Camper village......FAIL!

This coastermania, we decided to check out camper village inside the park. This was our first and last time.

We have never stayed at the campground at the park due to the fact they don't allow tents. If we were camping, we would always stay at the campgrond down the street from the prk(name escapes me).

Well this year my step brother had bough a new 25 foot camper, so we decided to check out the campground for coastermaina.

First off the rates are just crazy...It was $90 per night.

Once we checked in on friday night, we set up camp and headed into the park for evening ert. Our plan was to come back and have a nice camp fire and a few beers. Well, that never happend.

Aparently you can't have camp fires at this "campground". What kind of campground can you not have a campfire at? That is half the fun of camping. We did not know about this when we reserved the site.We even bought smores stuff for the kids.

Next up was the "NO BIKES" allowed policy. Again, we did not know about this silly rule when we made the reservation. Needles to say, my 3yo daughter was bummed that she coulden't ride her bike.

Next problem.

It was 8:30 in the morning on sunday, and it was shower time. So we headed to the shower house to find it closed for cleaning, so the worker(very friendly guy) directed us to the shower house down the road a ways. So we get to the other shower house only to find it closed as well. I can understand that the showers need to be clean, and they were....but why are half of them closed for cleaning at 8:30 in the morning when people are getting up and ready to go to the park? Why not wait till maybe 10 or 11am? So we and several other angry people had to wait 20 min outside for them to clean the showers.

So after the shower fiasko, the kids wanted to play at the pool where they have seen the water play structure the day before. So we headed to the pool only to find the play area closed. The lifeguard said that they never turned it on in the morning and diden't know when/ if it would be turned on.

So, the kids coulden't play or ride there bikes, we coulden't have a campfire, the whole shower situation and the very high coast of it all has made our mindes to spend our money at another campground next time.

Way to go cedarpoint.

Anyone have any suggestions on other campgrounds in the area?

We always camp at Bayshore Campgrounds on Cleveland Street. It's a KOA campground now, the website is available here: http://www.mhdcorp.com/

In my experience, it's been a little difficult to make reservations, but extremely easy to get a site by showing up without making reservations. It's a 5 minute drive from CP, but the price and location, plus the amenities are still worthwhile.

I would like to try camping at Camper Village just once. I do remember the "no campfire" rule, but they do have charcoal grills right? I would imagine you could do some of your cooking over that. I can understand the no campfire rule because of the close proximity to the rides. I know Holiday World seems to deal with it and they have 2 and a half wood coasters, but I'm not completely sure why Camper Village has the "no campfire" rule.

~Rob

Get rid of the campground and it would add a lot more space for rides.

I know a little something about the campground so I'll try to address a few of your points.

First, the rate. Yes, $90 is a lot for a campsite but how many campsites are a 5 minute walk from Cedar Point? You pay for location here just as you do the hotels that are not REALLY worth their room rates either.

Campfires. There are no campfire rings and the close proximity of the campsites is probably one of the factors. There used to be a heavy tree canopy too.

Bikes. Have you seen the people who drive on Cedar Point property? It isn't safe.

Now, I don't remember for certain but I would be willing to bet that the "No Campfires" and "No Bikes" are noted on your reservation form when you get the confirmation. Probably is that most people don't read those forms.

You are right about the showers. No reason those should have been both closed at the same time. A supervisor should be able to anticipate that problem.

There was no pool/water feature there when I was there so I cannot really address that. I will say that the resort staff does not oversee the lifeguards to there is probably a limit as to what the campground manager can do in those situations.

Wow, that sounds like a terrible surprise to arrive to. Sorry about the bad experience and thanks for the heads up for the rest of us.

HeyIsntThatRob? said:
I can understand the no campfire rule because of the close proximity to the rides.

What about the close proximity to Lake Erie? They could make a way for extinguishing fires very easily with water that close.

No.

Let Meanstreak burn.

~Rob :)

Chief...

I have seen the people that drive at cedarpoint. But that does not make it right. Most campgrounds have 5mph signes all over the place and they also have several speed bumps along the roads as well. And most that I have been to enforce it. It is cedarpoints fault for letting there employies drive like idiots in the first place.

We made the reservation on the phone a few days before we arrived and did not recieve anything in the mail. Why woulden't we assume that you can have a camp fire at a campground.

Why woulden't they have fire rings? What are you supposed to do in the evening after the park closes? Sit in your camper and watch tv?

