Cedar Point - has the Magic moved North?

[notatallmagic]

After several years of Annual Passes at Disney World, our family is taking a break from Disney after some disappointing, less than magical experiences the past year.

We've also been long term Annual Passholders at Cedar Point, so I'm excited to say that this season especially (I definitely noticed some changes last year too) was such a pleasant surprise - I almost felt the magic again - but at Cedar Point!

Some of my positive observations - if you've been to Disney World lately, maybe you'll see the contrast...
1) Gorgeous aesthetics and landscaping - Cedar Point looks amazing. The flowers and gardens are lovely and well groomed. We love flowers, and everything is gorgeous. The beach is clean and well maintained. Never once say even a tiny bit of garbage on the ground, and no overflowing trash bins. Restrooms were cleaned regularly and visibly (I can say the new trash bins with the heavy lids are icky on the inside)
2) It is so affordable. Season pass was $100/person, and an All Season Dining pass was around $150. That gets your two meals/day, four hours apart. The meal quality is above average and shareable, and Cedar Point has NEW reataurants open with a variety of choices. Parking is free with the Season Pass. So comparing that to a seven day Disney trip - Cedar Point park tickets plus dining for the WHOLE SUMMER = $250. That's the cost of about one day at Disney.
3) Staff quality - overall far better than Disney this season. Lots of smiles, offers to help, new Guest Experience booths everywhere, and a totally positive vibe.
4) Lines - long but they move. So many ride options, and their version of the DAS works great.
5) "The bubble" - it has felt like a real getaway each time we've gone. The beach helps, as well as the aesthetic. We were able to relax and not feel stressed or overwhelmed. It felt good.
6) Ride breakdowns - only for high winds and rain. Everything seemed to be open and running.

Is Cedar Point Disney? Not saying that - but for us, until Disney can figure out its glitches, ride breakdowns, horrible tech, Cast Member issues, food quality, crazy lines, park cleanliness, paying more or less, lack of Mousekeeping, on site transportation, etc - it's nice to have an alternative. I do remember reading that Cedar Fair had hired a former Disney exec a few years back, and it seems noticiable. They have a Frontier Festival right now with food and beverage offerings ala Food and Wine style; the Guest Experience booths - little bits of the old Disney Magic sprinkled around.

It's been super fun...and for $600 for a family of three (3 Gold Passes and 2 All Season Dining) for Cedar Point, and the their waterpark, and a pretty beach thrown in for THE WHOLE YEAR (May through Labor Day plus weekends through October) - you can't beat the value. No waiting for buses, all walkable...it was super exciting! Just wanted to share a happy story!

 

[jalapeno_pretzel]

How is the mix of rides these days? I had the impression they are mostly thrill rides anymore.

I used to go every summer in the 80s and loved it. I liked the coasters they had back then like Blue Streak, Gemini, Cork Screw. Was there one called Iron Dragon maybe? Some of the newer stuff just looks way too intense though. And the rest of my family would not even like the older/smaller/tamer coasters. That's one thing that has held me back from making a trip there.

It does sound awesome though to be able to go somewhere without a detailed plan of what time to be at what ride.

 

[Babs Johnson]

I need tp return to Cedar Point. It's been 7 years.

That Iron Dragon suspended coaster was derisively nicknamed Draggin' Iron by thrill fans.

 

[LuvOrlando]

I used to toy with the idea of going all the time but never did because it struck me as a coaster thing and nothing else. My kids would love it, I would not, but it's in a cooler climate so it's always been on my radar as a potential summer trip. Also, the hotels struck me as rundown, are there higher end Disney-like quality options, I guess it's the standard bearer now?

 

[JaxDad]

My son is going there in a few weeks with some friends, so I looked through the website and associated maps. It looks great! My son and friends are staying at a cabin inside the “bubble” and within walking distance to the park.

 

[Cogswel_Cogs]

We went one year. Fun but not Disney to me. Beach was nice but I am not a bay style beach fan. I love waves when I go to beach.
Was super clean though. Don't know if I went during some kind of tournament but I never realized how big High school football was till I went there.

 

[_19disnA]

There are a number of good amusement parks around the country. In Ohio there is Cedar Point & Kings Island. Haven't been to either in many years, but they were both known for their roller coasters/thrill rides. The biggest issue with Cedar Point being built on a peninsula of land on Lake Erie is they have nowhere to expand. To add some big new ride, they typically needed to get rid of something to make room. It is also a seasonal destination due to the weather (mostly Memorial Day through Labor Day). Hotel Breakers is the onsite hotel and you can walk to the park.

