Across_the_Universe Posted June 26, 2011 Share Posted June 26, 2011 While parking prices can be rather high, I'd have to say it's worth it. However, since I never have to pay parking, I never thought about it until now. Some of these posts have made a lot of sense, like when they say that if parking was free and they jacked up prices, people would still complain about it. People will never be happy; never be satisfied; always wanting more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coasternut Posted June 26, 2011 Share Posted June 26, 2011 Either I got lucky today or people were wrong saying you couldn't use your parking pass at other Six Flags parks. I went ahead and bought parking with my SFA pass and when I went into SF Over Texas today I said why not and handed the girl at the booth my pass and her response was "Have a Six Flags day" and let me through with no problem. Now lets hope when I return in the morning and at Fiesta Texas Monday I am told the same thing.  You did luck out! If you read the back of you pass it states parking is free (if you bought parking) for the park listed on the front only. This is costing me this season. Magic Mountain enforced this with me in mid January. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WFChris Posted June 26, 2011 Share Posted June 26, 2011 I don't really understand it either. You pay $15-$20 to park your car in a lot to enter a theme park that you pay $65 a YEAR to visit, so you can ride several $8,000,000, $12,000,000, or even $30,000,000 machines. Suck it up, find a new hobby, or walk! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PSiRockin Posted June 26, 2011 Share Posted June 26, 2011 I really won't mind it if Great Adventure spends the extra money to actually finally pave the parking lot, but that's not going to happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thrillrider Posted June 27, 2011 Author Share Posted June 27, 2011 I would rather pay more for the season pass, and have free parking. Look at the cedar fair platinum pass example. It's just one less time that I have to dig into my wallet, and one less thing to worry about. I just don't like to be nickle and dime'ed around every corner. Just let me pay one price and be on my way. Â I would gladly pay $100 plus for a season pass if it included parking. Â We broke down and got season passes for sfstl because we are going there, and sf chicago, and the TPR bash at sfog this summer, and maybe a few more sf parks. The passes only cost us $50 each(out of market prices), but add in another $60 for parking for 3 park visits. I would have rather paid more for the passes and not have to worry about parking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RandallDuell Posted June 27, 2011 Share Posted June 27, 2011 I would rather pay more for the season pass, and have free parking. Look at the cedar fair platinum pass example. It's just one less time that I have to dig into my wallet, and one less thing to worry about. I just don't like to be nickle and dime'ed around every corner. Just let me pay one price and be on my way. Â I would gladly pay $100 plus for a season pass if it included parking. Â We broke down and got season passes for sfstl because we are going there, and sf chicago, and the TPR bash at sfog this summer, and maybe a few more sf parks. The passes only cost us $50 each(out of market prices), but add in another $60 for parking for 3 park visits. I would have rather paid more for the passes and not have to worry about parking. Â Huzzah! Great post. I think you nailed the "reason" that so many people dislike the jacked up parking fees. Thanks for taking the time to post that, a refreshing change of pace from WFChris' "I'm bored" or "get a new hobby if you don't like it!!!" posts. Â For me, in every area of my life, I much rather pay one up front fee than have a monthly payment. So, when it comes to the insane parking prices I don't actually care what the "better deal" would be (in terms of discounted season pass + high, pay each time, parking VS a more expensive season pass with discounted/free parking.) I mean, I guess I do care - but if it were slightly more expensive, or just a push, I'd much rather pay everything up front and not have to "worry" about the insane parking charge when I visit other parks (because they're not offering a a chain-wide parking option, are they?) Â I understand those that look at it as they are getting in, on a per visit basis, for next to nothing SO paying $20 for parking (averaged out) is not a big deal --- but, as has been posted I'd rather just pay for it all up front than have to worry about "feeling" like I'm being nickeled and dimed throughout various visits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homeboy23 Posted June 27, 2011 Share Posted June 27, 2011 Ok 2 days 2 different parking attendants and zero dollars spent. I clearly showed my six flags America pass. Can anyone other than at magic mountain confirm that they had been denied parking? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParkTrips Posted June 27, 2011 Share Posted June 27, 2011 We broke down and got season passes for sfstl because we are going there, and sf chicago, and the TPR bash at sfog this summer, and maybe a few more sf parks. The passes only cost us $50 each(out of market prices), but add in another $60 for parking for 3 park visits. I would have rather paid more for the passes and not have to worry about parking. based on a reasonable 30mpg  You'll pay $140+ in gas to go to STL $80+ in gas to go to G-Am $160+ in gas to go to SFOG  Plus hotels? I'm sure some of those are just stops on trips, but even as such, you're paying a lot of money, why worry about $15 bucks? $15-20 sounds minor to me.