Cashless

I guess I'm confused on how going cashless would have any impact on the ride lines. Or am I missing something?

I'm willing to bet about 10% of total guests or less even use cash in the park anyway. So I don't think this will be as big of an impact as you think it will be. I'm guessing that the push to move to cashless is due to a low percentage of guests using cash in the park. Only downside I can really think of is if there is an outage with the credit card processors, then you won't be able to buy anything. Even then, such an occurrence is rare.

Scott my original comment was meant to be tongue in cheek. If one assumes cashless/contactless payment is indeed faster than full contact payment then sure one just saved themselves 30 seconds and can now ride MF one extra time.

There are likely several factors leading CF in this direction. Maybe some black shirted higher up bean counter want to really reduce the environmental waste with food service workers needing to change gloves so often. 😏

So my concern, and I haven't researched this much, is do I have to use their system (and all of these card limitations and charges) or can I still use my standard contactless payment system on my phone?

From what I interpret, they’re just dropping the cash drawers, so Apple Pay or Google Wallet will still work.

TW, You can use your own phone, credit cards, debit cards etc. The cash to card system is for those that don’t want to or can’t use the mainstream financial systems. (Children without phones, grumpy old geezers, terrorists, thoosies, service animals, stoners, zombies, QAnon etc.)

This got me thinking. Are travelers checks (cheques) still a thing? Haven’t used them since my honeymoon 25 years ago. Would they even be accepted at a CP gift shop? I could easily see some kid giving you the slant eye and calling security.

Cargo, that makes more sense now. Although I must've missed your original "tongue in cheek" comment. My response was to the poster above mine (Jake10) who seemed to be serious about the increase in ride lines which definitely seemed confusing to me.

New for 2022: Cedar Point announces cashless payment system that does not discriminate between the banked and bankless.

Upon entry into the park, all guests will receive a small microchip, safely and painlessly inserted under the skin. Guests will have the option of tying the chip to an electronic form of payment of their choosing, or, if they wish, they can be billed at home where they can pay by check or cash (exact change only, please). In-park guests can also attempt to barter their purchases for goats (babies only; they're cuter), chickens, pigs, and cage-free eggs. All donations will be sent to the Barnyard for immediate petting.

Not only will this chip be able to be used at every payment portal in the park, but each time your chip is scanned you get another entry into the new "Chip of a Lifetime" sweepstakes; one guest each day will have their tab picked up by the park!

*Insertion locations can be personalized.

I agree with Thabto's estimation of 10% or so of guests that actually use cash at CP. I will use this un-scientific example to stand behind. We have been pass-holders for 11 years and starting with the first year we would regularly find lost cash on the ground at various areas. We even found a wallet once near Wave-Swinger. In 2018 and 2019 we tallied over 100 visits each year with absolutely zero cash findings. I had a conversation last summer with a Park Services employee who was a regular collector of cash from under the roller coasters, he claims to have pocketed quite a hall over time but not much recently, just cell phones, caps, & glasses.

As an aside, so that I do not get accused of impropriety, let it be known that all cash & coins we ever found were turned in to Security, the wallet given to Town Hall Ken.

I don't even take my wallet into the park anymore. It's just extra crap in my pockets and one more thing to make it harder for the restraints to close. I use Samsung pay and scan my pass on my phone for my meal and drink plans. All I take into the park with me is my phone and a power brick that's just about the size of my phone.

And I'm also thinking they want to eliminate cash to save on logistics. With cash, it has to be deposited regularly and in order to accept cash, they need to be able to keep cash on hand. With electronics, it's all done instantly. No trips to the bank and no need to have piles of cash in the office. And if you lose physical cash, you're pretty much SOL. There's no recovering it.

