$51.99

[Pillsberry123]

$50 is a VERY important psychological barrier for many people (as is $4 for gasoline, the even thousands for the Dow Jones Industrial Average, etc.). The park knows this, and that's why the price ends in .99 (less hard to handle too, now that very few actually pay in cash).

Last year at opening, an undiscounted front gate ticket was $49.99. I submit the difference is a lot more than just two dollars. It's a mind thing.

http://www.KICentral...ndpost&p=370718

This is why I don't understand why they even advertise the $51.99 tickets. I understand $51.99 for two days, that's actually a good deal. Advertising $35.99 for one day isn't bad at all. More people would see the cheap admission, pay the cheap admission, and come in and spend a little bit more.

[Creed Bratton]

I've paid full admission a few times last year in between my employment and getting my pass. To someone who has been at the park several years it's no big deal when you realize how many the park has to pay, maintenance on each ride, what little theming we have, contracts the park has, ride/attraction development...it's okay to pay the higher price. To the general public it seems a bit steep and that is understandable especially if they have a family of 4 or whatever the situation is. This is why I always encourage people to buy season passes, even if they visit twice a year. My first pass was $70 and this was the first pass I have ever owned. Two trips would have paid it off. Now, I upgraded to the Plat. Pass but I've already got my money's worth on it.

So yeah, I understand why the price has been raised. Inflation and all admission prices that head toward park costs. Like someone said before other parks are raising their admission prices too. It's not just Kings Island. We're living in a time when we have to really watch our money if someone can't afford a trip to KI this summer they have several options. They can save up for a trip, get a pass (if they plan on attending multiple times), getting cheaper tickets (at Kroger, etc.), or ultimately not visit (which stinks).

[The Interpreter]

...and if enough people not visit, eventually either the prices will fall, the park will close, or both.

Seriously.

Pricing is an art, not a science...and many believe Cedar Fair has it not right...

[Creed Bratton]

I don't disagree with you at all Terpy. I often wonder what's the absolute minimum the park could charge for admission and not belly up.

[shark6495]

I don't disagree with you at all Terpy. I often wonder what's the absolute minimum the park could charge for admission and not belly up.

Its a math problem, in all reality. for every dollar it rises you lose a certain % point of your revenue. So just for fun lets say, you make the same amount of money (on admission) from a $20 ticket and a $50 ticket. Lets say you make 1 million dollars, well at 20 bucks a ticket you will have 50thousand guests, at 50 bucks a ticket you only have 20 thousand tickets. its all a balance. Some believe that if you lower your ticket prices you will entice more people who may not normally come, but why lower it to make the same amount you do with a high priced ticket..... some say the more bodies in the park the more money you make because its more people buying other goods (food, merch, etc) but if you have less people in the park you do not need to hire as many people (cleaning staff, food vendors, line ops, etc) or buy as much stuff (food, merch etc) which lowers your bottom line.

A park is just like any business. It takes a person who is both able to see the bottom line and see what the people want/need. If you price something so high it turns a need into a want, a want into a maybe, and a maybe into a no. Where does 51.99 push the average family? for my family? it pushes KI from a want to a maybe/no.

[The Interpreter]

I actually think the problem is the opposite of that. Price the gate FAIRLY and don't discount (except for groups). Perhaps price online for less than the gate, but make the difference the actual savings the park gets when a person doesn't have to sell you the ticket. I'd actually have the price people actually PAY to get in higher than now.

Then significantly drop the price and raise the quality of the food in the park. Give season passholders substantial discounts on food and merchandise. Give Platinum Passholders a higher discount than gold passholders who get a higher discount than just park passholders.

Then again, a part of me would just like to drop season passes entirely...but at KI even thinking that would be a disaster, I fear.

[shark6495]

I actually think the problem is the opposite of that. Price the gate FAIRLY and don't discount (except for groups). Perhaps price online for less than the gate, but make the difference the actual savings the park gets when a person doesn't have to sell you the ticket. I'd actually have the price people actually PAY to get in higher than now.

