BitterOldHag

My experience has been that the stand-alone FastLane stand inside the main entrance is usually the busiest place to get one. As coastersandhockey said, go to one of the gift shops that has the “FastLane available here” signs. I believe Pagoda Gift Shop and also the Snoopy gift shop near Magnum and the boat ride also have them. You’ll save time that way and be able to get on any early entry rides without worrying about standing in line at the FastLane stand. Enjoy your visit!

^ This... The Preferred Parking is totally worth it. Not having to exit through the Emporium Gift Shop at the end of the night is a bonus that makes the extra fee completely acceptable! No worries about the trams, no long waits to get in, I wish more parks did this!

Agreed John. Only things I can think of off the top of my head are an indoor seating area for the quick-serve joints attached, or for those that order from the Farmhouse across the way, or they could throw a handful of old arcade machines in there too if they wanted to make a few bucks off the space. There really isn't much else they can do with it unless they tore the whole thing down and started from scratch. Oh, I guess they could turn it into a haunt too. But that's all I can come up with. Guess that's why I don't work in the amusement industry!

^ I “heard” that the Museum is no longer in the park’s plans. Whether or not that’s true I am not quite certain, but it wouldn’t surprise me since it has just been sitting dormant the past 2 years. If it is true, that’s a real shame as Cedar Point has such a great history to share and the newly renovated museum they showed off for the 150th looked pretty awesome.

I love Waldameer and will support them every year, but is Mr. Nelson ever happy? I don't think I've ever seen him crack a smile when he whizzes past in his golf cart! Seriously though, God bless him. 89 years old and still going strong. Much respect.

Thanks all. I figured Disney would be a pain due to all the phone checking and planning that needs to be done. And I didn't realize Universal would be that rough to do. So Sea World it is. Haven't been to a Sea World since 2010 in San Diego and having never been to the Orlando park, I can cross that one off my bucket list. And to Erik, nothing wrong with that preference. I prefer Orion and Diamondback to Steel Vengeance. Something about B&M hypers just makes me happy. Smooth as glass, comfortable restraints and tons of floater air. Looking forward to trying Mako! Again, thank you for your advice. I do appreciate it and now can look forward to Sea World. And Fun Spot... White Lightning looks pretty awesome!

Hearing that SW has walk-ons has definitely upped the odds that’s where I’ll end up going! I’d definitely buy LL for Rise, but still it’s at the bottom of my list. If I had more time, I would have no problem. Unfortunately, work is getting in the way! Anyhow, thanks guys. Much appreciated!

Since there are a lot of Orlando experts here, I thought I'd ask for some feedback. I have to attend a conference for work in Orlando May 1st through the 3rd. I fly into MCO on Sunday April 30th and should hopefully be there around 11:45 am. Since that day is a freebie, I figured I have to do something while I'm there. I have come up with these 3 options, and was wondering which you think would be my best betl. It's been 17 years since I was last in Orlando, so obviously much is new. But time is definitely a factor. 1) Sea World. This is most likely what I'll end up doing since I have never been to the Orlando park, my conference hotel is literally 5 minutes or less away on I-Drive, and price-wise, it's the best value for the time I have available. I doubt the new stand-up will be open by then, but having Ice Breaker, Mako, Manta, Journey to Atlantis and Kraken as "new-to-me" rides, that's not too bad of a deal. 2) Islands of Adventure. More expensive than Sea World? Yes. Probably way more crowded than Sea World? Yes. Having the opportunity to ride what many people are calling the best coaster ever built? Well, that's one of the reasons why IOA is high on my list. Hagrid's is also new since my last visit, as is the Harry Potter Forbidden Journey, so that's some big name new rides. Only problem for me here is I believe there's no line skipping options for Velocicoaster or Hagrid's. Not sure if I want to kill 2 hours or more in line when my time is limited, but it's still something for me to consider. 3) Hollywood Studios. The main reason I'd even consider a visit here is because I am a Star Wars nut and would love to see Galaxy's Edge. My main concern with this option is that a reservation is required, and I'd be spending $165 to get in and $30 to park, but I'm not guaranteed a ride on Rise of the Resistance... or is that not something that needs to be worried about anymore? Mickey's Runaway Railway and Toy Story Land is also new to me, but I have ridden Toy Story Mania at DCA, so no need to waste time in line there (even if I did really enjoy it). I figure I'll hit both Fun Spot parks at night on the weekdays I'm there since they are open till midnight (that's just crazy, but I'm all for it!) and I have never been to either one aside from riding the Kissimmee Skycoaster. So any advice you all may have will definitely come in handy. Thank you!!!

