ever done a CP trip with a large group?

we are planning a trip to CP for next year (May 2002) for about 30-50 coaster-loving U2 fans (ahhhh my two greatest passions collide ) and Ron and i were wondering...

anyone here ever done this sort of thing? like reserve a block of rooms at Breakers, coordinate with everyone, get al the rooms paid for, etc? reserve a picnic area (Sparty?) and all that fun stuff? any advice or past experiences you all could share would REALLY help me to plan this...

heck, if any of YOU guys want in, just let me know...you don't HAVE to be a U2 fan to join us!! just know why MF is U2-related and you're all good ;)...

 

anyhoo, if anybody here has ANY advice to impart BEFORE i start making calls to the park, it would put me forever in your debt, at least until Ron and  i can buy you those beers he promised... 

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U2 + MF= ELEVATION BABY!!!!

For that many people, rather than a block of rooms at Breakers, how 'bout renting a few of the cottages/cabins (the bigger ones) at Lighthouse Point?  You can pack quite a few people into each one of those, and (this year at least) they're cheaper than Breakers ...

That sounds so cool.  I realy want to go.  I love coasters like the Millenium force and Magnum, but I don't like going upside down.  Is there a certain age I have to be?~CPprincess

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servo said:

anyhoo, if anybody here has ANY advice to impart BEFORE i start making calls to the park, it would put me forever in your debt, at least until Ron and  i can buy you those beers he promised... 

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I'm not sure you should be making an offer of free beer around this site.....some of these people could be poster children for AA.

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MF Laps: 2
Raptor Laps: 3
Magnum Laps: 2
Power Tower Launches: 1
Power Tower Drops: 1

Large groups suck because someone always wants everyone to do everything together, and people get their feelings hurt when you'd rather not, and you always end up with somebody who doesn't want to ride anything.

Is it obvious I've had a bad experience? ;)

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Jeff
Webmaster/GTTP
"As far as I can tell it doesn't matter who you are. If you can believe, there's something worth fighting for..." - Garbage, "Parade"

Actually, we go with a large group every year.  It works out great, because we don't have any delusions that we're going to stay together 24/7.  We arrive Saturday morning (a few show up Friday night) and hang out at the pool until 5:00.  We gather for a group picture outside the Breakers at 5:00, the go our separate ways, breaking up into smaller groups for the evening.

At the end of the day, we usually gather in the Rotunda or outside of Beaches and Cream OR in one or two of our block of rooms at the Breakers.

Sunday and Monday work much the same way, with smaller groups coming and going as they please, but everyone seeing everyone else at some point.  We do also try to arrange one group dinner at Midway Market sometime during the trip. 

I have to disagree with Jeff on this one.  We've been doing it this way for 10-25 years (depending on who is doing the going)

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Duane Cahill
Cedar Point - One small part of a whole big life.

Dun-dun-dun-duh!  Senior Skip Day '97...  the last friday before school lets out.. every senior in school cuts class and heads for the Point...  we ended up caravaning about 25 of us down at once, and stayed in pretty much that group all day... the way we handled the whole 'I don't want to ride that' stuff... we'd split up every now and then... we'd usually have a plan and go ride 2-3 coasters, and then meet back at a certain designated place central to where we were at that time.  We'd work the entire park like this....  a midway at a time...  Ride everything in the front of the park/Oceana midway and meet up at the waterball... Ride the middle of the park and meet up in front of Mantis, walk the Frontier Trail together, and meet up at Mean Streak/Train Station... you get the idea...  just get a sense of how long the queues are, and you can time it pretty close... those of us who wanted to ride the big stuff got on everything we wanted, and those who didn't rode the smaller stuff, or looked in shops/etc... it worked out great, and nobody's feelings were hurt because we moved as a group all day long... and didn't have people waiting around because they didn't want to ride something.

CP PRincess, you can go if you are 18 or in the company of your parents, but i would advise you to learn at little U2 music beforehand!!

 

we have no delusions about staying together all the time. we all know that not everyone rides everything and a couple of the girls have young kids too...

we really want Breakers tho, even tho the cabins seem very nice and possibly cheaper. why? two reasons...one is that we can just  literally crawl back to our rooms after consuming many Guinnesses (official drink of U2 fans worldwide) at Friday's AND that some of us going as couple might want some AHEM "privacy" once in a while.

have they released the rates for next year yet??

and as far as buying beers for the folks here...that's what "run a tab" is for...everyone kicks in for it and you're all good. especially OUR group. very considerate of others when it comes to things like that.

mwahahahaha....this is gonna be great. so if any of you hear a group whose every other word is Bono Edge Larry or Adam, you might want to either join us and say "HI" or just run in the other direction...depending on how you swing on the subject....

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U2 + MF= ELEVATION BABY!!!!

I never do large groups... TOo many bad memories. Like Jeff said, you can never get it to where everyone will want to do the same thing so someone is always left out.

I tend to go by myself and meet my friends there (unless I have to pick them up on teh way *cough* CP Irvine *Cough*). But then again, people who meet me there know what I'm about and know that they are in for a memorable time. Right guys?

