[andreapalladio]

The story doesn't say when the transaction actually closes. I generally takes a while from the time you agree to buy something and then actually buy it. There would have to be tons of due dilligence on the deal - on the land, the equipment, employment and supply contracts, you name it - and all the necessary licenses and agreements and approvals drafted, checked, obtained and signed. And then after the deal does close managment will have to settle in and decide what they want to do with it and how it will fit with their other assets. So no, I wouldn't expect big changes this summer.

 

[Chuck100]

When a new ride is built, construction is carried out the preceding winter, occasionally starting as early as late summer/fall. This means that the components would have to be ordered and manufactured some time in the summer, fall, or early winter. Therefore construction drawings would have to be all but complete by maybe August, with the design stage occurring now.

Given that Cedar Fair just purchased Paramount Parks, it's virtually impossible for them to start a new mega coaster from scratch and have it ready for next season. Just like when Six Flags bought La Ronde, I expect the first Cedar Fair roller coaster to open at Wonderland in the 2008 operating season.

In a worst case scenario, Paramount knew it would be selling so they chose not to plan any new rides for their parks next year. That could mean next year at Wonderland will look an awful lot like this year. I have an inside source, so I'll see what I can find out. I won't be able to find out what's being built, but I'll know whether or not something is being built at all.

The attendance figures I saw were released by Cedar Fair, and they show Wonderland behind CP and KBF. Can anyone post a link to a complete, up to date list?

 

[thenay]

Cedar Fair isn't taking over PCW until the 3Q (July-Sept) of 2006. It's on cedar fairs website press release.

I doubt a coaster is coming next year, but I can tell you that its more than likely gonna be a huge revamp of the water park. From what I seen and heard all Cedar Fair parks that have a theme park and water park cost an admission to both. Which could mean a lot of things if it happens with PCW (which I think it will).

The season/daily passes could be more or less, and comes with less or more options. It's a good thing and a bad thing. It's too much to explain but look at the figures for other cedar fair parks, like Cedar Point You'll see what I mean.

 

[toforumer]

Don't expect any new ride next season. My inside source who works at Wonderland Management hinted that the waterpark will be given a facelift to "Boomerang Bay" similar to the waterparks at the other Paramount parks.

There is still considerable room left in the park for major coaster construction. At least 3 major steel coasters. The first site would be where the Dragon Fyre is. There has been word about removing it for years now. The second site is near Minebuster and The Italian Job. There's enough room to build a coaster there and have it ride over the large pond that is located there just like the Vortex. And I believe there is more land all the way at the back of the park.

 

[Encyclical]

Cedar Fair isn't taking over PCW until the 3Q (July-Sept) of 2006

Thanks for that!

As for new rides, I knew it took time for construction, planning etc. One of my friends, (who now works for the TTC training department) worked in Maintenance for the Park.

He told me just how much money could be found in the (then) James Bond movie ride.

A newly redone waterpark could be great but the new pricing thing hopefully will be more rather than less inclusive.

Wonderland needs a bit more changes before charging more with only new management to show for it, at least for the next couple of years. I guess from what I read though the new owners do have some good repuatations.

 

[Chuck100]

As far as admission plans go, you really can't compare Cedar Point to Wonderland. Wonderland is a local amusement park to a massive city, while Cedar Point is a complete resort in the middle of nowhere where most people stay overnight. Admission to CP is heavily geared toward people go for more than one day, but in only one trip per season. At Wonderland, they gear everything toward season pass holders because everyone lives an hour away at most.

In any case, all I ask is for Wonderland to get a ride like Magnum. That's my favourite ride ever. Probably quite cheap nowadays, and it would suit Toronto fine.

Ahhh, Magnum.

 

[vistaway]

A Magnum fan, eh? I found it's been getting a lot rougher over the years - but you're right - it's still a top 10 coaster. I do prefer Millennium Force, though.

I can't imagine Wonderland gating the waterpark in the near term. They would have to build a new parking lot (okay, so there probably is space for that) and a new gate, as well as new changeroom/locker facilities by the new gate. That's a lot of work for a change that would be sure to send park attendance and season pass sales downwards.

Makes sense that 2008 would be the year to see something new. I would be happy if 2007 was a solid clean-up year, with CF changing the branding over, possibly sprucing-up and enhancing the kids areas, and hopefully reviewing the vendor arrangements - I am not a fan of all the 'outside world' vendors doing business in the park. I miss the days when Wonderland food was more unique - not a food court with rides. CF seems to avoid outside food operators as far as I can see (at CP, Geauga and Knott's), which makes sense, as the margins are good on food sales.

