Cedar Point (CP) Discussion Thread

[bert425]

Blue Streak is still my favorite ride at the Point.

 

oh boy. . Bill and I *hated* (and I mean HATED) it.

 

one and done, and it messed both of us up for a while after. rough, rough, rough, and no, we were not on a wheel seat.

 

You just need to know where to ride. Only rows 1 or 2 for me.

 

sorry, but one shouldn't need instructions on how to ride a roller-coaster.

 

Every seat should be, at the very least, a non-painful experience.

 

 

and yes, I say that even with knowledge that if you do the "Magnum trick" you get a great ride as opposed to a bad to so-so one.

[pianojohn]

Hello, I’m trying to plan my first trip out to cedar Point this year and I’m wondering what the best time to go? I’m coming from California with my girlfriend so I’m trying to figure out the cheapest time to fly and when the crowds are the lightest? Thanks in advance!

 

Since you mentioned airfare: If you're looking for cheap airfare, you don't mind driving a few hours and you're near southern California drive to Vegas and fly Frontier to Cleveland. Just check the site every day and sign up for their email list and you'll be able to fly for like $30 each way per person if you're patient and slightly flexible.

 

From my experience, Frontier is hit or miss. Sometimes flights leave on time, other times they leave late. Once I had a 10 am flight. When I called to check the status the night before, I was informed it had changed to 7am. No email, no text. LOTS of pissed off passengers.

 

By the time you add all of the extra costs (carry on, check bag, seat assignment, all of which cost extra), it usually ends up costing about the same to fly with a more reputable airline.

[coasterbill]

That's every airline and if you pay to pick a seat or check a bag then you're doing it wrong.

 

Their on time performance is actually perfectly middle-of-the-road compared to other airlines. The last report that came out put them ahead of plenty of other airlines by a decent margin (looking at you JetBlue). I used to put them in the same category as Spirit and Allegiant but I've stopped doing that because they don't belong there. They're a lot better than their ULCC counterparts.

[bluestreak]

Go on a June weekday with an 8:00 close. Do NOT go on a May weekday. They'll be understaffed, many rides will open late or not at all and Cedar Point hasn't managed to get all of their coasters ready to operate for the year by opening day since 2013 or 2014. In some cases it took them weeks to get them all running (Wicked Twister in 2015 and Mean Streak in 2016 specifically come to mind).

 

Magnum also didn't open till the second or third weekend of the year last year... And Lord only knows when they finally got the third train ready.

[MartinU]

Cedar Point showing off some construction pictures in their last blog post. https://www.cedarpoint.com/blog/february-steel-vengeance-update I really like where this one in particular is heading.

 

They also hinted at the queue and that it will use the "tunnel" under the wood structure. That is a really great part. You get to see how massive and impressive that wooden structure is. Good thing they didn't give it all the "axe."

[KIJester]

"and yes, I say that even with knowledge that if you do the "Magnum trick" you get a great ride as opposed to a bad to so-so one"

 

Bert, what is this "Magnum" trick of which you speak? I will be going to the Point 1st weekend in June with a FL+ and will need all the pointers (no pun) I can get for marathoning my favorite coasters.

[Shut It Down]

Hello, I’m trying to plan my first trip out to cedar Point this year and I’m wondering what the best time to go? I’m coming from California with my girlfriend so I’m trying to figure out the cheapest time to fly and when the crowds are the lightest? Thanks in advance!

 

Go on a June weekday with an 8:00 close. Do NOT go on a May weekday. They'll be understaffed, many rides will open late or not at all and Cedar Point hasn't managed to get all of their coasters ready to operate for the year by opening day since 2013 or 2014. In some cases it took them weeks to get them all running (Wicked Twister in 2015 and Mean Streak in 2016 specifically come to mind).

 

Cedar Point runs like a well oiled machine between Memorial Day and Labor Day but before and after that all bets are off.

 

Since you mentioned airfare: If you're looking for cheap airfare, you don't mind driving a few hours and you're near southern California drive to Vegas and fly Frontier to Cleveland. Just check the site every day and sign up for their email list and you'll be able to fly for like $30 each way per person if you're patient and slightly flexible.

 

Thank you everyone for the helpful information! I can’t wait to get out there finally!

[Password121]

Oh, and on that note - I'm very excited to be back at Cedar Point in 2018 as the Team Leader of Millennium Force!

 

Awesome! My family and I hope to see you work the crew May 19-20.

