Fingerprint Season Passes?

[JimPanky]

So SFGAm is consider changing the season passes. Right now we have photo's on them to identify that you are the proper season pass holder. The downfall of that is the long lines at season pass processing.

The new process they are considering is using a fingerprint instead. You would get your ID card right at the turnstyle and simply scan your finger. You would then scan your finger on each entry into the park. You would not have to stand in the long pass processing lines to get your photo taken.

I am for the fingerprint system. Not having to stand in the pass processing lines is worth it!

Do you guys agree they should go to this or do you think they should keep it the same?

[Ilovthevu']

I think they should keep it the way it is. I have had trouble and other people have had trouble especially at the Universal Studios parks with the finger scanner. I even had trouble at a Disney park with it once, and those are my tickets. I don't give them to anyone else. The finger scanner will only backup the lines more than what it is to get into the park. I think Disney does have a better finger scanner than Universal, but it's just another headache. In regards to you don't want to wait in line for processing, that's really the parks fault. They know that the line gets backed up so much, so thus they should build yet another processing place on the other side of the park.

It's also their fault with making the season passes so cheap that so many people aren't buying tickets. They go to get a season pass instead. About everytime I've been to the park this year, I haven't seen many people at all buy tickets at the booth on the left at the front entrance. Times have changed obviously. People are taking advantage of the season pass so much that the processing is ridiculous, and thus the infrastructure should expand.

For the dining pass, that again is their fault for not figuring out what they are going to do at the end of the year when they had the season passes on sale in September / October. They made people (if you wanted to buy the dining pass) buy it when the park opened up again even though people stood in line in Sept / Oct to get there season pass, and than you had to stand again in the season pass processing line in May to add dining plan to the pass. If the park would have offered the new dining plan on the season pass in Sept / Oct, they would have had less lines at the processing center when they opened. Too much is done at the processing center, that they need another processing center. People also had to get the season pass book at the processing center.

I also find it ironic that they are conducting this survey at Six Flags St. Louis. They aren't getting nearly as many people as our park or another bigger park in the chain would get. Unless the people getting into the park don't know what they are doing or have a big problem, the ticket taker / season pass taker people are NOT the problem whatsoever. I don't have a problem with ticket taker people at all. They are super fast with people. It's the metal detectors before the ticket taker people that are the problem, and SFGAm does not have ENOUGH space inbetween the metal detectors & the ticket taker people for them not to open the gates 15 minutes early. Going around the flowerbed in the middle is also a headache for me because everyone just cuts in front of everyone the way it is now especially the bus people.

[DeathbyDinn]

I also find it ironic that they are conducting this survey at Six Flags St. Louis. They aren't getting nearly as many people as our park or another bigger park in the chain would get

SFSTl still gets long lines at their pass processing too. Besides, if they didn't why wouldn't they give the survey there? Season passes are chain wide, if one park switches to this system - they're all going to.

[ViperFTW]

I got the online survey just the other day about this. The survey asked about season pass processing and how long it took me this year and how long it normally takes. It then went into explaining this whole fingerprint idea and how it would mostly save time for pass processing. It seemed that their biggest concern on this would be that some would feel it as a "violation of privacy" (or at least that's how I think the survey put it). Anyway, I'm sort of lost for a side with this one. It would take away the need for pass processing, but I feel there would be more problems with people getting into the park.

[Johnny.Ink]

I got the online survey just the other day about this. The survey asked about season pass processing and how long it took me this year and how long it normally takes. It then went into explaining this whole fingerprint idea and how it would mostly save time for pass processing. It seemed that their biggest concern on this would be that some would feel it as a "violation of privacy" (or at least that's how I think the survey put it). Anyway, I'm sort of lost for a side with this one. It would take away the need for pass processing, but I feel there would be more problems with people getting into the park.

If it means we do this one time, and don't have to keep getting a new card each year, then cool.

If not, just do what Cedar Fair does and not have a picture on the card, but a system that brings your picture up when they scan the card.

Then I can just renew the card each year. Done

[Mr. D.T.]

So SFGAm is consider changing the season passes. Right now we have photo's on them to identify that you are the proper season pass holder. The downfall of that is the long lines at season pass processing.

