VIP Pass is Back

[westical]

It's surprising they haven't offered it again to new customers given how much extra they could make out of it. myFun have half confirmed the only benefit is entry to FN/WC.

[Theme Park Girl]

https://myfun.com.au/myfun/box-office/combo-passes/vip-pass-renewals.aspx Well, after weeks of eager anticipation, i have to say, I am really let down with the pricing of pass renewals this year. A $10 discount is hardly an "exciting" offer, as per the wording in the email a couple of weeks back. I was expecting something a little more significant... like a 25% off offer (even 50%, though that was obviously a pure pipe dream on my part!) for example. If you renew at the gate, you dont even get a discount at all, since a $10 surcharge applies :/ Seems the only real offer is the "renew 3, get 1 free"... ideal if you are a family of 4 or more, i suppose. I was planning to renew my family's 3 passes (our son is 2, so doesnt need a pass, otherwise the deal above would be more appealling) but probably wont bother, now. We are coming down to the GC next month and planned to visit theme parks during our visit, but will probably just pay for a once-off entry to MW instead! Having 2013 passes would have been great, and enticed us to come down for at least another theme park visit or two over the next 12 months. Oh well.

[Park Addict 93]

^ Strongly disagree. I would consider the "Buy 3 Get 1 Free" the exciting offer despite the fact it does not apply to you. If memory serves correctly it was a 10% offer they gave me to renew my "MyFun Mega Pass". Wisely I did not and the original QLD VIP was released A one day adult entry is now $79.99 so you may as well renew online for the extra $10...

[strop]

^ And depending on when your child turns 3 they may need a ticket within the next year anyway, so might as well get the 4th one for free for him.

[Gazza]

Still don't get the hate. 3 theme parks for $99, with a $9 Mil darkride coming (Plus other minor stuff like Ice Age, Dino's at SW etc) is totally worth it....You did mention the prospect of a return visit...I'd surely come back in September for Justice League, especially since it would be kid friendly. With this or DW, why does it matter if they didn't make up some renewal offer to pander to existing holders? Are people driven by that, or by the end product (Getting to visit theme parks) $99 didn't even get you one annual pass for one park in the past. I mean, what do people realistically expect? How low can they go? The base price is $100, so if they were to take 25% off that, it would be $75, which would be less than a one day admission....Really? You think they would do that? .....

If memory serves correctly it was a 10% offer they gave me to renew my " MyFun Mega Pass"

Which used to cost $300 (I thought it was a good buy at the time) Would people rather go back to that? Edited June 6, 2012 by Gazza

[Reanimated35]

^ Am I missing some kind of joke or did you try to type that in html code?

[Gazza]

My posts have been randomly coming up in html code, and when I try to use the in post editor, the text is in that "typewriter" code font rather than the normal forum font....Dunno what is causing it.

[Lscia8]

Same with mine ^

Edited June 7, 2012 by Lscia8

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

My only issue is the discontinuation of 'new' Vip GOLD. I have numerous family and friends who only got 'normal' VIP last year, when we got gold. they then saw the benefits we got, and resolved to upgrade to gold this year... and it's not available... unless you're renewing? Honestly - it's the least they could do - offer a premium product to the public, and then show the rest why it was worth it in order to generate more interest in the premium product. They've now devalued that premium product by taking away some of the special incentives - and instead provided that 'premium' product out to more general passholders. I can only assume the reason for extending the 'early entry' to all passholders was because there wasn't an incentive to have 5 ride operators start 45 minutes earlier so that they could watch me go around and around 12 times... I'd have thought though that the better idea was to market that benefit to the market, to entice them to pay more money for a gold pass?

[joz]

Is it just me or is there a complete lack of strategic vision at Village at the moment? Renew ANY pass you've had in the last 4 years for the renewal pass, regardless of what it was and how long ago you had it? Sell VIP Gold passes for the same price as the regular one, but only to people who bought one last year? Adding perks to the Gold pass that weren't advertised for a ticket that people can't buy? Selling $40 VIP tickets for 2 weeks? Advertising that the VIP would be going away for the start of last year only to keep selling them for a heavily discounted price? The passes year on year are getting cheaper? What the hell, I thought they wanted to make money? It appears to an outsider that their goal is simply to move the passes, and to hell with the profitability of the company. Seriously, tier the passes, make the cheapest nastiest ticket $99 and go from there. Oh and if you're stuck thinking of a perk, how about a reliable discount for higher tiered tickets to encourage spending? The random discounts are OK, but I wonder how much money they'd make if VIP Gold/Platinum passes had a straight up 10% off on everything every visit rather than the random "Buy one bucket of fairy floss get another for 50% off!" type of promotion. Also unlike the extra ride time and exclusive line perks, it doesn't cost anything extra operationally. They almost looked like they were going to start using a strategy at the start of last year, but a couple months in they went back to the normal "Discount like crazy" routine. In effect they've spent the last year or 2 training the public that $90 for a year unlimited entry is not amazing value, even though there is a $9million dark ride coming which even the manufacturer reckons is better than anything else they've ever done. Come on guys, start putting together a plan for next year. You've already stuffed the ticketing and profitability for this year so try and get next year right.

