Waterpark parking opens at 9:30

I don't get why they are opening the parking lot at 9:30 if it's to prevent people from parking back there who aren't going to the Shores. Why not open it later, say 10 or after since no one can get into the water park until 10:30 at the earliest? Not that I actually want them to do that either, but what good is that 30 minutes really? Especially when people are still going to park back there at 9:30 when they aren't going to the water park. Or if you are like us and actually want to go to CP Shores AND use ERT, then I'm still moving my car into that lot late morning anyway.

Wow the traffic seems way worse this year from what I've heard, I have not been to cp on a weekend since 2008 so usually the lot is less than half full in the back. Is this just a surge to check out the new attractions or a permanent rise in traffic I wonder.

I think it's a surge in traffic based on heavy marketing for the new waterpark. It might last through this season, but it does seem to be a problem that hasn't existed in a while and probably won't exist for that long. To be honest, when that lot back there is full or close to it, I don't find the waterpark very enjoyable. The slides don't have great capacity like coaster do and when most of the chairs are filled, it's hard to find a spot to relax. The lazy river might be the best bet, but that's usually pretty crowded too.

My feeling is that if two dozen cars being in there for ERT is a problem that is somehow solved by opening the lot later (and I don't really think it solves anything because the bulk of those same people end up in there later anyway), they should have cut a row from the preferred lot and made it general parking. Even on the busiest days so far, there is still space in the preferred lot.

Ideally you never want to run out of preferred parking spots, seems like they designed it as needed.

And I'm certainly glad that current management is in charge of the CF financial planning and not coaster enthusiasts.

They've been reducing PP benefits for awhile now, if they want to curb the problem make the whole back lot Preffered upcharge. Or take away PP free parking all together, free parking should only come with a $300+ /night room.

The ONLY real reason I have a Platinum Pass is free parking. I usually spend 10-50 each park visit, and paying for parking would justify spending that much less in the park.

XS NightClub said:

Ideally you never want to run out of preferred parking spots, seems like they designed it as needed.

I'm not sure I follow the logic here. Wouldn't the ideal result be that they sell out of every last preferred parking spot? Anything else leaves money on the table.

Actually that's the opposite, not having available spots to sell leaves money on the table.

The only day a business wants to run out of inventory is the last day of business.

Except every day is the last day of business when you're selling a parking spot good for only that day.

The best result is for every single spot to sell, every single day. "Available spots" do not generate revenue.

And keep in mind the waterpark is only open 3 months out of the year. So those premium spaces won't make any money during that time unless they use them during Halloweekends as additional premium parking.

By that logic, the entire waterpark is a money losing waste of space.

But then again there is only about 25 ft difference between the worst premium and the best regular parking spot. Getting there early is As good as premium.

XS NightClub said:

if they want to curb the problem make the whole back lot Preffered upcharge. Or take away PP free parking all together, free parking should only come with a $300+ /night room.

Wonder how much that would decrease paid admissions to CPS and how many would decide other venues are better value propositions.To the extent any spaces are unsold, that indicates that CP is currently overpricing premium parking. Obviously, they're not going to get it 100% right every day, but those empty spaces show the demand for preferred parking at current prices is being met and that jacking up parking costs is risky to your attendance (aka The Golden Goose).

Expanded parking in the back was a good idea. I'm not so sure Preferred Parking in the back was a good idea.

XS NightClub said:

...They've been reducing PP benefits for awhile now, if they want to curb the problem make the whole back lot Preffered upcharge. Or take away PP free parking all together, free parking should only come with a $300+ /night room.

Well first making all the water park parking an upcharge is ridiculous. Why should anyone have to pay more on top of the $20 already charged just to park by the water park instead of dragging their beach bags through half of CP? Second if you take free parking away as a PP benefit those who don't travel will be seriously reconsidering whether they need more than just a CP pass. Sales for PP would surely go down. I know I would be seriously reconsidering my park habits if I wasn't getting free parking or I had to lug my clothes and towels through the main parking lot and half the park to avoid an upcharge on top of the $20 parking fee. It wouldn't be a very best day ever scenario.

djDaemon said:

Except every day is the last day of business when you're selling a parking spot good for only that day.

The best result is for every single spot to sell, every single day...

...and have no one else want a spot. If you have no more spots to sell then you are potentially leaving money on the table because you cannot sell a space to the guy who wanted to buy a spot just after the last spot was sold.

I just want to point out revoking the PP free parking benefit for CP kind of screws with the marketing of the PP chain wide. No longer can they put that check mark in the column "Free parking at every Cedar Fair Park".

The question I have is if you are willing to pay the $10 preferred parking upgrade charge can you park back there at say 8:45? If there was a day I chose to do CP>CPS>CP itinerary I might consider that a worthy upcharge.

Also, at least last year there were a lot more than 24 cars parked in that lot at 9:00AM. The couple of times I did arrive for ERT, the closest I got was 3 rows back and those were always weekdays.

I wouldn't be happy if they took away free parking. They would likely lose me as a passholder if they did that. I bet alot of other passholders would be as upset. So that's not happening.

To solve this whole problem they should get rid of the lot and only have parking for the resorts only back there and they can use that prime land for waterpark expansion and possibly have the train or shuttles from the front gate take you to the waterpark! I think it would solve more problems because CP is landlocked and also make it 2 parks in 1 because the waterpark is small to begin with that way they can add more attractions to it! The parking lot is prime real estate for coasters or more waterpark!

That's a smart idea, but a shuttle wouldn't handle the crowds, and the train isn't anywhere near the front gate. (BTW, Cedar Point is about as non-landlocked as it gets :)

Free parking is a big selling point for platinum passes. The fact that the daily parking rate has increased significantly in recent years makes the passes that much more valuable.

If they lose the free parking they risk losing a significant number of platinum pass buyers.
I doubt they take away the free parking.