planning a trip--need help and advice (also posted

My husband and I are planning our first trip to Cedar Point for late July, something we have talked about for two years. I am a bit overwhelmed by the amount of information and choices! We need some basic advice--what are some of the best hotels to stay at (in all price ranges), any hotels offer shuttles, how many days should we do the CP, is Soak City worth it, is a car rental needed (we are flying into Cleveland)--or can we get by with shuttles and taxis, whata re the best/least crowded days, any don't miss events or shows (other than the coasters) and has anyone stayed in the campgrund cabins at CP? Thanks for your help!

"what are some of the best hotels to stay at (in all price ranges)"
Well this is kind of hard, the best choice would be just to stay on the property at either Hotel Breakers or Sandcastle Suites (as far as I can tell, Lighthouse Point is entirely booked up) since they are both in immediate walking distance of the park. Staying off the property is your choice, theres a number of hotels in a number of price ranges in the immediate vicinity but you will have to rent a car to get there since I believe no shuttles are offered to the parks. I'd say just spend a little more and stay on the property, it's worth it big time!

"how many days should we do the CP"
Do what I'm doing and do 3, go to Cedar Point the first 2 and Soak City on the third because it's definitly worth it. Go during the middle of the week, thought you can't really AVOID crowds in July they might not be as bad during the middle of the week than they would on Monday, Friday, Saturday or Sunday.

"is a car rental needed (we are flying into Cleveland)--"
As I said before, I don't believe ANY hotel offers shuttle service (probably because it's a small crowded causeway as is!), so a rental car IS a necessity

"any don't miss events or shows "
Only the fireworks show is a must see, if your main concern is the rides you probably won't have much time to put aside for a show.

Cedar Point is a two day park depending on how much time and money you are willing to spend. It is an amusement park so they do charge you amusment park prices. The best places to stay on the property of Cedar Point are the Hotel Breakers (a classy place located right on the beach of the lake and it is also the oldest hotel here) Sandcastles Suites which is also very nice and the new Lighthouse Point and also camper village if you are a camping sort of person. The park also has a hotel right off the main causeway into the park which is breakers express that is also very nice. However I have noticed that the proces at all of these hotels can be quite pricey and the best thing to do is to grab a hotel right out side of the park along Cleveland road. I have a telephone book here and if you need help with numbers I can help you out with that. Price ranges of hotels in the area are between $44 dollars a night and $450 dollars a night. Great Bear Lodge off point is the most expensive in the area.

On renting a car, when I first came to the point I was living in Maryland and flew soutwest airlines into Cleveland Hopkins airport and rented a car and made the drive to sandusky. This was the best thing to do and I would highly recommed that you look into it. It is only a one hour drive plus if you stay off point you don't have to wait around for a bus to get into the park everyday.

A little info on the park. Cedar Point at this time of the year is super super busy on somedays and slower on others (there is not a method to this you just have to get lucky) Lines are long on the weekends always but you should know that already so if you are planning on hitting a weekend to come you need to come in on Sunday night get a starlight pass after 4pm and then spend all day at the park on Monday and hit all the rides you missed. If you are coming during the week you can do the same thing but hit the park after four the first nigth, soak city for half the day of the next day, and the park your second night.

I hope that I provided some help in getting to the best amusment park in the world and I hope that when you come here you get the vacation that I got when I first came (it was so good I actually work here now) This place is unbelivable and Millennium Force is the best roller coaster in the world. Make sure when you are here that you come to Millennium Force and say hello...hope to see you at CP!

Jamin
MF Crew '01
Bluestreak Crew '00

LOL, funny thing Jamin, is I'm exactly in your shoes as far as coming from MD. BWI to CLE then renting a car is both very easy and cheap to do. You can also easily do it with getting a room for only one night or even if you are a night person, can do it without a night just by driving back really late and taking the 6:30 am flight out the next day.

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-Brian
I really should be working...