Knott’s targets Disneyland passholders with $101 season pass as theme park wars heat up - OCR/SCNG

DanielBB8

Well-Known Member
But this is coming on the heels of Disney basically saying they can't continue to be so crowded because it is hurting the guest experience. I think Disney is right to limit crowding in their parks because it has definitely impacted my enjoyment of the park. For many people, the appeal of Knott's was it NOT being crowded, so Knott's working to eliminate that is confusing.
Disney will still be crowded. The difference is finding the limits of capacity to ensure every one can go on the minimum allocation of rides. They are going full-on reservations that will likely include the Flex Pass. They just can’t allow crowds to just show up without advance planning. Disney was so successful with AP blockout dates that summer was relatively light and created adverse incentives to go on the usual off season. Reservations can even out the crowds on every day of the month while improving the guest experience.
Confusing because Knott’s isn’t crowded and that’s it’s charm? This is an example of a joke. Not having crowds is how it fails as a theme park. Not having a thriving business meant it should either improve or capital can be better spent elsewhere. It’s appeal isn’t good enough if it can’t be translated into more profits.
 
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DanielBB8

Well-Known Member
We've had this discussion 1000 times on these boards regarding Disney APs. There has to be a point of diminishing returns when it comes to how many people are in the park that only goes once a week, twice a week, or every few weeks, so their entry cost per visit is anywhere from $1 to $10. Those guests aren't going to eat any more food than the average person who paid full price. Then as I said above, you have long lines, and the possibility of turning people away at the gate or needing reservations diminishing the guest experience.

We'll have a better idea if any of this holds true later down the road. We are assuming that with Disneyland being day-ticket only at the moment that everyone will flock to Knott's. I'm sure quite a few will, but other similar parks have been doing cheap season passes for years and it's never been a major problem. People will also spread to other places as well like USH and MM.
I was talking about Knott’s, not Disney APs. Nothing wrong about Knott’s getting crowds. They need it.
 

Darkbeer1

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
FYI, both Knott's and SFMM offers Pineapple Dole Whip's.

I used my SFMM meal plan to claim my snack (I get Lunch, Dinner and a Snack). It was a Dole Whip Float using pineapple juice. Just like the ones at the Tiki Room on April 1st. The first one in over a year!
 

cmwade77

Well-Known Member
That's cute. Those same people buying this new Knott's pass are still gonna be lining up to pay $154 to go to Disneyland when it opens. Disney will always be more popular than Knotts and those disgruntal annual passholders are still gonna pay the insane day ticket prices so they can get a dole whip and Bangel BBQ skewer.
I'm not so sure about that.....this former Disney Passholder won't be and I know several others that aren't either. Now if they offered a more reasonable option, we might consider it. Additionally some passholder might buy one or two days of tickets, but they aren't going to go at the same frequency as if they had a pass and contrary to what Disney seems to believe, there won't be tourists to fill those spaces, even once they are allowed, the parks will simply be a lot less crowded and make a lot less money.
 

cmwade77

Well-Known Member
I've been to Knotts a number of times since I was little to recently. I dont frequent there but go there every few years.

It has been crowded 75% of the times I've been. I've never heard anyone say "Knotts isn't crowded so I go there".

Universal, Six Flags, Knotts, Disney, they all get crowded.

Knotts isnt going to sell more than their capacity would realistically allow, same as any of the parks.
Buying a day ticket vs having a pass is a big difference. With a day ticket most people want to spend all day there, with our passes we go at park opening, stay until it starts getting too crowded and head out.
 

cmwade77

Well-Known Member
I think the theme parks in California are all so different that none of them are competitors.

Universal, Knotts, Six Flags, and Disney arent taking each other's marketshare.
Knott's actually has been taking a key part of Disney's market share of passholders, the ones that are loyal to certain shows, such as Billy Hill and the Hillbillies, now Crazy Kirk and the Hillbillies, the Mad T Party Bands during Summer Nights, etc.

These passholders are the ones who spend money on food and drinks in the parks, especially during the shows, as well as merch. Personally, I like other entertainment which Knott's has also been doing, but I do understand that these passholders were indeed spending a lot of money at Disney.
 

cmwade77

Well-Known Member
FYI, both Knott's and SFMM offers Pineapple Dole Whip's.