Then significantly drop the price and raise the quality of the food in the park. Give season passholders substantial discounts on food and merchandise. Give Platinum Passholders a higher discount than gold passholders who get a higher discount than just park passholders.

Then again, a part of me would just like to drop season passes entirely...but at KI even thinking that would be a disaster, I fear.

I think you would lose some crossover from park to park. A family who is having a hard time justifying a family vacation & a trip to KI, may find it easier to buy a season pass and do both, but create the family trip around another park. Then again if you eliminate season passes, you would WANT to lower gate prices to entice frequent visitors. People may pay 35-40 bucks for 1-2, maybe 3 visits, but it gets pricey. 70-120 for a season pass and you can go as many times as you want for as little as you want sounds/is better.

[The Interpreter]

But, back when the park did not have season passes, visitors were fewer, there was less need to staff as highly, more money was put into continual theming and maintenance. Compare the Disney/Universal model (and Kings Island back then) to Six Flags/Cedar Fair...

Then again, Disney/Universal are truly destination parks (as is Cedar Point). Kings Island started out as one. Much shorter lines, much richer experience, and the guests in the park are there for truly a special occasion, and thus far more likely to spend money, and lots of it, inside the park...as long as the experience is worth spending money on...

[shark6495]

But, back when the park did not have season passes, visitors were fewer, there was less need to staff as highly, more money was put into continual theming and maintenance. Compare the Disney/Universal model (and Kings Island back then) to Six Flags/Cedar Fair...

Then again, Disney/Universal are truly destination parks (as is Cedar Point). Kings Island started out as one. Much shorter lines, much richer experience, and the guests in the park are there for truly a special occasion, and thus far more likely to spend money, and lots of it, inside the park...as long as the experience is worth spending money on...

bolded, underlined, and italicized. If you are to make an experience a once a year type of experience then by all means take away the season pass. goes back to the article you posted the other day about disney. if you make a park a destination people will go and spend the money, no matter the price (almost). An amuzement park without rollercoasters is a parking lot with popcorn, a theme park without rollercoasters is still a theme park. (I paraphrased a bit from Mr. Disney)

[KIfan1980]

For me, what is out of whack is the difference in costs between a 1 day non-discounted ticket price and the special offer prices (booking online, through local stores, season passes).

Compare the price paid for one day admission as shared earlier by CedarPointer:

• 1 day 2007: $44.95
• 1 day 2011: $51.99
• Increase of $7 over 5 years

Compared to the Gold Pass Prices I've paid recently:

• 2011 Pass: $49.99 (includes $20 Sellout Day Discount, so normal at the time was $69.99)
• 2010 Pass: $69.99 (they didn't offer the extra Sellout Day Discount that year, as they were giving everyone the $69.99 Gold Deal)
• 2009 Pass: $64.99 (included $20 Sellout Day Discount, so normal at the time was $84.99)
• 2008 Pass: $89.95 (didn't make it to the Sellout Day in 2007)
• Decrease of $20 ($40 if account for Sellout Day Discount) over 4 years

Personally, I'm not really complaining , but when you think about it, I'm not sure it's the best business strategy. If I were in charge I'd do the following:

• Gate cost and special discount would only be $5-7 difference. Think $45.99 at the gate and discounts of $38.99 (it would be interesting to see if average price paid would go up)
• Gold Pass would be ~2-2.5 times the 1-time cost. Think $84.99 in the fall to $94.99 in the spring (I recall that a Season Pass in the 80's was almost 3x the 1-time cost)
• In park pricing would come down slightly, but I would give a 10-15% discount across the board to Passholders (I buy an overpriced meal almost every time I go to the museum center/zoo with my discount)

Of course, I don't have the pricing models that they do at KI, so I may just have bankrupted the company. It's also hard to change precedent, which is why it'll be hard to push Gold Pass pricing up again since they've set the $69.99 bar the last couple of years.

