Gold Pass Parking area in the afternoon

[Snowman]

My wife and I have gone to KI the last 2 evenings around 5:PM. We followed the line of cars to the front of the Gold Pass reserved parking area only to find every car going in and no employee stopping the GP from parking there. The lot was pretty much full with cars following people going to their cars for the parking spot. I called KI this morning and the customer service employee had no idea why someone wasn't there to stop the GP. She passed my question on to her supervisor and I asked them to follow up with me but I have heard nothing.

A reserved parking area is listed as a benefit for gold/platinum pass holders. It does say on a first come, first served basis, but if no one is checking passes, should the "first come, first served" include the GP? Is this a benefit only if you come in the mornings? I'm posting this because there are a lot of very knowledgeable posters here who know the inner workings of KI and the policies very well, and maybe could explain why the reserved pass parking is turned over to the GP in the afternoons. Thanks.

[i4got907]

My wife and I have gone to KI the last 2 evenings around 5:PM. We followed the line of cars to the front of the Gold Pass reserved parking area only to find every car going in and no employee stopping the GP from parking there. The lot was pretty much full with cars following people going to their cars for the parking spot. I called KI this morning and the customer service employee had no idea why someone wasn't there to stop the GP. She passed my question on to her supervisor and I asked them to follow up with me but I have heard nothing.

A reserved parking area is listed as a benefit for gold/platinum pass holders. It does say on a first come, first served basis, but if no one is checking passes, should the "first come, first served" include the GP? Is this a benefit only if you come in the mornings? I'm posting this because there are a lot of very knowledgeable posters here who know the inner workings of KI and the policies very well, and maybe could explain why the reserved pass parking is turned over to the GP in the afternoons. Thanks.

I was there on sunday and no one was there. I went ti GR and they said someone should be there. I told there was no one there.

[Ogrmac]

The one and only time I have actually seen the Gold Pass lot staffed this season was on opening day.

[Burgtoad67]

I've been 9 times this year, and it seems that during the rush of people coming into the park in the morning, the Gold Pass lot is always staffed and you have to flash your pass. Later in the day, and also on days where I leave in the early evening (5-6 PM), I haven't seen anyone there.

[CedarPointer]

What's the point of staffing a full parking lot? Better spots can easily be found later in the day in the regular parking lot...

[Snowman]

What's the point of staffing a full parking lot? Better spots can easily be found later in the day in the regular parking lot...

The point is that a reserved parking area is advertised as a pass "perk". The regular lot would be a lot more full if an employee was there turning the GP away from the area reserved for Gold/Platinum pass holders.

[CedarPointer]

I'm sure that nobody would mind the raised pass prices to account for that extra position being staffed even once the lot has been filled.

When do you suggest they stop staffing it?

[The Interpreter]

Or Mr. Kinzel could give up his laundry allowance...that should more than cover it.

[Browntggrr]

What's the point of staffing a full parking lot? Better spots can easily be found later in the day in the regular parking lot...

The point is that a reserved parking area is advertised as a pass "perk". The regular lot would be a lot more full if an employee was there turning the GP away from the area reserved for Gold/Platinum pass holders.

I am guessing that a late afternoon parking lot employee is the easiest person to move to a different job due to call-offs.

[CedarPointer]

And, by 5PM, most people who are going to spend their day at the park have already come... there has to be a point where they stop staffing it for the day because not that many more people are coming.

[hamoperator]

when someone is posted there, they don't care. Since opening day, I have only found two staff that asked for passes.

[KI-ORIG-EMP]

It might be that the stats show at what time the GP holdere come into the park via the tolls and through the front gates into the park. After a certain time it might die off with the vast majority of the GP holders already in the park for the day. They know how many GP holders are scaned at tolls and compare it with the number of parking spaces. Just a guess. Also, as noted in a previous post, they might be needed else where without taking away from tolls.

[Hendrick]

I arrived today around 2 ish. There was someone staffed at the entrance, but they just looked the other way when I was close. I wasn't stopped.

[KIfan1980]

I'm sure that nobody would mind the raised pass prices to account for that extra position being staffed even once the lot has been filled.

When do you suggest they stop staffing it?

Are you suggesting that they pull the staffing for it only when it becomes full? I'm doubtful based upon personal experience.

Like anything else at the park, this is a business choice - I don't know what time shifts exchange during a day, but I'm pretty sure that Admissions dept staffs less people at tolls, nobody at Gold Pass lot, less people at the gate, etc... for the afternoon/evening shift. Can this be frustrating for a Gold Pass holder who doesn't get the "perk" late in the day - sure. Can you go and share your frustration with Guest Relations - sure. But, can you really fault the park for this kind of decision - if you ran KI would you do it differently?

Of course, I'm left wondering if they still staff a person at the entrance to the preferred parking lot?

[CedarPointer]

People in the preferred lot would be a lot more upset if someone wasn't staffing it... and I think they eventually stop staffing that one, too. And I think security staffs that position, not admissions.

