sfmw kiddyland? WTF?

zongaboy626 · #1 11-15-2005, 10:24 AM

well looks like sfmw my home park is getting a kiddyland expansion there are markers over by where starfish used to be

I for one dont think this is right.
For the highest grossing park in the chain?
They could of at least gave us a mini hyper!
Or another woody.
Or a flyer.
Oh and yah there are also markers by zonga. One of the signs is gone and its not on there website
hmmmmm i wonder what it could be. . .
LET THE SPECULATION BEGIN!

Sir Willow · #2 11-15-2005, 10:34 AM

Oh geesh, here we go again. "You're not building what I want or what I think you should, so I'm going to whine and complain."

First off, they're not going to get a mini-hyper because of the height restrictions. Second, they already have a good quality wood coaster. Third, a flyer would still be considered redundant after PGA had one (even if it has been removed) and with the park in SoCal getting one.

They're putting in an addition and improvements that are going to appeal and help draw the crowds that is their main draw- families. While they have thrill sides and coasters, that is far from the only demographic that they pull from. And with their kiddie area not being very good, that's a great way to make some improvements that are going to get the most bang for their buck.

As for the highest grossing park in the chain, I'd love to know where you get that from since there are several parks that have a much higher gross. And a few that pull in a larger profit too. Maybe percap it's one of the best profit parks, but I'm not sure if even that is public knowledge or established.

And I don't think anyone would be surprised by Zonga's removal since it hasn't been anything but trouble since they put it there. To bad Six Flags screwed it up so bad.

Dan G · #3 11-15-2005, 03:02 PM

I don't think the park is the chain's highest grossing, but I do know for a fact that attendance sky rocketed for the first time in 3 years. I could give you proof, but the article that this information is on is now in the archives of some newspaper site so you have to pay to view it.

As for a new coaster, there were a lot of rumors going around that guys in suits were in the area of Zonga earlier this year and this may hint that Zonga may be on it's way out pretty soon, possibly even this offseason. There was one wild rumor that B&M was even in the park so maybe the park has something planned for 2007.

With the sale of SFI coming up soon, look for the park to be sold to another privated company by the city of Vallejo. Remember, this park isn't owned by SFI, it's leased through the city for them to run it so with the company being sold, I'd expect Vallejo to either return running it by themselves or sell it to a chain like Busch or Cedar Fair. This park has a lot of potential so I wouldn't doubt to see a lot of parks trying to get ahold of this park if it goes up for sale.

Jerry S · #4 11-15-2005, 03:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sir Willow

Oh geesh, here we go again. "You're not building what I want or what I think you should, so I'm going to whine and complain."

First off, they're not going to get a mini-hyper because of the height restrictions. Second, they already have a good quality wood coaster. Third, a flyer would still be considered redundant after PGA had one (even if it has been removed) and with the park in SoCal getting one.

As much as I agree with your first comment, I must say that a mini hyper could be at 150 feet, therefore staying in the restriction. Second, Hershey Park has several GCIs, so one is not too much. Third, Both SFI parks in Cali have a floorless, so why can't both have a flyer?

Zonga is different. It was great when it was first made, and pleased crowds in several countries. Once it was modified, it took a turn for the worse, and plummeted to its demise. It is a shame. About complaining about kiddyland, well, parks get them all the time. Maybe next year you'll get a coaster, but don't be upset if it's another one from SFAW. I think that they should put up the shuttle loop that's been in the parking lot.

**Wes** · #5 11-15-2005, 04:31 PM

Come on peeps think about it.

Parks make a whole lot more off of families than enthusiasts.

$50 times a family of four or $50 times one enthusiast.

You do the math.

Carowinds 73-03 · #6 11-15-2005, 04:42 PM

Correct. Thats just about how all parks do it. Have you noticed even CP is getting away from coasters for a while. Focusing on family attractions & thrill rides.

If attendance soars again next season then expect more family attractions or some thrill rides the following year.

Jerry S · #7 11-15-2005, 04:43 PM

Well, of course that, but often you will have families like mine which don't like amusement parks, and prefer to drag their kids to museums and theater shows, and an enthusiast in the family would really push the trip to an amusement park, like me. Sometimes, it's the kids who ask their parents to go, and the kids that are old enough to decide that they want to go to an amusement park are more often thrill seekers than merry go round riders.

coasterdude28 · #8 11-15-2005, 06:05 PM

This is in no way a stupid move by the park. Thrill rides are not the only thing out there.

Chris L · #9 11-15-2005, 06:14 PM

/\ Yeup. This childrens' rides/play area definitely is a smart business decision. Isn't Marine World the only Six Flags park right now without a kids' area?

Sir Willow · #10 11-15-2005, 06:30 PM

No, they certainly have a kids area in it. Toon Lagoon or something like that. It's where their kiddie coaster is and several kiddie rides. It's not a large area, but it's certainly there.

Originally posted by Jerry:

Quote:

As much as I agree with your first comment, I must say that a mini hyper could be at 150 feet, therefore staying in the restriction. Second, Hershey Park has several GCIs, so one is not too much. Third, Both SFI parks in Cali have a floorless, so why can't both have a flyer?

The problem with the mini-hyper is space. SFMW is really confined for space, and about the only way they could manage the layout a hyper would require would be to either put it over the animals (not going to happen) or over the roadways since they've already used up most of the old parking lot. There really isn't space for them to stretch something out like that.

And you're forgetting the flyer that was at PGA just a couple of years ago. While Stealth may no longer be there, many people would automatically compare it to that since that wasn't very far away. Stealth being removed may very likely hurt a lot of the public image with a flyer at SFMW since some may think that style of coaster was so bad that PGA killed it. Much easier to go with something else.

The biggest problems that SFMW has is space, and focus. It just doesn't really have room to expand unless it goes up and over other things. And then they have to be careful. Hence why pretty much all of their coasters (with Medusa being about the only exception) are shorter and with a limited footprint that won't intrude on other parts ot he park.

And the focus is on being a family park with the animals and wildlife. Not a thrill park, but a family park with something for everyone. While it will add a new thrill ride here and there, the vast majority of it's additions are going to be things aimed at the family- such as the penguins, the killer whale, the kiddie area, etc. All are major strikes against everything you mentioned on the list.