Waldameer Park is adding a $500,000 addition for this year, but you won’t be able to take a spin on this new investment.  The park is going cashless and introducing its own currency: “Wally Points”.

As a result, the way you pay for your ride on Raven Flyer II or your hot dog will totally change.  The system will utilize plastic swipe cards named “Wally Cards” and $1 will translate to one Wally Point.

General admission and parking still will be free at Waldameer, and patrons who buy all-day passes for rides still will wear wristbands, but those wristbands will now have bar codes to scan at turnstiles.

Riders, who would normally present tickets to ride operators, will now pay with Wally Points on their Wally Cards which they loaded with points earlier.

“The main thing is to give a better service to people, and this gives us a tighter control over cash,” Waldameer owner Paul Nelson said.

Nelson expects the savings to allow the park to continue offering free parking and free admission.

For more information visit GoErie.

Tags: Waldameer