Knoebels is expensive!

Which is probably why I have sticker shock looking at Knoebels price.

But Indiana Beach and Waldameer have cheap POP's if you ask me...

That's part of the deal at those parks. Unless you want to ride only a few rides, POP is the way to go. Waldameer is around $20 ($22 including the waterpark). Indiana Baach is around $20-25 for a half day and around $30-35 (including the waterpark) for all day. For most visiters to Knoebels, tickets are the best deal. Knoebels doesn't even sell wristbands on summer weekend days as far as I know.

The more and more I get out and see the prices and watch people spend, the more I believe that the smaller parks aren't overpriced, but rather that the bigger parks are underpricing themselves on the front end.

People readily pay $40 for HW and $37 for Knoebels. I watched people pay $6 or $7 in tickets for one ride on some piers in Jersey. I saw lines of people paying $4 for drinks. I saw people putting dollar after dollar after dollar into arcade games. I watched people pay $5 to try to throw a softball into a milkjug. Busch Gardens Williamsburg had one of the highest attendance jumps last season and they're almost $60 to get into and charge $20 for preferred parking.

I'm starting to sway my stance a bit. I'm not sure it's a case of the smaller parks being overpriced as it is a case of the bigger parks being underpriced... especially at the gate. The $40 it costs to do a Cedar Fair or Six Flags park is MUCH too low if you grade on the curve.

I'm not sure the big parks should be the benchmark and other parks should price accordingly. I think that the small parks should be used as the benchmark and suddenly it's easy to see how much money the big parks are leaving on the table.

Face it, in comparison to the small parks getting into some of these parks under current deals for as little as $25 or $30 is a steal. Even with jacked up in-park prices, the mega parks are a ridiculous value right now.

Are places like Knoebels and HW overpriced?

Only in comparison to the big chain parks.

I think the region and situation has a lot to do with it. I am not sure how many locals are at Wildwood paying those prices, I am sure it is mostly tourists there vacationing in the area. Busch Gardens is in a tourist area as well and the locals can get a season pass at a reasonable price if they want it.

$10 more isn't going to stop me from driving seven hours to a park. But if I lived there it might.

Kennywood and Waldameer can't get away with charging much more without pissing off the locals IMO.

And at $42, Cedar Point is a steal!

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eightdotthree said:
Kennywood and Waldameer can't get away with charging much more without pissing off the locals IMO.

And at $42, Cedar Point is a steal!

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Agreed and agreed.

Arthur, you're correct. Knoebels is tickets only on Saturdays and Sundays from June through August.

It would be interesting to see a breakdown in how many guests use the POP and how many use tickets. If I had to guess, I'd say the majority are purchased by companies having picnics and campground guests. Even the companies wouldn't pay full price.

To borrow a page from Gonch, I guess Knoebels charges $37 for their POP because they can get it.

One of the reasons why Cedar Point is charging so little for what they offer is because of the bad economy in northern Ohio and Michigan. This is the park that most people in the Detroit, Toledo and Cleveland areas go to. Because the economy is weak, if the prices were higher, many of them would stay home. Geauga Lake also had a ridiculously low price back before they closed the rides.

Cedar Point's strategy is to draw people in with low prices up front and then to charge high prices inside the park.

If Cedar Point were in the Sunbelt, they could get $50 to $60 for their regular ticket price and somewhere in the $40s for discounted tickets.

Exactly. If Cedar Point were in Williamsburg they could probably get away with $20 more at least. Kings Dominion charges $51.95.
*** Edited 6/23/2008 6:35:51 PM UTC by eightdotthree***

I love Knoebels, it's worth it to me.

The big parks are taking the whole "get you in the door then gouge you" to the extreme.

I was at Valleyfair last weekend and it's nice to get in for under $30 (with a pepsi can) but then to turn around and pay over $14 for a pop, fries and burger was obnoxious.

For some reason I think that method will eventually backfire. Holidayworld and places that really give you bang for your buck are leading the industry into new territory. It's about fun... I mean, how much fun can you have at a Six Flags or Cedar Fair park when you can't even enjoy a soda b/c you just don't have all that extra cash.

eightdotthree, King's Dominion is only $51.95 if you don't go online and purchase your ticket ahead of time. With the great majority of people having access to the internet, if you buy and print your ticket three days ahead of time, it's only $41.95--an incredible deal when you factor in the water park in the summer.

There are also $10-off coupons that can be obtained from fast food joints etc. and then the $51.95 deal that pays for two visits during the season.

MNRCoaster, your being unrealistic with your line of thinking.

Again, I bring this up time and time again, but does Knoebels (or fill in any "value" park) have any major steel coasters? That would be a solid no. How about any really expensive flats? Again, another solid no (except maybe the Moser Sidewinder at Knoebels).

