Destination: Cedar Point (and Kings Island)!

[Password121]

^^Good to know. It'll probably be on my parents' credit card anyways, so that shouldn't be an issue. I'll take a look at that hotel as well. Thanks or the input, this is starting to seem real now!

 

^It is a shame they have to do that. It must've had to have been quite an issue since they're potentially losing so much money from exuding people like myself from staying their when I have no intentions of vandalizing anything. People are stupid and I don't blame them for understanding that.

[ytterbiumanalyst]

Some hotels require that the name on the reservation, the name on the credit card, and the name on your ID all match. I'd check with the hotel to be sure they're ok with your parents paying for the room but not actually being present. A lot of hotels will be ok with this provided they know in advance and have your parents' credit card on file to charge in the event that you break something. I would not just show up without having made that arrangement with a manager.

[Password121]

^Oh absolutely. I'll be very clear about what we're asking and I'll make sure it's their policy to allow this and there's no inconsistencies. I'll also call a few days before we leave to double check.

[Ape]

I also would like to recommend staying away from places to the east and west of the main strip. I can't remember the names of the places but there were two one on each side of cedar point that I stayed at that were absolutely horrible.

 

Edit: Roadway in North is the one that was the worst. I would never stay there again. I believe Quality inn Cedar Point is the other one that we thought was horrible.

[coasterbill]

all hotels in the US can only take credit as a form of payment because there is a name and an address attached to the card unlike cash. But, I suppose you could use debit but, I think most hotels will only accept credit as a form a payment

 

You're on the right track with this as you do need a card on file but that's just a security to hold the reservation / security. Once you arrive at the hotel to check in you can choose to use the card on file, use a different card or in many cases pay cash but you still need a card so they can put a hold on it. They refund that when you check out and leave the room in good condition.

 

You can use a debit card if it can cover the hold but most people opt to use a credit card as putting a hold on a debit card is a major pain unless you have a high balance.

 

99% of time time though you just pay with the card on file.

[boldikus]

Boldikus, are the Kennywood discounted tickets the same price as the online discounted tickets? They're listed at $44 at the gate, $32 (plus fees) online. Your report mentioned $30 each which would be awesome and we'd probably lean more towards Kennywood at that price (btw I've read through that entire TR like three times now. Looks like such a good time).

 

Sorry I am just seeing this. The tickets for that day (Friday of Memorial Day weekend) I think were $40 and we got $10 off each. So we paid $30 a piece. Is that what you are asking?

[Password121]

I also would like to recommend staying away from places to the east and west of the main strip. I can't remember the names of the places but there were two one on each side of cedar point that I stayed at that were absolutely horrible.

 

Edit: Roadway in North is the one that was the worst. I would never stay there again. I believe Quality inn Cedar Point is the other one that we thought was horrible.

I believe everything I've looked at is Milan Rd (which I assume is the main strip? Looks like it from Google Maps), including the Travelodge which is the cheapest option I've found that still looks decent and has free breakfast. I don't want to stay *too* far away from the park anyways. I'll stay away from those two for sure.

Boldikus, are the Kennywood discounted tickets the same price as the online discounted tickets? They're listed at $44 at the gate, $32 (plus fees) online. Your report mentioned $30 each which would be awesome and we'd probably lean more towards Kennywood at that price (btw I've read through that entire TR like three times now. Looks like such a good time).

 

Sorry I am just seeing this. The tickets for that day (Friday of Memorial Day weekend) I think were $40 and we got $10 off each. So we paid $30 a piece. Is that what you are asking?

Sorry, my post was a little confusing. Yeah, that's what I'm asking though, thanks! I'll make sure to pick up the tickets at that store on our way to the park. With free parking, cheap tickets, and being a good stopping point halfway to KI (and all the good things I've heard about Kennywood) I think we'll probably be taking a day there.

 

Super helpful, guys, thank you!

[Lightnin Loops]

Ive stayed at the motel 6 in huron that wasn't bad. it was just refurbished when I went in 2014. and also statyed in huron at the cedar point comfort suit in huron, which I think has now changed to a quality. both were about 10min away. I also statyed at the econo lodge just outside the park, was the closest, but definitely the most outdated out of all the places ive stayed .

[christianscoasters]

^Yeah, the comfort inn/suites (whatever it was called) in Huron is now indeed a quality Inn. They're actually putting the new sign up today!

