Though it feels like the 2019 park season just started, we’re quickly approaching the end of daily operation, and the regular season, making way for Halloween, winter events, and then, the dreaded off-season. As the season winds down, for many theme park enthusiasts, it’s already time to start looking ahead to 2020. What do you want out of your theme park experience at Cedar Fair parks next year? Just a few one-day tickets or unlimited admission with a season pass? Which season pass? All-Season Dining? All-Season Fast Lane? What if, in 2020, you’re finally going to be taking that multi-park road trip you’ve been planning for years and need Platinum EVERYTHING?
We’ve got you covered! We’ll show you the costs and perks of owning a Cedar Fair Season Pass at each park (as well as the Platinum Pass), to see if it will change your decision making process! Prices are accurate as of this weekend, so if you want to take advantage of these prices, act fast!
(Prices Current as of August 18, 2019, Dining Plan Information based on 2019 via CPFoodBlog)
California’s Great America
- New Season Pass Cost: Silver: $59.99, Gold: $81.99
- Parking Included: For Gold & Platinum Passholders
- All-Season Dining: $83.00
- All-Season Beverages: $31.99
- All-Season Fast Lane: $245.00
- All-Season Fun Pix: $42.99
- All-Season Lockers: $99.00
- Pre-K Pass Available: Yes
- Special Events Included: Halloween Haunt and Winterfest (Gold & Platinum Passholders)
- Additional Parks Included: Gilroy Gardens (Pre-K, Gold & Platinum Passholders)
California’s Great America’s $59.99 “Silver” Season Pass is the least expensive of any US-based park in the chain, and at the time of this writing, was also the same price as the “gate” price for a one day ticket. While this pass may seem enticing, the $22 upgrade to gold includes Parking, which based on 2019 parking prices ($25 at the gate), more than pays for itself after the first visit. (Not to mention admission to both Halloween Haunt and Winterfest!)
For families, the $59 silver pass could be considered a great add-on for children who might be accompanying an a gold-pass toting adult, especially while reaping many of the same benefits of a gold pass holder. The main difference, other than the aforementioned included parking, Halloween Haunt, and WinterFest, is early admission into California’s Great America’s newly rebranded water park, South Bay Shores.
Canada’s Wonderland
- New Season Pass Cost: Regular: $73.99 CAD, Gold: $99.99 CAD
- Parking Included: With Platinum Pass. $52 CAD to add to a Regular or Gold Pass.
- All-Season Dining: $86.99 CAD for Regular Passholders, $99.99 for Gold Passholders.
- All-Season Beverages: $31.99 CAD
- All-Season Fast Lane: $450 CAD
- All-Season Fun Pix: $47.99 CAD
- All-Season Lockers: No
- Pre-K Pass Available: No
- Special Events Included: Halloween Haunt and Winterfest for Gold and Platinum Passholders only.
Fresh off the debut of Yukon Striker earlier this season and the 2019 debut of WinterFest later this season, several season pass options at Canada’s Wonderland actually decreased from 2019 levels. When factoring in the USD-CAD exchange rate, Canada’s Wonderland’s season pass options are the most inexpensive of any Cedar Fair park. Though parking is not included with a gold pass, it can be added to your pass for just $52 CAD ($39.17 US)
Season Passholders at Canada’s Wonderland enjoy a wide array of benefits, including water park early entry (perfect if you want to be one of the first to leap from the new-for-2020 Mountain Bay Cliffs), food and merchandise discounts, ERT, as well as Exclusive Passholder Appreciation events throughout the season. Admission to Halloween Haunt and WinterFest will continue to be included for both Gold and Platinum passholders.
Carowinds
- New Season Pass Cost: Gold: $107.00
- Parking Included: Yes
- All-Season Dining: $96.00
- All-Season Beverages: $31.99
- All-Season Fast Lane: $350.00
- All-Season Fun Pix: $47.99
- Pre-K Pass Available: Yes
- All-Season Lockers: No
- Special Events Included: SCarowinds, Winterfest
Following five straight years of expansion Carowinds, Carowinds has shown no signs of slowing down with the addition of Copperhead Strike earlier this season, and the announced Boogie Board Racer and Grand Carnivale coming to Carowinds in 2020. Adding these attractions to the recently-expanded Camp Snoopy, County Fair, all new additions over the past four seasons, Carowinds is becoming more and more well rounded of a park. I hate that I don’t live closer to the park to take advantage of the $96.00 All-Season Dining plan. Carowinds’ Chef Kris is leading a culinary transformation at the place where the Carolinas come together, and some of the menu items are definitely not your typical theme-park fare!
