Cedar Point (CP) Discussion Thread

tndank · October 16, 2019

I think you caught a bad employee. We literally purchased a Plat pass from Canada's Wonderland website last week. Gave my brother the barcode. We all went to Kings Island this weekend. He took it to the window at King's Island and they took his picture and handed him a card. Took a minute or two.

Also, if they let you into the park some, I've seen the giftshop right inside selling FL+ before early entry rope drop down at the Magnum gate.

lord denning · October 16, 2019

Just do the math on Fast Lane passes and you see why they do it.

$150+ each. Figure probably 2,000 of them sold on a busy Saturday. That's an additional $300,000 in revenue that cost the park probably $100 in printing the wrist bands.

They must have sold more a lot more than 2,000 - it seemed like a least 33% of the park had them.

I am not anti-fast pass at all or allowing for the park to make more money. My issue is that it was not a "VIP" experience with that many people having them. If they charged more and truly limited supply that would be different. I understood that was the point of the variable pricing - they would keep increasing the price to meet demand while keeping supply capped to ensure a great experience.

We had wanted years to finally do CP right with fastlane plus so we could get rerides only to have an experience that was the same as going on a normal day. Lines still closer to an hour no chance of hitting all the coasters over a 1.5 day visit. When have to you leave a fastlane line for a coaster running three trains (NOT SV!) because the line is too long and barely moving you know there is a problem.

DILinator · October 16, 2019

Regarding the CW Pass question, this came up with me a couple months ago when I was looking to buy, and the conclusion that was reached was that you should be able to process it into the card at any park. I found it on the site then, and just looked it up again. Here is what it says when click the button to purchase the Platinum Pass:

Valid for admission and parking at all Cedar Fair amusement & water parks during 2020 public operating days. Valid for anyone ages 3 and older. Photo ID card can be processed at any Cedar Fair park. Halloween Haunt, WinterFest and parking is included with this pass. Prices available online only.

I bolded the relevant part. So yeah, it sounds like you had bad luck with employees at WoF who didn't know what they were doing, as it clearly is meant to be able to be processed "at any Cedar Fair park."

Of course, as coasterbill said, if you can make a trip up to CW at some point, and experience that park, I'd highly recommend it! I just purchased Platinum Passes from CW for myself, and my three oldest kids, and the discount is fantastic! Coupled with the payment plan, I'm enjoying having the Passes for the 4 of us for under $60 a month! We did end up making that trip, to CW, and Niagara Falls, and it was a wonderful family trip! If you or the kid haven't seen the Falls from the Canadian side, or taking the boat to the Falls, I highly recommend it! And CW wasn't too bad either... (Which reminds me, I need to finish my TR! lol)

Switching gears, I have a question myself, for those who actually brave CP during Halloweekends (what it'll always be called for me!) My sister got the Gold Pass due to the great promotion, and wants to go to CP with me and the kids this Sunday. I acquiesced to go, even though I usually avoid it like the plague this time of year, since she was really wanting to go and spend time there with us, and I haven't actually made it out there yet this year, and we all have the passes, so why not...

So, not counting this past Sunday of Columbus Day weekend, how have Sundays this Fall been at CP? Are we still going to be looking at long waits just to park, and ghastly lines for all the major (and not major) coasters? I know in years past, Sundays haven't been as bad as Saturdays, or even Fridays, as of late. But with the Gold Pass promotion, I know the park has been extra mobbed. Just looking for a little heads-up so I know what to expect, and to prepare myself and my party accordingly! Thanks!

thepoint4life23 · October 16, 2019

The weather looks to be perfect. Ohio State plays on Friday. It will be packed. Get early do as much as you can before the park gets to busy. You can just enjoy the park walk around, do things you normally would not. With how Busy the park is this is still one of my favorite times to visit. Just has a different feel. As long as you go in open minded you will be fine.

Apollo von Sol · October 16, 2019

My issue is that it was not a "VIP" experience with that many people having them.

For next time you go and want that true VIP experience, VIP Pass. I did it this year, worth every penny and would do it again.

prozach626 · October 16, 2019

I noticed on your itinerary that you’ll be driving right by Kentucky Kingdom. You should go for at least a few hours. I honestly prefer it to Holiday World and they have a really cheap out-of-state deal.

That's because Christmas all year long doesn't mean shit if you can't have a beer.

thepoint4life23 · October 16, 2019

I was going to say i drink a few beers and walk around, but i did not want to force that fun on everyone.

southpuddle · October 16, 2019

My issue is that it was not a "VIP" experience with that many people having them.

