Cedar Point (CP) Discussion Thread

[ComeRideWithMe]

Stupid me thought with a PANDEMIC happening they may waive the cancellation fees. When I planned this I had a job and knew my flight would actually be able to leave. A lot has changed since I made reservations.

Now we don't know what flight status will be along with everything else that comes with this chaos.

I'm in Texas, not like I can just take a drive if something happens with my flight, if they're even going to be open.

[boldikus]

I too am dealing with not being able to get a refund for a trip I planned next month, but put things in perspective here - people are dying. Lots of people. F*cktons of people are out of work all of the sudden and have no idea if they're going to be able to go back to work at all. People have very real very serious problems that only seem to be heading in a worse direction. I don't think you're going to find much sympathy out of anyone here or elsewhere over a hotel reservation.

[ComeRideWithMe]

2 weeks ago I lost my job as well.

Most of us are in the same boat right now. Wasn't looking for sympathy was part bummed out I still won't get to ride at CP, part in disbelief they're hanging onto a cancellation fee during this time. I could use that money right now but I feel like it's in limbo.

[AmyUD06]

Stupid me thought with a PANDEMIC happening they may waive the cancellation fees. When I planned this I had a job and knew my flight would actually be able to leave. A lot has changed since I made reservations.

Now we don't know what flight status will be along with everything else that comes with this chaos.

I'm in Texas, not like I can just take a drive if something happens with my flight, if they're even going to be open.

 

You're planned trip is also two months away. How about calm the F--- down for right now? If it gets to be the start of May and things look bleak, and they're still not giving refunds, then maybe, *maybe* you have a right to flip out. But I'd still go with Boldy's assessment and say you wouldn't.

[ytterbiumanalyst]

I book far in advance, but I always, always book fully refundable rates. We had a trip to Central Florida booked for this summer which has been scrapped, and I got every penny back. When you book non-refundable, this is the risk you take.

[prozach626]

Stupid me thought with a PANDEMIC happening they may waive the cancellation fees. When I planned this I had a job and knew my flight would actually be able to leave. A lot has changed since I made reservations.

Now we don't know what flight status will be along with everything else that comes with this chaos.

I'm in Texas, not like I can just take a drive if something happens with my flight, if they're even going to be open.

So what if you cancel now and in a month they're open? (doubtful) You're also complaining about losing your job. That's terrible, and I feel for you. But, full time Breakers employees are likewise trying to hang onto their jobs by being able to pay wages without premature cancellations where commitments were already made. You're not the only one in crisis. It's a two-way street. Look at CF stock (FUN).

 

Any time you book a trip in advance you take this risk. Read the fine print, dude. Andrew has the best advice. Get refundable rates/trip insurance.

 

not like I can just take a drive if something happens with my flight

Yeah. You can. No boats or aircraft are required to get from Texas to Ohio. It can even be done in one (long) day.

[Pedrinho]

Stupid me thought with a PANDEMIC happening they may waive the cancellation fees. When I planned this I had a job and knew my flight would actually be able to leave. A lot has changed since I made reservations.

Now we don't know what flight status will be along with everything else that comes with this chaos.

I'm in Texas, not like I can just take a drive if something happens with my flight, if they're even going to be open.

I've got to got there again:

You (should have) read theit Terms of Service. You're an adult knowing what risks booking early with (obviously) non-refundable rates you are taking. As of now your trip will be possible to take place (but, seriously, there's a little chance it will be in eight weeks). If Cedar Point will not open you'll get a FULL REFUND FOR NON-REFUNDABLE RATE.

I'm very sorry for you being unemployed now. 98% of all jobs are in danger, in the US as well as here in Europe. But there are possibilities that would have happened without that pandemic.

 

We all see that you are in a terrible situation. We all are. And all of us will lose money in this situation. I may go on short time work soon. My second child was born last week. I have noone to take care of my son, so I have to stay home. That's risks everyone is taking now.

We all know that you could use this money right now better then to lend it to Cedar Point until your trip is finally cancelled.

 

But please, please: Don't mix up your bad planning decisions and mistakes you did with an absolute reasonable business decision Cedar Point makes. They have to be equal to all their guests. And they will do.

[coasterbill]

Everyone relax, they’re probably going to be closed anyway.

[DoinItForTheFame]

Everyone relax, they’re probably going to be closed anyway.

 

Exactly. And if they are... Everyone that is booked is going to be getting a full refund.

[coasterbill]

And even if not, things change by the day including their policies. This shutdown is unprecedented for everyone and everyone's still just kind of figuring it out. Call back in a few weeks, tell them you lost your job due to the pandemic and see if maybe a different person is more helpful. They certainly don't owe you anything on a non-cancellable room but if you get the right person you never know. These are strange times.

Edited April 2, 2020 by coasterbill

[Satans Hockey]

Man I don't know what to do about my trip now. Thought I was being slick reserving hotel/park during the week the last week of May when crowds shouldn't be bad.. I've called about cancelling and getting a refund, but they said they were gonna charge me. If they end up not opening when I have my reservation they'll refund me with no cancellation fee. This is Hotel Breakers telling me this.

