Gold pass sales.

FYI- We've stayed at the Breakers for decades and don't own a Gulfstream.

cptedsdisciple2 said:
This issue has been exacerbated by the current Cedar Fair philosophy Sheer unadulterated greed over guest experience. What CP should do (but never will) would be to add a parking fee to the admission costs and just eradicate the tollbooths entirely.

But isn't your biggest complaint that Cedar Point is overcrowded because they are essentially giving away the gate? How is providing an affordable pass that's way underpriced "unadulterated greed"?

Paisley's avatar

Cargo Shorts said:

There is plenty of parking over on the beach. Who uses the beach in October? This is easy, Marston Mat has been used the world over since the 1930s and works great. I bet that beach is long enough all the Breakers guests could land their Gulfstreams on it Friday afternoons as well.

I walk on the beach in October and I'm sure people who paid crazy for their lakeside rooms at Breakers don't pay that kind of money to see the beach full of cars. Creating more parking seems like the fix but really if you think about it once the parking lots and grass are all full the park is basically full. Do we really want to, or do we really think it's safe, to not have some measure of when to say when? If we just add more and more parking all the people in those vehicles enter the park at some point they will be literally lined up shoulder to shoulder and not be able to move. When the lots are full that's a pretty good sign that the park is full too. I've been in the park when the lots are full and people are parked on the grass and while it wasn't pure hell on Earth that was the day I learned that paper seat covers can be used as a substitute when there is no toilet paper left in the bathrooms.

Yesterday I noticed that behind those new, “deluxe” campsites is additional, overflow parking, taking up vacant space left behind by Sandcastle. The old hotel parking lot is in use for that and toward the lake is a grassy, sandy area for more parking. While not in use at the time (there was actually parking available all day in the Shores lot) I saw a portable sign that said “Additional Cedar Point Shores parking ^”. So the idea of parking on the beach isn’t new... just not that beach.

Paisley's avatar

I've been in the sandcastle lot for overflow. last season the closing day for Shores was crazy.

Cargo Shorts's avatar

Well, I thought the line about landing jets on the beach would indicate the suggestion was in jest.....

I totally agree the lot and park are sized about right, when the lot is full it gets miserable in the park, not just the lines but the midways as well.

Paisley's avatar

When I read Gulfstream my mind was picturing an Airstream.

We-o-we-oooo's avatar

I'm going to echo what has been said already about utilizing the Jet to help with some of the congestion; there is some real potential there. $10 each way can be negotiated down with a volume purchase by the park, offer it for $15 to park at the Market St. garage which is free anyway & ride across the bay. Toss in s sheet of coupons or vouchers for downtown businesses and everybody wins; during busy October Halloweekends you get an exclusive water taxi since they are only running half the fleet at that point anyway.

Last edited by We-o-we-oooo,

Girl: "l want to ride that yellow one again... Twisted Wicker"
Me: "It's a roller coaster, not a broken clothes hamper."

Cargo Shorts's avatar

What is the capacity of Jet Express per hour?

We-o-we-oooo's avatar

For the last few years the III has been on the Sandusky/CP/Kelly's/PiB route which I believe is the smallest, but I have never been on it when it has been full regardless of the time of day; first run, last run, weekday, weekend, always been a seat on deck or along the windows in the cabin.


Girl: "l want to ride that yellow one again... Twisted Wicker"
Me: "It's a roller coaster, not a broken clothes hamper."

Cargo Shorts's avatar

A seat or ten on a boat is not going to make a dent in the traffic on the causeway. I will take a stab at it. If it can handle 1,500 riders per hour then it might make a difference.

Let’s be honest.... who here... or members of the GP (that’s general public, not Gold Pass) would actually pay to take a ferry over when driving, even with a traffic delay was still an option. No one wants to be limited to a ferry schedule, not have the ability to leave or visit their car for items whenever they want, carry everything they need with them for the entire day and then have to rent lockers. Also, I have seen the Sandusky Bay become quite choppy very quickly, then what happens when you have people on the peninsula and their cars downtown or wherever the ferry came from and now the ferry isn’t running due to weather.

