Six Flags Q2 loss

[onyxhotel08]

Six Flags released their Q2 results this week and posted a net loss of $98.6 million. In addition to hurting from the recession, the outbreak of Swine Flu in Mexico also caused problems by shutting down Six Flags Mexico entirely for almost two weeks. Attendance this quarter is also down 8% from the same quarter last year.

[FParker185]

http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/st ... ily27.html

There is a link to the article. Seeing as SF is currently in Bankruptcy protection it doesn't matter much, but they got killed in the second quarter.

[Ilovthevu']

Ha, ha. That's what you get for burning people with the locker policy. When I did go to the park last time, I did notice less teenagers in the park. I wonder why people are playing less games also.

[Galvan]

^Or maybe.... just maybe its because so many people are out of work right now? Ever think of that?

[onyxhotel08]

It's a little bit of both

[Coaster Justin]

Monsterfan99

Coaster Justin wrote:
If I were Mark Shapiro, I would do the Following to Improve the Company:

- Sell The Great Escape
- Sell La Ronde
- Sell Six Flags Mexico
- Sell Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom
- Sell Six Flags America
- Add a 500+ Room Hotel to SFGAd
- Add a Great Wolf Lodge Like Resort to SFStL
- Add a Great Wolf Lodge Like Resort to SFNE
- Heavily Invest in Gravity Group Timberliner Trains
- Add New Schafer Rides Trains to Arrow/Vekoma Coasters http://rcdb.com/ig1093.htm?picture=21
- Add New Vekoma SLC Trains to Vekoma SLC Coasters http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl= ... 7%26sa%3DN
- Relocate some of the Coasters from SFMM to Other Parks
- Start Investing in Flat Rides and Waterpark Attractions
- Don't Spend over 85 Million a Year on Additions
- Take Rides from SFNO and SFAm to Other Parks
- Invest in Renewable Energy

Umm, so you are saying the chain should sell 2 of the most profitable parks to survive?


I Guess Six Flags Mexico Isn't So Profitable Nowadays.

[monsterfan99]

^ Way to quote a post from months ago, before the swine flu. But hey, that's ok, wouldn't want you to actually want you to say what the was from.

No shock on attendance. Last Sunday, on a 80 degree day at SF Kentucky Kingdom, there were maybe 1000 people in the theme park.

Like someone said, with bankruptcy, it doesn't matter at all.

[BP317]

/\ I think making money, or at least not operating at a big loss, matters quite a bit in the business world

I still find it funny they were making fun the fact Kirean Burke was blaming the weather as a reason they were having issues being profitable, and Speed/Shapiro do it every quarter. Someone needs to remind them the location of these parks, they opened SFGAm in EARLY APRIL and no one was there. They were obviosley operating at a loss. Dont blame the weather if your going to open the parks when its still winter...and spring is always wildly unpredictable in Chicago/NY which are two of their biggest markets. Or dont blame the weather at all because it sucks every year.

[Chitown]

Ha, ha. That's what you get for burning people with the locker policy. When I did go to the park last time, I did notice less teenagers in the park. I wonder why people are playing less games also.

Are you really that stupid? CF is posting the same dismal Q2 results. Stop being a tool and realize the economy is taking its toll on the whole situation.

[monsterfan99]

One does have to wonder how much of the attendance was a drop from the TX and Mexico park (most attended in the chain.) Even then, i wonder what the per-person spending was and how much of a drop there was. That is what hurt Disney so far and wonder if it is hurting SF as well.

[vprlvr456]

^ I thought they said SFGAdv was the highest attended?

[Ilovthevu']

The 3 roller coasters that Cedar Fair got in 2009 were a used a boomerang (Carowinds), Diamondback (Kings Island), and Prowler (World's of Fun)? But than they start telling people oh we are thinking of selling Valleyfair!, World's of Fun, California's Great America, and probably some other one, and people start thinking oh those parks are no longer around. For Magic Mountain, I was listening to a podcast and they think that Six Flags doesn't own it anymore.

At Cedar Point, they added the spectacular thing at night, but people are saying they never advertised it. Whoppee, Kings Dominion got a used Ferris Wheel, and El Dorado. Dorney Park got a Ice Show that wasn't completed till later in season. Knott's Berry Farm, Michigan's Adventure, and California's Great America got nothing. I don't think Canada's Wonderland got anything either. Is the 8% loss all because of no new rides? Well, no but there has to be other factors rather than just blaming the economy is so terrible all the time.

Look I haven't gone to Kiddieland this year yet because of the Polyp not working, and not because I can't spend the money at that park. I'm going to go for other rides, but because of that ride not operating, I haven't been to that park yet. If I were to go to Disney World, I probably wouldn't go this year because Space Mountain, and TTA are not operating. I rather just wait until they are open. That is a major attraction in my opinion down and out.

I started the waterpark season late this year because it wasn't getting above 80's, and it just was too cold to swim. I think weather takes account for some of this stuff, but how much is too much?

For this one carnival company, I used to go 3 times to it a year, but because it's now $20 a wristband instead of $16, I now only go 2 times a year. The gas prices have gone down compared to last year, but yet the prices for the wristbands are still higher. On top of that, they gave up their spot at the beginning of the season in which I used to go to, and I only went 1 time to their carnival.

However, there is also their competition that might have led into me only going twice a year. Their competition also has 1 of the rides that they have, but their compeition has some great rides like them too.

