Parking with a Platinum Pass

Living locally in Sandusky, we sometimes go over the park several times a week and have been there over 25 times so far this season. Of course we have platinum passes and don't have to pay to park. But some days when we come in, the parking attendant takes my pass and scans it and gives a receipt. Other times they see the pass in my hand and just wave me through without even checking it. I haven't noticed a pattern to this -- time of day, busy or light day, full or empty parking lot. (That doesn't mean that there ISN'T a pattern to it, I just am never paying close enough attention to notice).

So that is obviously my question. Is there a reason why sometimes I have to stop and have my pass scanned and other times I am just waved in without even checking it?

The times I have been waved through, it seems to me it was very busy and they were doing it to keep traffic flowing.

There is no noticeable pattern to me either. In a way, it bugs me that they don't scan it every time. The non-scans have been at all times, busy or not.

I agree Luna. I realize in my original post I said I did not notice a pattern, but I DO know there have been at least a handful of times when I was waved through on a weekday evening when there was only one booth open and not a huge backup of cars waiting in line behind me. So it can't be strictly a traffic flow at busy times issue.

The troubling part is that sometimes, the wave comes so quickly that I can't believe the attendant actually saw that it was a platinum pass in my hand. Unless they recognize my face or my car (which is very hard to believe) how did they even see that I had a valid pass? I mean, what's to stop me from holding/flashing a gray credit card as I pull up to see if I get waved through? (Since I asked the question, I suppose I'll answer it)... What stops ME from doing that is that I'll pick the time when they ARE checking and scanning passes. The attendant will take my card from me and swipe it through to charge my card with the standard parking fee!

I recall back in the days of the front window decal, they always waved you through if you had a parking pass - which was much more visually obvious than a card in the drivers hand. Don't get me wrong, I don't want to go back to the days of the window decals [I came across an old thread on that very issue while searching for this topic before starting this thread]... I guess I was just curious.

I've been waived through many times and noticed no pattern. Last year once I was waived through before I even got the pass out. There is a possibility they recognized me though since I have a unique and quite old car.

On Friday night, I arrived at the park at approximately 7:15pm. I was waved through after barely getting my pass put the car window. Lite traffic in front and behind me. A couple lanes were open.

On Saturday I arrived at the park at approximately 7:40am for the Ride Warrior event. Again, traffic was lite in front and behind me. Only one lane was open at the time. This time my pass was scanned.

I wonder if it is a time of day thing?

Just to keep traffic flowing. If you are respectable looking, they will be more inclined to trust you. Same with the security, most of the time the guy just swiped the wand in front of me once and waved me on (with my phone and other metal in my pocket).

What you have just described is known in some circles, as profiling.

They usually just wave me through when they see my Marina Platinum Pass, which is a shade of red. I can see why they wave you through, if the pass were to be no good you couldn't get into the park. Parking is a moot point, no one goes to CP just to park. They validate your pass where it counts, at the gate.

They could be "waving" to potential income though.

Scanning passes part of the time is probably sufficient to ensure that guests maintain a valid platinum pass, while moving traffic faster than with scanning every pass.

^^^^^^^ I was waved through on Friday before my pass was fully out of my wallet. Maybe the coaster shirt gave me away?

It gave you away all right, but not necessarily as someone who has a pass...