Focus of 2017?

Absolutely! They really are trying. I don't know what else you want. I mean, what are you to do after Challenge Park closes (assuming they still stay open an hour after the park closes)? 11 o'clock is still pretty early for a lot of people.

I personally would love to see something in the way of some added late night entertainment. We drag our rv to the park around 6-7 times per year even though we only live 40 miles from the park. Why? Because we love to being able to come and go to the park as we please. We go in for early entry and stay until lunch, then kick back at our RV site (usually site 290) with a great view of the park, chill with some drinks, then head back in after dinner. Having some place to go in the evenings to hang out with friends with some good music outside would be great. That's why I would love to see a Margaritaville added. I would have no problem letting lose of some more money in that type environment.

As it is now, after the park closes, its like what is there to do now?

That sounds like a very relaxing time. Do the RV spots have fire pits to burn your own wood and stuff? There's nothing like sitting around a nice fire with a beer in hand on a crisp evening.

I too would love to see a Margaritaville added. Also, I was one who too was disappointed with the early closure of Surf Lounge every night. I thought that was pretty lame.

The RV park does not allow on ground fires (Sandusky city code) but you can bring an elevated fire pit and have a fire that way.

Oh that's cool. Yeah a drink by the fire is always relaxing for me

Jeff said:

I take it you haven't done a lot of resort travel.

I've done plenty of traveling. Alot of camping. Some casino stays. I've stayed at a resort or two. I'm not sure what your getting at. I prefer to rent a house for a week on the ocean that is off the beaten path. I think that the majority of Cedar Point's resorts guests are there for an extended stay and sleep at night. If you want to you can go to TGIF and party at the bar till it closes. People do it. I've done it. And sometimes people have parties in their rooms. I've done it. I've stayed there every year since about 2001. I have always had a good time with the people I went there with. But with that the park opens the next day too. That's the reason for the trip is to be at Cedar Point. You can always go to Put-in-Bay. That's close to Cedar Point. Mixing them together ruins the experience. Almost to the point it's not safe taking your daughter.

As for the park closing at 8. You chose what day you book your trip.

Friday's at Breakers is not exactly much of a nightlife. Something open air with a great view of the beach would be a better venue...and add the Toes in the Sand Band for some live music. Im not talking about adding an entertainment venue like Universal's City Walk, but something more than just Friday's would be a great addition.

I guess I look at it more from the investment perspective than as a consumer. I get that during peak season there is a little lacking and maybe there should be something to do from say 10pm to 1am other than TGIF. On nights where there are still a few rides finishing out the night up until 11 even though they close at 10. Your talking 2 months. Doesn't seem justifiable if your vested in the company. There is a reason the park closes at 8 during certain periods of the year. I just don't see how the park would feel that all they got going for them that selling a few more adult beverages to a select few would be more of a priority than improving the amusement park they run. You wouldn't want a night club in the hotel if you were vested in the company when the majority of the consumers take their families there. Shouldn't they be more interested in a park attraction? Anyways the people that want more to do at the resort are already paying to stay there. And will come back.

You are over estimating how many guests find it important to be at the park gates at opening and stay through closing every day they are at the resort. It's been my experience that the hotel pools are busy all day until late at night when they close. The beach was much busier this year as well. The hotel restaurants are usually very busy from late afternoon until closing. This indicates that people enjoy their stay by breaking up their park visits into smaller chunks, giving plenty of time to relax at the hotel doing activities that are available there.

A Margaritaville style beach bar would be very popular from early afternoon all the way through a 2:00am closing. What could be nicer than sipping a few cocktails right on the water, listening to some good music in a fun environment? I've been at Surf Lounge enough at closing to see guests coming up to the bar and being disappointed that it already was last call. Happened just about every time I was there. No one is suggesting a wild, Put-In-Bay party scene but a Margaritaville type place would be a big hit.

Many of you probably don't remember this, but back in the day Hotel Breakers had two bars with live entertainment and drinks until late night. The original Surf Lounge usually booked solo or duet acts to provide entertainment. And there was also a bar called the Circus Bar which was detached from the hotel and had an indoor bar room along with a patio outside. It was located approximately where the south end of the Breakers conference center is now. There was entertainment their also. Although I was way to young to partake, it seemed like much more of a party place then the original Surf Lounge was, which offered a more low key environment. Plus, the Marina Steak House (now Famous Dave's) had a dance floor and featured bands frequently late into the night.

As you can see, nightlife at Cedar Point used to exist. Last year was a step in the right direction and I think they need to keep going to provide a nice nighttime entertainment experience to guests who would like to participate.

redsfan said:

Jeff said:

I take it you haven't done a lot of resort travel.

I've done plenty of traveling. Alot of camping. Some casino stays. I've stayed at a resort or two.

So you haven't done a lot of resort travel.

Pete said:

You are over estimating how many guests find it important to be at the park gates at opening and stay through closing every day they are at the resort. It's been my experience that the hotel pools are busy all day until late at night when they close. The beach was much busier this year as well. The hotel restaurants are usually very busy from late afternoon until closing. This indicates that people enjoy their stay by breaking up their park visits into smaller chunks, giving plenty of time to relax at the hotel doing activities that are available there.

This. It has been the thing missing for a very long time at Cedar Point, and while there is still a lot of work to do, they're headed in the right direction.

