Cedar Fair Quarter Two Results

[thedevariouseffect]

I don't know who told you the 50/50 split, I have never heard that and will consider it slightly erroneous.

However, that system is still better than FL and how it's handled at KI, where take Banshee, the whole FL+ queue is emptied before the main line is touched, and that is repeated all day.

FL only guarantees you a right to stand in a separate line that incurs a fee and allows you to wear a wristband showing your eligibility for that line. FL is not a guarantee of getting walk ons, skipping the line VIP style, etc. That is all it does. By definition from the website, all it states is your ability to bypass the regular lines. It is selling and doing what was intended.

I see problems with some ride ops and how they effectively deal with the FL line as demonstrated once on TTD or Banshee listed above. However, the system works as intended and is selling well. Right now many are inclined to pay the extra to bypass the main queue. This is a balance of supply and demand.

[IBEW_Sparky]

Even though it will likely be a moot point for me, considering the distance I will be living from nearly all CF parks next season, I will say again that I would GLADLY pay $300... Hell even $400...for a Platinum Pass with its same current perks to make up for lost revenue by getting rid of this crap program. Have I had the money this year to use Elitist Lane?? Yes, I most certainly have, but the number of times Ive become one of the "1% ers" is exactly zero. Raise the price of Platinum Passes (which are, and have been, HIGHLY underpriced for years) and make it totally fair and equal for all across the board.

[thedevariouseffect]

I agree that everyone should wait the same to make it perfectly fair...but at the same time the quick profit FL brings to the park to increase things I get in the future is worth it. Plus some rides are getting extra staffing to accommodate FL. See many rides for instance that used to never have am extra op at entrance. Extra staffing means easier rotations, breaks, and not always having an understaffed ride, which plagues operations more than FL ever will.

[IBEW_Sparky]

But think about this. Raise the Platinum from $185 to $300... thats $125 PER person, per Platinum. Think of that number multiplied by the tens of thousands (guesstimate) of people who have Platinum. THERE are some greenbacks for the profit till!

EDIT: AND, use those extra staffing dollars to put line monitors throughout the line to crack down on obnoxious line jumping ^*&*&^*&^*&^(*&)*%&)&{*YT&...ers!!!!! AND, take a SIX stand on it... do it and get caught ONCE, and enjoy the view of the park from Kings Island Drive.

[thedevariouseffect]

True, I would suggest this for maybe CP but not KI as gold is the reigning champ there. That price could see a raise though IMO along with Platinum. However again it is supply and demand.

[gad198]

I don't know who told you the 50/50 split, I have never heard that and will consider it slightly erroneous.

I've personally seen email correspondence directly from Cedar Point park representatives stating that they aim for a 50/50 split. The ride ops I've talked to have echoed this language. I'm not saying ride ops are always 100% accurate in their statements, but I'm inclined to believe this is the truth if most everyone associated with the park is saying the same thing.

[shark6495]

Yeah but.... If you were to raise the price of Plat or even Gold by 125, that is effectively changing the value of the pass to many people. Many people who buy passes do so because of the value of the pass.

Customer A may only be able to afford to attend the park 1 or 2 times (at $40). If A has decided to do a vacation, maybe A plans on visiting KI 2 times ($80) + CP or KD/etc (+ $40).

When a Gold Pass is $80-100 CF is actually making more money on the customer by enticing the customer to return for multiple visits. On these extra visits (remember originally he would visit only 2 times) if he buys a meal/souvenir/snack/photo/etc he is giving them money they never would have received. All because the price point from 2 visits to unlimited visits was just a small increase. If Gold Pass if $160 (the price of 4 visits) the guest most likely will think "I dont plan on going really more than 1-2 times so I will pass."

Same with Platinum. In the original scenario he would visit KI 2times and CP 1 time for a total of 120. When Platinum is in the $170-200 range, the guest may think to themselves that is really no more than just 1 or 2 visits more. Since I have the pass, maybe we can do a second day at CP or make a weekend trip to KD as well. And now that you mention it I did plan on visit family near Dorney..." Now you have enticed this customer to visit multiple parks. If that pass goes up to $400 (a great value still) the guest believes they have to visit 10 times.

When you can convince guests that a pass is a great value because they would only have to visit a total of 2-3 times it becomes a great value. Once you start telling people they have to visit 5-10 times to gain value, they will not purchase them. IMO

[The Interpreter]

And if that potential buyer wasn't able to ride much of anything because of all the Fast Lane people, s/he may pass on a pass, and perhaps ANY Kings Island trip, next year and for years to come.

People standing endlessly in lines watching other people walking on to the rides is not a recipe for Best Day Ever.

[BoddaH1994]

I'm sure the people who get to sit close at Reds games and have drinks served to them have a better time than I do, 400' away from the field and waiting in 15 minute lines for food. Then again, their ticket was $300, mine was $7.

[The Interpreter]

You'll see the game better and have better food by staying home, but only if it sells out.

[jcgoble3]

Baseball games do not have to sell out to be shown on regional television.

[bkroz]

I know we've all tried our hand at metaphors before, and some are valiantly pro-Fast-Lane and they sound glorious and accurate (the baseball game one... "dog eat dog world," "get what you pay for," "reality is inequality," "money does buy more," etc) and some wonderful metaphors that are anti-Fast-Lane, and when I hear them I go, "Yeah, that makes sense, Fast Lane is horrible!"

Point is, Fast Lane at Cedar Fair Parks can't be compared to anything else, including other passes that may or may not be recognized as

• front-of-the-line premium-privilege VIP-queue-reduction passes

– OR –

• pay-to-cut dirty-filthy-rich one-percenter elitist line-jumping pass

depending on your spin and experiences.

