What if...? (monorail and entertainment/retail district)
Let me start off by saying that this isn't even rumor or speculation. This is just a topic created for the sole purpose of starting a discussion around the idea of Cedar Point adding a monorail and/or a entertainment/retail district (aka. I'm bored). I'm presenting my idea as sort of a Q&A, where both sides are represented. Please read it all the way through before commenting, so that you don't just repeat what I've already said (as mentioned, both sides are represented, so I do already explain why it will most likely never happen). I've also added some visual representation.
Q: So what’s the plan?
A: The plan is to both expand and connect Cedar Point Resort through the addition of two things. First would be an entertainment and retail district (think Downtown Disney / Universal CityWalk) that I’m tentatively calling Point Place (yes, I’m aware that the name is already in use). The second would be a resort monorail system similar to the one in place at Walt Disney World.
Q: Why?
A: There are many benefits in doing this but they all have one goal; to keep resort guests out of their cars and on property. You do this by offering resort guests everything they will need during their stay within Point Place and you provide a convenient way for them to get there.
Q: What can we expect to see in Point Place?
A: Some unique shopping and dinning experiences, a cinema, possibly concerts but most importantly, some hot nightspots for adults to enjoy. Both Downtown Disney and Universal CityWalk have nightclubs, bars and restaurants for adult resort guests to enjoy once the parks close. I feel that making this area a hot nightspot is crucial in keeping resort guests on property. The area really needs to come to life at night; plenty of lights, street performers (like at Disney’s Boardwalk) and they could possibly even do something with the many bodies of water around the area. I’m also hoping resort guests will feel safe knowing that the park is providing them with their very own designated driver - the resort monorail system.
Q: What about kids? Everything you’ve mentioned sounds adult oriented?
A: The atmosphere will be very welcoming to those younger ones who manage to get a nap in during the day and have plenty of energy at night. Everyone should be able to enjoy the lights and street performers (and concerts if they have them). There will hopefully be some big family restaurants (like a Rainforest Cafe or T-Rex Cafe or Planet Hollywood or Hard Rock Cafe) and some large toy shops for kids to explore (like Downtown Disney’s LEGO Imagination Center or a large Cedar Point shop). Either way, the goal is to have something for everyone.
Q: OK, explain these blueprints.
A: It should be self explanatory, since I’ve clearly labeled everything, but I think it’ll help if I explain why I made some of the choices I did. As you can see, I’ve put Point Place in two sections to make sure it was large enough to accommodate everything necessary to make it resort guest’s one-stop spot. I figured both sections could be connected by over-head walkways like LasVegas on The Strip. You’ll also notice that I’ve placed a large parking lot across from Point Place South. I did this for two reasons. First, the traffic flow is ideal. There are roads both north and south of the parking lot, allowing for easy access and plenty of right turn opportunities. Second, I did it for the visual that walking on a bridge over that stream of water will create when entering Point Place, particularly when it’s lit up at night and reflecting in the water. Lastly, you can see that I have the resort monorail stop at both resorts off the peninsula and at Point Place. The resort monorail also takes guests to Cedar Point and Soak City, so whether you’re staying on or off the peninsula, you have easy access to Cedar Point, Soak City, Point Place and the beach.
Q: Wait, so would the Point Place parking lot be free? I see this causing problems with guests parking there and then riding the monorail to Cedar Point.
A: Yes, Point Place will have free parking. The monorail, on the other hand, will require a pass. These will be handed out to all resort guests when they check in (good for the duration of their stay) and to Cedar Point guests when they pay for parking (good for the day). You can purchase a daily resort monorail pass at Point Place for whatever the current price of parking is. I imagine it would utilize passes similar to the ones the LasVegas monorail uses.
Q: Sounds great, so why haven’t they done this?
A: Cost is one of the major reasons this hasn’t happened. The monorail system alone would come close to equaling what they spent on Geauga Lake. I don’t know how much an entertainment and retail district would cost to put in but I’m sure it’s not cheap either. I’m also unsure as to how much play Cedar Point would have when it comes to negotiating with potential Point Place occupants. I'm sure someone better versed in this kind of stuff could elaborate for me.
Q: What are the other reasons?
A: For one thing I’m clueless as to ownership of property and as to whether or not the land is even suitable for development. Can a monorail system even be installed on the Cedar Point Causeway? These are the variables that need to be considered. You also have to figure out if it’s sustainable with the park being only seasonal (Would the businesses in Point Place survive the off-season? Would the monorail survive a harsh winter?).
Q: How about a parking garage, everybody seems to want one?
A: As a matter of fact, I've come up with an alternate plan that does indeed use a parking garage.
In this alternate version, the parking garage would be built off-pennisula right next to Breakers Express and guests would be transported to Cedar Point via monorail (I'm sure everyone will want to sit on the left to get a good view of the Cedar Point skyline when riding the monorail up the causeway). The current parking lot would be home to a much smaller version of Point Place, where the monorail would drop you off and you can conveniently walk to Cedar Point (very much like Universal's City Walk). Point Place would have it's own smaller-parking lot, as Cedar Point guests would be expected to use the parking garage but i'm sure this will cause problems anyways.