 

The hotels in Huron are good for what you need. It really is only about 10 minutes away from CP. You can go down Cleveland Road all the way to the causeway if you want, or you can take the scenic route on the Chaussee and see the willow trees, fancy houses, and the amusement park that appears out of nowhere.

 

Milan road is indeed the "main strip." Anything there is fine and easily accessible to Cedar Point. But there, you'd have to deal with traffic, stoplights, etc. So staying in Huron can actually be quicker in some cases.

[hendrixmarshalljames]

I didn't read every single post, so apologies in advance if someone brought it up. The KOA in Sandusky has these little camping cabins for 35 a night. For two people, it's a no frills way to go really cheap. Didn't bother us one bit, but you have to bring your own sleeping stuff. (pillows, blankets, etc.) I did a big tour like that a couple times last summer, every little bit of money you can save the better the trip will be.

[Password121]

Ive stayed at the motel 6 in huron that wasn't bad. it was just refurbished when I went in 2014. and also statyed in huron at the cedar point comfort suit in huron, which I think has now changed to a quality. both were about 10min away. I also statyed at the econo lodge just outside the park, was the closest, but definitely the most outdated out of all the places ive stayed .

I think the Motel 6 was one of the options were looking at. Thanks for the input!

^Yeah, the comfort inn/suites (whatever it was called) in Huron is now indeed a quality Inn. They're actually putting the new sign up today!

 

The hotels in Huron are good for what you need. It really is only about 10 minutes away from CP. You can go down Cleveland Road all the way to the causeway if you want, or you can take the scenic route on the Chaussee and see the willow trees, fancy houses, and the amusement park that appears out of nowhere.

 

Milan road is indeed the "main strip." Anything there is fine and easily accessible to Cedar Point. But there, you'd have to deal with traffic, stoplights, etc. So staying in Huron can actually be quicker in some cases.

Awesome, thank you! I love tips like these because I'd have no idea otherwise. I'll keep this in mind!

I didn't read every single post, so apologies in advance if someone brought it up. The KOA in Sandusky has these little camping cabins for 35 a night. For two people, it's a no frills way to go really cheap. Didn't bother us one bit, but you have to bring your own sleeping stuff. (pillows, blankets, etc.) I did a big tour like that a couple times last summer, every little bit of money you can save the better the trip will be.

I had checked the website before and I was keeping it in the back of my mind as an option. I don't remember if they require you to be 21 to check in (we're both 18 which has been pointed out as being a potentials issue with booking hotels) but for the dates I plugged in (peak season mid July) it's looking to bottom out around $65/night which is unfortunately no cheaper than some of the motels were looking at that offer free breakfast. Maybe I'm looking at the wrong place? For two people 17+ for July 13-15 (three nights) the cheapest cabin came up as $65/night. Thanks for the suggestion though, I'll take a second look before we book.

 

Edit: that's for the smallest cabin. I don't think we're up for tent camping this trip but I'm sure it would be dirt cheap.

 

Thanks for the tips guys, keep em coming!

[blakelemay23]

Have fun on your trip!

 

You'll see me working the Skyride this year.

 

As for Kentucky Kingdom, great third park. Every time my family went up there we would go to Kings Island --> Geauga Lake (RIP) ---> and Cedar Point. Coming from Memphis, going through Lexington to KK and then KI is a straight path.

[Password121]

^That's awesome! I'm totally jealous.

 

As for the third park, I think we're leaning towards Kennywood actually (thanks to Boldikus for the recommendation and awesome TR). It'll be a bit easier on the budget, divide up the driving time on the leg out to Ohio (coming from northern VA), and we'll have another chance for night rides on Phantom's Revenge which looks like something we'd really enjoy.

We're not water park people so I think we might run out of things to do at Kentucky Kingdom after six hours or so, but Kennywood seems like there's a lot of unique, small park stuff we won't get at the massive Cedar Fair parks that would more than keep us occupied for the day.

 

I really want to do a Kentucky Kingdom/Holiday World trip at some point though. It's on the agenda.

[Password121]

So we're officially making Kennywood the add-on park of the trip. I just printed two tickets from their leap day sale for $29 each, so we'll save a few minutes from trying to find the store near the park for discounted tickets. If anyone is planning on visiting Kennywood this year check out their website for the sale that ends tomorrow--not a bad deal!

