10/7/06 Halloweekends: Not Impressed

Just got back from a trip to Cedar Point for Halloweekends yesterday. I've definately had better trips, but it wasn't a total waste.Since the weather was going to be so nice I already knew that the park would be pretty packed, but I had already taken the day off work. I thought I knew, but I had no idea...

Im not going to bother listing everything I rode, but let me just say that any major ride had an ungodly long wait all day. The line for MF consistently stayed at 2-2.5 hours all day. Raptor's line, which usually shortens in the evening, was consistently 2 hours all day. The haunted houses were even worse, but I'll get to that later.

One positive note I will mention was that the crews on ALL of the rides were the best I have ever seen. Major kudos to the spielers on Gemini, Magnum and Raptor. The spieler on Raptor was even announcing the updated Tiger's game scores (being from Detroit I appreciated this.)

As far as the Halloweekends attractions are concerned, I was less than impressed. The decorations around the park were very well done, but everything else left a lot to be desired:

- Fear Faire, Carnevil, and Fright Zone all seemed understaffed for some reason (I only counted 4 screamsters in Carnevil)

- The "actors" in Lair of the Vampire were laughably bad. Since the wait times for the houses were reaching the 2 hour mark, this is the only one I made it through.

- I saw two costumed screamsters in Carnevil standing around talking to eachother and completely ignoring all of the guests (pathetic...)

Overall, my expectations for Halloweekends came up a bit short. While some of it was related to the crowds, something really needs to be done to make it a bit more professionally done. I expected more from "The Best Park In The World".

Well I am sorry your trip to CP wasn't to great. It's just that they get understaffed in October. That's why I like to go in June, July, or August.

The crowd wasn't as bad as one might think based on the number of vehicles that were in the park. It still wasn't as bad as that one Saturday last year...

I also noticed that CarnEvil was a bit short staffed, but I still loved it. I agree that crowds were really bad though.

I was there yesturday and im use to no crowds and running on and off the rides beause i go when american's go back the last week of august. The line waits were any were from a hour to 2 1/2 hours. Im use to 15 - 30 min.

Welcome to Columbus day weekend!

I was also un impressed. I have been visiting CP's Holloweekends since it first started. This year I was very dissapointed. I was there 10/6 & 10/7 I knew it would be packed based on the weather but it was bad. I was mostly discourged by the long waits at any concessions. I was in line over 20 min for a order of fries and there where only 3 people in front of me. The people around us where also getting upset everyone was on edge it seemed and where fed up with the lack of service. On the way out Sat night I stopped for a elephant ear at the front of the park... All three windows where opened for service but only one girl was actully serving people. People would line up at the windows for over five minutes and the workers just ignored them untill guests asked to be served the staff then said oh the window was closed. I saw this happen twice at the same window. Not to mention I stood probably 15 min just go get an elephant ear. My friend stood in line 40 min at the burder patio. I was impressed with the crews on Gemini and Magnum and I liked the crew on Raptor Friday night. And also why wasnt Skyhawk in complete operation that line was an hour and half for a swing set. Lines where backing out of almost every ride. untill they finally opended up more gates. Over all it was a very dissapointing trip.

Yeah supercrowded days in October suck real quick.I just hope this was the one slammed weekend,I am going on the 20th for the weekend and hope it's deserted by then.

The line in Donut Time didn't move at all. Concession stands were amazingly slow.

I wasn't there on Saturday, but heard that attendance was the highest all season, with nearly 50,000 in the park. So with record crowds and less staff it's no surprise the lines were long.

I went today from about 3pm til close, and it was busy, but unusual. Lines for MF and TTD were about 1 to 1 1/2 hrs.

Althouh we all hate to wait in the longer lines, the boost in attendance at this time of the year is good for business.

We went Saturday and found the lines much linger than what we are used to. Corkscrew 3/4 hour and hour for Blue Streak during the day, 1/4 hour at 11pm. Even the flats had lines beyond their queues.

Carn Evil and Fright Zone were lacking screamsters. Not many at all. We went through Fright Zone twice and Carn Evil 4 times. At 11pm the concession lines were 10-12 deep, Donut Time was out the door. We were surprised to find Midway Market still open that late. The were a decent amount of people eating, though that may be a bit much to eat at that hour.

From noon to 11 pm we managed six rides. We passed on many due to the lines, some we just waited. We also did some of the Halloweekend things which took some time. Still a beautiful fun day.

Is it really good for CP too have a 50,000 person crowd and piss half of them off? Or is it better too have a 20,000 person crowd and have most of them happy?

Unfortunately, I think guests would be more mad if after traveling a long way to go to the Point they weren't allowed in. That would make people mad. Long food lines and ride lines is bordering more on aggrivation.

^ - hasn't stopped Disney, and those people have payed far more than most CP guests. During the holidays, the Disney parks will stop letting people in within a couple hours of opening.

I don't know that CP has hit that point before, but there is a limit. Once the park is at capacity, its time to shut the gates, regardless of who hasn't gotten in yet.

Should have gone on Sunday. Much, much better time. The longest line of the day was MF and that was an hour's wait. I was afraid that since we were going Columbus Day weekend that it would be bad. Thankfully Sunday wasn't bad at all.

The fog was freaking insane that night! From Dragster's station you could barely see the Giant Wheel and Wicked Twister. I even got lost on Frotier Trail! It's crazy since I know that park like the back of my hand.

Sorry to hear that the crowds were bad.

~Rob Willi

^^^^Rational people don't blame the park when its crowded.

*** Edited 10/9/2006 4:25:30 PM UTC by djDaemon***

^^Exactly. Jugga, I'm not saying that parks should keep letting people in no matter what, there is definately a limit and once the park hits that definately close it. But CP on Saturday was still bearable. There were long lines for rides, but you could still get in fright zones with no problems, and the midways didn't seem that much more crowded than in the summer. I just don't think CP hit its limit on Saturday. I was still able to have a really fun day and got on quite a few rides.

And 2 hour waits on MF are nothing to write home about. Neither are similar waits on the biggies. And if the other stuff is pushing 1 hour, thats not so much a surprise on a busier day.

MF, Magnum, Raptor and TTD are always going to be busier and have longer waits. Even if the park is dead, their lines will still be longer than other rides.

djDaemon said:
^^^^Rational people don't blame the park when its crowded.

*** Edited 10/9/2006 4:25:30 PM UTC by djDaemon***

Now we are assuming people will be rational?

I waited over 1 hour to get food in burger patio, the crowd sat was the worst i have ever seen. All the consesion stands were like 30 deep, ive never seen it sooo bad, like wall to walll people.And the food people were working there butts off.
*** Edited 10/9/2006 11:48:06 PM UTC by brieeee***