Knott’s Berry Farm’s owner reports higher visitor spending

Cedar Fair Entertainment Co., the owner of Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park, reported Tuesday a boost in revenue from visitor spending through the Fourth of July holiday.

Cedar Fair, one of the nation’s largest regional theme-park operators, took in $456 million over the period, a 5% increase over the same period last year, the company reported.

The period through the Independence Day holiday traditionally represents about one-third of the company’s full-year revenue.

Cedar Fair officials said the higher revenue came from a 2% increase in attendance and a 4% increase in per-capita spending in the parks.

Out-of-park revenue, including resort hotels, were also up approximately 2%.

The summer months historically have been the busiest for Cedar Fair’s two parks that are open year-round, Knott’s and Castaway Bay in Sandusky, Ohio.

Knott’s Berry Farm’s newest attraction, WindSeeker, a swing ride that lifts passengers about 300 feet off the ground, opened last summer.

“Enhanced guest experiences, improved consumer messaging, dynamic pricing, advance purchase commitments and premium product offerings have all contributed to our strong early-season results,” Matt Ouimet, president and chief executive of Cedar Fair, said in a statement.

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