2017 Ride Warriors Christmas Gathering

I don't think blood drums were in the park last season, at least I don't remember it.

Yes, Blood Drums were 2016 across from Dodgem entrance, I have a picture of my son next to it. This year in that location was a spooky display with hay bales stacked & skeletons.

The small stage was tucked in at the base of AWE stadium just before Windseeker. That stage was sheltered from the blowing sand along that stretch when there is a stiff NE wind. WT area is brutal at times in the colder months. A properly placed small stage for local bands would be neat along with the boardwalk. Summer night concerts & such.

The parking/traffic thing is so interesting to me. I honestly don't know how that gets fixed. And restricting/closing the chausee doesn't help really. I don't envy management on that one.

Pete said:
I don't think blood drums were in the park last season, at least I don't remember it.

I missed HalloWeekends this year (we did Haunt at Dorney Park and Kings Island for 2017), so you are probably right. It was there in 2016 though.

James Parker jr said:

The parking/traffic thing is so interesting to me. I honestly don't know how that gets fixed. And restricting/closing the chausee doesn't help really. I don't envy management on that one.

What's the policy on allowing hotels to run shuttles to the park and drop people off/pick them up? They don't even offer a shuttle from Breakers Express. Even if they just did that on the expected busiest of Saturdays, it probably takes care of 80% of the parking issues right there. But will they give up the $20 per car?

80% of the parking issues are from Express Hotel guests? I don’t know if I agree with that one.

Provided they added parking on the mainland (and they have the land to do so), they could theoretically offer free parking/shuttle for any guests inclined to take advantage of such an offer, even those not staying overnight.

^^I think MDOmnis meant shuttles from Sandusky hotels would free up 80% of the parking issues, not just Express. Still don't know if I agree though.

Yeah, I think 80% is definitely a stretch. Also, there is a shuttle that runs from CP Express hotel.

Unfortunately without expanding the causeway, I'm not sure how you can improve ingress/egress for CP. They're always going to have crowded days where traffic is miserable. Best solution... be smart about when you go, and if it's that bad, just turn around, go home, and go a different day.

You can expand the causeway to 20 lanes if you wish. It's not going to do any good when you funnel it all onto the same 4 lane road in Sandusky. Physics are hard.

Dvo said:
Also, there is a shuttle that runs from CP Express hotel.

When did that start? Breakers and Lighthouse Point list shuttle service all around the peninsula as an amenity, but Express and Castaway Bay do not.

Also noteworthy: Castaway Bay and Express hotels do not include free parking UNLESS you purchase a ticket package... Have a Cedar Point Pass and staying at Express? You’re paying for parking at Cedar Point. Didn’t know that. Breakers and Lighthouse Point offer free parking.

Edit to add: Confirmed pay for parking w/o ticket package and no shuttle at Castaway Bay and CP Express via online chat on cedarpoint.com

Shane Denmark said:
When did that start? Breakers and Lighthouse Point list shuttle service all around the peninsula as an amenity, but Express and Castaway Bay do not.

I stayed at CP Express for Coastermania, as well as the week prior to Labor Day, and I'm pretty positive they had a shuttle both times. It was definitely running during the later visit.

Also, surprised to hear about paying for parking at the Express hotel, although I don't know who's staying there and not going to Cedar Point. I'm curious how they enforce that. Maybe they have a trigger if someone books a room without buying tickets or something.

They enforce it by collecting money at the toll booth. I don't understand your point of "I'm curious how they enforce that.".

Cedar point does not have a shuttle from express or castaway... I lost a key this year and stayed at express (one of three times) this year... I could not get a locksmith until the next day and the staff at breakers and the main gate would only give me the number for a taxi.

I believe in years past a shuttle was available but not this year.

RCMAC said:

Anyway, where they gonna hide that yellow evac contraption for Windseeker now?

Lmao, I always thought that was an extra piece for Wicked Twister. In fact, when I saw it in that first picture, I was horror-struck because I thought they tore WT down.

I don’t see why they can’t put it at the base of windseeker in between the tower and gondola. This is a collapsible piece of equipment. I don’t think that’s out of the question.

Oh yeah, and maybe for the sake of Wicked Twister, rework that godawful queue. Perhaps move the entrance closer to the station to eliminate line jumpers. Ever since 2011, that straight part of the queue that’s actually a gate has caused so many issues for the crew.

I’d be shocked if a re-working of the Wicked Twister queue and entrance wasn’t a part of the overhaul of that area.

Dvo- You pay to park at Cedar Point if you don’t buy a ticket package with the room, not paying for parking at the hotel...

I'm thinking about a guest at the hotel that isn't going to the park. You're implying that 100% of guests at CP Express go to Cedar Point. Which, is likely the case. But I thought you were saying that if you weren't getting a ticket package to the park, you couldn't park at the hotel for free. So if someone is just staying at the hotel and not going to the park, they're not going through the toll booth at all. Either way, just disregard. :)

TwistedWicker77 said:
I don’t see why they can’t put it at the base of windseeker in between the tower and gondola. This is a collapsible piece of equipment. I don’t think that’s out of the question.

Even in its collapsed state, it's only 2 separate pieces. Having the evacuation platform sitting inside the tower seems like it would be more in the way and a potential risk to both park employees and guests. Also, I believe there are various working parts near the base of the tower that would be a challenge to get at should maintenance have the need to do work. Here's some reference of what the evacuation platform looks like in various states of assembly.

There may be a lot of room inside the tower in between the gondola seats, but I don't think there's enough room to justify putting the arms there. Not saying it couldn't be done, just that I think it's highly unlikely. My guess is they'll stay, relatively, where they are/were. I imagine that with all of the area that is now opened up, the park is allocating some space for the arms that works well for future development.

It's definitely a good topic to bring up during WCO though.