Cedar Point (CP) Discussion Thread

[4tide1 0]

Sorry for the dumb question but how does one go about seeing the ride sign animations on your phone. I know I have seen one for Valravn and maybe MF.

[John Peck 0]

Random CP question... We usually park in the main lot. If we park there, can we walk to the Marina gate and get in there with out Platinum passes? I ask, because I never walked up that road, so i wasn't sure if pedestrians were allowed there. (we go there a lot but I never thought to do this... and since Valravn is so close, we might have a better shot at getting closer to the queue)

 

Bummer about the antique car... that's the second time I've seen a wheel shear off that.

[coasterbill 454]

Yes, there's a little sidewalk thing (more of a painted pedestrian lane).

[MillenniumFangirl 0]

Going to CP next Wednesday. How have the ride times been on weekdays? I'll be there from about 11:30-6:45--I haven't been to Cedar Point since last August so I'm excited to be "refreshed" again with all the rides

[JonnyRCT3 0]

Random CP question... We usually park in the main lot. If we park there, can we walk to the Marina gate and get in there with out Platinum passes? I ask, because I never walked up that road, so i wasn't sure if pedestrians were allowed there. (we go there a lot but I never thought to do this... and since Valravn is so close, we might have a better shot at getting closer to the queue)

 

Bummer about the antique car... that's the second time I've seen a wheel shear off that.

 

I noticed a repaved sidewalk next to the repaved road, when exiting Valravn. So it shouldn't be an issue.

[thrillrider 1]

Did they put 2 acers in the back seat? Damn Coastermania day....

 

[thrillrider 1]

Interesting information being passed out at sandcastle hotel in the park.

[Philrad71 0]

For those that don't want to get a sore neck from reading.

 

Also surprised that it doesn't mention keeping your mouth closed on coasters during certain times of the day/evening.

Despite the fact that they taste terrible, I would still rather deal with them versus deer flies, horse flies or mosquitoes.

[coasterbill 454]

 

I love the last line. Basically it says "Give up, you belong to the Muffleheads now".

[Philrad71 0]

Just got our hotel reservations booked for next Friday, Saturday and Sunday in Sandusky.

 

We had thought about staying at the Breakers until we saw that it was sold out until Sunday (not surprising given we waited to long to reserve). We have instead opted to stay further away from the park at the Comfort Inn on Rt. 250 (just south of Rt. 2).

 

Anyone ever stayed there before?

Is the place right next to railroad tracks like just about every other area hotel seemingly is?

Any other good nearby restaurants to recommend (that are not a chain)?

 

It looks like our plan will be:

 

Arrive at hotel Friday late afternoon

Head to CP Friday evening to enjoy the Beer and BBQ fest + hit up a few coasters (Valravn, MF & Maverick) before close

Saturday morning breakfast at Inventions in Milan, OH

Drive over and check out Johnson's Island - if time permits

Skip CP on Saturday and golf 18 holes at an area golf course (Thunderbird Hills South = awesome course!)

Dinner Saturday night at a local restaurant

Spend all day Sunday in the park (may spring for Fast Lane+ if park looks crowded in the morning)

Head home Monday and stop at the Hofbrauhaus in Cleveland for lunch

 

Getting psyched already!

[coasterbill 454]

Anyone ever stayed there before?

Is the place right next to railroad tracks like just about every other area hotel seemingly is?

Any other good nearby restaurants to recommend (that are not a chain)?

 

Chet and Matt's pizza is pretty good. Plus this is going to sound really stupid and it most definitely is a chain but right under route 2 there's an Applebees with a really weird outdoor, tiki bar thing going on. Obviously it's just an Applebees so I wouldn't eat there, but if you want a place right near the hotel to have a few drinks at the end of the night it's a pretty good option just because it's literally right there and pretty weird.

[coasterkyle 0]

Hot Dog Tonys is a great place downtown to eat

[Yamez 0]

Berardi's is very good, as is El Grand Patron if you prefer mexican style food - they're right next door to one another.

 

http://www.sanduskyberardis.com/ for your reference.

[CookeGMP 0]

Odd technical question: Let's "imagine" that I was on the last train of TTD during an after hours event. A bunch of ride ops hopped onto the train with me and the op from the control booth came out and said to an op behind me that it was "set to 1.8" and the guy behind me seemed surprised and excited. After launch I experienced strong sustained ejector during the entire top hat. I've never run into that before. Any idea what that phrase meant? Is the launch variable?

[coasterbill 454]

Somebody's been spinning the rain policy wheel again. There's a torrential downpour at the park right now that's been going on for awhile. It's raining so hard that all coasters that are visible on webcam are closed except for...

 

 

...Iron Dragon. A coaster which last year closed due to a light drizzle even before Dragster did.

