OT - Cedar Point Early Entry

[mrebuck]

We are headed to Cedar Point this weekend. We're staying at the Fairfield Inn Friday through Monday - I had some free night certificates to use so our hotel stay will be free. But I'm considering renting the cheapest room possible on-site, so we can take advantage of early entry on Saturday and Sunday. I have some questions:

1) How early can you check into the hotels? I know official check-in time is not until the afternoon, but could we check-in early Saturday morning (like 8:00), so we could be at the park by 9:00 on Saturday?

2) What do you need to show to get early entry? Is everyone on the reservation given a key card or something to show they can enter? The cheapest hotel room is for 2 people, but we'll have 2 adults and 2 kids. Could we reserve one of those rooms and still get all 4 of us into the park early? (I assume the answer to this question is no, but I have to ask.)

3) Is parking free when you are staying on-site?

4) We already have our tickets (we bought the 31.99 tickets they offered last month). Are there any other perks to staying on-site that I can use to explain to my DH why this makes sense?

5) Do you have to drive from the hotel to the park, or is it within walking distance? The cheapest rooms appear to be at the Breakers or possibly a campground site. Can you walk from there?

6) Finally, we'll be at the park two days and want to ride all of the coasters at least once, if not several times. Will we need the early-entry benefit to make that happen this weekend?

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[sharbear]

Idk if I would get a hotel on site when you already have a hotel. If you play things wisely it probably won't be that busy even though it's a holiday weekend. I'm not sure what the weather is going to be like in Sandusky but where I am it's not going to be very warm. Couple that with a cold Lake Erie wind and it will keep the crowds down.

It's pretty early in the year for it to be that busy. I would save my money. If it gets really busy then you could rent a hotel room. Cheapest rooms on site are at the Breaker's Express and you can not walk from there to the park.

You can walk to the park from the Breaker's and I think from the campground. My D worked there one summer. It usually wasn't that busy this early in the year.

 

[WVMomof3]

I have been told by someone who used to work there that the holiday weekends (memorial and labor) are always slow weekends. People have other plans and don't think about going I guess. I have never been to the park for longer than 1 day at a time and have always been able to ride all the coasters, (OK maybe now I just watch my kids ride a few of them ;-) Not brave enough for Top Thrill Dragster and I think there is 1 more I didn't ride) Two days you will definately be able to ride everything multiple times. I wouldn't worry about the early entry. But last time my sisters family stayed somewhere where they were able to get early entry for them and my family. I think they were allowed to purchase extra as we just drove in that morning and met them and got in early also. I thought it was tied to the actual ticket so if you already have your ticket it may not work, but I can't remember.

 

[cvjw]

I don't think you will need early entry to ride all of the coasters multiple times in 2 days at this time of year. We went around this time a couple of years ago, and went to the parks for 2.5 days. My boys road all of the coasters as much as they wanted. We stayed at the Kalahari for most of the trip, but did stay onsite for one night for early entry. Sorry, but I don't remember how early entry worked. We stayed at Castaway Cay, and could not walk to the park. FYI, we are from Georgia, and had to run to Walmart to buy warmer clothes - we needed jackets/sweatshirts and didn't pack any.

 

[mrebuck]

Sounds like we won't need early entry. Thanks for your responses everyone!

 

[disneyismyname]

I don't have any answers but I hope you have a great time! I haven't been to C/P since "senior day" in high school...seven years ago! I should get back there sometime!

 

[CarrieR]

Yeah, I would skip it. Especially if you're going to be there for two days. Just come up with a good 'touring plan' and be prepared to wait in a long line or two. I'm jealous, I was a season pass holder for the last three or four years but opted out this year in favor of Disney. Have fun!

 

[littleangie]

I am a former employee of Cedar Point. Hopefully you find what i say helpful.

We are headed to Cedar Point this weekend. We're staying at the Fairfield Inn Friday through Monday - I had some free night certificates to use so our hotel stay will be free. But I'm considering renting the cheapest room possible on-site, so we can take advantage of early entry on Saturday and Sunday. I have some questions:

1) How early can you check into the hotels? I know official check-in time is not until the afternoon, but could we check-in early Saturday morning (like 8:00), so we could be at the park by 9:00 on Saturday? Check in i believe starts around 3 so what you could do is go to the park once you get into Sandusky and just check in once you leave the park for the day.

2) What do you need to show to get early entry? Is everyone on the reservation given a key card or something to show they can enter? The cheapest hotel room is for 2 people, but we'll have 2 adults and 2 kids. Could we reserve one of those rooms and still get all 4 of us into the park early? (I assume the answer to this question is no, but I have to ask.) If you stay at one of the Cedar Point hotel/resorts they will print out a little piece of paper stating that your stay on property and how many is on the reservation. So if only 2 people are on the reservations than only 2 will be allowed for early entry.

3) Is parking free when you are staying on-site? Unfortunately no you will still have to pay the $10 parking fee. Unless you are staying at one of the more expensive hotels to where you have to drive up to the park to get to it. The campground you would have to pay to get thru the parking tolls to get to the campgrounds but you will get your money back once you check into the campgrounds.

4) We already have our tickets (we bought the 31.99 tickets they offered last month). Are there any other perks to staying on-site that I can use to explain to my DH why this makes sense? The only benefit that i know of right now for this season is where you can book a breakfast package. Like with Breaker Express (the cheapest hotel/resort on property) you can book a Diary Queen breakfast with your room.

5) Do you have to drive from the hotel to the park, or is it within walking distance? The cheapest rooms appear to be at the Breakers or possibly a campground site. Can you walk from there? From Breakers you have to drive or take the shuttle (not sure if this is still offered) because you have to go down the cause which is about a mile and no walking is allow on the causeway. From the Campgrounds you can walk to a entry gate there are 4 different gates you can enter through the closest to the campground is the Soak City Water park entrance. Or you can take a shuttle to the other gates.

6) Finally, we'll be at the park two days and want to ride all of the coasters at least once, if not several times. Will we need the early-entry benefit to make that happen this weekend? With it being labor day weekend i don't think you would. Its may not be exactly slow as people have said before but it is very manageable to ride all the roller coasters and thrill ride in the two days you have planned. SO i don't think you would need the early entry.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Hope that helps.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

Something else that would make your decision a little easier is the cheapest hotel this weekend is $241 for a weekend stay at the Breakers Express hotel. Not really worth spending $241 for a total of 120 minutes. Breakers Express does not allow you to walk to the park.

** A hint.. IF you have dinner at Famous Daves and take your parking ticket into the restaurant they will take $10 off your bill. YOu will not be able to leave the cedar point parking lot and return to the park later becuase the restaurant keeps your parking stub so if you leave you will have to pay the parking fee again


** also remember if it rains the coasters usually don't run and with all the rain we have been having it something you need to plan for. So take the poncho's

 

[mrebuck]

Thanks for all of the great responses. Now I just have to be patient for a couple of more days before we can leave . . . The current forecast for the weekend: partly cloudy, low 70's with a 10-20% chance of rain each day. I'll take that!