Six Flags raises parking fees.

[metrock]

These threads are always awesome. Same people defending it, same people bitching, every time.

 

Yup. People with good paying jobs -vs- broke students and the unemployed.

[thrillrider]

[quote="ParkTrips

To people saying they won't go now - really? $5 is going to be the game-changer?

 

It's $5 this time, $2 last time, a couple bucks next year. It all adds up. It's not just this years price hike, it's the combination of the past 5 years.

 

I have a parking receipt from cedarpoint from the early 90's, and it was only $2 to park. What happened?

[simon8899]

I generally think that parking in US parks is way overpriced.

 

In my northern german parks it costs €2 (USD 3) for Hansapark and €5 (USD 8) for Heidepark - each for a full day. In Hansapark busses and motorbikes are free.

[Sir Clinksalot]

Just by comparison (places I've gone in the past year):

 

Candlestick Park: $30

Dodger Stadium: $15

Staples Center: $25

Irvine Meadows: $25

 

Sure, you CAN find parking for less at sports/concerts, but be prepared to walk 1/2 mile or more to get to where you are going.

[simon8899]

As most parks are way outside the city I think its not compareable to downtown parking. I'd make exceptions for Knotts or Disneyland who are in the middle of urban areas but six Flags parks are mostly way outside the cities - USD 10 per day would be the most I think would be acceptable.

 

But the disadvantage is the lack of an alternative in most US locations. In my german parks Hansapark has its own trainstation with hourly trains to the nearest cities - Heidepark has a 20-minute bus-shuttle to the local regional and long-distance trainstation. So they knew if they charge to much for parking poeple wouldn't come with their cars.

[metrock]

^^ I've parked at a lot just outside the main parking lots at Honda Center and The Grove of Anahiem. Both were $5, virtually equal walking distance, and quicker to get out of when the concert was over. $25 for Irvine Meadows? This for general or VIP? I've been there many times and never paid that much, if anything.

 

The only thing I'll agree with is that since the parks are charging so little for admission, they need to make up for it somewhere.

 

^ Exactly what I was thinking in regards to public transportation.

[DerekRx]

My biggest issue with Six Flags continuing to raise parking is that the increase in no way is put back into maintaining the parking lot, or added trams, etc. Leaving Great Adventure can be a rougher ride than Great American Scream Machine ever was, and I think I saw a Smart Car get swallowed by a pothole last year

[Sidra]

I don't see what the big deal is. The way I see it, I will always get a platinum pass for six flags so I can park with no extra charges, I go enough that it pays for itself besides the food/retail discounts. Any additional passes I get are just the standard for my kid. I do the same with Legoland and anywhere I would get a season pass, I would get at least one higher tier pass that included parking, its just what I factor in for price.

 

I don't see why people who buy the 'play pass' for a regular price admission are belly aching about parking, you get what you pay for?

[DBJ]

For me, it goes to the question of the first impression of a park guest. SF clearly needs to keep people coming in, and that means growing the customer base. I can't imagine a scenario where a first time visitor to one of the parks would have a positive first impression of the park based on high parking fees. Attaching a premium price to a sub-standard experience is not a solution for business success. That's what SF management has to figure out. For every guest they are able to get to pay the higher fees, are they losing repeat business?

 

Or a clever way to push the extreme pass over the regular pass.

[WFChris]

I put a quarter in a parking meter in downtown LA the other day and it gave me 5 minutes.

[ginzo]

I'd rather complain about Six Flags' lousy food quality than their parking rates. Though Derrick does have a point that there is no excuse for the lousy condition of the parking lots considering the rates.

[robbalvey]

I still don't get all the bitching about parking fees. They can do what they want with a captive audience. I pay more to park at:

 

- Concerts

- Sporting Events

 

I can't speak for the other things you listed, but you pay more than $20 for parking at a concert or sporting event? Really? I've gone to many concerts an games over the years and have never spent that much. In fact, the last concert I went to, the parking was FREE. Oh, and the one I am going to next week? Also FREE. Other concerts? Usually no more than $10 or $15.

Sorry, but Elissa is right and you are totally wrong. At least in terms of what she is talking about and the comparisons you're making. I'm not sure where you're parking for your sporting events and concerts, or maybe you're going to concerts and small little dives, or parking miles away, but any BIG venue, to park ON SITE, it can to between $20 - $40, depending on the venue, depending on the show, and depending on what night of the week it is. Last time I attended E3 at Staples Center it cost me $25 to park at the venue. And you know what? I DIDN'T BITCH BECAUSE IT'S NOT A BIG DEAL!!!!