Yeah, while I understand your sentiment here, and I agree that it sucks that you paid for Fastlane and still had hour+ waits, the park does not advertise Fastlane as a “VIP” experience. They advertise it as “wait less than those who don’t buy it”, which you did. I’m sure the guests who waited four hours for Steel Vengeance would have gladly only waited one. It just doesn’t make financial sense to sell the same number of FL wristbands on the busiest day of the season (which this past Saturday probably was) as a day that is far less crowded. If it were up to me, I’d charge twice as much and sell half as many, but it’s not up to me, unfortunately

DavidB · October 16, 2019

Also, if they let you into the park some, I've seen the giftshop right inside selling FL+ before early entry rope drop down at the Magnum gate.

I have never seen them sale out before park opens. Just go ride maverick a time or two, then go to the gift shop near Maverick and by your band before the park opens. Most people will not be them before hand.

Thanks for the suggestions guys. I assumed it was pretty unlikely that they would sell out before the park opens, and I'm glad to see multiple people saying they sell them in the gift shops before the park is even open. I will definitely try and get them before rope drop!

boldikus · October 16, 2019

Christmas all year long doesn't mean shit if you can't have a beer.

Please make this your signature? Kthanx

coneyislandchris · October 17, 2019

Switching gears, I have a question myself, for those who actually brave CP during Halloweekends (what it'll always be called for me!) My sister got the Gold Pass due to the great promotion, and wants to go to CP with me and the kids this Sunday. I acquiesced to go, even though I usually avoid it like the plague this time of year, since she was really wanting to go and spend time there with us, and I haven't actually made it out there yet this year, and we all have the passes, so why not...

So, not counting this past Sunday of Columbus Day weekend, how have Sundays this Fall been at CP? Are we still going to be looking at long waits just to park, and ghastly lines for all the major (and not major) coasters? I know in years past, Sundays haven't been as bad as Saturdays, or even Fridays, as of late. But with the Gold Pass promotion, I know the park has been extra mobbed. Just looking for a little heads-up so I know what to expect, and to prepare myself and my party accordingly! Thanks!

We were there on the 28th and 29th of last month. We knew Saturday was going to be slammed so we pretty much decided that, since it was my wife & daughter's first time visiting Cedar Point, that would be the day to just walk around, take in the park, get food, check out the attractions, do some walking on the boardwalk, and once night dropped grab some Fright Lanes and hit the haunts. We got there around 11 AM, the drive in wasn't absolutely horrible at that point and we parked within 10 minutes of hitting the causeway. Our gameplan worked out well and we had a great day even with the crowds. Literally the only coaster we did all day was one night ride on Wicked Twister, which by 11 PM was a walk-on.

Sunday, we had planned to pick up our free Fast Lane Plus wristbands for renewing our platinum passes, and hit up as many of the coasters and rides as possible. We got there just in time for early entry, and while my wife and daughter made their way over to Camp Snoopy, immediately my son and I beelined to the back to try and hit up Steel Vengeance before they started letting in the gold pass holders. By the time we made it from the front gate all the way back (maybe about 25 minutes after), the line was stretching out into the middle of Frontiertown. Turns out that not only was SV not open yet, they hadn't even sent any test trains. We walked over to Maverick, which was cycling trains but not opening the line. The line for early entry was around the corner nearly back to the Fast Lane entrance. By the time they opened it, it was 10:45 and the line was slow moving. We decided to just wait it out until 11 at the Fast Lane entrance. Well, about five minutes into them sending trains, they announced Maverick was going down, and people started pouring out the Fast Lane entrance grumbling. We hightailed it over to Skyhawk which were the only two rides we got in during early entry. That's just the way it goes with this park sometimes.

Eventually, later in the day, both Mav & SV came back up and we were able to get rides on them. The Fast Lanes were definitely lifesavers. The longest we ended up waiting all day (for a ride that was actually up) was a half hour for Steel Vengeance (the posted FL wait was at an hour, but it went by much faster than that). It would have probably been quicker than that if the lady in front of us didn't pitch a shit fit about having to take off her fanny pack which she had turned around and tried to hide on her back through the metal detectors, Hunchback of Notre Dame style. I can't even.

Other than that, Millennium Force was about 15 minutes, Maverick about 20 minutes, Valravn and Gemini were walk-ons, Top Thrill was a whopping five minute wait, Rougarou was maybe 10 minutes. Raptor... Raptor went down for technical issues around 6:00, but it was the last ride that my son had yet to do, so we decided to wait it out. They cycled off trains and brought the one from storage out onto the track, and about a half hour later, the crew opened up the gates for us and the other dozen or so people that decided to wait it out. Spoiler alert: my son loved it, just like he does all B&M inverts so far.

Gatekeeper was down for most of the day and we never ended up getting on it this visit. It looked like one train was stopped on the midcourse, and the other was stopped at the top of the lift.

Overall we had a great pair of days, but judging from the looks on all the people trapped in the non-FL lines (and they were extensive), if you didn't have a Fast Lane pass, you weren't having a good time at all. It was definitely much more crowded than last year's last Sunday of September, that's for sure. I can't imagine it's going to get any less crowded the closer you get to Halloween.

