$51.99

[Pillsberry123]

I would've figured that CP would have the highest prices...

I'd guess that it would have a lot to do with the fact that Kings Island's admission includes the water park, but Cedar Point's admission does not. But then you should also consider that much better deals on admission can be found if you stay in a CP resort, which is where CP makes most of it's money.

[The Interpreter]

Cedar Point makes most of its money on the resorts? Oh, really?

Terpy, who 'learns' new things here every day...some of them are even true...

[Pillsberry123]

Cedar Point makes most of its money on the resorts? Oh, really?

Terpy, who 'learns' new things here every day...some of them are even true...

I think it's a safe thing to say that if the resorts weren't there, CP wouldn't make close to what it is making now. Not even just off of the room rates, but the restaurants located there as well. Driving to an offsite McDonald's is a lot easier in Mason than it is in Sandusky.

Resorts bring in tourist, tourist bring in cash, and getting tourist to spend cash is a lot easier than getting a local to do so.

[The Interpreter]

MOST Cedar Point visitors stay in hotels/motels that are not associated with Cedar Fair. The ratio is not even close...

[Browntggrr]

But then you should also consider that much better deals on admission can be found if you stay in a CP resort, which is where CP makes most of it's money.

Check out page 8 and look at the accomodations vs. total net revenue for 2010.

Accomodations only accounts 7.3%.

Yes, that is for all CF properties, but to believe the resorts at CP accounts for the a majority of the CP revenue is inaccurate.

http://cf.wddnsweb2.wddonline.net/_upload/pressreleases/4qtr-2010-earnings-release.pdf

[Pillsberry123]

MOST Cedar Point visitors stay in hotels/motels that are not associated with Cedar Fair. The ratio is not even close...

That may be true, but imagine what the peninsula would be like if there were no resorts and imagine how much differently the park would run itself. Soak City would probably be included with admission or it wouldn't be worth having anyway, Challenge Park probably wouldn't exist, the restaurants located out of the park most likely wouldn't exist, ERT either wouldn't exist or would be an awfully lot smaller, Jet Ski Rentals and Para-sailing wouldn't be available (at least not on the peninsula)... All these things rely on the resorts to survive.

EDIT: Thanks for posting that Browntggrr. They might not make most of their money off of resorts, but it's a significant amount none the less.

[RaptorGuy]

I would've figured that CP would have the highest prices...

You would think, but historically, Kings Island has always charged higher admission. It's always been about $5 more, which seems to be the case

now. Maybe it does have to do with the fact that the water park is included in regular admission at KI and Soak City is NOT.

Really, a lot of parks are in this admission range now. Dollywood is $57 to get in for a day. I bought a season pass for $81. I

think that special is only good for a short time, though.

[The Interpreter]

Before Kings Island was built, there was literally nothing but a few cows and residents at the Mason exit....and lodging and restaurants were sparse...then again, that's still largely true at Jackson, New Jersey (but zoning has more than a little to do with that....)

[Truth Seeker]

Honestly, I don't think the price increase — and the crossing of the $50 threshold — is as significant psychologically as some here seem to assume. Especially since with even the slightest amount of planning ahead that $50 barrier can be avoided, the effect will be minimal if non-existent. I also don't think the food prices are at a level where dropping the prices will result in higher volume and equal (or higher) revenue will result. I know that plenty of people decide to eat in the parking lot (or off-site), but I have stood in enough long lines to know that demand for the food served inside KI is still in sufficient demand, and I don't think there are nearly enough people avoiding the food to compensate for lower prices. I can count on one hand how many times I saw a family consuming food in the parking lot, or McDonald's that had been snuck inside last year at the park. Obviously I can not make a definitive statement from my extremely limited observations, but if there were really enough people avoiding the food over the price, the evidence would likely be much more prevalent. Nor do I think the park is particularly equipped to handle much greater increase in the number of people buying food at the park (again, due to the long lines I have experienced very often waiting to purchase food).

