OT-Cedar Point???

[Camno's Mama]

Has anyone ever been? Is it worth a five hour trip? Is there enough to do for an entire weekend...two adults?

I'm trying to find something fun for my husband and myself and Disney isn't an option. Too far away and too expensive this time, I'm afraid.

Where did you stay?

 

[bcinohio]

We live about 1 1/2 hours away from Cedar Point. We haven't been in a few years but if you like rollercoasters it is the place to go. They also have a swim area but I think that is extra. They have a few hotels of their own but there are tons of hotels within a few miles. Also that area has a few indoor water park resorts. I hear a good one is Kalahari resort. You may want to check into those. Also there are islands on Lake Erie, like put n bay that I hear are nice also. There is a lot to do in that area.

Have fun.

 

[SPAM]

Has anyone ever been? Is it worth a five hour trip? Is there enough to do for an entire weekend...two adults?

I'm trying to find something fun for my husband and myself and Disney isn't an option. Too far away and too expensive this time, I'm afraid.

Where did you stay?

I love CP, it is soo worth it. There is plenty to do there for 2 days. There are a couple of hotels and a campground that sit on the property. I have gone every summer.

 

[Crisgw]

We have a family condo on the lake right next to CP. It is most def. worth it if you love rollercoasters! We go several times a year The condo is right next to a hotel called "Castaway Bay" which is right by CP You might want to look into that place, it's also an indoor waterpark. There is also a hotel called "Breakers" that is linked to CP and you can walk from the hotel, to CP to the beach as well

 

[OhioStateBuckeye]

My family has gone to CP on vacation every summer. We stay at the Breakers Hotel. It is kind of expensive, and some of the rooms are rundown (depends on whether you stay in the new tower or one of the older wings). The hotel has been there for a looong time (think when women used to wear full length dresses, or whatever you call those, to swim in). But it is literally a 30 second walk to the park, and hotel guests get to enter one hour earlier than the public (that way you can hope in line early for the Maverick or Millenium Force, which can otherwise get up to 2-3 hour lines). You are also 30 seconds away from Soak City, the water park, a go kart track, an Awesome mini golf course, a bungee jump, and one of those bungee trampoline things.

The hotel is right smack on Lake Erie with a pretty nice beach that you can go swimming or play on the sand. You get the lake view if your hotel faces that way and its really nice. Inside the hotel they have a TGIFridays, an Italian restaurant, a breakfast buffet, and a deli (actual sit down restaurants inside CP kind of suck). Anyway, there is definitely enough to do for a weekend, especially if you go to the water park or some of the other activities.

Also, there are tons of cheaper hotels in the area, it all depends on if you want to pay for parking or want to walk thirty feet to go from your room to the park.

Anyway, if you have any questions feel free to PM me, CP is almost like my summer home.

 

[carmiedog]

For thrill seekers, it's great. Is it just you and dh going? One day is plenty for me, but my dh has an annual pass so he can go coaster riding with his friends. There's no fastpass, so there's LOT of waiting in lines - if this is a once-only trip, you'll need 2 days to get everything in. If neither of you are into the big rides, it's still a nice one-day experience just walking around and doing the easy rides. For adults only you'd also probably like ferrying over to Put'n Bay, renting a golf cart, and enjoying a relaxing day. And Shipshewana (sp?) between Chicago and Sandusky is nice.

For a 2- and 4-yo? Definitely skippable. You can easily fill up a day at CP with kid rides and a show or two, but no way is it worth a 5-hour drive for just CP. They'll have fun, but they'd have just as much fun at a park, I'd bet. I'd rather do things in the Chicago area - Six Flags, Shedd's, etc. If you do go with the kids, I'd recommend planning 1 day at CP, then find a water park or other things to do. I go once a year with the kids and enjoy it but we're only 1 1/2 hours away.

 

[AGlassSlipper17]

We live about an hour from cedar point. We go at least once every summer. I say it is definitely worth the trip, but only if you are a roller coaster fan. While there are other rides around the park . . I wouldn't say there are enough of them to make a 5 hour trip worth while unless you plan to ride the coasters. There is also a waterpark, but I have never been there. Breakers is the best place to stay IMO. Hope this helps you some. If you have any questions, feel free to pm me.

 

[RllngRckBrw]

We go every year to CP and think it is awsome. Understand this though, it is nothing like Disney. It is a completely different experience. Its bread and butter are the most extreme coasters they can build. It is great if you are a thrill seaker, but is not detail orented like WDW. I think it is an amazing park, I just dont know how to effectively compare the two.

 

[CleveRocks]

If you love roller coasters, the Cedar Point is as close to Heaven as you can get. I discovered it the summer I moved to Cleveland.

Northern Ohio is bordered by Lake Erie ... Canada is on the other side. The area likes to call itself America's North Coast. Back in the 90s, CP called itself America's Roller Coast.

Coasters that are fast ... steep ... twisty ... loopy ... totally insane ... YUP, they got it all.

I live above 10 hours from there now, and I'm tempted to get in the car right now!!!

 

[Cool-Beans]

I don't know about where to stay because we live close by and haven't spent a night there. I do know that a lot of DISers have stayed in the CP hotels and come back with reviews that say they're average to icky.

CP is a great park. It is pretty clean. It has REAL thrill rides. Not the pathetic Disney "thrills" but truly thrilling. It doesn't have themes, though. It isn't like Disney in any way, really. The rides themselves don't really need themes. They're fun enough without them.

There are non-thrilling rides, too, but they're in the minority. CP is the place to go when you want to zoom around and ride coasters. If you like that, it's great. If you get off of Expedition Everest thinking, "That's it? That's their big thrill that they hyped for so long?" then CP is the place for you.

If you're more a person who likes the tamer rides, I wouldn't travel to go there.