Thank you! And you as well Bert. Millennium had the most riders in the park in 2017, but we’re hoping to up our numbers considerably this year (looking at Josh’s numbers from ‘15/‘16 ). Looking forward to this season!

[PVA62]

"and yes, I say that even with knowledge that if you do the "Magnum trick" you get a great ride as opposed to a bad to so-so one"

 

Bert, what is this "Magnum" trick of which you speak? I will be going to the Point 1st weekend in June with a FL+ and will need all the pointers (no pun) I can get for marathoning my favorite coasters.

 

Tighten the seatbelt as much as you can. You won't slam your thighs into the lap bar as much. I think the ride is great either way, but if you want less "pain", do the seatbelt trick.

[3Mutts]

"and yes, I say that even with knowledge that if you do the "Magnum trick" you get a great ride as opposed to a bad to so-so one"

 

Bert, what is this "Magnum" trick of which you speak? I will be going to the Point 1st weekend in June with a FL+ and will need all the pointers (no pun) I can get for marathoning my favorite coasters.

 

1. Tighten the seat belt as much as possible

2. Leave the bar one or two clicks above where it would touch your theighs and then jam your hands under the bar, this is to prevent it from going down a click during the ride and stapling you.

3. Avoid the third row of each car, this is the wheel seat and is extremely rough. IMO the best seats are car 6 row 1 or car 6 row 2. If you want to try the "ejector seat" (car 1 row 3) then do so just remember its going to be a bumpy ride!

[ytterbiumanalyst]

I tried going back and finding it but whats the dates on Brews and BBQ? We will be at the park June 9th -10th and would like to take part.

This year's dates haven't been published yet but the last 2 years that weekend has been part of the event.

[prozach626]

 

Since you mentioned airfare: If you're looking for cheap airfare, you don't mind driving a few hours and you're near southern California drive to Vegas and fly Frontier to Cleveland. Just check the site every day and sign up for their email list and you'll be able to fly for like $30 each way per person if you're patient and slightly flexible.

William, it's either because I got forced to work until 6am this morning and I'm riding on a solid 4 hours of sleep (or likely, because I'm just dumb), but I can't find how to sign up for Frontier's email list. Does Allegiant have one as well?

 

 

sorry, but one shouldn't need instructions on how to ride a roller-coaster.

 

Every seat should be, at the very least, a non-painful experience.

Agreed Bert, that it shouldn't have be this way, but sometimes you just have to go with the flow to get the most out of your ride. My rides on Beast are much more enjoyable when I grab the bar at the front of the seat and lean forward.

 

It's kind of like the argument I have with my dad. He says, "I shouldn't have to lock my doors." He's correct... He 'shouldn't' have to, but he does have to... Probably way out of context, but whatever.

[FeelTheFORCE]

I just sit down, buckle in, and let the ride do its thing while enjoying it as much as possible. All these instructions like, you need to tilt your head 15° to the right, make sure the humidity is between 48%-60%, clap 6 times to tune yourself to the lift chain frequency, and sit in the seat EXACTLY 62 min. after eating Flaming Hot Cheetos, just aren't for me.

Edited February 8, 2018 by FeelTheFORCE

[Ape]

I tried going back and finding it but whats the dates on Brews and BBQ? We will be at the park June 9th -10th and would like to take part.

This year's dates haven't been published yet but the last 2 years that weekend has been part of the event.

 

 

Thank you.

[coasterbill]

William, it's either because I got forced to work until 6am this morning and I'm riding on a solid 4 hours of sleep (or likely, because I'm just dumb), but I can't find how to sign up for Frontier's email list. Does Allegiant have one as well?

 

Here you go. And here's the one for Allegiant. Frontier does sort of hide it for some insane reason.

 

Like I said, Allegiant is the absolute bottom of the barrel. Frontier is still clearly a low cost carrier but they're much better. I'm not above flying with either of them though.

 

For Frontier, seriously be patient. Check this page a lot. If the fares listed up top are $20, then you know it's a good day to check flights. Anything higher (like today) and you can expect prices to drop in a few days. Keep an eye on their email though. At some point they're guaranteed to drop a promo code for something insane like 75-90% off flights. Shut It Down, For the flight I mentioned before (Vegas to Cleveland), those are what you want to watch out for. That's how you get stuff like this (total round trip for 2 people).

 

PS: Pay for Discount Den if you need to. Only the person booking needs it and it applies to all travelers and it's good for a year. It pays for itself in one flight.

