Opening Day 2018

A band called Yearbook played in the Red Garter, like last year

A guy from AGT, "Loop Rawlins" did 3 shows in frontier town. Didn't see any but apparently fire was involved

Many school choirs were there, as well as a marching band

The SV characters were there as well

There was the "Giddy-Up Gang" entertaining guests and giving away prizes around frontier town.

CoasterKyle, confused about something. You are an 2018 employee, correct? And you were a guest on opening day when the park is short staffed? I get that you want to have fun but come on man, where is the dedication?

/jk

Definitely an interesting day, but had a blast! Stayed at Breakers and got to the gate early, was on Steel Vengeance by about 9:45 - which was my 100th coaster too!

The understaffing and ride shutdowns were, as noted, a little absurd. This was the first time I've done an opening day and I went into it understanding it would be bumpy, but I did not anticipate even big draws being closed for most if not all of the day, including Valravn, TTD, MaXair, Power Tower, and WT. I think MF opened around noon.

Of the rides listed above, it did seem like they scrambled to open a few once SV had its incident and dumped crowds into the park. Valravn, Power Tower, and several other rides did open up in the evening. For TTD, they really tried all day but it was 2004-6 level of finicky - open for 30m, closed for hours. No amount of prep work can fix inexperience, but I do think a lot of college aged people will be more available for staffing by next weekend. A lot of schools, including OSU, had graduations this weekend.

Overall a great day, had to roll with the punches of opening day, but after a ride on SV, Raptor (no trims), night rides on MF and Magnum, among others, had tons of fun. I feel for any families/groups that maybe only get to go once a year, or travelled for SV, because unfortunately the park wasn't ready to deliver the product they advertise

P.S. / BTW - the last time my friend and I were at CP together, Skyhawk had its cable snapping incident about 2 hours after we rode it. This time SV had its station bump about 2 hours after we rode it...we are starting to become a correlation point so I apologize for being there!

CoasterKyle1121 said:
Didn’t they used to have parades, bands, shows, and characters all throughout the park on opening day? The last three opening days I’ve been to didn’t have those (that I saw at least). I feel like it just doesn’t feel very special without all of the exciting entertainment.

Hasn’t it been that way since they started the ‘Preview Weekends’?

Seems like it’s always the excuse to open without being fully ready, it was just a preview weekend. Given the lack of readiness the last few years, perhaps they should skip previewing and go back to regular openings on mother’s day weekends.

I did catch a little bit of Loop Rawlins and I saw the SV characters, but I thought I remember there being ribbon cuttings and opening ceremonies with fireworks and parades all around. I saw that there were high school competitions but didn’t get to see any.

Cargo, I’m in the middle of finals week and sacrificed a day of studying to go! And correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t even thing Fling was open yesterday.

Oh, I thought the ribbon cutting always happened at the entrance when the park opened to everyone else at 10, while we were riding coasters. So they don't do those anymore then?

EDIT: You're right. Also while looking at some calendars for previous years, Cedar Point didn't even open until the second week of May. I never noticed that. No wonder they haven't been ready on opening day these past few years. I agree now, I think they should go back to opening a week later than they do now, once finals are over for college students

Fling was not open or even ready. Yesterday maintenance was onsite. They were either threading a cable or two or just preparing it still. Later in the day one side appeared ready while the other was still missing parts.

No, no, no, no...don't go back to opening later! I don't care if things weren't optimal and lots of stuff wasn't quite right. I was there today and thoroughly enjoyed myself even after the rain started and we hid in Red Garter listening to the band. I don't need the park to be perfect to make my day perfect. It's been a long winter and I needed today.

Cartwright said:

I disagree. As for the rest of the park, they were just playing with a partial deck.

Because they are disorganised.

They've likely had the date for opening day planned for years, and still couldn't manage to get all their rides inspected in time. Like come on...

They've had staffing issues for years, as well. While they did make some changes this off season to their policies, it clearly wasn't enough to help during the off peak times before Memorial Day. I suspected it will be the same understaffed circus after Labor Day, as it has been for a while now. Maybe it will help during peak season, though.

It's so wonderful to be riding coasters again, most especially Millennium Force. Sunday might not have been my best day, a lot of that is due to poor decisions I made (couldn't help the lightning and rain of course). Still had a lot of fun though.

CP Tweet from 45 minutes ago:

CALENDAR REMINDER: We are closed today, Monday, May 7, thru Thursday May 10 and will reopen for daily operation on Friday May 11.

