Just read on Screamscape that as part of the investor call they mentioned the idea of introducing “Regional Passes” next year in addition to the single park and all park passes.
News Six Flags Regional Passes
- Thread starter GAcoaster
- Start date
I’m curious— I know I would pay the full price for the all park passes, but the idea of a regional pass for a lower price would be very appealing to many. I think of someone with a Great Adventure or Dorney pass being able to upgrade for both parks for only a couple of dollars more would be very appealing. Most people would never visit parks outside their region so the extra $100 for all parks is just too much.
I also agree with Lance’s take on it being good for the chain against competition. Buy a pass and add the neighboring park for less than the price of a one day ticket instead of spending more to go to a competing park. He used the example of Carowinds regional passes covering KD and SFOG and making going to Dollywood or BGW less appealing to the average consumer. Dorney, Great Adventure, SFNE, and Great Escape for a few dollars more than the regular pass would be really appealing and cut into Hershey and some of the other area parks.
I also agree with Lance’s take on it being good for the chain against competition. Buy a pass and add the neighboring park for less than the price of a one day ticket instead of spending more to go to a competing park. He used the example of Carowinds regional passes covering KD and SFOG and making going to Dollywood or BGW less appealing to the average consumer. Dorney, Great Adventure, SFNE, and Great Escape for a few dollars more than the regular pass would be really appealing and cut into Hershey and some of the other area parks.
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I disagree— the appeal of the pass and the meal plan across parks is people tend to spend more when they go to another park on their pass because they have the mindset of “it’s free so I can spend money on other things”.
Not to mention that guests spend far more time in gift shops when they are not spending time walking through the parking lot to get lunch from their car.
The meal plans are not good business or all chains would be offering them. United and Herschend don’t. I don’t think Palace did either. United actually eliminated them before they became too ingrained with the customers.
Six Flags/Cedar fair back themselves into a corner with these meal passes The customers expect them If the eliminate them they lose customers. Six tried to get rid of them and it hurt attendance.
So they stick with these low profit meal plans and the only way to combat them is continue to shrink portions and reduce food quality.
Just because one likes the meal plan doesn’t mean it’s good business.
Six Flags/Cedar fair back themselves into a corner with these meal passes The customers expect them If the eliminate them they lose customers. Six tried to get rid of them and it hurt attendance.
So they stick with these low profit meal plans and the only way to combat them is continue to shrink portions and reduce food quality.
Just because one likes the meal plan doesn’t mean it’s good business.
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Given the site we're all posting on, I suspect the All Parks Pass is going to be an overwhelming favorite in this poll, but I think the 3 tier system is a fantastic idea.
In the past, I really enjoyed my Six Flags pass working across their entire network of parks by default. When traveling for other reasons, I'd often make it a point to try and hit another Six Flags park, even if competing parks were closer. Having some legacy CF parks added to the list made the passport a no brainer for me.
But... When I buy my season pass, I usually purchase passes for my family members as well. They love Great Adventure but aren't nearly as passionate about amusement parks/rides as I am. It would have been silly to pay for all of them to get the full slate of parks when the most they'd likely get out of it is hitting Dorney a couple of times.
With a regional pass option, I'd likely factor in a family Dorney visit without a second thought - it'd be great to have option to have on the table. Even if it didn't happen, I wouldn't necessarily feel like I squandered money getting the regional pass.
In the past, I really enjoyed my Six Flags pass working across their entire network of parks by default. When traveling for other reasons, I'd often make it a point to try and hit another Six Flags park, even if competing parks were closer. Having some legacy CF parks added to the list made the passport a no brainer for me.
But... When I buy my season pass, I usually purchase passes for my family members as well. They love Great Adventure but aren't nearly as passionate about amusement parks/rides as I am. It would have been silly to pay for all of them to get the full slate of parks when the most they'd likely get out of it is hitting Dorney a couple of times.
