They raised price of parking

Not as much as it used to.

When the Disney's were running it, it was amazing

You know, this is one of the best misconceptions in all of theme parks. Walt had a nice shtick, but he was a shrewd businessman; the way he made his money was by being one of the best showmen of all time. One of his best shows was his Uncle Walt persona---where he made you feel as though everything he did was a favor to you. I'm a huge dinseyphile, but even I don't think of him as Saint Walt.

Disney World raised parking $1?

Why yes, as a matter of fact they did go from $9 to $10 earlier this month. However, as the Chief points out, that includes a round-trip tram ride.

I never said Disney was a saint. I just said the Disney company as a whole was better when it was family owned. That's all I said.

Cedar Point used to offer a rountrip tram ride too, but they axed that as well.

halltd said:
...but they axed that as well.

Just like the trees that were along the tram boulevard... :(

Honestly, I just don't understand all the kvetching about any of this. Either it's a good deal for you, or it's not. If it is a good deal, great! If not, stop going, and find something else to do with your time and money. If enough people stop going, and it's because of the parking price, then the parking price will come back down. It's not like CP has never reduced prices on something---for example, the soda vending machines and the single-day gate price.

OldCPer is seriously considering not buying passes next year, because the cost for what she wants is significantly higher. If enough other people skip on buying passes, then I would imagine that pass pricing will change. If they don't, then it won't.

On the other hand, the cost for the passes I buy (previously the Combo pass, now the Maxx Plus) hasn't changed more than maybe $5, *and* I get PKI in addition to MiA, GL, and CP+SC, so that looks like a great deal to me. Parking is $10 more, and I only get it on one car, rather than one pass, but for my specific situation, the difference between one car and one pass is a wash. So, for me, the value of my 07 passes is at least as good as 06, so I'm pretty happy.

But I can stop buying soda. I haven't put money into a vending machine at Cedar Point in four or five years, and I used to do it all of the time. I can't be the only one.

But if I want to go to the park, I can't choose to not pay for parking. That's what's so annoying about this and the parking sticker nonsense. They know that if you want to visit the park, you just have to smile and take it. That's lame. It makes me feel dirty.

Hey, I've got a whole lot of money tied up in FUN units, and I want the company to make money. But I don't think this is the way to do it.

You can count me in the group of people seriously thinking about not buying a season pass for next year. Or possibly not even going at all next year.

And I'm based in Akron Ohio.

Edit : location *** Edited 9/25/2006 12:00:52 PM UTC by Panman***

Jeff nailed the reason why many of us are unhappy right on the head. As for the season pass situation, I think the CP only passes are definately a little over priced. The MAXX passes are fine in my opinion because they cover a chain with several parks, 4 in Ohio, that you can visit with it.

But if I want to go to the park, I can't choose to not pay for parking.

I get that. I guess I look at a season's (or day's) worth of entertainment as a package deal, even though I pay for things separately. So, if I bring a family of two adults+one regular+one junior with me to Halloweekends, and we visit for two days, they pay $235 to "get in" (2 days parking, 3 ride-n-slides, 2 junior tickets) instead of $233.

Making parking "free"---by bundling it into admission---has some obvious perception advantages, but I'm not sure how strong the advantages are. I'm not sure that Joe Sixpack is surprised to have to pay for parking when he visits the park, because he's probably paying for parking whenever he goes to an "event".

There is also a disadvantage---namely, the gate price you advertise has to go up. Given CP's recent push to advertise a lower gate price, the chances that they will suddenly bundle parking into admission are pretty much zero.

If you stay at Lighthouse Point (or any other CP Resort), parking is "free". Or phrased better, included in the price.

MrScott

Not everyone can afford a stay on property, though.

So far everyone I know that has seen the price increase, that isn't a "regular" has been pretty unhappy with it.

A double-digit price tag on anything makes a lot of people think twice before forking over the cash.

Again, I will reiterate that I don't really have a problem with the $10 parking. (Actually, I have a problem with paying for parking anywhere just on principle. I don't pay to park at the grocery store or the mall.)

My major beef with this is that they do it with just weeks remaining in the season. There isn't a bottom-line changing budget impact to Cedar Fair. To me it just serves to tick off people who didn't have parking passes but had been to the park at least a couple of times during the summer.

What's really hurting me is that I can't put my Parking Pass on My Season Pass Next Yr. I can't Drive and I go with many different people each time in other cars. I've been to the POINT 25 times this Yr and if I didn't put my Parking Pas on my Season Pass I would of Paid $218.00 this Yr.

You mean $225, but yes, the lack of parking on the pass is pretty crummy.

I think they have raised parking prices during the season at least a couple of times before now. I totally agree with the Chief, it will upset people who are repeat customers this year. A new season should bring new prices, period.

Worse than the cost of parking is the removal of the parking lot trams. Most of the regulars here know how to get fairly close in parking, but think of the average customer who has to park in the back of the lot on a busy Saturday. That is a LONG walk. The parking lot trams added value to the parking fee, instead of just getting nothing. They need to bring those back.

Amen, brother. As a kid, the trams were a very memorable part of the whole experience---the first "ride" of the day, as it were.

My kids practically vibrate with excitement even at the Epcot tram.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsix4rYtPOI

Boy, when you put it in the context of being a kid, I guess I too remember the trams as being a huge big deal. I remember it on early trips to Cedar Point, to Disney, and even around the inside of the Cleveland zoo. Even Holiday World has them, and that's not even a big parking lot.

Indeed, it really was part of the experience.

We always called them "hot-dogs" and would go CRAZY if we didn't ride them. :)

I love how they "beep beep" when they're ready to go and then the back of the "pull car" goes way down when it starts pulling away.

With me I am 26 yrs old but I have a problem which I can't drive so that is why I am upset with the PARKING PASS. I told the lady about my Problem, and if I could put it on my PASS, and she said I'm sorry we can't. I Bought it just to see if I should put it on my mom's car. When there is another family member or a friend that wants to go and they can switch their car with my mom. This yr I Used $290 all year with my Pass, buying other friend and family member's their Tickets, Food, and Lottery.