larrygator
Posts: 4654
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 1/10/2006 8:31:48 PM
As we have all heard by now SF seems to be raising prices across the board: season passes, one day admissions, parking.
Of course, no one wants to pay more at the park, but for years many has been ripping on SF for being too crowded and being a babysitting service.
Everyone complains that their park should get this or that but money doesn't grow on trees, unless you are the bankers that SF owes money to by the boatload. People complain that employees don't care, maybe they will if they can be incentivised with more money.
Sorry, but it is inevitable that SF will need to make money soon or many parks will have to be sold and then possibly plowed over into condos and strips malls.
Corporate America is not there to give the rest of us things for free.
I'm looking at it this way, the price of a season pass has been a bargain for years. If a season pass is $100 and you make it to the park 5 times, that's an average of $20 admission each time. What else can you can all day for $20. How many does it cost to for a couple of hours bowling where you live, the movies, a concert?
Guess what, you do that stuff and you have to pay for parking and overpriced food and drink, also.
I will be unhappy if the no re-entry policy is instituted, but let's see if it is fact or not, and how long it lasts.
I prefer to withhold bitching until the season starts. If my extra money is used properly and service, security and maintainence improves it will be worth it.
My only hope is that some type of early entry program is instituted for season pass like at SFGAdv with KingdaKa open early. Now I don't need all coasters open early, just one or two.
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Swimace
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1/10/2006 8:37:57 PM
I think that the price increase could be just what Six Flags needs.
1) their parks are known for often being run-down and understaffed. More income could bring fix up a lot of stuff and keep the parks in better condition.
2) Six Flag's cheap prices often draw in shady crowds that make a lot parks really un-friendly for families. Removing these guests would reduce the ammount of upkeep that is needed in the first place, since these guests are the ones that tend to vandilize and trahs the park.
However, if the price increase just falls into Red Zone's pocket, then I'll be pissed.
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DIMMU SAK
Posts: 45
Registered: 11/10/2005
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1/10/2006 9:06:00 PM
Man, the season pass for SFA is $49.99!
Thats totally awesome. A PKD one day ticket is $44.99 and for BGW its like $54.99. FOR ONE DAY. And you can get a Six Flags season pass for $49.99. Thats like half the price of a PKD and BGW season pass. If the price goes up, doesn't bother me a single bit, its already extremely low.
I made more tip waiting tables at work today than a price of a SFA season pass. Personally, I love their price.
Message updated 1/10/2006 9:07:45 PM by DIMMU SAK
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coaster05
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1/10/2006 10:15:05 PM
I hope the increase in daily tickets is not just a ploy for more people to buy the season pass, hence adding to the baby sitting service.
Either way it had to happen, parks raise prices because expenses go up. Heck their electric bill is higher now then it was 5 years ago just like me, same with gas for their trucks. Its got to happen.
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larrygator
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1/10/2006 11:35:58 PM
I'm debating getting a SFA pass instead of SFGAdv. I'll have to see what the prices are when the season starts. However, I might not do this if this if it would disqualify me from buying a parking pass SFGAdv, I will have to analyze the total costs of each option.
Swimace - great point if some of the profits are not pumped into the park it would be a bad thing. However I would not be surprised if 2007 is a slow year for capital improvements. SF has to take one year to concentrate on paying down their debt.
Coaster05 - I also hope the higher regular day admission does not drive too many more people to buy season passes, but I doubt it will.
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Canobie Coaster
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1/11/2006 5:37:44 AM
Six Flags' season passes are awesome since you can go to almost all of their parks, and about two visits and the season pass has payed for itself. Like you've said, maybe this will prevent gangs from visiting the parks and make the staff friendlier and harder-working.
I also agree that the single day admissions and the no-reentry rule will be crazy! Another problem is....PARKING!
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Animan1
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1/11/2006 9:29:41 AM
Parking at SFGAm this past season was $10 - I'm not sure if it's going up for 2006 or not. While this is certainly not cheap, I don't feel that it is that big of a rip-off, especially considering that parking for downtown Chicago attractions such as the museums is over $10, usually around $13 or so. Also, for those that visit their home SF park all the time, you can invest in the Parking Pass, sure, it's around $40, but if you go enough, you'll get your money's worth.