Here are the 2005 numbers for the top 25 parks in North America, courtesy Amusement Business:

1. Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World in Orlando, 16.1 million, +6.5 percent
2. Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif. 14.5 million, +8.5 percent
3. Epcot at Walt Disney World in Orlando, 9.9 million, +5.5 percent
4. Disney-MGM Studios at Walt Disney World in Orlando, 8.6 million, +5 percent
5. Disney's Animal Kingdom at Walt Disney World in Orlando, 8.2 million, +5 percent
6. Universal Studios Florida at Universal Orlando, 6.1 million, -8.5 percent
7. Disney's California Adventure in Anaheim, Calif., 5.8 million, +3.6 percent
8. Universal's Islands of Adventure at Universal Orlando, 5.76 million, -8.5 percent
9. SeaWorld Orlando, 5.6 million, +0.2 percent
10. Universal Studios Hollywood, 4.7 million, -6 percent
11. Adventuredome at Circus Circus in Las Vegas, 4.5 million, +2.3 percent
12. Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, 4.3 million, +5.1 percent
13. SeaWorld San Diego, 4.1 million, +2.5 percent
14. Paramount Canada's Wonderland in Maple, Ontario, 3.6 million, +7 percent
15. Knott's Berry Farm in Buena Park, Calif., 3.47 million, -3 percent
16. Paramount's Kings Island in Kings Island, Ohio, 3.3 million, -5.1 percent
17. Morey's Piers in Wildwood, N.J., 3.1 million, +1 percent
18. Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, 3.1 million, -2 percent
19. Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk in Santa Cruz, Calif., 3 million, flat
20. Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, N.J., 2.9 million, +6 percent
21. Six Flags Great America in Gurnee, Ill., 2.8 million, +24 percent
22. Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, Calif., 2.8 million, +5 percent
23. Hersheypark in Hershey, Pa., 2.7 million, flat
24. Busch Gardens Williamsburg, 2.6 million, +8.3 percent
25. Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., 2.3 million, +7.3 percent

Amazing to think that Wonderland pulls those numbers in less than six months of the year - a shorter season than almost all the parks on the list!

 

[interchange42]

Also interesting to see the Cedar Point , which is widely regarded to have the best collection of mega-rollercoasters in the world, and which is not too far from Detroit, Toledo, or Cleveland to do as a day trip, doesn't have higher attendance than it does. Meanwhile, Disney and Universal sure have the top tier attendance figures wrapped up tightly. The comparison would suggest that people go mor for escapist fantasy than for gut-churning thrill rides.

42

 

[scarberiankhatru]

If we had a better climate and Wonderland was open all year, it would probably jump to at least #6 on that list.

 

[wyliepoon]

Forbes ranks Wonderland among the world's most popular amusement parks...

Link

Here's the list:

#1

Magic Kingdom Park at Walt Disney World
Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
2005 attendance: 16.2 million
Admission: starts at $24 per day

The Magic Kingdom is the heart of Walt Disney World, where costumed Disney characters roam the streets and Space Mountain rules the rides. Cinderella's Castle, based on the turreted German castle Neuschwanstein, is a guaranteed favorite with little ones.

#2

Tokyo Disneyland
Tokyo
2005 attendance: 13 million
Admission: starts at $33 per day

Tokyo Disneyland is part of a massive Disney complex that also includes Tokyo DisneySea and a number of branded hotels. The first Disney park to open outside the United States, Tokyo Disneyland is broken up into seven themed lands. Rides include Big Thunder Mountain in Westernland, a four-minute train ride through a "haunted" mine.

#3

Disneyland Paris
Paris
2005 attendance: 10.2 million
Admission: starts at $45 per day

Daily parades and shows, including the Wonderful World of Disney Parade, the Legend of the Lion King, and the Tarzan Encounter, are the heart of Disneyland Paris. Like the parks in the U.S. and Tokyo, Disneyland Paris is divided into a series of smaller parks, including Frontierland, Adventureland, Fantasyland, Discoveryland and Main Street, USA.

#4

Everland
Kyonggi-Do, South Korea
2005 attendance: 7.5 million
Admission: starts at $25 per day

Everland in South Korea holds a number of annual festivals, including Snow Festival, Euro Festival, Summer Splash, Happy Halloween and Christmas Holiday Fantasy. The park celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, and special events include nighttime parades and animal-themed safari tours. For the older crowd, the Ho-Am Art Museum, featuring a traditional Korean garden, is next door.

