2011 Point Perks

Sounds like something Dr Suess would say. :)

No point perks for Perkins?

Porkins the pilot was prepared to pull out, but perished prematurely...

Poor,poor Porkins.

I was unaware that not pulling out in time could actually kill you.

crazy horse said:
The pass itself is not a perk.

If that's the case, I expect you won't be buying one this year, and instead will simply buy regular admission tickets (as well as paying $10/trip for parking), right?

Entitlement is perhaps my #1 gripe when it comes to enthusiasts. You can give an enthusiast a stellar deal (by way of the Platinum Pass), and they'll complain that it ain't enough, and that they have to wait in lines. The horror!!!

It is possible to think that the platinum pass is a wonderful deal (which it is), but at the same time think that there are things that make sense for both the company and customer that could be added/increased as additional perks.

Agreed. Over in Coasterbuzz, someone not too long ago suggested that $200 for a single day admission to Discovery Cove down in Orlando wasn't a huge amount. At the time, I immediately flashed to CF's Platinum Passes, which for about 75% of the cost of that one ticket buys you a whole summer and more of fun at multiple parks around the country, with free parking, and early entry, and other perks.

Kyle: I get that, and to an extent, I agree - there are probably deals that could be added that would benefit both entities. Really, that goes without saying, doesn't it?

I'm taking umbrage to the attitude that the pass in itself isn't that great of a value, and that better perks are needed or whatever. Gonch's post over at CB captures my thinking perfectly. Some people are always going to complain, and I suppose that irritates me. :)

Part of my problem with the " perks ", is that they used to offer much more than what they do now. It seems that they take more away every year.

The other gripe I have is I usually get other park season passes, and the other parks offer much better perks. An example would be the "bring a friend free day".

Is the pass alone a perk?...No. But anything beyond the price of the pass is a perk.

The value of the pass can vary on who you ask. If I am planning on going 20 times this summer, than yes...it's a great deal. If I only plan on going 3-4 times this year, the value is much less for me. That's where the perks come into play. It makes it a much better deal to buy a $160 pass and go 3-4 times per year if I had perks. It would intice me to spend more money on things I normally woulden't spend money on.

Dj: Well you won't catch me complaining, much, about the platinum pass and I certainly don't want or mean to align myself with that group. The only thing that I complain about (yes to customer service... Guilty :) ) is the whole Millennium Force is impossible to open up, no matter what, on time for ERT. I've read the theories, but they should either get started earlier on the ride to make sure it can open on time, or IMO, believe it or not, switch it our for rides that can. It's just a bad start to the day is all. Either way I seem to be buying more and more platinum passes for my family and push the pass to everyone who ever brings up the park, so I'm not exactly speaking with my $$$ :) .

As much as I don't think the perpetual late starts for MF are a big deal, I am much more able to understand and sympathize with complaints about that than I am about Point Perks not being perky enough or whatever. I suppose if Maverick were getting that treatment on a regular basis, I'd be bothered as well. In this case, the park isn't meeting its advertised obligations.

When it comes to value, I feel that both the gate and pass pricing is too low (for the Platinum Pass, anyway). If I go to any of CF's parks a combined 3 times, I've already made my money back, so to speak. Everything beyond that is (free) gravy, and complaining about the way the (free) gravy tastes just doesn't sit well with me (regardless of how said gravy tasted in years past).

I agree with djDaemon on this one. There is nothing to complain about the Cedar Point Platinum Pass at all! Early entry and free parking is such a perk in itself (to me atleast), that I take advantage of the price of Platinum Passes every season. $10 for parking adds up real quick! Not to mention, the perk of getting into all CF parks (and their parking fees) for free! I think it is a very under priced pass but I am not complaining and like I said, I'm going to continue to take advantage of it next season if I plan to not return for employment in 2012.

Kyle2154 said:
Dj: Well you won't catch me complaining, much, about the platinum pass and I certainly don't want or mean to align myself with that group. The only thing that I complain about (yes to customer service... Guilty :) ) is the whole Millennium Force is impossible to open up, no matter what, on time for ERT. I've read the theories, but they should either get started earlier on the ride to make sure it can open on time, or IMO, believe it or not, switch it our for rides that can...

As discussed recently on another thread the problem is not that MF is not open in time it's the fact that on cool days no matter what time anyone gets there to cycle the ride you have to take out water dummies as the guests are arriving to ensure the ride has trains near capacity. If the issue was the entrance opening after 9:00, then fine you have a complaint, however, i am in park operations every morning at that time to pick up my ride keys and 95% of the summer the ride is called up to the supervisors meaning that it is open on time (the other 5% i am refering to weather, mechanical, etc.). For those who have never worked at the park calling a ride up even at 9:01 when your supposed to be open at 9:00, is a huge deal and not taken lightly with management, hense that's why you never see that at Cedar Point excluding weather and maintenance reasons.

If you pay for the pass you should get ERT on most of the rides depending on how busy the park is, but it cerainly is not meant as a marathon hour or it would state that. Again if the issue is opening late (anytime after 9) i have a problem with it and would if i was still a platinum passholder (i was for 3 years). With all that being said the 5-10 minute delay on cold days is cerainly not worth taking the ride off the ERT list and i would imagine would hurt the resorts big time, as most guests want to ride Millennium Force.

