Parking pass windshield policy!

Well I've finally made up my mind and will NOT be purchasing a season pass for next year... I have tried everything I can think off, including a scraper to remove that green employee sticker off my windshield and it just will not come off... it is practically fused to the windshild of my brand new 2006 toyota prius (and its an ugly sticker) ... I wont get the pass if it does not let me put the parking on the pass as I wont get another sticker glued to my beautiful car... And this will be the first time in six years I have not gotten a season pass... and My family usually comes to the park twice a season and uses my pass for parking... so I will be letting my family know to not come to the park this year... And between me and my family we probally easily drop $600-$700 in passes, food, etc. to cedar point... well not this year... I hope cedar point is reading this board and getting the message.
*** Edited 11/15/2006 5:42:50 PM UTC by Andrew VanAtta***
*** Edited 11/15/2006 5:43:58 PM UTC by Andrew VanAtta***

It would be interesting to see someone get all 3 Ohio parking stickers and get ticketed for it. Maybe they could make a case against CF for it and make them pay for any fines. I don't beleive they are thinking of those of us that would frequent all 3 parks.

Andrew VanAtta said:
it is practically fused to the windshild of my brand new 2006 toyota prius (and its an ugly sticker)

Meh. Ugly stickers belong on ugly cars. ;)

I have to throw in my vote as another person opposed to the new policy. Out of my 20 or so trips each year, I generally come in the same car except for maybe one or two times. But to me, having it on the pass was much more convenient, and avoided having clutter on my windshield. I really feel for the people that do need to have the ability of taking different cars on different trips.

As for the fraud thing, I'm not really sure I buy that excuse because it's an easy fix. If there is fraud, it's because they allowed it to happen by letting the toll people wave cars though without ever looking at the pass. Fraud is hardly ever an issue at the front gate. I spent most of Halloweekends on the season pass entrance, and the number of people trying to use someone else's pass is almost non-existent. The few that do try it get caught. It would work the same way for the parking if they had people actually looking at the passes.

Exactly. If the reason for the change was due to fraud, then fix the problem with the process, don't punish the masses that are abiding by the rules. If the toll booth employees were actually doing their job correctly, there shouldn't be a problem.

They're going to be losing a lot more revenue from people not making as many trips next year than they would if they continued allowing the parking to be on the pass. And without the included parking pass for Geauga Lake, their attendance will also suffer.

The girl I was dating in 2003 and I intentionally swapped passes to see if they'd notice. I made it through, but she got stopped. So I'd say they're pretty effective at the front gates.

I remember in May, at the start of the 2006 season, they actually made me roll my window down and took a very close look at my pass. By August, it was just a brief glance through the window and a quick wave through.

Now, as a guest, I appreciated the way they did it in August. More convenient for me. But, if they are worried about fraud, why not just continue checking passes they way they did in May?

You are absolutely right Ralph. If there is fraud, it's because the parking people aren't stopping it. They have the capability to stop it.

Heck, let's even make it easy for them...

I'd be willing to accept that non-decal parking passes would only be honored at the far-left (resort, etc) booth. But I really don't want yet another decal on my car. And as if it isn't bad enough for us Cedar Point people, what about the Kings Island passholders, for whom the whole parking decal thing is a bit of 'bait and switch'. Those of us who bought passes at Kings Island with parking were told that the parking pass is in the barcode, and for the last month of the season they were using the barcode to determine whether you had parking or not. Now the PKI web site says parking is going to be a decal? That makes no sense at all!

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

They lost money from me this year.

Not only did I not buy the "sticker", but due to the $10 cost of parking I will not be going to the park nearly as much. I usaly go between 20-25 time a year, but that will be down quite a bit this upcomming year due to the parking sticker issue.

I have 3 cars, so am I supposed to spend $150 to get 3 ugly stickers for all 3 of them? Thats just silly.

Bad move cedarpoint, not only did You lose a lot of money from me and many others, but you have also lost a lot of respect.

Okay.....here's another question that I don't believe anyone has asked yet, and I know I am not unique to this situation. Here goes:

My vehicle will be paid off/lease end in June/July of 2007....what am I supposed to do now?? Will I be forced to buy another decal for my new vehicle, or will they be intelligent enough to record license plates and/or look at vehicle registrations, and check them in the event a replacement decal is needed?

Personally (I am sure I speak for others) I think this rule is asinine, and the park should be ashamed of themselves. As a huge, huge CP supporter, I must say that this is right up there next to Disaster Transport as far as biggest mistakes are concerned.

I would have been more than happy to pay the $15 and buy a JCC membership to get the "P" on my pass. This revenue generated should be more than enough to cover the so called "lost fraud dollars."

What do you guys think?
*** Edited 11/16/2006 3:51:47 AM UTC by 1 cedr pt***

Supposidly, they will let you transfer the decal if you get a new vehicle.

