SANDUSKY, Ohio — Editor's note: Video at the top of this story features a front-seat ride of Cedar Point's Steel Vengeance roller coaster.
Big changes are coming to Cedar Point for the 2022 season as the Sandusky amusement park will stop accepting cash.
But they're not alone in this new policy. Cedar Fair, the parent company of Cedar Point, says all of their parks will go cashless starting next spring.
“For those guests who may not have credit or debit cards, they can convert cash to prepaid debit cards at the cash-to-card kiosks stationed around the parks,” Cedar Fair spokesperson Gary Rhodes tells 3News in an e-mail.
Kings Island, which is Cedar Fair’s other Ohio park located near Cincinnati, went cashless earlier this year. Other Cedar Fair parks also currently operating on a cashless basis include Worlds of Fun, Valleyfair and Carowinds.
“There are plenty of benefits, both for guests and our parks,” Rhodes said. “Cashless transactions are faster, safer and more secure. Guests can spend less time in the check-out waiting on change and more time hitting up their favorite rides or other attractions.”
Rhodes said their parks also benefit from a cashless system.
“There’s no need to pay for armored cars to haul currency back and forth from the parks,” he continued. “No more time and labor spent counting cash. Those resources can be redirected toward guest-facing services or operations. And from a practical standpoint, it’s getting harder and harder to find coins.”
He added that park guests “have responded very favorably going to cashless,” calling the decision “a non-event for most.”
Cedar Fair owns and operates 11 amusement parks across the country.