[bert425]

"and yes, I say that even with knowledge that if you do the "Magnum trick" you get a great ride as opposed to a bad to so-so one"

 

Bert, what is this "Magnum" trick of which you speak? I will be going to the Point 1st weekend in June with a FL+ and will need all the pointers (no pun) I can get for marathoning my favorite coasters.

 

1. Tighten the seat belt as much as possible

2. Leave the bar one or two clicks above where it would touch your theighs and then jam your hands under the bar, this is to prevent it from going down a click during the ride and stapling you.

3. Avoid the third row of each car, this is the wheel seat and is extremely rough. IMO the best seats are car 6 row 1 or car 6 row 2. If you want to try the "ejector seat" (car 1 row 3) then do so just remember its going to be a bumpy ride!

 

yep.. pretty much this. . tho I'd say seat belt should be a little more on your upper thighs, then right at your waist.

 

as to the #2, if you have the seat belt tight, it won't matter about the lap bar, since you won't be getting jerked out of the seat, then roughly back down if you have the belt super tight.

 

Magnum is a LOT of fun if you ride with the car, instead of being bucked out of it on every hill and violently jerked back down with each drop.

 

tho it's fun without the trick too.. but can really tweak your back (in particular the drop in the tunnel.. . .still gets me every time!)

[El Toro_Ryan]

There's a big difference between theoretical and actual, as we all know. In real life situations when both are running with a solid crew, Millennium will beat Dragster pretty easily. Millennium's theoretical is 1296, and it's actually attainable. Not easy at all, but 36 trains/hour is not uncommon to see with a good crew on the platform at Millennium Force.

 

Oh, and on that note - I'm very excited to be back at Cedar Point in 2018 as the Team Leader of Millennium Force!

 

Random fun fact, that's Toro's theoretical capacity and max train count as well.

 

And that's awesome you're the team leader of the ride! I'm actually looking into working at CP for Halloweekends. (Millennium would be my ride of choice.)

[KIJester]

Thanks to everyone who contributed to my question. I have noted all suggestions and look forward to my trip to the Point....Ride On!

[Password121]

There's a big difference between theoretical and actual, as we all know. In real life situations when both are running with a solid crew, Millennium will beat Dragster pretty easily. Millennium's theoretical is 1296, and it's actually attainable. Not easy at all, but 36 trains/hour is not uncommon to see with a good crew on the platform at Millennium Force.

 

Oh, and on that note - I'm very excited to be back at Cedar Point in 2018 as the Team Leader of Millennium Force!

 

Random fun fact, that's Toro's theoretical capacity and max train count as well.

 

And that's awesome you're the team leader of the ride! I'm actually looking into working at CP for Halloweekends. (Millennium would be my ride of choice.)

I’ve heard that before actually! I’ve found it pretty interesting how Millennium operates three trains. The unload platform doesn’t actually increase capacity at all (contrary to popular belief), it just makes it easier to hit theoretical. So in a way it kind of makes sense El Toro and MF have the same theoretical with both having 36 seats.

 

And I’d love to work with you, definitely keep me updated!

[noahman12345]

Hello, I’m trying to plan my first trip out to cedar Point this year and I’m wondering what the best time to go? I’m coming from California with my girlfriend so I’m trying to figure out the cheapest time to fly and when the crowds are the lightest? Thanks in advance!

 

May or early June weekdays are probably the best (basically any time the park closes at 8pm). However, May also has the most unpredictable weather of any month of the season here besides maybe October.

 

Of course, if you can afford at least one day of Fastlane Plus into your trip then it really wouldn't matter when you come, but I would still avoid July and August Saturdays. Even with a FL+ you may see 45+ minute waits for some of the more popular attractions like Maverick. Also remember if you are a Platinum Pass holder you can purchase a FL+ for the FL price in park only.

You get a discount on fast lane for being a season past holder?

I’m trying to find there fast lane prices for the season , it’s not posted yet.

Edited February 9, 2018 by noahman12345

[Airboss]

I'm going to the park 7th and 8th of June, which are a Thursday and Friday. Park closes at 8 on Thursday so that means they aren't expecting much crowd. What exactly does that mean for Cedar Point though? About how long would Maverick's, Millennium's, and TTD's lines be? On Friday I'm planning to get Fast Lane, so I'm good on Friday, I'm just wondering about Thursday. I'm hoping to get tons of Steel Vengeance re-rides!

[El Toro_Ryan]

There's a big difference between theoretical and actual, as we all know. In real life situations when both are running with a solid crew, Millennium will beat Dragster pretty easily. Millennium's theoretical is 1296, and it's actually attainable. Not easy at all, but 36 trains/hour is not uncommon to see with a good crew on the platform at Millennium Force.

