Stop us if you’ve heard this one before, but…2020 has been a weird year, especially for theme parks. Across the Cedar Fair family of parks, all of their properties had to delay the start of their operating calendar. Some parks (along with a shiny new giga coaster at Kings Island) got to open for an abbreviated season. Several parks didn’t get open at all. Halloween Haunt and Winterfest across the chain? Cancelled. New rides and entertainment, along with milestone anniversary celebrations at Cedar Point and Knott’s Berry Farm have been pushed to 2021. Fortunately, despite the uncertainty of 2020, in mid-April, Cedar Fair made the gracious decision to extend all season passes for all of their parks through the 2021 operating season. If your home park didn’t open in 2020, the company also announced a Season Pass Perk in the form of a $50 spend to be used in the parks when they reopened in 2021. For those passholders lucky enough to get some duration of a park season this year, you’re effectively getting a season and a half-ish of theme park fun for the price of just one season.
However, if you didn’t take our advice back in April and buy a 2020 season pass while the parks were closed, you might be interested as to just what it will cost for your return to the parks with a 2021 season pass and respective upgrades across Cedar Fair’s parks.
[Author’s Note: These Prices Are Current as of 9/14/2020, and several parks have not made final announcements for 2021 Season Pass Options – These will be noted below. Dining Plan Information is from 2019, courtesy of CPFoodBlog.]
California’s Great America
- New Season Pass Cost: Silver: $66.99, Gold: $81.99
- Parking Included: For Gold & Platinum Passholders
- All-Season Dining: $83.00
- All-Season Beverages: $32.99
- All-Season Fast Lane: $260.00
- All-Season Fun Pix: $45.99
- 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)
A park that did not open in 2020, California’s Great America will debut South Bay Shores in 2021. With only a $15 difference between a silver and a gold pass, we’d recommend a gold pass for anyone who is going to drive to the park in their own car during the season — you will get to park all season for less than the cost of parking for one day.
Canada’s Wonderland
As of this posting Canada’s Wonderland has not announced on-sale prices for 2021 Season Passes or add-ons, only noting that they are on-sale soon. Stay tuned to their website and social media for more information.
Cedar Fair’s lone Canadian property was another park that is yet to open in 2021, but has not made a definitive announcement as to whether or not the park will try to salvage any of 2020, should local and national governments allow them to open. (Compared to announcements from other Cedar Fair parks stating that they will reopen in 2021.) The following information was the cost information for their 2020 passes, as of August 2019.
- 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.
Carowinds
- New Season Pass Cost: Gold: $99.00
- Parking Included: Yes
- All-Season Dining: $96.00
- All-Season Beverages: $32.99, VIP Metal Tumbler: $49.99
- All-Season Fast Lane: $350.00
- All-Season Fun Pix: $49.99
- Pre-K Pass Available: Yes
- All-Season Lockers: No
- Special Events Included: SCarowinds, Winterfest
Carowinds did not open in 2020, but will welcome Grand Carnivale to the park’s midways, as well as Boogie Board Racer, the longest mat racing water slide in the southeast to Carolina Harbor, the park’s in-park water park.
Cedar Point
- New Season Pass Cost: $119.00
- Parking Included: Yes
- All-Season Dining: $119
- All-Season Beverages: $32.99
- All-Season Fast Lane: $775
- All-Season Fun Pix: $64.99
- Pre-K Pass Available: Yes
- All-Season Lockers: No
- Special Events Included: Halloween Haunt, Halloweekends
- Additional Parks Included: Cedar Point Shores
While Cedar Point did get a shortened season out of 2020, the park’s 150th Anniversary Celebration, which included a night-time parade and a renovated museum, has been postponed until 2021. Also postponed to 2021 was the debut of Snake River Expedition, a spieling boat ride.
