[fonzlinney]

It would be so nice if Carowinds would upgrade their cams. The standard is below some of the other Cedar Fair parks Cams.

Its only been a few years since they replaced that other cam that litterally had to be refreshed every 30 seconds or so to get a still image. The camera is fine, its the time of day that make the camera blurry because of the sun. Here is a screenshot taken yesterday morning, although I did do an auto enhance on it, it was still clear in the morning.

I get the idea at the time of the day however the lens are dirty and Other cameras in all the other cedar fair parks never look quite like this. I’m sure I will get blasted for My concerns about the cut hours and the cameras but I love this park and it is a little concerning.

[RollerBee]

As someone mentioned above about the new hours I was very surprised at how they had shorten some of the ours. As I recall last year there were plenty dates were the waterpark was open until eight and in August all of those Week days have been illuminated. A bit concerning to say the least. I’m sure someone will say they were losing money but when you’re opening another coaster that very well could go over well and you’re doing all of these other Record expansions and you cutting the hours hmmm? Not sure how smart this is,they have to be better at advertising and promoting the park and I might throw in being better with the maintenance of the rides and park.

Notice how many parks are getting new attractions, which ones are...
Canada’s Wonderland
Carowinds
Kings Island
Worlds of Fun
Cedar Point
Funny enough they are pretty close to the size of the investment. And only 3 of 5 are new rides...

Between the lack of investment, reduction in hours I would say that Cedar Fair knows they are in trouble.

[fonzlinney]

As someone mentioned above about the new hours I was very surprised at how they had shorten some of the ours. As I recall last year there were plenty dates were the waterpark was open until eight and in August all of those Week days have been illuminated. A bit concerning to say the least. I’m sure someone will say they were losing money but when you’re opening another coaster that very well could go over well and you’re doing all of these other Record expansions and you cutting the hours hmmm? Not sure how smart this is,they have to be better at advertising and promoting the park and I might throw in being better with the maintenance of the rides and park.

Notice how many parks are getting new attractions, which ones are...
Canada’s Wonderland
Carowinds
Kings Island
Worlds of Fun
Cedar Point
Funny enough they are pretty close to the size of the investment. And only 3 of 5 are new rides...

Between the lack of investment, reduction in hours I would say that Cedar Fair knows they are in trouble.

I wonder if this is a warning sign or they are being extra cautious by the way I said illuminated I meant eliminated.

[Glitch99]

Thinking about it more, I don't think we'd find much difference from last year's calendar. I recall the water park closing at a pretty standard 7pm, and may have been 6 during the week. And after my temporary flashback to my time up north, where "summer" schedules normally run through labor day, I do recall them closing weekdays in August last year too (although it may have been a week later last year?).

[fonzlinney]

Thinking about it more, I don't think we'd find much difference from last year's calendar. I recall the water park closing at a pretty standard 7pm, and may have been 6 during the week. And after my temporary flashback to my time up north, where "summer" schedules normally run through labor day, I do recall them closing weekdays in August last year too (although it may have been a week later last year?).

I get what you are saying however it does seem to me the waterpark is closing on a few of those times a little earlier I can remember a closing at 8 o’clock doing peak months And yes it does seem they have knocked off a week or so in August I certainly hope all is well with cedar fair.

[Grobble]

As someone mentioned above about the new hours I was very surprised at how they had shorten some of the ours. As I recall last year there were plenty dates were the waterpark was open until eight and in August all of those Week days have been illuminated. A bit concerning to say the least. I’m sure someone will say they were losing money but when you’re opening another coaster that very well could go over well and you’re doing all of these other Record expansions and you cutting the hours hmmm? Not sure how smart this is,they have to be better at advertising and promoting the park and I might throw in being better with the maintenance of the rides and park.

Notice how many parks are getting new attractions, which ones are...
Canada’s Wonderland
Carowinds
Kings Island
Worlds of Fun
Cedar Point
Funny enough they are pretty close to the size of the investment. And only 3 of 5 are new rides...

