dreynolds1982

Yeah I'm staying in CPE in 2.5 weeks for my first trip up there and am looking forward to the renovated/new rooms. From the pics I've seen everything looks very nice. I know that it was a bit rundown before but now it is quite a deal. I got a great rate plus early entry and got a really good deal on tickets through the hotel. I'll be sure to post a TR after my stay with pics/review of the renovated rooms and everything.

So I'm correct that the open side is the backside of the Volcano, correct? To me that seems to negate any perceived intentional reason like them wanting people to be "wow'd" by the mess of slides inside. There may very well be some technical/maintenance reason for leaving it open as well. However, given the placing on the backside it just seems like budget cutting/lazy theming to me. Just IMHO though and like I said, maybe they have a valid reason for doing it. Personally I don't like it. Think it would not only look better thematically but could have been a much better, more immersive experience for guests climbing up into the volcano to get on the slides. Could have done some cool interior things with lighting, fake lava, etc. that you can't really do as effectively with that open.

Does anyone know with the new/expanded water park opening has this changed the Soak City/Resorts parking area that used to enter nearest to Maverick? I will be there before the water park is open but not sure if the parking lot would still be usable or has changed/moved any with the expansion. Thanks!

I thought about trying to fly in or out of Columbus and hit up KI as well as I've never been there, but decided to just focus on CP this trip. Flying into Cleveland on that Saturday, driving over to CP, staying in Breakers Express while hitting up the park Sunday/Monday, then flying out of Cleveland that Tuesday. Quick trip but can't wait.

I'd say wait until next year not so much just for Mean Streak but so you can be more flexible with the timing of the trip since you said you have a relatively small window this year. I'm going for the first time ever the second weekend of May. When I saw Mean Streak wasn't going to likely be open until 2018 I was a little disappointed but even though it looks like it's going to be pretty cool I didn't see it as worth waiting a whole other year to go (really I'm so psyched to go I just couldn't handle waiting another year ha). Of course you could just always go both this year and next year!

Definitely Carowinds (home park so more than once) Cedar Point (going for the first time ever in May!) Maybe SFOG (haven't been in years but a fairly easy trip from Charleston) WDW (was just there in November but might go back this Dec) Family Kingdom (will be in Garden City in June for a week so might try to grab a ride or two on the Swamp Fox)

I've only been on one giga, Fury, so don't have much to compare it to, though it is probably the most intense coaster from start to finish that I've ever been on. Doesn't really let up at any point until the pre-station breaks. No real moments to catch your breath. And that first drop is just all in-your-face speed. That being said it does lack a bit in the surroundings/scenery department. The dip under the entrance bridge is cool but the rest is just parking lot, dirt and concrete. Looking forward to some of the views and layout highlights with MF that others have talked about. I've watched the POV and the first shot of the lake as you crest the lift looks awesome, then the trees whizzing by, random tunnels and fly by the station all seem like they would add some fun elements to the ride. It's definitely one I'm super excited to try.

Yeah Carowinds is my home park and I've been on Fury quite a bit (love it) so I want to hit up other coaster styles that I don't get to as much first. I'll definitely still ride MF of course (as many times as I can), but Maverick, TTD and others like that are tops on my list. How does MF compare to Fury and other Gigas? Similar speed-demon style or different?

Time for another bump for this thread ha. I was asking around for CP tips for my upcoming trip (first ever trip BTW!) and someone pointed me to this TR to get me pumped up for my trip. It succeeded. Excellent report. My trip is a little over a month away. May 13-16. Going to the park that Sunday and Monday. Staying at Cedar Point Express Hotel (aka Breakers Express). It doesn't get the best reviews but from what I understand it's newly renovated for 2017 (including almost 70 brand new rooms though no way of knowing if my room will be one of the new ones or not). Most importantly though it saved me some $$ (little over $150 total) while still being close to the park and getting the early entry. I'm going by myself so will just be using the hotel to sleep so didn't see it as worth the extra $$ for Breakers, though it looks like a very cool resort. I really can't wait. For as long as I can remember I've wanted to get up there for a visit so now just counting down the days!

Thanks for all the good advice! Looks like the ferry for Put-in-Bay doesn't start running until late May so I'll miss that. Being from Charleston I forget that the weather isn't summer quite yet up there by early to mid-May (it's already in the 80's here most days ha) so guess many things aren't open yet since it isn't quite in-season. I'll absolutely check out Famous Dave's BBQ. Love me some good BBQ. I am staying on property (Breakers Express) so hopefully I can get some insight on the early entry rides. I'll definitely shoot for Maverick/MF that first day (especially since my second day is a Monday so should be less crowded than the first day so EE isn't quite as big of a deal, tho I'm still going to do it).

