Early admission with a friend

[Stumpaaaa]

Hello!

I'm heading up to KI on Saturday (despite the crappy weather), and my brother is coming along. I have a platinum pass, but my brother is buying a standard ticket. Is he allowed to come in for early entry with us? I have an old gold pass that I can give to him if they only check if you have the card or not, I'm unsure as to how it all works. Someone enlighten me? Thanks!

[King Ding Dong]

9 minutes ago, Stumpaaaa said:

Hello!

I'm heading up to KI on Saturday (despite the crappy weather), and my brother is coming along. I have a platinum pass, but my brother is buying a standard ticket. Is he allowed to come in for early entry with us? I have an old gold pass that I can give to him if they only check if you have the card or not, I'm unsure as to how it all works. Someone enlighten me? Thanks!

Unfortunately no, your friend cannot get early entry.   Using an old gold pass is fraud and could easily get you and your friend kicked out or worse.   Not recommended at all.  

[darkrider68]

I always use my Platinum Pass to buy the person I'm with a "Bring a Friend" ticket.  That has always worked for early entry.  I just show my pass and the ticket to security at the check point.  Works like a charm.

[King Ding Dong]

9 minutes ago, darkrider68 said:

I always use my Platinum Pass to buy the person I'm with a "Bring a Friend" ticket.  That has always worked for early entry.  I just show my pass and the ticket to security at the check point.  Works like a charm.

Is that just on designated "Bring a Friend" days or any day?  I don't see anything about ERT in the FAQs this year yet.

[darkrider68]

I've done it all season long, not just on Bring a Friend days.   I've done it at KI, CP and KD.  Would of tried it at Carowinds if my friend didn't lose his ticket on the way from the gate to the Fury.  I always buy the bring a friend ticket when I go with my girl friend or daughter. I don't think I've ever seen it in the FAQ.  I've found out by asking.

[King Ding Dong]

12 minutes ago, darkrider68 said:

I've done it all season long, not just on Bring a Friend days.   I've done it at KI, CP and KD.  Would of tried it at Carowinds if my friend didn't lose his ticket on the way from the gate to the Fury.  I always buy the bring a friend ticket when I go with my girl friend or daughter. I don't think I've ever seen it in the FAQ.  I've found out by asking.

Interesting.  I even called CP about this issue last summer because I wasn't sure my wife would get at least 4 visits in between the the two parks and was told no.   It ended up getting her a platinum pass so she wouldn't have to wait outside for us.  

[darkrider68]

3 minutes ago, King Ding Dong said:

Interesting.  I even called CP about this issue last summer because I wasn't sure my wife would get at least 4 visits in between the the two parks and was told no.   It ended up getting her a platinum pass so she wouldn't have to wait outside for us.  

Weird.  I've never had a problem showing security the bring a friend ticket and my PP at the entrance.   

I'm assuming you made it clear to the person that you were talking with about the BAF ticket and not just a standard ticket?

[King Ding Dong]

1 minute ago, darkrider68 said:

Weird.  I've never had a problem showing security the bring a friend ticket and my PP at the entrance.   

I'm assuming you made it clear to the person that you were talking with about the BAF ticket and not just a standard ticket?

Well it was last July so I can't be sure exactly what I said, but I made it clear the Boys and I had platinum passes would need to buy her tickets.  Why would anyone buy a $65 GA ticket for their spouse when you can get a $40 bring a friend?  

In my case it worked out in the end because she was able to make it to KI twice and we didn't have to buy separate admission to CPS as well.  

This is good to know because we will likely have some of my boys friends tag along on a trip or two this summer.   I am still going to call the park to verify, suppose it just depends on who you talk to.  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 

[darkrider68]

I'll be doing this tomorrow. So if all of a sudden it doesn't work, I'll post back here. 

I don't anticipate any problems. I've been doing it for years.

[Magenta Lizard]

Worth a note that Cedar Point is not Kings Island and vice versa. Not all rules are chain-wide, and it appears this is one that the individual parks decide upon. 

Bring-a-friend tickets almost always are going to be cheaper than other deals you might find, anyway. They aren't always as super-cheap as advertised BAF Days, but they can be purchased any day the park is open to the public. 

[darkrider68]

Just now, Magenta Lizard said:

Worth a note that Cedar Point is not Kings Island and vice versa. Not all rules are chain-wide, and it appears this is one that the individual parks decide upon. 

Correct, but I have done this particular thing at both parks.

[CocaColaParking]

Whatever you end up doing, DON'T use a false pass. Even if its an old pass they can likely see who it belongs too, and if they see its yours, your current pass could get taken away. Not worth the 30 minutes

[Joshua]

It's an easy to system to abuse, however that doesn't mean it is okay to abuse it. 

[Oldschool75]

Maybe they just need to stop letting people in at the gate unless they have gold or platinum during early entry. It wild solve the fraud issues. People need to be honest and learn to abide by rules that are set.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[King Ding Dong]

12 minutes ago, Oldschool75 said:

Maybe they just need to stop letting people in at the gate unless they have gold or platinum during early entry. It wild solve the fraud issues. People need to be honest and learn to abide by rules that are set.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Good luck with that. 

[Jr for Birdy]

2 hours ago, Oldschool75 said:

Maybe they just need to stop letting people in at the gate unless they have gold or platinum during early entry. It wild solve the fraud issues. People need to be honest and learn to abide by rules that are set.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

They'd lose money, I highly doubt that's a high priority for them to focus on stopping a few random folks from getting into ert when their making money with the shops open. My X wife would head straight to Star Bucks and then shop around while I went straight to DB,Banshee,etc. That's a great way to make money for those who are there early but can't or don't care to get to ert.

