Platinum Fast Pass Question

[chibul]

If I have a Platinum pass and want to add on a Platinum Fast Pass to it, can that be purchased online from any CF park (when they're available)? Or does that need to be done at the "home park"?

[jimlaheyscar]

Park does not matter. Buy it on any of their sites when available.

[disco2000]

Also keep in mind we are in a different time right now and as of now all the platinum pass season pass fastlanes are sold out.  If capacity restrictions are lifted across the chain then we may see more open up.

Read the fine print as well because at the end of last year Cedar Point was still selling season pass fastlane, but it was clearly marked in small print that it was only valid at Cedar Point even with a platinum pass. 

For parks that didn't open for the regular season, I would expect they would start the season selling Fast Lane for their respective park only regardless of the season pass you have. In fact Carowinds is selling Fast Lane now and the fine print states valid at Carowinds only.

Of course this all changes with open capacity across the chain, but as it stands now, the platinum pass allocation is sold out.

[jsus]

That would depend on if you're looking for All-Season Fast Lane for all parks or just one.  You should be able to buy the chain-wide version from any park (that's currently selling it, like @disco2000 mentioned).  If you're looking for just one park, you'll need to buy it from the park you want to use it at.

[jimlaheyscar]

The $850+ all season all parks Fast Lane is for all parks. There were no restrictions last year. You could buy at either park and use it at either park. 

They do sell park specific season FP which is what you showed at Carowinds. 

[disco2000]

I understand that there are two types of Fast Lane season passes (park specific and platinum), but I am trying to warn people to read the fine print because based on the crowd restrictions, all of the Cedar Fair platinum pass season long Fast Lane allocation has been sold out (since early July) and until crowd restrictions are lifted, the only season long Fast Lane passes that will be sold are park specific and even with that KI has sold all of those too as has CP.

Once Cedar Point opened last year, the platinum pass season long Fast Lane allocation was sold out chain wide and the $850 pass being sold at Cedar Point was only good at Cedar Point and many people bought it there to only find out it wasn't good at KI.  Despite me warning them they were park specific, I know several people that were burned by this.

Based on the crowd restrictions, Cedar Fair has sold all of the allocations of platinum season long Fast Lane and as of right now all that is being sold are park specific if they haven't met their allocation.  Unless every park can open this year with no restrictions, I do not expect to see platinum season long Fast Lane passes being sold this year.  That is why when passes went on sale for this year that you could not purchase platinum Fast Lane as an add on at any park.

I am simply trying to warn people that because of the pandemic to read the fine print and not assume that if they can add a season long Fast Lane to their platinum pass from another park to make sure it is good chain wide. 

For example, I do not believe you would see platinum season long Fast Lane being sold at one park and not another - either the allocation is available and will be sold at every park or the allocation has been met and is not being sold anywhere.

[jsus]

1 hour ago, disco2000 said:

Once Cedar Point opened last year, the platinum pass season long Fast Lane allocation was sold out chain wide and the $850 pass being sold at Cedar Point was only good at Cedar Point and many people bought it there to only find out it wasn't good at KI.  Despite me warning them they were park specific, I know several people that were burned by this.

Yep.  The two options are all parks or just the one you purchase it at.  It doesn't matter where you got your pass from.  Make sure you read the name of the product you're buying - it will specify if it's only for the "home park".  That's not the park you got your pass from originally; it's the park you buy All Season Fast Lane at.

• If your pass is from Kings Island, and you only want All Season Fast Lane for Kings Island, that's where you have to buy it.
• If you only want it for Cedar Point, you have to buy it there.
• If you see the option for all parks, then you can add it to your pass from any park where it's currently available.

And as always, Fast Lane availability is based on allocation by the park and corporate.  Since 2020 passes and add-ons are valid thru the 2021 season, and many did buy All Season Fast Lane for 2020, I expect availability in 2021 to be limited.

[SnakePlissken]

13 hours ago, disco2000 said:

Also keep in mind we are in a different time right now and as of now all the platinum pass season pass fastlanes are sold out.  If capacity restrictions are lifted across the chain then we may see more open up.

Read the fine print as well because at the end of last year Cedar Point was still selling season pass fastlane, but it was clearly marked in small print that it was only valid at Cedar Point even with a platinum pass. 

For parks that didn't open for the regular season, I would expect they would start the season selling Fast Lane for their respective park only regardless of the season pass you have. In fact Carowinds is selling Fast Lane now and the fine print states valid at Carowinds only.

