theming...

Very very true! You don't see the Snoopy characters unless you are in those specific areas, but at other themed parks they are all over the place and can get annoying. You're right, galen, the "theme" has always been the roller coasters, and in a lot of ways Cedar Point is just right with that. They could use with more shaded areas (Frontier Trail/Town is fine, but the Main Midway -- ouch!), but they've got the idea.

I remember I didn't like Universal Studios Orlando a few years back because every ride had 3-4 souvenier shops with merchandise JUST for that ride/movie -- very annoying! It was too themed, and I don't think CP wants to get caught with anything like that.

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Disaster Transport '97 Crew
Iron Dragon '98 Crew

I am glad that Cedar Point does not spend time theming rides, or anything else for that matter. Frontier Trail is great how it is, and I would never change it. DT is getting to be muy mal, but Cedar Fair doesn't seem interested in that anymore, so we can fuggetaboutit. The only thing that I would ever like to see Cedar Point theme is a boardwalk project with a classic New Jersey look to it.

I do enjoy the theming at BGT, especially on Montu. Whoa, is that good. You can't turn your head without seeing hieroglyphics that actually mean something.(Did you know that? All those things written on the walls actually mean something. Somewhere near the Montu station some tell the facts about it in hieroglyphics.) I do enjoy that, and Busch should continue to do that at their parks. I really think they do it the best, by far.

Theming can really make or break a park, and Six Flags has been broken by it. Cedar Point has not, though, considering the fact that they don't need to.

galen is right-this is also true for when they had the berinstain bears,you could only see them if you went into bear country.

As quoted from the park itself in the 1988 brochure, "This summer, visit Cedar Point, where the "theme" is rides." I think that basically sums up the park.

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Intrested in Cedar Point History?
Visit Cedar Point-on-Lake Erie @ http://cedarpoint.virtualave.net

CP has a great summer beach resort atmosphere. They are going to really capitalize on that if the rumored boardwalk project goes ahead. So, I think if they have a park wide "theme", it would really ruin the charm and character of CP, that we all know and love. In a sense, CP's theme is "traditional summer beach resort amusement park". They don't have to change that image one bit. Plus, I think the Frontier Trail and Frontier Town is very well done in a western theme.,

You are kidding right?

That Snoopy is all over the place. The two hotels, Main Midway, Gemini Midway, and the Oceania Midway. Of course I am not complaining. I love those guys!

I think Cedar Point has it perfect. They have just enough theme. The park just wouldn't be the same without that funny robot and Spot the Cedar Pointer. I am sure it will be the same for Camp Snoopy in about five years.

Up until the early 90's they where called Cedar Point Theme park. Only recently did they start calling themselves and Amusement park and then a resort.

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Dispatch Master, This is Transport one! I'm losing control, I'm losing control!

TPM = Theme Park Mentality. IMHO, those parks with the least TPM - i.e. Knoebel's, Kennywood, CP - are the best. But what do I know?

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Age and treachery will always overcome youth and skill.

I think SFO has some great theming.
The 50's area is done pretty nicely with a show, the rides, the music, and the atmosphere. And I think the Juke Box Cafe has better food than CP'S Coasters. They just lack milkshakes.
The old west area (by Villain and Serial Thriller) is done very well, and is a great aspect of the park.
The Gotham City area, while cloned at other parks, still looks pretty good. And Boom Town is a hell of a kiddie land. It's nicer looking than both Kiddy Kingdom and Camp Snoopy.

I have to agree that theming is incredibly unimportant. What a park needs is atmosphere. This is not people in giant rabbit costumes or movie merchandise everywhere. This is just something a park has where it either is a pleasant feeling just being there and walking around or it isn't. Cedar Point has that without a doubt. The only parks that have more of it IMO are Holiday World (which not enough people go to) and Kennywood, BUT (and most importantly) CP has a better collection of rides and thus beats out the other two. BGW is another example of a park with good atmosphere. On the other hand ALL Six Flags and Paramount parks do not have this at all. I just can't wait to get on the rides and get the hell out. The only saving grace for these parks is that they have good and sometimes great rides (beast Viper Raging Bull Villain BKF etc ) so being the coaster nut i am i can't help but to go to them once in a while, but its places like CP and holiday world that will have me going back again and again

If you are a kid at heart or have kids then you must enjoy the cartoon characters at these parks. Come on people. These parks dont just cater to coaster nuts like ourselves. I think in actuality we are the minority compared to the rest of the general public. On a side note what would you rather see, Charlie Brown or Bugs Bunny? My vote is good old "Bugs Bunny"(The rabbit with ""ATTITUDE!!!!!)