I used my SFMM meal plan to claim my snack (I get Lunch, Dinner and a Snack). It was a Dole Whip Float using pineapple juice. Just like the ones at the Tiki Room on April 1st. The first one in over a year!
Several local ice cream shops sell them as well.....our local yogurt shop has thier own version that actually has pineapple in it as an ingredient.....did you know Dole Whips now contain no pineapple?


On a side note, I wish Knott's dining plan for passholders included a snack as well.
 

BayouShack

Well-Known Member
Please remember that you can only get a DOLE Whip© at Disney Parks. 😝

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CaptinEO

Well-Known Member
Knott's actually has been taking a key part of Disney's market share of passholders, the ones that are loyal to certain shows, such as Billy Hill and the Hillbillies, now Crazy Kirk and the Hillbillies, the Mad T Party Bands during Summer Nights, etc.

These passholders are the ones who spend money on food and drinks in the parks, especially during the shows, as well as merch. Personally, I like other entertainment which Knott's has also been doing, but I do understand that these passholders were indeed spending a lot of money at Disney.
If those people ONLY went to Disneyland for those performers, then yes getting a Knotts pass instead of Disneyland would make sense.


I'd think this group of people (that only went to Disney for Billy Hill) is either small or nonexistant. I'd just imagine most would end up with passes to both.
 

Darkbeer1

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
If those people ONLY went to Disneyland for those performers, then yes getting a Knotts pass instead of Disneyland would make sense.


I'd think this group of people (that only went to Disney for Billy Hill) is either small or nonexistant. I'd just imagine most would end up with passes to both.
 

CaptinEO

Well-Known Member
I'm not being disrespectful to the performers or their fans. Just saying that I highly doubt their fans ONLY were going to Disney parks to JUST see them.

I'd imagine they were one of many things the park goers enjoyed. Hence why most likely people into those live acts would now have both Disney Passes in addition to Knotts.
 

Stevek

Well-Known Member
I'm not being disrespectful to the performers or their fans. Just saying that I highly doubt their fans ONLY were going to Disney parks to JUST see them.

I'd imagine they were one of many things the park goers enjoyed. Hence why most likely people into those live acts would now have both Disney Passes in addition to Knotts.
Yeah, people loved Krazy Kirk/Billy Hill and there were probably some more fanatical supporters of them but would be odd if they bought tickets or passes at DL just to see them.
 

cmwade77

Well-Known Member
I'm not being disrespectful to the performers or their fans. Just saying that I highly doubt their fans ONLY were going to Disney parks to JUST see them.

I'd imagine they were one of many things the park goers enjoyed. Hence why most likely people into those live acts would now have both Disney Passes in addition to Knotts.
Some were and many of them have stopped going to Disney and not just Krazy Kirk and the Hillbillies fans, but fabs of Mad T Party as well.
 

el_super

Well-Known Member
Confusing because Knott’s isn’t crowded and that’s it’s charm? This is an example of a joke. Not having crowds is how it fails as a theme park. Not having a thriving business meant it should either improve or capital can be better spent elsewhere. It’s appeal isn’t good enough if it can’t be translated into more profits.

Yeah, being crowded is only one part of the equation. They have to be able to make money. The APs at Disneyland are gone because they realized they could make more money without them. So why doesn't that model work for Knott's? Maybe they do have some extra capacity to give away, but really setting an AP price that is less than a Disneyland one day ticket isn't really all that great for the brand image.


I'd think this group of people (that only went to Disney for Billy Hill) is either small or nonexistant. I'd just imagine most would end up with passes to both.

I won't assume that they were there JUST for Billy Hill, but the type of APs that were not paying for food and drinks, and taking up space that should have been given to paying customers at the Horseshoe is exactly why Billy Hill isn't at Disneyland any longer. That seems like exactly the kind of problem Knott's wants to sign up for now.
 

Darkbeer1

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I can tell you that I see Food lines that are long during the Crazy Kirk and the Hillbillies breaks, and many in the line are the fans.
 

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