Letter from Cedar Fair

[Milkchan]

I wrote this quick letter to Cedar Fair, there may be some mispelled words or run on sentences, again this was only a 3 minute letter.

 

 

 

 

To whom this may concern:

 

 

 

I was wondering since the purchase of the Paramount's Parks do plan to do anything with a few of your other Cedar Fair parks. Since X flight is being moved to another Cedar Fair, pretty obvious so far that it will be going to Kings Island because there is going to be a $10 million dollar investment in the park, including SOn of Beast improvements and the new thrill ride that park is getting( X flight). DO you plan to do anything else with the other Cedar Fair parks mostly concerning Michigans Adventure. I was hoping X flight would be going to Michigans Adventure it seemed the most logical, but the way its going I most likley I will be wrong. All the Cedar Fair parks before Paramount's purchase has gotten a new coaster in the last 3 years, but not Michigans Adventure. I know that Michigans Adventure added a new restaurant and Grand Rapids, but still nothing really major to make people actually say i rather go to Michigan Adventures than.... I know that the attendance of Michigan Advenutres has go up about 18% since last year, but to keep that attendance up they will need to add new rides. The question that Iam really asking is that do you plan to add anything new to Michigans Adventure over the next 3 years?

 

 

 

Sincerely,

 

Don Jones

 

 

The Response

 

Mr. Jones,

 

 

 

Thank you for your interest in our Cedar Fair amusement parks. We typically operate on a 3-5 year strategy, however, for competitive reasons we only disclose our plans for the current operating season. Some of these plans will be announced in January and February. Unfortunately, I am unable to give you any additional information regarding our capital spending plans for Michigan’s Adventure over the next three years.

 

 

 

Sincerely,

 

 

 

Stacy Frole

 

Director, Investor Relations

 

 

 

Expect releases in Januray and Febuary and obviosly MIA will be getting something for the 3-5 year strategy.

So what are your thoughts on this letter?

[robbalvey]

^ My thoughts? To be brutally honest....I'm actually surprised you got a response at all, and your letter just makes us coaster enthusiasts as a whole look that much worse in the eyes of Cedar Fair. But kudos to them for at least responding.

 

Perhaps you should have spell checked something before you send something to a corporate level member of a company and overall take more than "just 3 minutes to write it." They might have taken you more seriously, and in turn, take coaster enthusiasts more seriously.

 

Letters like this make coaster enthusaists as a whole look like idiots. Thanks.

 

As for what the "announcements" can be? Could be anything as little as investing in more benches and trees to a major ride. That's pretty much how it is every year.

 

If you do some research, each park will usually "announce" something each year, even if it's just infrastructure improvements.

 

So, overall, that letter from Stacy told us nothing we don't already know. And I really urge people to *NOT* send crap like this to the parks. If you want the parks to take coaster enthusiasts seriously at all, and I'm all for people contacting parks and giving some feedback and comments, but the way this letter was presented, this is a perfect example of WHAT NOT TO DO!

 

--Robb

[Homer]

I doubt theme park companies would want "backseat managing" from a coaster enthusiast, especially from a 16 year old that is basically saying "BUILD A COASTER OR ELSE I WILL NEVER VISIT YOUR PARK EVER AGAIN!"

 

A manager at a theme park always has a broader more open mind than an enthusiast and actually knows business. Money doesn't grow on trees you know. Maybe MIA is counting its pennies and waiting patiently, just remember folks, PATIENCE.

 

Again, parks don't want "backseat managing" from enthusiasts. They know darn well what they are doing and if you are not going to visit a park for not adding that "500 foot Intamin looping stand-up wooden coaster", so be it, the park still makes money anyways.

 

Remember, patience is the key along with not being annoying to the managers and higher ups.

[NitroRider]

^LOL what you said.

[Meteornotes]

At least the letter wasn't written in crayon. At least I hope so...

 

dt

[larrygator]

I hope it was written in crayon just so Stacy realizes this was not a functioning adult.

 

For the record, Stacy is quite professional. As a Cedar Fair stockholder, I have written to her in the past both times received a prompt professional response. But of course she can't divulge anything due to insider trading regulations.

[Ryan King]

I hope it was written in crayon just so Stacy realizes this was not a functioning adult.

 

For the record, Stacy is quite professional. As a Cedar Fair stockholder, I have written to her in the past both times received a prompt professional response. But of course she can't divulge anything due to insider trading regulations.

 

Does this mean we can file a formal complaint against him?

[jedimaster1227]

I doubt theme park companies would want "backseat managing" from a coaster enthusiast, especially from a 16 year old that is basically saying "BUILD A COASTER OR ELSE I WILL NEVER VISIT YOUR PARK EVER AGAIN!"