Thank you so much for sharing your TR. It’s been 3 years since my last visit to Dollywood and this really has me itching to get back. The park is gorgeous on any day you visit, but yeah that Christmas event is freaking incredible. If you ever get the chance to return to the area, I highly recommend the Old Mill Restaurant, which I believe is one or two intersections away from Dollywood’s entrance road off the Parkway. Delicious southern cooking in a beautiful grist mill setting. There’s also an awesome cupcake place on Wears Valley Rd across from the Smoky Mountain Alpine Coaster called Cakes By Bakin Bishop. Best red velvet cupcakes ever! Looking forward to part 2 and glad you had a great time

There's a list of temperatures that Dollywood's rides can operate in on their website: Dollywood Ride Temperature Guidelines I love that Drop Line can run as low as FIVE degrees. That'd be one chilly plunge!

Went to Kings Island for opening night of Winterfest and all I can say is that Cedar Fair really needs to consider selling FastLane for the event. Just about every ride that was open had a full queue (or longer, such as Boo Blasters and the Antique Cars). The KI app listed a 0 minute wait for Mystic Timbers and Flight of Fear when we arrived at 5:30, but the line attendant at MT said the regular wait was 90 minutes (most of the queue was full) and the Single Rider line was about an hour. Flight of Fear’s attendant (sorry, Flight of Cheer!) said the wait was 2 hours. So considering Carowinds and Kings Dominion both sell FastLane for Winterfest, I don’t see why KI wouldn’t want to make a little extra cash… and I’d be more than willing to spend it! That said, Winterfest is an incredible event. The park looks absolutely amazing with all the lights and I still say the Eiffel Tower Christmas tree is one of the most impressive Christmas light displays I have ever seen. I could just sit on International Street all night and watch the patterns change and watch the locals skate around on the International Fountain’s Snowflake Lake. My wife thought the “snow” was a cute touch as well. I am hoping to get back on a Sunday before the event is over in hopes the lines might not be as bad. So just an FYI to anyone going… be prepared to wait if you plan on riding. Also, get there early. We got a late start and as I mentioned earlier, we did not get to Mason until around 4:55. The traffic getting in to the park from 71 was pretty much bumper to bumper the whole way. The security checkpoints were also backed up, but to be fair, they were doing a good job of moving people through. Also, make sure you know what you want to experience. There are a ton of upcharge things to do (cookie decorating, Santa photos, ice skating/skate rental, etc), and there is plenty of Winterfest merch, so be ready to spend!

So Kennywood's new ride is a Zamperla Griffon called Spinvasion. I'm looking forward to this as I am a big fan of the old Huss Swing Around (which Kennywood previously had twice in its ride lineup). After the improvements made this year and this new addition for 2023, Kennywood seems to be on the upswing and I for one am happy for that! Spinvasion New in 2023 at Kennywood

Looks like Kennywood will be announcing their new ride on November 15th. Not much here yet other than the continuing alien theme and the interesting statement of “first of its kind in the United States”. I guess that rules out the Zamperla Endeavour as a replacement for Volcano. Looking forward to seeing what they have planned. Kennywood 2023 - “Battle for the Burgh”

^ I thought the Gravitron in a Box at Movieland was a crazy idea, but that ended up being exactly what it was. I guess I shouldn't be too surprised then if Dragster does get a tire launch!