Dorney Park 
- New Season Pass Cost: $89.00
- Parking Included: Yes
- All-Season Dining: $89.00
- All-Season Beverages: $32.99
- All-Season Fast Lane: $225.00
- All-Season Fun Pix*: $44.99
- Pre-K Pass Available: Yes
- All-Season Lockers: $105.00
- Special Events Included: Halloween Haunt
Dorney Park’s season passes and all-season dining plans are significantly less expensive than they were just year ago. A park that hasn’t had FunPix in the past, Dorney Park has added the option for Fun Foto at the park in 2021, which at first glance, does all the same things FunPix does. The park will also add the new Seaside Splashworks water play area inside of Wildwater Kingdom.
Kings Dominion
- New Season Pass Cost: $89.00
- Parking Included: Yes
- All-Season Dining: $89.00
- All-Season Beverages: $32.99
- All-Season Fast Lane: $299.00
- All-Season Fun Pix: $49.99
- Pre-K Pass Available: Yes
- All Season Lockers: $105.00
- Special Events Included: Halloween Haunt, WinterFest
Kings Dominion did not open in 2020, but will feature Soak City’s newest addition in 2021: the family-friendly Coconut Shores, featuring a splash pad and mini wave pool, perfect for younger “water bugs.” The park will also boast several new and exciting food options next season. As for the “Expeditions on the Horizon,” I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.
Kings Island
- New Season Pass Cost: $130.00
- Parking Included: Yes
- All-Season Dining: $115.00
- All-Season Beverages: $32.99
- All-Season Fast Lane: Sold Out*
- All-Season Fun Pix: $47.99
- Pre-K Pass Available: No
- All-Season Lockers: Sold Out*
- Special Events Included: Halloween Haunt, WinterFest
Orion wins our award for best new attraction of 2020 to open at a Cedar Fair park, and not just because it was the only 2020 attraction addition to open this year. Because Kings Island’s season was extended into October, the all-season Fast Lane Passes and all-season lockers (good for 2021) currently show as “sold out,” but we’re guessing/hoping that these will go on-sale again in once Kings Island ends their 2020 campaign.
Knott’s Berry Farm
- New Season Pass Cost: Regular: $101.00, Gold: $125.00
- Parking Included: Only included with Platinum Pass, Can be added for $75 to a regular or gold pass
- All-Season Dining: $135.00
- All-Season Beverages: $31.99
- All-Season Fast Lane: Not Available
- All-Season Fun Pix: $49.99
- Pre-K Pass Available: No
- All-Season Lockers: $160, only available to Gold & Platinum Passholders
- Special Events Included: Knott’s Merry Farm (Season pass holders get a discount on Knott’s Scary Farm, or full-season access is $TBD)
- Additional Parks Included: Knott’s Soak City (With a gold or platinum pass.)
While Knott’s Berry Farm’s rides have not yet opened in 2020, the park has managed to create multiple outdoor food festivals during the COVID park shutdown. As Cedar Fair’s lone 365-day operation park, there is still a chance that the park could open in 2020, and many of these prices reflect a “good for 2020 and 2021” value on the Knott’s website. (This is also why all-season drinks are listed as $31.99) As with any number on this list, they are subject to change (and are the most likely on this list to do so). When the park opens, Knott’s Beary Tales: Return to the Farm will be ready to go, and in 2021, Knott’s will host its postponed 100th Anniversary celebration.
Michigan’s Adventure
- New Season Pass Cost: $93.00
- Parking Included: Platinum Passholders Only. All others pay $46.00
- All-Season Dining: $93.00
- All-Season Beverages: $32.99
- All-Season Fast Lane: $109.00
- All-Season Fun Foto: $TBD
- Pre-K Pass Available: No
- All-Season Lockers: No
- Special Events Included: N/A
Michigan’s Adventure got to open this summer in a “water park only” capacity, meaning that the park’s debuting Camp Snoopy kids area will be delayed until 2021. Like Dorney Park and Valleyfair, Michigan’s Adventure was a park that previously did not have FunPix, but will debut the new “Fun Foto” in 2021. Prices were not available at the time of this writing, but will be available soon.
