Cedar Point Trip Planning

Answer to #2 - Your platinum pass, regardless of where you got it, is valid for all perks, discounts, etc. I verified it with Cedar Point on their page before I went on my trip and never had a problem when I was at the park. It's a pretty sweet deal.

Answer to #4 - I can't vouch for TTD as it was not open when I went, but if you have trouble fitting on any of the Ride of Steels and/or Bizzaro, you may have trouble fitting on Millennium Force. It's basically the same restraint, seatbelt and all.

Then again, if you're getting a Fast Pass and the line isn't asinine, it might not hurt to try. I was wearing jeans and quite a few layers when I went in May because of the cold rain they had and I fit on fine.

Motel 6 right off the turn pike is a decent place and probably one the cheapest. Last time I stayed there it was very clean and was around $55. That hotel is about 20 minutes from the park. All platinum passes are good for early entry, at least there were the last time I was there. I'm heading to Cedar Point on August 6th and I was wondering about the seat belts myself. I heard the back seat of either the yellow or red train on Millennium Force have longer belts. Maybe someone can chime in to confirm that. Other than Gatekeeper Media Day, I haven't been to Cedar Point since 2010. At that time there was no fast lane, so that will be a new experience for me also.

frontrow said:

Motel 6 right off the turn pike is a decent place and probably one the cheapest. Last time I stayed there it was very clean and was around $55. That hotel is about 20 minutes from the park. All platinum passes are good for early entry, at least there were the last time I was there. I'm heading to Cedar Point on August 6th and I was wondering about the seat belts myself. I heard the back seat of either the yellow or red train on Millennium Force have longer belts. Maybe someone can chime in to confirm that. Other than Gatekeeper Media Day, I haven't been to Cedar Point since 2010. At that time there was no fast lane, so that will be a new experience for me also.

I want to say yes, but I'm not positive. I do remember it hanging a bit more on some cars than other so it's probably true.

I'll vouch for what Ken said about the M6. It's more than decent. When I go in August, I'm staying on premises (Breakers) for the first time.

The attendants struggled to get me into MF last September, but they did...barely. I got turned away on TTD and Wicked Twister (although I fit on Possessed pretty easily)

You've hung with me, Paul, and you know my body type, so take that for what it's worth.

Mike

Paul! It looks like I'm going to miss you by a couple of days! I'm getting there Sunday, and spending all day Monday at the park.

Have fun! I wish I could answer your questions... I'm curious what the "lesser" rides lines look like nowadays too, especially Magnum.

I will say, try Hotels.com. I got a room at the Rodeway Inn, 1 mile from the park, for $43.

* This post was modified at 7/24/13 1:16:03 PM *

1. I'm looking at Travelodge Lake Erie as having the least offensive reviews. Price right now is $59/night which is not the cheapest, but not outrageous for 5 miles from the park. I'm not too picky, but I don't want to have to bring my own bug spray.

I have never stayed there but drove past it this Saturday. From the outside, it looks like an average to below average budget motel. A quick glance at Trip Advisor seems to be mostly negative reviews and mentions bugs and musty/moldy conditions. I’m not saying that TA is always accurate, especially since it’s nothing more than an opinion site, but they have yet to steer me wrong in my hotel and/or restaurant selections.

3. How has Fast Lane changed queuing times for the "lesser" rides? Of course, it is well publicized that Maverick and MF are a mess without it, but are any of the other rides adversely affected?

Heck, on really busy days, MF and Maverick can be a mess WITH FastLane! TTD is only available with FastLane Plus, so if you plan on riding that, spring the extra $20 for the Plus. As far as Gemini, Mean Streak, Magnum, etc, the lines for those are usually in the 20-45 minute range (often times even less) and with FastLane would probably be walk-ons.

Last I heard, the seatbelts are the measuring device at CP. I think you have to have 1 inch of belt past the stitching or something like that. Have they added sensors to the lapbars yet? I think MF is the tighter fit, so I don't anticipate being able to make that one, but I think TTD should be possible if I empty my pockets and forgo the belt. Any thoughts are welcome.

As others have said, the seat belts vary. It’s very possible you’ll fit in one seat and then later on try a different seat and not meet the “slack requirement”. It’s a tough call when there isn’t any real consistency.

5. Is there anything worth going to Soak City for? Since my Platinum Pass can get us into the waterpark, a brief visit on Thursday could be worth a couple of mid day hours.

