[redrunner97]

I don't think it's a deal breaker...
BUT I don't see why they can't at least allow season pass parking in the bus lot on days when there will not be buses?

[coasterbruh]

Do you understand how much more confusing that would be? Yesterday I came and was able to park there...today I cant cause there is a bus there...

[MarkD]

Free Parking? There is no such thing as you pay for it one way or another. It's just a lot more bearable if you get a season pass, which is what they want you to do anyway. With the many perks they give us what else do you want? The cost of improving the park(s) isn't free.

I honestly wish that after this season they get rid of the back gate AND eliminate preferred season pass parking all together. If you want a great parking spot then get there early. If you can't get there early then you get what you get.

The people who are fussing are the people who have never been to other major parks and they also drive around Wal-Mart's parking lot for an hour trying to get an upfront parking spot. If you honestly can't walk the extra 100 to 300 yards to enter the park then surely you can't walk around the park once you are inside. If you can't afford the parking every time you go then get the season pass on a payment plan.

I agree it was kind of cool to have an area just for pass holders but I also remember the pass holder section over filling.

[FrightRisk]

Free Parking? There is no such thing as you pay for it one way or another. It's just a lot more bearable if you get a season pass, which is what they want you to do anyway. With the many perks they give us what else do you want? The cost of improving the park(s) isn't free.

As a businessman I see both sides. I want new revenue streams myself. From a marketing standpoint, they may be keeping the ticket prices a bit lower by charging for parking. If that is indeed what they do and it benefits those that hitch a ride to the park. But this isn't Disney where most people stay on property. Almost everyone has to drive in, so it's not like anyone gets out of paying for parking other than people that come on a bus and season pass holders. And as MarkD observed, we are paying for it one way or another.

The consumer part of me is just tired of feeling "nickle and dimed" by all conglomerates as they buy up everything and look at it like just another profit center. Having a parking lot is the cost of doing business. $15 for parking, really? Might as well buy a park ticket for my car. Let it enjoy some rides. Put the gokart track back and let us race!

Carowinds has the most expensive food of any amusement park I've been to, $15 for the equivalent of a happy meal without the prize. Just because "everybody does it" doesn't make it right. All of these people collude at their annual trade shows and through their associations and discussions on golf trips. One park thinks of a new idea "let's give unlimited drinks that only cost us ten cents a fill in a 'souvenir' cup and charge $15 for it!" and they all dive in. "Let's create a have's and have not system and charge more than the cost of an entry ticket to allow people to skip the line. It will make all the economically challenged families feel second class, but we can increase gross profit by $5000 a day!"." Let's add some attractions that charge a separate admission and stick them for two or three more dollars!" "We can have some attractions that we can paint in black light colors and have people pay $2 for paper chromadepth glasses if they want to see the effect!!"

On the plus side, having special days and events, offering the dollar days and free parking and 10% off at many places with your season pass is nice and takes the bad taste out of my mouth.

[Tawny71]

I don't really find Carowinds food to be overpriced for a theme park. And their pricing for souvenir cups is pretty standard. Also, they give you free refills on the day of purchase, which adds to the value. When I went to Dollywood this summer, I paid $15 for a souvenir cup and paid for each refill I got through that day.

[Jonathan]

Carowinds has the most expensive food of any amusement park I've been to, $15 for the equivalent of a happy meal without the prize. Just because "everybody does it" doesn't make it right. All of these people collude at their annual trade shows and through their associations and discussions on golf trips. One park thinks of a new idea "let's give unlimited drinks that only cost us ten cents a fill in a 'souvenir' cup and charge $15 for it!" and they all dive in. "Let's create a have's and have not system and charge more than the cost of an entry ticket to allow people to skip the line. It will make all the economically challenged families feel second class, but we can increase gross profit by $5000 a day!"." Let's add some attractions that charge a separate admission and stick them for two or three more dollars!" "We can have some attractions that we can paint in black light colors and have people pay $2 for paper chromadepth glasses if they want to see the effect!!"

I agree with everything you've said here, particularly the "have's and have not's" thing with the fast pass stuff which is probably the most offensive thing the amusement industry does to me these days, but I'm not sure what the answer is for the consumer other than to simply stop going. Some of the smaller locally owned parks that I love, such as Knoebels, do not nickel and dime guests in this way. However, they also don't have $30 million to spend building one of the largest roller coasters in the world, so it goes both ways. I think Cedar Fair does things a lot more tastefully than many of the other corporate parks.

Expensive food and drinks is a reality of most ticketed entertainment events (amusement parks, sporting events, concerts, etc; I went to a concert at the Barclay's Center last week and beer was $12!). It's a major component of how they make their money and they can pull it off because there is no competition. As long as people continue to be willing to pay those prices that's the way it will be.