Media Days

In 2013-2014 (and perhaps before; I don't know), Cedar Fair had media days open to enthusiasts. I attended such events for Gatekeeper, Banshee, and Pipe Scream.

Sadly, these don't occur anymore. Whether that is due to "entitlement" or enthusiasts generally misbehaving, or whether the expanded media days were too expensive for the park, I don't know.

What I do know is these media days, particularly Gatekeeper's, were some of the best events I've been to. At GK media day, there were short lines after the initial rush of people got their first few rides, people were able to walk into the non-dangerous areas under the ride to get pictures (areas that normally are closed), and IIRC, there was free or cheap food. I just want to let it be known that I very much enjoyed the media days and it would amazing for CP to do these in the future.

GigaG said:

Whether that is due to "entitlement" or enthusiasts generally misbehaving, or whether the expanded media days were too expensive for the park, I don't know.

This.

It is unfortunate that they have been "closed off", but I don't blame the park one bit after hearing about all the B.S. they had gone thru with the enthusiasts in attendance.

Another reason possibly could be to give people more of a reason to bid for the first riders auctions. They can raise more money for good causes that way. Did having enthusiasts really add anything to media day? If anything I think they would just get in the way of the media trying to do their things.

I'd much rather attend a first rider auction than an enthusiast event.

The lack of entitlement would be confusing to some.

Ive been fortunate enough to have attended the GateKeeper, Pipe Scream, and Rougarou media days. I agree that they were great events for those who managed to show respect for what the park was doing. I suspect that the attendance grew after the first two that it was becoming a distraction for the park and they could not focus on the real reason for the event, which is to showcase their new attractions for the media.

I went to the Valravn First Rider Event benefiting the LJFF and that was a first class event all the way around. Food was amazing, great souvenirs, fun interaction with park staff and a lot of rides on Valravn. I think we rode it like 15 times or so that night. That is definitely the way to go if you want to be part of doing something early for a major attraction plus helping out by giving back to the community.

I had the opportunity to attend media days for Gatekeeper, Banshee and Pipe Scream/Lake Erie Eagles. All three were great events, plenty of opportunities to ride the rides, food, the chance to ride rides that weren't the featured rides, and gifts at each event. Totally above and beyond what I was expecting out of the events.

I didn't personally notice entitlement or anything of that nature at the events for Gatekeeper or Banshee, however I very much did at the 2014 event. Upon entry, I heard a lot of "where's our gift?" and "what kind of gifts are we getting? WHAT?!?! we have to get them later?" as well as "why isn't this food stand open? I don't want this one". Later on in the event, the park was nice enough to open Blue Streak and Millennium. As I'm sure anyone else who was there noticed, after that point they were running empty or nearly empty cycles on the rides we were invited to ride. Overall, leaving that event, I was very disappointed with what I saw, not from the park, but the majority of attendees.

^Logically, maybe the park didn't give away stuff because after all, Pipe Scream was a much smaller media day.

I'm really hoping that the next new coaster (which I think we all have an idea of :P) will have an open media day. #MakeMediaDayGreatAgain

I heard similar comments at CoasterMania! last year, too. They spelled out what exactly to expect and people complained that there were no donuts in the morning (people were still griping about this at the late ERT 15 hours later) and there was no "swag" (their words, not mine) given out at lunch or the Q&A. It was my first CM! event and I loved every minute of it but the complaining made me understand why they capped attendance, added a fee, and spelled out exactly what was included.

I seem to remember that there was a giveaway item at Pipe Scream/Lake Erie Eagles media day, I wanna say a shirt but I'm not 100% sure. People were complaining that they had to claim it when they left, instead of when they entered.

I was fortunate enough to attend the Gatekeeper media day and was completely blown away with what Cedar Point did for us. I have also attended many coastermania events, and that is where I usually encounter the entitled enthusiasts. With them adding a fee to attend last year, I didn't hear much complaining as past years. Hopefully that trend continues and the bad apples get weeded out.

I had no problem with the fee whatsoever. You can't buy a meal and a tshirt for what they charge. Couldn't get over people complaining on Facebook about the fee for a Coasterstock; that's a 2 day event and it's roughly the same fee as CoasterMania was last year!

^^ Admittedly, CM had some pretty big crowding issues just before the fees were added. The lines were huge for what should have been ERT. The fee/ticket cap was definitely the correct choice. ERT actually feels like ERT.

^^^^The Pipe Scream/Lake Erie Eagles giveaway was a Snoopy stuffed animal. Made tons of points with my young daughter when I brought that home.

The Gatekeeper Media Day was the best followed closely by Rougarou and Pip Scream/Lake Erie Eagles.

Personally, I stopped attending the CM events for two reasons...1) all the complaining that I constantly heard by the ones who felt they should be entitled and 2) the event was getting to heavily attended, thus ERT was not much of an ERT.

The Pipe Scream and Lake Erie Eagles giveaway was a choice between the Snoopy stuffed animal or the zippered hoodie. It was 85 degrees that day and I actually witnessed people complain that they got a hoodie instead of a shirt. Probably because they weren't going to wear it that day but so what, wear it on a day you can. And I have been attending Coastermania for a few years and I really enjoyed last years event. The added cost seemed to eliminate the entitled complainers, or at least there wasn't any around my group.

trapt3 said:

The Pipe Scream and Lake Erie Eagles giveaway was a choice between the Snoopy stuffed animal or the zippered hoodie. It was 85 degrees that day and I actually witnessed people complain that they got a hoodie instead of a shirt. Probably because they weren't going to wear it that day but so what, wear it on a day you can. And I have been attending Coastermania for a few years and I really enjoyed last years event. The added cost seemed to eliminate the entitled complainers, or at least there wasn't any around my group.

Charging for Coastermania and selling a limited amount of tickets made ERT very good again. The 2015 CoasterMania was kinda cruddy IIRC, but 2016 was much better. CP made the right choice there.