Six Flags Pass RIPOFF!

My quess is that $11 covers the shipping charge, packageing, insurance, and SF's fee.

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Brian Noble said:
Pricing rule #1: don't charge what it costs plus a profit margin. Charge as much as people will pay. It's silly to say "shipping doesn't cost $11; what a rip-off!" if people think that having it shipped is worth $11 to save them the drive.

Pricing rule #2: If you can't get more than what it costs plus a profit margin, find a new line of business.

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That is 100% currect. For ex., the company I work for adds an extra 20% onto the 'normal' shipping charges.

Since this a season pass thread, when does an SF pass expire? LG said something about one year ... I was also curious about Cedar Fair passes. I checked around the Point's site, but all I could find was next year's pass info. I might rack up enough Frequent Flyer miles to hit up California in like March again pretty soon, but if my passes are no good since the seasons are over at my "homeparks" then I probably won't go. Anyone?

From what I understand any SF pass is good for that calendar year, so you can use a 2004 SF pass at any park thru out the 2004 year, regarudless of what you homepark season is.

CF passes, from what I've heard are only good during your homeparks' season.

Cedar Point passes have traditionally been valid from May 1 to the following April 30, regardless of when in the season you buy the passes. For example, my family have 2003 CP passes, and will be using them this February at Knott's.

This year's CP passes apparently have a printed expiration date of 3/31/05, though (and some said 3/31/04, presumably due to a typo) so it pays to check before buying them.

Yeah, SF passes end with the calendar year, Cedar Fair's run more with the "park seasons" (May of this year to April of next). This year we went to Vegas and SoCal in January. Our 2002 Dorney Pass was still good for entry to Knott's but we had to renew our SF passes to get into Magic Mountain.

I'm not sure how Paramount and Busch passes work. Anyone know? I had a BGT passport in 2001 but it was just good for BGT, not a chainwide pass - it followed the calendar year.

I'm curious about Paramount passes because with this year's planned trips, that one makes sense for us.

This shipping cost has been there since day one they started offering online passes. Why is this now becoming a problem?

It's not just now becoming a problem. SF just started this online thing last year. Check out the thread from then - it only took 4 posts before people complained about shipping.

I'm telling you, SF renewal charge complaints are going to become an offseason tradition around here.

hehe. Nice one Gonch.

Here's my dilemna (sp?):
My home park is GAdv. which is $80 for a SP. I also go to SFA their opening weekend (which is after GAdv's.), and SFNE and SFMW pretty early in the season. All are significantly less than the GAdv. price (~$50). Is there a way to get the cheap pass AND go to GAdv. for opening weekend (I have a GAdv. pass from last year, so I can't renew it cheaply).

It seems like the correct thing to do would to be to just suck it up one year and get an SFA pass a week late and then renew it every year for $30 less and still make GAdv. opening day. On the other hand, that doesn't help me this year and the offseason starts feeling really long right around March. I think I'd die if I knew a park was open but I was not going. Also, I'm a wuss.

The coupon book for GAdv. is also pretty nice, but I don't know if it's worth my $30.

Andy, you could have come to Fright Fest at SFA and purchased a 2004 pass when Peabody and I did. Then, you are in the money. ;) Well, you know what I mean. I imagine that's the only way you can really "beat the system," so to speak for the next year.

Andy, they may do what SFGAdv does and have processing days two weeks ahead of the park's opening. The question is, is the extra drive down there worth $30 to yeah.

Oh, and also, Word is SFGAdv is opening April 2 (yes, a friday). SFA's listed opening date is April 3.

I don't know if this holds true for all SF parks, or for that matter SFStL any more, but a couple of years ago we were going to SoCal in the winter and we were able to go to the business office at SFStL and renew our passes in like February. Had fresh passes and strange looks from the gate attendants at Magic Mountain like how did you get this so early in the year, and where in the he!! is St. Louis!!! ;)

Rob, I did that at Marine World and have to say, it really is the only way to beat the system. I paid $49.99 and waited 5 minutes to get my new picture. Best. Way. To. Beat. The. System. Ever. And I've already used it 5 times. :)

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Lord Gonchar said:
I'm not sure how Paramount and Busch passes work. Anyone know?

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As far as I know, since Paramount has no year-round parks, I think they follow the strict calendar year rule that applies at SFI....

Busch, has so many sustems it's a whole other thread...depends on WHICH pass you have....Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze....and I think they've come up with a new "Copper" pass that gives you no rides but unlimited eating and shopping potential...;)

Then I shouldn't be too excited about this "tin" pass I picked up dirt cheap?

Paramount's pass works differently from the Six Flags pass in that you have to get a voucher from Guest Relations to get into any of the parks that aren't your homepark. I think I had to sign my name on a piece of paper or something like that also. I like the SF way where you get in line, they scan your pass from whatever park, and you're in.

On a different note, I'm pretty excited that SFA is opening on April 3rd next year (a week earlier than usual). It's good to know that if I'm really desperate for extra cash, that I could pick up an extra's weekends salary if I worked for them again.

Cedar Fair works that way too, Intamin Fan. Using our Dorney passes:

At CP you just have to sign in at any gate (actually quicker than standing in line with the morning crowds).

At Knott's you had to go to Guest Services and show your pass then they gave you a comp ticket to get in with.

Hmmmm, at PKD my 2002 PKI pass worked just fine without any annoying runaround....can't say the same for my MiA pass at KBF, where I waited for what seemed an eternity to deal with a surly employee to get a comp ticket....IIRC, DP was easy as well, and I basically walked right in.

KBF definitely has the biggest "PiA factor" when it comes to dealing with Season Passes in my experience....at SF the only time I've heard of a problem is the "hand-stamp rule", where a season pass is not supposed to be used more than once on the same day...

Is it really THAT hard to have a *system* chain-wide?

edit: Lord G, it is my *understanding* that the Tin Pass is good only for admission to the tram ride to the gates....it may or may not cover parking, my "inside source" was laughing too hard for me to clearly comprehend his explanation...:) *** Edited 12/22/2003 4:53:57 AM UTC by rollergator***

Rob: Good call. I'll definitely have to swing through SFA during the fall this year instead of (in addition to?) the spring. PPP weekend?

Nathan: Wow. A Fri. opening day?! That'll be different. I hope I don't have any classes that morning. :P I guess if that's the case next year as well, I could go on SFA's opening day and just be in agony for one day (and the time it takes to process on opening day :()

Who needs a coupon calendar? My friends are the ones who always use my coupons anyway. :P