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coaster05
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1/11/2006 10:51:50 AM
I said someplace else but it is 20.00 to park on campus for a notre dame football game.
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Animan1
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1/11/2006 11:56:50 AM
Overall, I am not very upset at all (yet, anyway) about SF's price increases. Like larry, Swimace, and coaster05 have said, if it brings improvements to the parks in the way of better staff, cleanliness and reliability, then I feel it is a good value and am all for it. I still think that the SF Season Pass is one of the best values in the business, since it can pay for itself very quickly by visiting your home SF park several times or visiting several different SF parks througout the country. For a poignant example, think of it this way - if you visit SF parks a total of 10 times througout the season, even if the Season Pass was $100, that's 10 bucks a visit, plus parking. Still a great deal, imo. 
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mrceagle
Posts: 13804
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1/11/2006 12:59:48 PM
Well it was said that the park prices woudl be reset. I think a $10 increase at SFMM is extreamly overboard. But i agree that in many cases the season passes are a bit too cheap. I have no big plans to visit any SFI park in 2006. it's not worth the time.
daily tickets are overly high at many of the park becasue people insist on having water parks. if the water park and parks were seporate they woud lin the long run generate more money and be able to invest that moey better.
Though all these increases I see only a little of it beign reinserted to the parks. they have allot of debt to pay.
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coaster05
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1/11/2006 1:41:17 PM
Weird about tyour water park comments. CP's and SFGADV are seperate yet there general admission is more then SFGAM which the water park is included and very nice.
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Swimace
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1/11/2006 3:00:14 PM
Well CP and SFGADV bring in more people from outside areas. SFGAM is still a regional theme park. With on-site hotels at CP and soon-to-be hotel at SFGADV, they're looking to bring in people on vacation. People who are out of town on vacation are willing to spend more than they would be on a park that is right down the street, if that makes any sense.
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larrygator
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1/11/2006 3:25:37 PM
Quote:
mrceagle said:
Though all these increases I see only a little of it beign reinserted to the parks. they have allot of debt to pay. |
The hope is that they can pay enough debt off quickly, turn the company around and keep the parks vitality and up to date in future years. Since they have already committed to the two Goliaths, El Toro and Tatsu (and other small things that escape me). Time will tell but I'll completely understand no new rides in 2007 if other improvements are made.
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coaster05
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1/11/2006 4:06:54 PM
Quote:
Swimace said:
Well CP and SFGADV bring in more people from outside areas. SFGAM is still a regional theme park. With on-site hotels at CP and soon-to-be hotel at SFGADV, they're looking to bring in people on vacation. People who are out of town on vacation are willing to spend more than they would be on a park that is right down the street, if that makes any sense. |
According to my local paper which has an article every year about theme parks SFGAM outdraws CP. With SFGAM lineup and and overall quality I would definatley no consider them a regional park.
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larrygator
Posts: 4654
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1/11/2006 5:34:16 PM
I think the press refers to a regional park as one that draws mostly from it's own market. Since SFGAm is in the Chicago market it is not surprising that it is considered regional. Personally I consider CP regional also. The only parks I consider non-regional are the Florida and SoCal parks and the Circus Circus park in Vegas. Maybe BGW also.
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Animan1
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1/11/2006 5:53:46 PM
Yeah, when you think about it, most parks are regional, except for the ones that larry mentioned. I know SFGAm is the premier park in my area (about an hour south of the park), and there are always a lot of people from southern Wisconsin @ SFGAm as well. Still, that's all regional draw, I'm not sure how many people really come to the Chicago area just to visit SFGAm. They may come to Chicago for other reasons and visit SFGAm at the same time, but it's obviously nowhere near the same category as the FL/SoCal parks.
