They predicted a strong opening, and that’s exactly what
Paramount Parks got at both its amusement parks Easter weekend.
GILROY – They predicted a strong opening, and that’s exactly what Paramount Parks got at both its amusement parks Easter weekend.
Although Paramount officials will not release attendance figures, they said turnout at both Bonfante Gardens and Great America “exceeded expectations” Friday and “met expectations” Saturday and Sunday.
The steady flow of people at Bonfante Gardens in Gilroy is the first clear sign that Paramount’s “piggyback” marketing strategy could turn the horticultural theme park’s financial predicament around.
Since March, Paramount has offered dual admission privileges to Bonfante Gardens when a VIP pass is purchased for Great America in Santa Clara.
“Across the board, we were happy with the way things went this weekend,” Paramount spokesperson Nicole Koebrich said. “We feel confident we’re getting the word out about (Bonfante Gardens).”
In addition to offering the 2-for-1 deal, Paramount has increased the marketing radius for Bonfante Gardens from 50 miles around Gilroy to 200 miles around San Jose. Ads are being run on television and radio.
“Our research showed that a lot of people north of San Jose didn’t even realize this was a theme park. They thought Bonfante Gardens was a place to buy flowers and plant soil,” Koebrich said.
In February, Bonfante Gardens enlisted Paramount Parks – one of the nation’s leading theme park operators – in a five-year, day-to-day operations management deal aimed at making the park more profitable.
Bonfante Gardens directors struck the deal after enduring two years of undesirable attendance levels. The weak revenue stream led to scale backs in hours of operation, full-time and part-time jobs and special holiday celebrations.
The park’s opening weekend was not completely without hitches. On Friday, the monorail and at least two rides – the Timber Twister roller coaster and the Banana Split swing – were temporarily closed.
“It could have been anything that made the rides shut down. The rides are operated with computers and something as minor as a bird flying in front of a sensor can keep a ride from starting up,” Koebrich said. “We didn’t hear about any problems at headquarters, so I can assume it was something minor like that.”
An article that Bruce and Beth Lynn of Clearlake saw in the Automobile Association of America’s magazine more than a year ago convinced them to visit Bonfante Gardens last season. Their love of flora in general and their interest in the park’s famed circus trees in particular brought them back to the park three times last year and again Saturday.
“We bought season passes at Christmas, so we’re happy the park is reopened and hopefully it will stay open,” Bruce Lynn said.
The Lynns’ daughter Brenda and her 2-year-old son Blaze joined the couple on their five-hour Easter weekend drive to the park.
Brenda Lynn may be Bonfante Gardens’ ideal advertiser. In a college communications class last year, her assignment was to give a speech that would persuade people to believe or do something they normally might not.
“I got a few people to actually make the drive and go last year,” Brenda said. “But I think it was my slides (of Bonfante Gardens) that convinced them.”
Paramount has acknowledged that for the park to succeed, positive word of mouth – in addition to increased advertising – is essential.
Chelsea Brown, 12, Emily Brown, 15, Marissa Coughlin, 13, and Scott Coughlin, 11, say they’d recommend Bonfante Gardens to their friends in Stockton and Livermore.
“We like the rides, and the park is pretty and really clean,” Emily Brown said.
Gilroy couple Kevin and Mylene Mei saw television news coverage on the park last week and heard the new radio ads for several weeks, but had never visited it until Saturday. They bought VIP passes and invited their San Jose friends Tom and Lilian Tai for a day in the park. The Meis said they’ll be getting passes for their parents, too.
But it wasn’t advertising that brought the Meis and their family and friends to Bonfante Gardens. It was timing.
“Our baby is now 1 year old, so we need to do things like this. Last year, we were in a different situation,” Kevin Mei said.
And at least for now, so is the park.
