My Post COVID-19 Trip & What to Expect

I did Cedar Point yesterday for 'friends & family' day. I'll do a walk through on different parts of the day. It should be noted that these policies may change as more and more is learned on COVID-19, but I am hoping that this is somewhat helpful to those who would like to do Cedar Point this season.

Entering the Park:

Arrive at your designated time. You MUST wear a mask. If you do not have a mask, you can purchase them before going through the health screening (they were $2 when we were there, that could vary). There are two tents setup near the season pass center. The queue leading up to it is marked out with tape to help people social distance. Get used to those sights... they are everywhere in the park.

The queue divides up into the two tents. The day we were there they split us up in to groups of 3 maximum and had two lines for each tent with four lines total. One by one, you walk in slowly through the tent and go into a yellow taped box and stand on the yellow line. I think this is a thermal camera. After that, a park employee will use the temperature gun and take your temperature and clear you to go through.

I should note that everyone in this area of the park are equipped with a microphone and a speaker. This was incredibly helpful to follow instructions despite all the employees wearing a mask.

From there, you'll go through metal detectors and go through the main gate. Again, tape is marked out every 6 or so feet to help maintain social distancing.

Riding a ride

The queues are socially distanced. Checking height is going to be a little tedious because the park employee cannot touch the child's head. They were eyeballing my youngest but he was already tall enough to ride. Throughout the queue, an employee is walking along the queues and spraying and wiping with sanitizer. Not sure how often, but I never saw a queue without somebody sanitizing.

The stations are socially distanced. Keep in mind that some of the rows were close to a ride operator that would clear a train for dispatch. With that in mind, some of the lines will have a tape mark well before the gate, to keep you distant from the ride operator. Trains are sprayed down and cycled empty every 30 minutes, they are not sanitized in between riders, but hand sanitizer is available everywhere around the park and queue.

When a train parks to let out riders from the previous cycle, harnesses are released in sections (when they can) and each row is let out one at a time. Once they exit the station, the next row is allowed to leave. The B&M coasters with 4 to a row loaded each row, but is alternated between the center two seats and the outer two seats. Valravn loaded all three rows, but in each row had the first three seats open, then three not available, then the last two open. All other coaster trains with two to a row alternated rows. You MUST wear a mask while riding.

STEEL VENGEANCE DOES NOT HAVE ZIPPER POCKETS, YOU MUST USE A LOCKER. A metal detector at the start of the queue enforces this rule.

Restrooms and drinking fountains

Not all restrooms are open, and not all drinking fountains are turned on. From what I saw the following restrooms were closed:

- Frontier near first aid & arcade
- Main midway train station (but the drinking fountain was on)
- Near Gemini
- Each side of Grand Ballroom

There may have been more closings, but I wasn't paying too close of attention. At the restrooms that were open, there are employees for each designated gender there to help enforce social distancing before going into the restroom. Many of the drinking fountains are turned off, be aware of that, for example, Raptor's restroom was open, but only on one side. The other side that was closed had the drinking fountain, but was turned off.

Getting food and drink

All socially distanced. Having the newer food places (French Confections, The Corral, and Backbeat BBQ) built was very fortuitous in my opinion because you can wait in air conditioning and the lines are neatly spaced apart. The tables are all outside and again are spaced apart to ensure social distancing. These places are also where mask wearing is not strictly enforced.

Mask relax zones

Some of the old smoking areas were converted to Mask Relax Zones. The two I saw are located near Power Tower and next to the Barn Yard on Frontier trail. There are two other ones as well. A map of that was made available. Each mask relax zone has a one way entrance and a one way exit.

Some odds and ends I noticed

While Forbidden Frontier will not be opening this year, a massive bridge was built parallel to the old Shoot the Rapids access bridge to allow for the future Snake River Expedition.

The Legacy Walk was very well done. I was super excited to find our brick as well as spotted many friends and family bricks. At that time, there wasn't anyone to help locate, it ended up just being myself and my sons trying to find our brick. There is plenty of room for expansion and future brick purchases. I'll admit that some of the messages left were a little emotional and heartfelt that even I got a little sad to see. There were a handful of May 2020 weddings that were proclaimed on some of these bricks that I would assume haven't happened because of how much had changed. And then the in memory of bricks were pretty somber to spot. Such a cool way to memorialize loved ones, it really is.

I would say that attending the park this year is going to be more for those who absolutely want to experience the park and are okay with the additional restrictions/policies that's going to promote social distancing and overall health safety. If you are going to have problems with ride operations or mask wearing, it might be a good idea to make different plans. Just my take on it.

Thanks for the info!

I'm looking forward to tomorrow.

I'm surprised they are using the (likely, if similar type as I've seen everywhere else) inferior handheld temp sensors in combination with what is likely a FLIR Lepton (or equivalent but they have market command) thermal camera system (as refrenced here: On YouTube and on FLIRs site https://www.flir.com/products/lepton/). Those thermal cameras are convenient and touch free for everyone including staff compared to handheld models, and if they have FLIR handhelds they forked over some serious dough for all that gear. Definitely and interesting decision.

Again thanks for the report! Lots of good info!

A very nice, thourough trip report Rob.

When you and the kids spotted your brick did one of them shout "Hey, isn't that Rob?"

HeyIsntThatRob? said:

While Forbidden Frontier will not be opening this year, a massive bridge was built parallel to the old Shoot the Rapids access bridge to allow for the future Snake River Expedition.

The bridge! They did it! What a triumph of engineering! Some said it couldn't be done. What say you now, naysayers?

Looks like hell, though.
The bridge itself Is fine I suppose, but that ramp... it says “Hi! Don’t climb me!”

HeyIsntThatRob? said:

I did Cedar Point yesterday for 'friends & family' day. .

You have friends?

When I saw you commented on this... I thought I did something wrong.

And no, I don't have friends. Just a former father-in-law that was kind enough to invite me, that's kind of family right? ;-D

jimmyburke said:

A very nice, thourough trip report Rob.

When you and the kids spotted your brick did one of them shout "Hey, isn't that Rob?"

Wow... a totally missed opportunity. Are they still selling bricks? Because I'm getting that!