A visit to Cedar Point can become  expensive for a family, even just for a day. The Point Online is a Cedar Point fan website, which means we are not affiliated with Cedar Point or any other organization, so we can tell you the inside tips and tricks on saving money at Cedar Point. Here are our top inside tips and tricks:

Hotel Accommodations
Cedar Point offers several premier resorts on property but they frequently are over several hundred dollars a night! In these tough economic times, there are more budget-friendly offers to have an overnight vacation in Sandusky. Resorts such as the Great Wolf Lodge, featuring an indoor water park, and The Lodge at Sawmill Creek Resort start at only $150 a night. For more economic accommodations, Knights Inn Sandusky is well known for low rates with great service and Quality Inn & Suites Cedar Point is located close to the park and also features a small indoor waterpark. Plus, all hotel reservations booked through The Point Online’s Travel Reservation System are guaranteed to be the lowest rate available. You can start your hotel search on our Travel Reservation System or by calling us at 1-800-780-5733 and mention code 92407.

Discounted Tickets
Never pay full-price for an admission ticket, no matter where you are visiting. Many venues, including Cedar Point, offer discounts just for purchasing in advance online. However, many third-parties offer even better deals. We maintain an active list of Cedar Point discounts so you can find the best option for you. Some of these discounts can save you over $10 on single-day admission.

Food/Beverages
Eating is one of the expensive part of any trip, including at Cedar Point. Although there are no discounts on food at Cedar Point, here are some tips to better manage your meals throughout the day:

• Eat a heavy breakfast so you last through the morning

• Don’t eat at meal time – eat when the food locations are less busy so you are standing in line for coasters, not food

• For a relaxing experience, Cedar Point offers picnic pavilions outside the front gate. Bring a cooler and grill out for dinner.

Souvenirs
Cedar Point has a great selection of souvenirs. Although tee shirts and sweatshirts can be expensive, key chains, water bottles, and other small novelties are reasonably priced. Another cheap souvenir is a large souvenir map which will only set you back $1, and is a great memento of your trip. For a simple souvenir the entire family will enjoy, try a ride photo. Individual photos are available for and packages with multiple copies are available for under $20.

Questions?
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask us! Ask our local experts at www.CPForums.com for free – no registration required, or e-mail our Editor mike@thepointol.com.

The Point Online has used information from past visits to produce our 2012 crowd expectations, however, we do not guarantee that the information will be accurate. The expectations are based solely on our opinions and personal experiences. There are many different reasons that could make the park more or less crowded than expected. For more detailed information on planning your trip, please ask one of our experts on our Cedar Point Forums.

We suggest staying at a nearby Sandusky hotel while visiting to maximize your trip.

Click the link or image below to access the crowd calendar.

Cedar Point Crowd Expectations 2012 - PDF File

 


Please view the Cedar Point Calendar for operating dates and times.

Thank you for visiting! We display the latest information on discount Cedar Point tickets on this page. If we have missed one, please let us know at www.CPForums.com.

2012 Cedar Point Ticket Prices:
Regular Admission: $51.99
Military Admission: $36.99
Junior/Senior Admission: $26.99
Starlight (After 5pm): $29.99
Children 2 & Under: FREE

Two Day Admission (includes Soak City):
Regular Admission: $82.99
Junior/Senior Admission: $49.99

Parking Fees:
Regular Cars: $12.00
RVs/Trailers: $17.00

List of Cedar Point Discount Tickets:

CedarPoint.com – Discounts only available online
Regular Admission: $44.99 (Save $7.00)
Two Day Admission: $77.99 (Save $5.00)

Breakers Express – Only available to guests staying at hotel. Click for reservations HERE!
Ticket discounts have not been released for 2012

Lake Erie Shores & Islands Travel Planner
The 2012 Travel Planner has not been released for 2012

Discount Drug-Mart
Regular Admission: $41.99
Junior/Senior Admission: $26.99
Two Day Ride/Slide: $71.99

Photos of Cedar Point and around Sandusky after a light snow in January, 2012. Welcome Screamscape and Theme Park Review readers!

