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The Six Flags Magic Mountain (SFMM) Discussion Thread


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With the parking fee hike, Gold Pass' value cannot be ignored if you intend on going more than 2-3 times during the year. 4 parkings alone covers the cost.

 

If Magic Mountain is smart, their ticket booth and annual pass processing staff should have this in their sales script...

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I'm surprised it took them this long to raise parking to $20 considering Great Adventure was charging $20 for parking since either 2011 or 2012 and raised it to $22 and then in the middle of this past season raised it to $25 (preferred is $35). Since I have always paid for season pass parking and for 2014, have parking with the gold pass it never bothered me especially since at 20+ trips a year, even at $120 for the season pass and parking last year (both were $60 each) it was still a bargain.

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I'll admit I do really appreciate when parking is either included with gate admission or is surprisingly cheap, even though I understand the arguments against free parking. Parking lots are expensive, so you really are funding their upkeep. Parking fees are per driver/carload whereas all guests are ostensibly forced to pay for "free" parking. Comparable places or events charge fees that are similar or even several times higher. But I still like that some parks keep it reasonable.

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What?!?!?! $25 to park? That's getting to the point of it being worth a significant walk from your hotel instead.

 

Many hotels charge $25/day or more to park now, but that's overnight parking.

 

 

 

It wasn't that long ago that many hotels charged $25 for a room.

 

SFDK is now $20, too.

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Parking lots are expensive, so you really are funding their upkeep. Parking fees are per driver/carload whereas all guests are ostensibly forced to pay for "free" parking..

 

While "free parking" may not actually be "free," arriving to a park and seeing that you will have to pay $20+ for parking can seriously ruin the entire start to your day. It really is ridiculous.

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What?!?!?! $25 to park? That's getting to the point of it being worth a significant walk from your hotel instead.

 

Many hotels charge $25/day or more to park now, but that's overnight parking.

 

$25 will get you valet overnight parking at hotels in a covered garage. Compare this to parking in the boondocks of a large and flat parking lot that lets your car bake out in the sun for your stay. There's not much value, imo.

 

If you're at a nearby hotel, it might even be worth it calling a taxi to come pick up and drop you off.

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^^Though you are joking, I think everyone here is underestimating the costs. I am sure Six Flags is still making a profit off this increase, but keep in mind there are property taxes, staffing, and maintenance costs involved with the parking lot that are not cheap. I am assuming those costs went up, so parking went up to maintain the same profit margin.

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^^Though you are joking, I think everyone here is underestimating the costs. I am sure Six Flags is still making a profit off this increase, but keep in mind there are property taxes, staffing, and maintenance costs involved with the parking lot that are not cheap. I am assuming those costs went up, so parking went up to maintain the same profit margin.

 

Maybe the property tax given that it is LA County, but I highly doubt they increased their parking lot staff or maintenance without any change to the lot itself.

 

Most likely they're covering other costs, namely insurance/worker's comp/capital budget. There's also increased staffing coming to HH next season with the new slides, bringing increased training & safety with them, as well as installation/renovation of tower and removal of old slides.

 

The part I never understand is, instead of pissing everyone off with a parking hike, why not just up the cost of a season pass and extend the Gold Pass upgrade offer? People go nuts over a <$5 dollar increase up to $20 for parking, but would they even notice a $10 hike in the season pass w/ free Gold Pass upgrade?

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The part I never understand is, instead of pissing everyone off with a parking hike, why not just up the cost of a season pass and extend the Gold Pass upgrade offer? People go nuts over a <$5 dollar increase up to $20 for parking, but would they even notice a $10 hike in the season pass w/ free Gold Pass upgrade?

I'm sure they're happy with all the money they make from anyone who doesn't have a gold pass who has to pay the $20 every time because not everyone is going to get a gold pass; I think this way they insure they get the profit they want. I don't know if the numbers support that since I don't work for Six Flags, but that's my guess.

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I'm sure they're happy with all the money they make from anyone who doesn't have a gold pass who has to pay the $20 every time because not everyone is going to get a gold pass; I think this way they insure they get the profit they want. I don't know if the numbers support that since I don't work for Six Flags, but that's my guess.

 

Both ways would ensure the profit they want. My question is why choose to piss people off when you could still advertise the same value and still make the extra cash without the backlash? As was pointed out earlier, seeing that $20 pisses people off right at the start. That's why Dodger Stadium cut their parking from $15 to $10, while hiking other prices in other places that are much less visible. Much better positive vibes from their guests, those who pay the extra money don't even hardly notice it, and the establishment makes even more money.

 

A few more bucks out of three vists by the family car makes maybe $12 more for the company, with an unhappy pappy at the wheel who already doesn't want to come back. $10 more per pass for a family of four nets an additional $40, plus that family is happier not having to pay parking ever & will most likely spend more in the park on each visit, netting even more money. It's a simple concept yet always seems to be lost on them...

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Oh dear, I hope they're making a profit at $25 a car, otherwise they might need to rethink some things.

 

 

Would they charge that much if they weren't?

 

 

Although, I don't think Parking should ever go above $10 but that's me.

I think parking should be free. Everywhere. Driving is a necessity for some people (elderly, disabled, ect.) and therefore shouldn't be charged for. That's kind of like charging to walk on the sidewalk.

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Oh dear, I hope they're making a profit at $25 a car, otherwise they might need to rethink some things.

 

 

Would they charge that much if they weren't?

 

 

Although, I don't think Parking should ever go above $10 but that's me.

I think parking should be free. Everywhere. Driving is a necessity for some people (elderly, disabled, ect.) and therefore shouldn't be charged for. That's kind of like charging to walk on the sidewalk.

Imagine if they put toll booths on the 210. That's how I see parking at SFMM.

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A few more bucks out of three vists by the family car makes maybe $12 more for the company, with an unhappy pappy at the wheel who already doesn't want to come back. $10 more per pass for a family of four nets an additional $40, plus that family is happier not having to pay parking ever & will most likely spend more in the park on each visit, netting even more money. It's a simple concept yet always seems to be lost on them...

 

The problem with that logic is that not everyone in the family needs a gold pass. Only the person driving. Perhaps the increase in parking is meant to drive sales of the 4-pack of gold passes? "Well, for just X-amount more your family can get free parking AND Hurricane Harbor if they buy now!" If the profit margin is higher on that extra $12 in parking vs the $40 on food and merch, it's still a winning business proposition for the park.

 

My question is why choose to piss people off when you could still advertise the same value and still make the extra cash without the backlash? As was pointed out earlier, seeing that $20 pisses people off right at the start. That's why Dodger Stadium cut their parking from $15 to $10, while hiking other prices in other places that are much less visible. Much better positive vibes from their guests, those who pay the extra money don't even hardly notice it, and the establishment makes even more money.

 

People were pissed at the price of Dodgers parking because they knew that money was going to fund the McCourt's lavish lifestyle and not the product on the field. I doubt anyone would have cared if the Dodgers won a World Series. SFMM delivers the product people expect (coasters), so my guess is people will still show up to pay even more for parking without much of a stink.

Edited by Jew
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