A 30+ year review of the park
Written: Aug 31 '06 (Updated Jan 10 '07)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Something for everyone
Cons: Really need more then one day to do it all
The Bottom Line: This is one of those things in your life that you need to do and experience world greatest amusement park.
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| larnkat's Full Review: Cedar Point |
I started going to Cedar Point when I was about five years old and now some thirty plus year later I’m still going. And why not, it’s one of the greatest amusement parks in the nation, if not the world. I know you’ve all heard this before about how great a park this is and maybe living only minutes from the park my entire life has in some ways spoiled me or tainted my judgment.
Now I have visited other amusement parks across the country and have even written reviews about my experiences there but I guess I have become use to a certain standard that I can only find at Cedar Point. I think a lot of this has to do with Cedar Fair L.P., the owners of Cedar Point and their management. I’ve always found the park to be clean, their staff to be well organized, unbelievably courteous, knowledgeable and friendly past anything that you would expect. If you want proof, Cedar Point has been voted the Best Amusement Park in the World by Amusement Today for nine consecutive years. You don’t just get this award without having a great staff to run your park.
And what a park it is, if you have never been to Cedar Point, wear your walking shoes the park is 364 acres which includes their resort. Cedar point is located on a peninsula and is basically surrounded by water. And yes, you can arrive there by boat and park in their Cedar Point Marina. Cedar Point is 2 miles from the front of the park to the back of the park and they have the largest collection of rides (68) and roller coasters (16) in the world! Is it possible to ride all the rides in one day? This question was asked to the V.P. of the park. His answer was, only if you come to the park during the first weeks of May or after the kids go back to school during the later days in September would you have a chance. Me, I can only remember doing this once and boy was I tried the next day.
If you really want to see and do all of the things at Cedar Point then plan at least two-day minimum trip and three day minimum if you plan on going to Soak City, their water park. more on this later. If you’re doing this on a budget, great news Cedar Point was one of a handful of parks that actually lowered ticket prices this year. Also discount tickets can be found at AAA and area merchants like Tops, Drug Mart, Meijer and Pepsi products. I was able to find $20.00 tickets, group sales, which saved my family and me quite a bit.
You can use the money you save to buy food in the park or you can pack a lunch and save some more. If you pack your lunch/dinner Cedar Point does not allow any food or beverage, except for water into their park so be prepared to eat in your car or at their picnic grounds or you can leave the park and eat in a restaurant outside of the park grounds. If you decide to buy your food there at the park, then there are over 20 different places to eat. From sandwiches, pizza and draught beer at Hurricane Hannah’s, which is right when you walk in to the Chuck Wagon where you can find western dinner favorites, made to order salads and homemade desserts, which is near the back of the park. Along the way you will find the hamburgers, hot dogs and other family favorites. If your looking for something more then just outside of the park at the Hotel Breakers you will find T.G.I. Fridays, Dominics Italian Cuisine, The Coffee Shop and a Pizza Hut Express. Or try over by the marina and there you will find Bay Harbor Elegant Waterfront Dinning
and a Famous Dave’s Legendary Pit Bar-B-Que. Checkout this link for they’re most current map http://www.cedarpoint.com/public/park/map/index.cfm.
All right, you have your tickets; you know how you’re doing you meals and now your ready for the park. Cedar Point is this huge amusement park that has a water park called Soak City attached to it. You can get to Soak City separately or through Cedar Point, however there is a separate ticket price for Soak City, which in buying your tickets you might have discovered this. Soak City in a summary has a wave pool, enclosed slides, family adventure pool, a hot tub for grown-ups, 11 other water slides, two inner tube rivers and two children’s play areas. My opinion, if it’s a hot sticky day its worth it other wises skip it and save your money. For current ticket prices please check out their website at www.cedarpoint.com.
When my family and I go to Cedar Point I always tell them to list 5 of the things that they want to do most and that is what we do. I have done this park by types of rides, like one time I did nothing but the coasters, or you can do the park by area. If you look at their map, you can divide the park into three sections. The front half of the park, which is from the front of the park all the way up to the “Iron Dragon”. The left side, from the “Iron Dragon” to the “Seahawk”. And then there’s the right side which is from “Power Tower” to the Cedar Creek Mine Ride”. Again, this is just how I do it, there are many, many ways have fun at Cedar Point and it’s up to you to discover.
Cedar Point is home to some the highest, fastest and outright craziest roller coasters in the world. My favorite is the Millennium Force for its height and speed and my least favorite is the Top Thrill Dragster, only because it does not last long enough, it’s over in a matter of seconds. A lot of hype has been put on their coaster, but did you know that this is also the home of the Peanuts Playground and Camp Snoopy? This is a place where your little ones can find Snoopy and the gang and where they can have fun too! There are also about eight other attractions throughout the park that have no height requirements.
If you’re not into the rides but like the shows, Cedar Point has that covered too. They have three theatres, a saloon and a aquatic stadium, each with there own variety of award-winning entertainment. Or maybe you’re looking for something more…. pay for an additional ticket to one of the following for the extreme adventures, like Rip Cord which is kind of like bungee jumping, where you plunge on a 15-story terror that sends you plummeting and soaring on the same flight. Challenge Golf where you can enjoy the ultimate in putting fun. Challenge Racing where you can put the petal to the metal and feed your need for speed in grand prix karts or in sprint karts. X-treme Trampoline where you can experience the thrill of the bouncing 20 feet in the air. Most of these are an additional ten dollars or less. If you like water sports, check out the North Coast Parasail & Water Sports with Wave Runners rentals and Parasail rides.
Just when you think you’ve seen and done everything that there is to do at Cedar Point, they open the park up to “Hallo Weekends”. This event happens is late September, when strange creatures begin roaming the midways. Magical entertainment mixed with friendly witches and the spooky fun of Halloween. And it gives one more chance to ride the rides before the park closes for the year.
From paddlewheel rides, to parasailing, steam engines train rides to dodgems, carousels to kids antique cars rides and all of the roll coasters and water rides in between Cedar Point has something for everyone. So if you ever get the chance check out Cedar Point and see for yourself what all of the hype is really about. You’ll be glad you did.
UPDATE
Cedar Point is rising steel on yet another $21 million roller coaster, making this their 17th. The new steel coaster will be called Maverick and will treat its riders - speeding along on steam-era styled coaster trains - to multipe terrain hugging twists and dips. From the 105 foot first hill, cars will shoot straight down to within five feet of the ground and then careen through hairpin turns on its 2.5 minute, 4,450 foot course. Look for the Maverick to open this May 2007!
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
larnkat
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Reviews written: 37
Trusted by: 16 members
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