So... now my question for those of you who normally would buy a Six Flags season pass, but haven't yet... are you still going to buy one? And if so, what park will you be going to?

My Six Flags pass, in my pocket as I type, is from the park it has been for many, many years. That's in New Jersey, but you knew that already...

I'm buying mine stil on the 14th I'll be going to SFoT for two days while visiting my dad. Just so happens I got lucky and the only 3 days that the park is open during the month is that weekend. I'll also be going to SFGam and SFStl and hopefully two others.

Remember, that rides that existed at Kentucky Kingdom would likely find their way to other Six Flags parks before finding their way to other parks outside of the Six Flags family. Its still sad to see an amusement park close. No matter how small or poor its reputation had been.

Yes, Thunder Run is a nice wooden coaster. I count myself lucky for having ridden it when I was down there before Six Flags controlled the park (and before I was really into coasters).

On a side note, I wonder if this will also be the ultimate fate for another park which sits on leased land out west. But that also may depend on the fate of the sun god`s proposal.

And of the gold seekers' playing field....

Remember, that rides that existed at Kentucky Kingdom would likely find their way to other Six Flags parks before finding their way to other parks outside of the Six Flags family. Its still sad to see an amusement park close. No matter how small or poor its reputation had been.

Yes, Thunder Run is a nice wooden coaster. I count myself lucky for having ridden it when I was down there before Six Flags controlled the park (and before I was really into coasters).

On a side note, I wonder if this will also be the ultimate fate for another park which sits on leased land out west. But that also may depend on the fate of the sun god`s proposal.

Which park would that be?

Yep.

As an aside, I wonder if Kings Island or Coney Island will attract some of the group sales that used to frequent Kentucky Kingdom. I know that group sales make up a large portion of amusement park attendance, particularly at places like at Coney.

I was really looking forward to making my first trip to the park this summer too. Seemed like a nice park to get away for a weekend. I guess Ill take that weekend and try out Holiday World.

Remember, that rides that existed at Kentucky Kingdom would likely find their way to other Six Flags parks before finding their way to other parks outside of the Six Flags family. Its still sad to see an amusement park close. No matter how small or poor its reputation had been.

Yes, Thunder Run is a nice wooden coaster. I count myself lucky for having ridden it when I was down there before Six Flags controlled the park (and before I was really into coasters).

On a side note, I wonder if this will also be the ultimate fate for another park which sits on leased land out west. But that also may depend on the fate of the sun god`s proposal.

Which park would that be?

Cedar Fair's California's Great America, which sits on leased land....

I was really looking forward to making my first trip to the park this summer too. Seemed like a nice park to get away for a weekend. I guess Ill take that weekend and try out Holiday World.

I'm doing the same.

I wonder if the land will be used for something else? Maybe another amusement park? Stadium? Mall?

Stadium? Already one there. Mall? Retail space abounds, much of it empty. And the location would not be the best for that. Remember, too, this is where the Kentucky State Fair is held, and Kentucky Kingdom provided much of the midway, as it had for many, many years.

I count myself as one of the few I know who enjoyed that park.

Make that 2.

This is truly sad. I'm glad I got to visit the park the three times I did last season. I'm really gonna miss being just two hours away from Greezed Lightnin', Thunder Run, Road Runner Express, friendly employees, and one of the cleanest parks I've ever visited.

EDIT: Make that 3.

I will continue my support for Six Flags...It's seems to me that Six Flags was NOT the cause for this. KEC just lost much, much more money then if they just gave Six Flags what they wanted. Six Flags deserved some of that money, if Six Flags leaves theres really no reason to have the gates even open on some days during the summer. I know one thing, I will NEVER step my foot back inside those gates again.

^

One of the reasons why Six Flags is having more trouble than Cedar Fair in this recession is that Six Flags is much more well known.

The publicity of Six Flags' trouble was great, so many stockholders sold their stock, and stock prices dropped a lot, eventually leading Six Flags into bankruptcy.

Cedar Fair doesn't get nearly as much publicity, so people have been selling their Cedar Fair stock more gradually.

(I'm not certain I have this right, but some observations have brought me to believe this)

I agree with RCfreak339's above statement.

Six Flags overexpanded and went into way too much debt quite a few years before Cedar Fair did. Both chains bought parks they paid way too much for, laid off way too much of the middle management that knew how to run the parks and had done so so very well, put way too much investment in roller coasters to the virtual exclusion of everything else, and rewarded their own managements richly while cutting benefits for the lower paid seasonal workers...largely forgetting that the lower level people interact directly with the public, and good customer service starts with treating your own people well. Messrs Shapiro and Snyder stepped in after Gary Story and Co. and tried to turn around Six Flags, but it was too late, the debt was there and the damage done. Bankruptcy followed. The Cedar Fair saga is still being written. It has many parallels to Six Flags, though.

I see a good chance of Ed Hart buying the park back...he tried I think about 2-3 years ago but failed. Now I can really see him buying it, If KEC lets him.

That's really sad. I guess I should have gone last summer.

Those were the days, my friend,

We thought they'd never end....

Edit - response to Post #45

Just an investing tip - whether the company you invest in gets a lot of publicity or not should have NO effect on whether you sell the stock (or units). The owner of the stock is responsible for doing the research to evaluate whether they want to remain a stockholder or sell their shares.

You assertion misses the fact that it was not the selling pressure on the stock that forced the company into bankruptcy, but the march to bankruptcy that led to the sale of the stock. As to why Cedar Fair is going slower? Some (for whatever reason) seem to feel that whether it sells to Apollo or not that it will not go bankrupt.

I just hope Geauga Lake didn't start a trend of closing parks. Kings Island may be the next park to go...

Geauga Lake hardly started that trend. Ohio alone had many wonderful parks...most of them gone. And Kings Island will be in business for many, many years, barring some totally unforeseen consequence.

Wow. I'm just speechless. I mean.....wow.....I just.....wow......

Jackson, who will organize all of his thoughts (And screaming) into a full post when he gathers himself....

The first line is almost EXACTLY what I thought when I first read that title under the new topics area. "Ahhh... What?!... Wow...Wow..."

Just an investing tip - whether the company you invest in gets a lot of publicity or not should have NO effect on whether you sell the stock (or units).

It should have no effect. A large number of stockholders fail to do the 'required' research.

Brandon, who dreams of owning a large share of an amusement park, eventually.

Edit- ^

I thought the exact same thing. The waterpark looks so promising...

Heck, a large number of stock buyers think a $40 stock is automagically better than a $2 stock.

Sigh.

Went last summer, didn't like it. So I went to Holiday World instead and had more fun on the playground than SFKK. True Story!

KI needs to buy Dutchman back!

I was just going to say that.

Agreed on Dutchmen. Great piece of KI history and still are really fun ride.

Wow. I'm just speechless. I mean.....wow.....I just.....wow......

Jackson, who will organize all of his thoughts (And screaming) into a full post when he gathers himself....

The first line is almost EXACTLY what I thought when I first read that title under the new topics area. "Ahhh... What?!... Wow...Wow..."

I agree. When I first saw it I thought "This is a joke, right" But when it finally set in it felt like a punch in the stomach. I was planning on going there this year

Oh wow. This was unexpected, for me at least.