RideMan said:
And as if it isn't bad enough for us Cedar Point people, what about the Kings Island passholders, for whom the whole parking decal thing is a bit of 'bait and switch'. Those of us who bought passes at Kings Island with parking were told that the parking pass is in the barcode, and for the last month of the season they were using the barcode to determine whether you had parking or not. Now the PKI web site says parking is going to be a decal? That makes no sense at all!

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

It also looks like the Maxx Plus pass price didn't increase at PKI like it did at CP. It's still listed at 149.95. And their parking pass is only $34.95.

If the lowering of admission didn't help attendance this year, this parking pass fiasco is really going to hurt attendance next year.

When I purchased our season passes for next year I mentioned the parking sticker policy to the employees. They mentioned everyone was complaining about the new policy and simply handed me a self addressed stamped form to park ops. I am sure park ops got many complaints, as did marketing and it appears CF is sticking by their guns :(

I have already bought the CP, GL and KI sticker vouchers for next season in the hopes CF will change their mind. We can not afford to buy 3 sets of each (which my hubby and I would need for all our vehicles) so it appears one of our vehicles are going to be making the trips way more than the others.

As for stickers being legal or not legal. I was stopped by a sheriff 2 years ago because I had my '04 CP sticker and 3 Quarter Horse Congress stickers on the left side of my windshield. The officer felt it was obstructing my view and wrote me a warning ticket. Now I doubt that 3 park stickers are going to be big enough to cause that to happen but there is no way they aren't going to look tacky no matter how neat they are placed on the car/truck.

CF offered the Maxx Pass-why not the Maxx Pass parking sticker valid at all 3 Ohio parks? They had the dual pass for CP and GL this year and didn't even offer it for next season :(

If they had parking fraud occuring who's to blame for that and how could they prove that?
I often thought to have 1 booth (the far right one) soley for the parking pass/sticker holders. This way the extra couple of seconds it would take to confirm the pass holder was in the vehicle wouldn't be such a big deal. It would take less time to do that then it does the 1st time visitors paying and asking their questions at the booths.

Unfortunitely the frequent visitors and season pass holders aren't the voice CF wants to hear. They want the 1 visit a year guests who pay for parking, tickets, food and CP merchandise. If CF hasn't changed it's mind by now I doubt it is going to happen **sigh** :(

Jo
Lifetime Raptor flights: 1163 :)

Well, I don't really know the numbers, but I find it hard to believe that there is a substantial group of people that will be affected much by this. Out of ALL the people who visit CP, only a part of those are season pass holders. Of season pass holders, most have a parking pass. Of those with parking passes, some will notice the change in the rules next year. Of those that notice, some will care. Of those that care, some will be frustrated or angry. Of those that are frustrated & angry, some will decide to go less to CP next year.

I am not saying I don't simpathize, because I do, but it just doesnt seem like that big of a deal.

Just my $.02

it just doesnt seem like that big of a deal

Well, for at least 11 people I know it was. In fact, it was such a big deal that they didn't get passes for 2007. Why should they be negatively impacted? Why not just go after the ones abusing the system?

These friends of mine probably conservatively dropped (between passes and in-park spending) $5,000+ last year. In 2007, they'll go one day (probably Coastermania).

How much do you think parking fraud cost Cedar Point last year? How much of that could have been easily prevented without stickers?

I'll say this right now: I better not hear them complaining next year (or raising prices) if attendance is down. This is their own doing.

Right, I understand that there are some people who are affected by this... a good percentage of them are likely on these boards or know someone who is. I'm not saying it is not a big deal to the people it affects, I'm saying I don't think it's a big deal in the grand scheme of things.

Obviously CP agrees with that assumption.

Six Flags is the same way!!! Different sticker for each park. I had 3 yes 3 from sixflags and my CP sticker.. I didnt get pulled over I have no complaints. Its the system and you have to follow it!!!!!!

Well, after reviewing the Paramount Park web sites, all have updated the 2007 season pass parking options except Kings Dominion. The season pass parking options seem to vary greatly.

Great America - Buy any Adult 2007 Season Pass and get FREE parking at GA for the 2007 season.

Canada's Wonderland - Parking Sticker $25 (Canadian Dollars?). One additional 2007 Parking Sticker $10.

Kings Island - Parking Sticker $34.95 (Currently, No Option to purchase additional parking stickers).

Carowinds - Parking Sticker $30.00 (Can add up to 2 additional parking stickers for $10 each. | Must be a 2007 season passholder and live at the same home address).

Kings Dominion - Currently, no information on their web site. (Current 2006 passholders, that renewed before the park closed for the season, get free parking in 2007).

I was at KD in november it is free with a Maxx Pass