The new process they are considering is using a fingerprint instead. You would get your ID card right at the turnstyle and simply scan your finger. You would then scan your finger on each entry into the park. You would not have to stand in the long pass processing lines to get your photo taken.

I am for the fingerprint system. Not having to stand in the pass processing lines is worth it!

Do you guys agree they should go to this or do you think they should keep it the same?

One simple word: NO!

Sure technology is supposed to be convenient, but at the same time, aren't we going a little too far with it? Just like the computer needs an update every day? Why did we get internet on our phones in the first place?

I am personally satisfactory of season pass lines the way it is. In fact, what they could do is reserve a few turnstiles to season pass holders, which would make the lines go faster. I think the 'fingerprint' concept would cause more harm than good, just like 'self-checkouts' have made lines slower instead of faster. And think of the glitches: Pay By Touch used to have that same concept -- then they went bankrupt...gone...dud.

[JimPanky]

WDW uses fingerprints for all tickets and castmember id's. I never had any issues with the system. It always worked. I never got a false negative. It was very quick and easy.

[Chitown]

People need to get over the paranoia of finger printing. If you have no skeletons in your closet, you have nothing to worry about. Besides, these parks aren't in the business of spying on you. Busch Gardens in Tampa has this system and it works just fine. I have no problem with it.

[Luxornv]

If you have no skeletons in your closet, you have nothing to worry about.

That's not the point of the paranoia, but that's a completely different issue.

I'm probably the most paranoid person on this forum as far as thinking the government is spying on us. However, it all depends on who is collecting the information, in this case, finger print. We're talking about Great America and other amusement parks using this, and I honestly have no problem with them doing so if it helps speed up the process through the gates and pass processing. They won't be sharing their information with the government, so it won't be an issue. Besides, if the government wanted the info, they could find out lots of other stuff about you by getting your purchase records from your credit card company and bank and other fun ways.

With the fingerprint though, I think the lack of fingerprinting was holding them back in some areas. If you've been to Orlando in the last few years, you know just about all of the parks there use a fingerprint. This allows them to offer the package deals like week long tickets and combo tickets for certain days. If they didn't fingerprint customers, I could theoretically buy one of these tickets, use it for a few days, and then sell the remainder or give it to a friend. This was likely a concern for these parks when this came out, but it's very difficult to do that if it's linked to something unique to me. Perhaps we may see a new price structure as far as tickets and passes if they roll this out.

[Ilovthevu']

I don't think the park is that worried about having tickets for a week for SFGAm. Disney is different because they have so many parks, and a ticket there is really, really expensive. They have discounts for people buying so many days - like 10 days, and than it would make sense for people to sell their 6 day ticket off to someone. The more days you buy, the cheaper EACH DAY becomes.

Guests might complain about the pass processing line, but the reason I see Six Flags really having this idea of a fingerprint instead of what they are doing now is to save a lot of money. They can get rid of most of those people in the pass processing center that are working everyday from open to close, and they can save money on the passes by just having generic passes instead of pictures on passes. They are really trying to cost cut as much as possible, and this is another plan of theirs to do so.

[JimPanky]

I dont see a need for multi-day passes with the price of season passes. If you are planning on going more than once it's worth it to get a season pass.

[kossdude1]

I think either fingerprints or how Cedar Fair does it would be GREAT! But the real explanation for long lines at pass processing could be that the building is just TOO SMALL. Think about it, when you're trying to cram all those people into a tight space. If they don't do those fingerprinting or how Cedar Fair does it, they should remodel/expand the pass processing center (maybe invest in a new building and take out 3 point challenge, equipped with queue handrails outside/around it to make Hometown Square easier to walk through during opening day and fright fest with long lines?). It's an idea. Also, I know they just did the entrance new this year but so far it seems a bit inefficient. Maybe rethinking the layout, like towards middle of new structure open up for people with no bags and then towards the outside have table for people with bags and remove the metal detectors, or redo the landscaping at the front of the park to make the front gate more efficient....

