thrillrider Posted May 9, 2016 Share Posted May 9, 2016 It's that time of year again where we pack up the family truckster and head to cedarpoint for opening weekend. I do have to say that valravin is a great addition that surpassed my expetations. The rest of the park looked fresh and ready for another summer of fun. I love all the new additions, and have really noticed a change in the atmosphere of the park over the past few years. There was a lot of good things and only a few negative things going on this year. THE PROS: 1.Valravin 2. The entire new midway surrounding valravin 3. Ride ops really kicking butt 4. The addition of a few new coke freestyle stations 5. Raptor looking great 6. New improved wifi works great 7. Lots of fresh paint and facelifts all around the park. 8. Mean streak never opened 9. The weather 10. New park swag like throwback shirts 11. Food service was much better than other cedarfair parks opening weekend THE CONS: 1. Passholder preview night was a mess. They should have kicked the osu crowd out before the preview. 2. The early entry for opening day was a big let down. Nothing opened on time including valravin. The line grew all the way to corkscrew. 3. The traffic on the causeway was horrendous Friday night. Lets move onto some pictures... The backup Friday night While sitting in traffic, I was able to snap a couple of great shot. The parks skyline looks differant this year Valravin was the first thing on our list This is a great idea! This is a visual aid for the ride ops that displays what seats are not latched, and also the dispatch times. Seems like a hit! Evac cart heading up Not sure what the point of this is. Its a wall with windows to view the ride. Could have done the same with a regular fence. Here is the revamped fries/coke freestyle area This is new just inside the front gate The red capet Us I recommend checking out the new app. The new bumper cars look great Made in Italy New wall around mine ride The petting farm also has some new improvements like new animals New lock ers at magnums entrance The shoot the rapids area looks deserted now. They left the station One last lookie Raptors new strobes. The only problem was that you could hardly see them at night. Maxair was having some issues. I beileve it opened on Sunday It had wires hanging from it They now have several ares around the park that you can use you funpix New basketball game on the blue stream miday Because of the new game, the shortcut behind pizza patio is no more There is a new sitting area next to chickie and petes. I wonder why they got rid of the stone tunnel that used to be the exit for pirat ride? New marina entrance from inside the park. Caddilac cars is now sporting billboards New face painting building The entire valravin area looks great. They have a area telling you about the coaster They also had a video playing about how the ride was constructed. The throne made its return this year Valravins own soda mix recipy Ice cream.... And beer New path from the main midway, to the marina gate Valravin midway Looks like raptors trains got a makeover as well Looks like cedarpoint is taking some of Disneys ideas. I did not see them use this at all this weekend. Random theaming on bluestreak midway New giftshop And lockers There is also a picture area hidden in the gift shop They even added signs for people that value a cell phone more that there own life. valravin footer Lot's more valravin and general park pictures coming soon.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DefeatistNation Posted May 9, 2016 Share Posted May 9, 2016 Valravn************ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coasterkyle Posted May 9, 2016 Share Posted May 9, 2016 Valravn************ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thrillrider Posted May 9, 2016 Author Share Posted May 9, 2016 Much more coming up, but just had to add a few from my phone. New throwback shirts Waiting in line Fast lane reader Valravin beer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philrad71 Posted May 9, 2016 Share Posted May 9, 2016 The early entry for opening day was a big let down. Nothing opened on time including valravin. This happens to us just about every time that we have ever done early entry (Maverick & MF). Now we just skip early entry altogether, sleep off our hangovers and go get an awesome breakfast at the Invention (Thomas Edison themed) cafe in Milan before going back to the park. Thanks for the report! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thrillrider Posted May 9, 2016 Author Share Posted May 9, 2016 Some more pictures...... I really like the lighting package they used in valravins line. Here you can see the blacklights. They even have splashes of color on the shades for the line. On the midway, the also have valravin gobos New this year, you can buy a souvinier cup that has unlimited refill all summer long and is good at all cedarfair parks. Millennium force was running great Another funpix spot The glassblowing shop is offering a new type show this summer. Wilderness express in action Inside the red garter, they were rehersing a show Midway market is now on the dinning plan, but for an upcharge. We ended up eating here on sunday, and it really seemed like the quality of the food has taken a nose dive. Raptor was also sporting a fury like lift hill this year. Dont know why, but I really like this shot Can't forget gatekeeper It pays to renew your pass online. Gemini midway. Did they replace the blacktop over the winter in this section? I know they redid the area by pipe scream, but not sure about this area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TBpony414 Posted May 9, 2016 Share Posted May 9, 2016 Great pics! The amount of people that showed up is incredible, good for CP that this is such a hit already. What are the silver things on the ground in your pic that you mentioned Disney has as well? I'm not familiar with them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philrad71 Posted May 9, 2016 Share Posted May 9, 2016 (edited) Philrad's random insane idea of the week... I'm not a soda drinker so the Freestyle machines don't really make me scream YAY!, but what if they did a "Beerstyle" machine that would let you mix and match your own beers? IE: Hefe with Porter, IPA with Shandy, Lager with Stout, or something I would like to try...an Imperial IPA mixed with Lager and Porter? Edited May 9, 2016 by Philrad71 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nrthwnd Posted May 9, 2016 Share Posted May 9, 2016 ^ I think that should go over to the Erotica land sex theme park, Phil. IMh (hic) O Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philrad71 Posted May 9, 2016 Share Posted May 9, 2016 ^ LOL! Or at least at Epcot during Food & Wine! