I think Valleyfair has a good niche and I think cedar fair notices this. Why drop a lot of money when the park is doing fine with cheaper events and additions? From a purely corporate perspective, I think if a park like valleyfair is able to easily get by with the occasional 100k investment into an event compared to a 10 million dollar roller coaster, why even bother?
I think the biggest shock to me was the removal of haunt. Valleyfair seems to have a very kid-gloves approach to security now as compared to when I started my time working at the park, and I think that contributed to the removal of haunt. Good security is expensive, and sometimes events like the 2018 fight night at haunt can give valleyfair bad PR. Even so, third party security contractors can make things worse and I genuinely believe the temporary agencies that were hired in during the 2018-2019 seasons did more harm than good during haunt.
Looking at the security guards most of them don't have much outside of a radio, body cam, and maybe pepper spray. This is a pretty stark difference to how they were equipped and would deal with situations in 2014-2017. I think a lot more is handled by Shakopee PD and Scott Co Sheriff's Office as they have officers patrolling the park as well. I could certainly see Valleyfair raising prices to keep trouble makers out similar to what Six Flags and Knotts has done.
This isn't to say valleyfair isnt making things happen though. The park i started working at in 2014 and the park I left in 2021 when I ended my time there is a night and day difference. I started at a park that was disorganized and had a very mom-and-pop feel, and now it feels like valleyfair is an organized corporate business. I'm still holding out hope that haunt will return given the negative feedback that decision made and that we will hopefully get something new.
I do think the marketing "false teases" are annoying and the dead horse has been beaten enough. This is my sole opinion and no one elses. Not trying to represent anyone or any company.