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One of us.. One of us..
Supreme Commander of "Rich's Smurf Army"
June 11th, 2001 - Gemini 100

I have climbed highest lift hills, I have run through the midway, only to be w/ Cp. It can work Servo, but only w/ full cooperation from everyone. Otherwise you will indefinitely break into smaller groups. If you really want to you can make an itinerary, especially if you go on a day that isn't busy. Then people can look at it and decide when to meet up with others from the group for certain rides. Just a thought. Like osu's marching band u2 is one of tbdbitl!
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Beat Minesota!
Go Bucks!

They have real beer at TGIF's?  I'm ashamed to say I was unaware ... how embarassing that I could have been quaffing Guinness all this time .. although I am really more of a Smithwick's man ...

Large groups end up getting spilt up and bossy....haha.. But it sounds like a good idea

Well I *like* being with large groups. We always know folks are going to break off so what's the big whoop? As long as y'all communicate things work out (unless you're a loner or something ;)).

Anyway, I gone on @ least 3 large group trips to CP, but unfortunately, I dont think I can help you much. You see, two of the years we stayed @ the GreenTree Inn (a very nice place might I add w/ a bowling alley in the basement). And the other year we didnt stay overnight.

But my experiences with hotels in general is to just book early, requesting consecutive rooms. Get the money from your peeps ahead of time and use a cash/check deposit instead of using a credit card. Most hotels will take check deposits in lieu of a credit card if you get it to them like 7 business days before your arrival.

Oh and one last thing, if you all are not going to all be passholders, order the tickets in advance, send a check to the park and pick up the tickets @ Will Call/Guest Relations/Group Sales. You should be able to get a discount.
lata,
jeremy ---not a U2 fan :)

Oh come on, I do my share of picking people when I have my craphole car....yes, going to CP (or anywhere come to think of it) with RGR is something you should have to pay for you'll laugh so much.

Large groups are a pain sometimes. I have plenty of experience with this because I started out in the ACE groups which tend to be MUCH larger than Pointer groups. I personally like 4-6 people, but if you have to have a large group make sure everyone involved knows there's NO way to stay together and that splitting up is the best way to do the park. Yes, feelings can be hurt when groups split up and you might want to address this before the group heads out for the day. As long as everyone understands and sets up meeting places throughout the day (Maybe several ITOT's through the day?) you'll be fine..just don't try to keep the group together all of the time.
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*-CP Irvine-* "One of us!"
*The FewER, The Proud, The Po!nter Girls*
AIM: ACEerCP

Servo is U2 some type of band?....I thought it was one of the robots from Star Wars, noooooo that's C3PO and R2D2.....hehehehehehehe.....just kidding with you. Remember that May weather is unpredictable at times and it can be cold and rainy. Also, remember that a lot of schools send their kids to CP at the end of May for trips and such. You might want to re-think the dates. Anyways, Catherine and I may be interested in going with you guys knowing what a blast you guys are!!! 
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Joey
_________________________
CATHERINE ROCKS!! WHEN BIGGER BABEES ATTACK!!

The last time I did a huge group was my freshman year of HS,  it was odd everyone got high during the day and we were parked in the bus parking lot and before we went home everyone was jumping in the lake. 
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Daniel "PING" Haverlock
'01: 901
Total: 2166

...WHAT!?

We've already informed most peeps that we couldn't possibly all stick together all the time.

But I have a plan: 36 U2 fans on the "Lemon" train of MF singing "ELEVATION" aaaaaaallllllllllllllll the way up the lift hill!

IT.

COULD.

HAPPEN!

Anyway - I miss that blue baby so much that I think the only way I can compensate is to see U2 perform live once again.

Oh Yeah!  I'm doing that here in LA LA Land in 2 short weeks!

WOO HOO!

Servo is gonna kill me!  I may never get to ride MF again!

What worse HELL could you imagine?

I know! - Riding Ra(l)p(h)tor!

Seriously, tho - One of our prospective intrepid ReWired U2 ELEVATION RollercoasterCon 2002 attendees is like 6'7".  No kidding!  Does anyone know if Tiny (yes, that's his nickname) will be able to ride ANYTHING?

The official drink of U2 fans worldwide is indeed Guinness.  I've been drinking that particular nectar for over 20 years!  And I'm not 40 yet!  Do the math . . .

BUT - The official drink of our little group is the Black Velvet.

Half Guinness, half Champagne.

Smmmmmmmmmmmmoooooooooth!

OK I'm done

See ya at the Point in Spring!

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Sure rissabo.  Easy math.  Way back in the day it was actually LEGAL to drink when you were 18.  I remember it well (and I'm not 40 yet either).

Ah, these kids today... (sounding more like my Dad every day)

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Duane Cahill
Coasterbuzz Track Record - 59
CP Track Record - 13 (too tall for Jr. Gemini)

Ron...in answer to your question regarding your 6'7" attendee please remember that I am 6'6" and I can ride everything. So, there should be no problems for the fellow tall person.
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Joey
_________________________
CATHERINE ROCKS!!! WHEN BIGGER BABEES ATTACK!!!

*** This post was edited by coasterkingoftheworld on 11/6/2001. ***