Our First Experience at Cedar Point

Our son knew that we were going to do something fun over the weekend,  but he had no idea what it was going to be. My husband and I kept it as a secret until we got there!  It took us 1.5 hours to get to Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio. We left early in the morning,  so we could make it there at Cedar Point’s opening time. 10 AM.  We got there at 10:05 AM.  Close enough.

When we arrived at Cedar Point, we saw many cars and buses going into the parking lot.  We thought.  ‘Oh Boy.  Parking is going to be a nightmare.’  We were wrong.  The parking lot was manned by many ‘traffic directors’ that made parking so much easier than we thought it could be.  We found a parking spot in no time at all.  That helped, because at that point in time,  our son COULD NOT wait to see what’s going on inside Cedar Point.

We acted like kids at Cedar Point

We didn’t have to line up to get our admission tickets for long.  Getting tickets was a breeze and as soon as the ticket lady said “You’re in the park!”  Voila!  The three of us acted like we were 3 again.  HA! We saw Snoopy and Charlie Brown and wanted to have our pictures taken with them, but got distracted by other things in the park. There are so many things to see and do. At that point, we were hoping we would see Snoopy again and have our pictures taken with him later on.

The first ride we rode was the Midway Carousel.  The Cedar Point Midway Carousel was built in 1912. It is one of the oldest rides in Cedar Point history and is one of the Daniel Muller carousels that are still in operation.  The three of us had never been on a carousel ride altogether at the same time. Usually one of us would stay back to take pictures from the outside.  Since our son is older now and doesn’t need any adult to stand by his ‘horse’ anymore and we already have plenty of pictures of him growing up (Yea right! Who am I kidding?),  we decided to ride together.  It was so much fun. The line was not long at all, and the ride operator was quick at checking the kids’ heights and let them onto the ride as quickly as possible.

The efficiency of the park operators made waiting a piece of cake.  Most of the lines are shaded.  The wait time was reasonable.  The Cedar Point park operators also ensured that the seat belts are secured.  We were pleased about it, especially on the kids’ rides, since most of the kids had no idea what to do.

We also liked the Sky Ride and the Giant Wheel.  Both rides allowed us to view the beautiful scenery of the whole Cedar Point Park and a good view of Lake Erie.  Of course we would never pass the Cedar Point Paddlewheel Excursion.  After riding many high thrill rides,  Paddlewheel was like a breeze of fresh air.  The ride allowed us to slow down and enjoy the park along with the many jokes that our boat captain had in store for us.  We were told by one of the Paddlewheel Excusion operators that they were required to memorize 40 pages long of instructions, trivia questions, and jokes about the Paddlewheel Excursion ride and the park.  No wonder our Boat Captain could come up with new jokes throughout the ride.

Cedar Point Roller Coasters

Cedar Point Roller Coasters were a hit among the three of us. My husband and I are both Engineers by training.  That means, we are always amazed by how things are constructed, including roller coasters (wooden or metal ones). Mean Streak and Blue Streak are both wooden roller coasters.  Mean Streak is newer and taller, but Blue Streak is one of the oldest roller coasters in the entire park.  The Cedar Point Blue Streak is 2,558 inches long and 78 feet high.  If you like riding a roller coaster but have never ridden one in a total darkness,  Disaster Transports is a must-try for you. It is an intermediate thrill indoor roller coaster, which is also good to cool down when the weather is too hot or to warm up when it is too chilly outside.  The best part is that the line is indoor, too.  Disaster Transport is suitable for younger kids as long as they meet the minimum height requirement at 46 inches and above.

Cedar Point Shoot the Rapids

One ride that we didn’t have a chance to ride was the newest addition in 2010, called Shoot the Rapids. The opening day is still To Be Determined at this point.  I could see that Shoot the Rapids would be one of our family favorites.  It is a 2,100-foot-long boat ride.  The boat can hold up to 10 passengers.  It takes riders to travel through a wooded area with surprise water elements and special effects. Come the exciting part, the boat will go up through a 85 feet tall hill, followed by a 45 feet tall hill, and coming down the hills, riders will be drenched with the water shoots from the final drop down through water rapids.  If you don’t have a spare clothes with you,  a wide variety of Cedar Point attires are readily available for purchase at the gift shops.

Cedar Point Food

From the regular amusement park fares like burgers and hot dogs are readily available throughout the park.  For those who prefer a fancier sit down eating experience, there are also restaurants available. For those who are trying to stay away from sugary drinks,  cups of iced cold water are available at the food vendors at no cost. There was also free flow of ketchup and mustard around the food stalls. The only thing missing is a hand sanitizer, e.g.  PURELL, for park visitors.

Take your family to Cedar Point

Take your family to Cedar Point this summer. There are multiple ways to save on the admission costs. The regular ticket price is $49.99 for guests 48″ and taller; and $19.99 per ticket for Juniors (under 48″ tall) or Seniors (age 62 or older).  After doing comparison of different admission offers that Cedar Point has,  catching an online deal for a one day entry is the way to go. If you are planning to go to Cedar Point in June 2010, the Cedar Point website currently offers a ‘buy ahead’ pick a date offer for $29.99 for a one day admission ticket to Cedar Point any day between June 1-20, 2010.  If you are planning to visit Cedar Point multiple times, of course purchasing the Season Passes will be a better option.  Season Passes are valid for unlimited entries for a season long for  just $112 for a guest, 48″ and taller and $72 per person for a Junior (under 48″ tall) or a Senior (age 62 or older).

We had so much fun at Cedar Point

The park closing time is 10 PM. We left the park and started driving back home at 9.30 PM. Long day, but we had so much fun. The three of us came to a conclusion, we would visit the park again in a heartbeat. And, in case you are wondering, yes, we had our pictures taken with Snoopy, which made our day even more memorable.

Veronica

Veronica is a working mom who operates with a dash of technology, a pinch of positive mind, a dust of joy, and a chocolate bar. Veronica blogged for AkronOhioMoms from 2010-2012.