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thrillrider Posted June 27, 2011 Author Share Posted June 27, 2011 It all adds up.... Â Like I said before, I don't like to feel like they are picking my pocket around every corner. I would rather just pay up front and not have to worry about it. Cedarfair platinum passes are a perfect example. Â I would gladly pay more for the pass to have parking included. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coasternut Posted June 27, 2011 Share Posted June 27, 2011 It all adds up.... Â Like I said before, I don't like to feel like they are picking my pocket around every corner. I would rather just pay up front and not have to worry about it. Cedarfair platinum passes are a perfect example. Â I would gladly pay more for the pass to have parking included. Â I agree! I'd pay more for a chain wide parking pass. I just don't want the hassle of digging for cash to enter. I visit many different 6 flags parks over the season. Â While on the subject of prices, they certainly could significantly increase those prices, and still be reasonable. Those prices are too low. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ernierocker Posted June 27, 2011 Share Posted June 27, 2011 I really don't have a dog in this fight since my home park (Dollywood) gives free parking for their premium season pass, but if I did have a Six Flags Season Pass, I'd like to think it wouldn't bother me to fork out the extra money for the parking. Maybe its because I used to work for a university parking department and am used to being on the other side of parking price complaints. Â There are some valid reasoning behind some of the complaints in this thread, but in the end it just seems like this is just another thread to jump on the Six Flags hating bandwagon. Â Â While on the subject of prices, they certainly could significantly increase those prices, and still be reasonable. Those prices are too low. Â It is interested that you are complaining about how low the price of a season pass is while at the same time complaining about the price of parking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thrillrider Posted June 27, 2011 Author Share Posted June 27, 2011 Actually, I prefer six flags parks over cedarfair parks. No bandwagon for me. Â My gripe is about the parking situation.I totaly get that it's a buisness and they are here to make money, but they could still make the money AND make your guests happy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XYZ Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 $20 for parking. That's outrageous! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shivtim Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 I used my SFoG season parking pass at SFoT last month, with no problems. Â If people are worried about parking, try taking public transit. For example, it's $4 round-trip to SFoG on MARTA, regardless of where you start, how far you go, or how many times you transfer. I always take transit when possible (to the airport, concerts, etc), so I can't remember the last time I had to pay very much to park. Of course, there are lot of parks in the US that simply aren't covered by transit, so you have to suck it up and pay to park. Carpooling helps! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WFChris Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 How would YOU legitimize a $3.50 coke if you haven't warmed up the guest with a parking fee? Paying to get into the lot is kind of the 'welcome to expensive land' that we have all come to expect and enjoy. It just wouldn't feel right if I wasn't paying 15 dollars for a plot of concrete in Valencia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bolliger&Mabillard Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 Mass transit doesn't work in all regions. Totally sucks balls here in L.A. The way I feel about parking fees is the same way I feel about gas prices. I'll be broke and get there on time than to ride a bus and be there two days later. Â True personal story. Â For those of you familiar with the metro L.A. area, I live in Lynwood. When I was 19 I worked at Knott's. It took me about 25 minutes to walk to the Green Line station on Long Beach Blvd. Assuming I had to wait the max time for a train (15-20 minutes) I'd have to go two stops to Norwalk (10 minutes) and wait on the 460 to Disneyland, assuming I had to wait the max time for a bus (30 minutes) and ride it to Knott's (45 minutes) total, it takes a little over two hours. I live 17 miles away from Knott's. You know how long it took me to get to work when I started driving? 20 freakin' minutes. 40 with traffic. Even in bad road conditions, and rush hour traffic I was able to drive to work in less than half the time it would take on the bus. Â Â My point? Driving makes getting places so much easier, and sometimes paying for things like higher gas prices or outrages parking fees allow you more time to not be spent sitting next to a smelly bum or parking on an unsurpervised lot where your stereo will be ripped out* Â Â Â *Not saying this wouldn't happen at, say Dodger Stadium or Magic Mountain, but you've got a better chance than leaving it on the street. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAWKIN_coaster38 Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 I really hate the cost of parking at these parks but it's one of those almost-unavoidable costs. Either you find somewhere else to park and walk, risking a $50+ towing cost and potential damage to your car if it's a bad area, or you pay the fee. