News: Cedar Point adds all-Ohio parking pass, deferred payment plan

JuggaLotus said:
Yes, its a sticker, get over it already.

Yes, God forbid you should voice your dissatisfaction over something you're paying for!

The only reason they're doing this is because you can't legally have all of those stickers in Ohio, and it's pretty silly not to sell this option when you're selling an admission pass into everything.

Stickers still suck.

Just noticed that it said on the blog that additional stickers for the Ohio pass cost $25, not $10 like the ones for just Cedar Point. Great. Did I just miss this earlier?

I'm still a little confused on how you get the additional $10 Cedar Point sticker.

O.K., I had to wait until this morning to complain, or comment.

I already posted to Tony & Tyler, they may not answer.

The idea has merit, but for us folks who scrounged up the money early to buy maxx plus passes, with free joe cool, and cheaper parking are getting not such a good deal here.

For those people who waited until after november 15th to buy their $70.00 parking pass, you get a bargain at $5.00 more, but for us who saved $20.00 buying early, now have to throw out $25.00 to get the pass. That bothers me.

Just because I did what cedar point wanted, and bought early, means I am getting punished - or as DBCP said "looks like a gimmick".

Everyone should only have to pay the $5.00 upgrade charge, even the people who bought early. But I have no answer for the Kings Island people yet. I hope they figure that out for them too.

-- on the other side (thinking this thing through) ---

I did get free joe cool for buying early. At the time I purchased the maxx plus pass I was prepared to pay $30-$40 in extra parking money to go to kings island and geauga lake, so $25.00 may not be as bad as I think.

Thanks for listening

Okay, Here's my problem. I am going to call CF right now because I bought a CP Parking Pass and A GL Parking Pass, so I have been ripped off to the tune of about $35 right now.

With the removal of X-Flight from GL I am Highly upset right now at CF......

This kind of ticks me off and also kind of slightly makes me happy. Sure it is still that crappy sticker which I hate. Also why did it take this long to come up with this stuff? Most smart people have already purchased everything they thought they would need during the cheaper sale period prior to Nov 15th.

So, I previously bought 2 CP only parking passes. I do not need the Ohio pass, but now I over spent when I didn't need to. An extra pass for $10? Awesome, but now I have some adjustments to make - I already paid full price for a second one. In the spring I have to get my sticker and then pay $10 for another one and then go back to the season pass window and get a refund on the second pass I already paid for. Cool I get some $$$ back, but thanks for the hassle.

Even now if you buy a new parking pass online and you select 2 of them they are still assuming that you are buying for more than 1 household and charge you full price for both passes. That is just stupid - most folks who purchase this stuff online are buying for their household only. I don't buy passes for my neighbor. That is just dumb.

PB-Reader said:
For those people who waited until after november 15th to buy their $70.00 parking pass, you get a bargain at $5.00 more, but for us who saved $20.00 buying early, now have to throw out $25.00 to get the pass. That bothers me.

See I don't see it that way at all and I think I am right. Sure you bought early, but what were buying was a $70 parking pass - just for a cheaper on-sale price because you acted sooner than later. So if you upgrade to the Ohio pass in the Spring it should still only cost you $5.

It should be no different than in the past like buying your season pass early at one rate and then later during the season upgrading that pass with a waterpark option or something for whatever would be the different between the 2 current options. They are not going to go back and say well the records indicate that 6 months ago you bought it early for this price and you owe us even more to upgrade. If they did, then by that logic I should have only been charged the upgrade price of what the pass should have been during the period from which I originally ordered it. That is absurd to think they would do that.

Does that make any sense? It does to me and if you already own a pass - whatever you paid for it when you orginally got it should have no merit on current or future upgrades.

^ It makes all the sense in the world to me. I completely agree, and hopefully that's how it will work out in the end.

I'm an idiot and I forgot to buy parking before the deadline (Hey, I bought a new camera instead, it pays off), but I'm not complaining about paying $75 because I didn't jump on the early price. However, since there are people that DID jump on the early bird savings, I do believe 100% that they should be extended an "early bird" savings on the upgraded Ohio Pass.

Granted, I see it from both sides - hypothetically, if this were an electronics store, and you bought a TV that was only capable of 720p HD a month ago for $500, and now they're advertising that the same TV, but available with 1080i for $650, they wouldn't refund you the $150 because you purchased what was available to you at the time.