Listen, I like Knoebels a lot, but there's also a lot missing from the park that a major park like Hershey or Dorney offers. Hence, they cost more. I'm not sure where the disconnect is happening for people.

Rides and the people who operate them need to be paid for.

Intamin Fan, I realize there are discounts available, there are also discounts out there for Cedar Point. My point was that if Cedar Point were Kings Dominion's region they could charge more money than they can in NE Ohio.

Among the so-called "value" parks, there is one that has a major steel coaster. That, of course, is Kennywood with Phantoms Revenge. Of course that is the exception that proves the rule.

Somebody has to pay for those $15 to $30 million coasters and the cost is often reflected in the prices inside the park as much as the admission price.

Well, they certainly aren't hurting for business at all. Just tried to make reservations for Aug 2, 3 and their weekends are booked solid. I took 3, 4 and was able to get a site. Can't wait!

If I get to Knoebels, I wil be using tickets. I tracked my riding at Kennywood on an uncrowded weekday and figured the the ticket cost for a similar day at Knoebels would have run between $30 and $35. Considering the 10% weekday discount and the upcharge for the Haunted Mansion, I would expect to do at least $10 better with the pay as you go approach.

You're crazy. I went to Knoebels for the first time last year and spent less than 300 bucks for a family of 4 to say overnight in a motel and all our meals and ride tickets and gas to get up there (2.5 hours away)

Everybody is going to have their own opinion and thats fine with me. But my view. In the last 9 years we have stayed at Knoebels Campground five times. Three of those visits were multi day trips which we ventured out from Knoebels to the other parks (Dorney, Hershey, Lakemont, Williams Grove, Delgrossos, Scranton for STeamtown, Theres also the everylasting coal fire. GCII's shops ect)

Whats great about Knoebels is its flexibility and amount of things to do. You could go in there, Not spend a dime and have good time. Carousel Museum, Antrocite Museum, Carousel Museum, Free daily concerts and shows. Bald Eagle Exhibit. Iron and wood working demonstrations and exhibits. The food and drink in the park is all very very reasonable. From Breakfast to Late night desert.

We actually had a car break down last year that took half the day way from our planned two day jaunt to Hershey, Got back to the camp about five PM. Spent ten bucks each and got a phoenix, Twister, Flyer, Skooter and free concert. All with little lines and a jumpin park (Saturday) We've done it before. Visited lakemont and Delgrosos and had a couple hours to spend in the park. Very reasonable!

There is a ton to do there. I like taking one day to use the POP option. I've been there five times and still haven't ridden everything. We tend to hit the biggies at least four or five times, The unique about twice and some favorites of ours not found elswhere once or twice.

Come on, 1.50 for the BEST ride thru Haunted Mansion is a real rip off. They take that money, Maintain and add to it. Unlike other parks that build it, Milk it for all its worth and forget it.

You can also come and go as you want (Tickets are good FOREVER) I know people visiting now on tickets purchased years ago. The cost savings count too!. Walk your dog thru the park! Go back to camp and make your own meal. At the end of a long day, Instead of a long drive to some hotel or home you can walk up to camp. Light a match and have ya a nice long relaxing drink and a campfire!

YMMV and its quaint to some and Heaven for others. Not all that to some and ONE OF THE BEST to ME!

eightdotthree said:
I am planning a trip to Knoebels and was shocked at the POP all day plan. It's $37.00! I was planning on hanging out at the park and campground all day, casually riding rides, but at that price I will just wait until the evening rate which is still outrageous IMO, $22.00.

What is everyone else's thoughts about this? There is so much talk about Six Flags and Cedar Fair parks being too expensive... what about Knoebels?

Consider the fact that there is no hour long lines at Knoebels and your getting four times as much for the money

Charles Nungester said:

Come on, 1.50 for the BEST ride thru Haunted Mansion is a real rip off.

It only costs $1.50 to ride Disneyland's Haunted Mansion now? ;)

^LOL, I love Knoebels more than any park on Earth...and KG's Haunted Mansion sure is well-maintained and fun....but for me, the bumper cars, flyers, and carousel are the rides I simply cannot get elsewhere. Knoebels gets, like, 11 stars out of 5 - but I'd take Erieview's, or MBP's, or MSAP's Haunted Hotel dark rides over Knoebels'. Maybe next year we'll get to ride Erieview's dark ride at Conneaut? ;)

Disney is an unfair comparison to anyone else....the Mouse has re$ource$. :)

Back to KG....it's simply heaven on Earth to me. Not in any way "overpriced" (which is a more informative phrasing than the overused "expensive" or "cheap").