Between the lack of investment, reduction in hours I would say that Cedar Fair knows they are in trouble.

Utter and complete nonsense. You might want to actually read an annual report, quarterly report and listen to the conference calls. Cedar Fair Capex is still high. They are investing in more than just rides. They are actually showing great fidelity to their Capex matrix, which shows for 2020 only investing in the ride categories besides basic infrastructure(yearly necessity). CF usually invests in 8/9+ or more of their almost dozen Capex categories. CF is doing a bunch of non ride investments in 2019 b/c 2020 will be ride heavy. They have stated it will be an across the chain celebration of Cedar Points 150th. 2020 KI is getting a B&M of some sort, CGA hyper, CP is surely getting a coaster for their 150th, Dorney may likely getting a coaster. Other parks will get rides also. Watch out for Knotts getting something "very substantial. " Look for likely 4 coasters and a bunch of major non coaster rides, no water park stuff, no dark rides, etc..

CF in their most recent presentation are reiterated minimum 10% investment in marketable attractions, that means 135 to 140M/yr. On top of that they separate hotels, dorms, etc...as another category and estimate that at about 50M. CF Capex will be around 175 to 185M, their average the last 3 years has been 175M.

[Grobble]

As someone mentioned above about the new hours I was very surprised at how they had shorten some of the ours. As I recall last year there were plenty dates were the waterpark was open until eight and in August all of those Week days have been illuminated. A bit concerning to say the least. I’m sure someone will say they were losing money but when you’re opening another coaster that very well could go over well and you’re doing all of these other Record expansions and you cutting the hours hmmm? Not sure how smart this is,they have to be better at advertising and promoting the park and I might throw in being better with the maintenance of the rides and park.

Parks track spending at different parts of the day. Hour reductions are b/c thru analysis, they have a system for it, they don't see incremental income to justify the costs of being open per se, an hour later. That's smart business to increase margins and manage labor force and costs.

[formeryogi]

It's all about labor and finding employees.

The calendar changes a bit each year with the ebb and flow of the school calendars.

Move-in weekend at many colleges/universities is Aug 16-18 in the fall of 2019, which means students that age will be packing and off the job at Carowinds starting around August 12. High schoolers, even if they don't quit, start asking for reduced working hours starting around August 1 because of band camps and sports tryouts/practices.

In addition, starting around August 1st, some parents make their teens quit so the entire family can go on vacation together before school activities begin.

Finding and keeping employees is a major issue (especially for weekday operations in August).

[fonzlinney]

As someone mentioned above about the new hours I was very surprised at how they had shorten some of the ours. As I recall last year there were plenty dates were the waterpark was open until eight and in August all of those Week days have been illuminated. A bit concerning to say the least. I’m sure someone will say they were losing money but when you’re opening another coaster that very well could go over well and you’re doing all of these other Record expansions and you cutting the hours hmmm? Not sure how smart this is,they have to be better at advertising and promoting the park and I might throw in being better with the maintenance of the rides and park.

Notice how many parks are getting new attractions, which ones are...
Canada’s Wonderland
Carowinds
Kings Island
Worlds of Fun
Cedar Point
Funny enough they are pretty close to the size of the investment. And only 3 of 5 are new rides...

Between the lack of investment, reduction in hours I would say that Cedar Fair knows they are in trouble.

Utter and complete nonsense. You might want to actually read an annual report, quarterly report and listen to the conference calls. Cedar Fair Capex is still high. They are investing in more than just rides. They are actually showing great fidelity to their Capex matrix, which shows for 2020 only investing in the ride categories besides basic infrastructure(yearly necessity). CF usually invests in 8/9+ or more of their almost dozen Capex categories. CF is doing a bunch of non ride investments in 2019 b/c 2020 will be ride heavy. They have stated it will be an across the chain celebration of Cedar Points 150th. 2020 KI is getting a B&M of some sort, CGA hyper, CP is surely getting a coaster for their 150th, Dorney may likely getting a coaster. Other parks will get rides also. Watch out for Knotts getting something "very substantial. " Look for likely 4 coasters and a bunch of major non coaster rides, no water park stuff, no dark rides, etc..