As I said, I can see that being the case but this really is a different scenario, I believe the early birds should get some kind of a deal. In the end, this will (hopefully) all work out.

-Josh

^ I want to agree with that way of thinking, but the On-Point blog, (which is now answering questions) keeps mentioning to pay "the difference between the price you paid, and the $75.00".

Their example, was to get a refund on the geauga lake and cedar point parking pass (both $50.00), then buy the $75.00 pass.

If I refund my $50.00 pass, they will not give me $70.00, and I will end up paying the $25.00 anyways.

As I mentioned earlier, I posted to "On-Point", in which case, I really didn't think I'd get an answer...

I just recieved an e-mail from:

Tony Clark
Public Relations Representative
Cedar Point Amusement Park/Resort

which says

'Unfortunately, I don't have a "why" answer in regards to your pre-paid parking pass question. You will still have to pay the difference in order to receive the new pass.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving'
*** Edited 11/22/2006 8:47:58 PM UTC by PB-Reader***

Maybe that is true how they will work it, but then where is the incentive to buy it early while they are "On sale" ???? I end up paying the same price anyone else does who buys them after the fact even though they were cheaper earlier.

I knew CP/CF was going to screw this up royally. If there was a way they were going to find it and they did. That just burns me to no end. Their kind of slap-in-the-face corporate customer service lately makes me want to stop going there altogether. CF is the next Six Flags.

I don't see how you can say that CF is the next Six Flags. If anything, they're the anti-Six Flags. Yes, they made a somewhat bonehead move on the parking pass situation. Unlike SF, they responded and tried to come up with some sort of workable fix for the situation. Is it perfect? No. But at least they're trying.

Yeah, I don't see how you can call them the next Six Flags either.

I actually think Six Flags has a better deal when it comes to season passes and parking. For $125, I get a season pass valid at ALL Six Flags parks, parking at ALL Six Flags parks, and a Flashpass during each visit to ANY Six Flags park as well as the usual merchandise and food discounts.

I'm buying that for my three Six Flags (possibly 4) visits during 2007. But, since I'm doing VIP at CP over the summer, there's no benefit for me buying the Maxx Pass even though I'm visiting Knott's for sure in March. If the Maxx Pass was more affordable, I'd probably get that and visit more CF parks. But, instead, I'm going to more Six Flags parks and other parks as well (like Holiday World). Granted, CP is making a ton off of me for VIP, but they're losing out on me visiting other parks in their chain because of their pricing structure.

Yeah, I spent $50 on the early deal parking pass, now I can upgrade for an additional $25, this is no deal to me. It is still stupid.

If somebody buys it now for $70, then an extra $5 is a deal. Really, its all about Cedar Fair still cashing in, its ridicious and embarrassing.

I think $75 for an entire season of parking at three parks is a deal no matter which way you slice it.

It all depends on how much you use it. Six Flags option is a massive bargain for me since I only plan on visiting four of their parks.

If I lived in Ohio still, CFs parking pass would be a good deal though.

So you miss out on the deal you would have had if you bought it early. So what. Like Walt said, you're still getting a good deal. If you want to keep that price break you got, then don't upgrade; it's as easy as that.

Walt said:
I think $75 for an entire season of parking at three parks is a deal no matter which way you slice it.

Provided you don't go less than eight times. :)

Leave it to Jeff to cut to the chase.

I go to CP four or five times a year. I've been a season pass holder for the past three years and never did I buy a parking pass. Because I didn't save money.

Point is, if $75 is more than what it would cost you with normal parking toll, then why pay it. Things change. CF said it themselves that with the whole acquisition of the paramount parks that the season pass situation would have to be different.

I'm not a big fan of paying $10 for parking, but I pay it, because it's the only way in the park.

halltd said:
It all depends on how much you use it. Six Flags option is a massive bargain for me since I only plan on visiting four of their parks.

SF clearly doesn't know how to price themselves. They're struggling to make a profit, yet they set their season pass price at the same as normal admission. Their admission went from rather inexpensive to one of the highest in the industry (outside of Orlando). *** Edited 11/23/2006 6:30:11 AM UTC by Gomez*** *** Edited 11/23/2006 6:39:46 AM UTC by Gomez***