News: 2007 Season Passes on sale September 22

That's interesting. I just looked and that option is $105 vs $125 for the MAXX pass (which gets you into all ride parks). It also states that those prices are valid through Dec 22, while the prices listed on CedarPoint.com are only valid til Nov 15.

Hmmm...

I wonder how the parking pass decision compares to the Ticket To Ride fiasco.......

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

Man, the more I hear about their sticker policy, the more I shake my head in disbelief at Cedar Fair. WOW!

If you go to the main tollbooth on your first visit with your parking pass, they will direct you to the side where they will apply the sticker (weather and traffic permitting). You shouldn't have to pay anything.

I still don't understand why CP is taking this giant step backwards with their parking passes for next year. If they would simply add the scanning technology mentioned in this forum as well as train the employees to actually check the car to make sure the person on the pass is actually in the car then their "fraud" issues would be taken care of. I still believe that CP needs to continue to imprint the parking passes on the season passes, and that they also need to add an All Ohio option. It would be an excellent act of customer service if they were to do so, not to mention countless passholders including myself would be more inclined to visit the various Ohio parks and potentially spend more money in the parks. Just some food for thought CP. :)
*** Edited 9/15/2006 12:12:13 AM UTC by ltrain2006***

I saw an earlier post about PA laws and window stickers. I found this from Ohio's BMV s

Windshield Stickers: Windshield stickers are prohibited, except that there may be in the lower left-hand or right-hand corner of the windshield a sign, poster, or decal not to exceed 4 inches in height by 6 inches in width.

See link here.

http://bmv.ohio.gov/misc/traffic_rules.htm

Could it be, multiple stickers would be illegal? It would exceed the 4"x6" size allowed. Maybe this is a stretch, it does not say anything about multiple stickers, but I emailed this link to the park anyway. Sure would make thinks easier with and Ohio pass!
*** Edited 9/15/2006 12:59:45 AM UTC by villiageidiot***

Know what people spend money on and you can target them with very specific discounts that appeal to their tastes, and that will get them coming back and spending even more.

As soon as I call Disney World---for anything---from my home phone, they know exactly who I am, how many times I've visited, when my last visit was, how many kids I have, how old they are, and when my next trip is planned. Because I pay for hotel stays and tickets with the same credit card that I tend to use in the parks, they also know exactly what I've bought, where I ate, etc. etc. etc.

It's neat in a slightly freaky sort of way to have the customer service rep just ask me to verify the names of my kids when I make a hotel reservation, because he already knows their names. Heck, he probably knows that I bought those cute little stuffed Yetis for them at the Everest gift shop in February.

It was even cooler in an even freakier sort of way to get email from them with a special resort discount code for late summer, that had each of our first names on the message.

And, we almost made the trip---not enough time, but we seriously considered it.

That is freaky, but I bet they only send you marketing pieces that are applicable to you and your family, right? That's what I was getting at earlier.

villageidiot,

The only way that would have any affect on the situation is if you wanted CP, GL and MiA parking passes. You're permitted 2 stickers, one in each bottom corner.

In PA on the other hand, you can line the top of your windshield with as many stickers as will fit. As long as you don't go below the little line on the edge of your windshield which normally corresponds with the bottom of the tint line if your vehicle has tint at the top. Normally 2 1/2 to 3 inches from the top. I would have never guessed PA would be less strict than OH. As long as you have 4 wheels and a motor you can drive it in OH.

Information received from a licensed inspection mechanic for Pennsylvania.

OK here is another question, what if you have parking passes for work, school, or other entertainment places (like zoos or other parks) and you are already at the limit. Are you then expected to have to remove a sticker or even just not get a parking pass thus loosing money, because I know that, with me at least, if I didn't have a parking pass there are many times that I would not go at all.

Chief Wahoo said:
You can't put infrastructure in a commercial and the current powers-that-be have never have shown an interest in, or appreciation for infrastructure.

Maybe we could persuade them that they could build the tallest, fastest infrastructure on the planet...something like a wi-fi tower on top of TTD or something. ;)

As it stands, that parking-pass decision is one of the dumbest, most backwards-thinking on the planet...a real record breaker.

That's why CP needs to take a step forward and offer an All Ohio parking pass. The best option would be to make it imprintable on the pass and train the employees to actually look in the car to check and make sure the person on the ID is actually in the car! That way, no multiple stickers on the windshield, therefore being in compliance with State Law (because I for one would be very ticked off if I got a ticket for having too many stickers on my windshield because of CF and their great leap backwards), people have the convenience and added value, and therefore CF would have satisfied customers that would most likely spend money in the parks that would compensate for the "supposed" loss of parking pass income if that is one of the reasons why they made that decision.

