Brief Cedar Fair and MA rant.

I don't even want to talk about ticket charges for the summer. :) Then, add on that my home venue has free parking, but rather than walk 2 miles in this year, and fight the crowds leaving, I paid $17.50 + fees for preferred parking (only because VIP was was already sold out at $30).

I really don't like that parking at amusement parks is $10+, but that's because I don't get anything in return for my money (I don't see the value in paying for parking... unless..) but give me a reason to cough over my money and I'll pay twice as much.

The one time I went to Universal Hollywood, we did valet/premier parking. It was somewhere around $20-$25 (plus tip), but we got out right at the entrance to City Walk, and when we returned, our friends' car had been washed. That, to me, is [perceived] value.

All of this is exactly why I have a Universal annual pass. :)

Between the concerts and the park trips, I feel like I mugged them (Universal) in a dark alley and left them with nothing. Chicago, EW&F, Heart, Mannheim Steamroller, and more, plus park admission, free parking, and food discounts for $220 (in 2010)? Ummm...heck yes!

Universal has the best pass deal in the industry, hands down. I had an annual pass there three years running, and each year, the discounts alone for the hotels, food and merchandise easily made up the cost of the pass.

CPcyclone said:
The thing that frustrates me the most is that MA was nothing before Shivering Timbers and now people are saying that Thunderhawk was too much for MA or that the park doesn't need more rides. If Thunderhawk was too much ride for that park, then in my opinion, so was Shivering Timbers. For a park to grow, they have to add big rides every once in a while, and it's obviously working since MA continues to break attendance records.

AMEN!!!! :D

I've been purchasing CF Platinum Passes for the past five years, and while it was a much better deal when I lived in OH, it's still a super-gosh-darn good deal for me. I live an hour from MA and about 4 hours from CP, so it does get a lot of use. I guess my only rant is my own problem, I got used to the big parks, then moved back to Michigan and my home park doesn't have some of the stuff I think it should have. I agree with Timber Rider in that MA really needs more awesome flat rides. But I also think it's about time for them to start thinking about getting us a new coaster too :)

I read a few of the comments on concerts, and I have actually been to quite a few. One of the longest concerts I saw was the Poison/Cinderlla concert at the Van Andel arena in 2000. That show opened with Slaughter (Sucked) Followed by Dokken, the Cinderella, which put on an awesome show, and then Poison. All for only $18.00 a ticket.

I have also seen KISS in cocert 3 times. The first concert was $23.00, the second, $35.00, and the 3rd was $47.00 all at the same arena. The last KISS concert featured Skid Row, and Ted Nugent, which was a really good line-up, and one of the best shows I have seen. But, I have also seen Van Halen and Aeorsmith. Tried to get Elton John and AC/DC tickets, but at $50.00 a pop they sold out fast. Elton John sold out in undr 5 minutes both times he was in Grand Rapids.

The most expensive tickets I purchased were for Janet Jackson at $57.00 a ticket, featuring Usher, and the most expensive, and most recent was Cher. At $70.00 a ticket featuring Cyndi Lauper. But I have also seen less expensive shows, like Joan Jett and Def leppard for $16.00 just a few years ago. Shows at the Van Andel including the recent Poison/Motley Crue tickets were $125.00 a piece. Which is way more than I can afford.

I've seen Poison 4 times. Not about to pay $125.00 for the same band I saw a few years ago for $18.00. That's just nuts. I planned on going to see Lady Gaga there, but when I heard the cheap seats were up in the $70.00 area. I said forget it. It sold out anyways.

So, it's not that I'm cheap, when it comes to spending money, it's where to draw the line. Most people who aren't from Michigan proably don't know about the Elton John ticket scalper who sold a woman 2 tickets to the first Grand Rapids show for $1,250.00. Elton John found out what happened and purchased the tickets back from the lady, (Minus the regular ticket price of $45.00 each) and had her picked up in a limo and brought to the show to meet him. That's what I call someone who sees that value in your business. Not just out to cash in.

