TEA ERA 3/27/07 9:51 AM Page XVI
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Notes: Selected Parks
Legoland California, summer show, a new festival and a new Santa Cruz Boardwalk,
Carlsbad, CA, USA
million-dollar Christmas show resulting in
Santa Cruz, CA, USA
2006 Attendance: 1,660,000
strong attendance for all time periods. At
2006 Attendance: 3,000,000 (est.)
Change: up 16.1%
Splash Country, the addition of Firetower
Change: Flat; similar to 2005
It was a record year for Legoland
Falls was a good marketing hook for
Because the well-known amusement pier
California, which enjoyed a very strong
tweens. Cumulatively, the additions over
has no gate, it is not included in the Top
reception of its new interactive Pirate-
the past three years (Big Bear Plunge,
20 list. The venue has begun Spanish-
themed attraction (Pirate Shores), an area
Bear Mountain Firetower and Firetower
language and Internet marketing, and has
of interactive water games and rides. A
Falls) continued the attendance increase.
a new restaurant and new ride, Wipe Out.
pleasant, warm summer season also
Lagoon,
The area had a wet spring but weather in
helped drive the strong attendance.
Farmington, UT, USA
the summer was excellent.
Merlin Entertainments acquired all four
Legoland parks in 2005 and has been
2006 Attendance: 1,200,000
actively expanding and improving the
Change: up 4.2%
Other Large Chain Operators
property. A new expansion of Miniland
Up from the previous year’s 1.15 million,
opening in March 2007 will be the largest
despite no significant marketing. There
Ripley’s Entertainment
such in Lego history. It features a
were some additions to children’s rides.
Ripley’s Entertainment exceeded atten-
miniature version of the Las Vegas Strip.
Cypress Gardens,
dance expectations for 2006 with a
The park will spend $3 million on
record-high 13 million visitors to its
improvements in 2007, including the
Winter Haven, FL, USA
family of worldwide attractions, which
Miniland expansion and the construction
2006 Attendance: 1,400,000
would rank them as no. 8 on the Top 10
of a new ride at Pirate Shores set to open
Change: Flat
list among major theme park operators.
in May. The new investment comes on the
The area suffered a very wet January and
heels of $10 million spent last year for
February but had optimal weather from
Currently with 60 attractions in 10
construction of Pirate Shores.
March through July for the first full
countries worldwide, Ripley’s Entertain-
season of the new Splash Island
ment has expansion plans in place for
Kennywood,
Waterpark. No price changes were
2007 that will bring the number of
attractions to 64 in 11 countries. The
West Mifflin, PA, USA
implemented. A new Starliner coaster
entertainment company will be opening
2006 Attendance: 1,240,000
opens in June 2007; also in spring 2007
opens Bugsville Children’s Area, with 13
Ripley’s Believe It or Not! on 42nd Street
Change: up 3.3%
rides and shows and a four-story
in New York City and Bangalore, India
Strong attendance in September and
interactive play structure.
within the next year. Ripley’s opened
October. The park added a new slingshot
Great Wolf Lodge in Niagara Falls, Canada
ride, and expanded its marketing into
Wild Adventures, in 2006, marking the company’s first
Cleveland. There were no price changes,
Valdosta, GA, USA venture into the hospitality industry.
but admission is set to go up in 2007.
2006 Attendance: 1,475,000
Change: Flat
Palace Entertainment
Silver Dollar City,
A strong first half of the year did not carry
Palace Entertainment is one of the largest
Branson, MO, USA
through due to the lack of new attractions
family entertainment center and water-
2006 Attendance: 2,050,000
and a limited concert line-up. The venue is
park operators in the US, with 32 facilities
Change: up 7.3% adding a new amphitheater for 2007 with
and over 10 million visitors annually.
The park benefited from the opening of a bigger stage and larger seating capacity,
Palace Entertainment waterparks include;
the Grand Exposition, a kid-oriented new which is accompanied by a much
Wet ‘N’Wild, Raging Waters, Splish Splash,
ride development, and from new festival improved concert schedule for 2007
Big Kahuna’s, Water Country, Mountain
elements.
Creek and Wild Waters. Palace Entertain-
Non-Gated, Pay-As-You-Go Parks
ment also owns Boomers, Castle Park,
Dollywood, Silver Springs, Malibu Grand Prix,
Pigeon Forge, TN, USA
Adventuredome at Circus Circus,
Mountasia, and Speedzone family
2006 Attendance: 2,410,000
Las Vegas, NV, USA
entertainment parks in CA, TX, FL, GA, and
Change: up 2.1%
2006 Attendance: 4,200,000 (esti- NY. Established in 1998 after the initial
It was a record season for Dollywood
mate) Change: down -6.7% acquisition of four independently owned
(2.41 million) and Splash Country (0.4
There were no price changes and no new family entertainment companies, Palace
million). There was a favorable weather
rides. With the Wet’N’Wild waterpark in Entertainment continues to consolidate
pattern with less rain and warm tempera-
Las Vegas having closed, Adventuredome, the fragmented family entertainment
tures during the peak season, and mild
the top attraction at the Circus Circus industry and recently announced the
temperatures through the fall and
hotel/casino, is now the only children’s acquisition of Waterworld USA Cal Expo
Christmas. Timber Tower and Timber
park in Vegas. The downturn in atten- from Six Flags.
Canyon were successful, providing
dance is attributed to high gas prices
publicity opportunities. These successes
(75% of customers drive in from Califor-
combined with a new award-winning
nia) and heavy construction on the I-15
freeway.
XVI © 2007 TEA and ERA APRIL 2007
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