2007 Operating Schedule Released

I've been up there on weekdays in May and wondered why they were even open. I know of many that would love to go to CP over easter break, but they are closed then, why? Raise the price and shorten the hours, kinda reminds me of the shrinking potato chip bags and coffee cans...more money less product...:( Rumor has it that PKI is also opening a week later...I know, I know, shareholders, profits...

PKI was open for Easter break last year, but I dont know about this year. Someone posted on another site that the date was April 21, which I find rather disappointing. I remember the years where it was always the first saturday(and sometimes a preview on Friday) in April.

0g said:
As for moving Haloweekends earlier, I think this is a good move. I have only made it for the last three years, but every time I have gone, I have been amazed by the crowds that show up. I don't know if the earlier weekeds are as popular as the later ones (any comment Ralph?), it would be nice to go before it gets too cold.

The earlier weekends in recent years have been pretty good crowd wise. They definitely don't pull the kind of crowds like Columbus Day weekend has the last few years, but it's decent. This year was an exception, mainly because it either rained or had rain in the forecast every day the first two weeks.

As for setting up, I have a really good idea what goes into it. They get a lot done during those weekdays when the park isn't open, but if they really wanted to, it would be entirely possible to have the park ready to go after Labor Day.

How does shortening the days in May not inconvenience those of us who aren't pass holders? There are people, probably more of us enthusiasts than GP, who do a road trip to Sandusky at the beginning of the season BECAUSE the crowds are lighter. Yeah, it can get cold and rainy, but that doesn't stop most of us from wanting to get as much out of our visit as possible. I have taken CP trips at both the beginning and end of the season. Up until now I didn't have a preference. But if the hours the last operating week are longer than the first guess which time of year I'll be more likely to want to visit? Maybe cutting operating hours in May won't affect attendance much, but there WILL be some people who aren't locals and passholders who don't like this change.

Crowds are so light in May that you're not going to be missing out on anything. You'll be able to ride, re-ride, and re-re-ride any coaster or flat in the park to your heart's content. All this means is that you may have to settle for 8 rides on Millenium instead of 10.

Even though attandance isn't that high in May, I'm sure there are people that will be upset, even though they're cutting it down to one hour. Although Geauga Lake did this last year and didn't hurt them much, so maybe Cedar Point is going to experiment with this. I was just thinking since they're opening Maverick next season, why they wouldn't keep the 10-8 schedule in May like they had this year. Being a Season Pass Holder I usually go during the slow days in May, and have stayed all the way until 8. So I'm somewhat dissapointed, but I'll still go In May. Next season, I bet Cedar Point will see the attendance numbers soar.

So, to summarize...they added a ride, ticket prices went up, and the hours got cut. Hmmmm....guess they are going to try to pay for Maverick in one year. They might be in for a surprise instead.

bholcomb said:
Judging by this thread, it's going to be pretty dead when I go during the week in May. :)

I'm with ya on that one.:)

I think Noon to 9:00pm would be much better hours in May. They might get more of the after work crowd with those hours, not just pass holders but also Starlight admissions. The 7:00pm closing will certainly take away the after work crowd unless you are a pass holder and a local, and even then it almost makes it not worth it.

Maybe parking will go to $15.00.

There was a comment earlier that season pass holders generate little or no revenue. Granted after our third trip we don't generate any admission revenue. However in park spending is another story.

Our family, two adults, a child and a senior. On a typical visit we all eat at the Midway Market that's $42-$50 depending on the time of day, plus tip. The senior member of our family while not handicapped rents a wheel chair so she can get around the entire park with us. That costs up to $35 if she gets the electric powered one. Then there is dippin dots for the boy, $5 there. Something to drink $3. That is for a Friday night. On a full day at CP add fries, hot dogs, preztels etc. Add a couple of games too.

I don't know if the typical pass holder spends that much or not. I would imagine they spend something in the park. Sure the people coming once of twice will spend per visit more because it's a special event.

I do know that if we had to pay admission each visit we probably would go 3 to 5 times instead of over 20 times.

That is another reason why CP should give passholders discounts on everything with a swipe of the card. They would then know exactly what they are spending in park.

-Tambo

This season pass holder spent nearly $1,300 at CP in 2006, and that is just a guess. And we had a picnic for at least one of the meals each visit. The rides will operate daily whether we go 3 times or 30. Obviously, the more time a SP holder spends in the park the more money we part with. Hurting the SP holders will hurt CP in the long run. I'd like to see them open a week early for SP holders like PKI did a few years ago. This would also be a good SP promotion. Dragster ERT at 10:30 p.m. is a nice gesture, but let's be realistic, I've got little kids...do something we all can benefit from.

How about this to start with. A special close-in parking section in the main lot for pass holders that buy the parking add on. After all we will all have stickers on our windshields. All CP has to do is station somebody to look for the sticker. It has no monetary value for us but, it is something.

How much in-park spending are you going to be doing if you're heading into the park for a couple hours after work or school?

CP doesn't need to know what passholders are spending, just how much is spent overall. It's either worth it to have the park open, or it isn't.

Discounts for SP holders? You're already getting an entire summer's use out of the park for the price of three days. Think about it. You try to justify breaks for season pass holders (effectively lowering their in-park spending) but then want the park to stay open later because that would generate additional in-park spending by the SP holders. The only reason your passes are so cheap (and yes, for what you're getting, they are cheap) is because the park wants you to spend money inside. They're not going to give that up. *** Edited 11/6/2006 7:27:35 PM UTC by HoosierTTD***

When I go to the park after work I head straight for the park and buy dinner at CP. Probably about $9-$15 dollars. Afterwards, usually a Pepsi or two ($3-$6) and either an ice cream, pretzel or pizza slice ($2-$4). On the way out, I might buy a donut for the ride home ($1). That's up to $26 dollars a visit if I get to the park at 6:00pm and stay until 10:00pm.

Even when the park closed at 8:00pm I found it fun to go for two hours and catch a fast food meal in the park. Probably spent about $10 to $15 dollars in those two hours, including a snack before going home.

If I go at all to the 7:00pm closing days, I probably won't spend anything as I want to get a few rides in. I'll grab some dinner at McDonalds after the park closes.

The breakdown I gave for a Friday evening after work works out to about $20-$25 per person. We did that about ten times so we spent between $800 and $1000 dollars just on Friday evenings. I doubt if a family of 4 visiting one or two times spends that much even though they probably spend more per person on those trips.

Add the full day visits and a number of overnight stays at the resorts that we had and we probably spent triple the amount shown above.

HoosierTTD said:
CP doesn't need to know what passholders are spending, just how much is spent overall. It's either worth it to have the park open, or it isn't.

Discounts for SP holders? ...

Because those little discount cards every store offers are definitely not big business these days.

Now that Michigan goes too school later why not keep the normal operating schedule till labor day. Closing at 8 just doesn't make sense from what I saw in August.

That's what I'm talking about. I was there the last week of August this year and it was certainly busier than that time last year. On top of that, I saw one train operation and several food locations closed. Do they really have staffing issues at the end of August?