Free WCUSA Pass With BGW Fun Card Purchase
- Thread starter Zachary
- Start date
Hey now, the morning tram ride is actually one of my favorite things about visiting BGW. 
The Tram is just another attraction to me. I make special walking trips up to the regular parking lots to ride this beloved transport.
BTW, This deal doesn't affect me.
BTW, This deal doesn't affect me.
I'm a loyal Busch/Seaworld supporter. We were Platinum Pass members for 29 months because we were making two 10-day trips a year to Florida, in addition to our weekend trips to BGW at least monthly during the season. We racked-up 77 times in theme/water parks over that 29-month period! Those 2-year Platinum Passes were $12.49/month on auto-pay, a much better deal than today's price. So, Seaworld/Busch rewards those that keep passes active.
Since we had no plans to go back to Florida, I took the Platinum Passes off auto-pay in October 2013 and waited to see what specials they offered this year. I bought one 2-park annual pass at $168 ($14/mo), so that we could get free parking and in-park discounts and three 2-park fun cards at $72/each to save money.
I miss the Preferred Parking, as we had to take the trams for the first time last weekend, but we're happy to be back in the parks for another season!
Since we had no plans to go back to Florida, I took the Platinum Passes off auto-pay in October 2013 and waited to see what specials they offered this year. I bought one 2-park annual pass at $168 ($14/mo), so that we could get free parking and in-park discounts and three 2-park fun cards at $72/each to save money.
I miss the Preferred Parking, as we had to take the trams for the first time last weekend, but we're happy to be back in the parks for another season!
usc33 said:
This right here is what a ton of people I know are (and have been) doing and I personally think it's a perfect example of why the fun card is so toxic to the park's financial stability. These are people who bought their whole families season passes previously but are now buying one season pass + ___ fun cards. That's a measurable loss for the park. Additionally they're actually making less money off that single season pass sale (discounts & free parking being shared among three additional people) and missing out on the cash those people would have dropped on season passes. I honestly don't know how anyone at the park can think this is a good idea.
By the way, I don't want this post to sound negative towards anyone who does this- I love to see people get great deals and save money- when the park runs promotions like this I'll happily encourage all my friends to take advantage of them. That said, at the same time, it's really bad to see the park degrading the park experience in the name of keeping their balance sheets even when they're leaving money on the table like this.
I would like the Fun Card more if it had black out dates. They already are discouraging to get because you miss out on Howl-o-Scream. I would probably suggest blacking out the busy days when they know they will get a lot of people like 4th of July weekend, maybe even Saturdays in general. Spring Break even? I think that could help spread the crowd out to the lesser busy days and reduce the losses.
I'm a huge supporter of blacking out Saturdays. I think it's a brilliant idea. That's how Holiday World is doing it.
After reviewing their Facebook, it is clear they have royally screwed up on explaining their admission offerings. Many people are greatly confused and rightfully so because there are too many different type of tickets, half of them worthless compared to all the others. I thought I would try to help explain in hopes people will pay attention and understand.
Single Day - 1 day of admission to one park
Flex - 7 days of admission to two parks
Bounce - 7 days of admission for one park and Colonial Williamsburg
Fun Card - All Spring & Summer OR All Fall OR All Winter
Annual Pass - 1 year of admission
I would get rid of the Flex and Bounce tickets. They are probably the most undesired options because they are restrictive as you must visit consecutively, plus getting a Fun Card would make them useless. As for the Bounce though, I think adding Colonial Williamsburg is just another option confusing people. You have too many different ticket types and names and people fall victim.
I would personally like to see just Single-Day Tickets, Fun Cards with blackout dates on the expected known busy days, and Annual Passes. Three products that are simple to understand and know.
Single Day - 1 day of admission to one park
Flex - 7 days of admission to two parks
Bounce - 7 days of admission for one park and Colonial Williamsburg
Fun Card - All Spring & Summer OR All Fall OR All Winter
Annual Pass - 1 year of admission
I would get rid of the Flex and Bounce tickets. They are probably the most undesired options because they are restrictive as you must visit consecutively, plus getting a Fun Card would make them useless. As for the Bounce though, I think adding Colonial Williamsburg is just another option confusing people. You have too many different ticket types and names and people fall victim.
I would personally like to see just Single-Day Tickets, Fun Cards with blackout dates on the expected known busy days, and Annual Passes. Three products that are simple to understand and know.
I think having the Bounce Pass is a good idea, actually. From your perspective as a local, I can see how it doesn't make much sense, but they are a great idea for a tourist who is visiting Williamsburg on vacation. It is good cross-pollination between the two attractions. I have actually recommended them to friends who plan to do both over a long weekend.
I still think a Fun Card with some blackout dates is better than a a Bounce Pass. Mainly because there isn't much at Colonial Williamsburg other than the shops and food places right there in the square and you don't need admission to those.
Then again, I suppose a tourist who wants it all may like it. I just don't feel like it is one of the most popular deals.
Then again, I suppose a tourist who wants it all may like it. I just don't feel like it is one of the most popular deals.
First, I'm not sure why or how the Bounce Pass and the Fun Card are in "competition." Second, there are many, interesting things to do at CW that require a pass. Not sure why you are being so dismissive of CW.