 

As much as this letter could have been one of the worst examples of attempts at backseat management, some major theme parks do listen, even if it is a message that they really don't want to hear.

 

Two examples (and a possible third):

 

1. One word- Figment. Journey into Imagination in Epcot was overhauled, removing its two main characters Figment and the Dreamfinder (I will come back to him in the third point ). The second iteration of the ride was only open for two years before a campaign run by Disney fans (known as the Friends of Figment) struck Disney hard enough to influence their decision to bring the character back in a third version of the ride...

 

2. I personally know the influences that the audience of a park can make. My cousin Stephanie (most of you know her from my Disney TRs) was about 10 years old when she sent in a letter to Disney explaining that it would be nice if the younger children that were too small to ride Splash Mountain could see some of the ride instead of just missing out (even though she could ride, my other cousins were too young at the time, so she was being pretty selfless). Well, about a year later, the tunnel through Splash Mountain (via the WDW Railroad) was opened for a view of Splash Mountain, now available for permanent viewing through the tunnel window. There you go Disney! Complements of Stephanie!

 

3. Coming back to where I left off at point #1, Figment was brought back in an average ride that utilized a less than average budget. The product was a new show with recycled scenes, some completely untouched from what they were in the previous version. Still, in this new version, the Dreamfinder was left out. There are several campaigns and movements working diligently to bring back the Dreamfinder (I know one very personally, but I won't say anything). For all of those people that thought the proclaimed "petifile" to be dead, he made a test return last month in costume, and that is just the beginning...

 

500 foot Intamin looping stand-up wooden coaster

 

Sounds to be both fun and painful. I am picturing the hybrid between the former Son of Beast, Kingda Ka and La Ronde's Cobra. Ouch! I mean yay!

[jarmor]

Lol lol don I know your just 16 but when I was 16 I was a grown man lol...but seriously if I were her I would have just replied with a simple "yes" and called it a day.

[TheStig]

I doubt theme park companies would want "backseat managing" from a coaster enthusiast, especially from a 16 year old that is basically saying "BUILD A COASTER OR ELSE I WILL NEVER VISIT YOUR PARK EVER AGAIN!"

 

As much as this letter could have been one of the worst examples of attempts at backseat management, some major theme parks do listen, even if it is a message that they really don't want to hear.

 

Two examples (and a possible third):

 

1. One word- Figment. Journey into Imagination in Epcot was overhauled, removing its two main characters Figment and the Dreamfinder (I will come back to him in the third point ). The second iteration of the ride was only open for two years before a campaign run by Disney fans (known as the Friends of Figment) struck Disney hard enough to influence their decision to bring the character back in a third version of the ride...

 

2. I personally know the influences that the audience of a park can make. My cousin Stephanie (most of you know her from my Disney TRs) was about 10 years old when she sent in a letter to Disney explaining that it would be nice if the younger children that were too small to ride Splash Mountain could see some of the ride instead of just missing out (even though she could ride, my other cousins were too young at the time, so she was being pretty selfless). Well, about a year later, the tunnel through Splash Mountain (via the WDW Railroad) was opened for a view of Splash Mountain, now available for permanent viewing through the tunnel window. There you go Disney! Complements of Stephanie!

 

3. Coming back to where I left off at point #1, Figment was brought back in an average ride that utilized a less than average budget. The product was a new show with recycled scenes, some completely untouched from what they were in the previous version. Still, in this new version, the Dreamfinder was left out. There are several campaigns and movements working diligently to bring back the Dreamfinder (I know one very personally, but I won't say anything). For all of those people that thought the proclaimed "petifile" to be dead, he made a test return last month in costume, and that is just the beginning...

 

500 foot Intamin looping stand-up wooden coaster

 

Sounds to be both fun and painful. I am picturing the hybrid between the former Son of Beast, Kingda Ka and La Ronde's Cobra. Ouch! I mean yay!

 

We really need to get you to other parks besides Disney...

 

Colin C

[jedimaster1227]

^I have annual passes to Seaworld/Busch Gardens and Universal/IOA too.

 

I just hit Disney the most because most of my friends and family have passes for the parks there, rather than the other parks.

[ginzo]

^ My thoughts? To be brutally honest....I'm actually surprised you got a response at all, and your letter just makes us coaster enthusiasts as a whole look that much worse in the eyes of Cedar Fair. But kudos to them for at least responding.

 

Perhaps you should have spell checked something before you send something to a corporate level member of a company and overall take more than "just 3 minutes to write it." They might have taken you more seriously, and in turn, take coaster enthusiasts more seriously.

