What is up with the increase in the Platinum Pass?

We got the passes last year because that was going to be our "vacation" with multiple visits. It was a difficult decision renewing with the price increase. But we don't know if we're going to be able to do a traditional type of vacation next year so we renewed.

However, because of the expense of the passes, I feel even more pressured to get the most out of it (cue PB-Reader's tally). When I think of other points of interest we can do or see instead, it's a lot of money. And we don't do them because we've already spent all this money on passes so we feel we have to use them as much as possible. The payment of $80 a month is lower, but this time it's over 9 months instead of 6. I checked out the Six Flags passes mentioned, that's a fantastic deal in comparison if you're near one. Since we're down in central Ohio a lot, we'll try to go to King Island more than once next season, and we'll do the water parks more often than we did.

I imagine next year it will be close to $200 for a platinum. As others have said, it might not be that big of a deal for a single or couple but for a family, it's getting too expensive. We don't get ski passes either, our kids can through their school, otherwise we do the super saver Sundays.

I can't see ourselves living Cedar Point every year at that expense. Although I've posted on here, I don't label myself as an enthusiast but just another consumer. So we'll probably go back to an annual trip after next year.

Even at 200, we would still purchase them in a "normal" year...normal meaning there are no other big trips planned. This upcoming year we are trekking down to Disney, so we won't be renewing for the first time in a long time, but it has nothing to do with the cost going up slightly.

The equation for deciding to purchase has not changed. You either frequent Cedar Fair parks enough to pay for it in a year, or you do not. Aside from this upcoming year, that answer is always yes.

What used to get paid for in 3 - 4 trips now takes one more trip to pay for itself, but that has never been the true value for myself or my wife.

When I got a season pass for the first time, I visited Cedar Point with a relaxed attitude that I never had before. Suddenly, we ceased to care about riding everything we could in one day, and I can't remember the last time we got upset over a ride being shut down. I don't care if it's crowded, if I get there at 1:00 pm, and I don't feel a need to "close the park"...that's the true value in the season pass for me.

Not to mention, in terms of actual value, I would argue that even 200 is still a bargain for a Platinum Pass in the world of entertainment. But again, the question of value is one we will all answer differently.

Frankly, I can't believe someone could be "priced out" by this increase. Annoyed? Perhaps, but priced out? That's one air-tight budget with very little wiggle room.

^^^Exactly. We're talking about going to an amusement park, not buying food or having a roof over one's head. If such a small increase causes someone to be "priced out", I would wonder about that person's budgetary priorities.

Well said Kevin.

Get a platinum pass. It DOES include all Cedar Fair parks in Ohio, Soak City, and free parking.

If anyone is referring to my comment about not wanting to be priced out it wasn't because I can't handle this particular increase, it was in response to somebody's remark that they wished that it would go up far enough to price people out of the market on purpose so that early entry or ERT wouldn't be so crowded. I resent that someome would want to have the price of something raised so high just to stop others from having the same enjoyment as them. That would be like me wishing that the price of cars went up so high that half of all drivers could no longer afford them just so I wouldn't have to wait in traffic.

Paisley said:
That would be like me wishing that the price of cars went up so high that half of all drivers could no longer afford them just so I wouldn't have to wait in traffic.

If you ran for public office on this premise I'd totally vote for you. That would be amazing.

So I'm curious here. Since I usually buy/renew in March every year, how much will it be in March of 2014 for a Platinum pass?

Why don't you just renew now and save yourself some money. Its a sure bet that it wont be cheaper than it is now.

Well I would, but I was bad this year with my vacations on my credit card this year. :(

Payment plan? Doesn't get more affordable than that.

I just completed a Cedar Point survey regarding passes. One of the questions they asked is what do I think of a "membership" vs a season pass. In describing a membership they listed the perks of the current platinum pass such as free parking and early entry and entry into other parks. However, a membership would be a monthly bill for an entire year, ongoing until one decides to cancel it. They also asked what I thought about these perks:

*a free drink with a purchase of a child's meal
*discount tickets to selected sports, concerts, shows, movies
*free popcorn at selected theaters
*free desert with a purchase of a meal at selected family of restaurants

I did the same survey.. The membership thing stuck out to me also. Except I replied that their definition of a membership didn't match mine.

I have a Toledo Zoo membership.. I told them that at Cedar Point Platinum Pass and a Toledo Zoo membership are exactly the same.

I have to renew once a year.. not monthly

I get discounts off of merchandise..

And I get Free Parking..

I didn't remember until now that a Zoo Membership also gets discounts, or half off entry at other zoos, Not free entry to other parks like the Platinum Pass. But you get the point. :)

I got the same survey. After it asked what I would prefer, membership or pass, it asked why "I would prefer a season pass vs a membership" and I said that a membership (I felt) wouldn't be a good idea because I personally would cancel membership during peak summer hours and Nov-April when CP was closed.

It seemed to me that the park would lose money with a membership option vs having that money in hand with a season pass. Although it did NOT give a pricing structure so a membership may be more due to the flexibility (the survey said you could cancel membership anytime if you wanted to).....

Ah, but therein lies the rub. I can almost guarantee that a membership will come with either a contractual commitment, a "sign up fee", or both.

If it didn't, it would just be an interest free easy pay. There is no such thing as a free lunch, and they're not going to allow cancelation and re-enrolling without them making some money from that. That's the whole point of membership - you pay less per month, but you haver to keep going.

Think of it as a cell phone upgrade. You sign a 2-year contract and it subsidizes the cost of the phone, but if you cancel, there's a hefty fee to recoup the cost.

That survey was poorly designed. One of the first questions asked me which park I live closest to. Michigan's Adventure. Then almost all the remaining questions were about Michigan's Adventure. I haven't been there in 3 years. I was never asked which park I visit most frequently.

If the survey is for pass holders, they already know which park you visit most frequently.

They probably also know what underwear you were wearing on each visit.

I wonder if the membership would be more long-term. Like imagine them offering a 5-year platinum "membership" that you purchase at today's value x 5.

I think it's more aligned to memberships offered by many other venues. To use the Toledo Zoo corollary above, their "memberships" have multiple layers. One layer gets you free admission, another gets your family free admission, another gets you admission for lights before xmas, another gets you unlimited lights before xmas, another gets you a picnic, another gets you free passes to use for friends, etc.

I could easily see CP creating some kind of level-based membership, so you can pick and choose what you want for what you're willing to pay. There's a myriad of things to consider:

Limited/unlimited visits per month
Visit to CP, but not Soak City/vice versa
Usable only at CP/Visit any other park
Free passes usable by friends & family
Spouse & kids family pass
Limited/unlimited visits to Halloweekends
Fast lane integration (holy crap please)

Scottyf said:
Fast lane integration (holy crap please)

If they did offer something like this, it wouldn't be remotely cheap.

I've had more than one person ask me if my platinum pass included Fast Lane. Pretty funny.