When DisneyWorld first opened it was only MK. To try to get people to travel to Florida from all over the US, their marketing people tried to differentiate themselves by calling it a 'theme park' vs 'amusement park' and they were 'attractions' versus 'rides'. Clearly now there is more to do at Disney, but if you are mostly interested in thrill rides, I think you will find the various amusement parks around the country still do a better job of those.

 

[notatallmagic]

How is the mix of rides these days? I had the impression they are mostly thrill rides anymore.

I used to go every summer in the 80s and loved it. I liked the coasters they had back then like Blue Streak, Gemini, Cork Screw. Was there one called Iron Dragon maybe? Some of the newer stuff just looks way too intense though. And the rest of my family would not even like the older/smaller/tamer coasters. That's one thing that has held me back from making a trip there.

It does sound awesome though to be able to go somewhere without a detailed plan of what time to be at what ride.

The older rides are still there (yes to Iron Dragon - that was my kids' first coaster!). There are a number of newer, quite smooth mostly roller coasters for thrill seekers. For folks like me, there is still plenty to do (SkyRide, Derby Downs, carnival type rides, Antique cars, kiddie rides for littles, the train, mid level rides), and a nice ferris wheel with a water view. There are also the swing type rides like Max Air and Sky Hawk, and another fun one on the beach called Wind Seeker.

I personally prefer the beach and the waterpark - much more my speed. Still, plenty to do for a day/weekend trip without feeling rushed or stressed.

 

[Squirlz]

We love Cedar Point. We go to Universal Orlando for a fully immersive Theme Park experience these days. No planning needed!

 

[notatallmagic]

I used to toy with the idea of going all the time but never did because it struck me as a coaster thing and nothing else. My kids would love it, I would not, but it's in a cooler climate so it's always been on my radar as a potential summer trip. Also, the hotels struck me as rundown, are there higher end Disney-like quality options, I guess it's the standard bearer now?

Yes, the coasters are exceptional, which my teenagers love. The weather here is 80ish most of the summer; next week is much hotter with heat index in the 100 range (just like Florida!) but it typically is cooler there with the lake breeze. Definitely a summer trip - they typically open in May and run though Labor Day, with Halloween themed weekend through Ocotber.

Hotel wise, the beach front Hotel Breakers recently underwent a renovation - I would compare it to a Disney Moderate. Not fancy, but moderate. Easy 5 minute walk into both parks with the beach right there. There is a TGIFridays and Starbucks there, with plenty of other dining in the park or within a 15 minute drive. Famous Dave's is a nice BBQ place on the other side of the park right on the water.

They also added some cabins a few years ago that seem to be the exact same cabins as Disney's Fort Wilderness. Those are also right next to both parks, so 5 minute easy walk as well. They seem very new and clean, and have firepits and that campground vibe. I wouldn't say it's Disney upscale, but I would compare it to Disney Moderates without the transporation hassles.

 

[notatallmagic]

My son is going there in a few weeks with some friends, so I looked through the website and associated maps. It looks great! My son and friends are staying at a cabin inside the “bubble” and within walking distance to the park.

I hope he loves it! Please let us know what he thinks of the cabins! They are literally a 5 minute walk from both parks and the beach. After waiting over 45 minutes for multiple Disney transport buses over Spring Break, that's a big bonus for me!

 

[Funfire240]

If you like thrill rides it's awesome, and if you have little ones for the Snoopy area it's great too. For someone like DS12 who doesn't like the thrills (I think we scared him there at an early age!) there isn't much to do. He would take WDW over going there any day.
I will agree the food is getting better there but unfortunately one of the family rides of antique cars was a casualty in order to build a new restaurant. Another coaster was recently removed this year and it's rumored that another restaurant will be going up in it's place.

The water park, Cedar Point Shores is nice however these days gets very busy. It used to be only Platinum passholders could get in the water park free but they started a new gold pass that is much cheaper and also includes the water park so unfortunately from our experience it's a lot of long lines and wall to wall people.

All in all, DH, DD and I love Cedar Point. DS tolerates it. We live about 40 minutes away so are lucky to go whenever we want.

one thing - their 150th celebration blew WDW's away with a new parade and celebrating the park's past. I believe King's Island is the same way with their 50th, even having a new fireworks show. I'll be there in 3 weeks to experience all of that!

