Park Cuts A Week Off the Operating Season in 2007

Many thought the park would be opening on May 5th, but according to a recent issue of FunTimes...

Don't miss your chance to enjoy all the fun and excitement of the Best Amusement Park In The World one more time in 2006. It's going to be a long time until May 12th, when Cedar Point opens for the 2007 season!

This is a week later than they have opened in the last few years.

I'm sorry to hear this. I always looked forward to Opening Day being the first weekend in May. Is this the continued effects of cutbacks?

Well, Maverick's set to open on May 7th, so that should be interesting... ;)

Probably just a typo.

The 7th is a Monday... The 12th is a Saturday, one week after the 5th. I don't think they'd be having Opening Day on a Monday.

*** Edited 10/26/2006 9:53:41 PM UTC by DBCP***

DBCP said:
Is this the continued effects of cutbacks?

Maybe it's just a realistic look at what first week attendance has been in the past? Maybe it's a staffing issue? Too many times it seems that "Cedar Point is being cheap" is always the first assumption.

I see your point, but you have to admit, we've seen an increased amount of it in the last 2 years or so. I would certainly like to think that it's due to other reasons, such as staffing. The first thing that came to mind, however, when I read this was how much talk there was at the beginning of this season about them pushing back the process-in dates of employees; which leads me to believe it's not due to staffing.

If it was due to attendance, why not just go back to being open for the weekend, then closed that first week? They have certainly turned out a fairly decent sized crowd for Opening Weekend the last few years.

But that's just my 2 cents... :) They have to do what they have to do...

*** Edited 10/26/2006 10:16:21 PM UTC by DBCP***

I'm surprised that they haven't done this sooner. Back in the 70's the park opened the week before Memorial Day, and the crowds were definitely light untill about the second week in June when all the schools had let out. Staffing is an issue with out a doubt. The earliest the colleges let out used to be the second week in May, probably still is (I'm sure I'm going to be corrected if I'm wrong). Starting any sooner just doesn't make any sense when (1) your clientle is still in school and (2) your workforce is still in school.

I went back a few years to see where Opening Day has fallen in the past. The list is below. May 12 doesn't really stand out as being out of the ordinary. In fact, over the last 23 years, only three years have had openings of May 5 or earlier.

There are plenty of logical reasons for the park not to open on May 5: lack of attendance, lack of staffing, needing the extra week to prepare, etc. And if you've ever been behind-the-scenes right before opening, you know that the staff will appreciate that week. Remember, it wasn't until 2001 that the season extended to the last weekend in October. The off-season has never been shorter than over the last few years. The park jumped all over the chance to start the 2007 construction as early as possible. With the short off-season, they need every advantage they can get.

I don't think we need to jump to a "doom and gloom" conclusion. We hear lots of anecdotal talk, but that doesn't always paint a fair picture. And even if it's ultimately shown to be merely a money saving issue, why is that necessarily a bad thing?

1983 - May 15
1984 - May 12
1985 - May 11
1986 - May 10
1987 - May 9
1988 - May 7
1989 - May 6
1990 - May 5
1991 - May 11
1992 - May 9
1993 - May 8
1994 - May 7
1995 - May 13
1996 - May 11
1997 - May 10
1998 - May 10
1999 - May 9
2000 - May 13
2001 - May 6
2002 - May 5
2003 - May 4
2004 - May 8
2005 - May 7
2006 - May 6
2007 - May 12

I wasn't referring to the physical date as much as when the Saturday/Sunday fell during the month...
1983 - May 15 - 3rd Sunday
1984 - May 12 - 2nd Saturday
1985 - May 11 - 2nd Saturday
1986 - May 10 - 2nd Saturday
1987 - May 9 - 2nd Saturday
1988 - May 7 - 1st Saturday
1989 - May 6 - 1st Saturday
1990 - May 5 - 1st Saturday
1991 - May 11 - 2nd Saturday
1992 - May 9 - 2nd Satuday
1993 - May 8 - 2nd Saturday
1994 - May 7 - 1st Saturday
1995 - May 13 - 2nd Saturday
1996 - May 11 - 2nd Saturday
1997 - May 10 - 2nd Saturday
1998 - May 10 - 2nd Sunday
1999 - May 9 - 2nd Sunday
2000 - May 13 - 2nd Saturday
2001 - May 6 - 1st Sunday
2002 - May 5 - 1st Sunday
2003 - May 4 - 1st Sunday
2004 - May 8 - 2nd Saturday (First fell on the first Saturday)
2005 - May 7 - 1st Saturday
2006 - May 6 - 1st Saturday
2007 - May 12 - 2nd Saturday

Upon closer investigation, the general trend appears to be that the park opens on the first full weekend, when the beginning of the month falls near the beginning of the week (ie: Sunday, Monday, Tuesday) and that it opens the second full weekend when the first day of the month falls closer to the middle or the end of the week (ie: Thursday, Friday, Saturday). Granted, of course, this is merely a trend. That being said, maybe it's really not any of the above mentioned reasons, but rather just the 1st of the month falling on a Tuesday, which seems to fall pretty close to the middle of the trend, and they decided on a 2nd full-weekend opening. (Or perhaps I'm just thinking too much into this. :) )

*** Edited 10/27/2006 12:47:13 AM UTC by DBCP***

I thought of the first/second Saturday issue as well, but I think the point is the same.

I gave a lot of reasons above for the 12th to make sense, but I don't think it's anything other than being what it is. When I first heard the park would open May 12, my reaction was, "OK." The thought of it being "late" never crossed my mind until I read this thread.

Yeah, I don't think it's a big deal. 03 the park was closed the whole first week after opening day. Not much different now.

The fact that the park will be opening on the 12th instead of the 5th means I'll be able to go to opening day. I'll be in San Jose for ACE Spring Con the week before opening day.

I won't be able to attend on opening day now. I'll be graduating from UA. :)

Good my Prom won't be in the way this year.

Interesting observation:

Cedar Point, Geauga Lake, King's Island, and Kennywood have all recently shortened their operations. Coincidence or not?

Ignoring how the first weekend falls within the month, the average opening day over 24 years (including '07) works out to 8-May.

*** Edited 10/27/2006 10:08:02 AM UTC by djDaemon***

Jesmcsel said:
Interesting observation:

Cedar Point, Geauga Lake, King's Island, and Kennywood have all recently shortened their operations. Coincidence or not?

It means that running a billion-dollar-a-year company is different that a half-a-billion-dollar-a-year company. It's the bottom line, and it wasn't worth it to have those parks open that early.

-Tambo

More than anything, I think it's the park's attempt to better formulate a schedule around demand. Rumor has it that there will be a switch to more Halloweekends / less Bonus Weekends as well.

I don't see what the big deal is. It just depends on where in the month the weekends fall, and what the schedules are of various colleges.

If you look at the website. . . it says under their operating calendar for next year that they open up on May 6th, and if you look at T&T's blog, someone asked about the May12th opening and they confirmed it.

The operating calendar that is on the website is for this year, notice the "2006" on each month. The park opened on May 6 this year. The 2007 operating calendar has not been posted yet.

It would be nice if they would consider doing a Season Passholder preview of Maverick before opening day. I know they do a media preview, but a season passholder preview would be a larger crowd, and would give the new ride crew a chance to get ready for opening day. Just a thought.

*** Edited 10/27/2006 8:31:31 PM UTC by Mark Small***