I don't pretend that any of this is reasonable or even possible but that it's merely interesting and fun to think about. Let me know what you think.
Thanks, I guess (the shadows being wrong on the monorail photoshop drive me nuts), but I'd rather know what you think of the idea as presented. I just hope that others here contribute something a little more substantial then TL; DR...
Seems like a cool idea, but i could see them doing a tram or shuttle first before going to the expense of building the monorail.
I like the idea of Point Place as you have illustrated, something like that would bring much needed night life to the resort and probably serve to extend the length of hotel visits.
If something like this is built, part of the plan should be to dredge the lagoon by Castaway Bay and build boat docks along Point Place to allow it to be a boating destination.
Pretty ambitious plan, but I like your work. I think the future growth of CP is on the resort side, the amusement park is pretty steady with 3 to 3.5 million a year in attendance. But, make the resorts a destination in themselves, instead of just a place to sleep after the amusement park, and I think you will see nice growth in the CP resort complex.
I'd rather be in my boat with a drink on the rocks,
than in the drink with a boat on the rocks.
Great work, I can tell you put a lot of thought and work into it and it's very impressive. Is your Point Place idea something that would be open in the winter? Or would it close down?
I don't want to speak for Skippy, but Sandusky has a hard time supporting a local dive bar in the winter. So, if something like Point Place is built, I would think it would certainly be seasonal.
I'd rather be in my boat with a drink on the rocks,
than in the drink with a boat on the rocks.
I was just thinking the same thing as Pete, it would have to be seasonal. With the cost of large franchise restaurant establishments, I have to think that would make it economically unfeasible.
As for the monorail, wouldn't it be MUCH cheaper an easier to just utilize a bus system? Although that comes with its own set of problems, especially getting on and off point during busy times.
Well, considering that Famous Dave's and the TGIF at Breakers are seasonal, I think it is certainly possible to have profitable seasonal franchises. While not at CP, I know that Landshark Landing locations (a division of Jimmy Buffett Margaritivalle restaurants) are seasonal.
I think the big question is if a facility the size of the Point Place concept is even sustainable in the summer. I love the concept, but maybe only the north side would make sense. Outside of Point Place, I think a great place to start would be to build a Landshark Landing or Margaritaville right on the CP beach by Bubbles and tie the two together.
A monorail is certainly exciting, but I wonder how practical and cost effective it would be to just extend the CP&LE RR down the causeway to provide transportation to a project like Point Place?
I'd rather be in my boat with a drink on the rocks,
than in the drink with a boat on the rocks.
You put a lot of thought into this. I love it! If only it would actually exist...but great idea.
thrillsawait.weebly.com
Top 5 CP Coasters: 1. Steel Vengeance 2. Millennium Force 3. Maverick 4. Dragster 5. Magnum
Coaster Count: 102
A monorail is certainly exciting, but I wonder how practical and cost effective it would be to just extend the CP&LE RR down the causeway to provide transportation to a project like Point Place?
And have it go all the way to castawaybay's location? Isn't it a bit...slow for that? :p At least as is, I'd imagine they'd invest in a speedier train in the case that they would depend on it for major transportation over a longer circuit.
There's also the issue of railroad crossings, if the path were to pass over the road they'd have to either install a crossing or build a bridge. If it were a monorail, it could pass over the road freely.
I suspect those engines are capable of going quite a bit faster than they run them in the park. Given a long straightaway, they could probably pick up decent speed.
And then one day you find ten years have got behind you
No one told you when to run, you missed the starting gun
Yes, I believe that to be true also. When I was a kid, they did run the train between the Main Midway and Frontier Town stations at a significantly faster speed than they do today. The second leg, between Frontier Town and Main Midway was run at about the same speed as today, to give guests a better view of the theming I suppose.
Back then, before the Frontier Trail, the ride was a true transportation ride with the goal of efficiently getting guests to Frontier Town and back. On busy days they even ran three trains.
I'd rather be in my boat with a drink on the rocks,
than in the drink with a boat on the rocks.
Pete, your knowledge of the history of the park is always very interesting and much appreciated.
It's weird to think that you couldn't walk to the back of the park back then. When did Frontier Trail come into existence?
1971
http://www.cedarpoint.com/media-center/park-history
http://www.rollercoasterfreak.com/Cedar_Point/History.html
Brandon
Pete said:
Yes, I believe that to be true also. When I was a kid, they did run the train between the Main Midway and Frontier Town stations at a significantly faster speed than they do today. The second leg, between Frontier Town and Main Midway was run at about the same speed as today, to give guests a better view of the theming I suppose.Back then, before the Frontier Trail, the ride was a true transportation ride with the goal of efficiently getting guests to Frontier Town and back. On busy days they even ran three trains.
Isn't everything bigger and faster when you are a kid?
Untrue. Kings Island's Racer was at least twice as tall as Millennium Force when I was nine years old.
My author website: mgrantroberts.com.
Maybe so Shades, but then both parts of the train ride would have felt faster. The train was operated at a higher speed for the Main Midway to Frontier Town leg back then, I'm certain of it.
I'd rather be in my boat with a drink on the rocks,
than in the drink with a boat on the rocks.
Would you guys please get back to the serious conversation about the Cedar Point monorail?
Promoter of fog.
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