So we’re taking the kids to Cedar Point (Sandusky, OH) next week for vacation. How’s the water/splash park? Is there anything else fun to do nearby? What are the good and great things about the park, and what are the not so wonderful things?
I haven’t been to Cedar Point since nineteen-eighty-something, so I’m not sure what good my opinion will do you here. I remember when the Demon Drop was new, it was drawing people in from all over. I liked it so much I bought a tee shirt.
I remember their water park somewhat, but not very much. It’s been built up considerably since I was last there. Back in the day, Geauga Lake was where you went for water attractions, with their huge wave pool that they creatively called The Wave.
I’m not sure what else is in the area, really. Sea World of Ohio has closed, from what I understand. If you’re willing to head three hours to the east, I would recommend Cook Forest State Park, near Clarion, Pennsylvania, which has lots of nature trails and where you can rent canoes and inner tubes to go drifting down the Clarion River, which was always great fun when we were kids.
Cleveland has the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and the Pro Football Hall of Fame is near there—Akron, I think? Canton? I can’t remember. If you’re interested, I’m sure there are signs.
Oh, and if you’re out on I-80 and see a pair of glasses, they’re my sister’s. They blew out the car window circa 1981, and she’d like them back. Thanks.
Cedar Pointe rocks. That new Millenium Force coaster is the best. A super freaky 80-degree angle on it and goes super fast.
It was worth the 2 hours we spent in the blazing sun waiting for the ride.
DemonDrop is still there; Ripcord is one of those “tie you into a parachute/bungee” thing but it costs extra. Stuff is still expensive as far as food and drink go.
I’ve not been to the water park but it looks fun. You are right on the shores of Lake Erie so I’d assume there’s a good beach around somewhere.
Have a ball!
don’t miss the french fries! And cover them in Vinegar if you know what’s good for ya.
If you haven’t been there recently, you are in for a treat.
If you’ve never been there before, you are in for a real treat. (I hope you like roller-coasters BTW.)
Cleveland is nearby, Toledo is relatively nearby.
Sandusky is a nice little vacation town, more so in yesteryear, but it’s still very nice.
Check out the excellent golf courses throughout northern Ohio, and also, Lake Erie (which is right there).
Great things about the park: the landscaping, selection of rides and attractions…
Bad things: prices, lines! (ahhhhhhhhhh!)
Have a good time! I’m jealous…
I’ve never been there; my wife worked there for a summer back in her college days (she’s from Pittsburgh). From the website, it looks like it’s a blast.
There’s a ride there called The Outer Limits.
Do not go on it. It is only slightly more fun than being beaten with a sack of oranges.
The Millenium Force is awesome, terrifying, exhilirating and worth the wait. The sight of the main hill puts the fear of god into you but you will love it!!! I thought I was going to puke with nervousness while waiting on the line but I loved it.
The Raptor, at the very front of the park is one of the best rides in the park. (second only to MF in thrill factor, IMHO). Even though it is about 5 years old there is usually a very long line. Save it for the end of the day when lnes are shorter. There are a number of water rides inside the park (3, I think), so you probably wont need to buy admission to Soak City unless you will be staying at the park more than a day.
My approach:
Day before: Buy discounted tickets at AAA, therby saving $10/head.
9:45 Arrive Cedar point assuming gates open at 10. Skip through gates at opening, since you already have tickets. Run do not walk across park to MF. Ride MF. Stare open-mouthed at length of line upon exiting. Set down a minute afterwards cause the ride sometimes makes you light-headed.
11:00 - 1 pm – Ride “uncool” (read: no line, but fun) coasters such as Gemini, Mean Streak, Corkscrew, & water rides. ***Do not ride the Mean Streak if you have any type of back problem. It is a VERY rough ride.
1 pm - 2 pm break for lunch, feed freakishly huge carp in pond, let food settle, etc. The Cedar Point Museum (called Town Hall or something) is actually kind of interesting.
2pm - 6pm ride Magnum, Mantis, Wildcat, carnival rides.
6 pm - People start leaving park. Ride MF again if desired.
7pm - Ride Raptor
8pm Ride Blue Streak which is right behind the raptor and gets no love at all.
8:30pm Ride Raptor again & wait for very front seats in very front car.
-Do not waste your time with the following lame coasters: Iron Dragon & Disaster Transport.
-One of the Flume rides – I can’t recall the name – will get you soaking, soaking wet. This seems to shock some people.
-The Power Tower is cool but not worth the wait. Ride it if lines are less than 1/2 hour and you’re into the free fall thing.
There’s no Outer Limits ride at Cedar Point… I think you’re confused. Unless its in the Challenge Park??
As rmariamp pointed out, avoid Disaster Transport. This cannot be stressed enough. It is possibly less exciting than It’s a Small World. If you go, do not blame me or rmariamp. You will walk out of there and want an immediate refund on the last 2 hours of your life.
