[Chris]

http://www.carowinds.com/shop/shopping_season_pass.cfm

[mxpro]

Anyone know if the 2010 season passes are good for the rest of 2009? I know paramount has done this in the past but I wasn't sure about Cedar Fair.

[Chris]

Anyone know if the 2010 season passes are good for the rest of 2009? I know paramount has done this in the past but I wasn't sure about Cedar Fair.

I thought I read on Carowinds.com that they are, but I can't find it anymore.


Also...

[cheeksadam]

soooo, just called guest services and they stated that the 2010 season passes are NOT valid for the remainder of the 2009 season. That seems to be pretty lame.

[Jonathan]

Does anyone know if you can upgrade your ticket to a 2010 season pass in the park?

[wakewolf]

On KD's 2010 season pass sales page, it states that you get one free entry to the park in 2009. Unfortunately, Carowinds' site offers no such clarification.

I would have gone to the park today to purchase a platinum 2010 pass, if I'd known whether or not they'd let us in!

[CoasterDad]

In my opinion, there is NO INCENTIVE whatsoever to buy a 2010 Season Pass before next spring unless Carowinds allows you to spend at least one day in the park this fall! Yes, the pass prices may increases slightly, but the buyer still has the money to use for five or six months before purchase in March or April. I think it is a bad sales decision for Carowinds not to allow visits in 2009 on the 2010 pass, as they have in the past, but we can just wait...

[coasterdave]

It seems that people are buying them even though they can not use them....wait...that would be the people that already have passes for this year. I can see the point of the peeps that do not have a pass for 2009 buying a 2010 pass since you will have to wait to use it.

[derek_lentz]

It says on the Scarowinds website that you can upgrade a scarowinds ticket to a 2010 season pass.

[goldsteh]

I wish they would give season passholders 10% off all food and merchandise purchases inside the park rather than 10% off "in-park dollars". Just show your card and save!

[lily the walrus]

In my opinion, there is NO INCENTIVE whatsoever to buy a 2010 Season Pass before next spring unless Carowinds allows you to spend at least one day in the park this fall! Yes, the pass prices may increases slightly, but the buyer still has the money to use for five or six months before purchase in March or April. I think it is a bad sales decision for Carowinds not to allow visits in 2009 on the 2010 pass, as they have in the past, but we can just wait...

I agree 100%.
I was prepared to grit my teeth and fork over the $$ to pre-purchase the 2010 platinum pass this year, but as CoasterDad noted, without an incentive to do so (ie, at least some kind of admission to Carowinds THIS season), I will wait until next year. Unless Carowinds decides to change this unfortunate decision, I would encourage everyone to wait until next year to buy a 2010 season pass (unless you already have a 2009 season pass, in which case you can renew to get a 2010 gold season pass for $60, which does seem to be a good deal). But if you do not own a 2009 season pass already, there is no reason I can see to pre-pay for 2010. I mean, it's not as if they are going to run out of season passes all of a sudden. And, if they are going to raise the prices for 2010 (hopefully not!), then they need to let everyone know now.

ARE YOU LISTENING CAROWINDS?! Please don't get us wrong--we are ever so grateful for the beautiful Intimidator, and we do hate to whine. However, if you would kindly provide an incentive for us to pre-purchase our 2010 passes, perhaps more of us would do so.

Hmmm...maybe we need to have a protest march on Carowinds....

[CoasterDad]

Relating to the 2010 Season Passes, I emailed Carowinds directly and this is the response I received, "Yes we have the special that if you do not have a 2009 season pass and purchase a 2010 season pass at the gate then you will get Carowinds for free that day. This offer is not valid with Scarowinds."

There you have it. I did suggest they post this on the website, no response. I called as a customer and posed the same question, received the same response.

As it relates to Platinum passes, NOT WORTH IT, for the $150 price, UNLESS you plan to visit at least 4 CF parks OR spend 4 days at CF parks next year. There are always online incentives/discounts for the sister parks. You may also acquire coupons/codes via other blogs/eBay to give you a discount at the gate or online. We always visit other CF parks each season. For instance, we paid $29.99 each for KD this summer. Last year, we paid $19.95 for KI and $52 for a 2-day pass to CP by purchasing online before our visit. The Plat just isn't worth it unless your plans include many visits during the season to the other parks!

[lily the walrus]

Thanks for contacting them, and thanks for the information about platinum passes. Very helpful.

[lily the walrus]

So, when I called today, they said the same thing CoasterDad noted--buy a 2010 season pass at the gate (for the same cost as the online price) and get "complementary" admission to the park that same day only. This can only be done at the park, not on the phone or online, and this information is still not on the website. I wonder if they will expand things in October--ie, buy 2010 pass & the rest of 2009 is also included (not Scarowinds of course).

Personally, I'm still annoyed...while one day of 2009 admission is better than nothing, it seems like the most reasonable way to encourage folks to pre-pay for a 2010 pass this late in the 2009 season is to include the rest of 2009 with the purchase. And I think the website should have all the information, there shouldn't be some "hidden feature" you have to call them to find out about. Hmph.

[wdwspider]

I still think I am waiting until next year to buy. I would have considered buying it now if I could have gotten the rest of this year.

Oh well. I actually am considering the Platinum pass. We live close to Carowinds, are planning to go to Hershey next year, and Dorney is close enough to try out (especially if we can get in already), plus my brother is being transferred to Fort Knox next year and mentioned something about us visiting Cedar Point. Since King's Dominion is getting a new coaster too, we can certainly make the trip there no problem. So I may actually have a good reason to buy Platinum next year. Heck, I may even throw in a trip to King's Island just because I love the Beast so much.

Does the Platinum still include free parking at all the CF parks?