#5

Blackpool Pleasure Beach
Blackpool, England
2005 attendance: 6 million
Admission: starts at $28 per day

Open annually from March through November, Blackpool Pleasure Beach caters to an older set looking to let loose and feel like kids again. Rides for thrill-seekers include the Pepsi Max Big One and Valhalla, but there's a wide array of family rides as well, including the first commercial monorail in the world.

#6

Tivoli Gardens
Copenhagen, Denmark
2005 attendance: 4.1 million
Admission: starts at $7 per day

Opened in 1843, Tivoli Gardens is now as much a concert venue as it is an amusement park. The Copenhagen Jazz Festival takes place on the open-air stage, and there is a different rock concert every Friday night--the Sugababes perform on June 9. But plenty of people still come for rides like The Demon, a 60-foot roller coaster with a series of stomach-turning loops.

#7

Ocean Park
Hong Kong
2005 attendance: just over 4 million
Admission: starts at $9 per day

Ocean Park is one of the world's biggest marine parks. There are more than 40 attractions divided up between the Lowland Gardens, the Kids' World, the Marine Land and several other areas. A highlight is the cable car ride, which provides access from the lowland to the headland and offers views over the surrounding city and the South China Sea.

#8

Europa-Park
Rust, Germany
2005 attendance: just under 4 million
Admission: starts at $33 per day

Europa Park in Germany is based on the idea of a unified European continent. Mini-parks are named after 12 European countries, from Austria to Switzerland. There is an Adventure Land, where guests can cruise the River Elz, and a Children's World with a Viking-themed village.

#9

Paramount Canada's Wonderland
Maple, Ontario
2005 attendance: 3.7 million
Admission: starts at $37 per day

This enormous theme park in Ontario has more than 200 attractions and 60 rides, plus a 20-acre water park, Splash Works. The scariest rides include Drop Zone, which takes riders 230 feet high and then drops them at a rate of 16 feet per second, and Vortex, the first suspended roller coaster in Canada, which runs over waterworks to increase the adrenaline rush.

#10

Port Aventura
Salou, Spain
2005 attendance: 3.4 million
Admission: starts at $39 per day

Port Aventura and Caribe Aquatic Park are part of a big resort complex on Costa Dorado in Spain. The resort has a wide array of roller coasters, from the Drago Khan, an intense eight-loop roller coaster, to the Stampida, two tracks wide and made of wood. The resort itself is made up of distinct regions, or "countries"; themed shows like "Can Can in the Saloon" are popular.

 

[christiesplits]

Canada’s Wonderland joins forces with Six Flags in merger​

Vaughan’s landmark amusement park has officially merged with the American theme park company formerly known as Six Flags as of July 1.

The latest venture combines Canada’s Wonderland former owner Cedar Fair with Six Flags and will now operate under the name Six Flags Entertainment Corporation, according to a news release.

Canada's Wonderland joins forces with Six Flags in new merger

Under the new partnership, each park will keep its company’s portfolio, as no changes are currently planned to alter legacy branding, including park names.

www.thestar.com

 

[Northern Light]

Canada’s Wonderland joins forces with Six Flags in merger​

Canada's Wonderland joins forces with Six Flags in new merger

Under the new partnership, each park will keep its company’s portfolio, as no changes are currently planned to alter legacy branding, including park names.

www.thestar.com

I'm not entirely pleased with this merger........at more than 40 parks across the continent, they are now far and away the dominant provider of amusement park like attractions with Disney (only a couple of parks) as really they're only comparable rival in terms of capitalization. While, by and large most of these parks serve different urban markets, there was at least some competition, there was also an ability to support different ride manufacturers, vendors/suppliers that will likely be greatly diminished here.

 

[afransen]

Forbes ranks Wonderland among the world's most popular amusement parks...

Link

Here's the list:

#1

Magic Kingdom Park at Walt Disney World
Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
2005 attendance: 16.2 million
Admission: starts at $24 per day

The Magic Kingdom is the heart of Walt Disney World, where costumed Disney characters roam the streets and Space Mountain rules the rides. Cinderella's Castle, based on the turreted German castle Neuschwanstein, is a guaranteed favorite with little ones.

#2

Tokyo Disneyland
Tokyo
2005 attendance: 13 million
Admission: starts at $33 per day

Tokyo Disneyland is part of a massive Disney complex that also includes Tokyo DisneySea and a number of branded hotels. The first Disney park to open outside the United States, Tokyo Disneyland is broken up into seven themed lands. Rides include Big Thunder Mountain in Westernland, a four-minute train ride through a "haunted" mine.

