Other New Additions for 2018

You specifically mentioned "younger families" and "thrill-seeking teens" as a dichotomy where the targeted demographics may not necessarily coincide with one another. I took that to mean that "younger families" meant somewhere around the under-5 age group and not necessarily older elementary kids. Speaking from personal experience, I was all on board with thrills when I was 7,8,9 etc so that's why I went there with it.

Like I said, I think there need to be more rides where the entire family can ride together. But that doesn't mean that Cedar Point's target audience needs to specifically be younger families like Disney.

So the question, to me, becomes what type of rides are considered family rides? According to cedarpoint.com, there are 20 "family rides" (28.2%), 19 "thrill rides" (26.8%),16/17 coasters (23.9%), which could fit into either previous category depending on their thrill level and height requirement, and the "kids rides" (21.1%).

Of the 20 family rides, most are a part of Planet Snoopy and Camp Snoopy, with Lake Erie Eagles, Sky Ride, Giant Wheel, the carousels, and the railroad. Of course, there is some overlap here among thrill rides and family rides, but what would you add that would cater to both here that Cedar Point doesn't already have and provide the ROI they're looking for?

Sparty42 said:

You specifically mentioned "younger families" and "thrill-seeking teens" as a dichotomy where the targeted demographics may not necessarily coincide with one another. I took that to mean that "younger families" meant somewhere around the under-5 age group and not necessarily older elementary kids. Speaking from personal experience, I was all on board with thrills when I was 7,8,9 etc so that's why I went there with it.

Like I said, I think there need to be more rides where the entire family can ride together. But that doesn't mean that Cedar Point's target audience needs to specifically be younger families like Disney.

So the question, to me, becomes what type of rides are considered family rides? According to cedarpoint.com, there are 20 "family rides" (28.2%), 19 "thrill rides" (26.8%),16/17 coasters (23.9%), which could fit into either previous category depending on their thrill level and height requirement, and the "kids rides" (21.1%).

Of the 20 family rides, most are a part of Planet Snoopy and Camp Snoopy, with Lake Erie Eagles, Sky Ride, Giant Wheel, the carousels, and the railroad. Of course, there is some overlap here among thrill rides and family rides, but what would you add that would cater to both here that Cedar Point doesn't already have and provide the ROI they're looking for?

I was looking at this a bit and like many have mentioned there is a fairly big whole in their roller coaster line up where a Family cannot ride together. For any family with children under 48" the only roller coaster they could go on together is Woodstock Express.

But I think they could change that without doing much at the park, if CCMR could lower their height requirement to match that of the Mine Trains at SFOG or SFStL. These are both 42", v 48" at CCMR. While that doesn't sound like much consider that the average height of a 5 yo if just at 42". Now I don't know if there are different restraints on those rides, but adding this into the Family Roller Coaster queue would open things up to a lot more families.

Also, while it is nice that they have offerered the pre-k pass unless they add rides for families they are going to be put into a similar position for those older than 5 but under 48". 8 yo is the average for when kids hit that height, so potentially 3 years of revenue they could be giving up.

How much does this come into play for potential customers for Breakers?

Most families will have kids at multiple ages. I've heard many people say they have held off trips to Cedar Point until all their kids are old/tall enough to make it worth going, which for most of them means the oldest isn't going until the youngest is 7 or 8. I've had co-workers tell me they went every year before kids, but haven't been in over a decade due to the perceived lack of value for families with younger kids.

I fell in that boat as well. We drove from Michigan to Kings Island for years until my daughter was tall enough to ride stuff at Cedar Point. With the height requirement changes to what they are now, we probably would have skipped Cedar Point for at least another year more than we did.

This is based on info from the new websites, but there are a few examples of what seems like out-of-whack requirements between the two parks. The scrambler is listed as 36" at KI but 48" at CP. Viking Fury 40" with an adult but 48" for Ocean Motion. KI website says no hand-held infants but otherwise no height requirement for monster, but 46" at CP.

I wonder if the CP site is just not conveying the proper info as well as the KI site is, but this is what families would look at and say "not this year".

Kids under 48 inches can ride ocean motion, monster, scrambler l, Matterhorn and a host of rides at Cedar point as long as they ride with an adult.

