP needs because I really believe CP will need every last guest they get this year.

I take it you've never been to Halloweekends...

Everything about CP is a pretty damn good value, aside from the food.

I wouldn't agree with the stretch of "everything" in terms of value...food definitely sucks and falls at the bottom of every value list in America...but I guess in terms of a season pass holder, it doesn't really matter...I believe the big drop won't come in the form of attendance, but in the per capita number...people may still be able to afford the weekly drives, but once inside the park, it's a whole different story.

Personally I'd rather have expensive food than no great rides/coasters. CP invests a lot into their attractions and the prices are how they get it back. The gas card/food discount is a great idea. I live about 2 hours away from CP and gas was terrible last year, even with 4 or 5 people pitching in. We can only hope gas stays under $2, I think that may be the deciding factor because even thought a platinum pass covers parking + admission, there is no discount on gas.

^Im all for expensive food, just make it good. The Busch parks charge you an arm and a leg for food (more money then CP) but their food is fantastic, sure it might not be worth the money you spend for it, but its so good that you dont really care and pay the premium to have the food.

^oh I feel the same way, but when it's a food chain (subway, panda express, etc) that charges much more in the park than out then I definitely try to stay away. I remember last year going to the subway at CP and expecting a $5 footlong :)

While I agree that food defiantly needs some retooling, I'm content with going to Panda Express for my in park meals. It's the 2nd most frequented spot for me next to Dragster. ;)

Yea, at least at Panda you get enough food to fill your belly for most of the day. I usually grab a plate in the early afternoon and then grab a snack if I need to later in the day.

Panda is definitely the best deal in the park for food. It fills you up and its just as good as the Panda you find elsewhere in malls and such (which is pretty darn good for mall food courts!), and not insanely expensive comparatively. The only other place with any chance at being a "deal" is an utter disgrace, but I'll let John (aka Juggalots) tell you about that, and his plan to get rid of it... ;)

You know, it is legal to pack some food and walk to a car to eat and come back in if it's that dire of a situation for you.

It doesn't require a "dire" situation for me to see the blatantly obvious benefit of packing some of my own food for a day at CP. While we can certainly afford to eat in the park, common sense forces me to not give them my money for what is essentially a swift kick in the nuts. If more people spoke with their wallets (rather than simply whine that they paid $13 for Subway), we wouldn't have to deal with such terrible food value, etc..

In fact, I'd argue that those who are gullible enough to pay for the horrendous, overpriced in-park food are the ones in "dire" situations. :)

I know it will effect me this year. Luckily, I still have a job. But, our facility just laid off 125 people and about 30 salary jobs and were are shutting down one day a week without pay at the moment. They are now talking about a week shutdown next month. I expect it to get worse. With Caterpillar laying off 22,000 and John Deere several thousand, they are two of Eaton's largest customers.

Being married now and large house payment along with other bills, park trips will be minimal this year. Plus, we will have her 2 kids for the summer. I have not decided what my summer plans are yet. I have not purchased passes yet. I still have one unused pass from last year. I hate the thought of not going to CP this yr with Magnum's 20th celebration. If we do gets passes, they will not get used much.

I agree that when times are tough, you need to get out and enjoy something. But, if you are laid off, you are going to think hard about how the money is spent. Especially when it costs $10 to park your car, $45 to get in the gate, and then extra if you want to do the waterpark. That will be the advantage of Holiday World over CP.

As for my family and I, I am the only one with a Platinum pass. Me and my best friend have one so its not like i wont have any one to go with. Any ways, My wife and i have full time jobs at the moment and i am sure its safe to say we will still have jobs through the summer. (knock on wood) We have our monthly bills and out two kids and one more on the way. But i am planning on going several times this year. Hopefully gas is still cheap!