This is the year when gas prices WILL affect CP attendance

I understand Jeff's point about the tax rebate also, but I also agree with ChiefWahoo about the rebate helping CP. I was thinking that all along because I do believe most people will look at it as something of a bonus that they can just blow on whatever they enjoy buying or doing. That is exactly what the government is hoping for, but if people do use it for savings or to pay down debt, then the rebate will have almost zero effect on the economy.

Personally I'm going to use the rebate money for boat gas. Should get me to Put-In-Bay and back around 6 times this summer.

Most likely my rebate is going in the bank, I need all the help I can get right now. I have enough to make 4 trips to CP in May even with the hike of gas prices, just hope nothing happens to my car, it's 8 years old, but less than 50 thousand miles on it. Last time I had it checked out the service guy said it's in excellent condition, so at least I have a reliable car to head to the Point and back to Michigan.

The economy is terrible right now and I can see how that can effect tourism, it's hard enough to pay rent, food and clothing at this point in time, then to add gas on top of it.. it's a terrible economy.

The rebate is a joke, and is a band-aid on the whole problem. But hell why not spend more of China's money and dig the hole deeper.

The gas prices probably will effect the last quarter. but As far as Im concerned ,nothing will keep me from going to the Point" I hope that it will not limit your travel time there?

In our case we'll probably be going to CP more this year. In previous years we took three or four major trips during the spring/summer, this time around we're going to take two major trips and most of the time go to Cedar Point and maybe Kings Island a few more times.

Although attendance is a good gauge on how well a park is attracting people, that isn't the whole story. Because I'm still going to bring a cooler with us because it is cheaper and less time consuming to go to the parking lot and make something that isn't overpriced, greasy, and didn't take a half hour to get. I suspect the in-park spending might take a hit because people will have less disposable income, but with more attendance they could have more spenders, so what do I know? I know that I'm not the only one out there cutting back on buying things because I'm spending more for food and fuel.

~Rob Willi

I usually eat before I leave at 7:30 a.m. (oatmeal, it helps to not be hungry), then we eat after we're done in the park, I tend to not be hungry doing all that walking, just thirsty. So I'm saving money right there.

Also there isn't many places for healthy food at CP, there is a Subway right in Sandusky on our way home, which is where we usually stop.

Yeah, the healthy food options at CP are limited, at best.

I remember the food stand that's currently directly under Maxair, used to sell grilled chicken wraps, which I'd have them 86 the ranch dressing on. They were incredibly tasty, and a viable alternative to everything else. Unfortunately, they disappeared like everything else. :(

Well, I think that it may slightly effect attendance. I just got a Pontiac Aztec and plan on taking it to the point at least 4 or 5 times this season. Gas prices or not, CP is a destination park sorta like Disney and people will just save up and plan in advance to go to CP

I think attendance will stay about average, maybe a little below. $4 by summer will kind of blow though if it does happen. People will still want to go to the Point even if gas prices are dumb, I know I will!

8 MPG towing the travel trailer won't stop us.

Let's see, 230 miles round trip at 8 MPG is about 29 gallons of gas. To us it's well worth it because we can bring the dog and we have our own bed, rather than a hotel. For those that know us, you know we'd never leave the dog in a kennel, he's the real reason we started buying campers to begin with.

As far as comparing driving our Corolla and staying in a hotel to taking the Tahoe and towing the camper, we actually SAVE money by having our own camper. Even with gas prices as they are today.

Tahoe and camper - (all amounts are approximate and average)
Gas - $98
3 nights stay at Bayshore - $108
Total = $206

Corolla and hotel -
Gas - $25
3 nights stay at Knights Inn (cheapest and most decent I could locate, they even accept pets) $200
Total = $225

So if you can save money and sleep on your own sheets while allowing your favorite pet to stay where they are comfortable, why not.

Too bad, this year is the year that my dad finally got a good paying job; and we didnt make it last year, then in 2006 we only went once. Now $4 a gallon.. we'll be lucky to go twice. :( Sad everyone is affected by this one way or another. Whether its rising food prices because of gas or missing vaction time..