Of course this all changes with open capacity across the chain, but as it stands now, the platinum pass allocation is sold out.

I have said it before but I hope more all season platinum fastlane passes do not open up. I know 2 posts on here state that they are sold out due to Covid restrictions but that is not true. 2020 all seasons went on sale Aug 2019 and sold out way before Covid shut things down in March 2020. I paid 850 for 2020 Platinum fastlane and all 2020's are good for 2021. So in theory if 2020 fastlane sold out before Covid then there should not be any open up for 2021. Sadly I know Cedar Fair better than that and I expect them to sell more and overcrowd the fastlane lines for 2021 just like the Cedar Point Gold Pass did fall of 2019.

[disco2000]

^Not true - historically it would appear they had an allocation for the fall purchases and then another allocation for those wishing to purchase in the spring as the park was opening up. 

Last year they allowed Fast Lane purchases after March 2020.  There were 2 different windows that opened up after that time on KI's website.

I know 12 people that purchased all season Fast Lane on KI's website on July 7, 2020...I know this because I saw the window open again and texted my friends that wanted them and I went back and looked at the date of the text.  One immediately jumped in their car and drove to KI to purchase to only be told that they could only purchase online, so they bought it online while at KI standing next to the Fast Lane booth.

[jimlaheyscar]

All Park Season Fast Lane on sale now if know you anyone that wants it.  For example: It's on Canada's Wonderland page and app right now if you want to save a few bucks. 

[disco2000]

Wow....that was fast...

 

 

[chibul]

On 1/11/2021 at 8:50 PM, jimlaheyscar said:

All Park Season Fast Lane on sale now if know you anyone that wants it.  For example: It's on Canada's Wonderland page and app right now if you want to save a few bucks. 

Looks like I missed it!

[jimlaheyscar]

2 hours ago, chibul said:

Looks like I missed it!

Nope, still for sale on several of their sites (including CW).  It's under 2021 Season Passes in the ticket window pop up.

[coaster sally]

The only cf park we have planned this year is stopping at carowinds on the way to florida.  If it wasn't for the horrendous park management at CP last year we would shell out over $2500 for a family of three for the ASFLP.  More of great parks to see until CF gets their act together.  I will say that KI did well last year as out home park but we would rather spend our time exploring new rides.

[SnakePlissken]

1 hour ago, coaster sally said:

The only cf park we have planned this year is stopping at carowinds on the way to florida.  If it wasn't for the horrendous park management at CP last year we would shell out over $2500 for a family of three for the ASFLP.  More of great parks to see until CF gets their act together.  I will say that KI did well last year as out home park but we would rather spend our time exploring new rides.

This does not make a whole lot of sense. Because of the horrible CP park management in 2020 Fast Lane plus was the only way to truly enjoy it. I still managed to average 12 rides a day in with the Fast Lane plus on days when the park was packed. Sure that still is not good but it is better than waiting 4 hours for one ride and maybe getting 2 in. You should ideally have 14 hours for your Fast Lane not 8 and one hour early entry instead of 0. So your Fast Lane ideally would be getting you 3 rides an hour and 30 rides a day or more.

[coaster sally]

5 minutes ago, SnakePlissken said:

This does not make a whole lot of sense. Because of the horrible CP park management in 2020 Fast Lane plus was the only way to truly enjoy it. I still managed to average 12 rides a day in with the Fast Lane plus on days when the park was packed. Sure that still is not good but it is better than waiting 4 hours for one ride and maybe getting 2 in. You should ideally have 14 hours for your Fast Lane not 8 and one hour early entry instead of 0. So your Fast Lane ideally would be getting you 3 rides an hour and 30 rides a day or more.

For the little people CP was a disaster in 2020.  For us and a lot of people will leave a bad taste in their mouth for a long time.  I am saying that if it was not for the horrendous management we would happily purchase ASFLP but we are choosing to not do any spending at CF parks this year.  

[SnakePlissken]

1 hour ago, coaster sally said:

For the little people CP was a disaster in 2020.  For us and a lot of people will leave a bad taste in their mouth for a long time.  I am saying that if it was not for the horrendous management we would happily purchase ASFLP but we are choosing to not do any spending at CF parks this year.  