As far as it being a 5 min walk, I would rather save $100 and be a 5min drive from the park where I can have a campfire and the kids can have something to do.

Apparently if it is after 10pm, you are supposed to be asleep. That seems to be the way nearly all of the businesses in Sandusky and the surrounding area operate. It's almost as bad as the Pacific Northwest in that regard!

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

I'm not saying you are wrong crazy. I'm just telling you the way it is. Can you stay off property? Absolutely.

The resort guests drive just as bad (or worse) than the employees. The employees see the coasters every day. I've seen (many times over) people drive right into the rocks on the perimeter road while gawking at M.F. or Mean Streak. That road is no place for bicycles. The short road running right through the campground, while posting a slow speed limit, carries too much traffic, in my opinion, to allow for safe bicycle riding.

I think Dave makes a better point about late evening activities and it isn't going to change under the current leadership. I believe it is absolutely short sighted. I said so about 15 years ago and I maintain that today. What they should do is have a small "amphitheatre" for a campfire and offer some type of live entertainment (at least every other evening) with campfire stories, songs, etc. But, that is way too creative for it to happen under Kinzel.

Sure Camper Village fails, but stay at Lighthouse Point next door. The sites are very nice, clean, have lake views, and are full hookups.

Lighthouse Point is the place to camp.

It may be nice, but it is way too expensive.

I think, as is typical for the park, they take the approach that they don't have to offer x or y because that's just the price you pay to go there. And if they can maintain 100% occupancy, they're right. That sucks, but it's the way it is.

But I've stayed at Lake Rudolph next to Holiday World the last few years in late September (for the Fall Affair, which you totally need to go to), and they do campground right, even if you're just renting one of their RV's or pre-fab cabins. They actually do "Halloweekends" down there, and it's a blast. Ultimately, that's the kind of thing they're competing with, and what I end up doing as my fall amusement park trip. It's only a matter of time before others do the same.

Well I never think of camping when I go to CP. Thankfully I don't go camping at CP. Because that is a major bummer to not be able to have an open pit fire, be able to ride my bike, or use the showers when I wanted.

Nice to know CP fails in this department.

Cedar Point is charging more for a campsite than Disney is. The campsites starts at $43/night during the Peak season. I understand that camper village maybe a 5 minute walk to the gate, but it really is not worth the price for what you get. I do enjoy staying at Lighthouse point, but that isn't camping. I loved the smell of campfires that use to sail across the road from the now defunct Kings Island campground. I love to tent camp and it really is ashame that alot of campgrounds are closing their doors to tent campers in favor of the trailer crowd. As Jeff stated I hear marvelous things about Lake Rudolf and am eagerly hoping for vacation time to head there.Unfortunaly as long as people pay for the sites at the high prices at Cedar Point, they will only continue to charge that and more. I give Camper Village and Lighthouse point and A for location an F for price/atmophere/foliage/amenites.Oh and Disney Fort Wilderness allows tents still.Also Lake Erie isn't that easy to get to from camper village if a campfire should get out of hand with snow fences and barriers in your way, and also back in the 70's Lake Erie caught on fire. ;)

We always stay at Bayshore. 100 bucks for the entire weekend in a Cabin thats the same thing as lighthouse point minus the fake wood siding. It sleeps 6-8 people comfortably.

Yeah, but again, after 10 PM you'll get your head bitten off for holding a conversation by the camp fire.

Matt D said:
I understand that camper village maybe a 5 minute walk to the gate, but it really is not worth the price for what you get.

Depends. Staying there (which I've never done) saves you parking fees and gets you ERT. Plus you can eat in your camper and save $$$ by not eating park food

I have a platinum pass so I don't have to pay to park, and I could pack a lunch in my car. I do not buy food in the park anymore(thats another thread). So to stay at another campground in the area will be much cheaper and I'm sure it will be more enjoyable.

Never again will I stay there.

Bayshore is very convenient, as described earlier. If you want a really nice campground, I highly recommend East Harbor State Park in Port Clinton. The prices are pretty good ($25-$30 for non-electric site) for a night, and the campground is fantastic.

They have Christmas in July, which is just ridiculous. There's one row of campers who go all out every year, comparable to the Griswalds in Christmas Vacation. Christmas decorations everywhere. And then at midnight on the last day of the week they have "New Year's Eve" and they shoot party poppers, etc.

A fantastic campground, but it's about a 30 minute drive to the Point.