Bairstow
Well-Known Member
That was before Blackfish, though.
Antarctica and Turtle Trek were comparative flops in the wake of that film.
We'll see if Mako has a better impact.
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Here's a Brilliant Idea
- Thread starter ULPO46
- Start date
That was before Blackfish, though.
Antarctica and Turtle Trek were comparative flops in the wake of that film.
We'll see if Mako has a better impact.
Disneyhead'71
Well-Known Member
Only an idiot would think that releasing these "killers" back out on the street is a good idea.
lazyboy97o
Well-Known Member
As attractions neither is widely considered to be all that good. SeaWorld's struggles with visitation have been going on for far longer than a film that widely spoke to people who were already not going to SeaWorld. The park is in many ways a glorified aquarium that charges significantly more without significant differentiation and local aquariums have only become better. The park's very conceit also makes it rather repetitive. Along with the Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando Resort pricing that rewards more days, a side trip to SeaWorld is a very expensive proposition.
Bairstow
Well-Known Member
Not that expensive.
I paid less to get into Sea World last year than I did Knott's Berry Farm or Dollywood.
lazyboy97o
Well-Known Member
But how does that compare to a fifth or sixth day at Walt Disney World?
Bairstow
Well-Known Member
Beats me, but Disney's scaling multiday ticket pricing is nothing new.
The fact that Sea World has to price itself well, well below what Universal, Disney, or even regional theme parks like Dollywood can charge for a day, is.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/artic...slashes-park-prices-amid-park-attendance-drop
lazyboy97o
Well-Known Member
The scaling is very much a factor because most people are on some sort of budget.
Bairstow
Well-Known Member
lazyboy97o
Well-Known Member
They're new after years of struggle that were less of an issue because Busch used the parks as a vehicle of good will and not a major profit center. That all became a serious issue whit new ownership that expected an aggressive return on their investment.
The difference between SeaWorld and the regional parks is that the regional parks don't have Disney World and Universal in their back yard. For most people Disney is at least a 4 or 5 day trip and Universal has turned itself into a 2 or 3 day trip. That doesn't leave people much time for SeaWorld especially when you factor in the other entertainment in the area.
Bairstow
Well-Known Member
All of that was true in 1999, yet Sea World didn't start slashing its prices until after Blackfish.
They are also owned by the Blackstone Group. These guys are the same people who ran Universal into the ground until Comcast bought them. The best thing for SeaWorld right now would be for some else to buy them and invest heavily in the parks. New tanks for all the animals and new rides as well. Hopefully the new orca tanks and roller coaster are the first step in that process.
lazyboy97o
Well-Known Member
Correlation is not causation. In 1999 SeaWorld was also not having to pay for a lot of mundane administrative services necessary for running a business. It's like your side hobby business that brings you a few hundred dollars here and there suddenly becoming your primary source of income.
The Fun Cards (buy a day, get a year) go back to at least 2008, so that is before the ownership change and years before Blackfish. Turtle Trek was also before the film.
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Donald Razorduck
Well-Known Member
A night time Orca show, how dare they.
Jon81uk
Well-Known Member
I've wondered if the Merlin group would be interested in the SeaWorld & Busch Parks? But then Merlins main focus seems to be on midway attractions, hence opening a SeaLife aquarium and Madame Tussauds in Orlando. They don't seem as interested in expanding park ownership, except Legoland. If the SeaWorld brand is dying though Merlin could even restart it with the SeaLife brand and cut the focus away from Orcas and onto other marine life.
But other than another investment group I don't see anyone else buying Seaworld/Busch parks soon.
Donald Razorduck
Well-Known Member
I see you mention Merlin, which is interesting considering how you mention them positively due to Blackstone's heavy involvement in them. You know, it's cool to blast Blackstone. But, back to your point. There's an easy path to incorporate Merlin's ideas into SEAS properties. They can easily copy the SeaLife/Lego model with a SeaWorld/SesameSt. Model. Let's take KC's Sealife/Lego combo, SeaWorld/Sesame St. Could go to StL. Put a SeaWorld/Sesame St. In Memphis in the area with the new Pyramid Bass Pro that drew 500,000 in it's first month open. The fact is that there is plenty of Growth opportunity for SEAS. I've stated numerous times that if the new CEO stabilizes the situation I think he will target his old employers' properties that are privately held and well maintained with SDC and Dollywood being the big prizes there.
Donald Razorduck
Well-Known Member
I would also like to point out for all of the Blackstone bashing, it was they who secured Potter over Disney and first introduced them to the park.
JordanNite
Well-Known Member
What coaster was this, and can you post me the increase in numbers the year after it was built. Also was their already an upward trajectory the year before it was built?
I don't believe for a minute any coaster will increase attendance significantly.
Why Sea World and Busch Gardens continue down this spiral or building cheap attractions i have no idea. That's what coasters are - cheap trashy attractions that attract a certain thrill seeker, but not the mainstream.
The Empress Lilly
Well-Known Member
Manta, DLP Space Mountain, and Everest are all credited with increasing park performance.
A new top quality SEA coaster could, for example, lure me to their park. I have reservations about visiting their shows, but otherwise like SEA. Which makes SEA an okay proposition, but currently not a must visit.
Jon81uk
Well-Known Member
Coasters do grab the attention of the mainstream. In the UK its all theme parks are known for really, dark rides tend to be cheap and often poorly executed over here but coasters always deliver a thrill, even if the theme is poor. Whereas on a dark ride with bad theming is just a boat (or car) in a dark room.
As I've said before, main reason I am doing SeaWorld in 2016 is the new coaster (that and its almost free with Busch Gardens).