 

As for motels, we've decided on the Motel 6 in Sandusky for three nights (averaging $86/night). Everywhere jumps way up in price for the Friday night compared to the other two nights beforehand by Cedar Point. They're also the only place I've called that is very clear on their policy of minimum age 18 to check in, so that's a huge relief to find that.

 

If anyone has some input on a decent cheap motel off I-70 or I-270 between Kennywood and Kings Island, let me know! How long should I expect to need at Kennywood so that we can cut out a chunk of the drive to KI before the next morning if we're arriving at Kennywood sometime between 12-2pm on Monday, 7/11?

 

It looks like there are some options in Colombus, but does that leave us enough time to do all of Kennywood without leaving too late? Cambridge, Ohio has a few options, but that would be another hour or so the next morning. I want to make it to the 9:30 early entry at KI the following day, so I don't want too long a drive in the morning, but I don't know how much time is appropriate for Kennywood. Is it worth it to stick around late for night rides on Phantom's Revenge, or does it get dark too late for that to be worth the time lost sleeping/driving late at night or early the next morning?

[djcoastermark]

Kennywood has a really neat atmosphere to it at night worth staying till dark. Staying in Columbus is a good idea. You will get the bulk of traveling from Kennywood to KI out out of the way. I used to live in Columbus and just about any motel/hotel brand can be found and can be gotten for a good rate if you look on line. From dirt cheap to expensive. From Columbus to KI should take only an hour to an hour and a half depending on your driving.

A good food option at Kennywood (other than the potato patch) is a taco stand hidden in the middle of the park. We got a cilantro chicken taco salad big enough for two for 6.99, that was really good.

[Password121]

^Thanks so much! The website says the park usually closes around 10, so we'll have to see how long we want to stay with a three hour drive ahead of us that night to Colombus. That's going to be quite a long day, with a 4.5 hour drive to Kennywood that morning. I'll look into the options this week.

 

Thanks for all the help guys, any other random tips are appreciated.

[Password121]

Well, we are officially booked and I couldn't be more pumped for this. Our final itinerary looks like...

 

Monday, 7/11--Kennywood (1pm-8/9pm), three hour drive to Motel 6 Grove City, Ohio (just SW of Columbus)

Tuesday, 7/12--75 minute drive to Kings Island (9:30am-10pm), staying at Microtel Inn, Mason Ohio

Wednesday, 7/13--Kings Island (9:30am-lunch), four hour drive to Cedar Point (evening-10pm), staying at Motel 6 Huron/Sandusky

Thursday, 7/14--Cedar Point early entry to close (woohoo!)

Friday, 7/15--Cedar Point early entry to close (woohoo! again, FL+ definitely an option weather dependent)

Saturday, 7/16--Cedar Point early entry to lunch, 7 hour drive back home

 

It was a huge hassle calling over a dozen motels and being put on hold for a seven second conversation, but that would've been a disaster if I hadn't looked into that. I owe you guys one for pointing that out to me

 

I know I'm repeating myself at this point but I couldn't be more excited for this trip. Not only Cedar Point, but two more parks I've never been to that look like two of the better parks in the country from what I've seen. I've got my Kennywood tickets in my drawer and my Platinum pass in my wallet so it's getting real now, lol.

 

 

I'll continue to ask more park-specific or food-stop specific questions when we get closer to the departure date. Thanks guys!

[Password121]

Just about two months out from departure, getting pretty excited!

 

Just out of curiosity, has anyone ever used Kennywood's line skipping passes? They seem actually pretty reasonable, and while I realize they're all (other than the all day unlimited option which is essentially a fast lane pass) single use, how quick are these passes?

If it's a busier Monday when we're at the park or hit traffic on the four hour drive to the park in the morning (and we may not stay until closing with a lengthy drive to the motel) it may be something to look into when we're closer in to the trip.

It looks like they have single use options, package options, as well as front/back seat options.

 

Thanks for the help!

[Password121]

Departure is creeping up on us crazy fast, so a few questions to revive this trip planning thread a little bit. Any bits of info are appreciated, even if they have nothing to do with what I'm asking about.

