Preferred Parking????

[PollyPoPo]

On the TRF FB, others post page, someone asked:  So why are people who get up early to get to the festival and get close parking spaces rows 4 or 5 being asked to pay $10? Are we punished for wanting to get to the faire?

Response was:  The Texas Renaissance Festival That is preferred parking.
Parking is free.
~The King

Anybody know anything about the $10 for parking closer?

Didn't see any signs to that effect 1st weekend. 

[Zardoz]

for what it's worth, I came in the parking entry off CR302 and parked on row 3 and I can assure you I didn't pay extra. If somebody laid that on me I honestly would have turned around and went home

[Sir Martin]

First time I've ever heard of this.   I don't know of anyone who has ever paid for parking at TRF.

[nolekhan]

Is this post still up? I couldn't find it. There is a post reinforcing free parking. Did someone get scammed?

[PollyPoPo]

The post has disappeared.  It was there (I have a print screen of it).  The poster who asks a question can remove a post and all replies to that post go away.  The owner of the page can also remove a post.  (Kind of like the name the baby Texas Rennaisance page disappeared.)

There was a reply by TRF stating it was Preferred Parking.  I have not found a reference to that on the TRF website or here.  

We were there opening weekend about 8:30 each day and did not see any such Preferred Parking signs in Row 4.

[dbaldock]

I saw several signs this morning on the drive into the TRF property that said Right Lane for Free Parking, and Left Lane for $10 King's Preferred Parking.  The Left Lane went straight toward the lower numbered rows, and the Right Lane curved around to the higher numbered rows.  Since I was running later than usual, I ended up on row 11.  While walking toward the gate, I did notice several rows (probably 4 & 5) that were empty.  Seems like row 3, where I normally park when I get there really early, was full of cars like usual.

[Breandan]

i.e., someone there is lying through their teeth if they are still claiming it is free. They say the parking is free, yet are charging for it- even if only for a section- and not advertising it as such on tickets or the website. I just scoured their brochures, not a bloody thing about "preferred parking". I swear, their uncoordinated, frantic, unprofessional flailing to grab an extra buck here and there is just going to wind up LOSING them money. First, the tawdry marketing stunt with the baby naming, then they are associated with a BBB-complaint-ridden company with a long history of fraudulent advertising using bait-and-switch contest marketing tactics at the front gate, and the hyper-commercialization inside with corporate logos all over the place on signs, and now this. What's next, wet t-shirt contests at opening gate? Kirby and Amway salespeople next to the beefeaters? Slapping DuMontrond ads on the horses in the joust? Yeesh!

[PollyPoPo]

Curses, Breandon,   because of your post I had to look up yet another name/word with which I was unfamiliar.  DuMontrond, never heard of it until today.  (And I've already had to learn way too much about speakers, db and how to throw a rave because of the raver noise threads.)

Just thinking, this is one of those money-making ideas that might backfire rapidly if rows are left empty by cannon.  

On the other hand, mentioned it to my Son who said he would be happy to pay $10 to park closer.  On the other, other hand, parking near front of row 6 would be a lot closer than parking at end of row 4 or 5.  How about reserved parking next?  People could pay in advance and be issued specific parking places.  (Sarcasm here)  

[KiltedPrivateer]

Sounds like a page from the book of the airlines (o;

[Breandan]

If they want to impress people and not come off as a money-starved desperate theme park looking to milk every penny, and in the process actually make MORE money by showing themselves to be a company of integrity, why not turn those first four rows into family parking for families with small children and strollers? Parking for expectant mothers? More handicapped parking?

Get your hand out of my coin pouch, cutpurse! 

[dbaldock]

I guess setting aside preferred parking is similar to what other Faires do for people who purchase "Friends of Faire" passes/tickets, except TRF doesn't have FOF...

[Breandan]

I am not against them having special parking so much as I am honked off that you don't find out about it until you are pulling into the parking lanes. It should be, for full disclosure, on their website at the very least. It just seems like desperation and a disorganized, poorly-thought-out, flailing scatter approach to find any way to squeeze a little more money out of people. This worries me, as it is indicative of a much deeper problem with organization and management. After 90% of the front office were canned and replaced, we were all told things would get better, and in some areas they have. However, I am still very concerned with how this is developing. Some people take my criticisms to mean that I dislike TRF. I dislike Scarby, yet you don't hear much come from me regarding it. Why? Because I could care less if Scarby succeeded or failed, I don't care for it. I care for TRF, I love this faire, hence why I am railing and rocking the boat to try to get the Powers That Be to realize that they are in a wood building with big glass windows, not an ivory tower, and they need to be aware of, listen to, and not condescendingly dismiss the concerns of their patronage. Believe me, they have had enough bad press in the past, mismanagement and poor marketing only lay the groundwork for another fiasco. I don't want to see that happen, but if the people who have the ability to make such changes won't listen, then I wash my hands of the whole mess and walk away from it. I can't fix that which wants to remain broken.

[DonaCatalina]

The Friends of Faire reserved parking at Scarborough was advertised at least 8 months before it was ever put in force. Waiting until the faire is already underway to change your policy is BAD Marketing. Saying that parking is free and then trying to get $10 out of people after they are already there can lead to some ugly incidents.
How many people would assume its a scam and possibly get into an alteraction over it?

[Alerrick Afon Adou]

When we went on Oct 14. they did not charge us $10.00 to park in the front rows. We parked the second row from the front(I have no idea what number the row was but it was very close to pouchy palace). Sound fishy to me,Maybe somebody needs to call TRF and find out first hand or maybe they don`t know someone is charging the fee to park.................Huzzah

[Fenster]

We got there late around 10:00 and had to park on row 7.  rows 3-5? were set aside for the Kings preferred parking.  Some people drove past without paying and the sheriff was sent to collect.  My wife went out midday to move the car closer and rows 4 and 5 were still empty.  I guess their money grab was not as successful as they thought it would be.

I'll never pay to park a little closer, walking is good excersize.