Potential Disaster Transport refurbishment

Sause said:
After a five year gap of coasters, and considering they plan in advance of 4 or 5 years, it's not idiotic.

The idiocy of the plan isn't rooted in how far in advanced it's created. The plan is a poor one because it's a massive waste of money.

A capital investment project (whether it's a new coaster, flat ride or entertainment offering) must be justified by return on investment (ROI). Generally speaking, capital investment of this nature provides some boost to attendance for the park. That attendance boost is largest during the debut season of the new product, and decreases every year. The increased attendance generates income via ticket sales and guest spending in the park. That's how management can justify spending upwards of $20,000,000 on shiny new stuff every few years.

If CP were to install even 2 new coasters in one season, they would not generate double the attendance boost, because CP has a limited market. Without double the attendance boost (return) from 2 new coasters in one year (investment), the park would be wasting money (lower ROI), and lots of it. The intelligent plan is to spread that investment out.

All that said, CP hasn't been realizing the same attendance boost with recent coaster installations, as compared to years ago.

Although the installation of two major coasters in one year would be a major waste in terms of return on investment, a combination of a coaster and a new children's area could do the trick. Families, especially those with younger children, are one market; thrill-seekers are another. A combination of the two could produce a monsterous outcome with families coming to the park to what would be four or five children's areas, and thrill-seekers would be pouring in for that new coaster.

The days of Cedar Point installing new attractions to boost attendance are over. Its market is pretty much saturated, and in spite of the intrinsic appeal of the big wet thing to the North, Cedar Point simply isn't the vacation destination that those parks down South are.

These days, Cedar Point's new capital expenditures are more about maintaining attendance than seeing significant attendance growth. Growth for Cedar Point these days doesn't come from bringing in more people, it has to come from getting the same people to come more often and getting them to stay longer.

Which is why this year's nighttime show is a brilliant idea that will probably prove to be a much more important attraction than the dinosaurs.

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

But wouldn't having more rides (not just coasters) keep people in the park longer? That's in addition to the great improvements we are seeing like the new night show.

Probably not*. There is a limit to how much the general public can handle, in terms of thrill rides and coasters. Riding MF 7 times in one day may seem appealing to most of us here, but we're not the demographic the park should be targeting.

*When it comes to Cedar Point, anyway. CP already has massive amounts of ride capacity compared to most parks, and as Dave mentioned above, their market is saturated in terms of pure attendance numbers.

Yes, saturated as far as the thrill ride market, but there are a lot of people (millions) who don't go to CP. If they develop attractions in the park to appeal to them, I think it is possible to grow attendance a bit.

I.E. after hours entertainment.

^From what you guys are saying, does this mean that Cedar Point won't add any more roller coasters in the future? Darn I was really hoping that 2013 would be a year to get excited over for possibly a new roller coaster. Don't get me wrong, I'm very happy with everything that is coming for this year, but does that mean the way you guys are talking that we won't see any more new roller coasters?

^I don't think that anybody is saying "no coasters anytime soon", its more an attempt to stop the continued insistence by someone that two coasters in one year "is possible" (despite several logical responses as to why such a thing is laughably improbable).

I'm sure there will be more roller coasters, but I think what many people are saying is that the park will be much more balanced as far as what attractions are offered. I think there will be some really cool things that attract the entire family but are not coasters.

As far as 2013, who knows? I think a nicely done dark ride would be just as much fun as a coaster. Or, a nice tiki bar and grill beachside with live music, stiff drinks and good food, where I can just take the shuttle back to the marina when I don't want to spend a small fortune in fuel to go to Put-in-Bay, would be even better.

I just thought it would be good discussion about 2 coasters (which it has been). But if you look at some of my posts I did say that I didn't actually think it would happen. But being Cedar Point and seeing how they have pushed the envelope on thrills over the years, I liked the idea. And the responses that people posted on here.

For the record though I do like the smaller improvements going on at the park. And I like Pete's idea even more of some beachside bar/grill type of thing; even if they would charge an arm and a leg for a beer!

I still struggle with a dark ride. That is too big of a classification in my opinion. Is it something like the Scooby Doo shooting thing that King's Island used to have or is it the Darkastle ride at Busch Gardens?

The shooting style I would say is very friendly family, but I don't see the Darkastle style as being family friendly at least in terms of young children friendly which seems to be the theme of the recent conversations.

I don't think Darkastle isn't family friendly. Spiderman at IoA is way more intense than Darkastle, and it is still family friendly.

Pete said:
As far as 2013, who knows? I think a nicely done dark ride would be just as much fun as a coaster. Or, a nice tiki bar and grill beachside with live music, stiff drinks and good food, where I can just take the shuttle back to the marina when I don't want to spend a small fortune in fuel to go to Put-in-Bay, would be even better.

I second that. And that small fortune in fuel grows a little more day by day. Gas just hit $3.99/gal in Perrysburg this afternoon. Can anyone say "Staycation"?

What do the car rides at Cedar Point run on? Gas?

From the smell of them, I would say yes.

Hybrid Cars, new for 2013.

Well with the price of gas I could see us losing one of the car rides in the next year or two. Whether its replaced by a coaster, who knows.

They wouldn't get rid of one of the car rides because of gas. They would get rid of one just to use the space.

The cars could be easily replaced with battery powered electric ones. That's what Kennywood did with their Turnpike Ride (currently in storage).