On a busy saturday people will complain about how long they had to wait on the bus, or how long the bus ride was.

We-o-we-oooo's avatar

At $15 its cheaper than parking; Kirk VanHouten would go for that in a heartbeat.

Out of the box thinking is required at this point, considering that expansion of the causeway is a project many years in the making and certainly not happening for 2020 (if ever). The point is to give people options beyond sitting in a traffic jam so long that you get hit by a car when you get out to pee.


Girl: "l want to ride that yellow one again... Twisted Wicker"
Me: "It's a roller coaster, not a broken clothes hamper."

Cartwright said:

cptedsdisciple2 said:
This issue has been exacerbated by the current Cedar Fair philosophy Sheer unadulterated greed over guest experience. What CP should do (but never will) would be to add a parking fee to the admission costs and just eradicate the tollbooths entirely.

But isn't your biggest complaint that Cedar Point is overcrowded because they are essentially giving away the gate? How is providing an affordable pass that's way underpriced "unadulterated greed"?

Exactly. The Gold Pass is a really good deal for me.

Here's why; I live 2 1/2 hours from the park, have a moderate income, go at off-peak times, love the waterpark, stay at an inexpensive (and very close) hotel, eat and drink in my car, and park by the Magnum entrance in handicapped. I was able to afford 9 trips this year. The Gold Pass allows almost anyone to enjoy the finest park on the plat.

The downsides are obvious; I may have to wait in line if I go at peak times and I have to pay extra to go to CFKI or MA. While I adore CFKI I am willing to make the trade-off. The girlfriend and I had a nice time this summer.

Thank you Cedar Fair!

MDOmnis said:

To be honest, it seems like the toll booths should be less of a bottleneck right now than in the past, assuming they are staffed. The percentage of people coming with season passes vs paying cash/credit at the toll booths HAS to be at its highest ever right now. Are the booths themselves really the problem or is it more the lack of direction/confusion after the booths? I remember 15 years ago, they seemed to have a lot more people out there guiding everyone to their spots and now there are a couple, but people kind of ignore them and park wherever they want. This probably leads to the spaces not being maximized, the lot filling sooner, and then the big backups happen.

With a $99 season pass that includes parking, can you really say they're being greedy on parking? I'm not a fan of the strategy with this gold pass (I think it's a good short term money grab, but I am not sure I like the long term repercussions), but I'm not really sure how a cheap pass promo translates to parking greed. Two thirds of people coming through probably aren't paying for parking on the way in anyway as it's "included" with their pass.

Good post. You have asked a number of salient questions. Since CF has had the gold pass at other parks they know to a degree of certainty what will happen. In other words, they've tested the crap out of this strategy. The more people they can bring into the park the more money they can make.

Take advantage of the GP. Go at off-peak times, don't eat or drink in the park, and don't spend any extra money (on games or merch). My cost per visit will be around 30 dollars a trip next year (gas and tolls). Well worth it.

DSShives's avatar

Cargo Shorts said:

What is the capacity of Jet Express per hour?

Its capacity if greater than there is available parking in downtown Sandusky.


Steve Shives
First Cedar Point Visit - 1972
Dockholder-Cedar Point Marina

Something I have not seen mentioned is how long the Gold Pass will be offered for sale. I seem to remember at Kings Island, they offer the Gold Pass up until June (I think), then only Platinum and a regular season pass(which does not include parking, Halloweekends/Haunt) is offered.

If that's the case with Cedar Point, maybe it will just take a year to equalize everything.

Cargo Shorts's avatar

KI keeps extending the Gold Pass deadline well into July with multiple Last Chance campaigns. Every. Year.

Ahhh, I didn't realize that. I usually go to KI once a year early in the season.

So I guess CP will keep 'extending' the sale of the Gold Pass through September next year.

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