Return of Christmas In The Park

There are seasonal employees who work almost year round. (They are off for a while so as to not have to be considered "full time".) There are maintenance employees who work outside all winter long. Neither of these is the issue.

The issue is the season is already long enough and the management of Cedar Point (not to be confused with the Executives) really doesn't need the headache of a winter event, certainly at the expense of their already taxed family relationships.

For the relatively insignificant number of people who might come to enjoy this type of event it just isn't worth it. Might that change in the future? Sure. But I don't see anything now that tells me this type of event wouldn't be the failure it was back in the 90's.

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"You can dream, create, design and build the most wonderful place in the world...but it requires people to make the dreams a reality."

Plus can you imagine the task or clearing the parking lot and midways of snow and ice? Ice on the parking lot and midways is a lawsuit waiting to happen. Look at how many people try to take Cedar Point to court for slips and falls in the summer.

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Screamsters 2001
Millennium Force/Screamsters 2002
Challenge Park/Screamsters 2003

Cedar Point doesn't get as much snow as you might think. (Frigid cold winds...yes!) Something its proximity to the lake.

When I lived in Sandusky there were times I would leave the park and the general lake front area only to find blizzard conditions just a few miles south. It is odd.

However, the reverse is true of wind. It could be a calm day down by Meijer's and it could be as windy as Chicago on the peninsula.

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"You can dream, create, design and build the most wonderful place in the world...but it requires people to make the dreams a reality."

The peninsula was covered in snow last time I was there.

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Iron Dragon's Syrita Rocks :)

there was about 4 inches of it there this weekend too!

I can see an offseason winter tour for enthusiasts, and their groups. Especially when there is a new coaster being built, charge like 15-20$ per person for like a three hour tour or something of the park and what their doing. Nothing like off the midway but a general up close look at the new construction. I can see this being more profitable than a public x-mas in the park thing.
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Are you evolved?

Not allowed.. that would violate the rules of the "Secret Organization of Construction Tour and Media Day Events".

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June 11th, 2001 - Gemini 100
VertiGo Rides - 82

We made a stop in Harrisburg last week and spent a few hours at Hersheypark's Candylane. It was cold, but well attended. It was a nice event.

Here are a few pictures:

http://www.virtualmidway.com/hersheypark

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Walt Schmidt
Virtual Midway

eh, doesn't look that impressive, not enough to make it look like CP would attempt it again

Not really fair to judge the entire event from a dozen average photos.

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Walt Schmidt
Virtual Midway

----------------Instead of a winter event I would be much happier with the park opening a few weeks earlier. I think that the weather wouldn't be that much different in April than it is at the end of October. If staffing would be a problem, they could "halfway" open the park like they did for Millennium Mania.

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Millennium Force Laps-135
**Vertigo Launches-21**
Dragster Launches-25

Macho
Speaking from experience, I still ike the idea of a winter event ending with New Years over the season starting earlier because the weather is usually milder (In My Opinion) on the lake through this time of year. But in January all that changes. *Cough*Vertigo*Cough* Winds seem to pick up more and the temperature seems to drop more. The weather is still mostly unpredictable and brutal in April especially on Lake Erie.

My employement agreement started April 15, last year (2003). I had the same opinion at first that wow, the park really could open early this time of year. It was a nice day to start, sunny 70 degrees. I got sunburnt. Then the next day was colder and cloudy. The following day was about 40 degrees. But it was so brutally cold from the wind (felt like -30) that I had to go home one my break and layer up about 5 layers. I went back I was still freezing like I was before. It stayed like this for a few days. I would never want to visit CP on this kind of day to ride. Also I just want to throw in that my face hurt like heck from the sunburnt I got the first day, and my lips were chapped beyond belief too. I could barely move my mouth it hurt a lot. Sunburns and windburns don't mix too well.

Anyone who was at CP during those Howling wind days last May where the wind had to of been around 70 mph all day long can attest how much colder the day felt. I think the temperature those days was only 60-65. I think it felt like 20 degrees.

But I think your seggestion of extending the season, may work better in October. Instead of warming up from the winter, it's still cooling off from the summer, and the weather seems to be more milder and less windy.

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- Chris -

Wow Flisk you really had it bad! I was there during a really windy day in May. Practically every coaster was closed that day. I remember riding Corkscrew, Mantis and Wicked Twister a whole bunch of times and that was about it. I'll never forget riding the "up" shot on Power Tower and the wind was so intense that we didn't even get the usual pop of air at the top. I'm all for extending the season, maybe they could try a Thanksgiving event in the park instead. ;)

I'm having issues with my new iMac, I apologize for this wasted space.

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Millennium Force Laps-135
**Vertigo Launches-21**
Dragster Launches-25

It would be fun to have a Christmas event at CP even if nothing was open but a coffee or hot chocolate stand. It would be great just to walk around the snow-covered park just for the heck of it. I drive up there from Brunswick, OH (which is not exactly close) every Dec. & January and sit in the parking lot and just stare at the rides. Then we all go out to dinner in Sandusky.

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Loyal Mean Streak fan 4ever:)

Ginger, if more people felt the way you did they would still be doing it. They tried it one year, it was a miserable disaster, I doubt they will do it again.

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"You can dream, create, design and build the most wonderful place in the world...but it requires people to make the dreams a reality."