Ken P said:

How much does this come into play for potential customers for Breakers?

Most families will have kids at multiple ages. I've heard many people say they have held off trips to Cedar Point until all their kids are old/tall enough to make it worth going, which for most of them means the oldest isn't going until the youngest is 7 or 8. I've had co-workers tell me they went every year before kids, but haven't been in over a decade due to the perceived lack of value for families with younger kids.

I fell in that boat as well. We drove from Michigan to Kings Island for years until my daughter was tall enough to ride stuff at Cedar Point. With the height requirement changes to what they are now, we probably would have skipped Cedar Point for at least another year more than we did.

This is based on info from the new websites, but there are a few examples of what seems like out-of-whack requirements between the two parks. The scrambler is listed as 36" at KI but 48" at CP. Viking Fury 40" with an adult but 48" for Ocean Motion. KI website says no hand-held infants but otherwise no height requirement for monster, but 46" at CP.

I wonder if the CP site is just not conveying the proper info as well as the KI site is, but this is what families would look at and say "not this year".

Their app is much better than their website about explaining the height requirements. Scrambler is 36" to ride with an adult and Ocean Motion is 39" to ride with an adult. Monster they just need an a adult as it is now my under 36" daughters favorite ride (along with all the other bigger spinning rides).

They really should include all the height information on their website, in explicit terms. Here is their Ride Guide, they list out each ride's height requirement along with if it can be ridden with an adult. Also uses the same picto-guide information that is at the park so should make sense while you are there.

Sparty42 said:

but what would you add that would cater to both here that Cedar Point doesn't already have and provide the ROI they're looking for?

This does not really answer your question, but it reminded me of a few 'family' rides that I miss. I really enjoy Dinosaurs Alive as it is a nice break from the really crowded midways and although it is not a ride itself, it is something that a family can experience together. That said, if it does leave in another year or two, I would gladly welcome back a version of the paddlewheel boats.

Another one that I miss and wouldn't mind seeing return (but there really isn't a safe space for it any longer) are the swan boats.

the cams at night on power tower have a new set of lights on the top of the screen. MF looks a lot brighter also.

We still really need a real flume. All we have now is Thunder Canyon and SRF.

BRING BACK WHITE WATER LANDING!!!

Maverick360 said:

We still really need a real flume. All we have now is Thunder Canyon and SRF.

BRING BACK WHITE WATER LANDING!!!

I agree, but am having a harder time trying to find a place for the ride to go into. Obviously there is space where STR used to be, however much of the old entrance is taken up by Fronteir Fling. It could probably be built completely on Millennium Island if they would want to use that space that way (if Dino's Alive is going away too there is a vast amount of space to use). There is also rumors that the Antique Cars could be going away (to Kings Island), the space would be large enough, but would a log flume structure look good in that space, even dressed up?

Those are the easy spaces I can think of. A different challenge could be to put it where the dorms by the marina are and theme it around boating/mechanic issues.

Perhaps management feels that another flume ride in northern (almost Canada) Ohio may not be the best investment for CP given; very short operations (due to weather), space to build (most parks a flume is usually an initial install), Flat Terrain (i.e. The Bat vs. Iron Dragon ride difference), Cedar Point Shores (just dropped a boatload of money on water park next to CP and likely want to continue ROI on that, why build more water feature in CP).

Just my thoughts on this. I would like to see an awesome flume, perhaps they could put a higher capacity flume in CPS to help alleviate congestion there.

They never should have got rid of White Water Landing. It was an excellent flume for thrill seekers and families alike, and a ride I truly looked forward to going on. You didn't get soaked. Never understood why they tore it down. Maverick could have gone on Millennium island with a similar layout.

As someone who loves WWL, I'm not complaining that Maverick took its spot. Besides, this is the time where CP can actually use some good theming and make a log ride like Knott's Berry Farm has. I'd rather have Timber Mountain Log Ride over White Water Landing.

I'd rather have a ride that occupies a space where it can operate all season long. Well...given staffing levels and such, of course.

Has anyone been able to ride Maverick yet?

How are the new revamped lights?

I rode it last Monday. It's really nice to see and hear it back to its original (mostly) glory. It surprised me because I forgot it had been restored and we pulled into the tunnel to lights and railroad signs again.