Like several other parks on this list, Gold and Platinum Pass Holders receive admission to the park’s Halloween Haunt Event, SCarowinds, and their Winter event, WinterFest. Additional Season pass benefits include Early Access to Carolina Harbor, ERT (Exclusive Ride Time) and EST (Exclusive Splash Time), and a 10% Discount at Carowinds’ on-site Camp Wilderness Resort. With the Springhill Suites by Marriott at Carowinds opening later in 2019, I wonder if Gold/Platinum passholders will receive any perks as well. Guess we’ll have to wait and see!
Cedar Point
- New Season Pass Cost: $99.00 for the New Gold Pass
- Parking Included: New for 2020, Yes for both Gold and Platinum Passholders.
- All-Season Dining: $99.00
- All-Season Beverages: $31.99
- All-Season Fast Lane: $749
- All-Season Fun Pix: $51.99
- Pre-K Pass Available: Yes
- All-Season Lockers: No
- Special Events Included: Halloween Haunt, Halloweekends
- Additional Parks Included: Cedar Point Shores
Celebrating 150 years in 2019, Cedar Point has revamped their season pass program by adding a $99 Gold Pass for 2020 that includes parking. (As a point of reference, last year’s season pass — which did not include parking — was $137.) The flagship park in the chain features more rides than any other amusement park, including 17 roller coasters, highlighted by the record-breaking, new-for-2018 coaster, Steel Vengeance (Which we love, by the way!). If you truly want a VIP-feeling experience at Cedar Point, consider the $749 all-season Fast Lane Plus, which will significantly limit your waits on many of those 17 roller coasters.
In addition to their season pass now including parking, Cedar Point Gold Passholders receive discounts on Cedar Point hotel and resort stays, and 30-minute head start entrances on the general public to both Cedar Point and Cedar Point shores, admission to the latter also included with the Gold Pass.
Dorney Park
- New Season Pass Cost: $117.00
- Parking Included: Yes
- All-Season Dining: $105.00
- All-Season Beverages: $31.99
- All-Season Fast Lane: $175.00
- All-Season Fun Pix: N/A
- Pre-K Pass Available: Yes
- All-Season Lockers: $105.00
- Special Events Included: Halloween Haunt
Nestled between Philadelphia and New York City, Dorney Park’s season price pass is traditionally more in line with prices in those two cities. Dorney Park is enhancing its in-park water park, Wildwater Kingdom, with the addition of the Seaside Splashworks water play structure.
Parking is included with a Dorney Park season pass, along with admission to Halloween Haunt, early ride times and early access to Wildwater Kingdom. The $175 All-Season Fast Lane remains one of the more inexpensive all-season Fast Lanes chain-wide, and includes roller coasters like Steel Force, Talon and Hydra: The Revenge. Raising its cost by 40% this year, it makes us wonder if Dorney Park has a huge announcement coming in 2020 to ease the sticker shock of all-season Fast Lane prices increasing for 2021.
Kings Dominion
- New Season Pass Cost: $102.00
- Parking Included: Yes
- All-Season Dining: $92.00
- All-Season Beverages: $31.99
- All-Season Fast Lane: $275.00
- All-Season Fun Pix: $47.99
- Pre-K Pass Available: Yes
- All Season Lockers: $105.00
- Special Events Included: Halloween Haunt, WinterFest
2020 season passes at Kings Dominion remain one of the better deals in the commonwealth of Virginia at a cost of $102 for four seasons of fun. Your season pass will gain you admission to the park’s spring opening, Soak City Water Park (and new Coconut Shores) during the summer, admission to Halloween Haunt in the fall, and admission the returning WinterFest to close out the year in the winter. In our experience, Twisted Timbers is good in any season, (though does not operate during WinterFest)! Kings Dominion also has a Pre-K pass, for guests aged 3-5 who want to experience Kings Dominion’s recently-upgraded Planet Snoopy. Like Dorney Park, Kings Dominion also raised the cost of their All-Season Fastlane this year…perhaps the park is looking ahead to “Expeditions on the Horizon?”