CF in their most recent presentation are reiterated minimum 10% investment in marketable attractions, that means 135 to 140M/yr. On top of that they separate hotels, dorms, etc...as another category and estimate that at about 50M. CF Capex will be around 175 to 185M, their average the last 3 years has been 175M.

hey man chill out no need to insult me For stating a concern. I’m sure there’s a lot behind the scenes that many of us maybe don’t know about but I’ve been around long enough when I see something like this it does raise a concern.

[RollerBee]

^I think he was referring to me.

I am not concerned with what Cedar Fair tells their investors, I am not one of their investors.

Cedar Fair appears to be trying to diversify outside of their core business, amusement parks. This can be risky, they are building a hotel in an area where there is already a saturated market for hotel rooms(Carowinds).

It isn’t what a business says that is important, it is what their actions are. Generally speaking every business will give positive outlooks until the reality is so known that it is delusional for anyone to believe it even then some businesses on the failure point have done it.

[Christopher Mallis]

Thinking about it more, I don't think we'd find much difference from last year's calendar. I recall the water park closing at a pretty standard 7pm, and may have been 6 during the week. And after my temporary flashback to my time up north, where "summer" schedules normally run through labor day, I do recall them closing weekdays in August last year too (although it may have been a week later last year?).

The park was open completely on weekdays from 10-8 in August and daily operations stopped on aug. 26 due to school. The waterpark was open until 7 on weekdays last season and was open until 8 on weekends until the last week of July when they changed the hours due to staff. I think it will hurt the park to close at 8 on Friday’s until June. Ofcourse, the park must find employees to operate, but considering they have already cut down the hours compared to last year and it’s not even March yet is a bit odd. There’s still 2 months for people to apply for Carowinds.

[fonzlinney]

^I think he was referring to me.

I am not concerned with what Cedar Fair tells their investors, I am not one of their investors.

Cedar Fair appears to be trying to diversify outside of their core business, amusement parks. This can be risky, they are building a hotel in an area where there is already a saturated market for hotel rooms(Carowinds).

It isn’t what a business says that is important, it is what their actions are. Generally speaking every business will give positive outlooks until the reality is so known that it is delusional for anyone to believe it even then some businesses on the failure point have done it.

Perhaps he was referring to you sorry about that but still it is a concern and as someone else stated I can remember the waterpark staying open till 8 o’clock on weekends during July and through the week the majority of August. It’s just concerning because I really do love Carowinds and I think they have made monumental improvements over the last few years but this is concerning.

[Capler]

I really don't see Cedar Fair cutting back in attractions investment for 2019. The two new big rides for 2019 likely cost as much as the 2 RMC conversions and the two new coasters installed in 2018.

[coasterbruh]

Parks operate by ACTUAL DATA. I hear you all complaining about cut hours but how many of you all STAY till they closed on those days when hours were long? If I, as a park, notices that its less people in the park at my closing hour than anticipated then I will reduce the hours rather than waste money.

I loved how someone pointed out that only 3 or the 5 parks getting something this year are only getting rides, while neglecting the majority of the parks NOT getting something basically got major coasters last year. Until WE can run a park, let alone a park chain, we should just stop with the extreme theories and just watch it unfold.

[Glitch99]

I hear you all complaining about cut hours but how many of you all STAY till they closed on those days when hours were long?

I did, literally open to close every visit. And most of the time it was great - virtually no lines anywhere, the kids would pick a ride and ride it for 20 minutes straight until the operator closed it down. Which is pretty much your whole point. When they closed at 8, it seemed far busier and congested when leaving, making it seem worthwhile to stay open longer - which is also the point, always leave 'em wanting more.

My bigger complaint about closing earlier is that you get 1-2 less meals from the all day dining plan. Makes an awesome deal into just a really really great deal .