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mrceagle
Posts: 13804
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1/12/2006 3:24:15 AM
Quote:
larrygator said:
The hope is that they can pay enough debt off quickly, turn the company around and keep the parks vitality and up to date in future years. Since they have already committed to the two Goliaths, El Toro and Tatsu (and other small things that escape me). Time will tell but I'll completely understand no new rides in 2007 if other improvements are made. |
You likely won't see no rides. but smaller rides. They won't be instaling coaster all over the place. but family rides and maybe some thrill rides. For the price of the coasters mentioned every park in the chain could get a thrill ride and posibly a family ride.
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Canobie Coaster
Posts: 2694
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1/12/2006 6:09:47 AM
I too would like to see them pay off some of their debt, improve the staff friendliness, clean up the park, get actual food  , and add family to thrill flat rides to improve all of their parks.
Message updated 1/14/2006 7:12:24 AM by Canobie Coaster
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larrygator
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1/12/2006 11:10:16 AM
from The Street.com
these key phrases some up the strategy of SF moving forward - Shapiro says the company is trying to focus on the overall experience for park-goers. At an average cost of $22 million each, Shapiro says, money-gobbling roller coasters take a huge bite out of capital spending and leave him with "nothing left to fix the parks."
So what's the game plan? More Tweety, for one. Shapiro says Six Flags hopes to "recharge" its relationship with Warner Bros. through the Looney Tunes and DC Comics franchises.
Message updated 1/12/2006 11:10:36 AM by larrygator
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coaster05
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1/12/2006 1:30:15 PM
What shapiro says makes great sense. For example MIA is putting in a raft ride and a sit down restaurant. They are marketing both and I am more excited about the restaurant since they have NO indoor restaurant in the park. Shapiro could advertise higher food quality and quicker lines and that wpould offer a good level of excitement. Like a new coaster of course not, but if the lines moved better and you could ride more in a day that would also be really fun.
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Animan1
Posts: 5394
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1/12/2006 2:36:26 PM
I have never really had a problem with SF, but it certainly wouldn't hurt them to clean up their act (literally) and take steps to provide a better overall guest experience. From the sound of it, that's what Shapiro is trying to do, which should help a improving franchise become even better.
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larrygator
Posts: 4654
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1/12/2006 2:40:21 PM
Quote:
coaster05 said:
For example MIA is putting in a raft ride and a sit down restaurant. They are marketing both and I am more excited about the restaurant since they have NO indoor restaurant in the park. |
agreed - the food experience at MIA was "weak" at best. I should have tried those damn chicken sticks
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Scott
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1/12/2006 7:11:02 PM
Bump
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larrygator
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1/17/2006 2:32:17 PM
I think I'm going to bite the bullet and buy the season pass from SFGAdv for $89.99 with the $30 parking pass for a total of $119.99. Ithough about buying the season pass from SFA for $49.99, but if I go to SFGAdv 4 times and have to pay a total of $60 in parking I only save $10. I have to find out if I can buy a SFGAdv parking pass if I don't have a SFGAdv season pass.
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BobFunland
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1/17/2006 2:56:54 PM
SFOG's passes went up $15 and daily went up about $7 to $70 and $50 respectively. All unannounced of course, and Shapiro hasn't even been here yet! 
I think if you go to the parking lot whenever you visit G-adv for the first time, you can just buy one at the window without even showing your pass or anything. At least that's how I was able to do it one year... but with that said, something tells me $30 for a season parking pass won't stay for long.
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larrygator
Posts: 4654
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1/17/2006 3:56:46 PM
I'm surprised they still list it for $30 on the website, I thought it might go to $40.
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mrceagle
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1/18/2006 11:49:08 AM
I think some of the single day passes are a bit too much. The season passes I wouldn't mind if they went up slightly. look at every other park and chain they are overly cheap in comparison.
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Animan1
Posts: 5394
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1/18/2006 5:27:27 PM
Agreed, mrc, the Single-Day tickets are pretty pricey, you really might as well get the Season Pass, you only have to go twice to make it more than worth it.
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zjohn1988
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1/19/2006 8:20:46 PM
As long as I see improvements in the parks, i wont mind the rise in prices.
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mrceagle
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1/20/2006 1:27:39 AM
You woudl pay. $49.99 for SFNE, $39.99 for TGE, $59.99 for SFMM? These are very overpriced for what they offer and there competitores.
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