That Laser Show

I was talking to my wife on the way home this weekend, after another couple days & nights in the park, and we were speculating on the Laser Show. Do you think they came up with this idea so they could "flush" the park out, before closing time? I mean, look how many people, especially parents with kids, and groups, will plop down and watch the show, then move en masse up the midway, buy taffy, funnel cakes, fries & cotton candy, not to mention light up goodies, and then leave the park. Do you think CP see this as a device to smooth the exodus from the park, and to get the crowd thinking about leaving in the first place?

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Tank
Magnum: 2

They do the laser show to keep people in the park until closing. Once you've done everything, it gives you a reason to stay.

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Without upstops, airtime would have a whole new meaning!

They probably do it because it helps them make a profit. Shows keep people in the park, and people in the park tend to spend money.

-Sam (who feels this is Deja-Vu, because I think I once made a post exactly like this, on a different topic!)

EDIT: I like the show because lately I think it has helped give me Magnum ERT from 10-11! Also, I think people want to see fireworks, and the show has some.
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Avalanche Run - My first Roller Coaster.
Magnum XL-200 - The BEST Roller Coaster!
*** This post was edited by Avalanche Sam 7/13/2003 6:47:14 PM ***

I saw the show for the very first time this year and the only thing that I dislike about it is the emphasis they put into having the Peanuts characters, especially Snoopy, involved into the show. I enjoyed it much more when it wasn't called "Snoopy's Summer Spectacular"

Now don't get me wrong, I have nothing against the Peanut's gang. I think Camp Snoopy and the Joe Cool Club were great ideas, but IMO, the ice skating show would be better off without the occasional Peanut's characters doing a bit from their comic strip/animated TV specials.

On a side note, the Summer Spectacular originated in 1995 to commemorate Cedar Point's 125 Summers of Real Thrills and was the only new attraction for that year.

Don't forget numbers such as "Suppertime" and "The Kite" from the musical You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown.

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- John
I Snap Flyers

Suppertime rocks!

(It's sup-sup-suppertime the very best time of day.)

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It's not war, famine, or pestilence; it's only downtime.

I think it was put there as just another way to attract people. Cedar Point has live shows but not as many as some other parks. By adding the Summer Spectacular, they can boast a fire work, laser light, big screen show. From the sound of it, I would want to stay just to see it too. Now whether I do it again a second time is a different question...

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Ohio State, here I come!

The laser show was the Big New Attraction for the 1995 season, and apparently got higher approval ratings than Raptor. The show is most decidedly NOT an effort to flush the park or to smooth traffic flow, because when they started doing the show, the park closed at 10:00pm. Because of the show, people stayed later in the park, and the result was some of the worst traffic jams I have ever seen with everybody trying to leave the park at once.

In fact, the Summer Spectacular and the traffic it generates when it ends at 10:30 is one of the reasons the park stays open until 11:00pm on so many nights!

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

Personally, I was generally unimpressed with this year's Summer Spectacular and have liked past shows much better. It was nice to see the return of the sports-themed section, though. Just when I had nearly given up, the revamped patriotic section started up. It saved the show and started off wonderfully with Kate Smith's timeless and classic rendition of "God Bless America", which people actually started singing along with. While the ending hasn't changed, I've always thought it was very fitting anyway and cannot imagine the show ending in any other way.

John

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FASCINATION (1955-2000): It *was* the game--the ONLY game--I came to Cedar Point to play

Raptor0137 said:

On a side note, the Summer Spectacular originated in 1995 to commemorate Cedar Point's 125 Summers of Real Thrills and was the only new attraction for that year.

Not entirely true. Soak City got some big additions that year.

It may have been the only addition to the park side of things, but it wasn't the only addition that year.

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Coasterimage.com

You're right Lord Gonchar. I was using my 1995 Cedar Point Getaway Guide as a reference source and totally missed the point in the guide where it stated that Soak City doubled in size for the 1995 season.

Don't forget Breakers East. That was a huge project and investment.

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Walt Schmidt
Virtual Midway

and, don't forget the added trash cans along the main midway...:)

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"What time does the 10 pm laser show start?"