Some thoughts from my visit to Kennywood this past Friday evening (10/28): - Finally got my first rides on Steel Curtain. I seem to recall mixed reviews on this ride, but I absolutely loved it. Aside from the Steelers theme, Steel Curtain delivers just about everything I like about coasters these days. The view from the top of the lift was incredible, the first inversion into the initial drop was very Drachen Fire-like, the airtime hills delivered every time and just being flung upside-down so many times was awesome. The ride seemed smooth to me, the seats were comfortable (loved the fact that it was lap bar only), and it seemed to maintain its speed quite well. If I have one negative thing to say about the ride, it would be the rather rude delivery of the "no loose items" policy by the ride op. I understand that people these days need to be beaten over the head with things because they don't think rules apply to them, but it's rather excessive being threatened with park removal and how everyone is watching you on the ride including "people you can't see over in the End Zone building". I'll let it slide since I was in a good mood and because I enjoyed the ride so much! - Exterminator was running in "Lights Out" mode. Oh. My. God. This was bonkers. I had no idea where I was at any point during the ride and I had a hard time walking straight after the ride was over. That was awesome! - Phantom's Revenge is still crazy after all these years. I rode in the last row and it seems like the ride is trying its hardest to pitch you into the ravine. And with as dark as the park is at night, night rides are truly outrageous. With there only being about a 3 train wait, repeat rides were required! - Jack Rabbit may not be a great overall coaster, but the legendary double down still offers the most terrifying airtime moment of any coaster I have been on. I also liked the fog and colored lights they had set up in the tunnel. It's a small thing, but it adds tremendously to the ride experience when it is dark out. - The two scare zones I went through (Hellbilly Hollow and Fear Fest) were awful. The scare actors didn't seem motivated (with one exception of a clown literally chasing a terrified child around!) and the dude with the harmonica in Hellbilly Hollow was more annoying than scary. Now to be fair, the park's entrance tunnel was so full of fog it was impossible to see in front of you, which was cool. But again, the scare actors seemed more interested in talking to each other than scaring folks. - And finally, there's the "new" Kangaroo. While the ride doesn't quite seem as intense as it used to be when you launch off the ramp, and the ride cycle time is painfully short, I haven't laughed this hard on a ride in ages. I had no idea about the "boing" sound effect that goes off every time a car goes over the ramp. That little addition made me literally lol the whole ride. Well done Kennywood. Well done! Security was pretty much everywhere including on bikes and police were posted along the edge of the park as well, so I did feel safe. I was surprised how dark the park was though. Some of the walkways were scarier than the scare zones just because they were so dark! I also enjoyed the new touches the park made for their 125th Anniversary. Kennywood looked the best it has in years. Looking forward to Holiday Lights in the coming weeks!

Thanks KPFan. Appreciate your input and info! I don't do the indoor haunts, just the scare zones. So I will probably be riding the coasters (and Kanagaroo!) a lot.

I've decided to go to Kennywood tonight for PFF. Has anyone been there in the past few weeks, and if so, do you think Speedy Pass is required? I'm mainly going to get my Steel Curtain credit and also to get some night rides on Phantom's Revenge and try out the "lights out" version of Exterminator, so cutting off any wait times is worth the $90 in my opinion! Thank you for any info!

That's a pretty decent lineup of rides for WinterFest. Really the only one I am sad about not being on the list is Intimidator, but considering Copperhead Strike, Peanuts Pirates, Fury and Nighthawk (I know. but I need the credit!) are on the list, I may have to give it a look this year.

I think this is awesome. Updated theming on Adventure Express alone is great news, but also bringing in two rides similar to ones that were once at the park (Skylab and Der Spinnen Keggers) is icing on the cake. Looking forward to seeing this in person next year!

When I saw someone above post that it'll probably be a Gravitron in a box, I thought "nah, that's a silly idea". After watching this and seeing that's exactly what it is, I have to say it's actually a brilliant idea. That looks really well done and having visuals to go along with it (plus not being able to see anything above you) probably makes the experience less dizzying than a standard carnival version. I really need to get over there sometime. This park looks it would be right up my alley!

Agreed 100%. I live 90 minutes away from CP and 4 hours from KI. I honestly feel now that KI is the better park. It's beautifully maintained, the employees have been very polite, FL+ works brilliantly here by depositing you in the station more often than not, Mystic Timbers is my current #1 overall and is an amazing ride, and for some reason, I'll take Diamondback and Orion over Magnum and MF any day (even though MF is a fantastic ride). Hoping to get down there for Haunt soon... Thanks for the TR!

^ When I went on September 16th, they were charging the FL price for FL+ if you were a Platinum Pass holder... not sure if that has changed as on my visit last week I didn't need it and I didn't notice anyone in the Point Plaza gift shop purchasing it (the main FL booth at the front gate was closed on both of my Thursday visits). I'd go and ask just to be sure. Worst they can say is no!