 

Letters like this make coaster enthusaists as a whole look like idiots. Thanks.

 

As for what the "announcements" can be? Could be anything as little as investing in more benches and trees to a major ride. That's pretty much how it is every year.

 

If you do some research, each park will usually "announce" something each year, even if it's just infrastructure improvements.

 

So, overall, that letter from Stacy told us nothing we don't already know. And I really urge people to *NOT* send crap like this to the parks. If you want the parks to take coaster enthusiasts seriously at all, and I'm all for people contacting parks and giving some feedback and comments, but the way this letter was presented, this is a perfect example of WHAT NOT TO DO!

 

--Robb

 

This reminds me a of a recent incident at my work. A cohort of mine fired off an illiterate email to our CEO. My coworker thought he was being clever, but all he achieved was make our workgroup look like a bunch of uneducated thugs. The guy was so lost I had to warn him not to send the email in all caps, to the CEO of a $2-billion company.

 

I was wondering since the purchase of the Paramount's Parks do plan to do anything with a few of your other Cedar Fair parks.

 

This isn't even a question! Of course they're going to expand their parks. Did he expect to get a reply detailing Cedar Fair's new "let the parks sit and rot" strategy?

[thefitness]

I know that Michigans Adventure added a new restaurant and Grand Rapids, but still nothing really major to make people actually say i rather go to Michigan Adventures than.... I know that the attendance of Michigan Advenutres has go up about 18% since last year, but to keep that attendance up they will need to add new rides. The question that Iam really asking is that do you plan to add anything new to Michigans Adventure over the next 3 years?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Geez,It's always a good idea to insult a companies product before you try to improve it.

[disneygurlz2s]

OK.... maybe it's just because I am in a real mood today, but I have read this thread twice today and I feel like having my say...

 

I get that the letter/email (whichever it was) was perhaps not the most well-written piece of communication, but I personally think everyone's being a little hard on this KID. My opinion:

 

1) He's a kid. 16. Do some of you remember being 16? Especially you guys? Let's get real here.

 

2) At no point did I read that he was writing to express the feelings or opinions of TPR, ACE or any coaster/theme park enthusiast group. In fact, I don't think he even mentions in exact words being a coaster enthusiast at all. So, near as I can tell, other than posting his letter and response here, he is not in any way aligning himself with any such group, nor does he say that he was writing it to represent "us" here at TPR, etc. To accuse him of giving coaster enthusiasts a bad rap seems a bit over-the-top to me.

 

I know it's important to you to keep TPR respectable and well represented, and with all the crap out there on the internet now, (and as somebody who isn't a kid anymore herself by any stretch of the imagination) I really appreciate that. I have always thought it's great that you hold your members, including and especially the young kids, to a standard of conduct on this website, including appropriate posting, grammar, etc. At the same time however, a lot of the posting I read now seems to be from a lot younger crowd than when I first joined, and sadly (and the internet, all the shorthand, texting etc has gone a long way toward promoting this) the "younger generation" has NO CLUE how to write a proper letter nowdays.

 

I agree it was silly for anyone to write such a letter to Cedar Fair, but I bet they get hundreds and hundreds from kids just like him. However, since near as I can tell he didn't say that he was writing on behalf of Theme Park Review, etc, I don't really see the need to give him so much crap.

 

Just my two cents,

Shari

[robbalvey]

^ I never said that him actually writing the letter was bad. It was the fact that he took about 3 minutes and sounded like it was written by a 3rd grader that was bad.

 

I do believe that I said I'm all for people contacting the parks, and I even said kudos to Cedar Fair for responding, because I'm sure they DO understand that there are a lot of kids that are excited about what new additions are up and coming.

 

But that wasn't the issue, it was how he went about doing it.

 

As for the "does he represent the enthusiast community, TPR, etc" issue...there is NO WAY that someone outside the "enthusiast community" would know anything about "X-Flight being moved to PKI", "Improvements to Son Of Beast", "Paramount Parks bought by Cedar Fair", etc, etc... That letter screams "I'm a coaster enthusiast." And from my day-to-day experience, when we get letters about video games, you KNOW which people are member of the "mass public" or someone who's part of a "gamer community." This is no different.

 

I know from my inside sources that parks do look at many coaster enthusiasts as being "annoying", and a letter like this doesn't help. So Shari, please understand that when I'm giving this kid a hard time, there is a REASON for it. I don't just go around shouting and people because I think it's fun to do.

