Walking around the park after closing

I'm going to be staying at Lighthouse Point on August 29 and 30, both days in which the park closes at 8pm and I'm wondering how long guests are allowed to stay in the park, just to wander around and take in the sights and maybe take some pictures. Also on that note, when do the stores usually stay open until? Thanks.
*** Edited 7/3/2005 6:36:58 PM UTC by Vince982***

They'll shoo you out as fast as possible.

Yeah, they don't want you there after closing. I got off of Millennium Force last year during Halloweekends at almost 2:00 AM, and a security guard still on duty practically escorted us out of the park. It is really cool seeing everything dark and silent though...

I was the last ride on TTD 1 hour after the park closed....there were still a few random guests on the midway and stuff. I saw no security though. Me and my friend stuck around for about 25 minutes to watch them transfer the TTD trains until we decided to walk back to Camper Village.

A few years ago I was on the last train of the night for MF, my buddy and I got off and tried walking down through Frontier Town towards Mean Streak, but an employee told us that we couldn't, and had to leave. We turned around and started walking back, and there was an employee ride night going on for Wildcat, so we sat near there for a while and just hung out.

I had just gotten off of Millennium Force during last years Halloweekends, and I had no security escorts or anything..

Although it was a little creepy hearing "Thriller", walking through the empty park, I loved it.

Edit: Last Years Halloweekends, not last weeks. :P *** Edited 7/5/2005 12:16:03 AM UTC by cedarpointlover***

I'd guess it takes somewhere around an hour to cycle everyone out of the gift shops and the park after closing. Not counting the ride lines.

Wandering around a hour after closing is a bit much.

During opening year on millenium force one night I was on the last ride at about 3am and there was only 2 other people on board and the were in the back and half way up the lift they shut MF's lights off and the ride was pitch black and a cedar point police man escorded us out of the park and to our cars (The last ones in the parking lot!)

Vince I will be at CP as well during those days.

I was on a late MF run once, and they had security outside the ride exit to make sure we made our way towards the park exit.

Thats awesome CP4eva, we'll have to meet up at some point (pun intended), I've never met a fellow PointBuzzer before.

I absolutly love the park after it closes. Almost everytime im there I jump in line for the force or dragster at the end of the night. I just can't get over how quiet and dead like it is. Its awesome!

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Cory Marshall

The park is called "closed" for a reason, you know. Unless you have legit. busisness to be somewhere (nobody but 3rd shift folks at the park do, really) why would they let you wander around?

There's a reason that they post C.P. police past the Millennium Force exit (towards the Frontier Trail) and by the Witches Wheel. They don't want people wandering back there after the park closes.

Yeah, you know what happens in amusement parks after closing... Yikes... just read The Beast by R.L. Stine... The park is not that exciting very late at night. I think the latest I was in there as an employee was like 4:30 AM walking to a dorm to see my friend. Just seagulls, mayflies, maintenence, and 3rd shift trash folks...

I was a last ride of the night on Millennium Force a couple weeks ago on June 24 to be exact. You know what's funny, they always tell you that your spot in line is not guaranteed because the park is closing. I think they just tell you that so you don't get back in line. Most often though, they exit the lines through. Now I'm sure if most of the staff was falling asleep, maybe they'd kick everyone out, but that never happens. I know what you guys mean though, I mean I've never been escorted out after riding something, but walking around after the park closes is a lot of fun. Its like you have fun the whole day and then the next thing you know the park is closed and its just dark. Last summer, my friend worked in the games at Cedar Point, and she asked me to stay to take her home one night, that was pretty fun because I got to walk around the park 11:30 at night and they didn't say a thing to me. So it was pretty cool seeing them put the trains away for Raptor, and watching them put the cable cars away. I also got to experience the park after closing after riding Wicked Twister to end the night. It's fun riding that at night because there is no one on that side of the park riding that and you can walk right back on the ride again and again towards closing. I'm hoping someday I'll be the last train for Top Thrill Dragster, I think that would be cool.

Beleive me, it is. I was the last train 2 days in a row :D (and the 3rd one day). It just so weird walking through the park and having it be completely silent, it makes it seem so loud during the day (i honestly don't think its that loud.)

most of the time when it's late you'd see us employees walking around but they try to get the guest out quickly as possible especially if it's our ride nights

I was the second last train of the night on Millennium Force a few weeks ago. I think they made the people on the last train get off in the track section before the actual unloading station. I'm guessing they did that so they could transfer a train off the track without sending it around the track again.

Menzies said:
During opening year on millenium force one night I was on the last ride at about 3am and there was only 2 other people on board and the were in the back and half way up the lift they shut MF's lights off and the ride was pitch black.

There is no way to turn them off, so that is pretty much impossible. They are on 24/7 now because the electric went out and they haven't been re-synced yet. Hence why they look like complete crap...