Holiday & Beyond

[Jasper]

I know we have a snowball's chance in Texas for getting a new Holiday Show this year, but let's keep our fingers crossed that they get rid of those horrid Funimation animations and put some good entertainment into the Holiday Show intermissions.

Also, I hope the next big "campaign" will be something fresh instead of reissuing the "all games & rides are one token" promo. We're coming into year three with the "campaigns" and it is time for something new. Super Chuck Summer had a great premise, but fell short when it came to substance.

Your thoughts?

[PuroMax]

The holiday show is only a month long thing, I'm not concerned about fresh material. I don't think the next campaign will contain anything original. Right now there's a very hard push on fund raisers. The company seems to be becoming very complacent on sticking to what works. They won't put in any valiant efforts until numbers start to plummet. Right now, the revenue is all in advertising and menu price increase.

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

The revenue SHOULD instead be used towards enhancing the ENTERTAINMENT aspects of the concept in my opinion...not more advertising! >:

It seems to me that the concept is finally being run into the ground as the core audience share is drying up. It's no surprise considering there really has'nt been much of a effort in the Entertainment areas in general this year, so what's the attraction to come back if there is nothing that "grabs" you and makes you want to rush down and see? I have seen no new investments in furthering this aspect. The Promo Events were great...i enjoyed them a lot. What i'm driving at is the lack of relationship to the Show aspect tying into these Events. Simply put, there really has'nt been much presented that is truly "new" this year with the Show(s). This makes no sense in a way considering that CEC is supposed to be a ENTERTAINMENT CONCEPT and not simply a resturant.

The Company would not have a problem upping the sales and attracting the multiple Guests they wish ( and insuring they become the coveted "repeat Guests") if they had something unique there that was so fabulous it would attract Guests from miles around and keep them coming back! This is where the SHOW and Entertainment area comes into major play. Its the ONLY thing that sets Chuck E. Cheese's apart from the pack of competitors. Why they don't capitialize this i may never know. Having a poorly produced show will not help things. Have a thinly executed show and folks won't come back....it's a proven fact in wny entertainment industry ( unless it's current television corporations!:b )

I won't bore everyone with yet another one of my Pro-Show rants ( see the "Curtain" thread for those gems!) but i have to say again this:

CEC needs to STOP investing in opening 35+ stores a year and START re-investing in exsisting locations and in the SHOW elements, exspecially!!

I don't see this happening anytime soon. But anything is possible......

[ChuckEZone]

Welcome back, Jenn! I love your posts - they're very inspirational. Hopefully someone with authority will take our reactions seriously... someday.:\

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

Thanks Bri..

Well, our posts DO make a difference...

Mark Flores certainly knows how a feel about this.....and i know they "watch" this site and no doubt come away somewhat effected by what is expressed here.

How could one NOT be?

To ensure CEC has a future in the coming years those high in the ranks needs to look at the WHOLE picture and not just the present. It seems to me that the way things are being run these days is to make a buck as quick as possible before the impending "crash" which i feel the Company is already teetering on.

Wait...i said i would'nt rant!

[PuroMax]

In the grand scheme of things, it looks like the company is putting focus on building capital with its established product in order to make ready for expansion with the impending new concepts. Does it seem like a far reach that many of these "small town" stores could one day become TJ Hartfords locations? Just shooting blanks out here, but it seems like a logical business move to either
A) Shove Chuck E. Cheese's down the public's throats until families look for an alternative (which CECE will have waiting in the wings) or..
B) Build a very wide spectrum of time tested, perrenial entertainment in case none of the new crap sticks to the wall. (More locations brings them closer to more kids, that ultimately means more birthday parties, which are still 30% of sales)

It seems like I'm always the devil's advocate for the corporate machine, but don't get me wrong. I would put more heart and sweat into that walk-around costume than anybody else to make everyone love being at CEC myself. My 2nd or 3rd day on the job I felt like I could have offered more to operations and said "want me to get out and do something else?" To which my GM replied "No, get back out there! You're making me more money than anybody else." It taught me a real quick, lifelong lesson.
If big brother doesn't give you the tools for the entertainment, then you need to offer it up yourself.

[chuckrules]

Besides me Loving this current holiday 02-04 showtape. I would love to see the grandma got run over by a reindeer intmerssion that was only used one time on the holiday special 1992 showtape. and the way it was made for on there. That was comical.:lol as for the funimation animation intermssions. in my opinion in that they could get rid of those intermissions & revive the helen hennys holly wood with a modern touch to it, granted the older puppets that where used on those intermissions I liked much better with there rubber faces. ChuckE's geography rap was awesome to. and lets not forget the CEC TV News.:D I guess I am more of a classic early 90's CEC era guy!:lol Granted I do love this curent holiday 02-05 showtape as stated up above. Ok I'll stop ranting here on this topic LOL!

So Jasper your saying that there is no doubt going to be a new Holiday Showtape and DVD?! AWESOM! HOPE IT'S AS GOOD AS THE HOLIDAY 02-04 SHOW WAS!:D

[CEC3066]

we are HOPING there will be. remember the initial run of this Holiday show is 8 years so we have a ways to gpo on this one.

[pizzacam]

No, the holiday show will be reused again Nevin..I got confirmation today :(

[CEC3066]

Oh goodie. NOT!.

[chuckrules]

Thank you Gaberial for the info on this holiday showtape.:D Goody Yes!:D

[dheineCECfan]

For a new Holiday show, I like to see in it Chuck E. do a cover of Elton John's "Step Into Christmas" (this could be even used for a CEC Christmas live show).

[ChuckEFranchize454]

NO MORE CONNIE THE COW!!!!!! sorry i dont like that intermission very much. i think its very annoying.

[CEC3066]

MORE CONNIE THE COW!!!!!!

relax man you're gettinbg just what you asked for. j/k

[Jasper]

I wouldn't be surprised if this was CEC's last Holiday Show...

[MatHat13]

Yeah that's what I've been thinking, I think CEC will just keep reusing the same Holiday and Summer shows for now on.:(

[Jasper]

Or, the special shows will be retired and we'll get three new shows a year that'll run four months each.

[MatHat13]

Maybe the summer show, but I have a feeling the they will always run a Holiday show. Ehh the shows could go back to being like:

January-March
April-July
August-November
December

[YoungCaliHottie]

:(


and yeah, geography rap was awesome! "the capital city is tokyo. theyve got super fast bullet trains that come and go. and guess what they serve, a delightful dish... chop sushi, and its gooshi, cuz its made from raw fish" hahahah thats great... lol... (words might be slightly off... its from memory!)