The Great Nor’easter 2019

Surveys have been taken - by direct email to every ACE member who has interest in and/or requests information about the New England Region. (while I have 309 New England members in the region, the survey went to over 450 different email addresses throughout the entire ACE membership).

'ACE Behind The Scare' had all the elements that were offered in the survey for the event.

With 309 regional members, obviously most of them are not very "participatory" when it comes to events. Quassy isn't holding their Wooden Warrior Day this year due to a significant drop in attendance over the past 2 years. Compounce events consistently draw in the 100-120 range. Funtown events are usually 80 or so. Story Land and Santa's Village events are attended by anywhere between 50 and 75.

The ACE Summer Conference (which is a National ACE event) is at Funtown, Story Land and Santa's Village this year. I'm truly curious to see what the attendance will be.

That could very much be the case sadly SFI has been lacking creativity and SFI has been suffering for that. Their last coaster was a clone of one at Great Adventure and most ACE members truly excited about it likely road it there the previous year. That might be making it harder to make the SFNE events more appealing. but unless those that aren't going explain why they aren't attending all we can only speculate.

I agree they need to try and attend smaller events to make bigger events possible.

I don't mind food its nice to have dinner. I think food workout well at Compounce where the grove is open mid afternoon. but at Canobie where it runs if I remember right 11-1. its less appealing. I know of one event where everyone i hung out with ended up also getting dinner later in the day after the early picnic. So it make an expensive day more expensive. I have actually never been to a New England event where they had food in the grove.

I was intrigued by the Funtown/palace event but with one of the kids not going my brother didn't need an extra eye to help with them. so I opt to not invest the it was 50 or 60 dollars for the event.

It's funny when it comes to line cutters and smokers I've had more problems at Great Escape then I have at New England. but it's been hit and miss, They have not all been like that. it can all depend on the days you go. i try to avoid Bring a friend free weekends.

I do vaguely remember hearing about the survey a couple years ago. It would be interesting to see the results. Have you thought about adding then to the regional web site.

it sounds like around a 3rd of the region is participating. That's not bad. If Riding the Bull is pulling 200 and I would imaging they have likely over 2,000 members in NY and NJ. that's 10%. So by numbers the attendance is not as big but the engagement is better. I talked to an ACE member that lives and works at Santa's Village a while back. Canobie at 3 hours is pushing it for him and Compounce and New England are pushing 5. That makes it hard to attend.

Who runs the twitter page? The Facebook gets posts form time to time but the twitter is dead.

I was at the first Running of the Bulls and I would guess attendance was 150 or so. It was long ago so maybe I'm off. Didn't Nor'easter have a mob at SFNE the year Wicked Cyclone was opening? That makes me think the attendance is driven more by the excitement for a new ride at a park rather than some of the other factors mentioned?

As for how many will attend the national event this summer at NE parks, I wouldn't be surprised to see much higher attendance than what the local events get. The national may draw many folks that have never been to these parks so that is an additional hook that local events really do not have since most of us have been to these parks many times.

Rus you may have already done this but if you haven’t do you think adding Wade and his NY pool could add enough to get the attendance there? Park wise GE still honored an ACE event with just slightly less than an hour of ERT on Comet for less than 10 people this past year. I’m not saying that it was worth it for GE but SFNE can make it work without 200 plus if they are willing to work with you. LC does it every year from what you have said.

Nothing here anymore AJ. Was it saved anywhere?

yes the Nor Easter events where there was a coaster being added were very well attended. cycling at SFNE, Untamed at Canobie, and phobia at LC had good attendance. i think there were around 60 in attendance this year. I recall one a decade or so ago in Holyoke mass that had around 45. they had one in RI once an d that has maybe that.

Thank you!!

I downloaded it also. just wasn't sure about riposting it anywhere.