2010 Platinum Pass Question

It makes it sound like one way or another I'm just better off getting it from Cedar Point.

It looks like last year they opened the processing center on April 23rd at CP.

this whole business sounds convoluted and way more

difficult than it needs to be. they should sell one

product(cedar fair platinum passes). and sell the 

same product at all locations. then it wouldn't

matter where it was bought and could easily be 

processed in a different location. why would this

be so difficult?

I just wonder, why, given the obvious problem that many people must face with KI right next door, Cedar Point wouldn't want to open up the processing center an extra week or two before KI's opening. I know it's the same company, but I would assume they want the money coming from those who consider CP their main park, to be counted towards them and not KI.

Well that would mean they would have to staff the Season Pass center during those extra two weeks. And I doubt if they would have enough people processing at that time to justify the excess cost.

Why is the process at cedarfair parks such a hassle?

I was at six flags last oct and wanted to get my 2010 season pass. I went into the pass office, paid, walked out the door with my 2010 season pass in hand. Simple.

^So did I with my Cedar Fair pass.

Kyle, why dont you just get it Kings Island since you are going there first? Seems like a simple solution to me.

I just have a couple of issues, 1, I think it will take some time because I will have to buy it the day I'm there. Instead of running to a ride, I'll be running to the pass office, 2, I don't know if I get the perks for CP for all the events, free parking, extra ride time, etc, and 3, if I can get it from CP and the wait will be the same to process at KI as the wait if I would have just gotten it from KI to begin with than what would be the point of not getting it from CP in the first place?

~BRIAN~ said:
^So did I with my Cedar Fair pass.

Kyle, why dont you just get it Kings Island since you are going there first? Seems like a simple solution to me.

Really?

You already have your 2010 platinum pass in your hand?

If you had an 09 pass you just went right up there paid and they scanned it and then you walk away with 2010 pass in hand. This year's pass renewal allowed you to use your old pass. (2009 pass) If you bought a new pass at the end of the 2009 season I think you needed to comeback in the Spring to get it.

Kyle your platinum pass perks are universal no matter what park you buy/process it at. A Kings Island platinum pass will get you Pointperks at CP and KI early entry/perks it will also get you perks/admission to all other Cedar Fair parks (Kings Island and Dominion, Wonderland, Dorney, Worlds of Fun, Carowinds, Knott's, Valleyfair and CA Adventure and waterparks Geauga Lake, Soak Citys' and attached waterparks). If you are going to KI on a small vacation and are spending the night before your visit, you could probably get your pass then (the day before) if you are not you can try to get to KI early enough to get in line for the pass center without to much crowds and then get in line at the gate. Last year if you bought the pass from CP and processed it at KI it involved an extra step or two. Last years pass situation was a disaster, but it got better as the season moved on; so this season should be better.

I tried to do that last year. It was a big mess.

I renewed my pass at kings island, and tried to use it the next year at cedarpoint. It did not work. I was not the only one who had this problem eather.

I don't feel like explaning it all again, but you can read all about it here....

http://pointbuzz.com/Forums/Thread/24054.aspx

The process pointperson describes only works if you renewed your 09 pass at the same park you processed your 09 pass at. If you processed at KI because you went there first, then renewed at CP at the end of the season, you can't take the easy route. At least that's how the season pass people described it to me last fall.

I'm going to want to take advantage of this easy process of scanning and renewing next year at CP, so I'm just going to get it there. I hope they open the process center up early enough to hit KI before May 1st or so, but if not, oh well.

Just for clarification though, near the end of the 2010 season, I should be able to walk up, scan and renew, and have a 2011 platinum pass and be all ready to go to KI opening day (2011) without doing anything other than getting in line, correct?

The Cedar Point pass center should be open around the end of April so you should be able to process your pass at CP before your visit to KI.

And the answer to your question is Yes (unless something changes between now and then) At the end of the 2010 season you should be able to walk up to the pass center with your CP platinum pass, pay and they will scan it and you will have your 2011 pass.

You can process your Cedar Point Season Pass or Cedar Fair Platinum Pass at the Season Pass Center beginning April 21, 2010. Please see schedule below for processing hours (April 21 - May 14, 2010).

http://www.cedarpoint.com/public/admission/season_passes/index.cfm

Looks like I'll be sporting a Kings Island pass this year, since I plan on going to their opening day on the 17th.

When I was looking at KI's perks, it looked like you don't get in an hour early for Diamondback and Beast on Saturdays until May 1st. For that reason pretty much alone, I'm waiting on going with my CP platinum pass until May 1.

Edit: here is the link http://visitkingsisland.com/events/events.cfm?ec_id=27

Well that's no good. I might need to postpone my trip as well. The hassle of the pass processing at different parks plus no early ride time takes away a lot of the incentive. But then again, it has been a while since I've gotten a coaster fix....

Kings Island is still totaly worth it with or without the extra hour.

I'm in the same situation as Ralph. I'm stuck in the hassle cycle and want to get out...why this still exists speaks volumes about CF management.

Bought my 09 CP Platinum in Fall of 08 at CP during a nice perk event...$150 with free admission for 08. Great deal.

King's Island opens a month before CP (never understood this extreme difference, I guess better location for KI, as the climate is about the same). Got my CP-purchased platinum processed there. Had to fill out the extra conversion paperwork with confused employees. Still, got into KI with it and all was good.

The hassle cycle started when CP again had their passholder appreciation event with the $140 renewal and other perks in Fall 09. I presented my CP-purchased, KI-redeemed Platinum Pass to CP for the $140 renewal, and I was told it could not be renewed. It would have to be renewed at King's Island.

Now, as I drove all the way to CP for this renewal perk weekend, I was upset. She said what they could do is provide me with paperwork for an all new 2010 Platinum Pass, and then I could get the perks still.

So, now I have my CP-purchased 2010 Platinum Pass that needs to be redeemed all over again...AND I want to go to King's Island badly a month before CP opens AGAIN.

The debate I'm currently in is...should I skip my early KI trip this year and simply redeem at CP, so that I can be on an easy-renew cycle going forward?

I'm seriously considering driving almost an hour out of my way to process my Platinum Pass at Cedar Point's pass center before the trip to Kings Island just to try and avoid the headache you've mentioned.

The problem is, I'm also seriously considering not. Everytime I get online to buy, I get just enough anxiety about it all to put off buying the platinum pass even longer. Yeah, yeah, "process at KI! it's no big deal!" but then I hear about the double processing, the issues with renewing at year end, and stuff like what you mention above...it's just a load of crap. Why one can't buy a company-wide platinum pass at any company-wide park seamlessly is beyond me. It's like buying a gift certificate for best buy online and getting a bunch of minor issues if you use it anywhere but one particular store. Doesn't make sense, and it doesn't seem to happen anywhere...well, anywhere that is, but Cedar Fair.