[Pillsberry123]

If I were in charge, this would be the direction I'd go:

$35.99 for adults

$24.99 for juniors/seniors

$49.99 for two days

$10 parking with $5 coupons available on the internet

And offer coupons on the internet that give enough discounts on food that it will not only make the families want to eat at the park, but it will also give individual eateries advertisement.

That being said, I think that the season pass prices are pretty cheap right now, which shows that they do in fact make more money off of the things you pay for every time you visit rather than the admission to get in.

[CedarPointer]

I would leave ticket prices alone, drop the parking fee, only offer a pass discount at selected places that tend to be less busy, drop food and drink prices somewhat, but still enough so they're making a good profit (souvenir cups still need to be a better deal than buying drinks in paper cups), and no longer allow previous year's cups to be used, but lower the refill price to $.99 or so. Also, I'd add more perks for the employees, as it makes them happier, and that happiness tends to rub off on the guests.

[shark6495]

I would leave ticket prices alone, drop the parking fee, only offer a pass discount at selected places that tend to be less busy, drop food and drink prices somewhat, but still enough so they're making a good profit (souvenir cups still need to be a better deal than buying drinks in paper cups), and no longer allow previous year's cups to be used, but lower the refill price to $.99 or so. Also, I'd add more perks for the employees, as it makes them happier, and that happiness tends to rub off on the guests.

depends on what your company is built upon. If you are a company that is about the customer first then banning previous year cups would create a minor up-roar. By letting customers use previous years cups you are just showing them that they are allowed to have a great experience at your park. Banning cups just creates bad juju.

Making employees happy is always hard to do and expensive, but usually its a great investment to help your park out in the long run. But then again perks dont always have to be expensive, a simple thanks, or a free pop can always go a long way when you are dealing with employees, and like you said, happiness tends to rub off on guests.

[CedarPointer]

I found it shocking that they allowed old cups to be used. I would never think to bring a cup from the 80's to try to fill. And yes, I've seen it done. I would also consider having a higher refill price for old cups, less than a regular drink but more than a refill for that year's cup. It's a perk for buying a new cup.

[The Interpreter]

I found it shocking that they allowed old cups to be used. I would never think to bring a cup from the 80's to try to fill. And yes, I've seen it done. I would also consider having a higher refill price for old cups, less than a regular drink but more than a refill for that year's cup. It's a perk for buying a new cup.

Consider that when some of those older cups were sold, they were to have FREE refills for the life of the cup...

A higher refill price for a cup that was sold with the promise of lifetime FREE refills?

Sounds like lawsuit time to me...I'm stunned someone hasn't already done it, and that would be just the thing to push someone over the edge....

[shark6495]

I found it shocking that they allowed old cups to be used. I would never think to bring a cup from the 80's to try to fill. And yes, I've seen it done. I would also consider having a higher refill price for old cups, less than a regular drink but more than a refill for that year's cup. It's a perk for buying a new cup.

I have been guilty of filling up an old cup. Its more tradition/memories, so I know it has been done. Higher refill price for old cups? creating a perk for new cup buys? and there you have found the way to make it both appealing to the "frugal" (I am not paying 6.99 for a new cup I have my old Flight of Fear cup) and the person who will buy a new cup (I want the WindSeeker cup...)

Ill just be over here drinking from my Flight of Fear cup asking for a new straw because it broke......

[The Interpreter]

and some of us are even old enough to remember when straws were not allowed in the park...safety hazard, we were told!

[CoastersRZ]

More like the park being too cheap to buy the straws... I still can`t believe that the park doesn`t offer an across the board discount to pass holders. (Even Coney does that with their pass holders). I think that KI and Cedar Fair is far too concerned with the profit margin on each item sold, rather than the total profit. Ie, they are more concerned with the profit that comes from selling each individual unit at a higher price, than the overall profit that could come from selling more units at a slightly lower profit margin, but in turn making more money.