#3

Disneyland Paris
Paris
2005 attendance: 10.2 million
Admission: starts at $45 per day

Daily parades and shows, including the Wonderful World of Disney Parade, the Legend of the Lion King, and the Tarzan Encounter, are the heart of Disneyland Paris. Like the parks in the U.S. and Tokyo, Disneyland Paris is divided into a series of smaller parks, including Frontierland, Adventureland, Fantasyland, Discoveryland and Main Street, USA.

#4

Everland
Kyonggi-Do, South Korea
2005 attendance: 7.5 million
Admission: starts at $25 per day

Everland in South Korea holds a number of annual festivals, including Snow Festival, Euro Festival, Summer Splash, Happy Halloween and Christmas Holiday Fantasy. The park celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, and special events include nighttime parades and animal-themed safari tours. For the older crowd, the Ho-Am Art Museum, featuring a traditional Korean garden, is next door.

#5

Blackpool Pleasure Beach
Blackpool, England
2005 attendance: 6 million
Admission: starts at $28 per day

Open annually from March through November, Blackpool Pleasure Beach caters to an older set looking to let loose and feel like kids again. Rides for thrill-seekers include the Pepsi Max Big One and Valhalla, but there's a wide array of family rides as well, including the first commercial monorail in the world.

#6

Tivoli Gardens
Copenhagen, Denmark
2005 attendance: 4.1 million
Admission: starts at $7 per day

Opened in 1843, Tivoli Gardens is now as much a concert venue as it is an amusement park. The Copenhagen Jazz Festival takes place on the open-air stage, and there is a different rock concert every Friday night--the Sugababes perform on June 9. But plenty of people still come for rides like The Demon, a 60-foot roller coaster with a series of stomach-turning loops.

#7

Ocean Park
Hong Kong
2005 attendance: just over 4 million
Admission: starts at $9 per day

Ocean Park is one of the world's biggest marine parks. There are more than 40 attractions divided up between the Lowland Gardens, the Kids' World, the Marine Land and several other areas. A highlight is the cable car ride, which provides access from the lowland to the headland and offers views over the surrounding city and the South China Sea.

#8

Europa-Park
Rust, Germany
2005 attendance: just under 4 million
Admission: starts at $33 per day

Europa Park in Germany is based on the idea of a unified European continent. Mini-parks are named after 12 European countries, from Austria to Switzerland. There is an Adventure Land, where guests can cruise the River Elz, and a Children's World with a Viking-themed village.

#9

Paramount Canada's Wonderland
Maple, Ontario
2005 attendance: 3.7 million
Admission: starts at $37 per day

This enormous theme park in Ontario has more than 200 attractions and 60 rides, plus a 20-acre water park, Splash Works. The scariest rides include Drop Zone, which takes riders 230 feet high and then drops them at a rate of 16 feet per second, and Vortex, the first suspended roller coaster in Canada, which runs over waterworks to increase the adrenaline rush.

#10

Port Aventura
Salou, Spain
2005 attendance: 3.4 million
Admission: starts at $39 per day

Port Aventura and Caribe Aquatic Park are part of a big resort complex on Costa Dorado in Spain. The resort has a wide array of roller coasters, from the Drago Khan, an intense eight-loop roller coaster, to the Stampida, two tracks wide and made of wood. The resort itself is made up of distinct regions, or "countries"; themed shows like "Can Can in the Saloon" are popular.

Ancient post, but I am amazed that a seasonal park in Toronto that isn't really an international destination had ~20-25% the attendance of Magic Kingdom.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

I'm not entirely pleased with this merger........at more than 40 parks across the continent, they are now far and away the dominant provider of amusement park like attractions with Disney (only a couple of parks) as really they're only comparable rival in terms of capitalization. While, by and large most of these parks serve different urban markets, there was at least some competition, there was also an ability to support different ride manufacturers, vendors/suppliers that will likely be greatly diminished here.

True, but it's really a local monopoly already anyways - and one has to wonder how much of an ecosystem for supplies and vendors can something as niche as this support.

Personally I am more concerned about horizontal monopoly of a broad swath of entertainment options.

AoD

 

[Admiral Beez]

Ancient post, but I am amazed that a seasonal park in Toronto that isn't really an international destination had ~20-25% the attendance of Magic Kingdom.

My vote is that Canada's Wonderland be declared unfit and moved to Ontario Place. Then DoFo's developer buds can go to town.