 

Sure, you can always find parking for cheap, up the block, around the corner, at some shady guys dirt lot, but that's like saying "I parked at Wendy's and walked up to Magic Mountain", and those aren't the apples to apples we are comparing.

 

So before you go and try to "prove Elissa wrong" with some god damn snarky attitude that makes you think you're cool to show her up, why don't you at least hear her out and realize what she's talking about before you go shooting off your mouth looking like a fool.

 

--Robb "Sorry to sound so bitchy, but I'm just getting real sick of this holier-than-thou attitude I've seen from some of our memebrs lately..." Alvey

Edited April 29, 2011 by robbalvey

[BaMiTsPaT]

High parking charges have always been an inherent quality of the Six Flags company as long as I've visited their parks, and it's just something that we have to either accept and grumble quietly about, or get a parking pass for the season. Not much that can be done here, but I do agree that it does make a poor first impression.

[JimmyBo]

^^ I love you Robb! If Six Flags wants to raise parking prices then let them. You should always know before you go anywhere how much parking is and if you can find a way to find a cheaper parking area. Case in point...parking at the airport on-site is a freaking joke! Especially in San Diego. If you don't have time to walk down the street or down the alley and get butt-raped then you have to park close and that costs you a pretty penny.

 

Jimmy "Parking is a b*tch but you know what you are getting into" Bo

[robbalvey]

High parking charges have always been an inherent quality of the Six Flags company as long as I've visited their parks

Again, with the people SINGLING OUT Six Flags. Why?

 

Walt Disney World - $14

Sea World San Diego - $12

Universal Orlando - $15

Busch Gardens Tampa - $13

Knott's Berry Farm - $14

Coney Island - $15 (weekends & Holidays)

 

So yeah, while Six Flags might be the most expensive, it's not like they are insanely out of the ballpark versus many other parks.

 

I guess... I dunno.... I find this to be such a STUPID thing to complain about. If there is one thing that has been a consistent common fact of theme parks for YEARS, is that they have expensive parking fees.

 

IMO, if you're going to be a theme park enthusiast, suck it up and deal with it.... otherwise park at the Wendy's and walk a mile to the park.

 

There are so many waaaaaaaaaay more important, and more INTERESTING things in a theme park to complain about and discuss, other than the part of the part of the park you are going to see the LEAST amount during your visit.

 

Yeah, so it costs $17 to park at Six Flags Great Adventure. Big Deal. They have El Toro.

 

--Robb

Edited April 29, 2011 by robbalvey

[BaMiTsPaT]

^Sorry Robb I didn't mean to single them out, but the thread was about Six Flags raising their rates so I only thought to talk about their parking.

[RyanGsatMCO]

AMEN PREACH ON PREACH ON ROBB!!! It is simple economics the parks are going to push it until guest REALLY push back. Sure are there a few people out there who may say "Ah they are really screwing me now I am not going" but most are just going to say. "Wow $20 man everywhere is making me pay for parking now" I went to the Spurs game last week. The OFFICAL price to park at the ATT center went from $8 at about a 1/2 mile from the entrance to $75 for VIP parking. The "average" lot was $15. You wanna know something surprising more people were parking in the high $ lots than the $8 one. When guess stop showing up and cite parking cost as the reason the parks will then stop kicking the prices up. Until then buy a parking season pass or dont go!

 

Intresting enough at MOST Six Flags the season parking pass in around $45 and most season pass early bird price is around $60 so all in all if you buy both that is about $110 with taxes. People get all excited because Schlitterbahn offer free parking. But a season pass is like $90 so all in it is only a bit more for "FREE" parking at SFFT and they are open much longer and offer much more in terms of rides etc. My point being is people will pay it so the parks will do it!

 

Ryan

[metrock]

I still don't get all the bitching about parking fees. They can do what they want with a captive audience. I pay more to park at:

 

- Concerts

- Sporting Events

 

I can't speak for the other things you listed, but you pay more than $20 for parking at a concert or sporting event? Really? I've gone to many concerts an games over the years and have never spent that much. In fact, the last concert I went to, the parking was FREE. Oh, and the one I am going to next week? Also FREE. Other concerts? Usually no more than $10 or $15.

Sorry, but Elissa is right and you are totally wrong. At least in terms of what she is talking about and the comparisons you're making. I'm not sure where you're parking for your sporting events and concerts, or maybe you're going to concerts and small little dives, or parking miles away, but any BIG venue, to park ON SITE, it can to between $20 - $40, depending on the venue, depending on the show, and depending on what night of the week it is.