Yep, Disaster Transport blows. If the kids need a nap, take them on that one.
Raptor TOTALLY FREAKING RULES!!! Ride it over and over and over again. And OPEN YOUR EYES when you do it. You won’t regret a second. And drop the change on a key ring or two, if you can, from the coasters where they take your picture (Magnum, MF, and Raptor, which TOTALLY FREAKING RULES!!!).
I personally like Gemini, Blue Streak, and Iron Dragon. Not as much as Raptor (which TOTALLY FREAKING RULES!!!), but they don’t suck. Blue Streak is special to me. Popped my coaster cherry on that one. Now it’s usually the first one I ride when I get there, just to say hello & remind it that some people do really love it (rmariamp is right, it doesn’t get much love at all). And don’t forget the Corkscrew! It’s neat. I like that one too.
I’ve never ridden MF. I love my coasters, but man, that one just looks like WAY too much for me. I much prefer the Raptor. It TOTALLY FREAKING RULES!!!
If you are DEATHLY, SHIT-YOUR-PANTS AFRAID of roller coasters (like me), spend your time riding the wuss rides like the Ferris wheel, Thunder Canyon, the train, and the ferryboat while downing your fifteenth portion of Dippin’ Dots.
I spend a LOT of my time at Cedar Point waiting for other people to get off those damn coasters that I am DEATHLY, SHIT-MY-PANTS AFRAID of.
(Capitalization is fun, huh Persephone?)
No, I am confused. It’s not Cedar Point, it’s King’s Island in Cincinatti I’m thinking of. Sorry.
Well if anyone is going THERE, my advice still holds.
Persephone, am I to understand you enjoy the ‘Raptor’? What do you really think of it? 
screech-owl
(who thinks raptors do and should rule the world)
Everyone else basically covered the highlights of the park pretty well. I just wanted to say that I used to go to Cedar Point every summer until I moved to Florida. It is the real “Happiest Place on Earth”.
Oh yeah, RAPTOR FREAKIN’ RULES!!!
Thanks, everyone. I think we’re going to go and do the “starlight” admission on Sunday, and hit the splash park on Monday. Maybe we’ll also go back to the main park on Monday as well, we’ll see.
I’ve been told that the MF is extra-specially exhillarating/terrifying when ridden at night. “Like dropping into a bottomless pit of darkness” is what the guy behind me in line said. Followed by “It rocked!!!”
The Raptor is a really, really great ride. Really. Its fast, exhiting AND smooth. I love how everyone staggers off of it and needs to clutch the handrails to make it down the steps.
I believe the Blue Streak was the fastest roller coaster in the world in the 60s (about 45 mph). It is such a fun ride & delivers actual negative g’s! People should appreciate it more. ::sniff::
Oh, and they are strict about their height requirements for riding the rides. I saw numerous cranky 47" tall pre-teens turned away from rides. They have an excellent safety record and want to kep it that way.
Pretty much everythings been said already but I just wanted to chime in and say how much I love Cedar Point. Cedar Point is a roller-coaster amusement park. It’s what they do best. If you don’t like roller-coasters, Cedar Point offers alternative rides and entertainment but weak compared to many other parks.
Never been to the water park because I only do day trips. Leave Detroit early in the morning in order to make the 10am opening and leave after the park closes. The entire time is riding the coasters and waiting in line. If I ever get a family, then I would consider going to Soak City.
The Raptor rules indeed. Front car is the only way to go. Especially at night. I’ve rode on many different coasters but the Raptor front car is the best ever.
For optimum Raptor thrills, get in the line during and after the big late-nite laser show that runs just before the park closes. Everyone else will either be watching the show or leaving. My brother and I did this once, and we were able to ride Raptor ten times in a row, pausing only to run through the snakey lines.
Millennium Force may be bigger and faster, but for my money, Raptor is the best all-around coaster in the world today.
Knighted Vopal Sword is already planning to go there next week, but if you can swing it and if the weather’s not too bad, the time to go to Cedar Point is on a September weekend. You can ride your favorite ride and then run through the maze and get right back on because the lines are next to nothing.
Mmm…
hit MF and Raptor. Raptor is more intense, MF is the coaster God designed.
Don’t leave out the water rides in the park, they are delightful about mid afternoon when its really hot, just remember to bring suits or a spare set of clothes, you don’t want to hang out in soaked clothes for too long. (The water isn’t that clean, you want to change.)
Remember to take a run through on Magnum, Iron Dragon and Gemini, they are fun too, and usually don’t have the hours of wait that the big guys have.
Most of all, remember this is for fun, not some endurabce death trap. If you are tired sit down, get something to drink and people watch or wander through a store or something. The lines can get pretty awful with heat/humanity, so don’t kill yourself over riding the Raptor for the tenth time.