 

 

Kennywood

Being a four hour drive from home (and not having the option of leaving before rush hour/early AM) were probably looking at arriving sometime around noon-12:30 on Monday. What can't miss food should we look to have for lunch? I know they're know for the potato patch fries but I've also read they're nothing special. Should we have lunch at the main restaurant in the park (can't recall the name), outside the park, or somewhere else? Is there anywhere really good and affordable outside the park or somewhere heading west down I-70, or should we just save time and grab chain food somewhere?

 

I don't think lines should be an issue on a Monday, and arriving after 12pm there's probably no best plan of attack for short lines, correct? With a three hour drive to the motel and a long week ahead unfortunately we'll have to depart by 8pm at the latest, so no night rides this time around, but the following is what we're shooting for--are we missing anything/is this reasonable in 6-8 hours...?

----> All six coasters, three dark rides, Black Widow (Kangaroo and Turtle have been suggested but is this worth the time?)

 

 

 

Kings Island

We plan on platinum pass early entry to get Firehawk and FoF out of the way but we've ridden clones at SFA and KD so one ride will be enough with those two as well as what seems to be several of the coasters that either have clones at KD, rides that suck, or aren't worthy or rerides. We plan on every major coaster and maybe the occasional stop for a water ride/flat but nothing looks super interesting here outside of the big three. Which leads us to my main question...

 

We've essentially decided on two days of Fast Lane passes each for the week. We're both mainly in it for Cedar Point, but having been to CP in 2014 I know it's not hard to ride all we want with the time we have there. So are we better off with one day of FL+ at each park, or just both at Cedar Point? I don't know if Kings Island's collection/potential wait times relative to Cedar Point justify coughing up $70 here instead of enjoying ourselves another day at Cedar Point. Really any insight with lines on a Tuesday in July are appreciated (well have Wedneday morning for rerides on favorites as well). Leaning towards both at Cedar Point but if this is a stupid plan please let me know.

 

Food--dining plan best options at Kings Island? Skyline Chili, Johnny Rockets, or something else?

 

The Beast--A front seat night ride here is probably our top priority along with Diamondback and Banshee. Two questions here, and I guess both really boil down to personal preference but some advice would be great.

 

One, with nightfall around 9:15, is it worth trying to grab an early night ride on Diamonback, Banshee or Bat and then hopping in line by 9:30, or is that too risky to potentially be instructed to ride in another row if we're too late?

 

Two, is this really worth riding during the day knowing we're getting an infinitely better ride at night that could potentially lower the hype and excitement? I know this is super nerdy and really just a personal preference but it would be pretty cool to have never ridden the ride before that first time at night which could make it even more incredible, yes?

 

 

 

Cedar Point

I've been on two separate occasions ('13 and '14) but my buddy's never been, and this is really the main goal of the trip, hence having two full days plus up to two additional half days on either end. Really only two (well, three) things I'm wondering about.

 

One, see above Fast Lane question (and can someone confirm it is true platinum passholders get a free upgrade to FL+?)

 

Two, any decent breakfast options within 10 minutes of the park? The cheap Motel 6 we're staying at doesn't offer free breakfast. Even just somewhere to grab a muffin or something, could just go with a nearby fast food joint.

 

Three, how does Valravn shake up the early entry/first hour of operation go-to plan? In the past we've gone to Millennium followed by Maverick, then Dragster at 10. Same idea still, or is Valravn (entering through Marina gate) a good first option?

 

 

 

Sorry for the super long wall of text, any help is appreciated! Getting stoked after almost a year of planning!

[DirkFunk]

Departure is creeping up on us crazy fast, so a few questions to revive this trip planning thread a little bit. Any bits of info are appreciated, even if they have nothing to do with what I'm asking about.

 

 

Kennywood

Being a four hour drive from home (and not having the option of leaving before rush hour/early AM) were probably looking at arriving sometime around noon-12:30 on Monday. What can't miss food should we look to have for lunch? I know they're know for the potato patch fries but I've also read they're nothing special. Should we have lunch at the main restaurant in the park (can't recall the name), outside the park, or somewhere else? Is there anywhere really good and affordable outside the park or somewhere heading west down I-70, or should we just save time and grab chain food somewhere?

 

The fries are good but overrated by people who eat complete garbage most of the time. These are the people that made Krispy Kreme into "a thing" only to see it fail miserably in the north and contract. The area immediately around it I'm not that familiar with but don't know of any sort of institutions that are specifically worthwhile. As a whole, it is Pittsburgh, and people will say Primanti Bros. I don't know which is closest.

