Don't hate me because I'm a rookie

Planning our first ( I KNOW, I KNOW- STOP LAUGHING) trip in June --


My question for all you more informed types: Is it worth the money to stay at one of the hotels on site, or save beer money & drive a little, say from Sandusky or so? I checked rates on some decent hotels and there is a BIG difference in price between the two choices.
Please take pity on a rookie and share any info. you might have. THANKS!

Welcome to the site!

I can't describe just how worth it it is to stay on-point. Think of it this way... you have an amusement park at your disposal for as long as you're there, with your own bathroom and bed at your disposal at any time!

Oh yes, it's worth it.

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Jeff
Webmaster/Guide to The Point
"And he says 'I'm goin' crazy up there at the lake...'"

I am planning my first trip to CP at the end of June and nobody has laughed at me yet. Now that you mentioned it what is the average price difference between the hotels on site and lets say 5 miles from the park? I am not picky as long as its not a roach motel.

It's all over the board and depends on the time of year. I would say you'll pay at least $50 more on-point per night and that's for the cheap rooms (Bon Aire section of Breakers).

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Jeff
Webmaster/Guide to The Point
"And he says 'I'm goin' crazy up there at the lake...'"

To me its worth the extra money for the convenience and extras that Breakers gives you..Plus with a newborn its nice to have the added extra of being able to run her back for a quick nap at any time WITHOUT leaving the CP campus!! ON POINT is the best..I agree

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http://www.msu.edu/~armbrus9/cp.html

Jeffrey Spartan and Proud New PAPPA
ACE
MSU SPARTANS 2000 CHAMPS

i stayed at the radisson(the one surrounding the pond) and it was awesome. the rooms and the general hotel were very clean. at 4 we left the point, went to eat at fridays and rested a little in the room. we got back a 6!!!! i was very impressed with the fridays service. and we also got to see some big screen OHIO STATE BUCKEYE football.

My preferences (have never stayed on site) are the Best Western just at the end of the causeway and the Greentree Inn just at the end of the causeway as well. The Greentree Inn has a bowling alley and bar that is open late on weekends. Most hotel bars close kinda early so this is a plus if you're drinking. Both around $100. Of course on site would be better, but the 3 minute drive from either of these hotels is certainly bearable.

I like to stay in the woods by Frontier Trail. Lol! I'm kidding of course. But alway wondered if I could get away with it? Sneaking a tent in there somehow. Yes, I have problems. Lol! Seriously, staying at the Breakers is the way to go. If you have the money, stay as close as you can to the park assuming you are going to be in the park for a couple of days.

Last year 6 of us went to CP and stayed at Sandcastle. The room was $200 a night (or just $33 a person) for 2 full sized beds and a pullout sofa. It slept us comfortably and out balcony had a direct view of the pretzel turnaround on Magnum. I won't even get into the millions of conviences of staying in park. It's not even a close call. My experiences with local hotel/motels have ben less than thrill unless you're staying at "name" properties in which case, you aren't saving too much money anyway. My wife is a GM for marriott and we can basically stay at any Marriott properety (Including Fairfield Inn's, Courtyard, etc) for just $29 a night and we still pay to saty at the Point.

Two Words: Breakers Express
At Breakers Express for $119 you get 2 queen size beds with quality Serta matresses, and a 25 inch tv, game rooms, snoopy shaped swimming pool, and a quick drive to the point. Breakers Express is the coolest budget hotel I've ever been in.

You call $119 a budget? I am renting a car so a little travel from CP is not an issue. Where can you stay for lets say between 50 and 70 dollars a night?

Where can you stay for $50 to $70 a night? You'll be at that roach motel you were worried about. Is it possible to stay ANYWHERE anymore for $50 to $70 a night?