I’m not a waterpark guy, so I probably can’t answer this one honestly, but if you want a few decent slides and a wave pool to play around in for a bit, Soak City will be right up your alley.

Enjoy your visit!

* This post was modified at 7/24/13 2:06:59 PM *

Answer to #3 here's the rides that Fast Lane actually made a difference when we went on a Thursday this month...

Maverick (saved hour easy, still 20 minute wait)
GateKeeper (first ride saved hour+)
Raptor (in the morning, saved 20 mins)
Millenium Force (saved 30 mins, rode once where fast pass didn't help)
Top Thrill Dragster (saved 30 minutes)

Everything else the Fast Lane merged before the line even started - including Gatekeeper after 8pm - they ride attendants were kicking butt on that one. We may have gotten lucky on a few other rides, but that was our experience.

If it was me going again with your plans, i'd hit the line free less popular coasters on the first night, then hit the big ones repeatedly on your fast pass day. Have a great time!!

Hey Paul.....Soak City is not one of the best waterparks I have been to but they do have one body slide that is insane!! Has amazing speed and airtime actually!!

As far as your platinum pass goes,there are many benefits you can take advantage of. Go on Cedar Points web site and they have a list of all the deals you can take advantage of. There is one ride that you have to go on at Challenge Park,which is part of the park and next to Soak City. You can get a buy one get one free ride on Skyscraper!! If you have never been on this ride,do yourself a favor and get a ride on this crazy thing..lol. Actually more thrilling than many roller coasters.

HamptonRoadsRider said:

Everything else the Fast Lane merged before the line even started - including Gatekeeper after 8pm - they ride attendants were kicking butt on that one. We may have gotten lucky on a few other rides, but that was our experience.

What do you mean "before the line started"? At the station? I'm curious to know where each ride's Fast Lane line merges...

Also, I notice that Iron Dragon and Wicked Twister are not on the Fast Lane or Fast Lane Plus list. Is that accurate? I understand Wicked Twister, but I would think Iron Dragon could handle it...

* This post was modified at 7/24/13 3:00:13 PM *

drachen said:

What do you mean "before the line started"? At the station? I'm curious to know where each ride's Fast Lane line merges...

Also, I notice that Iron Dragon and Wicked Twister are not on the Fast Lane or Fast Lane Plus list. Is that accurate? I understand Wicked Twister, but I would think Iron Dragon could handle it...

Sorry, a bit confusing terms - Meaning the line of people waiting to ride had not yet reached where the Fast Lane and regular line merged into one line, making the fast lane useless. The fast lane and regular line typically merge into the same line around 10-20 minute wait depending on ride - somewhat close to the station, so if there's a short wait, you wait with everyone else. not like Hershey Park, where its a separate line altogether and you typically wait one train to ride.

Iron Dragon and Twister (at night everytime) regular lines were both 1-2 trains on that thursday and friday so i never even checked for fast lane (again, made useless by any shortline). I thought twister may have had one but i'm not sure. There were a few coaster without fast lane IIRC, but i wouldn't sweat it since the lines are always short on those

* This post was modified at 7/24/13 4:06:07 PM *

I went on a Monday mid July thinking it would be less crowded but found out I was wrong by a land slide. I don't know if they are having record crowds this year because of Gatekeeper, but if Raptor is a 90 min. wait you know your screwed. I got on only 3 rides(granted they were Gatekeeper, Millennium Force and Maverick) by 5 pm. It was like 95 degrees and not fun. I have been to Cedar Point like every year for the past 20 years and have not experienced this ever. The fast pass is expensive but we would have had fun if we were not so cheap and just purchased them. I strongly recommend getting a fast pass and getting there before park opens.

^^ yeah that sounds miserable...when i see a line over say 45 minutes i normally just go find something else and check back before closing. That is one of the nice things with cedar point - there should be a short line somewhere with that many rides.

alpengeistno3 said:

Hey guys! I'm planning a last minute trip to CP for next week. (My old college roommate wants to hang there instead of KD this year.)

Have fun!!!! :-)

I thought about stopping at Kennywood again, but the only new coaster they have added, Sky Rocket, doesn't seem worth the extra time/expense

DEFINTIELY not worth it and this is coming from someone who loves launches.

1. Anyone have any solid hotel recommendations for 2 nights? I'm looking at Travelodge Lake Erie as having the least offensive reviews. Price right now is $59/night which is not the cheapest, but not outrageous for 5 miles from the park. I'm not too picky, but I don't want to have to bring my own bug spray.

