Mark Sharpiro visits SFMM

[sir clinksalot]

Mark Shapiro visited SFMM today and spoke with all employees during a 1 1/2 hour meeting.

According to a poster over at MiceChat (who is a SFMM employee) this is some of what happened.

(FYI, I have no way of confirming any of this)

? Our company needs to have a straight forward relationship, so brutal honesty should be expected from everyone. "Don't take anything personally; it's just business."

? He is not afraid to fail. He has made mistakes in the past, everybody does, but we need to always be looking forward as a company.

? If we create buzz and demand, people will come back to the park

? Roller Coasters have plagued us, into not being recognized as a family oriented company, which we need to change.

? MM is a bit different, we have built a niche as a roller coaster park in the valley, compared to other near by parks, which he does not view as competition, because we are a different style, no one else near by has 17 big coasters.

(Gregg Note: 17??? When one hasn't been open in almost 3 years can you still count it??? Does this mean Flashback will reopen???)

? For 2006 the entire company had 127 million to spend, 88 of which are going to 4 roller coasters for four different parks. Tatsu alone is costing us 21 mill. He does not believe that roller coasters will keep bringing people back year after year. The year that a coaster opens up is a good year, but the next year, it goes back down. To put it in perspective: it would cost 20 million to completely renovate, and the facades and theming, and walkways. For the price of 1 roller coaster, we could of had a once again beautiful park.

? Believes in large corporate sponsors. Papa Johns is already in the works for every six flags park. If he can get Starbucks to do the same he will. And possibly nextel

? This first year, he wants the family atmoshpere to start becoming aparent, so he wants a minimum of 13 characters in every park in the world, at any given time. Meet and greets are very important.

? The second year, we will have the money going to beautification.

? Shows and entertainment are key, and every month he wants a different theme, or large ongoing event. EX: latin festivals, with latin shows. (Texas) Texas heritage month, with cowboys.

? Impressed with the new batman begins stunt show which opened up in Mexico. The same exact show as the one here. The only problem, was there was nobody in the stands selling anything. He thinks that is the perfect time to hit people with consessions, especially water on a hot day.

[GAcoaster]

Very interesting stuff.    Nothing too surprising, except the Starbucks thing.

[sfgadvfreak]

"large corporate sponsers"

O great, it's not long before theres a big Charmane Toilet Paper bear  walking around the bathrooms.

[Nitro1118]

Even if it was made up all of what was said, I love the possibility of them spending so much money into redoing a lot of the park's faults. GADV has done a little of the same, and I would die for GADV to spend so much into rennovating to make it look totally beautiful.

[blazzinmatt]

"large corporate sponsers"

O great, it's not long before theres a big Charmane Toilet Paper bear  walking around the bathrooms.

OMG that was pricless, but oh so true.  :lol:  :lol:

[chilled182]

im going to analyze a bit..

If we create buzz and demand, people will come back to the park

buzz and demand is good.. but how do we create that?  Parks have signature things.. for IOA.. its thier 2 amazing coasters.. and the breath taking theming.  We need to do something like that.  We have great coasters.. we dont need to stop building them.

Roller Coasters have plagued us, into not being recognized as a family oriented company, which we need to change.

but were doing BETTER there.  The coasters bring thrill seekers.. and were working on the family rides.  He didnt say anything new here.

For 2006 the entire company had 127 million to spend, 88 of which are going to 4 roller coasters for four different parks. Tatsu alone is costing us 21 mill. He does not believe that roller coasters will keep bringing people back year after year. The year that a coaster opens up is a good year, but the next year, it goes back down. To put it in perspective: it would cost 20 million to completely renovate, and the facades and theming, and walkways. For the price of 1 roller coaster, we could of had a once again beautiful park.

i agree that it would be fair to spend atleast one year of chain money on improvements for ALL parks.  

Believes in large corporate sponsors. Papa Johns is already in the works for every six flags park. If he can get Starbucks to do the same he will. And possibly nextel

not too crazy about that one.  i hated when mcdonalds was in the park.  i think it ruins the atmosphere..  GADV is my ESCAPE from reality.  I dont want to see common restaurants in the park and chain businessed.  big disagree

This first year, he wants the family atmoshpere to start becoming aparent, so he wants a minimum of 13 characters in every park in the world, at any given time. Meet and greets are very important.

we tried that this year but it didnt last for long.  I hope he will actually enforce this because i feel as though it is good for any park.

The second year, we will have the money going to beautification.

a deffinate need.  good stuff.

Shows and entertainment are key, and every month he wants a different theme, or large ongoing event. EX: latin festivals, with latin shows. (Texas) Texas heritage month, with cowboys.

another idea that failed a fe years ago.  the celebration thing remember?  Man that sucked.

