Any REAL benefit to stay in resorts?

My family and I and starting to plan our vacation to Cedar Point for June. I was just wondering if there is any real benefit to staying at a Cedar Point resort verus a hotel off the pennisula? The price different is outragous, to stay at a hotel is $680 for 6 six nights verus staying at Breakers, the cheapest I found was $1268. We have Cedar Fair Platinium passes, so we already get the early entry. Is ther any other benefit other than the early entry.?

Proximity is the only benefit this year. You won't have to wait in a line of slow moving cars to get out, and you can always go back to the hotel room relatively quickly and easily.

The Platinum Passes include early entry and parking, so those 2 benefits of staying on point are out.

That's what I figured, and to save a couple of hundred dollars, maybe enough for a second trip to Cedar Point, I could stay on Cleveland road. I wonder if the new passes will effect stay at the resorts.

I don't doubt that they will.

One of my biggest reasons for staying on point was free parking. But with it included in the pass, it may end up just being closing weekend that we stay on point.

Being walking distance to the park is a huge benefit.

If parking is a big deal, many hotels offer free shuttles.

Well, if you are staying several days, then it is most definitely worth it. It will also depend on how many are in your group. With being there several days, it is easy to blow off some time and walk to room and relax.

I have stayed in Castaway Bay and Breakers and a Comfort Inn on Milan at 5909 I think it is.

Why do I love staying at the resort...
-Cost...When comparing prices of well respected "middle class" hotels, Breakers falls right in line. Castaway Bay and Sandcastle Suites were both too expensive in the peak season times. But Breakers was never out of reach when in comparison to other hotels. Super8 and your like Best Budget hotels are your no frills kind of hotel. I wake up and I feel like yeah..I am on a hotel off of a major road in a city.
-Location...Duh your going to hear this
http://s2.photobucket.com/albums/y42/kicker15L7/?action=view¤...V02458.flv
You see that pool? When your inside the pool you can look and see Wicked Twister. There is a pretty snazzy pool setup too that is the most maintained I have seen. We're talking life guards, lawn chairs, and the place is pretty clean for the most part. Say your an alcoholic, and I am not saying anyone here is, but your within walking distance of going to your booze stash is all I am saying. No really though,
Once your hotel is as close as Breakers you might find yourself stopping by your hotel for lunch, change clothes, shower, or whatever.

When I pull up to Cedar Point...and then get allowed to drive to the back...and go to what now seems to be an exclusive place...I pull up and people are waiting to take my luggage up to my room. This is nice when I have been in the car for 4 hours. The building has tradition and no other hotel has what Breakers has for a design.
I feel like I get the full Cedar Point experience. I wake up, and go to bed next to the coasters. I can turn the A/C off and fall asleep to the waves crashing.

I can't explain how different it is waking up at Hotel Breakers....walking to the window and seeing the Cedar Point staff cleaning the beach, pool, and then the lake view from a hotel room. I've never actually lived on lake michigan despite being able to ride my bike to it. Really sets the mood...

You walk down stairs and there is food available right there. A convenience store with all kinds of useful items (to give you an idea they had everything from cedar point stuff to cig's). They have (or is it had..) a clothing store right there at CP. I have bought sunglasses and my girlfriend and I have both bought a bathing suit at CP. The price of clothing is actually the real cost even if you went to another store and found the same article. Now when I say food is right there I mean Krispy Kreme and Pizza Hut, an ice cream shop, T.G.I Fridays, and the same place that has Krispy Kreme and a Pizza Hut had many other food items available. Not to forget the italian restaurant (which always sounds soo filling when the weather is hot and your walking 7 miles while riding coasters all day) and famous daves which is also close. Then to be able to walk around at night time when the place is closed on the boardwalk is an added bonus. You feel like you are really on vacation and at Cedar Point.

So you walk to the theme park...has that ever crossed your mind? Instead of walking to your car that is baking in the sun and driving to your hotel. You get carte-blanch to walk "wherever you want".

I have seen low cost rooms pop up, and for instance that video I have is a room that was $149 a night...in July. And frequently you find rooms costing almost as low as $100 a night.

When I stay off point I feel disconnected from the vacation and the experience. In fact thats what I least want to do is plop down in a car seat. I want some Famous Daves rib tips or ribs, a Heineken and the Breakers pool over looking Wicked Twister. I enjoy walking by Millennium Force as I enter a marina (yeah who would of thought..I can rent a boat at Cedar Point and play Captain Ryan too) that has our beloved Famous Daves.

You know what getting in the car does for me? It makes me feel like I am going home, and when I am at Cedar Point thats the one thing I don't want to do. I just want the day to last longer. Even though im not "in Cedar Point" when I am at Hotel Breakers...I am in Cedar Point. I would rather.... a 2 night 3 day vacation on point then a 5 night 6 day vacation off point.

I personally also find that if you do not prepare yourself for the Point and all of its walking that will happen over 7 days (yes I have stayed at Hotel Breakers for 7 days straight). You might find yourself purchasing more comfortable attire / shoes...and baby powder. I find the Point is best experienced in 3 day spurts at the most in your infancy (aka your first couple big point vacations). Once you get a 7 day straight Point vacation in under your belt. You might not ever consider spending 7 days at the point again. Literally you get to ride everything countless times and it can draw some of the fun away from it and make you addicted to the coasters. Your like a crack addict but a coaster addict looking for air time.