I ALWAYS stay at the Super 8 farthest from the park. I paid around $45 for the night (AAA discount) when I went but it was off season - it's $61.99/night now but it's really nice. I can e-mail you pics if you want. It's only a 10-15 minute ride to the park.

3. How has Fast Lane changed queuing times for the "lesser" rides? Of course, it is well publicized that Maverick and MF are a mess without it, but are any of the other rides adversely affected? I think I have a pretty solid plan to use my 2 half days to take care of the big ones and from what I hear, rides like Corkscrew, Magnum, MS, Mantis, and maybe Gemini are pretty empty the rest of the day for marathoning.

Fast lane is an absolute MUST if you want to ride Gatekeeper on all four quadrants. That line can get very long. It was extremely helpful for MF and Maverick as well. TTD was down the entire day and since we were right at the entrance when it opened we didn't need it.

4. What is the deal with the Intamin seatbelts? As you guys know, I am a borderline big guy for a lot of coasters. I can squeeze into the regular seats on B&M Inverteds, can usually buckle my own seatbelt on the Floorlesses, and am on the last click for the hypers. Superman ROS and El Toro were no go this year, but I was wearing jeans. I have made it when I have shorts on.

Yellow train rear row for MF - new seat belts and they're longer. Same with TTD - look for the train/car with the newer seat belts on any ride you're concerned about since they seem to be longer according to Roz. It's pretty obvious when looking at them.

Last I heard, the seatbelts are the measuring device at CP. I think you have to have 1 inch of belt past the stitching or something like that. Have they added sensors to the lapbars yet? I think MF is the tighter fit, so I don't anticipate being able to make that one, but I think TTD should be possible if I empty my pockets and forgo the belt. Any thoughts are welcome.

We rode front row with new belts on with no problems. No one ever checked that they had any slack after tightening as long as they were closed. Don't think you'll get away without wearing the seat belt on TTD - they check.

Have an awesome time! Tell TTD KK say hello and loved the pics I took, LOL!!!

Jen

* This post was modified at 7/24/13 10:53:47 PM *

Thanks guys. Lots of good advice. I'm going to check those other hotel options tomorrow.

I'm not sure if Fast Lane is an option. My roomie is bringing his 2 kids and wife along with him, so that is a lot of bucks for him to shell out. Raptor has always been a long wait during the day, but used to thin out nicely by evening, so I don't think that 90 min thing will be an issue at 9:00. We do have early entry going for us on Thursday and Friday, so I think I can try to use that to get 1 ride on Gatekeeper and get in line early for TTD and Maverick on each of the days.

From what I understand, Gatekeeper is very good at clearing out the crowds in the PM, so I think at 15-20 mins a pop, I can easily get the 4 quadrants if I focus on that Wednesday evening and during early admission if I miss any.

I forgot about Wicked Twister. I was able to get squeezed into Possessed in the middle of the train (after getting sent walking in the back row), so if the line is short, I will have to try some seat switching. I wasn't particularly thrilled about the ride, so skipping it won't bother me one bit.

I'll keep Soak city as an option, if my roommate wants to try it out. Doesn't sound like there is anything there worth changing clothes for.

Oh and Jen, I didn't mean forgo the seat belt! I meant belt in my shorts (I had one when we went to Gradv since those pants were kind of loose fitting and all the op did was mash the El Toro restraint on the buckle)

Any more advice is welcome.

Paul

alpengeistno3 said:

Oh and Jen, I didn't mean forgo the seat belt! I meant belt in my shorts (I had one when we went to Gradv since those pants were kind of loose fitting and all the op did was mash the El Toro restraint on the buckle)

Any more advice is welcome.

Paul

OH! LOL!

You should be OK on Wicked Twister - we had no problems and they were stapling people in that needed to be. Second to last row right side! ;-)

FYI: Because Gatekeeper has been keeping crowds on that side of the park Raptor has been having longer, steadier lines. Another work of advice - if Gatekeeper goes down RUN to the other side of the park - the rides around it get bad since everyone leaves the queue and stays nearby, especially MF but the other side was empty (with the exception of Maverick which always has a 1 1/2 to 2+ hour wait - people must love torture! :-).

