Archive: November, 2005

Jeff, Mike and Pat ramble on about Six Flags vs. Red Zone. On this slow news week, we offer our stream of thoughts on the take-over of Six Flags.

Jeff, Mike, Rob, Pat, Scott and Greg review this week's news in the amusement industry. It's a super-sized, action-packed hour-long episode!

• Special guest Will Koch from Holiday World and Splashin' Safari reveals an important change in The Voyage, the new coaster the park is building for the 2006 season.
• Atlanta gets a new aquarium downtown.
• Geauga Lake scales back its water park expansion and its season. Is the park still on the right track under Cedar Fair ownership?
• Child deaths on Disney properties attributed to pre-existing conditions. The panel explores hype and the Disney microscope.
• What's a CoasterBuzz Podcast without talk of the Six Flags vs. Red Zone battle?
• Euro Disney: Still losing money.
• Universal Orlando posts a decline in revenue and attendance, but it's a special place for many of us.
• Six Flags Magic Mountain announces Tatsu, the B&M flyer, and they've got our attention.
• Stratosphere ride strands tourists in a power outage. Why does this even happen?

Jeff, Scott and Pat review this week's news in the amusement industry.

• Shamu gets an image makeover. Does the whale still sell?
• A steel fabricator in Southern Ohio is featured in a TV documentary for its manufacturing of B&M roller coasters.
• Six Flags seeks final bids and encourages investors to allow sale of the company. We again ponder the fate of the parks. Also, an insignificant shareholder endorses the Red Zone plan for Six Flags.
• Two new indoor water park resorts are opening. Are these high-value attractions for families?
• RollerCoaster Tycoon software developer sues Atari for unpaid royalties. Scott and Jeff give him the "killer app" salute.
• Cedar Point and Geauga Lake hire a new ad agency. Pat talks about the message for Geauga Lake as seen in Pittsburgh.

Jeff, Mike, Greg and Pat review the news in the amusement industry.

• Cedar Point announces Skyhawk, as well as reduced pricing for next season.
• Cedar Fair revenue, per cap spending and attendance is up. Are people over-reacting to two years of decline in attendance at Cedar Point?
• Six Flags posts boost to quarterly revenue, as well as first three quarters.
• Snyder says it's a bad time to sell the company. Jeff goes on a rant about the relative stupidity of the execs at Six Flags as well as Snyder's people.
• Liberty Land closes, Joyland gets a new lease on life with new mystery owners.
• The podcast crew goes off-topic a bit to talk about geek tech among enthusiasts.

We're pleased to present this special episode of the CoasterBuzz Podcast featuring Cedar Fair, LP CEO, President and Chairman, Dick Kinzel. Recorded before a live audience at the Red Garter Saloon at Cedar Point on closing day, October 30.

In this video version of our October 31 podcast, Jeff and Mike discuss the week's amusement industry headlines from Cedar Point's Lighthouse Point.

This video clip requires QuickTime 7, which is also included in iTunes 6.