Six Flags gives in again when media gets involved.

rollergator said:
Gonch is right, the ad does bring attention - but I'm not entirely sure that "all press is good press" when it comes to advertising that costs you goodwill, customers, or even some gate revenue.

Yeah, but what customer(s) did they lose? The guy who tried to get 18 admissions for $150. Meh.

Even SF - home of the stupid-cheap season pass - doesn't let people in for $8 and change.

^In this instance, they lost the gate on about 15 kids...and probably had to pay to change the ad running on the local TV network. All I'm saying is that based on what *I* saw, someone should have edited the commerical and put SOME sort of disclaimer on the screen along with the "5 free tickets" hook... ;)

I will say, it did make sense for SFDK to admit all of them in. You know the father of the birthday child most likely dished out a decent amount of money on "in-park spending" and the parents of the other children probably handed their kids some cash to also spend in the park. That is where parks count on their strong stream of revenue.

Everyone won in this case.

Ah hell! I still haven't received my coupon book yet, and it's already July. CALL NBC!

Soggy said:
And when buying a pass at a supermarket, they don't get the value book, just a voucher for the pass to be processed at the park. The voucher may have terms and conditions of that voucher itself, but not for the perks that come with the pass.

I bought my first SF season pass (5 years ago) at Safeway, and got the coupon book at the park when I processed it. Lately I just get the pass online. The only terms and conditions were the ones that come with the pass itself, non-transferable, obey park policies or else, and that sort of thing.

But it does seem like it's becoming, "Go to the park expecting something you might not be supposed to get, then make a big stink when you don't get it. Then the media will come and you'll get it."

Where do you draw the lines on these kinds of things? Didn't the guy kind of admit that he should have looked into it before buying? Not to mention, he bought them at a local store and they told him he could pick up the "free tickets" at the park, which isn't necessairly a lie, but it's not like the parks are rehearsing any kind of GR talk with the cashiers.

I guess it comes down to this....you let one person through the loophole and essentially you have to let them all through in some way, shape, or form....and recently it looks as if the media is the way for the "Free Ride"...since the consumer alert kind of reports usually end up in some kind of freebie for the ones who can squwak the loudest. I know that there are consumers out there who are wronged/cheated from businesses and companies but this guy was not.

The reporter at the end summed it up well basically saying..."If it's too good to be true...it probably is" and that you should research into things first before making purchases.

I always take Six Flags advertising to be misleading. The "all new" Bizarro coaster for example.

And usually free tickets (excempt comp tickets) have some kind of restrictions on them and I agree the guy had to have thought it is crazy to get a season pass and 5 tickets good anytime for $49.99. If that was the case, no one would buy a day ticket.

I'd hate to see the season pass books change or go away because of something like this. The bring a friend free and bring a friend for $14.99 coupons are great deals. Plus with the Funatics Rewards program I just earned a bring a friend free ticket good for any day up to October 12th, for visitng Great Adventure so much.

Never underestimate the GP wanting a good value. While working at my summer amusement park I had a father come up trying to buy "the season pass", and he had, roughly, 5 other people with him. Knowing this, I asked for all their names, address, phone, and then told them the total, which he balked at. He freaked, and pointed to my window which had the "Season Passes for $xxx!" What I quoted him was 6x the window. What he thought was that he could use the season pass for 6 people, not that each of the 6 people needed a season pass.

He was very obviously not as engraved in our culture as many other park guests, doesn't understand amusement parks, and this little slip up of "per person" confused him. It's so easy now for parks and other places to direct someone to a website, but with the cultural technology divide we have still, many times it's just not responsible. Adding "per person" or "select days only" goes a long way to making many lives easier.

I just found the commercial in question on youtube...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rbi0L8IrFQ

...No mention at all regarding restrictions...

^Thanks G, that's exactly the commerical I was referring to earlier. At 0:32-0:33, they make it pretty clear that the SP includes "5 free tickets for friends" - and with nary an asterisk or any kind of fine print.