Back In my day, the Cash Control department was huge, especially as cash was the only tender. If they ran out, guests could cash personal checks or travelers cheques up to a certain amount each day.
The daily money lived out of sight in a building surrounded by the L-shaped games/ Fascination building. Every location that accepted money had its own cash box (mine said Beach Refreshments I think, maybe just Beach) and at the end of the day the cash, receipts, register tapes and anything else pertinent was walked to Cash Control and dropped off. That operation ran all night and the next morning you’d go back and pick up your same cash box with your starting till.
I imagine it’s just as involved as it ever was, if not more so. Eliminating the cash end of the business in many locations will be a money saver for the company in terms of overhead and payroll.
Another good reason to reduce the amount of cash money is loss prevention. We’d hear of locations coming up “short” and it was often discovered that an employee was literally dipping into the till.
A notorious thief worked at the original taco stand in Frontiertown. Lots of money went missing and through the process of scheduling/elimination (not unlike Clue) the culprit was uncovered. I don’t know if she was charged or just walked out, but the best thing was the stand’s yearbook picture. They had put the cash box on the pavement in front of the stand and gathered around for the shot. Guess who’s foot was planted firmly on top of the box?

That’s not quite right Kevin. Only unvaccinated guests need the chip, the rest of us already received ours with the vaccine along with great 5G and that handy magnetization.

I can't remember the last time I actually used a standard wallet. I always felt they were too bulky. I just always shoved the cash/cards in my pockets. When at park, I used fanny pack to keep secure. Couple of years ago, I invested in a Ridge Wallet to keep ID, insurance cards and debit card. Love it. I got the one with the cash strap on it but don't like it very well. Someday will swap it out for the money clip attachment. Even with a fanny pack, I hate carrying too much with me weighing me down. Majority of the time I would leave the phone and in car and keys hidden.

I am NOT against using cards, just the idea of losing the option of cash. Sometimes I prefer cash, other times, prefer card. Oh well! Of course, I won't be back to parks anytime soon, so I am not going to lose any sleep over it!

That's interesting to hear, RC, and exactly what I was guessing. We had a similar but less dramatic event happen at the running store in Columbus I worked at for years (shameless plug: FrontRunner)...small amounts would disappear on a regular basis. 20 here. 15 there. maybe on a big day...but we finally cracked the case when the managers started purposely scheduling the culprit and eliminating suspects.

It was Kyle, in front half of the store, with the Nike Pegasus....

Removing cash from the picture makes the lives of so many much easier, and creates a trail of accountability for everyone involved.

That sound of a stampede of buffalos…

that is the sound of tipped employees, from the already ridiculously poorly staffed park, fleeing for jobs at Thirsty pony, BWW, Applebee’s and every other normal business that accepts cash.

If you think otherwise, you are laughably out of touch.

XS, if you had to come up with a number what would you say the percent of the middle class pay cash at those types of establishments?

It may be different for singles but as a family man it would really suck managing the amount of cash I would need to carry if I didn't use cards/phone for just about everything other than Girl Scout Cookies. My perception is I tip better digitally than with cash, certainly more accurately.

I believe many if not most forms of government assistance have moved away from issuing checks and have gone direct deposit or issue plastic. Immigrants are the only real group that are semi-locked out of the mainstream financial system that I can think of.

I have certainly lost a lot of cash over the years but I have never lost any funds through plastic, the system has always Made Me Whole Again. :)

The last time I tipped with cash, Disaster Transport was still taking people to Alaska.

The last time I tipped with cash was the last time I ate out at a sit down restaurant. I am clearly the financial weirdo of this forum for the amount of cash I use. I paid with a check at Walmart about a week ago. I would say "write" except you don't write them anymore you just confirm the amount and the printer does the rest so unless you are fumbling around it doesn't take extra time. I go into the bank lobby and have pleasant conversation with the tellers when I do my banking too. Apparently I am a freak.

XS NightClub said:

...fleeing for jobs at Thirsty pony, BWW, Applebee’s and every other normal business that accepts cash.

If you think otherwise, you are laughably out of touch.

I get that this is anecdotal, but I cannot honestly recall the last time I saw anyone, at any restaurant, fill that little black book (or tray or whatever) with cash rather than slide a card into the little slot at the top. I mean, I know it happens, but it's just so rare anymore.

It's hard to find solid data, but overall the trend is pretty clear that most (75-80%) prefer to use cards rather than cash, so maybe it's not the pro-plastic group that is "laughably out of touch."

I don't think the transaction speed is materially different from a good cashier counting change and auth'ing an electronic payment, depending on the infrastructure. I've routinely watched Disney's network take upward of 15 seconds at the various festival stands. When I worked retail, I could easily count change in that time.