 

[djcoastermark 0]

If you are going to J. Island you should take the route around Marblehead Peninsula and stop for a picnic lunch at the Marblehead Lighthouse. The setting is beautiful. Reminds me of Maine in a way, very rocky and did I say beautiful ? I have spent many a day there from the time I was a kid and never tire of the peace , serenity and sometimes violent nature of the lake from there. It is truly a magical spot. Also , If you are in Port Clinton, just a little west,on the beach, you have to try Jolly Rogers for the best damn fresh perch sandwich you will ever eat ! To the east in Vermillion is Old Prague which has great duck and Czeck food.

not my pic

soo good

[diggerg56 0]

Odd technical question: Let's "imagine" that I was on the last train of TTD during an after hours event. A bunch of ride ops hopped onto the train with me and the op from the control booth came out and said to an op behind me that it was "set to 1.8" and the guy behind me seemed surprised and excited. After launch I experienced strong sustained ejector during the entire top hat. I've never run into that before. Any idea what that phrase meant? Is the launch variable?

 

I don't know if it's truly variable but on my second ride of the day Friday morning I experienced the same thing. I've ridden TTD probably 50 times over the years and that's the fastest I've even gone over the top hat. Oddly it was a weird run all around. We rolled out into the "parked for launch position" and then the sound effects, etc. shut off and they rolled us back into the station, announced to the crew to re check the train/restraints and then we rolled back out into launch position and had that crazy ride. It was about about a 3/4 full train.

[SbSteveZ 0]

Sorry for the dumb question but how does one go about seeing the ride sign animations on your phone. I know I have seen one for Valravn and maybe MF.

I'd also like to know the answer for this question... I searched the entire app this morning and really couldn't find anything on it relating to or even pointing in the direction of those little ride animation things

[thrillrider 1]

Just a couple of random shots from coastermania.

New projection on the side of valravin

Tickets on hand for brew and bbq

This is our table at the brew and bbq fest. Why so many beers you ask? Well...that because they advertise that the event goes on till park closing, but it actually ends at 9:30. So we had to run around and use all our tickets up before they closed.

Different stations were set up with all types of beers.

Valravin is a much better coaster that we thought it was going to be.

Love this...lol

 

I guess this is why they have seat belts.

[Philrad71 0]

Anyone ever stayed there before?

Is the place right next to railroad tracks like just about every other area hotel seemingly is?

Any other good nearby restaurants to recommend (that are not a chain)?

 

Chet and Matt's pizza is pretty good. Plus this is going to sound really stupid and it most definitely is a chain but right under route 2 there's an Applebees with a really weird outdoor, tiki bar thing going on. Obviously it's just an Applebees so I wouldn't eat there, but if you want a place right near the hotel to have a few drinks at the end of the night it's a pretty good option just because it's literally right there and pretty weird.

 

Thanks Bill...we just might have to check out both! Weird is good and we always like sitting outdoors on a nice night sipping a few cold beers or cocktails.

 

Hot Dog Tonys is a great place downtown to eat

 

If we wind up in downtown at some point, we may have to check that out...love hot dogs if they are done right. Sure would be great if Pink's in the park could figure out the right way to cook them!

 

Berardi's is very good, as is El Grand Patron if you prefer mexican style food - they're right next door to one another.

 

http://www.sanduskyberardis.com/ for your reference.

 

Berardi's looks like it has great breakfast menu. Given that hotel breakfast buffets are usually God awful (unless you are overseas), we'll most likely be doing breakfast/brunch at a restaurant. While it might be hard for them to top Inventions in Milan, we may try this on Sunday before heading to the park for the day.

 

If you are going to J. Island you should take the route around Marblehead Peninsula and stop for a picnic lunch at the Marblehead Lighthouse. The setting is beautiful. Reminds me of Maine in a way, very rocky and did I say beautiful ? I have spent many a day there from the time I was a kid and never tire of the peace , serenity and sometimes violent nature of the lake from there. It is truly a magical spot. Also , If you are in Port Clinton, just a little west,on the beach, you have to try Jolly Rogers for the best damn fresh perch sandwich you will ever eat ! To the east in Vermillion is Old Prague which has great duck and Czeck food.

 

Wow, that lighthouse does look like something that you would see in Maine...sure hope that we have the time for a visit. And I have always wanted to check (or should I say, Czech?) out Old Prague. It's a bit of a haul to Vermillion, but someday I vow to go. Given that I had some great food in and around Prague during our visit a few years ago, I would love to stop sometime and see how their food stacks up!

 

Thanks for all of the great suggestions, guys!

 

Edit: ^ David, those look like pretty good sized "samplers" of beer! How was any of the BBQ stuff? Fair, good, great? My sister and husband were there this weekend, but she doesn't do BBQ so she couldn't comment. She did send me some nice pics of the layout though!

[thrillrider 1]

Unfortunately, we only had time to sample a few of the BBQ items. Both that we had tried were delicious.

[Philrad71 0]

^ That's good to hear David, thanks for the update.