[overlord]

^You have some good points. Where else in the world do you see a "Turkey Time?" No where. The resturants at Six Flags are perfect and we dont need to bring chains inside the park. Maybe their products but not the actual resturants.

[sfgadvfreak]

Nice analysis.  You hit the nail right on the head.  He has some good points, such as buatifacation of the park, interaction between characters and guests, and a few other things, but I disagree with lagre corperations (man i feel like a hippie when I say that) comming into the park, festivals (which I thought was a very good idea but executed very poorly), and the fact to stop adding coasters.  You need to get coasters in the park for the attendance to jump, but at the same time you must beautify the park so those people comming for the new coaster will want to come back the year after, and the year after that.

[chilled182]

yes i would not want to walk down near plaza del carnival and see a sign for EL STARBUCKS  or LA PAPA JOHNS PIZZA.

The products.. fine.  but within the boundaries of the theming in that area.. please!

[sfgadvfreak]

No, Nick!  It's El Papa Jose's Pizza and Il Starbucko.

[overlord]

What we should do is do what they do in disney. We need to get autograph books and have our characters autograph the books for the kids. That was such a thrill for me down in disney. Maybe one day we can get back the old scenery like there wasin the olden days.

[snowboard101]

Very interesting stuff.    Nothing too surprising, except the Starbucks thing.

I just told my dad that and he was not suprised and said that last year outside of gadv they had some starbucks thing on weels and he asked them what it was for and that it was for test marketing for six flags.

I dont remember it but thats what he says.

[chilled182]

I dont think an extra mocha latte with whipped cream on top would go good with a few rides on kingda ka.

Although if they gave it a god name in a cool themed building i cant say i would mind soo much.

[sir clinksalot]

Now I'm not sure if this is the list for SFMM or for all parks.

These are all things that SFMM needs desperately.

After visiting SFGADV and SFOG last year and seeing that they were not only adding coasters, but also other things for families I was impressed.

Unfortunately the last non-coaster rides that SFMM added were Dive Devil and Thrill Shot. Both up-charge attractions.

The last non-upcharge non-coaster ride built at SFMM was Yosemite Sams falls and that was in 1993.

Since then we have added:

1994 - Batman (54")
1997 - Superman (48")
1998 - Riddlers (54")
1999 - Canyon Blaster (Kiddie coaster)
2000 - Goliath (48")
2001 - Deja Vu (54") (didn't operate consistently until 2004)
2002 - X (48")
2003 - Scream (54")
2006 - Tatsu (54")

So in that time really no rides that I would consider "Family" rides. Goliath, X and Superman are all 48" but your kids have to be thrill-seekers. X I wouldn't recommend for ANYBODY under 10.

We have lost, in that time Flashback (SBNO), Sky Ride and had all of our former 42" rides (Colossus, Revolution, Gold Rusher) raised to 48" which also makes the park less family friendly.

As you can see, SFMM needs ALOT of help to become family friendly

[chilled182]

well.. maybe SFMM will make those steps to family friendliness in the next few years.

And maybe GADv will continue its change.. beautify at the same time.. while adding flat rides!

[blazzinmatt]

I think that Great Adventure's biggest change over the next few years will be beautification of the park. During this process of them making the park look better I think there will be small rides added and other minor changes made to the park. I do think that we will get a flat or two that may be family friendly because that is the direction Six Flags is headed in. I can't wait to see what they have in the works for the park over the next few years.

[ChuckR]

I really think Sharpiro was talking about SFMM. I honestly agree with most of what he is saying. I know it sucks that they won't build more coasters but I mean come on, 17 is enough. They really need to start building more family oriented rides and even build more flat rides. I can't judge there theming since I haven't been there, but when I go in March I will see how its like there.

Again, I like his points. Let's just hope he doesn't do anything stupid.

[GAcoaster]

I think a lot of what he is describing is already happening at GA.   The Golden Kingdom, PdC, and the general improvements to buildings, landscaping, walkways, and focus on shows and families have been taking place.

[SilverBullet]

Nextel?!?!? What in the hell would that help a park? Except the money to whore out your park.

[sir clinksalot]

Space Mtn at Disneyland was sponsored by FedEx. I don't see any difference between something like that and Nextel. If it helps pay for stuff I don't see a problem with it.

[chilled182]

this is very true,.. same goes for wdw too.  I think it ruins the illusion that your about to take off into space if you ask me, but i guess i cant be picky.

[GAcoaster]

Space Mtn at Disneyland was sponsored by FedEx. I don't see any difference between something like that and Nextel. If it helps pay for stuff I don't see a problem with it.

The only difference I could see would be having people trying to sell you phones in the park.   FedEx never bothered you to try and ship something while you walked around.  

Cell phone sales people in the mall are worse than any of those picture people at the Front Gate.

[snowboard101]

Haha I hate those camera people lol I know its there job though, but its funny when I go in carrying a camera and they ask me lol