This stuff will never happen until the "old guard" retires. These people have been running CP since the early to mid-80's, and up until recently they have had the golden touch.

They don't see the roi in anything but rides, food and merchandise, which I believe is part of the reason they are in the midst of declining attendance. They simply don't know enough about thier customers and how to better please and serve them. Heck, I heard from a reliable source that it wasn't until 1998 that they even put a computer into thier accounting offices!

I say if you're going to be a company the size of the new Cedar Fair, you should really start acting like one and get off the porch to run with the big dogs.

-Tambo

That is freaky, but I bet they only send you marketing pieces that are applicable to you and your family, right? That's what I was getting at earlier.

Exactly. And, really, I don't mind the freaky part so much, as long as they keep providing me with a product that I want at a price I'm willing to pay (and they do). It saves time making hotel and other reservations too. ;)

As far as I can tell, Disney's Customer Relations Management tool is a win both for the company and for me.

I'll really be interested to see if they manage to market ESPN: The Weekend to me---our Florida trip this winter is scheduled during what is likely to be part of the Weekend at D-MGM, and I'm also an ESPN GamePlan subscriber.

If they manage that, then they really have their CRM act together.

I very concerned with the Ohio windshield laws.

My cars already have one sticker for my apartment complex parking lot and another for the lot at my office building. If I add 2 more for Geauga Lake and Cedar Point will I be in a position that I could be ticketed? Is four stickers too many?

I'm writing my letters to the general managers of both parks today, but I'd like to know the answer to the legality of multiple stickers before I mail them out.

Even if multiple stickers could be considered legal, I still don't want my windshield lined with them. It looks ugly and tacky and I probably wouldn't feel comfortable driving with all of them in my field of vision.

*I forgot to mention the oil change sticker that my local Jiffy Lube sticks on the window too. At least that is an easily removable decal.

I think it's interesting that CedarPoint came up with a way to make their parking pass more convenient and promote Joe Cool back when they had to compete with Six Flags and Paramount for business in Ohio. I was thrilled the year they added parking to the pass. But now things have changed. There's no more competition. Now the convenience of the toll both operator is more important than the park guest because we can no longer elect to spend our amusment park dollars at a competitor's theme park.

How is it any more or less convenient for a toll booth operator to look for a sticker on your window (amongst the other other stickers that are also there) or for you to roll down your window and show them your Season Pass?

Secondly, and I apologize to any toll booth operators, but screw their convenience. If you're screwing the customer it doesn't matter how "convenient" a solution is to the park and their employees. If its not convenient to me, then I'm not going to buy it. If I'm not going to buy it, the park will have less money. If the park has less money, that operator might just be out of a job.

Now, one person not buying a pass isn't going to hurt the park. But judging from the posts here, and this is but a small sampling of the total season pass people, this could end up being a pretty big hit to the park.

Hopefully they're reading this feedback and come up with a new and better solution.

Also Greg, CP isn't just competing against other parks. They are competing against sports venues, movie theaters, real theaters and other such entertainment venues. So just because there isn't much competition from amusement parks, it doesn't mean there isn't competition.

FYI: Stop sending e-mails to CP about this issue, I would suggest sending them to Cedar Fair directly. I called CP to speak to the person that would have received my e-mail a week or so ago. I got a hold of Gretchen in the season pass center, I asked to speak with whomever would have received said e-mail. She informed me that would be her, so I proceeded to tell her about the e-mail and the issue that I have. She found it interesting since she hadn't received any e-mails in over a week. I told her that someone isn't getting their e-mails then because if she was her inbox would have been flooded. Anyhow, I continued to tell her about my problem and finally ended up asking the reasoning behind why CF made the choice they did about the parking passes. She said that she asked the same question and was told it was due to fraud. She didn't say as to what type of fraud though now that I think about it. I made my case about them only hurting their loyal customers because of an internal issue and that I believed they need to look at their toll booth attendants rather than going this route. She said that I should send a letter to Cedar Fair regarding this problem and hopefully they'll change it in 2008 because they have made the decision for 2007 and it's not going to change.

Hopefully she's incorrect and they will change it but I just wanted to pass this information along so that everyone quits wasting their time and efforts sending e-mails to CP when they aren't getting to where they need to.

I'm with you JL. My post was meant to be somewhat sarcastic. I feel like those of us who need parking on their pass are getting screwed.

This sucks for me, I have 2 cars and we take a differant car every time we go. I have had the parking pass on my season pass for the last 2 years, and it makes it so much more easy for me.

I also bring my parents to the park once or twice a year, and we take there van. So now I will have to pay for parking everytime we go as well.