We'll also have to cut what we spend in the park and how many days we go. Gas is such a big issue now I bet people are going to start selling their cars and getting bikes or something like that.

The irony is that the people they interview on TV complaining about it at gas stations are the people driving the biggest and most inefficient vehicles they can't afford. It still floors me that people don't see the cause and effect.

It's a vicious cycle and you won't stop it. Even if everyone drove more fuel efficient vehicles, they'd just raise the cost of fuel more to make up for the lack of sales. You'll never convince car manufacturers to change ALL of their models because the oil companies are who's lining their pockets. Even when the full electric cars are made public, they'll be so out of reach in price for a normal person that the manufacturers will have to dumb them down to make them affordable. At that point they'll still be ridiculous because of battery replacement costs and lack of service stations for them.

All of our vehicles are paid off so I don't mind putting $90 of gas in the tank of the Tahoe and another $70 in the van. I'm saving money at what I do and I can afford to do that. I see the cause and effect. I drive my vehicle so I have to put more gas in it if I want it to go.

^Loopy you are living up to your name here, lets not discuss conspiracy theories here. The reason that there are still gas guzzlers on the road is because people want those cars, no more no less. If that wasnt the case then why is it that in Europe and Asia (which is a major growth market) you only see small cars?

Americans just like things big, dont blame the car companies blame Joe and Mary Smith.

In what universe does price go up when demand goes down?

News flash... the auto industry in America is dying. GM posted the biggest loss in history. Of all companies ever. If the oil companies are "lining their pockets," they must have holes in them. I watched Who Killed The Electric Car too, and it's mostly conspiracy theories.

Forget for a moment specific technologies. Would you be more likely to invest in an established auto company, or start-ups building new tech that is cleaner and more efficient? The issue always comes down to economy of scale, and in the "green" tech industry, there will come a breaking point where that scale is possible. The big auto makers will be a part of it or they won't. There's no "if" there. It's going to happen, just not soon enough.

Yep, because they serve a purpose, no more no less. And for that reason they will never stop making large trucks and SUVs.

If someone wants to drive an SUV for status then I would agree, that's pretty stupid.

I drive a mid-sized SUV for need, not for status. I actually considered a mini van but the gas mileage on the one's I looked at vs the SUV I bought was about the same. The SUV I bought actually came with an optional engine that takes the Ethanol...but there is only one station in South Florida that carries the E-90 (or whatever it is called) and it isn't anywhere near me.

Do I hate filling up the gas tank? Absolutely. But, I don't complain about it because I knew what I was in for when I bought it. Did I expect gas to be nearing $4/gallon? No. But, I'm still not going to whine about it.

Now, I will say that I do live and work in the same community which I think helps to mitigate things a bit. And, we are actually going to look for a church closer to home for several reasons...including the economics of getting back and forth.

I almost always fly to Cedar Point, unless I'm driving from my grandpa's house in Michigan, so I'll probably still make my usual trips. But I may not spend as much in the park, unless the dippin dots guy forces me to purchase a $7 cup of yum.

-TedFuzz

I still think gas prices will effect those of us that go to parks a lot compared to those average families that take a vacation each year. They plan on it and put money aside and are going to go regardless of gas price. I know I will got to CP on the spur of the moment sometimes. I would look and see how much cash I have and if enough would say "I'm going to CP".

When it comes to fuel efficiency, I would love to have something better. But when I get a car, there are three things that I look at:

1 - rider comfort. If I am going to be sitting in car for hours on end, I need to be comfortable. Sure my last car, Grand Prix, got 35 mpg, but I hated it!!

2 - safety. I'm sorry, I don't feel safe in a small car. I have always liked big cars. I like the feeling of driving a tank down the road. When I drive my hearse, people get out of my way. I am now driving a Cadillac Sedan Deville and I love it.

3 - looks. I have to like the looks of a car. I don't care what others think. It has to impress me. These new hybrids are so butt ugly! You couldn't pay me to have one. If you could turn my beautiful caddy into one, I am all for it.

it costs me 40 bucks to fill up my gas tank...the sad thing is, its only a 12 gallon tank. if it werent for relatives to visit close by, i wouldn't be going anywhere