With a regional pass option, I'd likely factor in a family Dorney visit without a second thought - it'd be great to have option to have on the table. Even if it didn't happen, I wouldn't necessarily feel like I squandered money getting the regional pass.
I actually picked the regional option in the poll just because there are definitely years when I can see myself going for it. I frequent my local/regional parks and want to keep admission to them no matter the year, but outside of my immediate area I frequently take more of a "United Parks year" or a "Herschend year" and, depending on the park selection, I could definitely imagine some years not holding a chainwide Six Flags pass and grabbing the regional version instead.
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It seems a lot like the four-park Florida pass that United Parks offers. I have always thought it was a smart option.
That said, I picked all-parks, because I can never predict when I might end up somewhere interesting for work.
That said, I picked all-parks, because I can never predict when I might end up somewhere interesting for work.
Not sure how to determine regions other than maybe letting the customer decide. Richmond is almost the exact same distance from GrAdv and Carowinds. I'd really only call SFA the same region though, umm...
I've known 2 people that bought season's passes, possibly with meals, and used them only once and not even all day, probably happens far more often than someone gets 100 meals on a plan.
United and Herschend have good reputations for food (even if one is declining). I think they like pass sales, including meal passes, as it makes accounting easier and reduces risk. I might be fine going to a park and not eating, but most people would prefer having food available even if overpriced. It can be a money maker but also is an attraction in itself and necessary even if it's not actually profitable. If they can get paid up front for keeping the restaurant doors open, that is very appealing even if it greatly reduces that maximum potential profit.
I've known 2 people that bought season's passes, possibly with meals, and used them only once and not even all day, probably happens far more often than someone gets 100 meals on a plan.
The bigger issue i see with meal plans is they cannibalize event food sales. For Winterfest at KD, I would bet on this being a big issue in that season pass holders with meal plans aren't hardly spending any additional money at that point since they have plans.
Admittedly every Winterfest visit I was sure to get a meal, which isn't always the case for a short visit. It was also the ONLY time I spent money in the park, other than maybe an emergency Powerade at some point, due to the Fried Cinnamon Bread, feeling like I was well past getting my money's worth, and trying to vote for the event with my wallet just a little. Sure aren't spending anything at the beginning of the year just after renewing!
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One of the issues I see with a regional pass is how do you define the region. The test example I have seen floated was Georgia Carolinas Virginia which is great if you live I the Carolinas but if you live toward KD or that includes Dorney and Great Adventure is probably more attractive. Perhaps something like a pick 3 parks option might be a compromise that is worth the company considering.
I definitely hope that each park will get a custom selection of "neighbor parks" rather than there being predefined regions. Anyone at the edge of those regions would be massively disincentivized from the offering if that's the approach.
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God imagine how far they can take it:
Super Regions for those on the edge to lump two together.
Quadrant region of NE, SE, NW, SW.
Great Divide pass that gives you either East of the Mississippi or West.
They could be super creative or super disruptive based on how you view it.
The amusement park equivalent of the infamous cable bundle.
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Pick 3 is a decent idea, but at some point they need to acknowledge that they have very different tiers of parks and charge accordingly. In my view legacy CF was terribly underpriced for passes and that still continues despite less competition in the market. Even their flagship, CP, basically is cheaper than every major competitor out there, which shows in staffing and soft investment. CP should at least cost what HP does, and other better parks should be priced accordingly.
IMO this is one of the reasons that Winterfest is no more at KD. It just brought in a large number of season passholders and they were not spending money at the event.
Cedar fair also screwed up by including Winterfest in the season pass for the same price. It should’ve been an $25ish up charge.
At that point of the year, the meal pass holders have already gotten their moneys worth, so at that point the park was just giving away free meals at Winterfest.
A better solution to these meal passes would have been to offer $10-$12 meals for season pass holders. That way the park would never lose money off of a meal and people that have a season pass could buy a meal for a reasonable price.
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I found this from somewhere on what this “regional pass” would look like