Season passholders at Kings Dominion can enjoy free parking, as well as food and merchandise discounts. With several of the premier coasters at Kings Dominion like Twisted Timbers and Intimidator 305 requiring lockers, the $105 all-season locker seems like a great deal if you’ll be visiting at least 10 times during the operating season. Kings Dominion is another park in the Cedar Fair chain who is constantly upgrading their dining options, including the new latin and asian experience coming to Coconut Shores, so definitely consider purchasing the $92.00 all-season dining plan as well.
Kings Island
- New Season Pass Cost: $110.00
- Parking Included: Yes
- All-Season Dining: $110
- All-Season Beverages: $31.99
- All-Season Fast Lane: $529.00
- All-Season Fun Pix: $47.99
- Pre-K Pass Available: No
- All-Season Lockers: $120.00
- Special Events Included: Halloween Haunt, WinterFest
Gi-Ga! Gi-Ga! Gi-Ga! Kings Island Season Passholders might be some of the luckiest in the chain this year, as they have the longest, fastest, and tallest steel roller coaster at the park coming to Kings Island in 2020 in the form of Orion. Passholders have the perk of Early Ride Time on a variety of attractions, and if past experience is any indication, Orion might be one of those attractions. They also have included free parking, special passholder-exclusive events and promotions, unlimited visits to Halloween Haunt and WinterFest, and early access to Soak City, Kings Island’s water park.
Like with Cedar Point, given the proximity of the two parks (the two closest major parks to each other in the Cedar Fair chain — about 3.5 hours away), we would recommend looking into a Platinum Pass over a Gold Pass for Kings Island, especially if you plan on visiting both parks in one season.
Knott’s Berry Farm
- New Season Pass Cost: Regular: $99.00, Gold: $120.00
- Parking Included: Only included with Platinum Pass, Can be added for $75 to a regular or gold pass
- All-Season Dining: $105
- All-Season Beverages: $31.99
- All-Season Fast Lane: $525.00
- All-Season Fun Pix: $49.99
- Pre-K Pass Available: No
- All-Season Lockers: $150
- Special Events Included: Knott’s Merry Farm (Season pass holders get a discount on Knott’s Scary Farm, or full-season access for $100.00)
- Additional Parks Included: Knott’s Soak City (With a gold or platinum pass.)
Another Cedar Fair park celebrating an anniversary this year, Knott’s Berry Farm announced the season long “A Knott’s Family Reunion” event to celebrate the milestone. The event will be a once-in-a-lifetime celebration featuring festive park décor, themed food items, unique entertainment, exclusive merchandise and special surprises along the way, all paying homage to the nostalgia that surrounds the historic theme park. Details about the festivities will be announced in the coming months.
If I lived out on the West Coast, I’d purchase my season pass from Knott’s, just because of the design!
While All-Season Parking and Knott’s Scary Farm are not included in the base season price pass at either the Regular or Gold level, Knott’s is still definitely one of the best deals in Southern California theme parks when it comes to season passes. Knott’s is located less than 20 minutes from Disneyland and 90 minutes from Universal Studios Hollywood. Even adding in the $75 all-season parking cost and $100 Knott’s Scary Farm season admission price, Knott’s is still cheaper than both Universal and Disney season passes, has no blackout dates for attendance, includes Hotel Discounts at the Knott’s Berry Farm Hotel, entry into Knott’s Soak City at the Gold Pass Level and above, and most importantly: Boysenberries!
Michigan’s Adventure
- New Season Pass Cost: $91.00
- Parking Included: Platinum Passholders Only. All others pay $46.00
- All-Season Dining: $91
- All-Season Beverages: $31.99
- All-Season Fast Lane: $99
- All-Season Fun Pix: N/A
- Pre-K Pass Available: No
- All-Season Lockers: No
- Special Events Included: N/A
From 2018 to 2019, there was no change in the prices for Season Passes or Season Pass perks at Cedar Fair’s smallest park, Michigan’s Adventure. From 2019-2020, there was not much of an increase, with season passes and all-season dining costs going up an entire four quarters ($1.00) between the seasons.
Michigan’s Adventure doesn’t offer many of the bells and whistles of other parks in the chain like Funpix, Halloween Haunt or a Winter event, however their $99 all-season Fast Lane is the least expensive of any Cedar Fair Park. With the addition of Camp Snoopy this year, maybe Michigan’s Adventure will look into a Pre-K pass for future years.
Valleyfair
- New Season Pass Cost: $78.00
- Parking Included: Yes
- All-Season Dining: $78.00
- All-Season Beverages: $31.99
- All-Season Fast Lane: $150.00
- All-Season Fun Pix: N/A
- Pre-K Pass Available: Yes
- All-Season Lockers: No
- Special Events Included: ValleySCARE!