 

Sure, you can always find parking for cheap, up the block, around the corner, at some shady guys dirt lot, but that's like saying "I parked at Wendy's and walked up to Magic Mountain", and those aren't the apples to apples we are comparing.

 

So before you go and try to "prove Elissa wrong" with some god damn snarky attitude that makes you think you're cool to show her up, why don't you at least hear her out and realize what she's talking about before you go shooting off your mouth looking like a fool.

 

--Robb "Sorry to sound so bitchy, but I'm just getting real sick of this holier-than-thou attitude I've seen from some of our memebrs lately..." Alvey

 

I wasn't talking about parking up the block, around the corner, a shady dirt lot, etc. Nor was I talking about seeing small shows at a dive.

 

The shows I am talking about? Well, last weekend I attended 'The Big 4 Festival' in Indio. It took place at the same venue where 'Coachella' and the 'Stagecoach' festival are held every year. Every single one of those events offer free parking. And I'd hardly call them a "small" event.

 

The concert I am going to next week is Chris Cornell at the Ford Amphitheater in Los Angeles. Parking for that venue is free for most of the year. Now, I do stand corrected in that after the month of April, they charge $5 for parking on site.

 

And in a followup post I said:

 

The only thing I'll agree with is that since the parks are charging so little for admission, they need to make up for it somewhere.

 

So I do understand that the high parking fees are offsetting the discounted admission prices. But my statement wasn't that I'm pissed that Six Flags is charing $20 for parking, it was that I was surprised at the listed costs of parking at given events when I know I've payed less.

Edited April 29, 2011 by metrock

[Skycoastin Steve]

All I know is, taking the commuter train into DC, then taking the Metro rail and bus to SFA was cheaper than the gas and $15 parking that I would have had to fork over. And it was TONS less stressful, as well. Not to mention the nice exercise I got walking everywhere. So I guess the parking prices are saving me money and stress in the long run!

[Jew]

 

Sure, you CAN find parking for less at sports/concerts, but be prepared to walk 1/2 mile or more to get to where you are going.

 

Just wanted to second that thought. I walk by Staples Center lots almost every night, and the price varies depending on the event. The lowest I have ever seen is $8 for a lot on the other side of LA Live, and the highest I have seen is $40 for that same lot.

 

Around the Coliseum, lots range from $20-200 depending on USC's opponent and how close the lot is to the stadium.

 

The Rose Bowl only charges $10, but they double & triple park cars on the golf course and it's a HUGE pain in the ass to get out at the end of the night.

 

FWIW, for all those places that offer "free" parking...I would be willing to bet some of the cost of that "free" parking went into the price of your ticket. So if Six Flags made parking free, but jacked up the price of their tickets/season passes...people would still bitch.

 

Six Flags has a right to conduct their business however they chose to do so. Don't go if the parking fee is going to negatively impact you.

Edited April 29, 2011 by Jew

[SharkTums]

Um, Indio is in the middle of fucking nowhere. And just cause it's a 'big' as in large venue doesn't mean it's the same as the Staples Center, Nokia, etc.

 

More and more people aren't going out there because it's so annoying to get to and then hot as hell!!!! So of course they won't also want to pay for parking.

 

Again, stop trying to be annoying. Pay for parking or get a new hobby.

[larrygator]

There is usually a way to save money. For SFGAdv park at the Freehold Center Park and Ride and take the NJ Transit bus for $2.90 each way. Is everybody happy now?

 

http://www.njtransit.com/sf/sf_servlet.srv?hdnPageAction=TripPlannerItineraryFrom

[BarryH]

Universal's parking is $15, but the best part of their parking is that you park in a garage. Unless you are directed to the top level, your car is in the shade all day. When you're done theme parking, your car is cool inside and not blazingly hot if it sat out in the sun all day. If you want to enjoy a blazingly hot car interior, just park at Animal Kingdom all day.

[Top Thrill Dragster]

For those that want to save money on parking at Disneyland and Knott's Berry Farm you can park at Fullerton park and ride take LA metro 460 to either park for a whopping $3 per person round trip.

 

And for SFMM, park at Valincia Town Center and walk over to McBean transit center and take bus 3 or 7 to the park. $2 per person round trip.

 

If you don't like what they charge for parking find alternatives, that's what I did.

[gforce532]

^Speaking of Southern California. Universal Studios Hollywood does have its very own Red line station. Anything to stay away from rush hour traffic on the Hollywood freeway.