Valleyfair
- New Season Pass Cost: $78.00
- Parking Included: Yes
- All-Season Dining: $79.00
- All-Season Beverages: $32.99
- All-Season Fast Lane: $229.00
- All-Season Fun Foto: $TBD
- Pre-K Pass Available: Yes
- All-Season Lockers: No
- Special Events Included: ValleySCARE!
Like several other parks on this list, Minnesota’s Valleyfair did not see have a 2020 season, but will be the beneficiary of Grand Carnivale coming to the park in 2021, as well as the debut of Fun Foto, for which prices were not quite available at the time of this writing.
Worlds of Fun
- New Season Pass Cost: $89.00
- Parking Included: Yes
- All-Season Dining: $89.00
- All-Season Beverages: $32.99
- All-Season Fast Lane: $230.00
- All-Season Fun Pix: $49.99
- Pre-K Pass Available: Yes
- All-Season Lockers: $120.00
- Special Events Included: Halloween Haunt, WinterFest
While Worlds of Fun was the first of the Cedar Fair “dry” parks to open this season, unfortunately, Oceans of Fun remained dry as well, meaning that the debut of the World’s longest mat racing water slide, Rip Tide Raceway, will be delayed until 2021. However, for $178+tax, you can ride Worlds of Fun’s great coaster line up and eat at Cotton Blossom BBQ every day you want. What a deal!
Schlitterbahn Water Parks
The newest member of the Cedar Fair family, admission to Schlitterbahn Water Parks was included with Cedar Fair Platinum Passes starting in January 2020. Though the two parks have the same pricing structure, season pass admission is only valid at its respective park.
Schlitterbahn Galveston
- New Season Pass Cost: $99.99
- Parking Included: Yes
- All-Season Dining: $94.99
- All-Season Beverages: $32.99
- All-Season Photos: $39.99
Schlitterbahn New Braunfels
- New Season Pass Cost: $99.99
- Parking Included: Yes
- All-Season Dining: $94.99
- All-Season Beverages: $32.99
- All-Season Photos: $39.99
Cedar Fair Platinum Pass
- New Season Pass Cost: $197.00
- Parking Included: Yes, at all Cedar Fair Parks
- All-Season Dining: $132.00 (Not Valid at Schlitterbahn Parks)
- All-Season Beverages: $32.99
- All-Season Fast Lane: $875.00
- All-Season Fun Pix: Price paid valid at all Cedar Fair parks (Not Valid at Schlitterbahn)
- Pre-K Pass Available: No
- Special Events Included: All Halloween Events except Knott’s Scary Farm (Discounts available). All Winter events included.
I’ve been a platinum passholder for five years now. While my pass didn’t really leave my wallet in 2020, (again, weird year!), I’m looking forward to getting back to the parks in 2021!
TL;DR
If you’re visually minded, this chart is for you.
If you’re curious about how numbers have changed from 2020 Season Pass Sales in Fall 2019 to 2021 Season Pass numbers, we’ve included last year’s chart. Some numbers have gone up, others have gone down.
If you for some reason did not have a 2020 Cedar Fair pass that already includes 2021, be sure to buy your 2021 passes now before prices go up!
Article would be more informative if you actually showed the changes in prices from 2020 early season prices at this time.. ie….Cedar Point & Kings Island both increased Gold Passes by $20. Kings Dominion decreased Gold Passes by $13, Carowinds by $8,WOF by $16 and Dorney by a whopping $28.
All Season Platinum Fast Lane is $875 not $849
@Grobble — Made the change! Thanks!
@CED: It’d be more informative, but the point of the article is what you’re going to pay now. I’ll make an add about increases/decreases at the bottom.
The pricing for season passes at the Schlitterbahn Parks has been released. The basic 2021season pass is $99.99 at both parks. Parking is included at both parks.
Can 2021 platinum purchased at California great America be used in cedar point Sandusky?
yes