 

And you're right, there are a lot more "kids" here than when we first opened the forum. And I much as I hate to say it, it's really become a problem for us. Because it would seem today at the majority of the kids can't be bothered to take the time to write legibly, and when I see an example like this, what is wrong with giving the kid some constructive criticism so he'll improve?

 

And this "kid" really isn't a "kid." He's 16 years old. Which if I remember is a sophomore in High School. So that means with 10+ years in school he hasn't learned about spell checking, proofreading, etc?

 

As for remembering when I was 16? OMG, are you kidding? Just think back to your school days and how different things would have been if computers and the internet were as advanced as they are now.

 

If I had a "spell checker" at my disposal as easily as it is now, I would have been able to write 100 times better and faster! And the fact that there are also grammar checkers, thesauruses, dictionaries, encyclopedias, that are available in a matter of SECONDS when writing a letter or posting to the internet there is just simply *NO EXCUSE* for the crap I read from some of our younger readers. You have to agree with me on that!

 

And overall, the point really is.....no matter who you are, no matter who you're sending it to, if you're going to send a letter and want people to take you seriously, spend some time to write the letter, and do a basic spelling & grammar check.

 

--Robb "I hate having to be mean, but it just seems like some kids seem to think it's perfectly ok to write like crap, and it's just NOT!" Alvey

[TexTitan01]

I'm sorry us young people are so horrible...

 

I can understand where everyone comes from on this, and I can understand the writers reason for sending in the letter. However I dont want to come in and bash the kid for trying to take action and get a view into the future. Yes I think it's bad that he wrote it in 3 minutes, but I'm sure are are other younger kids who spent less time with less inteligence who have written in a letter asking:

"ZOMG WHEN IS TEH NEXT BIG COASTER LOL PUT A LOOP ON THE BIG WOOD ONE!!!"

 

My point is that although it was a bit of a bad move to spend so little time on a letter, and maybe give off a bad rep for coaster enthusiasts, in reality, the PR (i think her name was Stacey) probably didnt think much of it. Just fill out a quick response and be done with it. I've written letters to companies before (i.e. Gravity Group & Premier) and only gotten like 1 paragraph answers -however I put some actual consideration into my letters-. So I think It's a common thing for amusement industry companies to write short answers and move along with their day.

 

My advice to our concerned enthusiast friends- Chill, Unless he caught her on a really bad day, I doubt she will eternally hate coaster enthusiasts. Besides, we make sure she gets money, she cant hate us!

 

My advice to our MIA fanboy (whom I have yet to hear from since he started the topic)- Dont worry about it, just take care to put a little more thought into your letter, remember its going to someone who can control where the amusement industry goes!

 

Just trying to shine a little light on the subject, hope I didnt offend anyone

[robbalvey]

^ You're totally missing my point....which I've tried to make several times, but I will say it again....

 

The issue wasn't that he sent the letter, it was how he went about doing it.

 

And I never said young people were "horrible" - you're putting words into my mouth in an effort to strengthen your perspective.

 

But lately, when the majority of the posts I have to edit or delete are from people ages 12 to 17, you NEED to say something about it!

 

I've said it over and over....I think we have some GREAT younger members here, and I would hope that they continue to be an example.

 

--Robb

[SharkTums]

Fine, you don't want us to blame the young people...I'll go ahead and go to the next step and blame their parents!

 

When I was 'a kid' my parents would never let me send a 'letter I worked 3 minutes on' to a major company of something I was really interested in. They would use my interest in something to teach me a lesson! Proper letter writing is important, as is correct spelling and grammar.

 

I don't think it's appropriate to spend 3 minutes on something that you want a valid response to. It doesn't matter if other kids are sending worse letters...if you're an enthusiast you should at least know better! You should have known not even to bother sending a letter like that, but if you still wanted to you should have at least spent some time on it!

[DATman]

I'm 15, and I know how to use grammar (most of the time). Like Robb has been saying, it's great that he's taking the initiative to do something about his opinion.

 

It's just that he did not think it through thoroughly enough. I mean, there were enough grammar mistakes in that to make me wonder if he's actually 16 (now, that's just based on his grammar. I'm sure he's not lying, I just find it odd that someone who is either a sophmore or junior in high school could say "has go up" or make so many tyopos in a letter to a billion dollar cooperation).

 

I didn't enjoy reading this letter, as he didn't even use the paragraph correctly. He could've easily separated a bunch of his thoughts into separate paragraphs and gone into much better detail as to why he feels the way he does.

 

I don't see CF taking this as a representation of the enthusiasts as a whole because they know some of us, and would therefore see that there are some very intelligent people in these little online communities.