[TheBEASTunchained]

10 hours ago, Oldschool75 said:

Maybe they just need to stop letting people in at the gate unless they have gold or platinum during early entry. It wild solve the fraud issues. People need to be honest and learn to abide by rules that are set.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I agree that folks should abide by the rules that are set, but isn't that the case everywhere in life?

 

Only letting in Pass-holders through the gate would not be comforting to those who use bring-a-friend tickets. These tickets are available as "Bring-A-Friend Any Day Ticket" on the Kings Island website. These tickets are used more than one might assume. The introduction of a pass-holder only early entry system would practically eliminate any sales they make on those tickets.

Just my thoughts.

[King Ding Dong]

7 hours ago, Jr for Birdy said:

They'd lose money, I highly doubt that's a high priority for them to focus on stopping a few random folks from getting into ert when their making money with the shops open. My X wife would head straight to Star Bucks and then shop around while I went straight to DB,Banshee,etc. That's a great way to make money for those who are there early but can't or don't care to get to ert.

That is an excellent point.   Also it helps alleviate some of the rush at the gate resulting in a better experience for the guests arriving closer to opening.  

Never been to the dry park morning ert, we always start at SC.  Is all of I Street open?

[Joshua]

ERT isn't for people with Bring A Friend passes. It's for people with Gold Passes and Platinum Passes. That's it. Having a friend with a Gold Pass doesn't make that person royalty. 

[dragsterguy21]

I have gotten my friend into Cedar Point early with a bring a friend ticket and my platinum pass. 

[Jr for Birdy]

I don't see why people are making a big deal about it, if I brought a friend and the attendant so go ahead and bring him in with you it's fine I would be thankful as I'm sure even those complaining would be as well, just don't ruin your day by trying to sneak someone in. 

[jcgoble3]

4 hours ago, Joshua said:

ERT isn't for people with Bring A Friend passes. It's for people with Gold Passes and Platinum Passes. That's it. Having a friend with a Gold Pass doesn't make that person royalty. 

Last year, when I did not have a season pass, I came on Mystic Timbers announcement day using a "bring-a-friend any day" ticket purchased with malem's pass. We asked and were told that bring-a-friend tickets included ERT, and we verified this with the security guard at the Gold Pass entrance, who had no issue with me entering ERT showing only my bring-a-friend ticket.

[Magenta Lizard]

I always find it funny when people (usually on the KI Facebook comments, it's rare I see that attitude here) talk like when they bought their Gold Pass they were purchasing entry into some special-seekrit-VIP society. One was complaining recently that the park was sold out this Sunday, and that the park /must/ be losing money on the deal because it prevents their season pass holders from visiting (and a whole tirade about how they should only sell out the park before the season begins: oh you think going to the work of fully staffing the park for a single day event separated from the rest of the season would make more money somehow?).

Anyway, for less than two full-priced single day tickets at the park and parking, I get a Gold Pass that allows me to come and go as I please for the entire season including Haunt and now Winterfest. Add in the cost of a third day ticket or so, and I can eat twice per visit. This is already such a good deal I can barely believe it.

It is great that the park adds in other perks for us like early entry but I don't feel like I deserve special treatment for paying far less per visit than the "plebeians" without passes. So I find it particularly ridiculous to complain about what is essentially a Season Pass perk (allowing passholders to bring a friend at a discounted price /and/ let the friend ride with during ERT) like it somehow is infringing on your "specialness" as a passholder. 

[disco2000]

^Exactly!!!  The pass is a worthwhile investment and people need to think before complaining lol!  Wait until the end of August when you have people on Facebook complaining that they have a pass and planned on using it the last weeks of August and now found out the park is closed during the weekdays!  I read one last year where they said they couldn't make it all summer and planned on using the pass the last two weekdays of August to find out they are closed and ranted about it.

As far as perks (or anything for that matter) - the surest way to get a perk removed is to go on Facebook or a forum and say "hey I got an old gold pass laying around and it gets me into ERT".  Park employees read this forum.  Park employees can figure out who you are and revoke your pass, or let you spend some time with security.  A poster within this thread has that experience sharing a "loophole" he found and having his pass entry denied when trying to get into the park until security had a talk with him.

If you find a loophole, fine keep it to yourself or inform the park so they can close it.  Sharing loopholes on social media will most likely not only close that loophole but maybe even eliminate the perk or make significant changes to it.  Imagine how slow ERT line would be if they scanned your pass for example.  There is a reason the meal plan went from 2 hour to 4 hours.  There is a reason for everything and a good portion can be attributed to comments made on social media.

[Joshua]

^That's why people are making a deal. Not because they feel like royalty for owning a Gold Pass. It's also not very smart since KI has a presence on this forum. 

[King Ding Dong]

I sent an email regarding to this issue to both CP and KI.   KI responded last night.

"Thank you for contacting Kings Island.  If you purchase a Bring-A-Friend ticket, the person using it will be able to participate in Early Ride Time as long as they are accompanied by the valid 2017 gold/platinum season passholder."

So that settles that for KI.  As others have pointed out each park possibly has their own policy, so just don't assume this it the same at all CF parks.  Best to call or better yet fire off a quick email a few days before you plan attending, if they don't state their policy on the website.   Will update when CP responds.

[OldieButGoodie]

Makes good sense, doesn't it, that ERT is bestowed upon the friend? Cost is nil, goodwill for the passholder is high, and impact to the lines is likely minimal. Wouldn't it stink to bring your friend but have to meet them after ERT was over or wait until GA and longer lines?

Always better to check and know based on facts, than make assertions based on what you 'think'... thanks for checking that King!

I DO always manage to miss the event (on the KI calendar) on the day that GW holds the 'tow show' though, and end up roaming around over there until the park opens at 7pm!