9/10/2017 - Great day trip!

We used to do the Platinum pass but the last two years we didn't. I was worried about crowds because we were not able to do early entry like we always have in the past. This was our first trip to the park in about two years. This Sunday was the last day of the regular season prior to HalloWeekends starting. The park was also closed for private parties on the previous two days. Park hours 11am - 8pm. Purchased tickets online in the morning I think 4 tickets were a little more than $200 total. We could not buy preferred parking online. Left Cleveland East Side at around 9:15am arrived main parking lot 10:45am bought preferred parking and parked way up in the corner closest to the Marina. We were at the Marina gate waiting at 10:55am and there was nobody else there.

11:00am - 11:30am - Wife and Son (10) did Valravn. Daughter (8) and I did Classic Cars and Cedar Downs. There was a pretty big early entry crew I think from the private party the previous two days and the Fall Freak Out coaster club so the wait for Valravn was about 20 minutes even though we were the first ones there after the normal opening. The wait for Valravn was probably built to about 40 minutes at 11:30am.

11:30am - Noon - Wife and Son did Millennium twice. Daughter and I did Iron Dragon Twice. There was about 5 minute wait for each ride.

Noon - 1pm - Wife and Daughter did Petting Zoo, Swings, and Mine Ride. Son and I did Maverick. Maverick wait time was about 30 minutes. By 1pm Maverick wait time had built to 45 minutes.

1pm - 1:45pm - Whole family does Gemini and Son and Daughter do Lake Erie Eagles, Son does Witches Wheel.

1:45pm - 2:30pm - Son and I do Raptor. Wife and Daughter do Iron Dragon and Sky Ride

2:30pm - 2:45pm - Quick break for drinks at Pinks.

2:45pm - 3:30pm - Wife and Son do Gatekeeper and Max Air. Daughter and I do Kids Kingdom and Planet Snoopy.

3:30 - 4:00pm - Whole family Tiki Twirl and Blue Streak

4:00pm - 4:30pm - Walk back to car and eat before driving home.

We drove back to Cleveland East Side home by 6:00pm. I was really worried how we were going to be able to mix and match with doing rides with the kids but it worked out really well. It really helped that there was basically nobody at the park. Everything was walk on except for Valravn and Maverick. It was cool that the park was decorated for Halloween. My son was able to do Valravn, MFx2, Maverick, Raptor, Gatekeeper, Max Air, and Blue Streak. My daughter did IDx3, Mine Ride, and Gemini. It was my first time on Raptor it did not mess with me as much as I thought. I always get dizzy from the corkscrews on Maverick and did not get dizzy for some reason on Raptor. I feel like we really got to do a lot for only being at the park for 5 hours. You could probably use this same exact same plan for HalloWeekends on the next 7 Sundays but the crowds may be a little bigger with the Halloween stuff opened. The ride wait times may be a little less though if the the Halloween stuff is absorbing some of the crowds. Bottom line is Sunday is a great day to go to the park!

I was also in the park Sunday. First time in over 30 years! Had a GREAT time! Visited my old work stomping grounds, the Main Kitchen. The Food Service folks were very gracious in allowing me in to see what has changed and what hasn't. This summer marks the 40th anniversary of my last summer working there. Richie, one of the chefs, took me out back to see the Lakeside Pavilion to see how much easier my old job is today versus 40 years ago. I was the Catering Manager and most of my work involved hauling meals for up to 1500 folks out to the picnic areas in the front of the park. That was a frustrating long drive around Perimeter Road when I was busy! Especially on a busy August Saturday with up to 5 events going on at once. Now they just have to walk out of the Kitchen, through the Coral Dining Room, and right into the Pavilion.

Spent the rest of the day riding coasters! Short lines & beautiful weather.