Here is our 2011 updated crowd expectations during Halloweekends at Cedar Point.

A few things to remember: If the weather is going to be nice out, the park will be crowded. For the least busy times, go on colder days or when rain is predicted for only part of the day.

HalloWeekends at Cedar Point

HalloWeekends:
Fridays: Sept 16, 23, 30 and Oct 7, 14, 21, 28 – Light
Saturdays: Sept 17, 24 and Oct 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 – Heavy
Sundays: Sept 18, 25 and Oct 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 – Moderate

Other Helpful Links:
Cedar Point Area Hotel Discounts
Cedar Point Discount Tickets
Guidebook to Cedar Point

Watch John Hildebrandt, General Manager of Cedar Point, speak about Dinosaurs Alive: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnBRtaZMYrY

Dinosaurs Alive at Cedar Point

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SANDUSKY, Ohio – Cedar Point has some pretty big plans for next summer.

The Sandusky, Ohio, amusement park/resort earlier today announced plans to introduce Dinosaurs Alive! on Adventure Island, a prehistoric themed attraction, for next summer.  The new attraction will be located on four acres on the wooded island that is located in the lagoons toward the back of the park.

In addition to Dinosaurs Alive!, Cedar Point will also add a mat-racer slide complex to the Soak City waterpark located adjacent to the park.

Dinosaurs Alive! will cost approximately $1 million to build.

The journey into Dinosaurs Alive! will be multi-sensory and interactive.  Guests will be able to see approximately 50 life-size animatronic dinosaurs that will roar and move.  Each will be handcrafted and covered with skin-like materials that will replicate almost every feature.  Four of the dinosaurs will have interactive consoles that will allow guests to guide their movement to create an up-close look at how these dinosaurs moved their arms, tail, eyes and mouth.

“We are extremely excited about introducing Dinosaurs Alive! to our guests next summer,” said John Hildebrandt, vice president and general manager of Cedar Point.  “Our guests will have the opportunity to visit the Jurassic Age up close and see some of the amazing creatures that called it home.  Dinosaurs Alive! will be educational but fun, too.”

Overall, Dinosaurs Alive! will feature approximately three dozen types of dinosaurs.  The dinosaurs will range in size and height.  The largest will be the Ruyangosaurus that will stand nearly 40 feet tall and 72 feet long.  The smallest will be an Angustinaripterus that will only be two feet tall and eight feet long.

Other dinosaurs in Dinosaurs Alive! will include the vicious Tyrannosaurus Rex, Irratator, Baryonyx and Spinosaurus, the largest of all known carnivorous dinosaurs.  A plated Stegosaurus and three-horned Triceratops will also inhabit the island.  The half-mile-long path will feature more than a dozen themed exhibits and displays and will veer underneath several of the larger dinosaurs providing a very intimate encounter with the prehistoric beasts.

Guests will enter Dinosaurs Alive! by crossing a bridge near Camp Snoopy.  In addition to the dinosaurs, explorers will also encounter an excavation site and paleontological dig.  There will also be informational signs for each exhibit and guides and fossil displays that will make Dinosaurs Alive! an entertaining three-dimensional educational tool for school groups as the discovery and identification of new species of dinosaurs increases annually.  At the conclusion of the journey, there will be a prehistoric-themed gift shop.

Admission to Dinosaurs Alive! will be $5 per person.  Special rates for groups and schools will also be available.

With the addition of Dinosaurs Alive!, the Paddlewheel Excursions boat cruise will be retired from the park.  The pioneer-themed boat ride will be in daily operation through Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 5.

Cedar Point’s newest attraction will be created and produced by Dinosaurs Unearthed, an innovative traveling exhibition company that creates dynamic, multi-sensory experiences about the world of dinosaurs.   Since 2005, the Richmond, British Columbia, Canada,-based company has provided multi-faceted exhibitions to museums, science centers and zoos throughout the world.

