Lower Your Prices, Six Flags

As long as we accept the outlandish prices and continue to pay, the
prices will continue to rise. In the past year:

$1000 for 4 5-day park hopper passes at Disney World

$10 for a beer at a Nickelback Concert

$6 for a beer at a NASCAR race

Free - 4 one-day passes at Busch Gardens in Williamsburg. Part of
their Salute to the Heroes Campaign. They give up to 4 tickets to any
active duty military person. This is why I only drink Budweiser and
Anheusar Busch products.

How many of us would pay $144 for a case of beer, but think nothing of
dropping $6 for a beer at a sporting event? Do the math! Prices ain't
never going to change.

Clete

You have a point there. My Grandfather bought a four bedroom home for
five thousand dollars, gas was 19 cents a gallon, and a trunk full of
groceries cost about eight and a half dollars, but he made 45 cents an
hour. I suppose if they had six flags then, things would have cost way
less than you remembered them. Do let us know what they don't say when
they don't bother responding. Who wants feedback anyway?

We frequent Cedar Point every summer and the same situation arises
there too. 10.00 to park..I think it was 39.00 for admission this
year. 3.00 for a pepsi or water (!!) and on and on.

We have learned to pack a ton of food for lunch and dinner plus a
cooler full of drinks. They stamp your hand when you leave and then
you can come and go as you please.

None of these theme parks are a bargain and it takes a few times to
find ways to cut costs, but the kids love to go, they talk about it
for days.

I completely agree with your complaints about six flags great
adventure. I'm surprised though that you didn't list the expense of
the "flash pass" along with the extra charges for rides, etc. For
anyone who doesn't know about this, here's the "skinny". The regular
flash pass makes you wait for the same amount of time, but you can
leave the line and come back to the front(saving your place). With a
gold flash pass, your wait time is decreased by 75 percent or more (a
one hour "regular pass" would be about 15 minutes with a "gold pass").
It really does set up a "caste system" and gives those willing to pay,
preference.
Oh, and in states like Texas where you can carry a fire arm, I wonder
if you have to check your weapons before entering the park. Scary!!

This is a good letter. These are ridiculous prices and I hope you get
a response. I went to Disney World a few years back and they have
packages where you pay a certain amount (i.e. 2000) and it includes
everything except souvenirs. Snacks, meals and the resort, even snacks
you buy at the park. Maybe Six Flags should try something like that.

This is a good complaint. If they hear enough maybe they will get the
picture.
At some point in the past 10-15 years a lot of entertainment venues
have determined that it was ok to set prices at an outrageous level.
Nothing makes me want to patronize a place less than when they have
prices for low end food that are higher than if I went to an upscale
restauraunt. Whenever I have to pay $20 for a hot dog, fries and a
coke full of ice and I know I can get the same thing for $2 walking
out of a Home Depot, it really just leaves me with a bad opinion of
the place and it makes my decision not to go in the future much
easier.

Normally my response to folks complaining about theme park prices is
"Just don't go", but in this case...

It would peeve me to no end if I paid at the gate and then had to
shell out extra cash to ride any of the rides. That's just wrong.

And I agree about the food prices. Last time I went to Six Flags, a
soda out of the machines was running about $2.50 and a hamburger and a
handful of fries cost me over $10.
That was about 8 years ago.
I shudder to think what they're charging now.

Actually, that price for a season pass per person doesn't sound that
bad. Although, I would agree that I HATE to walk in to a theme park
you've paid money for just to see that every other ride you have to
pay extra for. More for the inconvenience of it all than anything
else. I want to be able to pay once, go in and have a good time
without having to get my wallet out for more than food or souvenirs.
If you look at a place like Disney World, most of the rides inside the
park are included in the price of your ticket or season pass. But the
prices for their tickets are a lot higher and they do still charge for
parking. I'm willing to pay the prices once in a while because I know
that the park will be nice and clean, the characters will be friendly,
and the park for the most part is all inclusive. The food prices are
a bit higher than outside of the park, but that's to be expected. I
say vote with your money and don't go back. There has to be another
amusement park somewhere that you can give your business to.

