Articles tagged “theme parks”

SeaWorld brought in a lot of fresh new leaders when the company was looking for ways to recover from the Blackfish effect. After years of flailing, the operator is turning to the old guard for ideas — at least for now.

This was probably inevitable. Joel Manby tried to turn the company around, but his efforts failed to do the trick. Executives say they plan to continue his strategies, but we wonder how much will change once a permanent new CEO is named.

Six Flags had a good year, but a look at the bottom line shows a benefit from tax reform and lower compensation expense. The company is focusing on improving its underlying business, and keeping profitable parks open year-round is likely to help.

Disney's Hollywood Studios has been a construction site for years now, which can be off-putting to guests. Some will visit for the new Toy Story-themed land this year, but we expect the biggest crowds to appear in 2019 for the Star Wars expansion.

Disneyland Paris got a boost from its 25th anniversary activities in 2017; will the momentum continue?

Disney's $4 billion purchase of Lucasfilm and the Star Wars franchise five years ago is the deal that keeps on giving — and costing, given all the additional investment in store. The entertainment giant clearly sees a future full of big returns on that investment.

SeaWorld has not been able to turn its attendance slide around, and back-to-back hurricanes didn't help. But executives hope to address deeper perception issues — the buzz phrase that's been around for years now — with a new ad campaign.

There's not much theme park development in the United States, so growth has to come from somewhere. Six Flags sees a lot of potential in China and other destinations around the world.

It makes sense to keep a theme park open year-round in a tourist-rich place where winter weather doesn't keep people away. The only question is: What took Six Flags so long to make this decision?

From water parks to overseas investment, theme park operators are coming up with new ways to grow their business. One common thread: Find brands that have a built-in customer base and use them to attract new visitors.