Cedar Fair Platnium Pass

[dkny6363]

So here is my dilema... I get 4 Canadas Wonderland season passes each year at $60 per. A parking pass for $35. After tax and tip around $300. 4 Platnum passes at $150 each al together is $650. Next year we are going to Kings island. Tickets I believe are around $40 per, $10 park. If I had a platnum pass I would break it up over a day and a half. I also think a cedar point trip will happen next year. Tickets for there are usually included in a hotel package for not alot more. Which also includes platnum pass type perks. I doubt any other CF parks will happen for me. So what I'm thinking is the money will work out around the same either way but what I want to know are the perks good enough to make it worth while? What kind of perks beside the obvious (free admission, free park, early entry) are there at dorny, CP, and KI?

[dkny6363]

Ps. do you get hassled at any sister parks with platinum passes. Do parking ppl and addmission ppl sort them out quickly?

[GADVwow]

Perks are not yet firmly established for next year at Kings Island:

http://visitkingsisland.com/events/events.cfm?ec_id=27

Platinum passes get the same perks as the local home park passes do.  Given Cedar Fair's terrible financial performance announced yesterday, it cannot be assumed that all the parks you have listed will still be Cedar Fair parks next summer, though they probably will be. 

Last season, Kings Island had virtually no season pass discounts except on the Backyard Barbecue, which, though good, is not served until 3 p.m.!

[jimmybjammin]

i had my first Cedar Fair Platnium Pass this year (totally worth it), i bought it at CP, it gives 1hr early entry there (you park at the front so you can get to raptor quickly) and stay at the hotels to reach maverick quickly (also early entry gives you a chance to line up for dragster as the line is 2hrs before the park even opens). I went to KD (no real perks as the hotel is walking distance to the enterance. literally across the parking lot) Dominator opens before the rest of the park does so a pass doesn't matter. DP didn't offer any real perks either. The only real perks are being able to use the pass anywhere, they give you free parking without any probs at the other parks, and you can go to Halloween haunt for free. They don't give you huge coupon books like SF does, but some food places offer specials at each park for platnium pass holders, however CF doesn't give discounts for buying stuff like shirts, etc.

[dkny6363]

wonderland is 15% off all food which is nice. I noticed they offer hotel discounts at CP but its only on the high end hotels, its only in the lowish season, and its only 10%. I've only been to CP in the fall. Busy saturdays, not bust at all fridays. How busy is it mid-week in july? How busy in KI mid-week in July?

[AV Matt]

Just don't get your Platinum Pass from Knott's. You have to take it to Guest Relations at the other parks and get a free ticket. And parking can range from "go ahead" to "let me get a manager", but always works in the end.

[GADVwow]

...I've only been to CP in the fall. Busy saturdays, not bust at all fridays. How busy is it mid-week in july? How busy in KI mid-week in July?

CP is a resort area.  MOST summers, CP on weekdays is as busy as it is the rest of the week, perhaps a wee bit less.

KI gets a great many locals, most with passes, and on day trips.  KI midweek in July is very weather and group dependent.  It can be nearly empty, or fairly busy.  Wednesday is the least busy day, followed by Tuesday then Thursday.  Monday can be very busy with hangers on from the weekend, same story for Friday with people going the next day as well.  I'd avoid KI and CP on summer Saturdays, though a rainy Saturday at KI can be pleasant, except one thing...virtually every coaster goes down to 1 train operation (except Flight of Fear...and Invertigo always runs only one for some strange reason! ).

[jimmybjammin]

I went for my birthday to CP.. essentially I was there Saturday June 27 through Wed July 1 if I remember right. Sunday the park was empty (15 minute waits or less with the exception of 30 minutes on dragster all evening long, the other top 4 were 30 as well all day), Saturday night 1/2 full (there are a TON of seagulls and mayflies that time of year, so it's NOT fun being a windshield/bug deflector on the coasters at night FYI) Monday and Tuesday weren't packed.. but enough to make the 4 newest coasters have a line of 45 minutes all day and night long.. July would be more packed anywhere you go as kids that are off from school would likely hang there on week days, etc.. A lot of ppl at CP during the last week of June, first week of July that i met there were on vacations. In one case, a full week on resort!

also, if it rains (sprinkles) for only 30 seconds.. CP WILL shut down EVERY POPULAR COASTER for 30 minutes.. it's not like GA where they will put you on nitro despite it pouring. Hopefully I just had a bad experience that sunday morning. I was really bummed out as the lines went from 10 minutes to 45 for a while on maverick.

[dkny6363]

One reason I want to go to CP in the summer if because I've only ever been in the fall, and I've never been on the water rides. The water rapids rides turn into a haunt ride I think. Will the new flume stay open into sept?

How is their waterpark? Nothing Special im guessing.

[darkridedan]

I don't know if it will stay open, but you could contact the park around the time of your visit. My guess is if the weather permits, the ride will remain open. The shoot-the-chutes at Dorney remained open into October, though it may have had more to do with the closure of Thunder Canyon and Thunder Creek Mountain for the season. Considering that Cedar Point uses their rapids trough for Halloweekends, it may be a strong possibility that they'll leave the new ride open through September. It's just a guess though.

[dkny6363]

So KI mid-week isn't too busy. Could you hit 10+ and 5+ flags in one day with out bustin it?

[jimmybjammin]

the water park at CP is perfect for those that don't like walking around HH.. all the slides are packed together, next to each other in one long line. I wasn't impressed by it from outside the gate though, so I didn't go in. However, if I lived out there I'd probably love not having to walk so much as soak city is literally in the far back of CP next to Hotel Breakers. You can only park there if you are staying at that resort.

[dkny6363]

How much is a single day ticket to KI? 39.99 ish?

[GADVwow]

Prices for 2010 single day KI tickets have not yet been established.  Given Cedar Fair's current financial condition, and the fact that last year at Kroger stores at least 100 miles from the park, tickets could be bought for as little as $24.99....parking was $10....

[dkny6363]

wow 24.99 that might persuade me against the platinum pass. Can you buy a normal seasons pass and then if you choose mid-summer you want a platinum pass,can you upgrade?

[GADVwow]

If you bought a single day admission closer to the park from Kroger, the cost was higher, normally $28.99.  And Cedar Fair will let you upgrade your season pass at any time, but normally only at the park where the original pass is from.  (They have been known to let this slide, and also not to...)

[dkny6363]

kind of like giant does for hershey? Is there any catch like you need to present a pepsi can or anything like that.

[GADVwow]

No catch.  Supposedly you have to have a Kroger plus card, but they rarely check for one.  Even if you do, you can get it free at the time of purchase.

Also, last year's marketing may or may not repeat this year.  With Cedar Fair, one never knows!

[dkny6363]

I'm thinking the platnum pass might not be for me.