Although this is my 3rd year working at the park my sister still buys a platinum pass and i am very aware of the perks and $165 is well worth it even for someone who visits 4-5 times.

dtchris08 said:

As discussed recently on another thread the problem is not that MF is not open in time it's the fact that on cool days no matter what time anyone gets there to cycle the ride you have to take out water dummies as the guests are arriving to ensure the ride has trains near capacity.

The ride opened late, by at least 15 minutes, every single day I went to the park and went to it first... warm and cold days alike. I don't care if it takes time to get the water dummies emptied, have the staff show up 15 minutes earlier to get the headstart needed to make 9:00 a.m.

If the issue was the entrance opening after 9:00, then fine you have a complaint however, i am in park operations every morning at that time to pick up my ride keys and 95% of the summer the ride is called up to the supervisors meaning that it is open on time (the other 5% i am refering to weather, mechanical, etc.). For those who have never worked at the park calling a ride up even at 9:01 when your supposed to be open at 9:00, is a huge deal and not taken lightly with management...

So someone should be fired? Is that what you're saying?

If you pay for the pass you should get ERT on most of the rides depending on how busy the park is, but it cerainly is not meant as a marathon hour or it would state that.

Please don't change my complaint, I have never complained about the wait for MF... just the fact that I never saw it open at 9:00 a.m.

Again if the issue is opening late (anytime after 9) i have a problem with it and would if i was still a platinum passholder (i was for 3 years). With all that being said the 5-10 minute delay on cold days is cerainly not worth taking the ride off the ERT list and i would imagine would hurt the resorts big time, as most guests want to ride Millennium Force.

I'd probably take 9:05, but that's a false statement because, at least from what I saw, it was more like 9:15-9:25 on average. And I'm sure the resort guests get a huge kick out of running to MF to discover it's not open as promised.

Although this is my 3rd year working at the park my sister still buys a platinum pass and i am very aware of the perks and $165 is well worth it even for someone who visits 4-5 times.

Couldn't agree more. I love the pass, it'd cost a fortune to hit up the park 20 times/year without it.

Kyle2154 said:
The ride opened late, by at least 15 minutes, every single day I went to the park and went to it first... warm and cold days alike. I don't care if it takes time to get the water dummies emptied, have the staff show up 15 minutes earlier to get the headstart needed to make 9:00 a.m.

You do realize that most of the time this crew is there till at least 11pm if not later getting people through the line and cleaning up. Then they have to be back in by 8:30a to open the ride. Take away time to get back to the dorms, eat, shower, and maybe socialize after work and at most they are lucky to get about 7 hours of sleep. I mean we're young and bounce back well, but still.

So someone should be fired? Is that what you're saying?

No. He and I are both just saying that if a ride opens late because of the ride operators being lazy than we can guarantee you that they are hearing about it from management and that if it happens enough they will be reprimanded. There are a lot of times where something mechanical happens before the public gets there which delays opening that public never knows about.

I'd probably take 9:05, but that's a false statement because, at least from what I saw, it was more like 9:15-9:25 on average. And I'm sure the resort guests get a huge kick out of running to MF to discover it's not open as promised.

Since I work pretty much right next door to Millie I have to wonder if this is a bit of an exaggeration? Of all the times I've gone to the park early on my days off and just generally watching the ride while I'm working I just can't believe it happens this often. I know there are days where they are late. I mean there are days when every thing just doesn't go right while opening, it happens. But typically it's out of the control of the employees.

I saw this on Maverick a few times. They are cycling trains to get the ride going while letting guests into the queue. The line is stopped at the entrance to the station while they continue to cycle trains and do test rides. Would they call the ride "open" at the time they open the queue? If that is the case, I think that is cheating as the ride is not ready to go. I don't care if I'm waiting in the queue or on the midway, if the ride is not ready it should not be considered open.

I still don't understand the complaints about MF opening late. Personally, as others have stated, I've only noticed/experienced it on cold days due to water dummy unloading. If they can't cycle a train empty, the only alternative would be to go with 2 train operation during ERT, but then people would complain about them only running 2 trains, or having to wait later on while they add the 3rd train back on.

As for the other perks, I suspect anything short of the big coupon book Six Flags gives with their passes will leave some people unsatisfied. I really don't think the perks are that bad, nor have I noticed a significant decrease in the quality of perks in recent years. Anybody remember the Joe Cool Club? For $15 extra on your pass you got in early like 4 times a summer on select days, and that was the only perk I can remember. I'd say the perks have come quite a ways since then.

tcgolfer said:
You do realize that most of the time this crew is there till at least 11pm if not later getting people through the line and cleaning up. Then they have to be back in by 8:30a to open the ride. Take away time to get back to the dorms, eat, shower, and maybe socialize after work and at most they are lucky to get about 7 hours of sleep. I mean we're young and bounce back well, but still.

None of that is relevant. If the staff is not able to get the ride open on time (and the reasons why don't matter), it shouldn't be advertised for early entry.

^ What I'm trying to point out is that we work a lot harder than some guests might think. Not only are we going on light sleep sometimes, but I can guarantee you that we are working our butts off to try and get the ride open on time. Trust me, we would much rather have the ride open and everyone be happy than not.

This is why I say most of the time that the ride is not open on time, is due to something out of our control.