Why Doesn't Cedar Point Offer a Gold Pass?

Ehh the multi-park perk of the Platinum is a good benefit since CP has Soak City attached to it. The closest Cedar Fair park to me happens to be Ex-Geauga Lake WK which I didn't even go to last year, but it's a nice option to have if we get an obnoxiously hot day.

I don't really think that counts, because of the fact that CP chooses to separate the amusement/waterpark admissions, and other CF parks don't.

If we assume CP + SC = $100, and KI = $60 (I guessing as I don't know what the gate prices are), that means a CP Gold Pass would be 67% more than KI's Gold Pass, since the combined gate price for CP + SC is 67% higher than KI's gate, which includes the waterpark.

With KI's Gold Pass at $117, that puts CP's Gold Pass at $195, which is $3 more than the Platinum Pass.

See? You're already getting a deal better than KI's Gold Pass. :)

That's assuming you want to go to SC. For example, SC is part of about 10% of my visits to the Cedar Point peninsula. The only reason it's > 0% is because it's "free" with my existing platinum pass.

The same assumption is made with KI's Gold Pass, as it includes access to both.

You clearly missed the part about "assuming you want to go to SC." which was referring to both CP and KI. Of course, if you actually had read it, you might have either a) said "ok, I get it" or b) not responded at all. You do realize those are options for you here, right?

If I recall correctly when Cedar Fair originally took over Kings Island they scrapped the Gold Pass. That didn't work out with the Cincinnati market and they eventually reimplemented the Gold Pass.

During the Paramount years, Gold season pass holders had there own parking area, it was next to the big sign out front. They did away with that after they put in preferred parking.

Kings Island depends far more heavily on season passholders for attendance because it's closer to the city. Their mix leans far more heavily on the passes than CP does. Cedar Fair learned this the hard way their first year owning KI when they totally screwed up the pricing and attendance took a dump.

You aren't paying extra money for the platinum pass. Cedar Point is the top of the line park. If there was a gold pass with just access to Cedar Point then it would be the same price.

Going to one of the parks other than Cedar Point actually costs Cedar Fair less money. These parks have fewer rides, and less expensive attractions. Cedar Fair allows you access to all of the other parks, because they can without increasing their expenses. One person attending Cedar Point 10 times is more costly to the company than one person attending Cedar Point 3 times and other smaller parks 7 times.

Allowing access to other parks other than the Point insures the company receives the same amount of revenue, but spreads the usage across many other parks. For example, we benefit because families may decide to use King's Island for a weekend or two, instead of the Point. This means less people at the Point, and less lines for us.

Platinum Pass is an awesome deal, and Cedar Fair doesn't mind giving you access to the smaller parks, after you paid for access to their best park.

Except- the Platinum Pass is available not only at Cedar Point, but every park in the CF chain, including those "smaller" parks of which you speak. Same price.

So if I live in Muskegon but visit Cedar Point every weekend who, by your logic, is saving or losing money?

When you put your fanboy status aside, you can recognize that many of the other parks in the chain, including Kings Island, are just as "top of the line" as Cedar Point.