Preview Events

https://www.cedarpoint.com/...iew-events

I have not seen the preview events being discussed anywhere. They seem like the most confusing/complicated set of preview events ever.

The charity event is in the afternoon on Sunday April 28th. This is a change from the evening charity events they had for Valravn and Steel Vengeance. This seems fine, but I personally really enjoyed those evening events, so a little sad to see that go. The Steel Vengeance charity event was $150 per ticket, seems like they could have easily charged the same here instead of $120, especially with capacity being mentioned as very limited.

Prestige passholders and Coastermania '23 attendees preview is the evening of Sunday April 28th.

Gold and Summer passholders preview is Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday evening. If you are a Prestige passholder, you are not invited to these. So I hope all the Prestige passholders can make it on Sunday if they want to go to a preview.

People who bought the "All-Park Passport" with Gold passes at other parks are not invited to any of the preview events. This is different than how Platinum Passes worked in the past and there are people out there who are (rightfully) upset that this was not communicated when buying a pass.

I really dislike the season pass system right now...and it seems like it might get even worse with the Six Flags merger.

I don't recall Cedar Point doing many "passholder preview" days in the past, but for this they are essentially doing 4 half days prior to opening day.

I was a little surprised they didn't allow the gold/all-park passports from other parks. I doubt that would have really impacted the numbers that greatly and this decision seems to have caused some ill will.

Who knows what next year's passes will bring? I am just hoping the operations at the parks are up to snuff and will make me actually want to buy whatever is offered. I heard they cut the pay of returning staffers for this summer at CP, so hopefully that means they are all staffed up and spare us the excuses about short staffing this year.

Count me in the disappointed crowd that they decided to exclude other gold pass holders. I guess they made the right move though, as they got me to purchase tickets for the charity event. 🤦

I for one am glad they are only allowing folks who have Cedar Point as their home park for the preview event. Mainly because now I have something to throw back at someone I know who renewed at Canada Wonderland to save money. Karma lol

I guess I don't understand the issue. Are pass preview events something that is advertised as "a thing" you get with season passes? I always understood them as an additional, optional bonus they throw out there when there's a new marquee attraction debuting.

So let me see if I have this right. If someone bought a Cedar Fair Gold or Prestige pass from any park other than CP, and they purchased the ~$300 All Park add-on, they are disqualified from ANY of the Preview events. But if you bought a Cedar Point Gold or Prestige Pass without the All Park add-on, then come on down? I'm not complaining since I can't attend any of the preview days (and to be honest, while the ride does look fun, I'm more than happy to wait till I visit the park in May to get my first ride), but that does seem a bit unusual.

Going by that logic, and since I haven't seen anything that officially states as such, I am assuming that those of us who purchased the ~$1000 season-long, chainwide FastLane do NOT get more than one FastLane ride on TT2 per visit? Again, not complaining as my marathon riding days are way behind me. Just seems odd that the most expensive pass and add-on available will disqualify you from Top Thrill 2 benefits.

I think the "issue" here is that the gold pass + park passport was advertised as having "the same benefits of a Platinum Pass when you purchase a 2024 Gold Pass and the All Park Passport add-on." (per the FAQ section), however, that is not the case. Historically, the Platinum pass hasn't been tied to a park, so wherever you bought it from was permitted at any of the preview events. Clearly, the gold pass + passport is different, which they are within their right to do, it just seems like an odd restriction, especially considering the event still isn't sold out.

This and the separate days for Prestige seem like a swing and a miss. In the example of a family, what if the parents are prestige but the kids are Gold pass? Parents are supposed to drive down and sit in the car?

I still really don't see the issue here, but that's probably because I never assumed my season pass would grant me access to the park(s) outside the regular operating season.

Aaronosmer:

In the example of a family, what if the parents are prestige but the kids are Gold pass?

I suspect the number of families who purchased a mixed set of passes as described here is pretty close to zero, when you consider the primary difference between Gold and Prestige is Early Entry being offered with the latter and not the former. Furthermore, how many of these imagined families also planned/expected to go to a ride preview event? In other words, this seems like an invented "problem".

You buy a cedar point pass you get cedar point previews. Last I checked the passes usually say “good for any operating day” which a preview is not. I wouldn’t expect my gold pass with add on to work for iron menace preview unless they specifically said it would.

RayP1970:

Going by that logic, and since I haven't seen anything that officially states as such, I am assuming that those of us who purchased the ~$1000 season-long, chainwide FastLane do NOT get more than one FastLane ride on TT2 per visit?