SHOULD consumers be more savvy? Possibly, but why should they when you can call in the local news station and get the admissions comped anyway. I'd have to suggest that the *park* puts the ads out, the park should be a little more diligent about checking the ads. My guess is that that particular ad has been edited and/or removed.

^edit: Where did Gonch's post go? LOL! :)

The customer failed to do the research, to be sure. But after getting his free tickets, is he STILL in the wrong? Yes (despite the "customer is always right" philosophy), but the park ended up giving a BUNCH of admissions. Others listen to the news, and think they can pull the same "scam". My point isn't that the guy was right, only that the park(s) need to prevent these one-off instances from becoming a matter of policy due to media involvement....or else we'll ALL start finding loopholes and getting in free. Where would the parks be then?

I think all the ad does is list the benefits of buying a season pass. I've having a really hard time understanding how the park is at fault here. The ad even directs you to the website to purchase - with the relevant info in bold green text. (and it's been like that since before this incident)

rollergator said:
SHOULD consumers be more savvy? I'd have to suggest that the *park* puts the ads out, the park should be a little more diligent about checking the ads.

I put all of the reponsibility on the consumer in this one - even more so after seeing the ad.

This guy failed on so many levels that it'd almost be funny if it weren't so sad.

And regardless of how you want to look at it - you do get 5 free tickets. That's the bottom line for me. It's not a lie. It's barely misleading, if at all.

The fact that anyone even remotely thinks this guy has a point scares me quite frankly. Have we really lowered our expectations this much?

EDIT - last post disappeared because it was formatting all weird and the url tag was causing problems.

^Stop messing with my <AR^RO>WS. ;)

:)

Like Steel Phantom? I'm pretty happy that arrow got messed with.

I showed the ad to three of my coworkers, without telling them the story, and asked them about the free tickets - they all thought there was no restriction - one even asked my to play it back before answering to see if any details were shown.

All three (including the one who asked to see if there was any fine print) thought the free tickets would be good for any day since it was not said that there were limitations.

Look at SFGAm's season pass commercial from 2007 on YouTube. They were smart then to put "Restrictions Apply" during the "Five Free tickets for friends" portion of the ad (0:13)... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kri54ITjui8

redman822 said:
All three (including the one who asked to see if there was any fine print) thought the free tickets would be good for any day since it was not said that there were limitations.

And when one goes to purchase the fineprint is clearly detailed on the website. The ad just leads to the purchase point at which time you're told the specifics.

I don't necessarily have a problem with someone thinking that after viewing the ad. It's kind of the point - to sell you on it. To create interest.

I have a problem with someone going as far as buying a pass and still thinking that. There's plenty of info detailing everything in the process between the point where you see ad and the final step of having a purchased pass in your hand. Only the most clueless would end up with a pass and not understand the specifics.

rollergator said:
Where would the parks be then?

Probably right here.

Gonch took the words right out of my mouth, practically verbatim. :)

The entire commercial points the consumer to the web site to make the purchase and this guy goes to the grocery store first and checks the web site after. That's just not right.

It does frighten me a bit that as a culture we are allowing self-accountability to fall to zero. The "nobody told me directly" routine gets really old for me.

^^ - Shouldn't his image also be used in the story about the world's largest shower?

^^ But they allow passes to be bought at the grocery store (which they do here in Chicago area) the stores should have the disclaimers about the free passes - the Chicago area ads point you to get the passes at the stores and online.

Which, after re-watching the ad I first posted ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rbi0L8IrFQ ) at 0:54, it points customers to go to their grocery stores too...

So Oliver bought the season passes at Lucky Supermarket. There, he was told to pick up the free tickets at the park.

Sorry, but I side against SFDK on this one...if they don't want to list their fine print in the ad, then they had better make sure that it is known and shown at their alternate points of sale which were also clearly listed in their advertisement.

Maybe supermarkets should not be selling season passes. The parks should be handling that themselves, either in person or through their websites.