Zachary said:
Zachary, I understand you point, but allow me to be "Devil's Advocate" here. As I stated, we cancelled our Platinum Passes, at $12.49/mo each because they were no longer economically viable for us, as we had no plans to visit Florida again in the near future. If BG had not offered the fun cards, we wouldn't be going to the VA parks at all this year because the 2-park pass would have cost $14.00/mo each. We live in Washington, NC, so it takes us 2.5 hours each way, $50 in gas and an overnight hotel stay. To explain why the fun pass is intelligent on BG's part, let's use the analogy of Ford Motor Company. Ford makes a profit off the sale of a car, but their major source of profit is from service and parts after the sale. Yes, BG only makes $72 off the sale of a fun card, the same as a single day ticket. If I go just 1 day, they make $72 plus $20+ on food and sundries I buy that day. With a fun card, I plan to come to the parks a total of 25 times during the season, which means they make $500+ from food and sundries off of me. Multiply that by the 4 of us and they'll make $1,920 more off of us than 4 of us as single day visitors. Additionally, I'm spending money in Williamsburg for lodging, gas & etc., which not only helps other businesses in Williamsburg, but lowers BG's property taxes. It all makes perfect economic sense for all converned.
usc33, yes that is the goal of lowering admission prices. We all know the really money is inside the park and not admissions. With that said, you shouldn't let people in free just because you hope they will come back and spend lots inside. That is not the case. In fact I'd wager to say most people who get Fun Cards don't spend tons of money and may only visit once or twice a month.
Party Rocker said:
I'd bet that they might visit 2 or 3 times a year, at the most, except for a few exceptions.
The question isn't how much/little people with the Fun Cards spend at the parks.
The question is whether people with the fun cards are spending more than they would be otherwise. If people with the fun cards only visit 2-3 times a year, that's $72 pp plus at least 1 meal per day pp. Without the fun cards, maybe they only comes once, which is $72 + only 1 day's worth of food, etc. Or maybe they don't come at all.
The question is whether people with the fun cards are spending more than they would be otherwise. If people with the fun cards only visit 2-3 times a year, that's $72 pp plus at least 1 meal per day pp. Without the fun cards, maybe they only comes once, which is $72 + only 1 day's worth of food, etc. Or maybe they don't come at all.
I am sorry, but I feel your post is rather contradicting. You say the issue is not how much or how little people with Fun Cards spend in the park, yet following that you make it a point that it is about how much they spend otherwise.
While they may not have spent any money in the first place, the park still needs to count on them to spend as much time in the park buying things to make the larger profit. Sure so long as they use it once or twice and they pay for a meal or two the park breaks even. The goal is to capitalize on them and gain the most profit possible.
In this sense, the park is betting that people who buy Fun Cards visit frequently and pay for things frequently; however, as it turns out that is not a very common situation. the park keeps hoping and expecting for this; however, they constantly meet rejection when people do not visit often and do not pay for things frequently. This is what kills the idea.
But the main issue was never about Fun Cards and their offerings alone. It was about how a Fun Card deal stacks up to an Annual Pass and how it may or may not deteriorate the value of that Annual Pass.
While they may not have spent any money in the first place, the park still needs to count on them to spend as much time in the park buying things to make the larger profit. Sure so long as they use it once or twice and they pay for a meal or two the park breaks even. The goal is to capitalize on them and gain the most profit possible.
In this sense, the park is betting that people who buy Fun Cards visit frequently and pay for things frequently; however, as it turns out that is not a very common situation. the park keeps hoping and expecting for this; however, they constantly meet rejection when people do not visit often and do not pay for things frequently. This is what kills the idea.
But the main issue was never about Fun Cards and their offerings alone. It was about how a Fun Card deal stacks up to an Annual Pass and how it may or may not deteriorate the value of that Annual Pass.
Blaze Star said:
I don't see how what I said is contradicting. While you mention what I said the issue is not, you left out what I said the issue is. Yes, it is not how much or little they spend, it is about how much they spend relative to if BG did not have the fun cards. So, my point about how much they might spend illustrates how fun cards could increase revenue. Very consistent and logical reasoning.
As to whether this promotion is working or not to increase revenue is a different story. I certainly don't have the data to answer this (and I doubt anyone here does). However bad park attendance and per capita revenue are, maybe they'd be worse, or maybe they'd be better, without the Fun Cards. You'd HOPE the bean counters can look at a pie chart showing what percentage of park attendance uses what type of ticket media, and the per capita revenue for each slice, to determine what ticket types they need people to get. Your conclusion that "they constantly meet rejection when people do not visit often and do not pay for things frequently" is speculation only.
Also, I do not understand how the fun cards "deteriorate the value" of annual passes. (I'll put an exception here if they had prepaid multiyear passes last year, I don't remember if they did or not). When looking at ticket options, everyone has the choice to build the package best for their family. I don't see why people should complain that choice "A" is not as much better for them than choice "B" as they would like.
Here's an analogy: I buy the 6 lb bags of cat food. It saves money/lb (relative to the 3 lb bags), and takes up less storage space than two 3 lbs bags. One day, the 3 lb bags are on sale (but not the 6 lb bags), so the price / lb is the same for both. Getting the 6 lb bag is less of a value now, relative to two 3 lb bags. But, I still buy the 6 lb bag, because of the storage space issue. In fact, I may still buy the 6 lb bag, even if it is more per lb than the 3 lb bag. But, my next door neighbor, who is not strong enough to lift the 6 lb bag, is ecstatic about the sale, and buys this brand instead of the brand they usually buy.
Bottom line: if you are happy with the ticket selection and price that best fits your family, who cares what the other options are, and how close they are (benefits wise) to what you select?
One last point about ticket types and park profitability:
Without the data that they have, and we do not, we can only hope they are making the best decisions. And, just because they are not as successful as we'd like, does not mean they are making bad decisions. It is possible the outcome they have is the best possible outcome. Keep in mind, with the lackluster economy for the last 5+ years (and general inconsistent economy since 9/11), Americans have changed how they spend on entertainment and travel. Therefore, ticket and pricing models that worked in the past may no longer be profitable. Hence the changing in pricing models through the travel and entertainment industry (see airlines for an example of this).
Sorry for the long post; the kids have baby sitting now, and the wife is napping with a headache, so I found I actually have time on my hands