My inaugural Cedar Point trip is coming up in a little over a month! Couple of questions for CP regulars: 1) I'll be in Sandusky around 1 pm the first day of my trip, not doing CP until the next two days after that. Anything else worth checking out in the area? Not really looking for anything I have to spend much money on but do want to sight see (if there's anything worth seeing). I'll have a rental car so don't mind driving a bit. 2) Any good bars/restaurants around CP (outside the park)? I don't plan on eating dinner in the parks while I'm there. Going by myself so just looking for casual places I can go sit at a bar, grab a couple of drinks and food at. 3) I'll have the 1hr early entry both days. What ride(s) should I hit up during that time? No clue what gets the busiest there. 4) Go to lunch/snack places inside the park? Pretty psyched about the trip. Can't wait to finally check out CP!

Booked my trip to CP the other day! May 13-16. Staying at Breakers Express (renovated rooms look pretty nice and most importantly it was affordable!). Ticket package booked through room got me a 2-day ticket that includes parking vouchers for each day and some beverage wrist bands or something that get unlimited fountain drinks anywhere in the park each day? Seemed like a pretty good deal though and definitely cheaper than booking everything all separate. Now just have to wait 2 months until I can go! Thanks everyone for all your planning suggestions earlier this month!

They are pretty hard core about it too, and the walk through detectors seem to be hit or miss. I rode Dragon Challenge several times back to back. I had everything in a locker, but my belt buckle would set off the detector....sometimes. Then other times it wouldn't. Each time it did, I had to get hand-wanded. So annoying. And side note, nothing really jars you out of the theming of a ride like having to go through a metal detector and/or getting wanded. Speaking to how hard core they are about it, I forgot that I had chapstick in my pocket at one point when getting on Rip, Ride, Rockit. It didn't set off the detector, but the guy saw it poking through my pocket (I know I know I missed a great opportunity for a "that's not chapstick" joke) and made me go back out of line and put it in a locker. I mean really, CHAPSTICK?

As a Potter fan, I think HE is moderately fun (c-ticket level), but they could could have encased it in a tunnel with real props/scenery (incorporating some projection mapping or embedded media screens), left the windows open, kept the frosted door shadow effect (which I think is really cool), and it would have been a much better attraction (though I know it would have been significantly more expensive). I think you are just sitting too close to them for the faux-window effect to even remotely work (if you're sitting right by it not only can you easily see the edges of the screen but also the "screen door effect" created by the low pixel density of the video). I like what Disney is seemingly starting to do with newer rides Shanghai Tron and POTC, and now (based on reports) the Navi River Adventure at Pandora, embedding/incorporating projection mapping/media screens into practical sets to enhance the immersiveness rather than have them act as the main focal point. Even Flight of Passage will have the Banshees that you're riding on rather than just plain benches/seats.

This was under construction when I was last at USO in November, but I didn't really figure it was something I'd miss much. Based on the reviews, seems I'm right. But then again I doubt they intended it to be any kind of blockbuster eTicket. Seems like a decent attraction, especially if you are a fan of Fallon. Speaking of that, it does seem a bit odd to leverage Fallon so heavily. I'm 34 so probably a little past his key demographic, but even going back to his SNL days I always just found him annoying (his constant breaking during skits was funny at first, then just ridiculous). Leveraging a brand like that so heavily, with a lot of in-jokes and references (like the Hashtag Panda) from the show, seem like it's going to really impact the re-ride ability and enjoyment of this for people who don't watch. And to everyone saying "ugh another 3D media-based attraction at UO" I agree so, so much. Last time I was there, it was a marathon trip. Both parks in one day, so the similarities between all of their recent attractions REALLY becomes apparent. As much fun as they are by themselves, when placed all together you just get burned out IMO. Even Kong, which had some of the most impressive 3D I've seen, was still a let down. Esp after a queue and first part of the ride with some really cool theming and practical effects. To then just drive into a big screen tunnel....meh. That being said, for the casual visitor, the burn out probably isn't near as bad, so probably doesn't impact them as much. Still I think UO could benefit from switching it up a bit and trying to blend practical with media rather than going all-in on the 3D screens.