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeoplemoverMatt Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 Did anyone who's complaining about the parking fee, or that parking isn't included in the price of a Season Pass, know that SFMM at least was offering a Season Parking Pass FREE with purchase of 4 Season Passes? I believe that deal is no longer being offered, but the deal was being offered as late as Memorial Day. Â Just thought I'd throw that out there! Â AFAIK, Season Parking is $50, aka 4 vists to the lot. Not unreasonable at all compared to the costs of parking at other venues, hotels, public garages, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueFireCoaster Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 I could understand the reasoning for a price hike on parking fees if: Â 1) The parking lot was improved: the last time I visited there were a large number of parking lot lights out making it both dark and unsafe after the park had closed and I walked back to my car. Seriously, I pay $20 bucks and you can't even keep the parking lot lit? 2) The number of trams increased as I waited 15 minutes in the blazing hot sun in an uncovered line for a tram to take me both to the park and my car. Seriously, no benches or coverings for guests waiting for the trams? 3) The quality of the trams were improved: the speakers and ops are inaudible, some sections of the fiberglass windshields were missing, and the roofs were missing screws and banging up and down as we went over bumps in the road. Complete garbage. 4) The tram roads were improved as the ride was bumpy, jerky, and loud as the tram banged and bounced up and down to the point where it sounded like it was going to fall apart. Â It's bad enough Six Flags takes $20 from us then makes us park as FAR AS HUMANLY POSSIBLE to the entrance of the park unless we decide to wait for those inefficient god awful trams, NOTHING about the lots or the trams has improved in 20 years! Â It's obvious price gouging in a monopoly where you're pretty much forced to pay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thrillrider Posted June 30, 2011 Author Share Posted June 30, 2011 Did anyone who's complaining about the parking fee, or that parking isn't included in the price of a Season Pass, know that SFMM at least was offering a Season Parking Pass FREE with purchase of 4 Season Passes? I believe that deal is no longer being offered, but the deal was being offered as late as Memorial Day. Just thought I'd throw that out there!  AFAIK, Season Parking is $50, aka 4 vists to the lot. Not unreasonable at all compared to the costs of parking at other venues, hotels, public garages, etc.  But that's only for the park you buy the pass at. If you go to another six flags park, it will cost you.As where the cedarfair pass works at all of there parks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jray21 Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 It is all just a mental game. When I was in charge of setting front gate and parking prices for our water park it was a balancing act. Let's say we wanted to bring in $50 per person. We will make up that each car has 2 people in it. This would be the formula: Â Parking Tickets $0 $50 $10 $45 $20 $40 $30 $35 Â In the end we will get the money, it's just a balancing act for the publics 'mind.' Is the public swayed more by ticket price, or parking price? I know that almost all of my non-TPR friends would never figure in the cost of parking, and only look at the ticket price online. So Six Flags raises parking, but has a lower overall ticket price compared to the other parks in the area. If people cared more about parking costs, than you would just see the opposite. Parking would have a ton of discounts/coupons, and ticket prices would go up a lot higher and a lot quicker. Also, there are many options/alternatives. It's not like SFMM is a secluded island and is only accessible by ferry. You can walk, carpool, take a hotel shuttle, buy a parking season pass, etc. I'm heading down there in a few weeks and we have two cars so I will make two trips to drop people off and then park so I don't have to pay for two cars. My 2 cents Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nerdboyrockstar Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 Why not complain about the parking fees? $20 is ridiculous. Sure, you might find a dozen other examples of places that also nickle-and-dime customers or do price gouging but that doesn't make it right. Â Sure, like the previous poster said it might just be a perception of value to the guest. But why make it seem like the park has little value yet a parking space nearby and a hot car at the end of the day is worth more than half the ticket price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QueerRudie Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 Something I find deplorable is the fee-ing up of the parks with parking fees, Q-Bot fees, fastPass fees, everything is a fee-for-all at most major park chains. But the one thing I find TRULY despicable is the charging of fees for preferred parking- and for that matter, charging for Handicapped/physically challenged spaces. Â It's rather astounding that places charge for that- and then being told that you'll have to fee-up for parking a vehicle, when there are so few options at most parks to use. Â If parks really want to get more people in, getting rid of the fees will be a huge start. I know I don't buy-up the tickets at a park for that reason- and yes, I do use Handicapped Access in most parks. Â R.D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParkTrips Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 ...and for that matter, charging for Handicapped/physically challenged spaces. Â Wait - because someone is handicapped, they should get free parking? LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ernierocker Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 (edited) ^I think he was saying that they charge more than the normal rate for handicap parking. Edited June 30, 2011 by ernierocker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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