Another park that basically stayed constant with many of its season pass and perk prices (increasing $1.00 on season pass and dining, $15.00 for All-Season Fast Lane), Valleyfair has both the cheapest Gold season pass cost and cheapest all-season dining plan (both $78.00) of any domestic Cedar Fair park. In theory, if you developed a taste for theme park food, you go to Valleyfair every day during the season, park for free, ride some great coasters like the GCI Woodie, Renegade, and Morgan Hypercoaster, Wild Thing, eat lunch and dinner at the park, and only pay $156+ tax to do it. Definitely one of the most cost effective season-pass dining methods.
Valleyfair announced that Grand Carnivale would be arriving at the park in Summer 2020. If you’ve yet to experience Grand Carnivale in person, it will astound you!
Worlds of Fun
- New Season Pass Cost: $105.00
- Parking Included: Yes
- All-Season Dining: $98.00
- All-Season Beverages: $31.99
- All-Season Fast Lane: $215.00
- All-Season Fun Pix: $44.99
- Pre-K Pass Available: Yes
- All-Season Lockers: $120.00
- Special Events Included: Halloween Haunt, WinterFest
Riptide Raceway is making a big splash at Oceans of Fun in 2020, and the park’s Haunt and WinterFest are often regarded as some of the best in the chain. So why haven’t you purchased your Worlds of Fun Gold Pass yet?
Passholders at Worlds of Fun have free parking, early park and water park access, and several unique other perks.
Cedar Fair Platinum Pass
- New Season Pass Cost: $197.00
- Parking Included: Yes, at all Cedar Fair Parks
- All-Season Dining: $130.00
- All-Season Beverages: $29.99
- All-Season Fast Lane: $849.00
- All-Season Fun Pix: Price paid valid at all Cedar Fair parks
- Pre-K Pass Available: No
- Special Events Included: All Halloween Events except Knott’s Scary Farm (Discounts available). All Winter events included.
- Additional Parks Included: All parks listed above plus Schlitterbahn New Braunfels and Schlitterbahn Galveston.
Admittedly, 2020 will mark five consecutive years that I have been a Cedar Fair Platinum Passholder, and as long as I’m writing for Coaster101, I don’t think I would have it any other way. If you’re like me, and travel to different theme parks multiple times a year, a Cedar Fair Platinum Pass is a card that you can’t leave home without. In the past season, I’ve made multiple trips to Carowinds and Kings Dominion, with multiple trips to both parks, not to mention a trip to Worlds of Fun planned later this year. If you added up just my single-day parking costs at each park, my pass will be already paid for. By the time this article has posted, I will have renewed my pass for 2020.
Back in June, Cedar Fair agreed to purchase the two Schlitterbahn Water Parks in Texas, one in Galveston, as well as the flagship location in New Braunfels, and as of January 7, 2020, both of these water parks will also be included in a Cedar Fair platinum pass. (And for those keeping score at home, the 2020 over 2019 price for a Platinum Pass increased just $2.00, one dollar for each world-class water park added to Cedar Fair’s portfolio. Not a bad deal at all!)
You can click the above links for your home Cedar Fair park to purchase your Platinum Pass.
Cheat Sheet
Did you come down to the bottom of this long article for a “TL;DR” graphic? Well you’re in luck!
As we noted earlier, these prices are current as of August 17, and subject to increase multiple times. Generally the rule is if you plan on purchasing a Cedar Fair season pass, the sooner, the better!
Which Cedar Fair parks will you be visiting in 2020 and which passes will you be purchasing? Let us know in the comments below!
Why are they not including Dollywood and six flags Ga I wonder in the platinum pass?
World’s of fun is the best!!
@Audra: Cedar Fair doesn’t own parks at Dollywood or Six Flags. That’s why they’re not included.
Thanks for the great info! I just purchased my 2020 Platinum Pass. I’m going to Cedar Point next week so I purchased the passes through that park. However, I actually live closer to Canada’s Wonderland and plan to visit there this October. The chart seems to indicate that I can use my platinum pass to get into Wonderland’s haunt for free. Is that accurate or would I have to purchase a haunt ticket as Cedar Point is my “home” park?
If I purchase a Platinum pass to visit all Cedar Fair parks AND purchase the meal plan, will the meal plan be available to use at all the parks?