Next to Cedar Point, the Soak City waterpark will also have a new look for 2012.  Next summer it will add a new mat-racer complex that will offer racers a speedy ride through a series of dips and plateaus.  Additional information will be available later this year.

Paddlewheel Excursions at Cedar Point

Paddlewheel Excursions, one of Cedar Point’s most classic attractions, is involved in the latest slew of rumors about a new attraction at the park. Unfortunately for this historic attraction 2011 could mean the end of one of the last true family rides at the park.

Originally opened in 1964 as the Western Cruise, it is one of the oldest attractions with deep roots in the parks history. Utilizing the peninsulas unique lagoons, which were dugout in the late 1800s as a means to drain the land and in later years provide transportation throughout the resort.  In 1986 Western Cruise was renamed Paddlewheel Excursions, the dock was moved, and became similar to what we know it as today. Please take a moment to enjoy the attraction as it was back in 1964 as the Western Cruise.

The rumors for 2012 will bring Paddlewheel Excursion to an end after 47 years. Currently the ride faces many difficulties in succeeding. Paddlewheel has been plagued by low ridership for years, mainly due to a poor entrance location and lack of signage attracting guests to the ride. However, the boats require fuel to operate which comes ever increasingly more expensive. This means it is in the parks best interest to keep ridership low to keep the operating cost of the ride down. However, if ridership is low, then the ride does not garner as much attention from management for ongoing maintenance and support. This creates a scenario in which a ride receives low ridership, but is continually more expensive to operate. Paddlewheel Excursions has become known as the last ride to open every year and the first one to close.

Many readers have complained this year of the lack of maintenance the attraction has seen this year, as animatronics are not being repaired in any timely manner. Delbert Fienstien, the resident pilot of the island, constantly attempts to fly over the boat but never quite makes it. More recently Delbert seems to be “going out the night before”, preventing him to make this attempts, according to one creative skipper on the ride.

For those who enjoy the peaceful boat ride and reminisce of slower days, Cedar Point already has put in place an alternative to Paddlewheel Excursions, which is called “Paddlewheel Boat Excursions”. Guests can now take a 40 minute boat ride on an original Western Cruise paddleboat for $10 operating out of the Cedar Point Marina. Cedar Point’s own Rebecca Baker compares the experience to Paddlewheel Excursions on a recent PointCast video. Why would anyone pay $10 to ride a paddleboat when they can currently do so for free inside the park?

The reasoning why Paddlewheel could close would be to build a new walk-through exhibit on the island, which requires a bridge. This would be the same, or similar, bridge that many guests are already familiar with during HalloWeekends that goes right through the dock of Paddlewheel. This new walkthrough attraction most likely would be Dinosaurs Alive, which is currently operating at Cedar Point’s sister park King’s Island, just a few hours south. There is one catch, just like the “Paddlewheel Boat Excursions”, Dinosaurs Alive is an up-charge experience, costing an additional $5 for park guests. This experience is incredibly similar to Prehistoric Forest, a nearby local attraction that recently closed due to lack of business.

Is Cedar Point about to close one of its most beloved and historic rides with two up-charge attractions? One, an almost identical experience that is no longer included in park admission and two, a walk-through attraction of dinosaur figurines (that do not move) that costs an additional fee? Does Cedar Point have to say anything about the closure of Paddlewheel? We asked Cedar Point’s Director of Public Relations for any information regarding the rumors that Paddlewheel may close at the end of the year. His response was only that the park will make a formal announcement about their plans for next year at a later date.

Will Paddlewheel Excursions close for good? We still do not know for sure. However, if Paddlewheel Excursions does indeed close, we ask the park announce its intentions before the ride closes for good.

Have an opinion? Join the discussion on CPForums.com

*Update 8/3/11 – Many thanks to Screamscape for the link. Many of our readers have continued to provide updates on Paddlewheel at CPForums.com.

