Cedar Fair Continues Strong Performance Through Important Summer Season

SANDUSKY, Ohio, Sept. 8, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Cedar Fair Entertainment Company (NYSE: FUN), a leader in regional amusement parks, water parks and active entertainment, today reported that it has continued its strong performance through Labor Day weekend.  

As of September 4, 2011, year-to-date revenues increased approximately $33 million, or 4%, to approximately $857 million compared with $824 million for the same period a year ago.  Driving this year-over-year growth was a 2% increase in attendance to 19.1 million visitors, coupled with a 2% increase in in-park guest per capita spending to $40.10 and a 5% increase in out-of-park revenues to approximately $90 million.  

"The summer of 2011 is proving to be another strong operating season for Cedar Fair," said Dick Kinzel, chief executive officer.  "Our new rides and attractions, including WindSeeker, a 301-foot-tall thrill ride introduced at our four largest parks, continued to attract guests during the peak vacation month of August.  Our creative marketing efforts and pricing initiatives also continued to drive growth, particularly at Canada's Wonderland, Knott's Berry Farm, Kings Island and California's Great America.  

"As we head into our award-winning Halloween season, we feel very good about the steadily increasing momentum we are building across our well-maintained and diversified portfolio of parks," added Kinzel.  "Should these trends continue throughout our important Fall season, we will generate full-year net revenues at the high end or slightly above our previous guidance of $975 million to $1.0 billion.  At the same time, assuming similar trends, we believe our full-year adjusted EBITDA will be at the middle to upper end of our guidance of $350 million to $370 million."

Kinzel concluded by noting the Company is on track to pay a 70 cent per unit distribution in December, bringing the total amount of distributions paid in 2011 to $1.00 per unit.  The Company continues to target an annualized distribution rate of $2.00 or more per unit in 2013.

About Cedar Fair

Cedar Fair is a publicly traded partnership headquartered in Sandusky, Ohio, and one of the largest regional amusement-resort operators in the world.  The Company owns and operates 11 amusement parks, six outdoor water parks, one indoor water park and five hotels.  Its parks are located in Ohio, California, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Missouri, Michigan, and Toronto, Ontario.  Cedar Fair also operates the Gilroy Gardens Family Theme Park in California under a management contract.  Cedar Fair's flagship park, Cedar Point, has been consistently voted the "Best Amusement Park in the World" in a prestigious annual poll conducted by Amusement Today newspaper.

Forward-Looking Statements

Some of the statements contained in this news release constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements as to the Company's expectations, beliefs and strategies regarding the future.  These statements may involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in such statements.  Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to have been correct.  Important factors, including general economic conditions, competition for consumer leisure time and spending, adverse weather conditions, unanticipated construction delays and other factors discussed from time to time by the Company in reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") could affect attendance and guest spending at our parks and cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations. Additional information on risk factors that may affect the business and financial results of the Company can be found in filings the Company has made with the SEC.  The Company undertakes no obligations to correct or update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

This news release and prior news releases are available online at www.cedarfair.com.

Contact:  Stacy Frole  (419) 627-2227

SOURCE Cedar Fair Entertainment Company