I was wondering what tips you may have to make this a enjoyable visit and one where I can maximize the amount of roller coater rides we can get on.
I do have a few questions for those who have visited the park or stayed on site.
Does the park give out free water like Six Flags parks do, Where would you recommend eating inside the park.
And for those who have stayed on site is the extra hour worth the price of staying at a Cedar Point hotel and can you get on alot of rides in that hour???
My advice is to take full advantage of the early entry. What I do is sneak in a couple of coasters in the back of the park, and then jump in line for Maverick (also in the back) before the gates open and the masses come back to get in line. Head for Dragster or MF during lunchtime, and try to get to the other one before 5-6:00. The lines may be longer by then, but they do move pretty fast. I do highly recommend night rides on all of those coasters if you can make that happen. Of course there are many other great rides to take advantage of, but the lines will be the longest at the three mentioned above.
Beware the locker policy. I advise packing as light as possible in the park if (no bags, purses or hats), and also wearing cargo shorts with very secure pockets. On some rides, you either have to leave your stuff in a locker or with someone not riding, because they won't let you in line with anything not secured. If you are wearing glasses or shades, bring a strap. MF and Dragster require that you have one. Staying in a hotel on the island has it's benefits when it comes to packing light.
I'm pretty sure they are still doing the free water thing. They also usually have a deal on refills withthe large cups.
As for food, three places... Famous Daves, Famous Daves, and Famous Daves. The food places around the park are good for a quick bite, and there is Johnny Rockets and Macaronis in the park. TGI Fridays still resides in the Breakers I believe, but Dave's is a can't miss. It's at the marina.
We always pack light and only bring it what will fit in our pockets, but what do you mean anout hats????
I always wear a baseball cap as im getting thinner on top and dont want to get sun burn and it feels better with a hat than the sun directly on my head. My hat can easily fit in my pocket, but do they try to force you to put your hat in a locker???
How long do you think the lines will be for rides like MF/TTD/Maverick from mid-day till closing, and when does the park close the lines and if you get in line before it closes do they make sure everone gets on the ride??
Only a few rides usually require these ninja-like skills...among those that come to mind, Dragster, MF, and Wicked Twister. Not all of the coasters/rides are like that, and it's not a uniform policy. Some of the rides have bins, and some don't, so it's a little tough knowing beforehand which ride you can bring stuff into the line with. That's why my advice is to pack light.
You are going on a Thursday and Friday at the beginning of August. That means that it will be busy, and crowds usually pick up in the evening. Cedar Point hotels will probably be full, but it also has a huge passholder base and a lot of day trippers, so expect to wait at least an hour for the most popular rides once the afternoon gets going. The crowds may thin a little bit just before dinner time, but will probably pick up again in the evening.
The good thing about CP is that they have a lot of rides and they run most of them at high capacity, so large amounts of people get through quickly. Even with that, I've seen 2 to 3 hour waits for Dragster and MF during that time of year.
Again, using early entry will be key to escaping some of the lines. My strategy is this because I usually stay at the Breakers. It's a two minute walk to the gate by Magnum. I enter there and immediately get in line for whatever is open in the back. They always advertise only a few rides open for early entry, but I've seen them have several more running before the main gates open. Of course if you are at the Breakers or another island hotel, there is also the sometimes forgotten beachside boardwalk entrance by Wicked Twister.
The last time I was there at closing, they cycled everyone that was in the queues through the rides. Lines are shut down shortly before closing. I would guess that you probably have to be physically inside the rails and not outside waiting to get into the actual line to stay.
And I usually have to put my daughters cell phone and camera in my pocket on rides, but they fit in my cargo pockets and are zipped/velcroed up so nothing falls out.
Im glad to hear that if you are in line before they close it that they will let you ride. That is one of the good things about SFGAM, if you get in line before closing they will run the ride till everyone gets on.
