US theme park chain Cedar Fair Entertainment has announced its plans for the 2022 operating season across all of its properties in the US and Canada.
These include a new themed area at Kings Dominion in Virginia, the reopening of two newly refurbished resort properties at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, and the 50th anniversary celebration at Kings Island in Mason, Ohio. In addition, Cedar Fair plans to introduce several new and upgraded dining venues and to expand its popular festival and event calendars to include something for everyone in the family throughout the year.
“As we’ve seen across all our parks this summer, consumers are hungry for more, and with season passes now on sale for 2022, we are ready to satisfy their growing appetites for entertainment and family fun.”
“We’re in the business of making people happy, and we are actively investing in our parks to help us deliver the type of fun, immersive experiences that our guests crave and our associates love to provide,” said Cedar Fair president and CEO Richard A. Zimmerman. “Based on positive recent trends and our renewed confidence in the recovery of the business, we now plan to invest between $175-$200 million for the 2022 season to improve the guest experience at our parks. These investments include ongoing renovations at the Castaway Bay and Sawmill Creek resort properties at Cedar Point, as well as the addition of new rides, attractions and guest amenities across our parks in the US and Canada.”
Zimmerman said consumer research continues to reinforce the significance of food and beverage (F&B) and the high-quality menu options Cedar Fair parks offer as essential components of delivering a memorable park experience. As such, the company is investing aggressively for the 2022 season as part of the next phase of significant development in its F&B line-up. Under this plan, Cedar Fair is upgrading and expanding F&B facilities across its portfolio, with new chef-inspired restaurants opening at several parks.
The focus is on providing signature menu and beverage items that tap into consumers’ interest for unique flavours and experiences they can’t find anywhere else. In 2021, Cedar Fair has added approximately 20 chefs to its park teams to accommodate the continued growth in its culinary program. In addition, these capital investments will improve the capabilities, technologies and efficiencies of the parks’ food preparation and delivery systems.