>>The sudden death of Disneyland’s annual pass program could create a huge opportunity for Universal Studios Hollywood, Knott’s Berry Farm and Six Flags Magic Mountain to swoop in and woo jilted Disney diehards looking for a new theme park to call home.
Disneyland shocked fans and the theme park industry when it abruptly killed its annual pass program in January and announced a new membership program will be unveiled at a later date. The Anaheim theme park’s rivals didn’t follow the industry leader’s lead.
Expect Universal, Knott’s and Magic Mountain to make impassioned pitches to Disneyland passholders when California theme parks reopen — especially if Disneyland’s new membership program proves too restrictive or expensive.
Disneyland and other California theme parks are unlikely to return to full operation until spring or summer under COVID-19 health and safety reopening guidelines issued by the state.
Disneyland will soon find out just how loyal their faithful passholders remain after a brutal breakup following a four-decade courtship. Disneyland passholders stung by the abandonment could opt to “swipe left” on the Mouse House and try another theme park romance while the Happiest Place on Earth takes some time to think about what it has done to its million-strong fan base.
“Disneyland is in the DNA of people here in Southern California and well beyond,” Disneyland resort president Ken Potrock said in January during an interview with reporters. “It’s incredibly important that we recognize this group as our biggest fans, our most important fans and a group that we want to make sure we are putting our arms around and really showing them love.”
Disneyland has offered few details about what the new membership program will look like or when it will be rolled out — leaving passholders with more questions than answers. That creates an opening for Universal, Knott’s and Magic Mountain to reintroduce themselves to Disneyland passholders who may not have come calling much lately.
“When we return and things reopen it’s going to be like the Roaring ‘20s. The dam is going to break,” said Dennis Speigel, an industry expert with International Theme Park Services. “Everybody is going to be at capacity — Disney, Universal, SeaWorld, Magic Mountain and Knott’s Berry Farm. They’re all going to be at capacity because we certainly know there are enough people to fill them up.”
Disneyland’s rivals will be touting new rides when California theme parks reopen — with the Bear-y Tales dark ride coming to Knott’s, Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash attraction debuting at Universal and West Coast Racers roller coaster at Magic Mountain. Disney has said Avengers Campus will open in 2021 — but hasn’t said whether the new Marvel themed land will debut with the return of Disney California Adventure.
Martin Lewison, a theme park expert at Farmingdale State College in New York, said the end of Disneyland’s passholder program could create an opportunity for Universal, Knott’s and Magic Mountain.
“It’s certainly possible that nearby competitors will pick up business since those funds have been freed up in consumers’ pocketbooks,” Lewison said via email. “But unfortunately there are only losers and no winners during COVID.”
Theme parks have increasingly turned to season pass and membership models that provide a steady stream of returning customers and reliable revenue. Season passes represented 58% of regional theme park attendance in 2019, according to Goldman Sachs.
Cedar Fair, the parent company of Knott’s Berry Farm, has a season pass base of 1.8 million passholders, according to the latest company quarterly report. Passholders represented 61% of total attendance at Cedar Fair parks in 2020 — up from 52% in 2019.
“The efforts we’ve taken over the past year to maintain our relationship with our passholders has been exceptional,” Cedar Fair CEO Richard Zimmerman said on a call with analysts.
Less than 1% of Cedar Fair passholders have asked for refunds during the pandemic, Zimmerman said on the call.
Universal Studios Hollywood threw shade at Disneyland for killing its passholder program, lobbing eye-rolling insults via Twitter.
“Hey Pass Members. Yeah, you,” Universal Studios Hollywood tweeted. “We just want to let you know that we (love) you.”
Universal went on to thank passholders for sticking with the Hollywood theme park during the coronavirus closure.<<
www.ocregister.com
Disneyland shocked fans and the theme park industry when it abruptly killed its annual pass program in January and announced a new membership program will be unveiled at a later date. The Anaheim theme park’s rivals didn’t follow the industry leader’s lead.
Expect Universal, Knott’s and Magic Mountain to make impassioned pitches to Disneyland passholders when California theme parks reopen — especially if Disneyland’s new membership program proves too restrictive or expensive.
Disneyland and other California theme parks are unlikely to return to full operation until spring or summer under COVID-19 health and safety reopening guidelines issued by the state.
Disneyland will soon find out just how loyal their faithful passholders remain after a brutal breakup following a four-decade courtship. Disneyland passholders stung by the abandonment could opt to “swipe left” on the Mouse House and try another theme park romance while the Happiest Place on Earth takes some time to think about what it has done to its million-strong fan base.
“Disneyland is in the DNA of people here in Southern California and well beyond,” Disneyland resort president Ken Potrock said in January during an interview with reporters. “It’s incredibly important that we recognize this group as our biggest fans, our most important fans and a group that we want to make sure we are putting our arms around and really showing them love.”
Disneyland has offered few details about what the new membership program will look like or when it will be rolled out — leaving passholders with more questions than answers. That creates an opening for Universal, Knott’s and Magic Mountain to reintroduce themselves to Disneyland passholders who may not have come calling much lately.
“When we return and things reopen it’s going to be like the Roaring ‘20s. The dam is going to break,” said Dennis Speigel, an industry expert with International Theme Park Services. “Everybody is going to be at capacity — Disney, Universal, SeaWorld, Magic Mountain and Knott’s Berry Farm. They’re all going to be at capacity because we certainly know there are enough people to fill them up.”
Disneyland’s rivals will be touting new rides when California theme parks reopen — with the Bear-y Tales dark ride coming to Knott’s, Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash attraction debuting at Universal and West Coast Racers roller coaster at Magic Mountain. Disney has said Avengers Campus will open in 2021 — but hasn’t said whether the new Marvel themed land will debut with the return of Disney California Adventure.
Martin Lewison, a theme park expert at Farmingdale State College in New York, said the end of Disneyland’s passholder program could create an opportunity for Universal, Knott’s and Magic Mountain.
“It’s certainly possible that nearby competitors will pick up business since those funds have been freed up in consumers’ pocketbooks,” Lewison said via email. “But unfortunately there are only losers and no winners during COVID.”
Theme parks have increasingly turned to season pass and membership models that provide a steady stream of returning customers and reliable revenue. Season passes represented 58% of regional theme park attendance in 2019, according to Goldman Sachs.
Cedar Fair, the parent company of Knott’s Berry Farm, has a season pass base of 1.8 million passholders, according to the latest company quarterly report. Passholders represented 61% of total attendance at Cedar Fair parks in 2020 — up from 52% in 2019.
“The efforts we’ve taken over the past year to maintain our relationship with our passholders has been exceptional,” Cedar Fair CEO Richard Zimmerman said on a call with analysts.
Less than 1% of Cedar Fair passholders have asked for refunds during the pandemic, Zimmerman said on the call.
Universal Studios Hollywood threw shade at Disneyland for killing its passholder program, lobbing eye-rolling insults via Twitter.
“Hey Pass Members. Yeah, you,” Universal Studios Hollywood tweeted. “We just want to let you know that we (love) you.”
Universal went on to thank passholders for sticking with the Hollywood theme park during the coronavirus closure.<<
Will jilted Disneyland annual passholders flock to rival theme parks?
Expect Universal, Knott’s and Magic Mountain to make impassioned pitches to Disneyland passholders when California theme parks reopen.
www.ocregister.com
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