Actually the last time me & the wife stayed off Point was 1996. We were going for 3 days and found a place advertising in the getaway guide. Looked decent in the ad and was $75 a night (this is 4 years ago, mind you. now they're probably $100). For some reason I cannot remember the name of the place...maybe if I dig out the old getaway guide? Anywho, we get there and check in. Here's a list of things wrong:

1. Dead bugs EVERYWHERE!
2. No towels.
3. Something that looked suspiciously like a blood stain on the sheet.
4. A sign on the air conditioner advising us that if we ran it for more than 1 or 2 consectutive hours that it would freeze up.
5. 2 of 3 light bulbs burned out.
6. A broken window...not just cracked, but a hole!
7. A TV that for some reason only displayed shades of red. Kinda like Red & White TV instead of Black & White.
8. The TV had an antenna, no cable.
9. The "pool" had no water in it.

We walked in, spent about an hour in the room, and demanded our money back and spent the next two hours finding somewhere else to stay. We ended up a good 10 - 15 miles away because everything was booked.

In summary, $50 - $70 in hotel terms, near Cedar Point, during season will get you next to nothing.

O.K. then, I guess I will be increasing my spending account when I visit. Explain this to me, is it because of CP that hotels and motels feel they can rip people off and get away with it? Its pretty bad when a $100 dollar a night place to stay has that many problems. I am saying this because you can get a room at the downtown Chicago Hilton right now for $89 dollars a night and that is an exclusive hotel.

Bobthetomato,

I got a room at Breakers Express on the Fri. before opening day for around $80. How can you say you stayed in it? It hasn't opened yet and wasn't even built last year!

104.00 is supposed to be the official rates for Breakers Express....

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http://www.msu.edu/~armbrus9/cp.html
Jeffrey Spartan and Proud New PAPPA
MSU National Champs 2000

Yes, Chitown that is exactly how it works. People need a place to stay and being as CP is only seasonal, they prices skyrocket. All hotels do this depending on what's happening in the area. I know there's weekends when special events are going on and my wife raises rates at her hotel as much a $20 or $30 a room for those days. The demand is there and people will pay to stay.

And the hotel/motel we stayed at was probably the exception to the rule. I'm just passing along an experience I had. I'm sure if you look into it you'll find somewhere decent to stay. However, you're either going to be in a dump or a good distance away from CP in the $50 - $70 range.

Best of luck...I hope you prove me wrong! :)

I suggest staying on-point. Not only do you have quick trips to and from your room, but with both on-point hotels you have good views of the park (who doesn't like to hear Magnum run early in the mornning at Sandcastle Suites) We stayed at Radisson last year. It was nice and all and a mile from the park, but maybe I was expected to look out the window and see a coaster..

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Brian Z.
Hometown parks: Kennywood, Cedar Point!
23 days until The Force

Thanks for all the info! But now I have another question: Not having seen the actual setup, I'm having trouble telling on the map I have just how far the hotels actually are from the park! Is the Breakers the only one that is really NEXT to it? If the Radisson is a mile away like Beeman said, how far exactly is Breakers Express?! To me, at the park should mean AT THE PARK. Thanks again -- this is a great site!

Let's see, Hotel Breakers, Sandcastle Suites, and Camper Village are all located on point. Of these, Breakers is the closest. There is a shuttle bus that will take you from all of the hotels (excluding Hotel Breakers) and to an entrance of the park. Breakers Express and the Radisson Harbour Inn are both located near the causeway entrance right before you enter Cedar Point. These are not quite as close as the others although because there is shuttle service there is nothing to worry about. I would say that if I was staying on point I would prefer Hotel Breakers or Sandcastle Suites opposed to the others, but this is just a personal opinion. If you do choose to stay off point and at a hotel not owned/operated by CP I would make sure that they have shuttle transportation. It is a MAJOR convenience not worrying about parking and walking to the entrance and finding your vehicle and stuff like that. And you can even keep food in your room so you don't have to worry about paying for the pricey foods in the park.

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2000 Millennium Force Ride Operator!!!

Stay at the park becasue it's well worth it. The entrance from the breakers side is easier entry then the giant rush at the front gate in the morning. Also it's no fun being in all the traffic on your way in unless you wake up very early. Sure the prices are more, but considering the location it's worth it.