People make this assumption about Disney, too, but go to even the cheapest of their on-property hotels, and you'll see people hanging out at the pool all day long. The open-to-close crowd isn't what you think.

In my opinion, here is what i think are some possibilities for 2017.

1: Improvements to Soak City, Putt Putt golf course, beach area etc. I think they are more going to focus on something for those that stay a couple nights and come not just for coasters. Because i personally do not go to soak city... like ever or do any other sort of challenge park activities and i have a platinum pass and live not too far away. So i think that this is something that CP can do for the people who come in from a distance and stay at a resort.

2: Re-paint faded rides... I know that Top Thrill just got a long overdue paint job but just to the other rides that still have some faded paint.

3: Possibly revamp some of the kids rides OR Improve the carnival/arcade game area. For instance my mom and 5 year old sister hate roller coasters and year after year they come back to ride the same kid rides and play the same games.

4: FOOD.. Roller coasters fuel our hunger. I know as of now, we have great options like Famous Dave's and Chick-fil-a but a little more variety would be incredible. And maybe something at a cheaper price.

Due to Valravn, CP probably won't be investing too much money in anything spectacular but I think these things together would make Cedar Point an overall better experience for everybody.

I heard for 2017 (Lemon chill Guy) that the sandcastle suites are coming down. They are going to build more cabins in that area.

I don't know what your getting at Jeff. How many resorts would I have to stay at to be cultured enough to have an opinion? Was there enough late night entertainment at the resort I stayed at in Cancun or the casino/resort that I frequently get free rooms at? I was implying that I have interests other than having to be at a "resort". That I do travel frequently. Define resort. Don't resorts have tennis courts and golf courses? So in that definition Cedar Point is not a resort. Anyone can label their property as a resort. The difference between any of the resorts I've been to and Cedar Point is that they aren't destinations you take the whole family.

My opinion is that Cedar Point cannot fill the desires of every demographic. If that demographic was late night people then they wouldn't have spent all that money on the kiddie pool they put in last year. Not many younger adults can even afford a 2 night stay at Breakers. That's the demographic that would cause late night entertainment to be profitable. The demographic they are looking for is hopefully in line at the gate 15 minutes before early entry at 8:45am and as long as their human probably worn out by 11:00am with the desire to do it again tomorrow.

yukonman said:
I heard for 2017 (Lemon chill Guy) that the sandcastle suites are coming down. They are going to build more cabins in that area.

Let's say Sandcastle was on the chopping block, I think a high rise hotel would be more suitable for that area.

redsfan said:

Don't resorts have tennis courts and golf courses? So in that definition Cedar Point is not a resort.

Cedar Point does have tennis courts. They are out by Sandcastle.

redsfan said:

My opinion is that Cedar Point cannot fill the desires of every demographic. If that demographic was late night people then they wouldn't have spent all that money on the kiddie pool they put in last year. Not many younger adults can even afford a 2 night stay at Breakers. That's the demographic that would cause late night entertainment to be profitable. The demographic they are looking for is hopefully in line at the gate 15 minutes before early entry at 8:45am and as long as their human probably worn out by 11:00am with the desire to do it again tomorrow.

This isnt a nightclub that we are talking about for a bunch of college kids to party at. Its an open air restaurant on the beach that also has a bar with live music. Its a place that actually stays open past 10pm and where people can gather to relax and enjoy themselves. I actually saw more activity outside the park around the resorts this year than I have seen in a very long time. This all goes towards the total guest experience. Cedar Point is more than just the amusement park. Since they are obviously pushing multi day visits with the resort stays, having something to do in the evenings would further enhance the guest experience outside the park.

I'll just say it would be nice if Soak City was done up a bit. The landscaping is kind of drab compared to WWK and it would be nice if they had something like the area at WWK with the waterfalls and the whirlpool-like area where you can swim in circles with the current. I'm not a huge waterpark person but being that it's next to Cedar Point and my kids like it. My pool hasn't been up for 2 years so it's nice to have the SC option.

redsfan said:

I don't know what your getting at Jeff.

I think we've all made the point several times that the on-property resort is not just a place to sleep. It may have been at one time, because it sucked, but that's a missed opportunity.

yukonman said:

I heard for 2017 (Lemon chill Guy) that the sandcastle suites are coming down. They are going to build more cabins in that area.

I know the Lemon chill guy isn't too reliable with his sources but here's my idea about the Sandcastle suites. If those suites were not there, it would be cool to see more campground there.

redsfan said:

The demographic they are looking for is hopefully in line at the gate 15 minutes before early entry at 8:45am and as long as their human probably worn out by 11:00am with the desire to do it again tomorrow.

Given daily crowd levels, I don't think the people you describe here exist in any relevant quantity.

Presumably part of the reason for having putt-putt (et al) outside the park, near the resorts is that a significant number of folks don't spend every waking moment in the park.

If a family with young kids (an under-served demographic, in my opinion) is staying for several days (which is of course very much in the park's interest), they're unlikely to spend all their time in the park. If a family wants to spend a day relaxing by the hotel pool, hanging out on the beach and so on, it only makes sense to have things like putt-putt available and near by, rather than forcing them to enter the park.

This is especially true when you consider that many resort guests don't have season passes. Entering the park just to play putt-putt or whatever would of course be a waste of a ticket, which is lost revenue.