WOW - Fast Lane is getting expensive

I am planning a trip to CP on a weekday in early June and was checking prices of Fast Lane in case we get to the park and it's busy and holy crap it gets more expensive every year. I only go once a year so it's usually a worthy investment for me but it's getting too expensive for my taste. It was $40 or 45 each for me and my girlfriend when it first launched and now it would be $70 for regular and $90 for Plus! I'm trying to decide if it is a plan to stuff their pockets more or an effort to cut down on passes sold so guests without Fast Lane don't complain.

All I know is I hope it is slow when we go so I get to ride everything a few times..

From what I've read on discussion boards, there are some Fast Lane aficionados who would like to see the price increase to decrease the Fast Lane wait times.

Anyway, during the week in early June I would think that you should be able to get everything in without Fast Lane (maybe not as quick), probably more than once as well.

I got Fast Lane the first year at $40/each. Great deal. The wait times were minuscule. I had a feeling the price would increase after the first year (which is why I got it the first year). However, this is just the third year and FAST LANE Plus should definitely include Millennium Force for it to be worth it. Maybe Maverick, too. I really don't think the increase has to do with wait times. The wait times were so small at $40. However, if you are willing to pay it, I see no issue. They can raise it as high as they want. It's cheaper to get a two day ticket. Actually, I have a Platinum pass, so in my case it's cheaper to get a hotel room. :)

Isn't the point for it to be a luxury item? If too many people are using it, it's a bad thing for both the fast lane and non-fast lane guests, as everybody waits longer. Raising the price seems like a good move.

FL is getting more expensive each season, but Im willing to pay the price. I'm not able to get to the park as much as I use to due to my work schedule, so when I'm able to go I like to get as many rides in as possible. I save up during the off season so that I am able to afford FL anytime I go to the park. It's totally worth the investment for my family.

You should be able to get by without Fast Lane in early June, if you are going on a weekday.

Be_Kind said:
...FAST LANE Plus should definitely include Millennium Force for it to be worth it. Maybe Maverick, too.

FLP includes Maverick and TTD.

I really don't think the increase has to do with wait times.

I'm sure wait times of both FL users and standard queue riders play a factor in the pricing.

The wait times were so small at $40.

I'd be willing to be that the wait times the first year had more to do with lack of awareness than anything else.

Even as PP holders, we still might end up buying FL on our trip in mid-May. Not necessarily because wait times will be unbearable, but because we'd just rather not wait in line.

remzguy said:
I'm trying to decide if it is a plan to stuff their pockets more...

No, it's not a plan to stuff their pockets more. Generating a profit is the last thing on their minds. At least until it's time to buy another $25M coaster.

No, it's not a plan to stuff their pockets more. Generating a profit is the last thing on their minds. At least until it's time to buy another $25M coaster.

I really hope you never try to run a business. Profit should/is always the first thing on a successful companies mind. That's the point of having a business. Demand is up so is the price, they will certainly not make less money as a result of the price increase.

If the FL and FL+ were cheaper, more people would buy them more often.
They already limit the supply, if they really were just stuffing the corporate pockets, they would make them unlimited and cheaper.

That way more people would and could buy them, which would make them more money, but anger general admissions.

They are understandably figuring a balancing act between being most profitable and also not inconveniencing the general public.

If you want one, buy one.
I'm sure all of us spend $70-80 on something we get a lot less enjoyment out of at some time

djDaemon said:

Even as PP holders, we still might end up buying FL on our trip in mid-May. Not necessarily because wait times will be unbearable, but because we'd just rather not wait in line.

Cedar Point thanks you for your extra revenue. Even though I don't personally participate, I've noticed alot of the regulars who live close to the park will continue to have one more "Fast Lane" family to heckle. I saw this quite a bit last year.

Sorry, I'll never buy FL; I'll wait in line, meet people, and enjoy the sights.

Heckle, that's cute.