[jcgoble3]

I can confirm that the preferred lot is staffed until at least 6:30 (or at least it was on Tuesday). Each time I re-entered the parking lot (once after lunch at about 1:00, once after dinner at about 6:30), there was a security guard at the entrance to check my receipt. And yes, the preferred lot is staffed by security, not admissions.

[Snowman]

Got there 5:20 and there was an employee checking passes. Guess what, it was MUCH easier finding a spot in the Gold pass lot!

THANK YOU KI!!!!

[Oldiesmann]

My sister got there around 1 today and said nobody was there checking passes.

[Snowman]

Inconsistant gold pass parking security. Pot holes that look like they could swallow a Mini Cooper. C'mon KI, show the parking lot some love!

[Oldiesmann]

I can understand that it's difficult for staff to stand out there in the summer heat, but there are plenty of solutions that the park could come up with to get around this.

Option 1: Replace the little stand thingy with an actual booth like you'd find at many parking garages. This gives them protection from the weather and makes things more comfortable for their staff.

Option 2: Automation. Remove the staff altogether, install a couple of gates and a pass-scanner. This would be expensive initially, and would require the park to get their pass system working properly (so a platinum pass is guaranteed to scan at any park in the chain regardless of where it was originally purchased), but it would save them money in the long run because they wouldn't have to staff the lot. Of course, this could cause some problems, and it's still not perfect (if someone was sneaky enough, they could tailgate a passholder and get into the lot even without a pass), but it might work better than having a staff member there.

I doubt we'll see either option right away, but if the park gets enough complaints, they may eventually do something about it.

I wonder if any of the other CF parks have this problem.

[KIfan73]

Bring back the trams!!

[Dieseltech20]

They gave up early today because the entire lot is just about full. I'll never come on a Saturday again, lol. It's crazy.

[The Interpreter]

Rest assured, next Saturday is apt to be far, far worse, weather permitting

[Oldiesmann]

They gave up early today because the entire lot is just about full. I'll never come on a Saturday again, lol. It's crazy.

Nice weather plus the first weekend that WindSeeker is open. You chose a bad day to go.

[windshawne]

I can understand that it's difficult for staff to stand out there in the summer heat, but there are plenty of solutions that the park could come up with to get around this.

Option 1: Replace the little stand thingy with an actual booth like you'd find at many parking garages. This gives them protection from the weather and makes things more comfortable for their staff.

Option 2: Automation. Remove the staff altogether, install a couple of gates and a pass-scanner. This would be expensive initially, and would require the park to get their pass system working properly (so a platinum pass is guaranteed to scan at any park in the chain regardless of where it was originally purchased), but it would save them money in the long run because they wouldn't have to staff the lot. Of course, this could cause some problems, and it's still not perfect (if someone was sneaky enough, they could tailgate a passholder and get into the lot even without a pass), but it might work better than having a staff member there.

I doubt we'll see either option right away, but if the park gets enough complaints, they may eventually do something about it.

I wonder if any of the other CF parks have this problem.

Option 3-Get rid of it altogether. That's probably not a popular idea, but I have seen many near brawls over the parking spaces in that lot and its not worth it to me. I park in the north lot-its also quicker to exit at closing.

[Diamondback FOF]

I went to KI on Friday and arrived around 2:15. There was a worker at the booth...but she wasn't checking passes

[lopan]

i rarely see gold pass staffed,if ever later in the day, but i havent once gone there and didnt see a guard stationed at preferred. And thats a couple hundred times in past 4 years.

[Dieseltech20]

They gave up early today because the entire lot is just about full. I'll never come on a Saturday again, lol. It's crazy.

Nice weather plus the first weekend that WindSeeker is open. You chose a bad day to go.

Yeah we chose a bad day (Friday was perfect though so we didn't mind) but it was because of Saturday being "UK Day" at the park.

The ride for WS was one of the shortest the entire day, longest we ever saw was about equal with the entrance gate to Vortex. Everything else was packed. We rode DB at 10:15 and the line was still under the awning.

I did have a lot of people ask if I had rode it yet and how it was. Lots of people are scared of getting sick on it. I can get sick on a Carousel but WS didn't bother me at all, so I told everyone to give it a try.

[lance99]

I do not know about after 5PM but I know for a fact that gold pass parking SHOULD HAVE BEEN staffed that day. Today I was out at gold pass parking from 8:00AM to 3:00PM and it was full by 2:30PM. Also admissions not security staffs that area.

[Snowman]

I do not know about after 5PM but I know for a fact that gold pass parking SHOULD HAVE BEEN staffed that day. Today I was out at gold pass parking from 8:00AM to 3:00PM and it was full by 2:30PM. Also admissions not security staffs that area.

Lance, Thank you for this. It seems you work for admissions by this post. Would you mind answering a question? Of course, I don't want you to break any agreements with KI by posting anything here your not supposed to. What is KI's admissions policy about an employee being at the Gold Pass Parking entrance? Also, what are their duties and authority if someone without a pass tries to get in? (Ok, I lied, 3 questions) Does it do any good for us to tell guess services when there's no one out there and the GP and Passers are fighting for spots? Again, please don't get into any trouble by replying.