It was terrible at Cedar Point even with a Fast Lane. It left a bad taste in my mouth.  When you literally stand in 4 lines in a row only to have them all "break down" for unknown reasons it is bad. I almost left the park after that. 2-3 hours in and a whole lap and a half around the park because of maintenance issues is hard on the feet. That is a subject I try to never bring up. How I prefer to go in order or ride a ride a couple times then move on. Also I normally use the train when I can but the line and ops are too slow due to Covid. Your feet will thank you if you if you plan your rides with the least amount of walking. At King's Island this does not matter as much. Also operations at King's Island were fantastic last year and makes me want to visit that park more. I enjoyed my one visit to Carowinds too.

I do not understand what you mean by little people? Do you mean the people who can not afford Fast Lane or all season Fast Lane? You certainly can not consider yourself one of them then if so. Since you have stated twice now that if management had done better, you would have purchased it for this season. Also if you had purchased it for the 2020 season it would still be good for 2021. You likely would have had a better time at Cedar Point but still not a great one.

[coaster sally]

10 minutes ago, SnakePlissken said:

It was terrible at Cedar Point even with a Fast Lane. It left a bad taste in my mouth.  When you literally stand in 4 lines in a row only to have them all "break down" for unknown reasons it is bad. I almost left the park after that. 2-3 hours in and a whole lap and a half around the park because of maintenance issues is hard on the feet. That is a subject I try to never bring up. How I prefer to go in order or ride a ride a couple times then move on. Also I normally use the train when I can but the line and ops are too slow due to Covid. Your feet will thank you if you if you plan your rides with the least amount of walking. At King's Island this does not matter as much. Also operations at King's Island were fantastic last year and makes me want to visit that park more. I enjoyed my one visit to Carowinds too.

I do not understand what you mean by little people? Do you mean the people who can not afford Fast Lane or all season Fast Lane? You certainly can not consider yourself one of them then if so. Since you have stated twice now that if management had done better, you would have purchased it for this season. Also if you had purchased it for the 2020 season it would still be good for 2021. You likely would have had a better time at Cedar Point but still not a great one.

You did not have to bother with access passes....

[jimlaheyscar]

Some different opinions in here for sure. 

I made  2 additional trips to CP this year because FL+ was so darn good this year.  I never saw anyone in the FP lines.  It's 8 hours one way and when I was able to find more FL+ passes, I didn't hesitate to buy them and head back.  Rare you can lap Steel Vengeance over and over and never have someone in line ahead of you.  Same for Mav and Top Thrill.  Loved it.  I know at least one other person that did the same thing.

 

[SnakePlissken]

 

5 minutes ago, jimlaheyscar said:

Some different opinions in here for sure. 

I made  2 additional trips to CP this year because FL+ was so darn good this year.  I never saw anyone in the FP lines.  It's 8 hours one way and when I was able to find more FL+ passes, I didn't hesitate to buy them and head back.  Rare you can lap Steve Vengeance over and over and never have someone in line ahead of you.  Same for Mav and Top Thrill.  Loved it.  I know at least one other person that did the same thing.

 

I went to Cedar Point twice in the fall. The Sat before they brought back reservations. Then 2 weeks later. My second visit was better than the first. The issue was not the Fast Lane lines themselves. It was operations. Rides went down one after another. Everything but Steel Vengeance. My first visit Millennium Force  was closed almost all day to everybody and only opened up at 7pm. Should I have stuck with Steel Vengeance and just lapped it all day? Maybe but I also wanted to ride Millennium Force, Magnum, Top Thrill. Maverick and Raptor.

[jimlaheyscar]

My trips were at opening and the first couple months. I know what you're saying, though.  MForce had a tough late season, and Maverick was on the fritz a lot.  When Top Thrill opened until early Sept, CP hit their stride and was great with FL+.  At no point would I have recommended CP without FL+ unless you really understood what you were getting into.  (I got a rollback while lapping Top Thrill this summer.)

 

[chibul]

On 1/16/2021 at 9:35 PM, jimlaheyscar said:

Nope, still for sale on several of their sites (including CW).  It's under 2021 Season Passes in the ticket window pop up.

I see Carowinds has their season Fast Lane pass for sale, but the All Park Fast Lane pass I'm not seeing on any CF website.

[jsus]

1 hour ago, chibul said:

I see Carowinds has their season Fast Lane pass for sale, but the All Park Fast Lane pass I'm not seeing on any CF website.

It's there under 2021 Season Passes > 2021 Add-Ons (Carowinds and Canada's Wonderland for reference).