Queues - improving the guest experience.

^^That sounds great. Everyone has access, based on how much they're willing to pay. I totally admit I've been spoiled by twenty years of coaster enthusiast events; I'd wait for ACE to have an event at the park.

It's like gaining access to the park in the first place. Some people buy season passes, some people seek out discounts on single day admissions, some people don't want to bother with that and pay full price at the gate.

Aamilj:

If you can find a way to do it so that it's invisible, more power to you. I think it would be brilliant. But there is a demand for "pay once at the gate, get certain privileges, and ride that tier all day" as opposed to "decide whether to pay every time you walk up to the gate of a ride, then complain that a second after you got in line, the price went down significantly."

For many it's irrational, but I'd rather POP at Knoebel's even if I know I'd spend less in tickets because I just don't want to be bothered with deciding whether it's worth the cost to ride something every time I walk up to it.

^^Yes

I just don't want to be bothered with deciding whether it's worth the cost to ride something every time I walk up to it.

I don't want to be bothered with deciding whether it's worth the time to ride something every time I walk up to it.

You are focused on money. I'm focused on time. I suggest (and by no means am saying my way is the only way) that a park experience that takes the "time" worry out of the equation is superior for MANY. Particularly those with money...and lots of it.

This may never happen for the many reasons suggested. But I still believe that the park experience I describe is superior to the other methods mentioned. Just the experience itself... I'm not talking about the cost to obtain such a day of dreams.

kpjb said:

People in Coney Island and Las Vegas would prove that theory incorrect.

Wow great comparison. Two of the most expensive cities in the country, and international destinations to boot.

Bet Valleyfair couldn't get $6 for a ride on Excalibur.

Also two of the biggest tourist destinations in the country. What's your point?

I think it was sarcasm. The logic is there in that White Lightning is $9 in its own right, and I don't know that I'd consider any coaster worth nine bucks per lap. Understandably, there's no alternative if you want to ride, so you do what you have to, but ouch.

However, one could argue that by dividing the cost of a park ticket by the number of rides, I'm sure a decent number of people pay about $6 for a lap on the Excalibur. Food for thought.

Count me out of the "MANY." I'd rather go to a park and know how much it will cost me, then make decisions on which rides I will ride based on how much time it will take me to get on the ride.

sirloindude said:

However, one could argue that by dividing the cost of a park ticket by the number of rides, I'm sure a decent number of people pay about $6 for a lap on the Excalibur. Food for thought.

This times ten.

POP is good for one thing - making people not think about how much they're paying per ride.

If you pay the $55 gate price at Cedar Point (with one of the largest coaster collections going) and ride every adult coaster in the park, you've paid just shy of $4 per ride.

Go to Holiday World and pay the $45 gate price and you have to ride each of their adult coasters three times just to get the cost per ride down to $5.

(of course, this all assumes the only value at the park is in the number of rides you get - but, arguments sake and such)

Might is be worth more than $4 per ride at Cedar Point if you could do the same number of coasters in half the time? Time is money they say...

If I pay the $55 gate price at Cedar Point, I'm also getting the opportunity to ride all the other rides in the park. Is a ride on the CP & LE railroad the same value as a ride on Raptor? Is a ride on Troika the same value as a ride on Top Thrill Dragster?

If I pay the $55 gate price, I'm also getting the opportunity to wander down the Midway. How do I place a value on wandering down the whole Midway as opposed to wandering down half the Midway? Is wandering down Frontier Trail worth more or less than wandering down the Gemini Midway?

I say they start installing toll booths along the midway - every 100 yards or so, you pay. They'll of course need to install FastPass for those who just want their CCs charged, and have special lanes for those willing to pay an upcharge to not have to use the midway portions cluttered with strollers.

Aamilj said:

Might is be worth more than $4 per ride at Cedar Point if you could do the same number of coasters in half the time? Time is money they say...

Yeah, they (theoretically) already have a price point for this. It's call fast lane.

bjames said:

kpjb said:

People in Coney Island and Las Vegas would prove that theory incorrect.

Wow great comparison. Two of the most expensive cities in the country, and international destinations to boot.

Bet Valleyfair couldn't get $6 for a ride on Excalibur.

Wow, great comparison. We were talking about price being directly adjusted to meet demand. Excalibur is such a popular ride, the demand would totally warrant $6 per ride to boot.

That "expensive international destination" of Erie PA is getting $4.50 for a ride on Steel Dragon or Ravine Flyer. A small FEC near Pittsburgh gets $2 for a ride on a kiddie merry go round. Do you really think people wouldn't pay $6 for Millennium Force or El Toro?

(Also, Las Vegas is not expensive unless you want it to be.)

Is that true? I never hear what happens in Vegas...

Read my trip report from December ;-).

Edit: Nevermind, for some odd reason, I didn't post the Vegas portion of the trip here, even though I rode rides. Odd...

You must've left it in Vegas.

Yeah, they (theoretically) already have a price point for this. It's call fast lane.

I believe all of these "pay to cut" plans are a step in the right direction. I must admit that the idea of walking up the exit and sitting in a seat that someone else anticipates is theirs for the next cycle...is not really my idea of sound implementation. Don't even get me started on the "ride twice" plans. I'm of the opinion that any system that entails the chance that you might get booed by a station full of patrons...MAY not be a system that was clearly focused on "guest experience" as a primary consideration.

Multiple lines/different tiers/etc are all fine and dandy...but I still believe there might be a better way. Just offer a top end experience every operating day for EVERY guest. Obviously the guest will pay for top end service.

I realize the practical limitations for the Disney's and Universal's who need volume to fill hotel rooms/etc. This might work someplace at some point in the future...or not!

Aamilj said:
Just offer a top end experience every operating day for EVERY guest. Obviously the guest will pay for top end service.

They have that too: Discovery Cove. Which, from a completely uninformed perspective seems to be doing "pretty well" but isn't completely changing the way the game is played.

rollergator said:

I say they start installing toll booths along the midway - every 100 yards or so, you pay.

Now if you're going to take the same midway path regularly, may I suggest an alternate route?