The Boardwalk - New for 2023

Rent a plane if you want a better view.

Or fly a drone…

The new building is really well designed. It in some sense is part of the view, not obstructing it.

Jeff:

to get high

Sir, that activity is strictly prohibited on all rides at Cedar Point and is grounds for immediate removal from the park. (memories of Frontier Lift)

CoasterHawk:

You can try to tell me how good the view will be a bit more than halfway up but it is still a very odd place to put the eatery.

Giant Wheel is 145' tall. Grand Pavilion's main large roof looks to be, what, maybe 50' tall? So your math is pretty far off there. And a beachfront location is not in any way an odd place to put a restaurant. Quite the opposite, actually.

Maybe wait to see things in person before complaining about how they turned out?

Speaking of food. I'm really interested to see what Dining options are going to be offered in the new Pavilion. Part of me assumes that the food is going to be higher quality than what you can get at a stand-alone stand in the park, but I'm really curious to see exactly what it will be.

It has been a few years now since my last visit, but I have heard that the food quality has gone up in the new eateries around the park.

(Was it confirmed that there will also be beach access to a bar?)

Yes the park has definitely stepped-up their food game over the past few years. I don't recall them mentioning a bar that can be accessed from the beach but there is supposed to be a bar with water views. My guess is one (or both) of the second level patios.

As for the dining, they haven't specified if it will be table or quick service. Hoping for the former but expecting the latter.

I think the general consensus is that there was going to be no access to the pavilion from outside the park but we we're just basing that assumption on the renderings provided so who know

Part of the assumption was on renderings. The other part of the assumption was on logistics. I don't see them staffing another park entry when the beach gate is right there by Windseeker. That doesn't mean they won't have a walk-up window on the beach side serving food and/or drinks though. Even if they do, I'm sure it will only be open July 4 weekend to mid-August.

That's correct. The artwork, which is based on the plans, does not show an entrance to the facility from the beach. So it seems that guests will need to enter the park to get into Grand Pavilion, which makes sense from a logistics standpoint as Scott mentions.

As for whether it's quick or table service, it would make sense for it to be flexible enough to offer either, depending on the occasion. Quick service for the day-to-day operation, with the opportunity to provide table service, buffet, etc., for special events.

I think the building is big enough to offer multiple options provided they can staff it appropriately

I just saw some pictures from a Facebook post looking back in at the area from just off-shore. They took out more pavement than I initially thought, it is torn out all the way down to where the "Hexed" haunt is located including up to the restrooms across from Gatekeeper. Also all the way to the Kiddie Kingdom side of Dodgem.

It can be seen that the new building is maybe 1/3 the height of Giant Wheel at most. Minimal view blockage.

Appears that Mr. Potato is gone.

Obviously renderings are not fully indicative of the finished product and all that, but there is a similar shaped building on the boardwalk renderings, just with a different facade. Hope they're just rebuilding it from the ground up. It's always a sad day when a place dedicated solely to fries goes away.

That place hasn’t been a solely dedicated fry place in a few years. In fact, it was most recently The Roost - a fried chicken establishment that I saw open once.

I think it was open for a few weeks in 2021. It was a rare food credit to get, making it all the more "world famous"

The Roost was so symbolic of that whole stretch. I hesitate to ever call it a midway, because it was so devoid of life or any type of meaningful decor to tie it together for so long. Given its real estate value so close to the beach/water, this facelift is going to feel amazing.

Recent midway facelifts include this one, Frontier town, Valravn, Gemini. Frontier trail has the old/ nostalgia vibe as it is. Main midway with the regular plantings and building updates.

Dragster or Stage areas next?

I wouldn’t be surprised to see a new fries location across the street as part of the new stuff over there. Maybe one for fries and another for ice cream. That would certainly by very boardwalky. It’s clear something will appear there but it’s unclear just how much room there will be for stuff like that. Looks like not much, I could be wrong.
(As much as I love CP’s (expensive) fries I’d be just fine with a location that served those skinny, salty, vinegar fries like Thrasher’s, a name east-coasters will recognize.)

Hell yeah, I'd take a North Coast Thrasher's branch.