 

Oh, and on that note - I'm very excited to be back at Cedar Point in 2018 as the Team Leader of Millennium Force!

 

Random fun fact, that's Toro's theoretical capacity and max train count as well.

 

And that's awesome you're the team leader of the ride! I'm actually looking into working at CP for Halloweekends. (Millennium would be my ride of choice.)

I’ve heard that before actually! I’ve found it pretty interesting how Millennium operates three trains. The unload platform doesn’t actually increase capacity at all (contrary to popular belief), it just makes it easier to hit theoretical. So in a way it kind of makes sense El Toro and MF have the same theoretical with both having 36 seats.

 

And I’d love to work with you, definitely keep me updated!

 

Definitely will man!

[CedarFlags]

"and yes, I say that even with knowledge that if you do the "Magnum trick" you get a great ride as opposed to a bad to so-so one"

 

Bert, what is this "Magnum" trick of which you speak? I will be going to the Point 1st weekend in June with a FL+ and will need all the pointers (no pun) I can get for marathoning my favorite coasters.

 

Tighten the seatbelt as much as you can. You won't slam your thighs into the lap bar as much. I think the ride is great either way, but if you want less "pain", do the seatbelt trick.

 

In addition to the seatbelt trick, I figured out another one, using a wallet.

 

I put my wallet in my front pocket and positioned it in such a way that the lap bar rested right on top of it. It helped to spread out the force of the bar to a wider area of my thigh and definitely helped a bit with the discomfort. I kind of came up with it on the spot, otherwise I would have brought something for my other pocket as well, which would have been even better.

[YoshiFan]

I'm going to the park 7th and 8th of June, which are a Thursday and Friday. Park closes at 8 on Thursday so that means they aren't expecting much crowd. What exactly does that mean for Cedar Point though? About how long would Maverick's, Millennium's, and TTD's lines be? On Friday I'm planning to get Fast Lane, so I'm good on Friday, I'm just wondering about Thursday. I'm hoping to get tons of Steel Vengeance re-rides!

 

I went on the Thursday that same week in 2015. Millennium Force was 45 minutes in the middle of the day, Maverick was an hour. I waited 15 minutes for TTD but that was right after a breakdown. Earlier in the day lines were longer than I was expecting for some of the smaller rides, Corkscrew as an example was 30 minutes (I waited until later in the day when it was a walk on).

[prozach626]

I just sit down, buckle in, and let the ride do its thing while enjoying it as much as possible. All these instructions like, you need to tilt your head 15° to the right, make sure the humidity is between 48%-60%, clap 6 times to tune yourself to the lift chain frequency, and sit in the seat EXACTLY 62 min. after eating Flaming Hot Cheetos, just aren't for me.

I'm not on board with taking suggestions for sitting in XX seat in XX row, monitoring the temperature prior to riding, taking your own seat cushion, etc. But, when someone suggests something very simple like tightening your seat belt to avoid thigh bruising lap bars or or leaning forward on a shaky wooden coaster to avoid being uncomfortably jostled, I take their advice. Some of Bert's suggestions might seem a little particular for me I guess (no offense, sir). That said, a lot of what he wrote and most of the tips I've ever read from others seem relatively simple, straight forward, and effective. No one is suggesting going full blown reverse cowgirl.

 

William, it's either because I got forced to work until 6am this morning and I'm riding on a solid 4 hours of sleep (or likely, because I'm just dumb), but I can't find how to sign up for Frontier's email list. Does Allegiant have one as well?

 

Here you go. And here's the one for Allegiant. Frontier does sort of hide it for some insane reason.

 

Like I said, Allegiant is the absolute bottom of the barrel. Frontier is still clearly a low cost carrier but they're much better. I'm not above flying with either of them though.

 

For Frontier, seriously be patient. Check this page a lot. If the fares listed up top are $20, then you know it's a good day to check flights. Anything higher (like today) and you can expect prices to drop in a few days. Keep an eye on their email though. At some point they're guaranteed to drop a promo code for something insane like 75-90% off flights. Shut It Down, For the flight I mentioned before (Vegas to Cleveland), those are what you want to watch out for. That's how you get stuff like this (total round trip for 2 people).

 

PS: Pay for Discount Den if you need to. Only the person booking needs it and it applies to all travelers and it's good for a year. It pays for itself in one flight.

 

Thanks for the information, Bill.