...and bake in the sun, waste my day, miss other fun rides, smell everyone, want to kill myself after enduring 1000 FunTv loops, then die anyway from having to pee.

im planning on hitting CP opening weekend, driving up from nj. will be first time at CP. will the crowds be real bad? should I buy Fl?

Fast Lane is meant to be a luxury item. It is not intended to be cheap enough for everyone to buy. I don't think the park is worried about the general public as they are worried about satisfaction of the guests who buy the passes. It has to be priced right to be successful. If they sell a front of the line pass and the fast lane line is longer than the general line there would be upset customers.

I would not suggest buying Fast Lane until your at the park. This way you know your getting your moneys worth. I laugh when I see people using fast lane on days where the longest line I wait in is 25 minutes. It is not very uncommon to go early in spring or on Sundays during Halloweekends and only wait 15 minutes for TTD. So what is the value in the pass. Wait until about an hour after ERT is over. Check out the lines on Millenium and Maverick. Then make up your mind.

My trips to the Point are generally 2 1/2 days long. So I would never need to use Fast Lane. Only taking one trip this year at the end of the year. Wife gets $10 tickets from work. She also bought someone elses tickets and will use them at KI probably sooner. This is our off year. Going to Tennessee this year so not getting Platinum Passes. Looking forward to going to Dollywood for the 1st time.

Also if you are considering buying Fast Lane for more than yourself you should look into your alternatives. You could easily stay overnight and get 2 day passes for less than Fast Lane. I think it's funny someone would plan a trip far in advance, but only for 1 day.

As far as stuffing their pockets more I have one question. Who are "they". Do you think the people who run CF work on commition? For every FL+ they sell they get to take home a dollar! I think the people your talking about had to invest something into the company first before the stuffing of the pockets happens. And if your were going to invest your money in a company it would be to make money.

^ Just to give the perspective of a FL aficionado, If you're waiting 25 minutes for a ride, I'll still buy FL in a heartbeat, because that means I'm waiting 5 or less.

CPfan1976 said:
Cedar Point thanks you for your extra revenue and the regulars who live close to the park will have one more "Fast Lane" family to heckle. I saw this alot last year.

Sorry, I'll never buy FL; I'll wait in line, meet people, and enjoy the sights.

If you're not teenagers or children, those other useless negative and non-helpful comments make you appear as such.
;)

Also, you saw an alot at the park last year? Where?

I am going on Sunday May 18, Monday the 19th, and Tuesday the 20th, and Monday will be a full open to close day for me so I will buy Fl for Monday, but I would also like to get it for at least one other day what would you recommend?

The only day on your agenda I would consider purchasing it would be for Sunday. That will be the busy day of your journey.

But to each their own. I suppose you will save yourself some time in Maverick's line on Monday and Tuesday, but my personal experience on these days (weekdays in May), though, is literally walking on Dragster and Millennium.

Sunday would be the sure thing. With nice weather, you're bound to have moderate lines, and Fast Lane will save you a ton of time on that day when you add it all up, even if you're there for only part of the day.

On the subject of the thread, Fast Lane is something that should be at least moderately pricey, but the word "expensive" is a subjective word to use. One person's expensive is another person's reasonable and another person's cheap.

Scottyf said:
^ Just to give the perspective of a FL aficionado, If you're waiting 25 minutes for a ride, I'll still buy FL in a heartbeat, because that means I'm waiting 5 or less.

Same way here. I went on a Sunday last September park hours were noon to 8pm. Bought fast lane anyway. Cut my wait time down from 25min or so on MF to the 10 it takes to get up the ramp and in station. Fast lane walk on everything but MF, mav, and gatekeeper. I will happily pay the fee to save whatever time possible to get that many more rides in that day. Instead of waiting 5-8min for raptor I got to walk on. That's a win to me.

I'll keep buying fast lane and or plus most likely regardless of the cost, not because I can't stand waiting in line, but because I prefer to get as many rides as I can get in when I am there. I'll be there June 9th and 10th with fl plus both days with the goals of as many rphs (rides per hour) possible on the rides I enjoy.