Learned my lesson to wait until as late as possible make reservations from here on out for most things.

 

According to their website it looks like you can get your entire refund back minus a $50 cancellation fee as long as you do it 72 hours beforehand. Did you book something different or did they not tell you this? Worst case scenario losing $50 is better than losing the whole deposit.

 

"Booking/Cancellation Policy:

A $50 cancellation fee is charged for any room/unit that is cancelled. We require 72 hours prior to date of arrival cancellation notice for a partial refund. Your partial refund will be your deposit minus a $50 cancellation fee. If you cancel less than 72 hours prior to date of arrival, the amount of the first night room/unit charge and tax will be forfeited."

[Philrad71]

As I had mentioned, this is Cedar Point and their customer service has always been impeccable.

 

I had a situation where my partner (at the time recovering from cancer) & I had made plans to hit Cedar Point on the way home from a trip to Branson. I had booked a room at the Hotel Breakers for two nights in May, booked a ticket/Fast Lane Plus for me, a motorized scooter & ticket for my partner.

 

That evening, my partner fell ill and the next morning it was horrible outside...rain, cold, wind and I knew that we needed to head for home. Fully understanding that we were likely going to lose everything that I had booked, I explained to the clerk at the desk when checking out that my partner had taken ill the night before and that we needed to head home. No mention of cancer, no drama/sympathy card played...just that he had been sick and that we unfortunately had to leave for home.

 

Not only did they speak to the manager and reimburse me for the 2nd night's room, they sent me to the front of the park where they gave me a refund on our tickets, FL+ AND the scooter rental.

 

I sent Breakers/CP an email the following week thanking them for their hospitality and all that they did for us...I will never forget it. I actually left the park with tears in my eyes because I just couldn't believe what they had just done for us.

 

While I can't guarantee that anyone/everyone will get similar full refunds because of this pandemic, the morals of this story are:

 

1). Cedar Point knows what they're doing when it comes to customer service and they are going to do everything possible to do the right thing for you.

2). Remember to show a little gratitude, empathy and just be polite/nice to the employee(s) that you talk with in person, on the phone, or email...it all goes a long way!

[prozach626]

Wait... Was this entire rant and conversation about $50?

[ComeRideWithMe]

Wait... Was this entire rant and conversation about $50?

You can always Zelle me 50 since it means nothing to you.

[ytterbiumanalyst]

So it is about $50. Dude, you booked a $400/night hotel, and you're going to quibble over a $50 cancellation fee that (as multiple people have pointed out) you're probably going to get back because the park will probably not be open on those dates anyway? Chill. It's gonna be all right.

[Pedrinho]

Wait... Was this entire rant and conversation about $50?

You can always Zelle me 50 since it means nothing to you.

He doesn't say that 50 bucks mean nothing to him. He's just impling that he would have been aware, that in any case of cancellation by himself he would always have known that these 50 bucks were gone. He also was implying, that he would know that the park most likely will not be open at the end of may and he would get these 50 bucks anyway.

Perhaps he also wanted to imply that he wouldn't have done this trip if money would be such an issue for him in certain cases.

[jconsolmagno]

Let's assume the $50 goes to a college kid that really needs it and move on. If you were booking a $400 room, you can easily afford it.

[jconsolmagno]

Have fun staffing that...

 

With unemployment numbers where they are right now and likely will continue with companies shedding the fat even if we get back to work by June... they will have no problem.

[Visionist]

I lost several hundred Dollars when I had to cancel my hotel room/day ticket/Scary Farm ticket/Fastlane Plus at Knotts in 2018. I can't remember how much I lost, but it was probably over 300 Dollars.

 

No refund was possible.

[DoinItForTheFame]

Wait... Was this entire rant and conversation about $50?

 

Oh FFS. Seriously $50?!?!

 

I’m just now getting caught up.... However, I agree with basically everyone else.... If you’re booking a $400 a night room.... $50 shouldn’t be such a big concern to cause so much drama over.

[Dar]

Unless you've scrimped and saved to be able to afford a special getaway. Even then, $50 is a 12% loss on $400; that should annoy anybody!

[Pedrinho]

Unless you've scrimped and saved to be able to afford a special getaway. Even then, $50 is a 12% loss on $400; that should annoy anybody!

It's still their TOS, which you agree by booking. If it annoys you, don't book.

And she still will get a full refund. The park will not be open by their travelling date.

[DoinItForTheFame]

Is it too early to start predicting what the next new attraction the park will get is going to be?

[Pedrinho]

The biggest next yet unannounced attraction will be the parks opening in 2020 and the rules that will apply.

[RCjunkie]

^ Have to agree with you there. And those decisions will affect how much of the season the park can salvage if any of it at all. This will affect revenue negatively which will impact decisions about future attractions also.