I use Waze and, to a lesser extent, Google Maps (mostly bc it integrates with my car's Android Auto setup) all the time. Waze is typically the best and most up-to-date since it uses social components to determine routes, plus the "Police Spotted Up Ahead" feature is clutch when driving on the interstate. However, when I'm somewhere I've never been before, particularly near larger cities, I always like to check with locals and people that know because just because a route is the shortest according to Waze or Google Maps doesn't mean it is the best. Last time I was in Boston, my Google Maps took me all over the place leaving the airport, because it wasn't accounting for recent (as in that day or week) road closures due to construction. I ended up across the river in the sketchy shipping district at like 11:30 at night and eventually just called the hotel and asked how to get there ha. Same thing as going on Trip Advisor or Yelp looking for the best restaurants in the area. It's a good start, but I still find that asking locals (like the hotel front desk person) is the best way to go. Locals almost always know best!

I will be driving to my hotel (likely Breakers) from Cleveland on the Saturday I fly in, then hitting the parks the next 2 days, so shouldn't have to deal with park traffic or any kind of rush hour traffic around Cleveland, so I'll take a look at this and other routes. Mostly because I'm lazy and cheap, likely what I'll end up doing is just using Waze and checking the "no tolls" option and seeing where it takes me, but good to have advice from people who've actually driven these routes too. Thanks everyone!

Big thanks to everyone for all of the great advice so far! I think I'm definitely going to do two days instead of one (Sunday and Monday) and probably just stay at the Breaker's Express so I can get the early entry. It's only $109/nt which, being that I live in Charleston and am used to $250/nt being a cheap rate for a hotel, that's wonderful! Is it a fairly decent place? Seems like it gets pretty good reviews. Any info on the drive from Cleveland to Sandusky? I'm going to fly into CLE, rent a car and drive. Seems like it's a fairly simple drive. Any other tips/suggestions you all have are welcome too. May can't get here soon enough!

Well I still consider Rock Hill my hometown, just 25 minutes south of Carowinds, and used to go to CW constantly and even worked there for 6 years when I was in high school/college, but for the past several years I've lived in Charleston and with my work schedule I'm lucky if I get to make it to CW once-a-year. So I still consider it my hometown park (and really it's only 2.5 hrs away and my family still lives up that way so I should get there more than I do) but don't have a SP or anything unfortunately. I do LOVE Fury. Yeah I'll have to look into that food pass, might very well be worth it. I do love philly cheesesteaks though so I'll definitely check out Chickie and Petes!

Awesome info, thanks! There's a Chickie & Pete's at Carowinds (my hometown park) but I've never tried it. May have to give it a go while at CP.

Something I didn't consider until now that is actually way cheaper than 1-day with FL+ is getting the two day any day ticket ($69.99 pre-season) and spreading it out over both that Sunday and Monday. $70 is still dirt cheap for 2 days and would give me more time to enjoy things, account for weather issues, hit things up that may have longer lines, etc. Think that is actually what I may end up doing.

Good call. They do have the pre-season $40 single day ticket (which seems insanely cheap to me but I'm cool with it!) so I can get that now and choose the day later. If I end up on a Sunday, do you think the FL is worth it that early in the season? $75 seems pretty steep (and doesn't even include the big rides).

So I'm heading to CP for the first time ever May 14 (Sunday) or 15 (Monday). I'm in South Carolina so not too far away and have always wanted to go, just never made it. So, couple of questions... -This seems like a no brainer but should I go on the Sunday or Monday? Monday seems best obviously but the only downside is I'd be flying out of Cleveland the next day rather than having a day buffer in between CP and flying out. -Is FL or FL+ worth it that time of year on those days? If I were to go on Monday, for example, I can't imagine lines being very long. -Any tips on affordable places to stay nearby? It's just going to be me and maybe my buddy. Only time spent at the hotel is for sleeping. -Any other general tips for a first timer? I'm pretty psyched, can't wait!

I'm planning on finally popping my Cedar Point cherry and visiting there for the first time this June. I've been wanting to get up there for years so can't wait to check it out! I also may get to Sea World San Diego and possibly DLR in May but not sure on that.

Hmm interesting. Not sure where this will go, but seems like a natural fit to replace Toon Lagoon at IOA. The theme of that area features comic strips and cartoons that most kids have never even heard of, though I'm not sure how easy it would be to completely retheme the two existing water rides. Seems like that area is ripe for an upgrade though and this would be a natural fit. Of course it could also go back in the kids area at US, which would mean closing one of the last old school US holdovers, ET.