Now, do I like the price of tickets, or food in the park? No, absolutely not. Nor do I think the pricing structure is the smartest way to run the park. But I don't agree that lowering prices for each would so easily make up for revenue and have a positive impact on the prices.

Reducing the insanely high salary for top executives, would be a fantastic first step though!

Excuse me?Please take no offense when I say this ,but I believe you're the one assuming material. I am registered by the state of Florida as a psychologist and know what I am talking about. When a company raises it's prices to $50 or above they are not only crossing a financial barrier ,but they are in addition crossing a major psychological barrier that must be crossed with care. Cedar Fair has not done so and consequently will see negative economic results.

[flightoffear1996]

The title of this topic will be soon the price of a gallon of gas.

[Browntggrr]

The title of this topic will be soon the price of a gallon of gas.

Why?

Many of us crossed the threshold of $50 for a tank of gas some time ago.

[CoastersRZ]

No kidding. I filled my car up a couple weeks ago, and almost broke $60 for one tank.

How many people will think twice about going to parks like Kings Island because of the cost of gas?

[KIfan1980]

How many people will think twice about going to parks like Kings Island because of the cost of gas?

I know, at $4 a gallon, it costs me about $1.50 to get to and from the park

In all seriousness, we'll have to see how things play out at KI this summer, but rising prices are something we are all going to have to get used to at the gas station, at the mall, at the grocery store, and at the amusement park.

[RailRider]

So are there no 1 day gate price tickets? Can I just pay the $26 for the one day? This pricing strategy leaves me with many questions...

The one day gate price is $51.99. The buy one day, get two is an online special. The webpage is confusing...and is going to cause problems.

Thats what I mean, the pricing strategy is very confusing. I also wonder how the group pricing strategy has been changed? Just curious as to the logic behind this pricing strategy, or lack there of.

[tlvtr]

Excuse me?Please take no offense when I say this ,but I believe you're the one assuming material. I am registered by the state of Florida as a psychologist and know what I am talking about. When a company raises it's prices to $50 or above they are not only crossing a financial barrier ,but they are in addition crossing a major psychological barrier that must be crossed with care. Cedar Fair has not done so and consequently will see negative economic results.

Would you mind sharing which studies you are referring to that give you such confidence in declaring (rather than opining, which is all I was doing) that this increase will have negative economic results? I'm not saying that a $50 threshold never has a psychological effect, but does the study specifically cover amusement parks and their patrons? Does it factor in the extremely easy way to purchase an identical ticket for far less than $50 through their website? My guess is no, and therefore can not be equated exactly to this situation.

If you are looking to get a new DVD player, monthly internet service or a trip to the movies a $50 threshold will have a completely different effect on consumers. But this is a different animal, and it shouldn't be assumed that what is true in one situation will be true in every situation. Please take no offense, but as a scientist you should know that better than anyone else.

But this can all be somewhat settled when we eventually find out how 2011 works out financially for Cedar Fair. If I end up being wrong so be it.

[Browntggrr]

Those who want to save a buck will do what is necessary & know what to do. Those people will not go to the park w/o discounted tickets already in hand.

Those who do not look for a deal obviously do not care what the price is and will pay the full ticket cost and will have a fun day at the park.

The park would be smart to train all front park workers in the advantage of season passes for guests. At $51, passes should be an easy sell.

[74Gibson]

I said this earlier today, in another thread but it sure applies. This is an example of how food prices adversely affect net revenue.

Which is such a poor quality item that the eyes were sown on crooked so he looks mean. Nigella likes the thing but keeps getting freaked out when she catches a look at it's face. She literally hides him when she's not playing with him. I think she actually had a bad dream about him (3 yr old retelling dreams, very confusing)

The day I won it was one of those... "OK let's give in park spending a try' days. Man, CF burnt me again. I like to spend money at other parks but feel ripped off every time I do at any CF park (except the sparts bar under Raptor...oh wait, nearly my whole salad was over ripe last time I ate there and I vowed not to do it again). Got a nearly 4 dollar coffee to warm up and it wasn't good coffee and they only had powdered creamer.

