WDW during a Recession / Economic Downturn

[Smiley/OCD]

I'm saying Six Flags parks in general. They added a few big coasters this past season but also more family coasters as well.

I'm not saying for Disney to add those extreme coasters but that the Six Flags parks are looking to be more family focused. Adding more entertainment and family attractions. They will never be Disney lite with dark rides and slow moving rides.

I agree…I live 20 minutes from SF Great Adventure in NJ…growing up, they were open every night till midnight during the summers…great amusement park…in the 80’s when Warner Brothers bought SF, that’s when things started going south…rides got bigger & the quality of the park started that slow circle around the drain…IMHO, SF is an amusement park, Disney is a theme park…

 

[Jrb1979]

I agree…I live 20 minutes from SF Great Adventure in NJ…growing up, they were open every night till midnight during the summers…great amusement park…in the 80’s when Warner Brothers bought SF, that’s when things started going south…rides got bigger & the quality of the park started that slow circle around the drain…IMHO, SF is an amusement park, Disney is a theme park…

I know they are different. All I'm saying is they are looking to be more family oriented along with their extreme coasters. Similar to Dollywood.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I know they are different. All I'm saying is they are looking to be more family oriented along with their extreme coasters. Similar to Dollywood.

They’ve said that before…quite a few times…

I don’t trust they’ll do it this time either

First signs that they lose a little of the roller coaster crowd…they cancel the flats and give money to B&M or vekoma

 

[Jrb1979]

They’ve said that before…quite a few times…

I don’t trust they’ll do it this time either

First signs that they lose a little of the roller coaster crowd…they cancel the flats and give money to B&M or vekoma

A lot of that is they see bigger boosts in attendance when they add big coasters over adding family rides. Every time they do add family rides it does little for attendance or revenue.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

A lot of that is they see bigger boosts in attendance when they add big coasters over adding family rides. Every time they do add family rides it does little for attendance or revenue.

Which is why it never holds

 

[Jrb1979]

Which is why it never holds

Agreed. As a family with a 5 year old now, it sucks to see them having to get rid of a lot of family events and festivals the last few years.
I do understand why. They have tried with adding food festivals, more shows and parades, a major dark ride at every park with the Justice league ride. At the end of the day it's done little, why keep chasing the family market that has no interest in your product.

 

[IanDLBZF]

It's Six Flags parks and its mainly due to only 15 of the 40 making money. Due to losing money, they have made cut a lot of holiday events and staffing. They also made 2026 passes $100 and includes all parks

And Matt Ouimet isn’t happy with the direction of Six Flags/Cedar Fair apparently.

 

[Jrb1979]

And Matt Ouimet isn’t happy with the direction of Six Flags/Cedar Fair apparently.

He's not. A lot of that is due to them now changing for the Haunted houses at the Cedar Fair parks. Your pass gets you into the park but if you want to do the houses it will cost you $10-$30 depending on the day.

I will defend Six Flags a bit. The problem they weren't expecting is the amount of parks that aren't making money. Parks like Knotts, Cedar Point, Kings Island and the Texas parks are making a profit but they can't make up for the other parks that are struggling. The original plan prior to these recent struggles was to get parks like Magic Mountain, Over Georgia, Great America and Great Adventure up to 4 million guests a year and making a big profit. This past off season they spent money on upgrading food and infrastructure at these struggling parks. They have added new events, parades and a Chaperone policy trying to get families back. It's done very little to boost attendance.

 

[Jrb1979]

To add to my last post, and it's one thing I don't understand. I see complaints that these parks don't have enough for families of all ages to do. It's not just Six Flags parks but most regional parks including Dollywood. The parks start adding things for families, like Dollywood did with their Wildwood Grove area. They spent money to appease those complaining and they still don't come.

 

[Disstevefan1]

In the last three years or so, Seaworld Orlando built three coasters, two of the three are family coasters. Seaworld Orlando just opened a new “Sorin’” type of a family attraction.

 

[networkpro]

He's not. A lot of that is due to them now changing for the Haunted houses at the Cedar Fair parks. Your pass gets you into the park but if you want to do the houses it will cost you $10-$30 depending on the day.

I will defend Six Flags a bit. The problem they weren't expecting is the amount of parks that aren't making money. Parks like Knotts, Cedar Point, Kings Island and the Texas parks are making a profit but they can't make up for the other parks that are struggling. The original plan prior to these recent struggles was to get parks like Magic Mountain, Over Georgia, Great America and Great Adventure up to 4 million guests a year and making a big profit. This past off season they spent money on upgrading food and infrastructure at these struggling parks. They have added new events, parades and a Chaperone policy trying to get families back. It's done very little to boost attendance.