Remember, per caps spending at Cedar Fair has been trending down the last year or so, while Six Flags has been trending up. Clearly, Cedar Fair doesn`t perceive anything as being out of place, as they continue to raise prices instead of correcting them to gain a higher profit.

[CedarPointer]

and some of us are even old enough to remember when straws were not allowed in the park...safety hazard, we were told!

Disposable straws still aren't... unless you buy an Icee, of course. I really wish they'd get lids and straws for the drinks.

[Browntggrr]

While the amount is steep, it is smart marketing.

It almost forces people to get a season pass.

[The Interpreter]

While the amount is steep, it is smart marketing.

It almost forces people to get a season pass.

...or to stay home, go to the pool, the movies, save up for Disney....

[Truth Seeker]

This is by no means smart marketing. As a psychologist I can tell you this was a bad decision. When any establishment breaks the $50 barrier they must do so with just reason. King's Island unfortunately, did not have just reason to do so. A regional theme park such as this is not worth $50. While many people such as myself might purchase their tickets at 35 dollars or even less (Krogers, 24.95) this decision will nonetheless infuriate the general public and create negative publicity for King's Island. By changing the cost of general admission, as Kings Island has, they are unjustly modifying an aspect of their system that will as a result anger it's consumer base, weaken revenue, and decrease attendance.

[bkroz]

It truly is to the point where I would imagine people arriving at the park, seeing the price, driving back home / to a library to purchase the discounted tickets from online, and then returning. For many, that would actually be worth it, even with gas / time wasted. And that says something!

[Mexican Eric Bischoff]

^You bring up a good point and I don't find that scenario all that unlikely. At the end of last season I met up with some friends to go to Halloween Haunt. I had my pass, but when they got to the ticket window and saw the price, they left and went to Taco Bell to pick up a discounted coupon. Funny thing was that an employee told them that it would be their best bet.

[InnocentRyan]

Someone mentioned Coney Island. Ticket prices for pool and rides is $21.95 per person. You can also pick and choose to do only the pool or only the rides. If you go that route, the price is $11.95. Both are unchanged from last season. Parking is $7. If you have someone in your group (say a grandparent), and you are just riding the rides and not going into the pool, the grandparent needs to pay nothing to just walk around the rides side.

Those prices are significantly cheaper than KI! It is truly amazing how fast ticket prices to Kings Island have skyrocketed. Ticket prices were $28.95 in 1996.

You make it sound like it's news that Coney Island is cheaper than Kings Island... Or maybe it's just an excuse to talk about Coney Island again? We get it, you work(ed) there and think it's great.

But to respond to this point, what Kings Island offers is more expensive to run and maintain. If you wanted to do a breakdown on operating costs alone, I think you would find that Kings Island is a much better value. Or maybe your rose tinted glasses won't let you look at that logically.

[bkroz]

You make it sound like it's news that Coney Island is cheaper than Kings Island... Or maybe it's just an excuse to talk about Coney Island again? We get it, you work(ed) there and think it's great.

But to respond to this point, what Kings Island offers is more expensive to run and maintain. If you wanted to do a breakdown on operating costs alone, I think you would find that Kings Island is a much better value. Or maybe your rose tinted glasses won't let you look at that logically.

Fantastic first post, and quite the way to gain respect here! Typically, we tend to respond very warmly to those whose first post is phrased as an insult to not only a long-time poster, but a moderator of this website. I have a feeling you will be here for a long, long time!

[The Interpreter]

For one thing, the head of Coney Island of Ohio does not make $20,000,000+ a year. Nor does the company staff other properties under common ownership with a highly paid son at the helm, nor does the company have a country club atmosphere of a board, nor plenty of Q looking over its shoulder at every move. All this does increase costs, you know....

[IBEW_Sparky]

I dont know, I kind of found it refreshingly honest and.. well.. true.

And You are absolutely right Terpy... they have to find some way to pay that 20 mil, as well as every other ridiculous expense you mentioned.

[Diamondback96]

^^^^ This guy's going to be a mod one day.

[CedarPointer]

.