Halloweekend Friday tonight - Need some tips

We're heading to CP tonight, two 40-somethings and two 16 year old girls. We should arrive in the area around 500p, with the plan of checking into a hotel and then heading straight for the park.

I'm familiar with CP (although haven't been there since the year before Maverick), but this is our first time for Halloweekends. I have several questions:

1) We're leaning toward staying at Breakers Express. We'll be there for only one night, two rooms. Is this a good choice? I'm assuming we'll be able to leverage 1/2 hour or so of early entry.

2) We'd like to hit Maverick first. My plan was to come in the front entrance, then hit the Sky Ride and Train to get to the back. Will these even be open on Friday? Or will we be better off parking around the back and using the Magnum entrance?

3) I don't anticipate we'll do a ton of riding, maybe some smaller coasters like Corkscrew, Gemini, and Mine Ride, which I assume will have short waits. Is that a safe assumption?

4) We'll be there primarily for the Halloween experience, and we're more interested in enjoying the atmosphere than rushing from attraction to attraction to see them all. What are the "don't miss" attractions? And what is the best strategy in terms of navigating the park to minimize waits?

Any advice is appreciated.

-- Rob

Oh, another question:

5) What rides & attractions are closed on Friday? I've searched online and I can't seem to find a definitive list.

-- Rob

Skyride and the train do not operate on Fridays. Gemini and Corkscrew will also be closed.

If you are concerned with riding Maverick, do it first, and park at the soak city entrance in the back and head straight there.

Breakers express sucks from the standpoint it is logistically difficult to go to your room from the park. It is the cheapest on-property resort, however.

I'm not sure about this year, but I know in years past, Mantis was closed on Fridays also. But the major coasters should be open

MaverickLaunch,

Thanks for the advice. It sounds like my plan of Sky Ride and Train was flawed from the beginning.

What is logistically difficult about Breakers Express? Do you mean it would be hard to go back to the hotel and then return to the park? I doubt we'd be doing that. Or do you mean something else?

-- Rob

It's just not walking distance from the park. Which is what I'm used to, staying usually at camper village. If that's not important to you, then it should be fine!

Oh, mine ride is also closed on Fridays.

All the big attractions are open. GK, MF, Maverick, TTD, Power tower, windseeker, blue streak (I think), raptor, iron dragon. And planet snoopy. Plan on just about all other rides being closed tonight.

Thanks for the info on the rides. Sounds like all the tamer rides are closed. Unfortunately, those are the ones we're most interested in.

My daughter loves Iron Dragon, and she's (so far) agreed to ride on Maverick with me, but there's no way she'll get on any of those other ones. As for my wife, even Mine Ride is too much for her. lol

-- Rob

The best way to conquer the fear of riding is to ride. Tell her my 8 year old has ridden everything he can the moment he was tall enough. Use peer pressure!

Oh, one other thing. I happen to be staying at BE tonight and tomorrow, and I got an email from them saying I could get Castaway Bay admission for $10 a person. Not a bad deal (though we don't have time this trip). I don't know if this is always available, or available to everyone, but it's something to consider for your girls.

Blue Streak should be open. That's not as intense as the newer big attractions. There should be a decent number of milder flats running as well. Not sure though, since I don't do most spinning rides anymore so I don't pay that much attention. There's a enough haunts to keep you busy for a while.

Scottyf,

I used that technique to coerce my wife to ride Magnum many years ago. She was literally afraid for her life. It wasn't thrill, it was terror. You would've thought Jason was chasing her with a machete. She was in tears the whole way. I felt terrible for scaring her so badly, and she's never boarded another roller coaster since.

I'll not make that same mistake with my daughter. If she wants to ride, she will. If not, we'll move along.

-- Rob

I think I can answer all of your questions, since I've done this exact trip numerous times (my wife and I are in our 30s, and we've taken our teenage nieces). Here you go:

) We're leaning toward staying at Breakers Express. We'll be there for only one night, two rooms. Is this a good choice? I'm assuming we'll be able to leverage 1/2 hour or so of early entry.

Breakers Express should be fine. In my mind the only major plus to Breakers, or any of the other properties, is the ability to go back to the room to relax mid-day, and if you're just going Friday Night that shouldn't be an issue. I'd recommend being at the gate early if you can, to maximize your hour of early entry.

2) We'd like to hit Maverick first. My plan was to come in the front entrance, then hit the Sky Ride and Train to get to the back. Will these even be open on Friday? Or will we be better off parking around the back and using the Magnum entrance?

Starting in the back of the park and working your way to the front is a good plan for Friday - and I'd hit Maverick first. That's what we almost always do.

3) I don't anticipate we'll do a ton of riding, maybe some smaller coasters like Corkscrew, Gemini, and Mine Ride, which I assume will have short waits. Is that a safe assumption?

Most of the smaller rides are closed Friday night, including the three coasters you mentioned. Here's a link to the Friday night rides : https://www.cedarpoint.com/daytime/plan-your-visit/friday-night-rides

4) We'll be there primarily for the Halloween experience, and we're more interested in enjoying the atmosphere than rushing from attraction to attraction to see them all. What are the "don't miss" attractions? And what is the best strategy in terms of navigating the park to minimize waits?

We haven't been yet there this year, so I can't speak to the new attractions but I would encourage you to check out Eden Musee and Eerie Estates. Also, the various scare zones are great because they don't really have lines and you can walk through them often on your way to other places. Crowds should be much lighter than on a Saturday, so honestly you'll probably get through more attractions/rides on a Friday night that you will all day on a Saturday, when the park is jam packed.

Hope that helps!

I agree about not trying to talk someone into riding if they don't want to. My son won't ride coasters. My daughter can't get enough of the most extreme ones out there. Glad my girl friend likes them as well....not to the extent of my daughter and I though.

AndyG,

Thanks for the info on open rides. I looked all over the website and wasn't able to find it. There are definitely some rides for us on that list.

-- Rob

Rob,
Would you please post how your trip was, and any pointers that you may have after attending. I am going in two weekends also staying at breakers express attending fri and sat. I am more interstead in halloween on fri my son not so into haunted houses (will do scare zones) he more wants the rides. I also am looking forward to rides, on sat. Looking forward to hearing about your trip.

April38,

I sure will, but probably not until tomorrow when I can get to a full keyboard.

-- Rob

April38,

You can see my trip report here:

http://pointbuzz.com/Forums/Thread/30111.aspx?page=1#500673

Btw April38, when you get to BE, prepare yourself for sulfur-laced quarry air on the outside, and insane strawberry scenting in the hotel.

Btw, sorry to hear you are going on Columbus Day weekend. Saturday will be a doozy of a crowd.

Planning on going Friday night myself for my farewell to the 2013 season visit. Last time I'll be able to go this year. Going to Hershey Park Oct 25th if the weather doesn't crap all over it. Then nothing til California's Great America next April (that's the plan so far, anyway). Gonna be a long winter.

I've gotten the general idea here what rides are open Friday nights but where on the Cedar Point website do they have a list for Friday night rides? I'm hoping someone here might know, I can't seem to find it.