Looks like that mention of a Kings Dominion Prestige Pass on Cedar Point's site the other week was correct. Here's a full breakdown of the tweaked 2024 Kings Dominion pass program from the park's website:
Looks like Prestige will get preferred parking, a VIP area, an increased in-park food and merch discount, "Enhanced Pass Perks," early entry, a special entrance, a free single-user FastLane per visit, and two free guest tickets per year. Looks like the price delta between Gold and Prestige right now is $120.
It's also worth noting that Pre-K passes are now limited to Gold Passes or above. That's sure to ruffle some feathers, but I'm not complaining.
Seems like a pretty substantial downgrade for some Gold Pass benefits. Gold used to include preferred parking (assuming they’re going to use the current Gold Parking area) and early park & water park entry. I’m sure those changes will ruffle some feathers too.
EDIT: Maybe those benefits were already removed from Gold post-COVID and just haven’t existed for the past few years, and now they’re being reintroduced at a higher tier. Anyone know?
The most interesting new benefit to me is the VIP area. Wonder where that could go? My top location guesses would be the small arcade in Candy Apple Grove across from Firehouse BBQ, or the former Taco Shack/Mac Bowl building. I’m probably forgetting some other contenders though. Glad to see a pass member lounge is finally coming after years of us talking about one (although it — and the other benefits —probably won’t be enough to convince me to upgrade to Prestige).
Any clue as to what the Pass Perks Rewards or Enhanced Pass Perk Rewards are? They seem kinda unsubstantial without any clue as to what it is. The Prestige, in my opinion, isn’t that different unless you plan on spending lots of long days in the park and therefore not a $9 premium per month better.
What's the total cost of Gold + all-parks? I'm asking because I'd have get fairly far through the purchase process to find out. So if anyone has done this? I would be renewing. Also wondering if the offer to get 5 free single use fast lane still available? It's mentioned on their website, but also says ends August 13th. I just would have expected that they'd have removed it from the website if it was no longer available. Maybe they are going to announce an extension? In this case I can do nothing but wait and see.
Here are screenshots of both the all-park and dining add-ons for Gold and Prestige. They are easy to check: just build a pass and you can see everything, before being asked to pay.
It's a bit weird that they list the price for all-park dining as an upgrade for gold, but as a separate purchase for Prestige. And they are exactly the same price.
Missed that it's listed as both an upgrade and a separate purchase.
Geez! I've never looked at their passes before but you get so much more than from BGW or SEAS in general. I really am getting frustrated with SEAS over inflated self valuation.
So if the upgrade is separate, then we could buy the meal plan just for KD and later buy the upgrade, I assume, if we did end up going to another (more) CF parks. That's pretty nice if so. Maybe you could always do this? I've never had the meal plan.
Upgraded to Prestige and recently made my first visit since upgrading. Breezed right through on the entrance very nice perk since there was a fairly long line. One thing to take note of that might need some tweaking is the entrance is currently right next to the regular lines. There was a decent size group that either missed or ignored the Prestige only sign and jumped in that line. There is no pre security check of who is in line so they tied up the line for a few minutes only to get to the ticket counter and be turned away There and made to go back out. Wasn't a huge deal but it seems like it shouldn't be to hard to check tickets to at least make sure they are the right one as people get in line.
One thing I really like was just about every time I scanned my pass for something the team member noted that it was a Prestige pass and thanked me for my membership. Not sure if that if that is an official policy or just that they are so bew they draw attention but it though it was very cool.
For the 2024 season, I upgraded both my son's and my pass to the Prestige. And after attempting to use the new Preferred Entrance for the first time today (Saturday), I am NOT impressed!
We arrived at the park at noon -- where at that time, lines through security are always the longest of the day, due to Soak City opening at the same time. And though they had the Preferred Entrance technically open during that time, they did absolutely nothing to restrict the line to only Prestige passholders.
So in the following photo, the Preferred Entrance line started on the far right, all the way past the flagpoles, like all the other lines:
I found a security officer and inquired what happened to the line. And their response was to simply force my way to the front of the line, and cut off everyone else (??!!) After eventually making it into the park, I again inquired to the person scanning our pass, and was told that it was Security's fault for not restricting the line to Prestige only.
So if this is how the park plans to operate this line on crowded days - in having security who works the metal detectors and checks bags, to also check passes (but where the line starts all the way back at the flagpoles) - this is not gonna work!
I've taken the family to half a dozen Six Flag parks across the country this summer, utilizing each park's VIP entrance (which is a benefit of their Diamond passes). And though Six Flags does not always do everything well, I have to give them credit, because they know how to do a 'preferred entrance'.
That is at all Six Flags I've been to, the VIP entrance is always clearly marked and roped-off, signifying how it's a special entrance (complete with a red carpet no less). And during the busiest time of the days, always have two staff members working it - one person at the start of the line, checking your pass that you belong in it. And the second at the other end, granting you entrance through the turnstile.
As an example, this is the VIP entrance at SFMM (taken at around 5pm in the day, where they did not need the second person), but note how well it's marked and separated from the other lines:
So though I know KD has only just recently started their Preferred Entry, and technically it was not supposed to be a benefit till the 2024 season - the park REALLY needs to work on improving it (taking a lesson on how Six Flags is already doing theirs); as otherwise if today's experience becomes the norm, I'm gonna be demanding a $175 refund/downgrade to the regular Gold Pass, because the new entrance benefit is the primary reason I bought the passes -- where the VIP area benefit is of little interest, as I'm figuring it'll just be an outdoor tent - as I've seen at other CF parks like Carowinds; where ours might be placed on the flat section next Jukebox, or on I-Street between the funnel cakes and Cinnabon - vs an indoor location.
Otherwise on a positive note: I loved seeing the massive crowds today waiting entry into the park (but at the same time, do not ) - because without the attendance numbers, there's absolutely no way we'll end up with a proper replacement for Volcano.
And secondly: It was also nice seeing Bridgette Bywater (the park's GM) out front near the parking lots (in 90+ degree temps), directing people to the secondary/side entrance, as the main entrance was so completely slammed.
Exactly! I was going to mention both points as well - where the Preferred Entrance should be moved to the side entrance (which is generally unused, except on summer Saturday's, when Soak City is open). And that way it's a more direct route from Preferred Parking.
However even though that would make so much sense, I seriously doubt the park will ever do that, because they want the average park goer - who's waiting in the insane entry lines - to see the shorter Preferred Entrance line, and say 'I want/need that' (thus increasing the number of higher tier passes sold).
What's the most frustrating is how poorly executed the KD security process is - where I know we've debated that at length in one of the other park threads. But it's because everyone with bags slows down the entry process so much (and KD does not have lines dedicated solely to people with bags, unlike most other major amusement parks across the country), that is sadly part of the reason a higher-tier pass with the Preferred Entry benefit is needed in the first place.
) - because without the attendance numbers, there's absolutely no way we'll end up with a proper replacement for Volcano.