The point is that Fast Lane is neither amoral and demonic nor is it a sensible and appropriately-restricted premium product that the parks needed. It is what it is. It does what it does. Economics predicts its role, and (shockingly) the laws of economics appear to remain true, even at the Fun & Onlies. All queue-jumping systems are inherently unfair (even Disney's... less so now than then, if we're being honest) and certainly someone at Cedar Fair is tasked with taking all finance and investment and return and guest satisfaction and comments and concerns and questions into account, swallowing it, digesting it, and seeing what comes out the other end.

Fast Lane is subject to change! We'll see if it does.

[The Interpreter]

Would that be like how FUN Perks was subject to change?

Terp, who likes to ask questions.

[bkroz]

Would that be like how FUN Perks was subject to change?

Terp, who likes to ask questions.

We shall see. All things considered and from what I've seen and experienced, I hope Fast Lane as we know it takes a similar route down the ole creek.

Difference is, Fast Lane is a money maker that looks shiny and magnificent on paper. Folks forking over hundreds to simply walk their family up the exit ramp with practically no wait for any major (or minor) attraction, all day long!

The problem is the immeasurable element of guests who say "I didn't like that. It didn't feel good to have folks practically shuffle past me and excuse themselves to the front of the line. I came today, but I won't be back next year. If I'm back next year, it won't be with a pass. A pass isn't worth what it used to be if people can climb in front of you, and yet the price for it goes up."

Line-jumping is a pay-to-play sport at Kings Island.

[kblanken]

Hey there Boo-Boo...Nobody goes there anymore...it's too crowded.

[The Interpreter]

I know who said that.

Yogi Bear, uh.

[BoddaH1994]

Maybe it would make sense if FL was even more expensive. Therefore less people would go for it.

[disco2000]

Even though it will likely be a moot point for me, considering the distance I will be living from nearly all CF parks next season, I will say again that I would GLADLY pay $300... Hell even $400...for a Platinum Pass with its same current perks to make up for lost revenue by getting rid of this crap program. Have I had the money this year to use Elitist Lane?? Yes, I most certainly have, but the number of times Ive become one of the "1% ers" is exactly zero. Raise the price of Platinum Passes (which are, and have been, HIGHLY underpriced for years) and make it totally fair and equal for all across the board.

I rarely purchase Fastlane since I don't get deals for it on Fun Perks any longer, but it doesn't destroy my experience, if anything it enhances my experience. We have a Banshee and many added upgrades thanks to the money Fastlane helps generate the park. Some travel from across the country for a day at KI and I'm sure their over joyed they offer Fastlane so they can experience all the coasters in just one visit. This is a business, and it's thriving.

Saying we have Banshee simply because of Fast Lane may not be correct - what about all the previous rides installed before Fast Lane came into existence - was this just a farm field with tractors and horses to ride until Fast Lane came into existence? It may have been a farm prior to Kings Island, but since it's inception, it has periodically made improvements to keep it relevant and encouraging folks to visit - they had the award winning Planet Snoopy, The Beast, Vortex, Drop Tower, etc. etc. all built before Fast Lane. Heck, Diamondback, adjusted for inflation, is comparable to Banshee spending and Fast Lane did not exist at that time.

We will never know for sure what the money goes to - one can assume it is rides, but it could be bonuses to execs, paying down debt, minimum wage adjustments, additional staffing, or any variety of things. It could even be used to help keep daily entry and season passes at the prices they are now! Unless you have seen the accounting books to know for sure that Banshee would not exist without Fast Lane, it is simply speculation as to what the funds generated really go to.

Parks have to make these investments periodically to keep them relevant and I think Banshee would exist with or without Fast Lane money.

And raise the daily admission price as well! Some folks on here have assumed that Fast Lane profits go to new rides, which I do not believe is the case. See one of my previous post quoted above from May where I suggested that maybe Fast Lane is simply allowing daily entry and season pass prices to be so low - perhaps it is showing now, and that lowering the gate price encourages Fast Lane usage.

I am thinking the thought process might have been something like "You know, if we add this Fast Lane option, we can lower the gate price and increase attendance by bringing in an additional economic demographic that could afford lower gate prices. In turn, those that are used to paying more or have the funds can purchase the Fast Lane option if they don't want to wait in increased lines. This will increase attendance by introducing an economic class that may not have visited previously, as well as increasing profit from those purchasing Fast Lane."

What sounds good in theory may not work out in actuality. The unintended consequence is perhaps a perceived devaluing of the park experience by those that frequent the park; longer lines for those that gave the park a chance for their entertainment dollar at the lower gate prices and were turned off by longer lines and watching folks pay to cut in front of them; and perhaps the lower gate price did not drive up attendance like they thought, or simply brought in folks that were not going to spend a dime once in the park.

Perhaps increasing admission costs would lower attendance numbers, but increase profit and enhance the overall experience for everyone in attendance. Or not. They are simply dealing with a price point issue and the perceived value for a consumer dollar. The general population attitudes, spending habits, etc. are changing and the business practices and mindset that worked previously may not work with the current population environment.

One only has to look at the struggling golf industry as to the impact that a changing economy has had in that industry. Many country clubs that historically had waiting lists and hefty initiation fees are now basically giving away memberships in an effort to try to draw in enough monthly revenue to simply sustain operation. And public courses are suffering worse and many around Kings Island have been/are being turned into homes.

I'm sure the people who get to sit close at Reds games and have drinks served to them have a better time than I do, 400' away from the field and waiting in 15 minute lines for food. Then again, their ticket was $300, mine was $7.

However, each are enjoying the game at the same time (granted a little science lesson means you may see and hear the hit a fraction of a second later than those behind home plate), but your enjoyment of watching and experiencing the game isn't delayed 45 minutes. Even in the cheap seats, hot dog and beer vendors will visit.