 

[luv2cheer92]

I go to both a few times each year. I loooove the thrill rides at CP, but no. The magic isn't even remotely close. Not even in the same ballpark.

I continue to have beyond stellar trips to WDW. My trips over the last 2 years have been some of the best in my 30ish years of going.

 

[LoveSpringsteen]

I live about an hour from Cedar Point and went often in my childhood and teen years. I just can’t handle the big coasters and haven’t been there in over 30 years now. What’s also nice for people making a trip to the area are the islands - Put in Bay and Kelly’s Island. Lots of opportunities to explore Lake Erie in that area of Ohio.

 

[notatallmagic]

How is the mix of rides these days? I had the impression they are mostly thrill rides anymore.

I used to go every summer in the 80s and loved it. I liked the coasters they had back then like Blue Streak, Gemini, Cork Screw. Was there one called Iron Dragon maybe? Some of the newer stuff just looks way too intense though. And the rest of my family would not even like the older/smaller/tamer coasters. That's one thing that has held me back from making a trip there.

It does sound awesome though to be able to go somewhere without a detailed plan of what time to be at what ride.

The lack of pressure and planning is super nice. I don't feel like I have to squeeze out my "money's worth" for all the extras Disney makes me pay for. I can go over, ride a few rides or just have dinner and hang out on the beach - no pressure, and my phone stays in my bag except to take a picture. It feels like escaping - and that's how I used to feel at Disney.

 

[notatallmagic]

If you like thrill rides it's awesome, and if you have little ones for the Snoopy area it's great too. For someone like DS12 who doesn't like the thrills (I think we scared him there at an early age!) there isn't much to do. He would take WDW over going there any day.
I will agree the food is getting better there but unfortunately one of the family rides of antique cars was a casualty in order to build a new restaurant. Another coaster was recently removed this year and it's rumored that another restaurant will be going up in it's place.

The water park, Cedar Point Shores is nice however these days gets very busy. It used to be only Platinum passholders could get in the water park free but they started a new gold pass that is much cheaper and also includes the water park so unfortunately from our experience it's a lot of long lines and wall to wall people.

All in all, DH, DD and I love Cedar Point. DS tolerates it. We live about 40 minutes away so are lucky to go whenever we want.

one thing - their 150th celebration blew WDW's away with a new parade and celebrating the park's past. I believe King's Island is the same way with their 50th, even having a new fireworks show. I'll be there in 3 weeks to experience all of that!

We are about 40 minutes away as well (Hi Neighbor!)! For years, I had a daughter who loved coasters, and a son who was too little, and hated them. We went to the water park a lot as a compromise, and now they both love the beach too. Now they both love coasters, and I love the beach...lol.

There is so much to love about Disney and our memories there, but the stress and pace and changes were stealing our joy, so this is a nice alternative until (I hope!) Disney figures things out a bit.

You are correct about their celebration! Other Disney touches with the parade (the dancing and floats is super Disney-esque. Merchandising is also better. The new restaurant where the old antique cars were is pretty solid, and both BBQ restaurants now have decent live music. There are still antique cars up front near Derby Downs - fun to watch all the 10 year old kids driving!

 

[notatallmagic]

I go to both a few times each year. I loooove the thrill rides at CP, but no. The magic isn't even remotely close. Not even in the same ballpark.

I continue to have beyond stellar trips to WDW. My trips over the last 2 years have been some of the best in my 30ish years of going.

I'm happy for you! We had magic in 2020 and 2021; but 2022...what's the opposite of magic...lol?

 

[_19disnA]

Over the years we have been to places like Cedar Point, Kings Island and the various Disney parks. Enjoyed all of them for different reasons. Some apparently find Disney more 'magical' then we do. Partly depends on what your family enjoys and what you are looking for. The high prices and excessive crowds @ Disney are a big reason why we won't be returning anytime soon.

 

[superme80]

This is how we feel about Legoland California. We went in 2019 and stayed on property. It was so fun. We went in 2021 and stayed on property again. We did Brick or Treat. We got lots of candy, and the theming was awesome. All employees were very kind and helpful. We got stuck on the Fairytale Boat Ride. As we exited, a manager was handing out there version of fast pass to every boat that was inconvenienced. I had an issue with my reservation. I emailed them and it was resolved in 48 hours. I will always recommend Legoland if you have small children or like Legos.

 

[luvnwdwgal]

I live 20 minutes from Cedar Point. Have no interest in going at all. I’d much rather fly to WDW.