Six Flags parking pass going back to the Burke era.

It seems Six Flags is going back to the Burke era with parking passes. You will no longer be allowed to use your parking pass outside of your home park.

Missing Shapiro already? lol

This is on their Facebook page so if you are on FB, check it out.

What I fail to understand is how much this really helps the bottom line. Outside of the few hundred of us here, how many people really travel to multiple long-distance SF parks? Not too many is my gess - although maybe there's a larger crossover of the SFNE->GAdv->SFA folks? *shrug*

I think the reasoning may be it will stop people from purchasing a pass from a SF park that is cheaper than a home park and then using it almost only at their home park if you can't park there. I think SFA was $49.99 for a pass for 2010, GADV was $79.99 and people would make the trip to SFA early in the season and get their passes processed at SFA and then use them at Great Adventure the rest of the season.

They could also have 2 options, 1 with parking only good at the pass you bought the park at, or pay to upgrade to parking good at all SF parks.

Then why not just make all six flags passes the same price? I never did understand why a pass at one six flags is more than another. If they did the same price, the parking would be a non issue.

Im still suprised they havent followed CF's lead with local park only passes and a chain wide pass system.

crazy horse said:
Then why not just make all six flags passes the same price? I never did understand why a pass at one six flags is more than another. If they did the same price, the parking would be a non issue.

Probably because of the ride selection and size of the park. They can get away with charging more for a park like Great Adventure or Magic Mountain but maybe wouldn't sell as many passes for a small park like The Great Escape or SFA at the same price as the larger parks.

Yea, but even the smaller six flags parks would be worth $89 for an entire year.

A Darien lake pass is $85, and that's an average sized park(compared to smaller six flags parks). Prices here...

http://www.ridedarienlake.com/tickets.aspx

And a kennywood pass is $90.

I have been to almost every six flags park, and every one of them would be worth $89 for an entire year, even the smaller ones like great escape.

As far as SFA goes, I can understand why a lot of people may like to bash the park, but it has a great ride selection. Well worth $89.

Booo. I hope they give the option to buy a park wide parking pass for a bit more.

^^But if they're going to adjust the pass prices, then they'll all go up. The point is that at the end of the day, some season passes need to be priced differently than others and the only way to enforce that AND still give people the benefit of park hopping is at the parking booth.

I had a thought, but then I took a shower and rational thought took over under the pressure. I was thinking one could buy the Season Pass at a park that offers the lower pricing (e.g, SF America)..then buy the Parking Pass at the park where it would be used the most (e.g, SF Great Adventure) But then I realized the Parking Pass is not something one can buy WITHOUT being a Season Pass Holder. And SF being SF, they're certainly not gonna sell one to a passholder who purchased at another park. I can't help but wonder whether this change in policy will also signify an across-the-board increase in parking fees at their parks.

^ I've actually saw SFSL sell parking passes to SFKK passholders last year. I have no idea if they would give that privelege to anyone else though.

I got an e-mail from Great Adventure today. They're offering a FREE parking pass for the 2011 season if you purchase FOUR season passes at the park for $79.99 a pop through 10/31. Doesn't do me a helluva lotta good since I'd only buy one. Any less than four, it's 10 bucks more and obviously no free parking pass. And since there's no mention of parking being valid at other SF parks, I'm assuming that part of the equation to be true.

Six Flags over Georgia is offering a similar deal. $60 for the season pass, $45 for the parking pass. If you buy 4, it's $50 per pass and free parking. I noticed the following:

3 season passes + parking pass:
3x$60 + $45 = $225

4 season passes + parking pass:
4x$50 + $0 = $200

Sounds to me like SF is relying on the parking fee to pay for the visit.

By giving away parking with the purchase of 4?

I don't see the logic in this. I doubt that there are more then a thousand season pass holders that go to more then 2 different SF parks in a year. This change will not make a significant difference to the parks bottom line, but it sure will to those that are in that group of a thousand.

This is a shame. I was going to buy an X-Treme Pass for Six Flags Magic Mountain for my girlfriend and I, as we are heading out to both of the Texan Six Flags parks next Summer. That way, I wouldn't have to worry about parking or admission at any of the parks - plus all the little perks that you get at Magic Mountain. This is making me wonder if I should stick with the much cheaper play pass, as I won't go to the park enough for the parking pass to be a necessity - especially when the passes are twice the cost of a regular pass.

When I heard about this I was very disappointed. it really takes nothign to allow the passes to be used at other parks. the money goes back to corporate anyways. Why not use the bonus to promote travel to parks outside their home park.

I think you answered your own question in your comment about all the money going to corporate anyways. If a pass gets you everything everywhere, the company is missing out on some of your money. By limiting parking passes to the park from which they are purchased, Six Flags can count on getting at least some extra money if you visit multiple parks.

Might just be me, but I think it's a case of 6 of one, half dozen of the other. I think many people have a general idea of how much they plan to spend in a park. What they spend outside in the parking lot, they won't spend inside the gate. But you are right, the company gets it one way or the other.