[Park Addict 93]

^ I originally had the same view as you before I thought about it... Last year when the price rose $10 and they did not offer the Buy 3 Get 1 Free they saw a large drop in families renewing as such they then started offering Buy 3 Get 1 Free. I also see it as a very smart move allowing anybody with a previous VRTP pass the renewal price to entice those that have not held a pass recently to renew. I am fairly confident we will see another "premium vip" pass offered soon. VRTP's strategy at present seems to be to give away the gate and make money on food/bev and retail/upcharges. It seems to be working well for them or they would have raised the pass cost.

[kujotess]

http://themeparks.com.au/ ^ Another new website by MyFun.

[westical]

MyFun have confirmed none of the Gold "frills" apply this year. Still fantastic value at $90.

[Park Addict 93]

I would read this as there are benefits yet to come...

no other confirmed benefits just yet!

http://themeparks.com.au/ ^ Another new website by MyFun.

Technically it has been relaunched as that URL was used ages ago, good to see it back in use and with the VIP Pass ads both in print and their TVC's. Edited June 7, 2012 by One day holiday

[westical]

I understand they'll be announced after the Green Lantern audio is fixed.

[rappa]

http://themeparks.com.au/ ^ Another new website by MyFun.

Not quite. It's the parks online to sell tickets but it's not myfun. Two different things.

[CruiseSF]

I understand they'll be announced after the Green Lantern audio is fixed.

So 2015, at the earliest. Edited June 7, 2012 by Cruiseshipfan

[westical]

Gags aside, I don't see why they'd introduce any other benefits for a pass that's not for sale and priced the same as the normal version.

[Park Addict 93]

I wouldn't assume no higher tier will be offered, they know they have fans that will happily pay a premium for a few benefits.

[westical]

Odd timing if they do. Thought it would be easier to get people to pay more upfront now rather than try to upsell to them later down the track.

[jayw]

Just wondering if any existing VIP Gold pass holders could tell me exactly what they have been offered as a renewal ie. How much does it cost and what is included. I currently have a VIP Gold but haven't had a call yet offering renewal and would still like to keep a gold pass if it includes fright nights and white christmas. From what I can gather from the discussion so far, the gold pass is only available as a renewal and current only has the advantage of fright night and white christmas access over the current VIP offer. If that's all correct i'm just wondering what price they are charging for that. Thanks!

[Park Addict 93]

^ Price for renewal is $89.99 and available by calling 133 FUN, $99.99 at the front gate They are also offering "Renew 3 Get 1 Free"

[westical]

From what I can gather from the discussion so far, the gold pass is only available as a renewal and current only has the advantage of fright night and white christmas access over the current VIP offer.

Correct, no other benefits apply.

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

attached is the email offer sent to VIP Gold members. I get that the advertised offer when the gold was sold was to include FN and WC. I understand that early entry wasn't a 'sold' perk... but the 'express lane' at the ticket gates was - there is no mention of a change to the offer, just the option to 'renew your VIP Gold'... so my expectation is that ALL perks of the gold pass (acknowledging that early entry wasn't a 'perk' but part of a month-by-month offer) will be available. Is it possible that the month-by-month perks, including 50% off your second bucket of fairy floss, as well as early entry will continue? Yes. Do we have a right to cry about them not making it part of the offer? In hindsight - No. Should they have marketed the hell out of the available 'gold' perks, increased the price for new or upgrading passholders, and made a nice shiny profit? Yes. Should they offer the Gold as a renewal price cheaper than the public offer? Yes. Would this be a smart move, strategically? Yes. Are their marketing guys idiots? Possibly. I've just gone back through my email, and as luck would have it - here is the original offer from MyFun... and Early Entry WAS a sold perk in their advertising!

[jayw]

Interesting, So despite the apparent lack of opportunity taken by the park to up the perks and cost if nothing else, the fact that existing pass holders can renew, keep access to both night events, and at no extra cost over a normal pass is pretty darn good value. The gold passes were $129/139 originally I think and with Individual tickets to the main nights of each night event at $40 from memory that means that for an extra $9 you get access to the park for a year! One last question someone here may be able to answer, with the renew 3 get 1 free, I presume you have to find 4 GOLD holders to take advantage and you can't use normal pass holder and pull of a upgrade on the sly?? Thanks all! Jay