Sandcastle Suites at Cedar Point

Save this summer at the Cedar Point Resorts and indoor water parks in Sandusky! With the sluggish economy, the hotels are offering incredible deals and rates. Many hotels sell out weeks before and are unable to accommodate walk-ins.

The Point Online continues to negotiate with the hotels in Sandusky to obtain the lowest rate possible for our readers.

Breakers Express offers rooms starting at $72.00 a night. Breakers Express is an official Cedar Point Resort and offers early entry admission to the park by one hour each day! The hotel also offers Cedar Point admission tickets for $29.00 for those staying at the resort. For more information, view Breakers Express on our Cedar Point Hotel Reservation System.

Great Wolf Lodge offers rooms starting at $139.53. At Ohio’s first indoor water park, families will enjoy a rustic setting throughout the entire resort. The indoor water park is a constant 84 degrees and features a four-story interactive water fort, water slides, lazy river, activity pool, a hot tub, and more. The resort also features several restaurants, stores, and offers great kids activities throughout the day. Great Wolf Lodge’s Indoor Water Park is open year-round. For more information, view Great Wolf Lodge on our Travel Reservation System.

Rain Water Park is located at the Quality Inn and Suites entertainment complex. This complex features Rain Water Park, bowling, laser tag, arcade, and popular Thirsty Pony restaurant. Rain Water Park is open only Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. For more information, view Quality Inn and Suites on our Travel Reservation System.

For a complete search of available hotels, start your search in the box on the right of this screen or call 1-800-780-5733 and use Promo Code 92407.

Windseeker at Cedar Point

Windseeker, the 301-foot tall swing ride, opened June 14, 2011 at Cedar Point. Windseeker did not open with the park for the season due to construction delays with project and partially due to poor weather. The delay is ironic as the ride is called Windseeker, but was partially delayed by high winds during construction.

Fans and members of CPForums.com have immediately begun to praise the new ride at Cedar Point. In addition to spinning riders up the tower, which is set next to Cedar Point’s scenic beach on Lake Erie, music some popular movies is played throughout the ride, enhancing the ride experience. At night, brightly shinning LED lights encompass the carriage that lifts passengers up. The lights, spinning and swirling, are a show within itself. The ride has already fit in nicely alongside the world-class attractions at Cedar Point.

The Point Online is one of the largest Cedar Point fan websites. Cedar Point is much more than an afternoon trip, but a multi-day resort for the whole family to enjoy. To save on your trip, please visit our Discount Tickets and Cedar Point Hotel Deals sections.

Days in which rain is forecasted, the park will be less crowded, especially when it may rain in the morning. When it stops raining in the early afternoon, the park is less crowded that evening. On sunny and warm days, the park will be more crowded. Sunday’s are usually the least crowded day on weekends, except on weekends when Monday is a holiday. If possible, it is always best to spend two days at Cedar Point, as many people underestimate the size and time it will take to experience everything. We suggest staying at a nearby Sandusky hotel while visiting to maximize your trip. Start your hotel search to the right –>

Please view the Cedar Point Calendar for operating dates and times.

We measure the crowds in three different categories: Light, Moderate, and Heavy.

May 14 – 15, Opening Day Weekend – Moderate
May 16 – 26 – Light
May 27 – 30, Memorial Day Weekend – Moderate

May 31 – June 9 – Light
June 10 – 30 – Moderate
July 1 – 4 – Heavy
July 5 – August 4 – Moderate
Saturdays: July 9, 16, 23, 30 – Heavy

August 5 – 21 – Heavy
August 22 – 28 – Moderate
August 29 – September 5 – Light
September 9 – 11, Triathlon – Heavy

HalloWeekends:
Fridays: Sept 16, 23, 30 and Oct 7, 14, 21, 28 – Light
Saturdays: Sept 17, 24 and Oct 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 – Heavy
Sundays: Sept 18, 25 and Oct 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 – Moderate

Other Helpful Links:
Cedar Point Area Hotel Discounts
Cedar Point Discount Tickets
Guidebook to Cedar Point