Once again, I vow to NOT SPEND A DIME INSIDE A CF PARK this year.

I spend a good $40-$50 a day at other parks.

Sorry to gripe in an upbeat forum but...

[flightoffear1996]

The title of this topic will be soon the price of a gallon of gas.

Why?

Many of us crossed the threshold of $50 for a tank of gas some time ago.

I ment per gallon.

[jdawg1998]

The title of this topic will be soon the price of a gallon of gas.

Why?

Many of us crossed the threshold of $50 for a tank of gas some time ago.

I ment per gallon.

= Sarcasm? At least that's what it equals in Terpy talk!

[McSalsa]

OK, I looked up some stuff, and for those who are interested here is how KI compares to its nearby competitors as far as pricing goes, sources are their websites.:

ADMISSION

Kings Island- $51.99

Cedar Point- $46.99

Holiday World- $42.99

Six Flags Great America- $56.99

Indiana Beach- $29.95 for rides, $39.95 rides & waterpark pass

Coney Island Ohio- $11.95 for rides, $21.95 rides & pool combo ticket

DISCOUNT ADMISSION

Kings Island- $36.99 (Online, NOT Kroger, Kroger may be cheaper...)

Cedar Point- $29.99 (Online website does not sell discount tickets, this is with a resort package)

Holiday World- $36.99 (Via coupons for $7 off in May)

Six Flags Great America- $36.99

Indiana Beach- NA. Couldn't find any. I recall them having discounts on Pepsi/Coke cans or something back when I went in 1999 but that seems long gone now...

Coney Island Ohio- NA

SEASON PASSES

Kings Island- $99.99 for Gold, $165 Platinum

Cedar Point- $106.00 regular, $165 Platinum. Regular does not have parking or Soak City.

Holiday World- $149.95 (though also avaliable via a discount now for $109.95)

Six Flags Great America- $74.99 (Works for all Six Flags parks though)

Indiana Beach- $59.95

Coney Island Ohio- $89.95

Well, there you have it. How KI's prices compare with other large competing parks in the area. There are some suprises up there for sure...like Six Flags Great America's season pass price for one...

[Browntggrr]

^Great info.

Instead of taking things at face value, some need to stop beating the "I want to make-up reasons to hate KI and make everyone drink the kool-aid" drum.

[PhantomTheater]

SFGAm pass does not include parking, which according to it's website is now $20! Pass parking is available for $70 dollars and good at SFGAm only

http://www.sixflags.com/greatAmerica/tickets/index.aspx

[bkroz]

$20?! Talk about a deal-breaker... And I honestly think it is.

Perhaps their thinking is, "When they get here, they gotta park." ("They gotta eat," claimed the CEO of a rival company, whose per-caps are anything but spectacular).

I'd offer that maybe the thought process will not be "Well we already spent $20.00 to get here, we may as well spend another $20.00 to park." In fact, I imagine it might be "Well we wasted $20.00 to get here, we're not wasting another $20.00 to park." To have spent that much money without gaining access to a single ride or having a soft drink or meal to show for it is... Wow... Ludicrous. There are no words (except to point out Walt Disney World's parking price, which is 70% of Six Flags Great America's, and Cedar Point's, whose is 50%...).

Great Adventure's parking price is $17.00 (still prohibitive, and makes me re-consider my trip there this year) and a season-long parking pass is $50.00, compared to Great America's $20 and $70, respectively... The very idea of money is that you're bartering, just with pieces of paper that are socially understood to represent an otherwise arbitrary value. We trade those pieces of paper for goods and services based on the confidence that that same paper will carry its worth when you look to use it later. So apparently, parking at Six Flags Great America is somehow worth more than parking at Great Adventure... Pricing integrity at its finest, right? Sigh.