 

^^^^^I know how to write a letter. In fact, many of us have been assigned to write letters to political figures and such. So I'd appreciate it if you didn't generalize people my age like that. I'm not attacking you, it's just I felt that you aren't giving us as much of a chance as we deserve.

[robbalvey]

I'd appreciate it if you didn't generalize people my age like that. I'm not attacking you, it's just I felt that you aren't giving us as much of a chance as we deserve.

Dude, you're one of our better writers for your age, and I appreciate that. And I never say *ALL* of our younger members, I always say *some* of them. You've been on the site for quite a while, and you have to see the same things we're seeing.

 

Tell me a better way to say it, and I will.

 

And thanks for understanding the point we were trying to make regarding the letter.

 

--Robb

[DATman]

^Oh, I meant the post above yours, not what you said. Beileve me, most of the points you made were perfectly valid, seeing some of what's been posted lately.

[TexTitan01]

 

The issue wasn't that he sent the letter, it was how he went about doing it.

 

 

I know, err... I think I know. What I was trying to say was how he went about writing the letter really kind of sucked, but it probably didnt have as much of an impact as some people who commented probably think. Also I wasnt really trying to put words in your mouth to strengthen my perspective, as I have no perspective. I was just trying to offer advice to both sides so as we dont have this big slam everytime someone says "I wrote a letter to a company I'm interested in and I didnt put 100% effort into it!"

 

Fine, you don't want us to blame the young people...I'll go ahead and go to the next step and blame their parents!

 

Good! I honestly think some of the young & immature (note I said immature, there are probably plenty of young mature kids out there who can handle all this) kids who are on here (ages 12-14) really may be getting a bit overexposed on here. I know its probably not as bad as I seem to be making it out to be, but there are times when I read a thread and think "Oh dear there are probably kids reading this!" And if the parents dont care, and let the kids log on and mess around when they're that age? Thats a problem.

 

Look, all I'm trying to say is that young people, for the majority, dont take as much care in doing things as do adults, they/we havent been able to grow up and do the whole life lessons thing yet. Yes there is a fairly large margin that DO take care and have responsibility in their lives and actions, Geez I hope I fall under that group of people; I just think that there shouldnt be a grand outcry everytime someone slips up in doing something. There's a time to be viciously honest and critical, and there's also a time to be proactive and offer constructive criticism. I hope everyone here would think to follow the latter whenever they can...

 

So, how many people are gonna be pissed at me this time around?

[65skylark]

^^DATman, I'm sure Robb new which post you were responding to. You are one of the better young posters on this site, unfortunately the bad ones outnumber the good ones at least 3 to 1.

 

I'm 32, and I'm sure that probably seems old to a lot of the younger members on this site, but I can clearly remember what it was like being sixteen years old and a junior in high school. If I were to write a serious letter to anyone at that age I doubt you would be able to tell the difference between it and a letter I would write today. The letter we are talking about in this thread looks to be written by a 4th to 6th grader.

 

Justin "not trying to "bash" anyone, just stating the truth" Saxe.

[coaster05]

Let me begin by saying that I am currently a sixth grade teacher and that letter would not even be close to the standards I set for my students. There is casual internet typing that has a small amount of typos as I am sure this post will also have. Then there is writing a letter to a person who has a job in the industry. If you don't care enough to proofread your letter, why should they care enough to give you more than a "canned answer".

 

Disneygurlz2 I disagree. Somehow milkchan wants to be noticed for this or he would have kept the letter his personal business. Once he copied it and put it on the internet he opened himself up for other opinions, good or bad. I don't think we have to remember he is only 16 since the rules of capitialization were taught in the first or second grade.

 

I have to say I totally see Robb's point and the supposed attitude is probably just weeks of built up frustration. I mean how many places on this site do they need to post, "follow the basic rules of grammar". In my opinion it is disrespectful to all the other great members who take the time to make sure their post is mostly correct. As far as the members who don't think it is a big deal then maybe this is not the site for you. I mean there are millions of forums to type on so try those if the rules here are too constricting for your "rebel like ways".

 

Bottom line if you make a foolish post be prepared to be treated like a fool.

[Swoosh]

As a teacher, I am horrified by the grammar, or lack thereof, in that letter. However, as many of you have pointed out, children today do not know how to compose a formal letter. The age of internet has became a toxin where shorthand has become the norm. You should see some of the papers that my students have turned in -- granted I am not the English teacher, I teach band and a general music course -- some of those papers have AIM shorthand. *sigh* What has this world come to?

 

I do applaud Stacey (who happens to be a very nice lady) on giving the letter the time of day. I know several people within the chain that wouldn't have even bothered replying.