10 rainy day closures cost Knott’s Berry Farm millions in early 2023

An unusually high number of rainy days during the first three months of 2023 cost Knott’s Berry Farm millions of dollars in lost revenue as the Buena Park theme park was forced to close its gates due to inclement weather.

Cedar Fair’s net revenues declined $14 million and attendance dropped 400,000 during the first quarter of 2023 when Knott’s Berry Farm was the company’s only theme park operating on a daily basis, according to Cedar Fair’s latest investor presentation.

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Knott’s Berry Farm closed 10 times during January, February and March due to bad weather.

Knott’s closed for the day due to inclement weather on Jan. 5, 10 and 14, February 24 and 25 and March 14 and 22, according to Knott’s officials. Rain forced Knott’s to close early on Jan. 4 and March 10 and 21.

Knott’s is Cedar Fair’s only year-round park and is responsible for the bulk of the company’s first quarter operating days and revenues during the winter.

California’s Great America in Santa Clara was open 30 days during Cedar Fair’s first quarter — 10 days a month in January, February and March. Great America’s hours are greatly reduced during the winter with most dates falling on the weekend and the park typically operating from 3 to 6 hours each day.

A few Cedar Fair parks like Carowinds, Kings Dominion, Kings Island and Canada’s Wonderland offer WinterFest events late in the year with holiday dates that occasionally creep into early January.

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Knott’s parent company Cedar Fair blamed the slow financial start in 2023 on bad weather, according to the company’s latest investor presentation.

“Period challenged by very unusual weather at our California parks including Knott’s Berry Farm, our only park in the first quarter with daily operations,” according to the Cedar Fair Investor Presentation from June 2023.

Cedar Fair’s net revenues dropped $14 million from $99 million in the first quarter of 2022 to $85 million during the same period in 2023. Attendance was down 400,000 visitors during the first quarter of this year compared to 2022 — dropping from 1.5 million to 1.1 million.

The revenue and attendance declines occurred despite Cedar Fair parks operating 31 more days during the first quarter of 2023 compared to 2022. One bright spot: In-park spending rose $5 per visitor during the first quarter.