[Browntggrr]

So apparently, parking at Six Flags Great America is somehow worth more than parking at Great Adventure... Pricing integrity at its finest, right? Sigh.

My guess is, the parking cost offsets property tax (for the lot), which is always different where ever you live/ work/ play etc.

Again, just a guess.

[185139]

Makes Me Glad I Got A Season Pass For $60

[Snowman]

Makes Me Glad I Got A Season Pass For $60

Where did you get a pass for $60? Cheapest I've seen was $69.99 at Haunt.

[WOF Guy]

The following is an email response I received from Kings Island

Thank you for your interest in Kings Island. Our Pay Once, Visit Twice ticket for $51.99 is available at the front gate admission windows. Visits do not need to occur on consecutive days.

Please contact me should you have any additional questions.

Enjoy your visit!

Sincerely,

DON Helbig

Public Relations Area Manager | Kings Island

6300 Kings Island Drive | Kings Island, Ohio 45034

(513) 754-5797 | FAX: (513) 754-5725

So at the front gate it would appear that you can buy one day for $51.99 or you can buy two days for $51.99. I wonder which will be the more popular choice.

[74Gibson]

Thanks for the info Salsa!

Plus, you reminded me I forgot to buy my families HW season passes. Man that feels good to type. I'm getting Holiday World season passes and will be unemployed (though still getting paid) all summer!

My day just got a LOT better!

Now if I could just get this partial union to heal in my leg

[XGatorHead 8904]

Having worked in Admissions for 10 years during the Paramount era, I gave up a long time ago on making sense of pricing. Back then the price generally increased $1-2 per year, and the season passes increased in small increments as well. I agree that $50 is a big mental barrier... we were worried when we surpassed the $40 mark, but that went rather smoothly considering.

Back in the Paramount years, the number of people who actually paid full price for a ticket was very miniscule, as there were (and still are) many discounts available. I won't say the actual precentage because it's not public knowledge, but suffice it to say it was pretty small, as I suspect it still is today. The Pay Once Visit Twice (or P1V2 as we called it) first appeared in the early 2000's and I still think it's a pretty good deal if you're only planning to visit twice.

Parking is another thing that needs a look over. $12 is way to much to park. At least offer reduced parking in a lot that is further away. I'd rather see parking at around $6, but if no one complains, nothing with change.

That beats the $17 I paid at SFGAdv this past Saturday... $15 plus $2 tax, credit cards only... no cash accepted at the toll plaza. We did split the cost between the three of us though (KIRuler, Beast Man and myself).

[

I can count on one hand how many times I saw a family consuming food in the parking lot, or McDonald's that had been snuck inside last year at the park.

Then you are obviously not out in the parking lot at the right times. Every time my family and I go out to eat from our car, we are far from the only ones doing it!

Great Adventure's parking price is $17.00 (still prohibitive, and makes me re-consider my trip there this year) and a season-long parking pass is $50.00, compared to Great America's $20 and $70, respectively... The very idea of money is that you're bartering, just with pieces of paper that are socially understood to represent an otherwise arbitrary value. We trade those pieces of paper for goods and services based on the confidence that that same paper will carry its worth when you look to use it later. So apparently, parking at Six Flags Great America is somehow worth more than parking at Great Adventure... Pricing integrity at its finest, right? Sigh.

I say it's worth it. I went for my first time on Saturday. My day didn't start off well, but it turned into a great day. Every single employee was friendly, and I found out I really love the speed of Kingda Ka! (Oh Dragster, why can you not have the same restraints that are on Ka so I'm able to finally ride you? You're a lot closer to home than Ka is!)

[jcgoble3]

Since parking prices have been discussed here, I'd like to point this out (taken from http://www.visitkingsisland.com/public/visit/faq.cfm)

How much is parking?

Kings Island offers regular parking (all vehicles) for $10 and preferred parking for $20.

That has clearly been updated for this season, since preferred parking was only $15 last year, so it appears that the price of regular parking will not be going up.