I have to sound off AGAIN!!!
Granted,themeing is important to children but its the ADULTS who pay for the children to get into the park.Give them an area of the park but dont theme the whole park like SF does.I hate seeing Batman in his underwear running all over the park or Bugs Bunny dancing with Elmer Fudd.Cedar already has great themeing..are we all forgetting the LAKE??Enough said..

I leave for the point today on my 3 coaster tour!
PKI,CP,and SFO(which I am going solely to ride the new coasters)

im not talking just about cartoon carecters walking around,im talking about eye candy.

Hothitz..please tell me you are not referring to SFO.The EYE CANDY there is stale.Lol Disgusting park,filthy,dirty,enuff said.

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Gillian

yes it is a filthy park,im revering to theming areas like gothem city,the villens platform,water park.thats the type of theming im talking about.millenium force is my favorate coaster,but yet there is very little theming,the only theming ive seen on mf is the lights on the platform and some cool lights on the dj booth.

Cedar Point is the only true theme park to me.

Take the Frontier Trail for example. They didn't just build a bunch of cheesy buildings that look like cottages and grist mills. Those buildings are real. The Grist Mill was moved stone by stone from North Carolina, The Cottages where moved from Virginia. Camp Snoopy is nice for the kids and they love to give that big Beagle a hug every time he comes out of his dog house. Disaster Transport is the one that really amazes me. They are actually making fun of theme there. If you have seen the whole show then you know what I mean.

Imagine if we didn't have theme. Every ride and roller coaster would be painted the same color and they would all have names like roller "coaster 1" or "Ferris Wheel 2." The imagination that goes into Cedar Point is tremendous.

A park with no theme just isn't as fun. They are often in the City and generally get you depressed. A park with to much theme gets boring and generally not fun.

Ahhh, but Cedar Point has just enough theme to get you away from your everyday worries but have not to much as to keep the good side of reality there right along with you. It is the happy medium.

Or at least that is my 2 cents worth.

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Dispatch Master, This is Transport one! I'm losing control, I'm losing control!

Remember this, many of CP's rides aren't named for themes. What themeing would you suggest on "Millenium Force"? I'm sick of the Y2K stuff, and that would wear thin very quickly. Rides like Batman can easily be themed from the movies and comics and stuff like that, but how about Raptor? That's the bird of prey, not the dinosaur! And Mantis? Cedar Point is not related to any big time movies like that, so how would they go about doing that themeing and eye candy? The frontier area is well done, but understated without being related to any specific western theme. Cedar Point does well for its coasters - the only improvements I'd like to see aren't so much themeing as comfort -- more trees for shade and stuff like that to cool the park down.

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Disaster Transport '97 Crew
Iron Dragon '98 Crew

Okay, I think some of us are not quit clear what a "theme" is as well as a theme park.

Theme, a unifying dominate idea, motif, etc., as in a work of art.

Theme' Park', an amusement park in which landscaping buildings, and/or attractions are based on one or more specific themes, as jungle wildlife, fairy tales, or old west.

Cedar Point is considered a "Theme park" by Webster's dictionaries (read above), Guinness, and Cedar Point itself. It only needs one themed area to be a theme park and Cedar Point has several.

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Dispatch Master, This is Transport one! I'm losing control, I'm losing control!

Magnum is sinking! says,
"Cedar Point is the only true theme park to me."

Have you been to any other parks lately? So Disneyland/world is not a theme park, in your opinion?

Just because a themed building or area is not authentic does not mean that it is cheezy. Besides, sometimes the cheezy themed areas are the most fun to be in.

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Only 2,290½ miles from Cedar Po!nt.

I didn't say that. I meant that Cedar Point's themes are unique.

Disney is a theme park but in my opinion it has to much theme. I personally do not like Disney for that reason as well as others. That is just my own opinion. My definition above proves that Disney is in fact a theme park.

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Dispatch Master, This is Transport one! I'm losing control, I'm losing control! *** This post was edited by Magnum is sinking! on 7/20/2000. ***

I love all amusement parks but I think Cedar Fair does theirs very well.Cedar Point really doesnt need a lot of themeing.They have the beautiful scenery to account 4 that.Busch Gardens is great also.I feel SF is relatively gaudy,overpriced and appeals only to certain audiences.PKI is another story,who doesnt like a good movie?and their themeing proves that.I especially love the garden with the movie memorabilla in it.The Eiffel Tower is beautiful and the park is CLEAN.I got spoiled with Cedar Point and PKI so when I went to SFO,I was disgusted.Im used to going to SFGADventure and they have nothing on them.The park is cramped,the bathrooms are gross,the people and staff rude and arrogant,need I say more?
The themeing there doesnt even appeal to me if the rest of the park sucks doggydoo.I should of never left CP.I wanna go back!!!!!

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Gillian