For a complete calendar, please visit cedarpoint.com/explore/cedar-…

I wonder how many people actually show up at the toll booths during the week before daily operations start?

This isn't exactly new. They've been running that schedule for the past 3 seasons now. But it wouldn't surprise me if a few people were turned around.

MichaelB said:

Cartwright said:

I disagree. As for the rest of the park, they were just playing with a partial deck.

Because they are disorganised.

They've likely had the date for opening day planned for years, and still couldn't manage to get all their rides inspected in time. Like come on...

They've had staffing issues for years, as well. While they did make some changes this off season to their policies, it clearly wasn't enough to help during the off peak times before Memorial Day. I suspected it will be the same understaffed circus after Labor Day, as it has been for a while now. Maybe it will help during peak season, though.

Okay, but clearly you knew this going into the weekend, correct? So why wouldn't change your expectations to meet reality?

I took 4 family members this weekend and our main goal was to ride Steel Vengeance. Everything else was gravy. While we didn't ride SV until Sunday afternoon (and after a total wait of 8 hours over 2 days), we still were able to ride: Skyhawk, Pipe Scream, Magnum, Rougarou, Raptor, Gatekeeper, Maverick, MF, Top Thrill, and Valravn and none had a longer wait than 45 minutes. To me, that's an amazing weekend. We didn't do full meals in the park, deciding to do fries and corn dogs, and eat our own snacks after we left the park. Everyone was fine.

I'm not saying it was perfect, but I've been going to opening day for the past 5 years and this was par for the course, aside from the fact that I was able to ride the most mind-blowing ride of all time. To me, it was as clost to a perfect weekend as it gets.

harmony29 said:

That is exactly why I dislike Fast lane, it's just not right, my husband and I are on very limited incomes as many people are and just because we aren't rich we have to wait hours. We are going to week after next when they are open weekdays. I'm not knocking CP at all as I know this is the society we live in just hard to accept at times. I'm thankful that season passes have the spread out payment plan as that's the only way we can afford it.

It shouldn't be hard to accept. If someone is willing to spend a lot of money to ensure that they maximize their day at a park, they should be able to do that. And the park has priced it such that it's not something that everyone wants to buy. But Fastlane was only part of the reason that you waited hours. You chose to go on opening day for what's likely the most hyped ride ever. It shouldn't be shocking that there's a crazy long line, and therefore more demand for Fastlane. As you've said, wait for a slower day at the park to ride the shiny new ride.

I equate this as going to the movies on opening night to see Infinity War and complaining because only the main concession stand was open.

My biggest complaint that I had was the closing of Camp Snoopy on Saturday after 3. As most know, Camp Snoopy is home to the only 2 kid friendly coasters that the park has and to close it was mind boggling. Luckily, we saw Victoria (who was the one to measure my daughter that morning in Town Hall) and she was as sweet as could be. When I asked her what coasters my daughter was supposed to ride, she was honest and said that Cedar Point messed up by closing the two coasters and it shouldn't have happened.

The honesty and general compassion really turned around what had been a rough day. They had Wilderness Run and Woodstock Express open beyond 3 on Sunday so it was refreshing to see them responding to complaints and correcting them. It was overall a really fun weekend that I thoroughly enjoyed.

If I were to have one complaint, it would be that not enough stands with water cups available were open, especially in FrontierTown. Roundup, for some reason, doesn't have water cups available this year. I don't know, it just felt like everywhere you turned and you might possibly want a cup of water, they were closed.

I can understand the reasoning that it was because of low staffing (having worked there, I knew it was going to happen). I just wish they had spread whatever staffing they had to some of the stands with those available.

Sparty42 said:

Okay, but clearly you knew this going into the weekend, correct? So why wouldn't change your expectations to meet reality?

I didn't have anything to go off. I haven't been to Cedar Point on opening day before. I have been to Carowinds on opening day, and they had their act together. Everything was staffed appropriately for the amount of people in the park, if anything they were overstaffed. So, my expectation was the that the crown jewel of the Cedar Fair parks should be able to have their stuff in order. I know post Labor Day staffing is a joke, so I gave them the benefit of the doubt it might be better pre Memorial Day. Wrong!

Sparty42 said:

If I were to have one complaint, it would be that not enough stands with water cups available were open

I never understood the complaints about this, there are water fountains throughout the park at every restroom location and even more locations other than restrooms. The first aid stations always have free water, in either cups or actual bottles of water as well ( they have free sunscreen too, if you forget yours).