Friday ERT?

When we visited the Point on Friday and Saturday (Oct. 17 & 18), we had the guest card from Breakers Express allowing us ERT during our stay. On Friday, after we cleared the main entrance gates, we were surprised that there were no barriers, and that everyone there at 5pm got in at the same time. Saturday, the barriers were up. Is this the normal procedure? Last fall, the barriers were up both days.

I've gone to every HW Friday except October 17. I found they've handled ERT two ways. One is like you said, everybody gets in. No questions asked, no barricades. They did that 3 or 4 times. The other times they had a sign before the turnstile gates that instructed platinum pass holders and resort guest to go to the turnstiles on the side closest to the lake. Only those people got in at 5pm, no barricades. People with tickets had to wait at the gates on the bay side until 6pm. It took me a couple times to realize everyone was getting in early when they didn't have the sign.

Just a general thought on the ERT, I've alway thought they hould have such a sign. They should point ERT to the bay side turnstiles. They can barricade right down the center towards the carousel. The ERT people can proceed to Raptor, etc. on the bay side of the midway without having to show their pass again after going through the turnstiles. The non-ERT people can go in the lake side of the midway and stay behind the barricades until opening time. There would be barricades as they usually have down the middle of the midway and by Johnny Rockets. People can still get to Doughnut Time. ERT people can get to the lake side if they want for rentals etc. through a guarded opening in the barricade. They would have to show their pass to get back. This plan would eliminate to crush of people by Johnny Rockets. Many of those people can't get ERT and the people that do get ERT have to push their way past them to get in. This would also eliminate going past Raptor and having to back track. I'm assuming Raptor will be ERT next year, even if it's not the plan makes sense to me.

In my experience there aren't enough non-passholders and resort guests early Friday to bother with holding them back.

Unless they've changed it this year, in years past they've always filtered people out at the gate on Fridays. Meaning they only let resort guests/platinum passes in at the gate until 6. I remember the crowd of non-ERT guests waiting outside the gates usually being pretty small.

Isn't this one of the reasons people started calling it the "Joe Fool Club" a few years back? :)

I pay a premium for my Platinum Pass. And those of you who stay at any of Cedar Point's resort properties already know how expensive that is. Early entry ERT should always be reserved for just these people. Otherwise, what's the point? No matter how few "other" guests might be at the gates at 5:00 p.m. on Fridays, they should not be allowed to participate in ERT. And by the way--where's the line between too few guests to bother holding them back and too many? Inconsistencies in policy invite resentment.

^They explained this during CM, the only time they allow everyone in is when there is not enough PP and Resort Guests expected to normally fill trains, and in the cold weather you need full trains to make the circuit. So they are actually helping you, unless you're idea of fun is sitting in MF's station for 20 min waiting for your train to fill up.

That's exactly the point. We're not talking about some Saturday in July here. Friday nights get off to a slow start as it is this time of year. Consider that at 5 p.m., most people are just getting off work, not getting to the park.

MF / TTD / Maverick will never not have a full train I think, even on most Fridays.

I'm also going to add that on cold windy days, which frequently occur in October, they need to fill most seats before sending trains. If there is only a small ERT crowd you may not get nearly as many rides on a ride like Raptor if rides hosts are instructed to wait till the train has so many people in it. So having those extra people in the park for ERT could even be a good thing. Those trains have been sitting idle in the cold for a few days and need some time to warm up before they can send them whenever they want.

^^I disagree, I was not there for ERT this Friday (couldn't leave soon enough) but at 6:30, I was still able to get off MF, go through the handicap entrance (the park let us) and jump back into the station and re board the same train I just left, not once, not twice, but four times. 5 rides on MF in 20 min, it was sweet. I cant imagine what it was like at 5:00, but Im pretty sure you would be wrong.