[kossdude1]

Maybe a do it yourself processing center, where you insert or scan your voucher for your pass (as well as parking and dining if purchased), then put your fingerprint where it tells you to. Then, out pops your season pass. Then at the exit of the processing center, hand your voucher to an attendant or scan your card to get your season pass savings booklet. The scanning or presenting of the voucher could ensure that you're not coming back for more than one savings booklet. Or maybe just have a designated area to pick up your booklet. Or why not set up pass kiosks OUTSIDE the center with a little cover-up to block the sun, any way to speed up processing and getting in the park.....

[UWW-10]

Are we talking about entering an amusement park or making sure there isn't a breech of security to some top secret facility?? Don't get me wrong....technology has drastically changed life as we know it but at what point do you stop and think, "In the long run, are we really easing the process?"

As already mentioned, half the problem stems from a building that can't withstand the processing crowd. If the park constructed a building/remodeled that could house the people, it probably wouldn't be as bad. The other problem is people that are totally clueless of what's going on......and that will never change no matter what system you go to!

[FParker185]

Well, this isn't just for SFGAm, they would have to replace every season pass processing building at every park chain wide, since huge pass processing lines are an issue pretty much chain wide. That would likely cost a lot more than switching to biometrics. That's probably what SF is trying to figure out, weather to spend the money or if people would accept the new system before investing heavily in it.

Unlike that Indiana Beach did with the barcode scanners on every ride in the park, some salesperson convinced the park it was the greatest invention since POP admission. Now guests hate them, employees hate them, the park hates them in general, but it was a costly system and you can't just throw it all in the trash.

[BBH]

My HP laptop has a great fingerprint scanner, you simply slide your finger over the sensor and it catches up on it immediately. I don't see why they can't implement a similar fingerprinting system. I've tried numerous fingerprint scanners in the past, and my laptop's one works best.

[Brewersdawg828]

Has the park starting scanning fingerprints again? If not, have they decided to just shut down the whole idea for the season?

[anewman35]

They were scanning fingers when I was there a week and a half ago.

[Carlo]

I believe they are doing bio metrics scanning at select times at the park. Just like Disney does. So sometimes they are scanning your bio metrics others times they are not. I suspect it is based on the line to get into the park. If it is getting very long they skip the bio metrics to speed up entry.

[ilrider]

^That is exactly what is happening. They do not do it at park open for obvious reasons, but start when the lines die down.

[Brewersdawg828]

Six flags should just switch back to e picture ids

[w00dland]

I believe they are doing bio metrics scanning at select times at the park. Just like Disney does. So sometimes they are scanning your bio metrics others times they are not. I suspect it is based on the line to get into the park. If it is getting very long they skip the bio metrics to speed up entry.

I wonder how many season pass holders have figured that out and started bringing their friends for free? I'm sure its a pretty big minority, but it seems pretty easy to accomplish.

[Foltzy]

I believe they are doing bio metrics scanning at select times at the park. Just like Disney does. So sometimes they are scanning your bio metrics others times they are not. I suspect it is based on the line to get into the park. If it is getting very long they skip the bio metrics to speed up entry.

Actually now with MagicBands they match up the biometrics with the band. This prevents transferring bands with annual passes. So they always use the biometrics
(I know way to much about disney)

[Brewersdawg828]

Another problem I encountered today at the park was that while trying to get into the park I had to use the scanner and it took like 2 minutes for it to finally scan... I still think we should just go back to picture id's

[dlmtechnology]

Leaving the pass processing building the way it is, go back to picture id's, you can submit your photo online and have your id ready for you to pickup on a day your going to be there (or have it mailed to you), keep the firehouse closed or have an employee make a gap in the queue line so people can order pizza, but for the first month of the season or until lines die down to a manageable level taking the outdoor seating area out of the firehouse, install a temporary queue house there so the line doesn't snake around hometown square to carousel plaza.


A few strategically placed Kiosks around the park, verify your voucher by scanning it, and asking to confirm its yours, you say yes, out prints your pass with the photo you emailed the park. Pass can't be printed at any other kiosk then. No need for pass processing at all.

- or -

Kiosks could be setup like a Photo Booth and you take your picture yourself...either way you get one shot at printing it, once it prints you are done with the kiosks.