Ridership online?

OnPointTony said:
The numbers will no longer be posted because we're switching to a new display of information and this information does not include those numbers.

Well look at that, they just didn't want to post them anymore. Shocking.

How hard would it be to make a section for enthusiasts on the site that do like seeing those numbers?

Sounds like a new simplified CP website is coming, but it makes no sense to not offer a small "Detailed ride information" link at the bottom with information (ride numbers) for those that do want it.

If this is simply CP trying to remove clutter from their site for the mass public, perhaps Tony can post the 2009 numbers here in relation to previous years...

He did say they could possibly post them on the blog in the future. So if they ever release the numbers again, look for them there before here.

I don't understand this fascination for ridership numbers, how could it possibly enhance your enjoyment of the park?

Pete-

It just gives all the haters a new way to hate on the park if they are down. Likewise if they are up it gives all the fanboys even more of a reason to love on the park.

Because it is interesting.

I find the 1,000,000th rider of the season interesting, but the totals, not so much.

I think the totals probably mislead a lot of people who don't understand that it doesn't take a full line to run full trains all day.

When the numbers were posted in previous years it was fun to look at for a few minutes to see trends and how your favorite coaster did but then it was quickly forgotten about. Have to say I agree with Pete on this. Is the loss of this information really worth getting excited about?

Nothing to get excited about, but something to talk about none the less.

Pete said:
I don't understand this fascination for ridership numbers, how could it possibly enhance your enjoyment of the park?

There are a lot of things that don't directly enhance the enjoyment of the park. Seeing a locomotive being loaded onto a trailer would be an example. And yet I still enjoy seeing such things.

I would say seeing a locomotive being loaded onto a trailer is much, much more interesting to me than knowing how many people rode MaXair in 2009.

Pete, how else am I going to pick up chicks at Cedar Point? I can't dazzle them anymore about the number of riders that rode Corkscrew in 1999. What kind of fun is that?

~Rob

Maybe to you, but maybe not to someone else.

By seeing ridership numbers, alot of interesting conclusions could be drawn. They weren't just insignificant numbers. For me, it was a fun bonus that made CP's website a unique standout. Now it'll probably be very vanilla and indistinguishable from other CF websites.

Best example I can think of is TTD...it was awesome seeing how CP improved capacity each year...which meant it was running better each year.

HeyIsntThatRob? said:
Pete, how else am I going to pick up chicks at Cedar Point? I can't dazzle them anymore about the number of riders that rode Corkscrew in 1999. What kind of fun is that?

~Rob

Well, I see you point Rob :) Of course, you can always go over to Put-In-Bay - the best rides on Lake Erie outside of Cedar Point!

The drunken golfcart ride is a popular one over there.

Pete,

Giggity!

I love random dirty jokes by you guys :)

Just how "southpuddle" put it... Numbers to ride host are important. We are trained to achieve the highest number while maintaining a safe and positive work environment. To us, the numbers are like reward or a wake up call to improve. I know my area was updated with annual numbers about every week. I'm not disappointed they are not including the numbers on the website. It's just a ride host way of saying we how we did this year!

Have a safe and great 2010! See ya in May!

Pete said:
I would say seeing a locomotive being loaded onto a trailer is much, much more interesting to me than knowing how many people rode MaXair in 2009.

That's exactly the point - it's interesting to you, and probably absurdly uninteresting to others. Some people are more interested in the minutiae of, say, boating, while others are more interested in the mundane details of ridership trends at Cedar Point. One is no more interesting or relevant than the other, objectively speaking.

To me, ridership numbers are interesting because they can convey trends and such that may (or may not be) related to other goings-on in the park (Mean Streak may/may not experience higher rider numbers with the arrival of Maverick, etc.).

That said, will the lack of this information detract from my enjoyment of the park? Highly unlikely. But it's still disappointing that they're removing them (though I completely understand the reasoning).