When I was there the walk-ons were: Iron Dragon, Gemini, Mean Streak, Mine train, Magnum (give her some lovin - she needs it! And tell her congrats on winning the coaster war, LOL) and Blue Streak. Didn't ride corkscrew but in all the pics I have of it not one train was full. Didn't go on Mantis either due to my ankle's repulsion to stand-ups but it didn't look like there was much of a wait. This was on May 22nd before the season was in full swing but right after GK opened so take it for what it's worth now.

While I think the FL is worth EVERY penny and I won't go there again with out budgeting for it I think you'll be fine if you are going for a few days. I only had one day and it was when the park closed at 8pm. The line for GK does move incredibly fast - it's a capacity whore, LOL! But I don't know what the wait time are from the back of the queue. From the bottom of the stairs it was about 10 min for the back rows and 15-20 for the front. They were very good about letting us pick our seat (even when they directed us to a different row initially) so just ask. Rear row, left side is my personal favorite. Oh - and always try for the outside seat - HUGE difference!

Jen

* This post was modified at 7/24/13 11:52:33 PM *

I think your plan for late gatekeeper late should work. For us, it was no more than a 20 minute wait from say 8:30 - 10:00. Wicked Twister was a near walk on at that point too and wind seeker is right there - very nice at dusk!

HamptonRoadsRider said:

I think your plan for late gatekeeper late should work. For us, it was no more than a 20 minute wait from say 8:30 - 10:00. Wicked Twister was a near walk on at that point too and wind seeker is right there - very nice at dusk!

But didn't you have a Fast Lane band?

Jen

GoYanks34 said:

HamptonRoadsRider said:

I think your plan for late gatekeeper late should work. For us, it was no more than a 20 minute wait from say 8:30 - 10:00. Wicked Twister was a near walk on at that point too and wind seeker is right there - very nice at dusk!

But didn't you have a Fast Lane band?

Jen

We did the first day Jen - rode gatekeeper in the morning using it. Also rode it at night that day but the line was shorter than fast lane.

On the second day, we got to the park at like 5:30pm but didn't get a fast lane pass that day, and we waited to ride gatekeeper until it got dark so the line was nice and short. Wicked Twister we never needed fast lane pass - but it was always late when we rode, never checked out the line earlier in the day.

HamptonRoadsRider said:

GoYanks34 said:

HamptonRoadsRider said:

I think your plan for late gatekeeper late should work. For us, it was no more than a 20 minute wait from say 8:30 - 10:00. Wicked Twister was a near walk on at that point too and wind seeker is right there - very nice at dusk!

But didn't you have a Fast Lane band?

Jen

We did the first day Jen - rode gatekeeper in the morning using it. Also rode it at night that day but the line was shorter than fast lane.

On the second day, we got to the park at like 5:30pm but didn't get a fast lane pass that day, and we waited to ride gatekeeper until it got dark so the line was nice and short. Wicked Twister we never needed fast lane pass - but it was always late when we rode, never checked out the line earlier in the day.

Oh, I didn't realize you didn't use it both days. When I was there GK had a line all day until closing (it was down for a period due to high winds) but this was when the park closed at 8 pm. Wicked Twister doesn't' have a fast lane entrance, at least it didn't when we went.

Jen

^^^ Yeah you're right about Wicked Twister i just never checked because the line was always short! We went on a 10pm closing day (both days). Seemed like around 8:00-8:30 everything really started to settle down. Really it was the nicest time. Cooled down, Breeze, short lines, sunset - fantastic! Especially fond memories of riding windseeker at that time.

Don't forget Skyscraper Paul!!!!

Dion, you REALLY want me to put my non-enthusiast ex-roommate on THIS while his conservative wife and kids are watching?!?!

Paul

* This post was modified at 7/25/13 10:14:55 PM *

Skyscraper looks like so much fun. I was sooooooo bummed that it wasn't open when I went.

Alpen, your platinum pass gets you a second, free ride on this thing. If anything, ride it in spirit for me. :)

Lol, we have a similar ride here at coney island and speaking as a guy afraid of heights, i think it was pretty fun. If you can handle a 300' or 400' tall coaster, a skyscraper is no big deal.

I am always surprised that the line is so short for this ride. It is such an insane scary ride!! One of the top thrills I have ever gotten from any amusement ride!!

SkyScraper's an upcharge, correct?

Mike

beastmaster said:

SkyScraper's an upcharge, correct?

Mike

Yes - it's the one outside the back entrance.

Jen

Well worth it though if you have a platinum pass because it is buy one get one free!!