How's Celebration City Doing?

shavethewhales · September 12, 2007, 08:02:09 PM

Since it's inception, Celebration City has been kind of a slight failure for the Herschends. The park itself is fantastic, but on the business side of things, the park failed to pull in much of a profit from 2003-2006, and during the first two years SDC's own gate was cannibalized by CC as some visitors decided they had to chose between the two parks rather than accept the two-park deal SDC had envisioned as being a success.

Even now that SDC's attendance is back on the rise again, CC hasn't apparently been doing much better. Last I heard during last season, the park was running a low, flat profit, not making much more than it's operating costs.

Several attempts to 'fix' the park have been made, but only a few bare any promise of helping CC become much of a success. CC has long abandoned it's original purpose of truly being a nighttime theme park in favor of attraction younger families which are prolific in Branson, but may not have deep enough pockets for SDC. Indeed, CC has almost become a poor man's SDC. They even tried an experiment last summer, where they lowered the price for a day pass to about $20, but that has since changed back.

So has the park gotten better yet? Did their profits go up this season? Unfortunately, they haven't participated in any of the online attendance-releases, so one can't really know how well they are doing except by word of mouth.

Hope remains though, as the park is steadily working to improve itself. Starting out is tough, especially when the situation is as picky as this one. General improvements and atmospheric additions have been a major thing so far, with the addition of new shows, the Circus Gardens, and a new marketing strategy. I expect to see the park focus almost entirely on young families for the next several season, possibly taking out some larger rides to do so. It won't stay like that forever though, as general progress in Branson is bringing exponential increases in visitors, so much so that eventually CC won't have to worry so much about competing with SDC anymore and can go back to it's original purpose.

Coaster · September 12, 2007, 08:07:58 PM

So you think the companies were competing against themselves when they opened CC?

shavethewhales · September 12, 2007, 08:09:47 PM

The Herschends did receive a backfire initially, which was everyone's worry, but it's since then stabilized. It's hard to say how much of a backfire it was though, as the 2003 season was a tough one all around. I mean, pretty much every park dropped in attendance.

Coaster · September 12, 2007, 08:12:14 PM

Yeah, the addition of PK to SDC sure did help SDC's attendance. Ozark Wildcat was at CC in '03 wasn't it?

shavethewhales · September 12, 2007, 08:19:07 PM

Yes, OzCat was the only reason CC didn't fail miserably from the start. I mean, I wouldn't have gone without it. If they only had another headlining attraction, they'd be much better off. As it is, that probably won't happen until SDC gets their next headliner, and if that happens in 2009, we won't see anything big at CC until 2010-11 at the earliest. Until then I expect to see the park swamped with family-friendly ventures.

Coaster · September 12, 2007, 08:20:35 PM

What if the Herschends focused on Branson in 2009? They could add the much awaited woodie to SDC and another headliner attraction at CC. Would they do that?

shavethewhales · September 12, 2007, 08:22:53 PM

Probably not. Like two parties in a presidential race, you don't want to have the crowds split. Remember, one of the reasons CC hasn't been a bigger success is that people have decided to choose one park, rather than both due to costs, time, or whatever. That makes it all the more probable that CC will not only have to wait till after SDC gets it's turn, but even longer so that the glory fades a little for CC to be able to shine clearly.

Coaster · September 12, 2007, 08:26:48 PM

Good point. Your smart Steve. You'd make a good business man. Haha.

Copper · September 13, 2007, 12:17:16 AM

You are right Steve. The whole reason Pete Herschend wanted the board to purchase Branson USA was to stop competitor parks from purchasing the property and cannibalizing on Silver Dollar City's attendance and now there own park is doing that. I have heard several rumors about the property. I like the thought of turning CC into White Water, it would be a park like their former WW Atlanta; it would be a profitable idea. I did read in another post that HFE purchased the Red Roof Mall, I have heard people say they should do this, but I haven't heard that the actually did. It would be an odd purchase. After all HFE doesn't own the property WW sits on they only lease the land.

shavethewhales · September 13, 2007, 07:52:26 AM

^Hmmm, I wouldn't have thought that HFEC would lease land for something that large, so I also would expect them to move the park, or at least buy the land.

I dunno about turning CC into White Water though. Afterall, they spent over $40 million on the park thus far, I kinda want to see it succed as a park in some way. Maybe if they turned the larger portion of it into WW, and left a few things like OzCat behind for a small trolley-park to accompany it, just like at Wyandot Lake.

Joy · September 13, 2007, 08:42:20 AM

Aren't they also on a 99-year lease for Marvel Cave?

That'd be an interesting idea to turn CC into WW with a few things left behind. That'd be neat.

~ "Becky" Joy ~

Copper · September 13, 2007, 01:28:16 PM

I guess my thought was to theme WW at CC Coney Island style circa 1910-1920. In no way would they use the Coney Island name, I wouldn't want that; it would only be the themeing they would use.

Create a better boardwalk area and keep the Wildcat, Farris Wheel and certain other rides. The space shot ride could look like a diving horse show ect... The area where they present the fireworks show could be transformed into a kick ass wave pool, with waterfalls and all.

sdcfan17 · September 13, 2007, 07:07:16 PM

hey guys thi is a random question but is there a "b" and "b" ride company??

shavethewhales · September 13, 2007, 09:25:13 PM

^None that I can think of right away. There is a company called B&M however, whom are famous for Wildfire and Batman: The Ride.

I could really spring for a boardwalk, I just don't see it happening in forever. With WW and CC pretty well established, it would be terribly costly to move them in together. Besides, think of the infrastructure that would have to be taken care of at the old site and built at the new site.

I expect to see CC go on struggling and limping, trying to find its niche', for another decade or so. Maybe we'll see a cheap coaster here and a mildly good flat there, but I can't see much happening unless things start to really pick up for the park. After all, look what happened this year: they bought a highly used, rusted-out Wisdom Tornado. They don't exactly seem keen on investing in big rides or much right now, not even in shows (the new stages were pretty cheap). As long as they can get away with cheap gimmicks, I think we'll be bombarded with them until they can figure something out. Sigh...

Tom · September 15, 2007, 11:46:31 PM

Hopefully, I'm doing this right (first time). I went to CC the second year it opened but returned this August. I hated CC the first time. This time, though, I was really happy with the sea lion show, parrots, veggietale (at least my 4 year old loved it), and legoland. I think that shows and other one year events could be the secret to success for the park.
A few folks mentioned that families are CC target audience. I totally agree. Expanding on this, though: If CC would bring in some mid-level Christian rock bands- make it a series of Thursday Night shows, they could youth ministers pack that park out. The Christian community totally trust SDC and CC and want to make them prosper. CC has offered nothing except the dinking Family Praise day that coming up on OCT 20. C'mon!!!!!! There are families and youth wanting to spend time together in Branson and money to be made. CC needs to seal the deal.