The food at Cedar Point sucks. It doesn't matter where you eat - it just isn't any good. But it is expensive. There is a TGIFriday's close by.

 

[andymattmom]

Go to the Cedar Point website and request info. They will send out a brochure that has hotel packages and ticket discounts. I got mine this week- took 2 weeks to come. We stay at Breaker's Express- a standard hotel. We plan on going for 2 nights...there is a package for $276- you get to "twilight tickets" used for after 4 or 5 PM..then 2 one day tickets. Also breakfast for 2 days. We have to buy 2 extra tickets of each and hotel guests get $10 off the full day tickets. I am unsure of the twilight discount.

It is fun..but as other said not Disney at all. The roller coasters are great. Go to www.tripadvisor.com and search Sandusky hotels to read reviews. As I said Breakers Express is the cheapest one- just a standard hotel and not bad at all. We are Poly stayers at Disney...

 

[DisFhan]

It is really worth it, and you will be able find things to fill in the two days. I drive ten hours to get there. Its not Disney but the coasters are the best, you will not find another park like it. Hopefully this year I will fly, so I wont have to deal with the drive. ENJOY!!!

 

[deej696]

Cedar Point is definitely worth a trip. For roller coaster lovers, it is paradise. Millenium Force is the best coaster ever made....Period. The theme park itself may be only one solid day worth of stuff, but the Sandusky area is great. I visit about once a year for a few days, and love it. It is usually gorgeous in September, and as others have pointed out, there is lots to see in the area. Have fun

 

[freepixie]

CP is great - we used to go every summer as kids, but haven't in recent years. Breakers hotel is okay, we stayed once and didnt care for it, we really liked the other one (gosh darn I can't remember the name...) but its up near where the Magnum is and from some rooms it whizzes past your balcony!! We stayed at that other one several times and were very pleased. Campgrounds are pretty nice too, if camping is your thing.

And if your a coaster enthusiast, 2 days are a must to get them all in!

Oh and one last word of advice, the later in the summer, the more bugs there are all over CP. In August they have these critters that have long skinny bodies and long wings, and sometimes there are areas that you cannot walk without walking over them and they crunch. Sides of buildings are covered in them, and the cars get covered as well. They don't seem to want to sting or harm, they are just really gross looking and their guts can get on your shoes (why I don't wear flip-flops when at CP)

 

[RayaniFoxmur]

DH and I are not fans of Cedar Point anymore. We've both lived within 45 minutes of there our entire lives, and used to go all the time. Unfortunately I'm not a huge roller coaster fan so there's no point in me going. If you are above any sort of average adult size, you will not fit into the rides. The website even gives size recommendation, which kind of rubs me the wrong way personally being a big woman. The food is very expensive, the entertainment is just blah and in my opinion the rides aren't exactly the safest (after speaking with several of the employees and someone who used to repair roller coasters at Kings Island). Top Thrill Dragster closes down with a breeze... the darn thing sways!!!

I don't know, I'd much rather go to Soak City or Kalahari (the indoor water park) instead of Cedar Point, but that's just us over here.

 

[freepixie]

Oh yeah I forgot all about their food - you pay twice the amount you'd pay at home for a pizza, and the pizza ends up tasting like the cardboard box it came in!!!

Ahh, childhood memories... sitting wearing a shirt that smells like Thunder Canyon (p.u.) eating cardboard pizza, then going on the swings 3 times in a row and puking... oh yeah...

 

[joyerbides]

It is definately worth it. We live 45 minutes away, and we usually go every summer. We aren't going this year (saving for our Christmas at Disney). I just saw a commercial for it a few minutes ago. If you love thrill rides, you pretty much can't beat it. I definately recommend it

 

[Cool-Beans]

If you are above any sort of average adult size, you will not fit into the rides.

I'm not sure that's fair. Your post makes it sound like anyone who is at all overweight won't be able to ride. I'm not trying to argue with you, I just think that people should be clear about it. I'd hate to see someone not go because they're 20 or 30 pounds heavier than average.

You can have a few extra pounds on you and still fit into the rides at Cedar Point. But it is true that they aren't as size-friendly as WDW. If you have quite a bit of extra padding, you will probably not fit into some of the rollercoasters.

I'd compare it to Universal Orlando. If you can ride the rides there, you'll probably be okay at Cedar Point.

 

[RayaniFoxmur]

I'm not sure that's fair. Your post makes it sound like anyone who is at all overweight won't be able to ride. I'm not trying to argue with you, I just think that people should be clear about it. I'd hate to see someone not go because they're 20 or 30 pounds heavier than average.

You can have a few extra pounds on you and still fit into the rides at Cedar Point. But it is true that they aren't as size-friendly as WDW. If you have quite a bit of extra padding, you will probably not fit into some of the rollercoasters.

I'd compare it to Universal Orlando. If you can ride the rides there, you'll probably be okay at Cedar Point.

From the Cedar Point website:

Due to rider restraint system requirements, guests of exceptional size may not be accommodated on some of our rides. This may apply, but not be limited to, men who exceed 6’2”, or those who exceed 225 pounds, have a 40” waistline or 52” chest or females who exceed 200 pounds or wear size 18 or larger. Each person has different body proportions so it is not possible to list exact size and weight.

Please forgive me, but I don't view a woman who's over 200 pounds someone of exceptional size. Overweight, yes. But that's not someone who's absolutely huge. And perhaps average is in the eye of the beholder as well and my view of average is different than your view of average.

I'll go ahead and don my flame suit if I must. But it's just my opinion that Cedar Point just isn't worth it. And I've honestly thought that way long before I ever was a woman of "exceptional size".

 

[wilde_oscar]

if you go, stay at the Breakers and ask for rooms in the original part of the hotel, and hope the ghost comes by to say hi. Very friendly ghost.