 

I will grab some photos and do a full report after we visit next weekend.

[Kevin6279 0]

Odd technical question: Let's "imagine" that I was on the last train of TTD during an after hours event. A bunch of ride ops hopped onto the train with me and the op from the control booth came out and said to an op behind me that it was "set to 1.8" and the guy behind me seemed surprised and excited. After launch I experienced strong sustained ejector during the entire top hat. I've never run into that before. Any idea what that phrase meant? Is the launch variable?

 

I don't know if it's truly variable but on my second ride of the day Friday morning I experienced the same thing. I've ridden TTD probably 50 times over the years and that's the fastest I've even gone over the top hat. Oddly it was a weird run all around. We rolled out into the "parked for launch position" and then the sound effects, etc. shut off and they rolled us back into the station, announced to the crew to re check the train/restraints and then we rolled back out into launch position and had that crazy ride. It was about about a 3/4 full train.

 

1.8 (m/s I believe) is the speed reduction, it varies usually between 1.0 and 2.3/2.5 depending on what the max is set to (it starts the season at 2.3 and when it gets warmer they increase it to 2.5). You cannot change it, it's all automatic. The only time it changes after it reaches the max for the day is if you start launch boosting trains, or in diggerg56's case, when it rolls back the speed reduction automatically drops to increase the chance the subsequent launch will crest the hill. The crews know ways to manipulate it, such as loading a train special to get a rollback, but unless they were only loading partial trains, the speed reduction shouldn't drop. My guess is it could have just been acting up that night as it sometimes does as it can be unpredictable at times, especially if it is cold.

[Kevin6279 0]

Odd technical question: Let's "imagine" that I was on the last train of TTD during an after hours event. A bunch of ride ops hopped onto the train with me and the op from the control booth came out and said to an op behind me that it was "set to 1.8" and the guy behind me seemed surprised and excited. After launch I experienced strong sustained ejector during the entire top hat. I've never run into that before. Any idea what that phrase meant? Is the launch variable?

 

I don't know if it's truly variable but on my second ride of the day Friday morning I experienced the same thing. I've ridden TTD probably 50 times over the years and that's the fastest I've even gone over the top hat. Oddly it was a weird run all around. We rolled out into the "parked for launch position" and then the sound effects, etc. shut off and they rolled us back into the station, announced to the crew to re check the train/restraints and then we rolled back out into launch position and had that crazy ride. It was about about a 3/4 full train.

 

1.8 (m/s I believe) is the speed reduction, it varies usually between 1.0 and 2.3/2.5 depending on what the max is set to (it starts the season at 2.3 and when it gets warmer they increase it to 2.5). You cannot change it, it's all automatic. The only time it changes after it reaches the max for the day is if you start launch boosting trains, or in diggerg56's case, when it rolls back the speed reduction automatically drops to increase the chance the subsequent launch will crest the hill. The crews know ways to manipulate it, such as loading a train special to get a rollback, but unless they were only loading partial trains, the speed reduction shouldn't drop. My guess is it could have just been acting up that night as it sometimes does as it can be unpredictable at times, especially if it is cold.

[CookeGMP 0]

Odd technical question: Let's "imagine" that I was on the last train of TTD during an after hours event. A bunch of ride ops hopped onto the train with me and the op from the control booth came out and said to an op behind me that it was "set to 1.8" and the guy behind me seemed surprised and excited. After launch I experienced strong sustained ejector during the entire top hat. I've never run into that before. Any idea what that phrase meant? Is the launch variable?

 

I don't know if it's truly variable but on my second ride of the day Friday morning I experienced the same thing. I've ridden TTD probably 50 times over the years and that's the fastest I've even gone over the top hat. Oddly it was a weird run all around. We rolled out into the "parked for launch position" and then the sound effects, etc. shut off and they rolled us back into the station, announced to the crew to re check the train/restraints and then we rolled back out into launch position and had that crazy ride. It was about about a 3/4 full train.

 

1.8 (m/s I believe) is the speed reduction, it varies usually between 1.0 and 2.3/2.5 depending on what the max is set to (it starts the season at 2.3 and when it gets warmer they increase it to 2.5). You cannot change it, it's all automatic. The only time it changes after it reaches the max for the day is if you start launch boosting trains, or in diggerg56's case, when it rolls back the speed reduction automatically drops to increase the chance the subsequent launch will crest the hill. The crews know ways to manipulate it, such as loading a train special to get a rollback, but unless they were only loading partial trains, the speed reduction shouldn't drop. My guess is it could have just been acting up that night as it sometimes does as it can be unpredictable at times, especially if it is cold.

 

This makes complete sense. It was the last train of CoasterMania and they had been fiddling with passengers and trains for a few minutes. I couldn't quite catch it but now I think I had heard "It's at 1.8". The maintenance guy kinda smiled and shook his head as workers piled on. Thanks for the info. I hope I'll get another one of those someday.