Just consider a 2 night stay at breakers and you will understand why it is so much better.

Then go stay at one of the other dozens of hotels with poor reviews. In general Comfort Inn was a good hotel, but it lacked the staff of people to make it seem like you were staying in even a middle class hotel. The people partied faster then the bartender could keep up at the pool side Tiki Bar, and the pools were over flowing with kids. It just not quite the vacation....

It all depends now on your economic situation and what you consider reasonable, but these hotel prices will fluctuate and you will find better deals then what are displayed now. And what you look for in a vacation and a hotel. You need to ask yourself these things.

We found ourselves not even going off point for 2 days at a time or longer when we stayed at Breakers for 7 days. The worst traffic I dealt with was going around the peninsula and taking a right at the marina. On top of all of this you can afford to...have a drink while on vacation and not worry about driving. You have more then one restaurant overlooking the beach and it sets a good mood. Except for the extra cost of food. It is so easy to rack up a $60 bill on point.

Great, now I really really want to stay at Breakers. Is it spring yet. :)

I have stayed at Breakers two times and both were for 2 nights. Once when MF was new and the other during a Halloweekends. The biggest bebefit is, for me, is looking out your window and choosing coasters right there down in the park. (if you have park view rooms:) ) Also, running the beach at night to get back to your room and to swim in the pools late at night. The food is right there at your heels almost, but it can be a little pricey in my opinion. I like it because if neccessary, you don't have to even leave the peninsula the whole trip, if it's for 3 days when I stayed. You can stash all your food in the room, take advantage of everything the park has to offer, and sleep at the hotel with pools, beach, boardwalk, and sit down restaurants. ( if you plan to eat at one.) The only reason I would ever think of to leave on point would be to shop at the mall or do big grocery shopping. I think is fun to do a whole trip and never leave the peninsula!

Another advantage to staying on Point is some of the family wants to go to early entry and some want to sleep in..Some get tired sooner and can just go back to the room early while the others can stay in the park.Nobody is forced to go along with the rest.My little girl loves to collect shells on the beach and just walking around the Breakers going to the ship store and the arcade and pools.I love the convenience and not having to drive anywhere in traffic.As said before I really feel like I am on vacation and not on a schedule. I have a room booked for five days opening week and would not consider staying off point to save a few bucks.I enjoy my vacations to the point so much.I refuse to cheep out .Remember,,,,, the person who dies with the most money is still dead! [url][url]

Besides the obvious proximity to the park, I've always enjoyed Breakers because of it's ambiance. In the morning, all the families waking up and running around, trying to get to the park for early entry. Then, mid morning and early afternoon, the quietness with a hint of vacuum. Afternoon to early evening, the sounds of computer keys and luggage as the new people arrive. Evening as the families arrive, and restaurants get busier. But the best part, is late night. The hotel is as busy and full as it was in the morning. People getting ice cream, snacks for the rooms, playing arcade games... they're all still hyped up from that last ride on MF or Maggie.

I'm not sure about anyone else, but that's another huge draw to Breakers for me. You can't really get that type of atmosphere at a hotel outside the park.

Factory81, you sold me!! I just checked online for availablity at beakers in May. Th eprice difference is $20 a night compared to a hotel on Cleveland Rd. So I decided to take your challenge and try it. May 15 and 16 I will be ataying at Hotel Breakers.

Last year in may rooms in the twin section with a double bed were around 60 a night, and then they had a coupon in the getaway guide for 30 off each night at the breakers in May. You can't go wrong with a room for around 39 a night with taxes at the Breakers!

My wife and I always stay at the Breakers for CoasterMania. I echo the previous post about proximity to the park and the atmosphere the Breakers offers. Even though its for a couple of days or long weekend, staying on Point feels so much more like a vacation. Come to think of it in all the times we have been to CP we have ONLY stayed on Point. Can't imagine staying anywhere else! :)

For CP to become a world class destrinatiom, they need a nightlife theme for overnight guests.

One of my favorite reasons is being able to look out your window at night and seeing the park empty and the coasters sleeping. The park is a lit up and all you hear are the crickets. Then, in the morning you open the shades and hear the sound of the rides waking up. It's has a certain feel thats better than staring at your back yard.

factory81 said:
I can't explain how different it is waking up at Hotel Breakers....walking to the window and seeing the Cedar Point staff cleaning the beach, pool, and then the lake view from a hotel room.

Staying at the Breakers is a family tradition, and there is a certain quality that is hard to describe that makes you feel very festive and content. I like factory81's line above, one of my favorite things when at Breakers is waking up early in the morning, seeing everything else wake up too and maybe taking a walk along the beach walk before breakfast.

Probably what makes staying on Point special is the fact the CP is a peninsula removed from the city and you are surrounded by things designed to provide leisure and entertainment. If I stay at a hotel in Sandusky, it would be hard to justify staying anywhere else other than one of the on Point hotels.

The "removed" from the city part is probably the best part. When you wake up you wake up away from it all and at your vacation destination.

You have so many things to choose from, it almost doesn't feel real. I wish you could capture it in a bottle and take it where ever you go.