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4 comments:
The problem is not opening rides late, it's announcing it will open early and then opening late; they have avoided that by announcing a late opening date. And why are we critical about Six Flags opening a ride up a few months after park opening while a smaller fan favorite park in central Pennsylvania promised a still under construction ride would open a whole year ago?
I don't have the time to look up Mark Shapiro's quote... but it was along the lines that new rides would be open when the park *first* opens for the year.
I think it's a good move to not say that they'll open early and then open them late ... but he's still no doing what he said.
The reason I enjoy bringing that up is that Shapiro (IMO) at that time didn't have the amusement industry experience to make claims like that. I think he's finding out that when all the variables come together you have to really work it to get a ride open at the start of the season.
As far as Knoebels goes ... they're building a ride the world hasn't seen in decades and decades - I'll cut them some slack any day.
A little slack is one thing, but a year of slack is another. We didn't let the fact that Chiller was a new application of linear induction technology stop us from calling Six Flags out on opening that ride a year late. Outside of our enthusiast community, families planned expensive vacations last year with potentially the expectation that they would be riding the new ride. I don't know that this demographic is as willing to forgive as the enthusiast community. Sometimes we need to remember that we (enthusiasts) aren't the coveted piece of the pie in terms of target demographic.
I hear you on the point that Shapiro perhaps was short sighted in suggesting there would be no construction delays, as all parks are subject to delays. Disney learned to announce conservative opening dates and instead offer soft openings. This might be something they should look at. Outside of this, I think Shapiro is doing an excellent job.
You make several great points. I suppose there's always the other end of the spectrum though - I know a family from work that stays and camps at Knoebels each year and has been bummed that Flying Turns hasn't opened but could care less because they love all the other rides.
But I couldn't agree with you more on the enthusiast remarks - it irks me when enthusiasts "expect" stuff from the parks ... I think they should be very happy they get as much as they do from them.
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