New for 2015

Kevinj said:
But as I stated in the "In the Dark" thread, I would be sorely disappointed if they take the interactive-video-game route.

Since I am a gamer that plays games alot. A video game ride would be right up my alley.

I believe it, but from my perspective the main point in building a dark ride would be to have a family attraction, and in my opinion that does not make the cut.

Video games are becoming more common as a family activity. Mostly Nintendo games are family oriented.

Here is my main point from the In the Dark thread.

I agree that a ride like WMG would be popular for some. I just don't want it at my park. Here's why:

I would be very hesitant and not very hopeful if Cedar Point announced we were getting a similar ride at our park, if for no other reason than I simply do not enjoy the interactive component whatsoever. I'm sure they could improve the quality, but as others have noted, the enjoyment of the "video game" approach to these rides is completely lost on me. My daughter also put her gun down after about 30 seconds so she could watch everything.

I would also vote for a spookier theme. Fun and spooky can be blended well together to attract people of all age (See Pirates OTC).

Part of enjoying a family ride is enjoying the ride experience together. When I ride Pirates of the Caribbean with my daughters we are all having a shared experience and we can even talk to each other during the ride about what we're seeing, what's fun, what's scary etc. When you turn it into a video game, suddenly everyone is in their own little world and not really paying attention to the ride experience or the people around them. They're focused on shooting the cartoon and scoring points.

I agree that the pavilions probaley coming down, I mean it might be dark ride which would be pretty cool. I saw this pic on another site and it shows what looks to be a new pavilion to me. It could be a new haunt though

http://www.themeparkreview.com/forum/files/new_building_1.jpg

If they are going to tear down Point Pavilion, it would make sense to replace it with another one.

^^That's the new haunt.

phillies2 said:
I agree that the pavilions probaley coming down, I mean it might be dark ride which would be pretty cool. I saw this pic on another site and it shows what looks to be a new pavilion to me. It could be a new haunt though

http://www.themeparkreview.com/forum/files/new_building_1.jpg

Wow that must have just gone up, it wasn't like that Thursday.

Yep, that was the picture I took when I was at the park Friday. I was surprised the steel framework was already up! And after seeing it in person, it definitely looks to be the right size for a new haunt.

Pete said:
If that was coming to CP, why was the Plumber's Union told that their event would be moved? They would most likely hold the event in the new facility. I'm thinking that the Point Pavilion will be the site of a dark ride building.

i think this is going to happen. the old pirate ride building looks to small for a dark ride, and i don't know how they could fit a dark ride in the Colosseum with the low ceilings on the first floor. it would be a good location for a dark ride were the point pavilion is, its a big area of land to work with and it wouldn't block views of the lake like disaster transport did.

anthony battaglia said:...the old pirate ride building looks to small for a dark ride...

What an ironic thing to write.

Video game rides are for a smaller demographic and do not have the mass appeal a traditional dark ride has for the general public.

For myself, after hours of walking in the hot sun and waiting in lines and riding high adrenaline rides, the last things I want to do is have to work for my ride. I want to sit back in A/C and be entertained and I'm pretty sure my kids would want it, too, considering they lost interest shooting the cut-outs at KI.

Count me in for a non-interactive dark ride.

I have to say, of the dark rides I've been on (and granted I've probably been on fewer than a lot of you here), I've enjoyed rides like the Cat in the Hat ride and Spider-Man at Islands of Adventure, more than I did the interactive ones like Men in Black or Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin at Universal Studios and Magic Kingdom respectively.

I was just able to take in more of the ride that way, rather than trying to get as many points as possible, which in the end doesn't matter anyway.

As for 2015, I could definitely see a dark ride going in where Point Pavilion is located, or I could see them working on the Blue Streak midway. Either way, I'm sure the developers have a great plan in mind, whatever it may be.

Unfortunately, I see Cedar Point getting the TrioTech video game ride. I'd love a traditional dark ride like Knott's Berry Farm but I just don't see it happening. Knott's competes with AAA theme parks and advertises itself as one (seeing as how Matt worked this market, he knows this and realizes the potential gold mine if the right investments are made), where as Cedar Point has virtually no competition and advertises itself as an amusement park (much like Canada's Wonderland). They have no motivation to invest like Knotts does, as a crappy video game ride with low maintenance costs will draw in just as many people as a Calico Mine Ride level dark ride. The market is different and while many of us would appreciate the difference between the two types of rides, most of Cedar Point's thrill seeking audience won't.

You're suggesting they will give their flagship park a lesser version because the masses will be too stupid to know better? I'd hope that's not reality.

Not because their audience is stupid, but because they're different. Cedar Point markets towards thrill seekers (although they're trying to shift focus). Knott's markets towards families (the same market as Disney, which is just 10 mins down the road). They're two different markets that have different expectations. Knott's year round operation also gives it much greater potential for growth, which is why Cedar Fair is investing so heavily in it.

That said, Canada's Wonderland is a huge money maker for Cedar Fair and one of their premier parks. If Cedar Fair believed TrioTech was good enough for that park, then they most likely believe it's good enough for Cedar Point.

Your theory would only make sense if the demographics in each region were different, with little or no overlap: only thrill-seekers in Metro Detroit, Cleveland, etc., and only families in Knott's neighborhood.

If CP has historically marketed toward thrill seekers, then it would seem logical that they should market to other demographics, like families, if they want growth. And in fact, that's exactly what they've been doing.

^You should always market towards your target audience not what market you haven't been targeting for years.
I like how everyone says they have been targeting families recently when what has happened recently shows the exact opposite. I am not saying they are trying to exclude families but their actions over the recent years have not been solely towards families.

Removed:
nighttime show
wild cat
space spiral
disaster transport
paddle wheel
raised height limit on iron dragon
several small kiddie rides (Gemini midway)

Added:
gatekeeper
new nighttime show
up-charge walk through
two new family rides
fresh paint and new signs on 3 family rides

yeah really looks like they are heavily targeting families

In my mind, those changes have made the park much more well rounded and better for families. Add in the amazing lighting packages that have sprung up all over the park, and a new entrance that doesn't bottleneck, and you have happier families!

Dead Sexeh said:
^You should always market towards your target audience not what market you haven't been targeting for years.

This is only logical if you don't want your business to grow.

Think about it - if you always market to the same audience, eventually you'll run out of new customers. This is why The Coca-Cola Company sells more than just Coke Classic, for example.

I like how everyone says they have been targeting families recently when what has happened recently shows the exact opposite.

You're confusing attempt and execution. The park has tried to expand what they offer to families, and while there have been some missteps, there have also been successes.