Cedar Point after hours

I've been reading the Space Spiral thread and its got me thinking what Cedar Point is like after it closes. Like what are the rules for employees? Do you have to be out of the park at a certain time? Is there a limit on where you can go? Also what kind of work is done?

I was just reading that too!

There's a fair amount of cleaning that goes on overnight, and I suspect that's the thing you'd notice the most. I'm not sure how much third-shift ride maintenance there is, but there are some routine things that do go on every night.

I don't think they round up employees to boot them out, but if you work 12 hours in a day, do you really want to be hanging out there in the middle of the night? Why?

I was in the park once at 3 a.m., and it was a lot busier than I expected.

My friend and sister worked there many different seasons....most employees really want nothing more than to just crash on their beds until they're out. Others stay up later and mostly hang out in the dorms or in the lounges. Some go to bars or McD's and chow on burgers. At least thats what the people I know did.

But mostly just cleaning in the actual park, as they told me.

Everything is pretty silent except for the awesome sound of the Lake Erie waves hitting the beach. Me and a couple of my friends would go for some night runs around the park after hours too. There is just so much to look at and experience.

There isn't a certain time an employee has to be out of the park which is awesome. Some nights there would be extensive maintenance on rides, and other nights it would be the normal over night maintenance crew fixing seat belts, buckles, motors, air compressors, computers, etc. One night, I watched a ride's train being dismantled and it was all put back together by 11am the next morning for some extensive maintenance. You see and learn a lot of cool things while working there. Anytime access to the park is one of the main things I miss about working at CP.

What Jeff said about cleaning. All of the garbage cans and dumpsters are emptied over night. All of the offices are cleaned and the midways are washed down. Street cleaners make a few laps around the midways and parking lots. Ride Maintenance does their nightly inspections on rides and replaces lightbulbs when needed. Any other large projects that can't be done when the park is open also takes place.

Unless it changed (which I doubt) the park is technically closed to all employees who are not working 3rd shift. The only exception is the midway between the Marina Gate and the Wardrobe Gate. This is for seasonal employees who want to travel between the Gold and Cedars Dorms. Whether or not the policy is enforced is up to whoever is doing security that night and if they even see you. It is pretty easy to make your way from one end to the other without being seen. But there are also nights when they do find you, as they did with me one night when I was using a different car to drive through the park than I normally use. Since they didn't recognize it, I was stopped.

Being in the park overnight isn't really much fun after the first time of doing it, even more so if you are in the park to work. It can be a little eerie at times, especially if it is a windy night and/or you are around the Frontier Trail. Even more eerie is being in the park in the off-season overnight when all of the lights are off everywhere, and I really mean there are NO lights on at all.

Back in the 70's when I worked there, the area around the arcade would be filled with employees after the park closed one day a week as they would hold a dance for us in the upper ballroom. They would serve beer, softdrinks and munchies with a dj or a live band. It was a great way to meet new people and hang out with your friends.

I worked an overnight landscaping shift for a few seasons. Mostly watering plants and running irrigation systems. I preferred it to the day shift. Very peaceful and relaxing.

Someone should do a documentary on what happens from close to open. :)

They served beer at your dances? Why wasn't I born then? Now, you can only have no more than a little 6 pack in your dorm for all of your roommates to share. (no lie)

I worked there in the late 70's & early 80's and used to love the employee ballroom dances...I think they were on Thursday nights. You could buy small cups of beer for a decent price and there was always a big crowd. The Beatles cover bands were really popular. It was a bummer if you had to open the next morning, though!

I always love getting a late night ride on Maverick and walking back through the almost empty dark, fairly quiet park. Very peaceful and cool seeing the park in the different state.

not being an employee,nor not ever being one,it's been interesting seeing the park after hours.

after 'ride nites',which really isn't that much after park closing,trash cans being emptied,concession areas and midways being hosed down,and parking lot being cleaned. once,last year after a ride nite,lot of employees/workers playing the games in the area between johnny rockets and pinks.

coastermanias-the early entry at 5-6 am saw workers getting ready to open shops and late after coastermania,1-2 am,many vehicles in the midways doing ?.

great time to take those nite pics with an absence of people.

Back in the '70's there was a dedicated electrical crew that did nothing but change light bulbs (they were referred to as the Screwing Crew). They had a cherry picker truck with a sixty foot boom and would start at the front of the park after the last guest went through the gate and worked their way west. There were a number of big German spectaculars during that era that had the deluxe light packages that required regular attention.

Walking the halls of the original Breakers in the wee hours of the morning was always interesting. Quiet at times but when you ran into something...unusual...it was especially interesting.

TwistedWicker77 said:
They served beer at your dances? Why wasn't I born then? Now, you can only have no more than a little 6 pack in your dorm for all of your roommates to share. (no lie)

Yes they sold beer at the dances, the year I left Papst was on strike and they sold Strohs in the park. We got the 3.2 stuff because in those days if you were between eighteen and twenty-one that's all they could serve. You would get sick before you got totally polluted (and I have many,many stories concerning that).

Oh Chief, please elaborate. :)

As of 4 years ago they still did $1 beers at an employee night in the Soak City swim up bar. Not sure if it still happens, but that was a fun night.

1st off I would like to say that I really like this topic. It's cool hearing about the park after hours.

2nd, I'm incredibly jealous of those of you who worked there in the 70's/80's when they had those dances. It just seems like a great experience for young people and I'm sure you have great memories from those days.

Talking about the parties from the 80s. They used to have a ride night where one or two rides would stay open after hours just for employees. This was back when Mine Ride was run by an all girl crew. The ride stayed open and it was absolutely packed with employees. The team back then would do everything they could to get the line wound up. There is nothing worse (or unsafe) than a bunch of teenagers that think they have the inside scoop. Did you know you can actually fit 3 people in a single mine ride seat?

I'm guessing the middle one would have to be a girl.