Another band that gives you your money's worth is KISS. One of the concerts they performed was live 3-D as part of their Psycho Circus tour back in the late 90's. I think (98?) That was an incredible show, and the farewell tour in 2000 was even bigger and better. I have seen a lot of shows, and nobody gives you the WOW factor of KISS. So, maybe they spoiled me. So, now I expect greatness...and not so happy with the mediocre...known as Carolines Spine...or Corolines Spleen as they were referred to other than "YOU SUCK!!" by the kiss audience. LOL!

The KISS/Crue tour this summer has VIP packages priced at $1399. The better tickets come in at $185. Platinum tickets are in the $350 range. Hell, lawn seats at the outdoor sheds are going for $50.

WWE is coming to our neck of the woods later this month. Platinum tickets topped out at $300 each. I didn't pay that much for our tickets, but I could've bought us all CF platinum passes instead.

Timber-Rider said:
I said forget it. It sold out anyways.

Read that a million times. You wrote it, but don't seem to get it.

Just becuase it's overpriced to you doesn't mean it's overpriced.

Major concert pricing is something that I really hit a wall with this summer. I go see a lot of live music on a regular basis from local bands that are free to $5, touring club shows that are in the $15 - $40 range and the occasional major concert which has become disturbingly expensive. I used to go to a lot more of the bigger shows but am much more selective now.

Not a big fan but have always wanted to see Madonna live. Here, the nosebleed seats were over $100 plus the service charges which would bring it in around $120 for crap seats. For my friends that go to one or two concerts a year and love Madonna, they were fine with it. For me the value just isn't there so I passed.

I'm going to see Iron Maiden and Alice Cooper this summer. It was $123 including service charges for a floor seat in front of the stage. I've seen both of them several times and remember paying around $15 to see Maiden in the mid 80s. But I love both acts so the value is there and I'm excited to go. That will be my one big event show for the summer.

In general, the major concerts have really outpriced themselves for me. Not to mention the $12 cups of beer. But there's no love lost and plenty of other music that I enjoy in the city. Madonna just added a second show so supply and demand at the price point clearly exists. For those that consider a concert a rare event the value is still very much there.

Major concerts are getting more rare for me, not just because of the price, but because most of the artists/bands I'd have any desire to see are dying off. But I'm not above paying $100 to see Roger Waters perform one of the greatest albums of all time this summer. :)

I think at this point the only thing that would get me to shell out anything in the many hundreds-thousands of dollars range for a ticket would be a reunion tour of the remaining Zeppelin members, but I'm not holding my breath on that one.

The last concert I went to was Ween in Columbus, paid $25. Best concert I've ever been to.

Saw Foo Fighters a few months ago. $35-55/ticket and they played for about 3 hours. If you break it down to money per song, Dave Grohl's got the best deal in town.

Again, Universal AP, and I've paid nothing or next to nothing for each concert. :)

Haven't looked at tickets yet, but I plan on seeing one or both of Earth Wind & Fire and Boston when they hit Hard Rock Live this summer, and I fully expect to be paying a minimum of $40-50 for a "bad seat," which in that small venue isn't really that bad of a seat.

Also, saw the Scorpions' farewell tour when they hit Tampa and paid...like $50 for a "middle" seat, which was actually towards the front of the back reserved section before the lawn seats. Still decent seats, but I'm still kicking myself for not getting the $24 Aerosmith tickets they were trying to get rid of outside the gate for a few weeks later.

Kpjb I heard that from several people regarding the Foo Fighters and kicking myself for not making that show last year. Hearing more and more that they're currently one of the best arena touring bands out there right now.

The Scorpions are doing another leg of the farewell thing (!) this summer as well. The pricing is around $70 for a mid level seat in the 300s which is pretty steep. That's another show that I'd like to see but it's priced out of what I'm willing to pay.

Considering heading over day of show to try to work a deal with a nervous scalper after opening bands start. I live downtown and can make it over there on transit so wouldn't have to pay for parking or anything to give it a shot.