First, you have to realize that any Six Flags park is staffed by
PEOPLE. During the summer, Six Flags can probably hire high school
and college students for a bit above minimum wage. During the school
year, however, staff may be harder to find. I'm sure Six Flags pays a
higher hourly wage for Fright Fest workers than for "regular" summer
employees.

Some attractions at a theme park have higher insurance expenses than
others. Thus, the extra fees for go-karts, bungee jumping, and
climbing walls.

As for food--pack yourself meals. Put some ice in the cooler and
leave it in the trunk. I know that at Gurnee you can leave the park
and go to your vehicle as often as you like.

Perhaps you and your wife can take turns visiting the park with your
daughter. Then, one of you can drop off the others and come back
later. No parking fees; you could even pick up dollar menu items at
McD's when your wife and daughter are ready for lunch, and meet them
at the drop-off/pick-up area. (Sorry I don't know the exact name of
this free parking area, but I do know that you aren't supposed to
leave your vehicle if you're in this small lot.)

Basically, though, as someone else pointed out--others are willing to
pay these prices. Your choice is to pay or forego the experience.

I went to Disneyland for my honeymoon in September 1994 (that was my
last visit to a theme/amusement park). We went after the school
season started, so we had few lines, great access, etc. And it
bothered me to pay the ~$35 per ticket for that whole day of fun.

I'm obviously way too cheap for today's theme parks.

you can buy an entire season pass for $69!

it is $49 for a one day pass.

If you paid $100 I would love to sell you some real estate...

I agree - Prices for amusement parks are outrageous.

I go once a year to an amusement park (usually dorney park, its
smaller and half the price of six flags, but the roller coasters are
great) and I go after 5 on a weekday, when the tickets are half price.
I pack sandwiches and snacks, bring a water bottle (stash it all in my
purse, girls can get away with large purses) and i just accept that
its a once a year treat.

I live near Dallas/Ft. Worth and I've been to the Six Flags up there
and the Hurricane Harbor there more times than I can count, both with
family and school trips. I've also been to Fiesta Texas/Six Flags in
San Antonio more than once.

The thing is, as much as I love roller coasters - seriously, I can
ride coasters all day and still want to go again - it's just not worth
it any longer. The prices, the lines, the crowds, heck, even the rides
have been toned down since when I was a kid.

I have found other things to do, including small regional fairs and
amusement parks, flea markets, Ren Faires and Arts and Craft Fairs.
Not for everyone, but there are alternatives available if you take the
time to look for them.

This must have been written by Miss April Smith

I don't go to amusement parks but I can tell you this, if they team up
with McDonald's, you are not going to get the low prices and dollar
menu items like you do at a freestanding McDonald's. They charge
higher prices when they are located in something like that. Check out
the prices of fast food at the airports or highway stops.

Theme parks are expensive these days and I'm always amazed at the food
prices.

But people pay. These parks are expensive to operate and as long as
they're able to cover their costs and make a profit, what's the
incentive to lower prices?

Therefore, you need to be able to offer support for why you think that
they can still stay profitable while lowering prices. Without you
having the data they do on attendance, operating expenses, fixed
costs, variable costs, and so forth... your words (no matter how well
meaning) aren't going to carry any weight.

Every amusement park I've been to charges extra for climbing wall,
bungee jump, sky coaster, and true go-karts. In fact, just a few
weeks ago I was at an amusement park and took particular note that
there were plenty of "drive the car" rides that were included in the
admission, but the go-karts cost extra.

Know why? In part, it's because these are higher risk rides that
carry special insurance requirements. Does it really cost them an
extra $35/person in insurance? No, but it may well cost them another
$15-$20.

In theory, I totally agree with you. Six Flags - Gurnee has become a
joke in terms of pricing (as have other Six Flags theme parks, I'm
sure). You could probably go on a five-day vacation for the amount
you'll spend for one day at Six Flags.

But as yoiu said in your last paragraph, I'm sure this is falling on
deaf ears. As long as people are still willing to pay, they'll keep
raising the prices.