RCF said:
It seems to me that UC has it right. Quality over quantity works 99.99% of the time. That other .01 percent are those people who think more rides= better park (s15c). Whilst having the most coasters is a big title, it really (at least in my mind) sort of a cheap gimmick to bring people into a park. Yes I'm sure Magic Mountain is a fantastic park already, but the fact that they have the title, "Amusement park with the most roller coasters" it'll bring a lot more people in.
Look at it from the GP's POV. If you're planning a trip to go to any amusement park, which one would you choose? A small, yet quality park such as Knoebels? Or the park with the most roller coasters, Magic Mountain/Cedar Point (time not of the essence)? Naturally you'd choose the park with the bigger, and most, rides. Half the rides could suck, and people will continue to be brought in because of the coaster title.
That theory is really based on location though. A family won't go halfway across the country to go to the park with the most rides unless it has something ELSE to offer. That would just be dumb, quality wins 100% of the time. The best park I ever have been to hasn't added a new REAL coaster, since what, 2005? (SFGAm) and that park is just amazing. It has everything, which 99.999999% of people look for when planning a trip. Sorry, but that mentality that people go only for coasters is wrong.
s15c
Why do you honestly think Disney has the type of crowds they do? Two things. One, history. They are historically known as being great in every aspect for the families. When you go to a Disney park, besides DCA until now, you literally feel like you are in a magical world. If I go to SFMM, CP, WoF, etc. it feels like I am just in a park, or concrete park, not a different "world" so to say. Secondly, its called the mouse. You know, the most iconic cartoon character in the world. Kids don't look at Snoopy and go ape <img> like they do for Mickey. Its a global brand, and thats why people make the effort to go to Disney more than other places.
When Disney does do coasters, they DO COASTERS. There are no parking lots, no graffiti, no bottles in plants etc. They theme it to the nth degree, excluding DCA again. You get thrown into the story, not walk by it as if its something to look at if the line is long. They get away with 1-4 coasters per park, because guess what, they don't need more. They hit capacity a lot, and they offer so much more than coasters.
For enthusiasts, yeah we WANT more coasters, but you know what, as enthusiasts, WE DON'T bring them the money. We have passes, back our own lunches, get free cups of water, MAYBE buy an occasional shirt, but thats it. Families buy multi day tickets, spend tons of money on food, gifts for relatives, they make the trip be memorable by the <img> they bring home, what do we make it memorable by? Were the credits worth it.
So it is 100% quality over quantity. I would much rather see rides with a story, theme, then another parking lot coaster, or, since Mean Streak constantly gets brought up, a new wooden coaster to replace it, because 90% of the people who don't come yearly, or care, will think its the same ride since its wood. I.E. Terminator.