Ah! All this ranting about MA has made me want to visit the park again. I asked a couple friends if they wanted to hit up MA again this summer, and I got an alien look from them. I guess this is a testament that positive or negative advertisement can grab customers. You know...kind of like how you craved a Coke after seeing Pepsi bash Coke in all their commercials of the 90's. Timber-Rider should be MA's new spokesman. ;)

Kiss?! Without Ace?? Ever been to a Gwar show? Or Iggy? That's what I'm talkin bout.

Most expensive concert I recently attended was Rammstein in Toronto last year. The ~$60-80 ticket (forget exact price; extra fees ticketmaster charges, it's hard to keep track) went directly into absurd quantities of pyrotechnics. It was awesome

Absurd quantities of pyrotechnics is probably the only thing that would get me to go to a Rammstein concert. :)

Jeph said:
In all seriousness, do you like what happened to Geauga Lake? You need to learn to appreciate what you have at Michigan's Adventure and thank Cedar Fair for not carelessly building attractions that the park cannot support. I'm sure something shiny and new will arrive at MA eventually, but don't expect the same pace of a major park like Cedar Point.

This is an interesting comment, considering that Cedar Fair didn't add anything to Geauga Lake after they purchased it. The only thing they did was change the names of the rides because Six Flags still owned the rights to DC comics, which a lot of the rides were named after. And, they pretty much abadoned the Sea World side of the park, by not investing a dime in it. let's face it, the only reason Cedar Fair wanted Geauga Lake, was to get rid of Cedar Point's main competitor. I'll bet they planned to dismantle it from day one.

I think the only rides added to Geauga lake were a few water slides, and the Funnel slide, which they also added to Michigan's Adventure. They pretty much ruined what could have become a really great park, if they had just seen the value in keeping both the dry side, and the wet sides of the park running. People say that Six Flags ruined the park. I say balony, it was better before Cedar Fair took over.

Lord Gonchar said:
The KISS/Crue tour this summer has VIP packages priced at $1399. The better tickets come in at $185. Platinum tickets are in the $350 range. Hell, lawn seats at the outdoor sheds are going for $50.

WWE is coming to our neck of the woods later this month. Platinum tickets topped out at $300 each. I didn't pay that much for our tickets, but I could've bought us all CF platinum passes instead.

Timber-Rider said:
I said forget it. It sold out anyways.

Read that a million times. You wrote it, but don't seem to get it.

Just becuase it's overpriced to you doesn't mean it's overpriced.

Well, in answer to that, what you don't know, is that the local radio stations buy up a huge portion of seating before the tickets go on sale in GR, not to mention the brokers who buy huge amounts of seats online, only to attempt to re-sell them for a higher price. So, what is actually left for the GP to buy is about 8,000 tickets in a 12,000 seat stadium. Not to mention what the arena might hold back, for at the door sales, where the ticket price is bumped up to make even more money.

My friend Doug went to the last Elton John concert, and even though the media reported it sold out, he said that a good portion of the upper deck was empty. Not, like the last KISS concert, where they had people sitting behind the stage, because they sold more tickets than they thought. So, it really depends on who is coming, and what the venues plans are for that show.

People who camped out for 3 days for Van Halen tickets were really upset when they were first in line, and couldn't get front row seats to the show, because the radio stations pre-purchased rows a-through L. I have been to enough concerts at the same arena to know better. I was one of the first in line for Janet Jackson, and they had a lottery drawing for seating, and I ended up going from number 1 to 149, and got seats in the nosebleed section when I finally bought my tickets.

As for the prices of the KISS tickets you mentioned. No, even if I was the only person in the arena. I wouldn't pay that much. But, then I have seen them 4 times. Never seen Motley Crue, but, not paying that much for tickets. Sorry.

Timber-Rider said:
This is an interesting comment, considering that Cedar Fair didn't add anything to Geauga Lake after they purchased it... I say balony, it was better before Cedar Fair took over.

Dude, really? That park's problem was that it had too much. It was way, way over-built for its potential customer base. Six Flags threw tens of millions of dollars at the park and still attendance declined. What do you think would happen if Cedar Fair had done the same? It would have magically gone up?

At every turn, you seem to retreat further into your alternate reality.