Whither Cedar Fair?

Ten years ago, who could have foreseen what the Company that Dick grew would turn into? Who among enthusiasts could have predicted that Cedar Fair would expand to twelve parks, swallowing the entire Paramount chain and swelling to the third largest company in the industry?

So what do the great Prognosticators of Pointbuzz* think Cedar Fair will look like ten years from now? Will Kinzel still be around, tottering now but still making the midway rounds, promising yet again to retire once the Disney acquisition has been finished? Will former Six Flags units sport Snoopy merchandise? Or will the company be consigned to the ash-heap of history, having grown too fast, too big for its britches?

*"Prognosticators of Pointbuzz", copyright 2006, Ensign Smith.

Umm, what's a "prognosticator"? ;)

Due to the effects of global warming, Ohio will convert to what was essentially a southern climate. This will allow open season to run until December 8th, & opening day to commence on February 18th. The increased revenue wil acutuate Cedar Fair to the largest & most powerful entertainment company in the world & allow the acquisition of Disney & the resources to build me a new log ride.

(Does it sounds like I'm a little annoyed that this weather did not allow me to hit the slopes even once during my whole vacation? Actually Ensign, I'm a little worried about the too big, too fast scenario, but what the heck do I know. Nice Q though :) )

I can defienatly see sixflags fileing bankrupcy witch will allow cedar fair to grow larger.

Soon will go stright from Fall to Spring. I have not seena siglt flake scince October.

I have never seen bad spelling.

You know Ensign, I can't say that I could have seen Cedar Fair growing to the company that it has become. And keep in mind that I started following CF seriously a little more than a year ago, when the Paramount rumors were starting to pop up. I think that there may be some cause to worry about the chain expanding too fast, and becoming more like a large corporation in its thinking, with budget cuts everywhere, worrying about finances more than the guest experience, and everything else that comes along with that mindset.

In ten years, I think we'll see either Flafas or Spehn (I can never remember if the "h" is before or after the "e" lol) at the head of the company taking CF in directions that very few of us could have imagined, and holding the company back from the brink of being too big and complex. I think we will see park infrastructures that will be more caught up with current technology, with the capacity to expand and improve along with the pace that technology does those things. We may see the acquisition of a few more parks (namely former SF parks at that time), but I don't believe the chain will grow past 15 amusement parks in the next decade.

I think we will see indoor waterpark hotels at the following properties within the next decade or two; MiA, Knott's Berry Farm, Valleyfair!, Canada's Wonderland, Dorney, WoF, and Carowinds. Heck, maybe in 10 to 20 years we'll see indoor waterpark hotels at all major CF park properties that don't already have one (CP and KI, even though that one is a GWL). I also think that we will see Valleyfair! and Michigans Adventure grow to be large regional destination parks. MiA finally has resolved their water/sewer issue and has plenty of room to expand, and I think that Valleyfair! has the potential to be a very large draw for the northern states (much larger than it currently is).

It is a very difficult thing to predict, but I also feel that the shape and direction of the amusement industry will have changed by then. In the 50s and 60s we saw the rise of the Disney resorts, which started a storm of building new, large, regional and national destination parks. We then saw a trend of building to extreme heights and speeds from the late 80s to 2005. Now the focus is shifting back to the family, and building the parks around a fun, family friendly experience rather than bigger, faster thrill rides and roller coasters. I think in a few more years that we will see a heavy shift to the resort end of the destination parks. The resorts are going to be what keeps the customer there. No longer will the parks be the main deciding factor, but rather what is available to resort guests aside from the major parks. We are already seeing this with CityWalk at Universal, and Downtown Disney. Both of which are usually packed, especially in the evening and late nights. If a resort destination does not have anything aside from an amusement park and a water park to offer its guests, I think that park and resort have a very good chance of not surviving the next wave in the amusement and resort industry. Vegas has remained a very popular entertainment and amusement spot, and not because it has a few amazing amusement parks, but because of the fantastic resorts and the myriad of options the guests at the resorts have to do.

I don't know, that is just my assessment of what I've seen and researched, and I'm sure I'm off on a lot of things that I said, because I still don't understand the industry as much as Jeff, Walt, or a few others here. But I am here to learn, and what better way than to put out ideas and discuss them with others, even if they do end up being wrong. I'm also notorious for not being able to say what I mean in a way that makes sense or gets my point across, so what I just wrote may have come across to some of you as nonsense, and I apologize for that; I still have a lot to learn about the industry. So that's my two cents on the subject, take it as you will.

I'm so ticked. Last night I typed out this long response, and then when I hit the 'Submit Reply' button I found that Pointbuzz logged me out. :( This isn't the first time it's happened. I just wish it would let me know at the time it occurred, rather then let me type uselessly away for twenty minutes. Does this happen to other people? Also, does membership to the deluxe Pointbuzz prevent this event? If so, that would be well worth the price of admission to me.

Now back to the thread. I'll try to briefly recap what I wrote last night. Blue Streak64, I think you pretty much nailed it. Cedar Fair is dangerously close to being overextended and they need to take some time to consolidate the Paramount buyout. They're like the python that swallowed the pig, and they need to let the meal digest. And I suspect, as you say, that more waterparks are on the horizon for the chain.

I think that CP is the bellwether for the rest of the parks. As they've already done with Sandusky, CF will eventually add many more hotels and perhaps indoor waterparks to their other properties, or at least the first-tier units that could geographically and economically accommodate that kind of expansion.

Like you, I'd like to see more diversification at the Point (or off) for night life, like Citywalk or Downtown Disney. I could see some sort of indoor park, just off the peninsula, with lots of shopping and year-round rides.

And I didn't get kicked off this time. Ha.

Check the box that says save your login.

Kinzel will not be the CEO in ten years. I don't think the board would keep someone on in their 70's. Jack Falfas would appear to be the successor, since he's COO now, a position he's first to hold.

Cedar Fair could grow if the right acquisition possibilities open up, but that depends on what Six Flags does and how independent the independents want to stay. But in terms of Cedar Point, I think they need to look at how they can branch out a little into the bigger resort experience. I think that scares the hell out of them because it's outside of their core competencies.

The company will be around and just as strong as ever, I'm sure, but I wonder if they'll have the courage to go even further.

Thanks for the tip. :)

I agree. Cedar Fair is a company that views itself as being really good at just one thing. Considering they couldn't even bring themselves to keep some of the animals when they purchased Geauga Lake, it really is a kind of tunnel vision. But if they want to really compete with the big boys (or the one Big Boy, being Disney), they have to learn to be good at a lot of things.

Disney has made many missteps when deviating from it's core business.

Disney Stores (no longer owned by Disney)

Go.com...Internet portal

Mickey's Kitchen (fast food restaurants)

DisneyQuest (FEC)

...and plenty more could be named.

In other words, no one is immune to bad business decisions and Cedar Fair has taken a very conservative...but ultimately very successful...approach.

Where they could, and should, improve is on the Resort side (hotels, campgrounds, etc). And, I think they have good people in place that could make that happen...if Dick empowered his folks to make things happen (and gave them the resources to do so).

I second the idea of making the parks more family friendly, and would like to see the resort concept developed. The big one----Dances on Sunday nights in the Ballroom on the 2nd floor of the colisseum. Make it available to all hotel guests for free and to the public for $5. I cannot believe how gorgeous that bandstand and floor is!