I can speak to SFOG, it has a poor public perception for safety from the past few years. The chaperon policy is too recently implemented to have any impact on how people think about the park. Roaming groups of bored teens, gangs, fights with gunplay outside the park property entrance where public transportation to the city (MARTA) showing up in the news every few weeks has reduced its attraction significantly. The park itself hasn't been in better shape since the early 80's when I worked there. Its not the facilities or employees, its the park governance that has made attendance drop.

 

[Baloo124]

I can speak to SFOG, it has a poor public perception for safety from the past few years. The chaperon policy is too recently implemented to have any impact on how people think about the park. Roaming groups of bored teens, gangs, fights with gunplay outside the park property entrance where public transportation to the city (MARTA) showing up in the news every few weeks has reduced its attraction significantly. The park itself hasn't been in better shape since the early 80's when I worked there. Its not the facilities or employees, its the park governance that has made attendance drop.

This was my childhood park and it pains me to see what it's become. It's sad how much once great theming and Orlando-style effort the park once had back in the day has been chipped away.

The Spanish Fort themed area and high-diving show... replaced with carnival type flat rides on asphalt.

The Batman Stunt Show which was (imo) Indiana Jones Stunt Show quality if not better... shuttered and sitting empty.

Those fun, seasonal Halloween musical shows which, again imo, were superior to even Beetlejuice Graveyard Review at Universal.. all mostly gone. I think they are hanging on to just one for now (Dead Man's Party).

Batman Nights fireworks and laser show from the 90s was a great nighttime add. Has never returned.

Buford the Buzzard was hilarious and interactive with audiences. Gone now.

Holiday In The Park every Christmas season... cancelled beginning this year.

There are plenty more the park has taken away to dwindle it down from at least trying to be a THEME park to just another Six Flags in the chain.

There are few and far between saving graces left in this park. Monster Mansion being a prime example. Also has one of the best versions of Goliath coaster despite smaller drops.

 

[coffeefan]

 

[Nubs70]

Stimmy has run out and unsecured credit has run dry.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I hear some grumblings from the financial people that collections are gonna have to stop…there’s actually been a race on this so far this year.

Everytime we push it…we get further past the guardrails that worked for about 75 years

 

[MisterPenguin]

Stimmy has run out and unsecured credit has run dry.

Indeed there were fewer bankruptcies in 2020 due to stimulus and aid packages keeping people from bankruptcy.

But all that aid ended in 2021-2022.

If bankruptcies are on the rise compared to 2023 and 2024, that has nothing to do with 'the stimulus.'

Also, credit cards, the major source of unsecured credit are doing just fine. It isn't drying up.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Indeed there were fewer bankruptcies in 2020 due to stimulus and aid packages keeping people from bankruptcy.

But all that aid ended in 2021-2022.

If bankruptcies are on the rise compared to 2023 and 2024, that has nothing to do with 'the stimulus.'

Also, credit cards, the major source of unsecured credit are doing just fine. It isn't drying up.

Linear time doesn’t matter when you have nonsense to peddle.

 

[JMcMahonEsq]

To add to my last post, and it's one thing I don't understand. I see complaints that these parks don't have enough for families of all ages to do. It's not just Six Flags parks but most regional parks including Dollywood. The parks start adding things for families, like Dollywood did with their Wildwood Grove area. They spent money to appease those complaining and they still don't come.

Why would you expect them to?

Even if a regional park like Six Flags invested some money, or added some things for families to do, it's still not really the main focus of the park. Nor likely on whole, will there be more things for families to do at that park, then parks like WDW who's focus is on things for families of all ages. Why am i spending money or going to a place that has historically NOT been focused on the market I am park of, as opposed to going to the ones that do?

 

[Miss Bella]

I hope you have never visited a Disney park without a child (under 18y) or else you would be adding to the problem.

I have not contributed to the problem.

 

[Club Cooloholic]

I know they are different. All I'm saying is they are looking to be more family oriented along with their extreme coasters. Similar to Dollywood.

My son hates coasters. So when we go to six flags ..it's still pretty limited. Battle for Metropolis is kinda the only ride they have that is a family ride everyone can enjoy that is on the level of something at Disney in terms of technology and detail