 

I don't think lines should be an issue on a Monday, and arriving after 12pm there's probably no best plan of attack for short lines, correct? With a three hour drive to the motel and a long week ahead unfortunately we'll have to depart by 8pm at the latest, so no night rides this time around, but the following is what we're shooting for--are we missing anything/is this reasonable in 6-8 hours...?

----> All six coasters, three dark rides, Black Widow (Kangaroo and Turtle have been suggested but is this worth the time?)

 

Kennywood closes at ?'o clock every day, so you might only have until 8PM regardless. All of those are basic necessities along with Auto Race and perhaps the log flume (which is the last arrow hydroflume with an uphill portion IIRC), Bayern Kurve, Whip, and Giant Discovery (Black Widow). Concentrate on Phantom's Revenge and Exterminator first due to capacity IMO.

 

Kings Island

We plan on platinum pass early entry to get Firehawk and FoF out of the way but we've ridden clones at SFA and KD so one ride will be enough with those two as well as what seems to be several of the coasters that either have clones at KD, rides that suck, or aren't worthy or rerides. We plan on every major coaster and maybe the occasional stop for a water ride/flat but nothing looks super interesting here outside of the big three. Which leads us to my main question...

 

We've essentially decided on two days of Fast Lane passes each for the week. We're both mainly in it for Cedar Point, but having been to CP in 2014 I know it's not hard to ride all we want with the time we have there. So are we better off with one day of FL+ at each park, or just both at Cedar Point? I don't know if Kings Island's collection/potential wait times relative to Cedar Point justify coughing up $70 here instead of enjoying ourselves another day at Cedar Point. Really any insight with lines on a Tuesday in July are appreciated (well have Wedneday morning for rerides on favorites as well). Leaning towards both at Cedar Point but if this is a stupid plan please let me know.

 

I would consider saving the money and do one day at Cedar Point (Friday/Sat if you're there on one of those) and assess Kings Island before buying one. There is virtually no chance whatsoever that you will stroll into any theme park on a Monday or Tuesday and find Fast Lanes sold out before the gates open. It isn't happening.

 

The Beast--A front seat night ride here is probably our top priority along with Diamondback and Banshee. Two questions here, and I guess both really boil down to personal preference but some advice would be great.

 

One, with nightfall around 9:15, is it worth trying to grab an early night ride on Diamonback, Banshee or Bat and then hopping in line by 9:30, or is that too risky to potentially be instructed to ride in another row if we're too late?

 

Crap shoot depending on crowds. Lots of people will want a night ride on Beast. I will tell you that Banshee and Bat are on the opposite corner of the park and a long long walk back there. You're not getting on one at 9:15 and then getting into the Beast line at 9:30.

 

Two, is this really worth riding during the day knowing we're getting an infinitely better ride at night that could potentially lower the hype and excitement? I know this is super nerdy and really just a personal preference but it would be pretty cool to have never ridden the ride before that first time at night which could make it even more incredible, yes?

 

Always, always, always get the credit first, worry about specific preferences later unless there's some sort of overriding scenario (e.g. a front seat is just an extra train wait and the line behind you is 3 hours).

 

Cedar Point

I've been on two separate occasions ('13 and '14) but my buddy's never been, and this is really the main goal of the trip, hence having two full days plus up to two additional half days on either end. Really only two (well, three) things I'm wondering about.

 

One, see above Fast Lane question (and can someone confirm it is true platinum passholders get a free upgrade to FL+?)

 

Never heard this and don't see it on the site. I'd tweet them or something asking for confirmation.

 

Two, any decent breakfast options within 10 minutes of the park? The cheap Motel 6 we're staying at doesn't offer free breakfast. Even just somewhere to grab a muffin or something, could just go with a nearby fast food joint.

 

If you're just looking at the direct Motel 6->Cedar Point path and you're at the Sandusky-Milan one, there's a bunch of fast food places along the way. Jolly Donut in Sandusky is a bit of a throwback and at least unique. If you want something a little more wholesome, Barry Bagels has a newish location on Rt. 250 and they're pretty decent for chain anything.

 

Three, how does Valravn shake up the early entry/first hour of operation go-to plan? In the past we've gone to Millennium followed by Maverick, then Dragster at 10. Same idea still, or is Valravn (entering through Marina gate) a good first option?

