by Michael Hunter

Created on: June 08, 2009   Last Updated: June 09, 2009

In our current economy we all need a break at some point, and a popular choice for many are amusement parks. But despite our need to have fun and get away from the stress, the economy and recession is having an impact on amusement parks as well. While we take our vacation, we (sometimes inadvertently) often alter our spending in the parks to save money, and this is a major problem that parks are trying to tackle. Some parks are having a visibly rough time, while others are taking it in stride, not seeming to have missed a beat. Let's take a look at Six Flags, Cedar Fair, and Disney to see how they are handling the recession and the different spending habits of consumers.

Six Flags, once the giant of the amusement industry with more than 20 parks, is now about $2 billion dollars in debt. While the debt situation is actually the result of massive expansion and spending in the late 90s and early 2000s, it has a large bearing on how the company is currently operating. The entire chain has seen a change in operating philosophy and how capital improvements are made, and in large part in an effort to tackle the huge debt load. While parks still receive a new thrill ride every now and then (like Terminator at Six Flags Magic Mountain this year), spending has been and will be largely focused on families instead of thrill seeking teens and young adults. The family market is generally seen as the most profitable audience, as young kids like to play games, eat lots of sugary snacks, and get souvenirs. This rather stark change of focus has seemed to been effective so far, and I expect it to continue to be effective.

While Six Flags has really concentrated on families, they have also been pushing their value proposition, which has generally always been viewed rather favorably. You can buy a season pass for about the same price as two single day tickets at the parks, and that season pass will get you into all of the Six Flags parks across the U.S. At that low of a price, you don't even need to travel to get the lowest value out of your pass if you just visit your closest park two or three times. This is a very popular choice for a lot of people, with Six Flags parks close to most every major metro area across the country. However, don't let the low price of a season pass fool you. You will still find prices for food and merchandise to be high inside the parks, as well as a rather steep parking price of $15!

At Cedar Fair parks around the U.S. things are a little different.

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