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nrthwnd Posted May 9, 2016 Share Posted May 9, 2016 ...Or at least at Epcot during Food & Wine! Excellent additional idea there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thrillrider Posted May 9, 2016 Author Share Posted May 9, 2016 Philrad's random insane idea of the week... I'm not a soda drinker so the Freestyle machines don't really make me scream YAY!, but what if they did a "Beerstyle" machine that would let you mix and match your own beers? IE: Hefe with Porter, IPA with Shandy, Lager with Stout, or something I would like to try...an Imperial IPA mixed with Lager and Porter? Last year, they "kinda" had something like this.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philrad71 Posted May 9, 2016 Share Posted May 9, 2016 ^ I was really excited when I first heard about this...until I realized that it was Bud and Bud Light. Did they get rid of it this year? Wouldn't surprise me if they did given THAT selection! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thrillrider Posted May 9, 2016 Author Share Posted May 9, 2016 I did not see it out this weekend, but I don't think they brought it out last year until around memorial day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RyanTPM Posted May 9, 2016 Share Posted May 9, 2016 Thanks for the pictures, really good to see the rest of the park as well as Valravn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geauga Dog Posted May 9, 2016 Share Posted May 9, 2016 Thank you for the photos. Glad that you were brave enough to fight those crowds. After experiencing a so-called "season pass preview night" at Kings Island back in 2003 it never truly is a season pass preview night with the park already being open for most of the day. Friday night was very nice and it showed with all those people. The Blue Streak midway has not seen that kind of crowd in years so I hope that the ride will see a big increase in ridership this year. The different colored LED lights on Valravn's lift look sweet. Looking forward to my visit while on vacation in June. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thrillrider Posted May 9, 2016 Author Share Posted May 9, 2016 The one thing that I did not get pictures of was the Frontier inn. My intention was to get back there, but got side tracked. I did hear some rumblings that they yanked the chicken salad off the dinning plan at this location after just 1 day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thrillrider Posted May 10, 2016 Author Share Posted May 10, 2016 A few more randys.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thrillrider Posted May 10, 2016 Author Share Posted May 10, 2016 Great pics! The amount of people that showed up is incredible, good for CP that this is such a hit already. What are the silver things on the ground in your pic that you mentioned Disney has as well? I'm not familiar with them. The plates it the ground are for temporary fence posts. The posts plug right into the plate in the ground for use only when needed. In this case, they would use them to extend the line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DILinator Posted May 10, 2016 Share Posted May 10, 2016 THE PROS: 1. Valravin 2. The entire new midway surrounding valravin 3. Ride ops really kicking butt 4. The addition of a few new coke freestyle stations 5. Raptor looking great 6. New improved wifi works great 7. Lots of fresh paint and facelifts all around the park. 8. Mean streak never opened 9. The weather 10. New park swag like throwback shirts 11. Food service was much better than other cedarfair parks opening weekend THE CONS: 1. Passholder preview night was a mess. They should have kicked the osu crowd out before the preview. 2. The early entry for opening day was a big let down. Nothing opened on time including valravin. The line grew all the way to corkscrew. 3. The traffic on the causeway was horrendous Friday night. I went up to CP Friday night, and Saturday until 3:00, and I'd have to agree with your Pros and Cons. However, as much as I like and enjoyed Valravn, I think I'd almost make your #2, #1! I was SO impressed with the new area around Valravn, and what it does to improve the park as a whole, and would consider that the top benefit of the coaster - even more than the coaster itself! Such a great upgrade! Every time I went back and forth from the front of the park and back again, I went out of my way to go through that area, just because I liked it SO much! Regarding the CONS, specifically, you nailed 'em! I still had a fun time at CP, but it was pretty ridiculous from an operations standpoint in those regards. Hopefully, they don't plan the Passholder Preview night on OSU Day again, and if they do, at least I know now not to bother going... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thrillrider Posted May 10, 2016 Author Share Posted May 10, 2016 Thank you. Yes, the osu/season pass preview was just ridiculous. It was definitely not worth all the hassle of even trying to get into the park. Hopefully next year they rethink this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thrillrider Posted May 10, 2016 Author Share Posted May 10, 2016 I have a few more valravin pictures to post. They should be up by tonight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigcwd2000 Posted May 10, 2016 Share Posted May 10, 2016 Great pictures. Awesome report. Thanks for sharing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
savetheclocktower Posted May 10, 2016 Share Posted May 10, 2016 ...Regarding the CONS, specifically, you nailed 'em!... Hey, don't diss us OSU people! We love and have just as much right to ride coasters as you, and we were paying customers! I agree that it was crowded, but throughout the day, I didn't wait more than an hour for any ride (except the new hotness). It really wasn't THAT crowded (from my standpoint. You may have seen different). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thrillrider Posted May 10, 2016 Author Share Posted May 10, 2016 See, that's the thing. Osu used to have there own day. By combining it with a season pass preview the year a new ride is out is a recipe for disaster. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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