Real World Theme Parks If all parks were pay-as-you-go
- Thread starter VGmaster9
- Start date
That's how the Disneyland used to operate. Look up the ticket booklets, and the A-E tickets.
We go here almost every year. I love it because I only have to pay for the rides my kids go on. In contrast we also go to Hershey park which is around 140 bucks for all four of us and the kids only ride a few of the rides because they are either to scared or to big( for the not so scary kiddie rides). They aren't big enough to go on the coaster rides I like to go on so my wife has to miss out waiting for me while watching the kids. She never gets a turn because she refuses to wait 40-60 minutes again so she can go on the coaster next. All in all at the age my kids are at, it's a waste of money going to Hershey Park, whereas going to Knoebels is a lot cheaper for our situation. My opinion is that all parks should be pay as you go or pay for an all access pass.
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Back when I was a kid and into Jr. High we had a small park in town. Camden Park, Huntington WV. it was only .15 to get in. you either bought ride tickets or a handstamp. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camden_Park_(amusement_park)
We spent more money there then than when they changed to pay at the gate. We would go there often after being out for the day. We'd go in and get Pronto Pups and ride a ride or two and go home. Then a couple times in the summer we'd get a handstamp and stay the day.
Once they changed then it was just a time or two a year.
(some people may not know what a pronto pup is. - it's NOT a corndog.)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pronto_Pup
We spent more money there then than when they changed to pay at the gate. We would go there often after being out for the day. We'd go in and get Pronto Pups and ride a ride or two and go home. Then a couple times in the summer we'd get a handstamp and stay the day.
Once they changed then it was just a time or two a year.
(some people may not know what a pronto pup is. - it's NOT a corndog.)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pronto_Pup
The local park near me used to be free admission with tickets per ride. In recent years, they had trouble with gangs hanging out and causing problems. So they put up a fence and made it pay admission only [blah] sucks pretty bad cuz we used to go down just to ride the coaster a few times and back in the day it was so cheap
I think a better alternative system would be to pay a small fee to enter, get all the kiddie rides free and pay for the rest.
Liseberg kind of has this type, but with entrance fee too.. Pay a smaller sum for the entrance, then you can enjoy the park without riding coasters.. Old people like go and dancing, there's dance hall. People go listen to their favorite bands at the outdoor arena/scene. Then to ride you buy a pass bracelet (most common) or buy tickets. Back in time there were tickets grouped A-E, only that.. Then tickets changed to number of tickets so you can use same ticket for all rides but give different amounts. I think it is still so now. But the bracelet is far most popular. There are lower cost for only the kiddy area, and normal cost for whole park.
Then there's special cards that you can buy for one whole season and ride everything. Popular with pre-teens and teenagers and ride fanatics. I used to buy but not anymore because now we use the handicapped "guide" for free when one nice cashier suggested it to us. So basically 2 for 1.
I think Gröna Lund in Stockholm is set up in similar way, and I think there's many European parks like that too. Different concepts.
Free entrance (no fencing) and pay to go I associate with mobile parks. And parks that is not really fleshed out amusement park, but rather a beautiful park with a tiny selection of rides.. like carousel.
Then there's special cards that you can buy for one whole season and ride everything. Popular with pre-teens and teenagers and ride fanatics. I used to buy but not anymore because now we use the handicapped "guide" for free when one nice cashier suggested it to us. So basically 2 for 1.
I think Gröna Lund in Stockholm is set up in similar way, and I think there's many European parks like that too. Different concepts.
Free entrance (no fencing) and pay to go I associate with mobile parks. And parks that is not really fleshed out amusement park, but rather a beautiful park with a tiny selection of rides.. like carousel.
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The only Theme park I have had the pleasure of visiting was Euro Disney in France, one off payment at the gate and all rides free, the only problem with that was I didn't get to go on a single ride even though we were told I would have priority access due to being in a wheel chair, I gave up after ten attempts to go on rides that clearly stated wheelchair access . It didn't spoil the day however as I got to go around the shops while the wife and kids got to go on the rides, it was a good day out.
I tried altering my park to accommodate this pay at the gate and all rides free method but my profits fell faster than blue ice!
I tried altering my park to accommodate this pay at the gate and all rides free method but my profits fell faster than blue ice!