This is not correct actually. The all-season Fastlane Plus is the only product that does grant more than one use on TT2.

https://www.cedarpoint.com/...ane-passes

Since I purchased my FL season pass from Canada's Wonderland to save a few loonies (roughly $200 USD if I did my math right), here's what their description of the product I purchased states:

Enjoy all 22 of the Fast Lane attractions PLUS unlimited rides on Yukon Striker, Leviathan, and Behemoth! Valid for one FAST LANE PLUS wristband per visit during the 2024 season. The Fast Lane Plus for your Season Pass is valid at all Cedar Fair parks. Not valid for Fright Lane or during WinterFest.

Many ways to interpret that. I get one FastLane Plus wristband at the park I choose to visit, which according to CP, FastLane Plus allows only one-time access to TT2's FL queue. But, Cedar Point says that Season Long FastLane Plus offers unlimited access for TT2. Since my pass is technically a Season Long Fast Lane Plus, but for all parks, you'd think that would allow unlimited TT2 access. But based on how things are being done for the preview events, I can't say with absolute certainty that my version of season long FastLane will afford me that option.

Again, I am honestly fine with however it works. Just knowing I have FastLane ready for any CF park visit I end up making is more than enough benefit for this impatient old man. :)

In my opinion you should get the all season benefit with multiple rides. I say this because of right now I don't know how they're going to differentiate. Last year, you scanned your pass and got a wristband. That wristband was the same as anyone's who purchased FL+ for the day. I'm unsure what the process will be this year but I'm thinking they may have a third wristband or something. At any rate, I'm guessing since you'll be redeeming the FL from your pass like before that they'll give you the same credential they'd give someone redeeming same from CP or any other park.

If it’s anything like other parks I’ve been to I assume you will need to scan the barcode on the fast lane band. When the fast lane is activated they will either activate it as a single purchase or season long fast lane. For example at Carowinds they scan your pass then the fast lane band to activate it. At the rides you scan your band when you reach the station or merge point. Kings Dominion was the same way but I honestly do not recall if Knotts Berry had the scanners or not. I do know the activated our fast lane bands to each pass one at a time though.

I watched people jacking around trying to scan those wristbands at Carowinds last week and it kind of seems like a pain - at least with the scanners they have there right at the station entrance. The scanning process itself is a serious bottleneck to just getting people into the station. Almost like they need to use RFID in the wristbands rather than a bar code or QR code or whatever they have now that isn't always in the right position to scan. Hopefully they put them at the merge point when possible because rides are already sending too empty seats with metal detectors and employees overthinking their jobs at the turnstile/crowd position.

I don't really have a problem with preview perks only being for your home park, but IT IS a departure from what a platinum pass from any park in the chain got you in the past and I don't think they were really clear about the change in their fall/offseason campaigns.

I tend to agree that CP is bungling the locker/loose article situation AGAIN. 3-4 hours is a long time to be without your stuff these days and no one has answered the question of if the lockers outside the entrance are free. If they are, I suppose it's just like Hulk or Rip Ride Rocket at Universal, although I am not sure those lines get anywhere close to what TT2's will be. They did a nice job of adding the lockers at Steel Vengeance after all of the complaining even if it's not quite as elegant as at Velocicoaster. Maybe they can have free small lockers like at SV and paid larger ones for bookbags, etc. I just forsee a lot of complaining about the wait time being long and people having to leave their phones, wallets, etc for the duration of the line. It will get really old really fast for staff on the ground.

I haven't been to a preview event before so let me get this straight.

If I go, all I will get is 1 ride over a 6 hour period?

If that's the case, I would be better off just using early entry on a normal day and going straight to the TT2 line and

waiting 1 hour for it to open and getting my ride and then enjoying the whole park for the rest of the day.

For me it is all about the experience not just how many times I was able to ride any given ride. At the end of the day all you have left are memories and I remember the few preview events I have been to since they were special in my mind. However, I have no real memories of any early entry other than the last Millenium Walk Back as my son got to hold the sign that morning for the group picture.

Then again would the Millenium Walk Back qualify as a typical "early entry" or a special event anyway?

Special event I think. It was for coaster club members, not just any season pass holder.

IndianaJones, yes all they are promising is one ride per person. Whether they would open the queue up if they don't hand out all the boarding passes is anyone's guess. They clearly are expecting a huge turnout given the plans for multiple days and a boarding pass system.

For the gold/summer previews, the nerd math would be 3 days x 6 hours per day x ? riders per hour = approximate number of boarding passes.

Hard to believe that we are only a few weeks away from yet another season at CP. Cannot wait to get back up to the point!

Long time lurker, first time poster.

I'm looking forward to being at the park again. I am driving about 3 hours to the point on Thursday after work. I should be getting to the point around 6:30/7 depending on stops. I'm wondering if I'll still be able to ride TT2, with me not getting there til later.

Any reports from todays preview event ?