DILinator · October 17, 2019

^Thanks for the detailed rundown, as it definitely helps in creating an idea of what to expect!

As for the crowds, it's unfortunate, but it is what it is. It's not like we haven't been there before, and I wasn't even planning on going this year, so whatever we do is more than we were going to do. I'm not getting FL+ at CP, not now, not ever (unless it's free), so we'll just deal with whatever awaits us.

WolfBobs · October 17, 2019

My issue is that it was not a "VIP" experience with that many people having them.

Yeah, while I understand your sentiment here, and I agree that it sucks that you paid for Fastlane and still had hour+ waits, the park does not advertise Fastlane as a “VIP” experience. They advertise it as “wait less than those who don’t buy it”, which you did. I’m sure the guests who waited four hours for Steel Vengeance would have gladly only waited one.

This. Don't expect to buy FL+ on any Saturday, especially Halloweekend Saturdays and expect walk on's to rides like Steel Vengeance, Maverick, or TTD (if it's open). That's just not how it works. The advertisements clearly state "wait less, ride more." I've seen the posted FL wait for Maverick at 90 mins before, whereas the stand by like was 3+ hours. Pick your poison.

Also, if you went on a Friday or Sunday this time a year those are the days pass renewers can redeem their free FL+. So there's that, people who probably never buy them (me) will have them and use them.

coneyislandchris · October 17, 2019

As for the crowds, it's unfortunate, but it is what it is. It's not like we haven't been there before, and I wasn't even planning on going this year, so whatever we do is more than we were going to do. I'm not getting FL+ at CP, not now, not ever (unless it's free), so we'll just deal with whatever awaits us.

Yeah, as long as you go in with that kind of positive mindset, I'm sure you'll have a better time than most. Have fun!

Oh, one thing I forgot to mention. A couple of the haunts were open during the daytime, just without the monsters roaming about. My youngest one loved "Zombie Jr. High School" as they called it. It's definitely something different to do and those walkthroughs never really pulled any sort of a line, so if you're looking for something to do, might wanna check those out!

DILinator · October 17, 2019

Oh, one thing I was wondering, is whether Forbidden Frontier is still open. I haven't done it of course, since I haven't been this year, and it looks intriguing!

VF15 · October 17, 2019

^

Forbidden Frontier closed for the season on Labor Day.

SbSteveZ · October 17, 2019

Took a weekend long trip to Cedar Point, the busiest weekend of the year - as seen here by several posts.

Was it busy? Absolutely. Did we have a blast? minus traffic, yes.

Before the fun of photos, some non-photo info:

-We stayed at Lighthouse Point, arrived at the Causeway at about 5:30pm, didn't get to the park until closer to 7:30-ish (counting time to check in and unpack of course, we got to the camp office at closer to 6:30). Definitely the busiest I've ever seen it on my visits, however once we were on the peninsula and settled, the crowds didn't bother us one bit.

- On Saturday we left for lunch and on the way back tried to take the old Cedar Point Rd to get to the park, and it still took us 30-45 minutes.

- Full disclousure our group only rode Millennium Force, Maverick (x2) and Steel Vengeance (x3) over the course of the weekend. We also saw several Boneyard Battleground shows, Midnight Syndicate (x2), ate at Melt, went through all the haunted houses and scare zones multiple times (minus Fear Ground Freak Show, didn't feel that was worth the wait based on our experience last year...). This was a HAUNT trip, and we took full advantage of that.

- the longest line we saw was almost 4 hours for Steel Vengeance, with 3 hours for Millennium Force taking a close second. The longest we waited for anything was Steel Vengeance on Saturday morning. We got there for early entry at close to 10:30, however the ride itself didn't open until after noon and we were the second group in line so we decided to tough it out and make it on the first train of the day. No regrets!

- Lines were comically long, with almost an hour for Magnum, 45 minutes for Twister, 60-70 minutes for Corkscrew, an hour for Iron Dragon and my favorite, almost an hour for SkyHawk.

Anywho, onto some photos!

Starting out strong with night time Maverick shots from Cut Throat Cove

Our first HAUNT attraction was CornStalkers. We waited almost an hour and a half for this one, I knew that it would have a long painful line so that wasn't a *huge* deal.

These guys are my favorite. I'm so glad they're all over the place

Steel Vengeance, Millennium Force and Maverick off in the distance from the Lighthouse Point Pier

If it weren't so cold out, this wouldve been the spot to enjoy in the morning. Absolutely loved the view and location!

Say hello to thousands of our closest friends preparing for Early Entry (photo taken mere moments before early entry opened)

Revisiting the pier now that the sun is on the other side of the peninsula. Much better for photos of the coasters

Since this was our first time at Lighthouse Point I dont know how much different this view was in the Mean Streak era but the way that SV looms over this part of the campground is so awesome, it made the stay worth it alone.