Attendance during the quarter indexed 92% of 2019 levels excluding pre-booked group sales our parks index 95% in the third quarter compared to the same period in 2019.
Fourth quarter to-date trends through this past weekend, ending October 24 have accelerated versus the 92% index.
During the third quarter, guest spending per capita was up 23% versus 2019.
As of October 3, 2021, our Active Pass Base was up 3% compared to the third quarter 2019.
Total attendance for the third quarter was 12 million guests, a 14% decline from 2019.
As Mike stated attendance at open parks in the third quarter index at 92% of 2019.
Excluding pre-booked group sales, our parks indexed 95%.
During the months of the quarter, our attendance indexed 97% in July, 89% in August and 86% in September.
However as Mike stated, fourth quarter to-date trends have accelerated versus the 92% index we achieved in the third quarter.
Attendance from our single day guests in the third quarter represented 39% of the attendance mix, the same as in the third quarter of 2019 despite the negative impact of lower pre-book sales on single day attendance.
Because of our reporting calendar change, our third quarter fiscal quarter 2021 ended on October 3, instead of September 30 as it did in 2019.
The net reduction due to these calendar shifts in third quarter 2021 was 437,000 of attendance and approximately $24 million of revenue.
We expect this reporting calendar change to shift approximately 200,000 of attendance out of first quarter 2022 into fourth quarter 2021.
When netted against the shift of the October weekend out of the fourth quarter into the third quarter, we expect the changes in our fiscal operating calendar to negatively impact the fourth quarter's attendance compared to 2019 by approximately 270,000 guests.
Total guest spending per capita increased 23% in the third quarter versus 2019.
Admissions spending per capita increased 20% and in-park spending per capita increased 26%.
Revenue in the quarter were $638 million, up $17 million or 3% compared to 2019.
Excluding the impact of the fiscal calendar change and the impact of reduced sponsorship international agreements and accommodations revenue, our base business revenue increased by $55 million or 9% compared to the third quarter 2019.
On the cost side, cash operating and SG&A expenses increased by $45 million or 19% in the third quarter compared to 2019.
First higher wage rates and incentive costs to attract and retain teams members.
In terms of labor if current wage rates were to persist, we would incur additional labor expenses of $40 million annually compared to 2019 inclusive of the $20 million we called out in the EBITDA baseline we gave during our fourth quarter 2019 earnings call.
This $40 million is consistent with what we called out in our previous earnings call.
Adjusted EBITDA for the third quarter was $279 million, down $28 million or 9% versus third quarter 2019.
This included the negative impact of the fiscal quarter change which shifted attendance out of the quarter, the reduction of international sponsorship and accommodations revenue, and roughly half of the $45 million cost increase in the quarter that we believe to be transitory.
At the end of the third quarter we had 7.6 million passholders up 3% from the end of the third quarter 2019.
Deferred revenue as of October 3, 2021 was $224 million, up $26 million or 13% compared to third quarter 2019.
Year-to-date capital expenditures were $62 million.
We expect capital expenditures of $120 million to $130 million in 2021 as we make investments to improve the guest experience and to increase capacity on our rights.
We continue to believe 9% to 10% of revenue is an appropriate level of annual capital expenditures in a normalized environment.
Year-to-date net cash flow through the third quarter was $232 million, an increase of $26 million compared to the first three quarters of 2019.
Our liquidity position as of October 3 was $851 million.
This included $461 million of available revolver capacity, net of $20 million of letters of credit and $390 million of cash.
Moving to our transformation plan as previously discussed, we expect the plan to generate an incremental $80 million to $110 million in annual run-rate adjusted EBITDA.
In 2021, we expect to achieve $30 million to $35 million from our fixed cost reductions.
We have already realized over $23 million through the first nine months of this year.
Based on year-to-date trends, we now expect to reach the high end of $80 million to $110 million range once the plan is fully implemented and attendance returns to 2019 levels.
For that reason, we expect our revenue initiatives to provide a greater proportion of the $110 million.
Relative to the midpoint of the company's pre-pandemic guidance range of $450 million, we are well positioned to achieve our adjusted EBITDA baseline of $560 million once our transformation plan is fully implemented, and attendance returns to 2019 levels.
As we implement more of our transformation program and as our attendance recovers at 2019 levels, we expect to deliver $560 million in adjusted EBITDA.

Summary:
Revenue in the quarter were $638 million, up $17 million or 3% compared to 2019.
First higher wage rates and incentive costs to attract and retain teams members.
Moving to our transformation plan as previously discussed, we expect the plan to generate an incremental $80 million to $110 million in annual run-rate adjusted EBITDA.
Based on year-to-date trends, we now expect to reach the high end of $80 million to $110 million range once the plan is fully implemented and attendance returns to 2019 levels.