Look at the comments for Six Flags Great America videos, and they saying Buccaneer Battle, and Dark Knight both stink. Hey, I like Dark Knight, but that is what they are saying.

The one year before the Dark Knight came in, my cousin bought a season pass, and he actually sounded excited to go to the park for the next year. This was like during Fright Fest, but this year or whenever they announced Buccaneer Battle, he could careless about it. Think about the Dark Knight ride alone. That movie was a huge money-maker, and the ride to many people (but me I guess) didn't take off well with them.

Take it out of amusement parks, and I've been going to a pizza place a lot because I really like pizza, and because they have half price gift certificates. The other restaurant that I used to go a lot well quite frankly has no specials, and higher prices. Why wouldn't I go to the pizza place that is awesome than the other place more? The thing the one restaurant might think that isn't getting my business as much is well it's they are saving money, and not going out so much. Wrong, just rather going to another place. COMPETITION - It's also just seeing deals and going for them.

There are a lot of carnivals, a lot of waterparks (Now, we have 3 bigger than pool ones, and so many just pools around the area) (Wisconsin Dells might be suffering because of those in IL now.), a lot of stores, a lot of cars, a lot of recreation, and a lot of restaurants to go and visit. I think that's great what the government is doing with giving people money back for their gas -guzzlers, but yet is it fair to only help them out (car dealers), and not other places to like restaurants, recreation, stores, amusement parks, carnivals, and so on?

[monsterfan99]

The 3 roller coasters that Cedar Fair got in 2009 were a used a boomerang (Carowinds), Diamondback (Kings Island), and Prowler (World's of Fun)? But than they start telling people oh we are thinking of selling Valleyfair!, World's of Fun, California's Great America, and probably some other one, and people start thinking oh those parks are no longer around. For Magic Mountain, I was listening to a podcast and they think that Six Flags doesn't own it anymore.

You are right on that. I heard the closed part about ValleyFair! when we were there a few weeks after they announced that. The fact that people think that just shows how stupid people are.

At Cedar Point, they added the spectacular thing at night, but people are saying they never advertised it. Whoppee

When we were there, people were mad that they charged you a dollar for the glasses to view it. It makes seance, but it made people mad that you pay to get in, then pay for stuff.

Look I haven't gone to Kiddieland this year yet because of the Polyp not working...However, there is also their competition that might have led into me only going twice a year. Their competition also has 1 of the rides that they have, but their compeition has some great rides like them too.

I just shortened that for length reasons. you are not alone in this thinking on prices. I never saw a few dollars on a $16 dollar a big deal, but many people have. All you have to do is look at the uproar online about the $4 increase on a $75 ticket.

Look at the comments for Six Flags Great America videos, and they saying Buccaneer Battle, and Dark Knight both stink. Hey, I like Dark Knight, but that is what they are saying.

They are mostly teens, their opinions really mean nothing to the park. Now their parents that pay for everything....

Take it out of amusement parks, and I've been going to a pizza place a lot because I really like pizza, and because they have half price gift certificates. The other restaurant that I used to go a lot well quite frankly has no specials, and higher prices. Why wouldn't I go to the pizza place that is awesome than the other place more? The thing the one restaurant might think that isn't getting my business as much is well it's they are saving money, and not going out so much. Wrong, just rather going to another place. COMPETITION - It's also just seeing deals and going for them.

There are a lot of carnivals, a lot of waterparks (Now, we have 3 bigger than pool ones, and so many just pools around the area) (Wisconsin Dells might be suffering because of those in IL now.), a lot of stores, a lot of cars, a lot of recreation, and a lot of restaurants to go and visit. I think that's great what the government is doing with giving people money back for their gas -guzzlers, but yet is it fair to only help them out (car dealers), and not other places to like restaurants, recreation, stores, amusement parks, carnivals, and so on?

Down here in Orlando, some of the deals I have seen are amazing and at legit places. I'm at a hotel right now that was renovted, has an amazing staff, free wi-fi, HDTV in the room and zero traffic to the Disney Parks. I am here during summer, yet it cost $35.99 per night. The same hotel last year, with the same features, was running over $50 a day. Heck, at the Magic Castle Inn, a very cheap but clean place, an entire week there was only $175.

With the cash for clunkers, that was more for the auto makers then dealers. Dealers make their killings off the used car market more then new cars. However, it is working.

[w00dland]

The one year before the Dark Knight came in, my cousin bought a season pass, and he actually sounded excited to go to the park for the next year. This was like during Fright Fest, but this year or whenever they announced Buccaneer Battle, he could careless about it.

Look I get where you're coming from, I really do, but to stay in operation parks CANNOT continue to add giant rides that cost millions of dollars each year. There is no payoff. Even if the parks were to revamp the ride rotation program it still costs LOTS of money to pick up a ride, ship it, and rebuild it with nice theming and landscaping.

Maybe the parks attendance sucks because they didn't get a new roller coasters, or more likely the park's attendance sucks because people were on the fritz about going to the park without a new coaster, but the fact that they have no money to spend sealed the deal.

A lot of people have a hard time paying bills right now, not a ton of extra cash to blow at the theme park...

[rb1]

Dang there goes are chances of getting something good in 2010. Freakin economy...

[onyxhotel08]

Rides are planned LONG in advance if we were to get a coaster in 2010 or 2011 it would be planned 2-3 years in advance.