I visited CP again last night and while it wasn't quite as empty as it was on my first Thursday visit 2 weeks ago, crowds were still light by Cedar Point standards. Between 5:45 and 8:30, I was able to ride Valravn, GateKeeper, Matterhorn, Millennium Force, Rougarou, Iron Dragon, Cedar Downs, Tiki Twirl, Troika, Lake Erie Eagles, and Steel Vengeance, all without FastLane. Maverick (which I did not ride) seemed to have a long wait (30-45 minutes) again, but everything else was either a 1 train/cycle wait or a walk on. And again, I did not encounter a single unfriendly employee. They called me by name at the parking booth and entrance, the girl (name tag said her name was 'Z') on Rougarou was super nice, and a woman at the Pagoda Gift Shop was so nice I could have talked to her for hours. I don't expect to be treated like a king at a theme park, but it does make for a much more pleasant time when your interactions with staff leave a positive impact. Now onto some more random thoughts. - Steel Vengeance at night is insane. I had never had a night ride on this before and I am so glad I did. Posted wait was about 30 minutes and they were actually asking for single riders, so I cut about 10 minutes off my wait by being called up. In any case, the darkness just makes the ride so much more disorienting. The barrel rolls seem to last longer. The airtime hills seem more pronounced, and speeding through the structure at the end felt like sheer chaos. If you have a chance to ride this at night, I highly recommend it. Best ride I've ever had on SV. - Valravn rocks. While I still think Yukon Striker is a better overall experience, this ride is just so smooth, the view from the top is perhaps the best in the park and that first drop is crazy, no matter what row you're in. - GateKeeper felt like it had square wheels on. I don't know if it was just the seat I was in (row 3, outer left) or what, but the usual smooth, flying sensation felt like I was off-roading. Ugh. - Rode Tiki Twirl for the first time in years. I don't remember it going as fast as it did. Probably won't be riding again anytime soon! - Now I know Rougarou isn't a favorite of many. It wasn't really a favorite of mine either. Not sure what it was, but wow. What a ride. Airtime, positive forces and dare I say a smooth ride made me re-think why I usually avoid it. - Seeing Top Thrill Dragster from Iron Dragon was unique as I didn't realize so much track had been removed. Whatever they are doing is definitely interesting. - And to keep this short since I could go on and on about how great Thursday nights are, but I'd like to compliment the scare actors in the Harvest Fear and Tombstone Terrortory zones. No one was safe from their antics and even better, they were doing some tremendous tag-team scares where one monster would come up in front of you or walk slowly along side you without saying anything... then out of nowhere, someone would scream at you from behind. I'm easy to jump scare so they got me good! I'm hoping Thursdays stay like this for the rest of the season, but I have a feeling people are realizing this is a great time to visit. Anyhow, it was another great night at America's Roller Coast. Now if I can only find a day to get down to Mason for KI's Haunt...

^ I honestly thought it was one from the old Paddlewheel Excursions... knowing it was once part of the legendary Pirate Ride makes it even better! Thanks for the info.

Random thoughts from opening night of HalloWeekends: - Every single employee I encountered was overly friendly and personable. That hasn't happened on my visits in a long time. Perhaps being knocked out of the Top 5 Parks in the Golden Ticket poll made them take notice. Regardless, it was nice seeing the folks there having a good time and appearing to enjoy what they do. - Steel Vengeance. I seem to take a while to come around to certain coasters. For instance, when I first rode Maverick in 2007, I didn't quite understand why it was so hyped up. As the years went on, I started to like the ride more and more. And now, it ranks as my favorite coaster in the park. Since opening in 2018, I have always thought Steel Vengeance was a good ride, but not the greatest ride ever like many have said. I think I am finally getting it now. The ride is glass smooth, maintains its speed through the whole course, and honestly tries to throw you from the train on almost every hill and inversion. I still think the ride is a bit too long, but overall it has moved into my Top 10 and will be a must ride on any visit to the park. Sorry for being slow to catch on! - Millennium Force still rocks. I have always loved this coaster and it is still running beautifully. Add in the fog from the nearby Cornstalkers 2.0 and Blood on the Bayou haunts and night rides take on a whole new level of awesomeness. - The new Farmhouse Grill looks like it has always been there on the former site of the Antique Cars. The park did an incredible job with this space and despite the park being very uncrowded, the dining patio area was filled with folks enjoying the various food offerings. Very nice addition to the park even though I was initially upset that the Antique Cars were being removed. Looking forward to the Grand Pavilion in 2023. - When did they add an animatronic character to the end of the Cedar Creek Mine Ride? I don't recall seeing that before. - Even though it isn't designated as a Scare Zone, there were a few clown characters in the "Celebration Plaza" area scaring guests, including a sparking Slider Clown (who scared the bejeezus out of me since I had my guard down!). - This year's Midnight Syndicate show was unique. While it's mostly more of the same, including repeats of songs they have previously performed live (the 2 remixes though are outstanding) and jump scare hijinks, the introduction of Mr. Midnight as an integral part of the show and the rather dark ending made for an entertaining show. The guys from Chardon also have their own merch stand located in front of the Sky Ride station right outside the Jack Aldrich Theater too, leaving the tent for meet and greets after the show. Every ride that was listed as being open on Thursday nights was running, lines were mostly non-existent, and the park has REALLY stepped up the amount of HalloWeekends merch available. They have shirts of the individual haunts, plenty of HW 25th Anniversary shirts, and of course, light-up items galore. If all visits to CP were like this, I would have no complaints at all. Looking forward to going back soon to check out the scare zones.