 

Valravn builds a queue. Personally I'd say skip it one morning since it draws people who would go to MF and Maverick in the past. Now those rides are sending empty seats even on Saturday mornings.

[kenban]

The free upgrade on fast lane for platinum pass holders was not continued. It disappeared from the website not long before the start of the season.

[Philrad71]

^ But we did save $20 on FL+ with our PP - so instead of paying $93 on a Sunday, we paid $73. Which was totally worth it to basically walk on Valravn about six times (with most being less than a 5 minute wait versus two hours) and to only wait less than 15 minutes for Maverick. Gatekeeper was pretty much a walk-on the entire weekend, so not sure why it is even part of FL+....just for early mornings when everyone rushes over there, I suppose.

 

In terms of where to eat breakfast near CP, I would highly suggest Berardi's - they have a great menu, are fairly reasonable...and you can even get a Bloody Mary to get your day started on the right foot!

 

There is a snippet review of it in my recent trip report...

 

Link

 

In terms of Kennywood, the only thing that we have had was the fries. I would suggest that if you get them, don't get the BBQ seasoning on them - just go for the cheese and maybe the bacon and you'll be good. But I can't say that they're better than the ones at CP or the crab fries at Chickie and Pete's (also at CP) Not sure if there is anything close to the park besides some fast food chains and Primanti Bros. would be quite a hike back into downtown. Maybe check Yelp once you get there to see if there are any hidden gems located near the park and then post your photo report in our 'Good eating outside of theme parks" thread?

 

For the Beast, just get in the queue around 9:00 and you should be fine for your front seat ride. Like Dirk Funk said, walking from Banshee or The Bat is a crazy long walk at the end of the night. Stay around Rivertown, do D-Back a couple of times and then slip into line for The Beast for your last ride of the night - you won't be disappointed and no other ride at the park will top it.

 

And as Dirk also mentioned, do a wait and see on FL+ at KI and then do one day of FL+ at CP so your buddy can get to ride Maverick, Valravn and TTD without having to wait in line for hours on end. It doesn't matter when you go from now until Labor Day, those three are always going to have decent sized lines.

 

Have fun!

[Password121]

Thanks so much for all the help guys. I can't find anything on the site about the Fast Lane discount--Philrad71 was this something you had to ask for at the park buying Fast Lane, or was it common knowledge among CP employees if you had your pass? If the free upgrade from FL to FL+ is legit I assume it's valid at Kings Island as well.

 

Another thing I had forgotten to mention--my cousin and his wife live in Cleveland and were planning to meet up for half a day, either Friday afternoon or Saturday at opening to mid-afternoon. I'm not seeing starlight tickets available on the site, so it looks like Saturday might be the best option (for us especially as were planning on Friday definitely being a FL+ day--actually selfishly I'm hoping Friday doesn't work for them so we can do FL+ Friday and a chill Saturday with them before we depart). Are there any other bring a friend discounts other than the "anyday" $42 passholder price advertised on the site? Passholder benefits explicitly say special discount days throughout the season, but no dates are listed so I assume $42 is what we're looking at, yes?

 

 

Thanks for the advice about The Beast. We'll probably hang around Diamondack until 9-9:15 to get in line for The Beast. Of course I wouldn't want to risk not getting to ride at all if we waited for the night ride and it didn't happen, but we'll be back Wedneday morning for rerides on our favorites and anything we missed, so there's at least that option if some issue came up. We'll take things as they go as I don't really want to over-plan the trip.

 

Another thing we're looking into is the $5 slingshot offer at Kings Island. Can we purchase a ticket in the early AM to use at any point during the day at the reduced price?

 

And last thing--Kings Dominion all season sports bottles are valid at all Cedar Fair parks, correct?

 

Thanks for the food advice as well. Really good stuff guys, I appreciate it!

[DirkFunk]

None of us here can offer better info than Cedar Point themselves re: ticket pricing and discounts.I really can't stress that enough. Alternatively, those joining you can look into discounts provided by local retailers and chambers of commerce.

[Password121]

^Yeah absolutely, I just wasn't sure if the info was there and I just wasn't seeing it. I'll call/email for any unanswered questions before we leave. Everything here is really helpful though. Thanks for putting in the time to respond.