My question for all you CP junkies is: Air-conditioning: who has it?
Does anyone have a list of all or most of the air-conditioned locations in the park (theaters, restaurants, shops, etc)? Also, what are your tips for staying cool at CP, other than common sense (light-colored clothing, water, sunscreen, etc)? We're not fans of water rides that soak you through to the bone, by the way.
And as a side note, when will Cedar Fair stop raking in the cash and start investing in some decent theming? We found that finding ride entrances was pretty difficult due to the lack of entry signs and whatnot (they have them, but they're small and look more like a page from a manual than an attraction sign).
Thanks in advance for all your help. TPI readers and contributors are really the best!
Well, I certainly don't have a complete list of all the "cool" spots in the park in which to escape to on a blistering hot day, but I will offer some of my usual locations of heat refuge for you. First of all, be sure to take a mid-afternoon break and relax in the comfort of Snoopy's Good Time Theatre -- aka. the indoor ice arena. It's a great break from the heat, and CP typically finds some rather decent figure skating talent for their show. For lunch, a little known secret is an air conditioned pizza & salad counter service that offers plenty of seating and AIR! I don't recall the name of the joint, but it's in Frontier Town near the Mean Streak across from Maverick & the antique cars. Affordable prices & delicious pizza, too! Another little gem I stumbled upon during last year's visit is an air conditioned bathroom! (Very hard to come by in CP.) The restroom is past M Force on your way to Frontier Town -- where all of the frontier "shops" are located as you make your way towards the water rides. In addition to those suggestions, some other air conditioned "hot spots" for me include Johnny Rockets, Disaster Transport (although it doesn't give much relief on a really hot day), the Snoopy store on the main midway, and the Red Garder Saloon. Hope this helps!
A good thing about Cedar Point is that they keep most of the queues for their coasters as cool as possible. Most are covered and some have fans.
My advice is to enjoy Cedar Point for what it is, a park with one of the best collections of thrill rides in the country. That's just what they do...and they do it well. They aren't heavily themed, and there's no sign of them going that way in the future. If you look beyond the coasters and scratch the surface a little, you will find a lot of other things to enjoy. There are plenty of games and good restaurants, some decent shows, and even some other rides that you won't find in many places at all anymore. Have fun!
All goes right, I'll be there around the same time as you. my dates aren't definite yet, though. This'll be my 7th or 8th visit to the Point, but last year my companion introduced me to the Game Day Grill near Blue Streak. Air conditioned AND unlimited refills on real fresh-brewed iced tea!
In our decades of visiting the park, the absolute best (and coldest) air-conditioning we have found at the park is the candle shop on Frontier Trail. You can dip your own candles into different colored waxes so they seem to keep the small shop pumping with cool air. We always stop there for a blast of good AC.
Of the live entertainment venues, the Jack Aldrich Theater (near the front of the park) and the Palace (near Maverick) tend to have the best AC due to their smaller size. The Good Time Theater (the ice skating show) is pretty good for AC as well.
In terms of touring the park, try to spend the hottest parts of the day in the back half of the park. It's relatively more shaded than the Main Midway up front. During the peak heat consider seeing shows or walking the path along the beach that extends from the Hotel Breakers all the way past Sandcastle Suites at the tip and around the cottages at Lighthouse Point. There's a pier that juts out into Sandusky Bay at the tip that gives a unique perspective on the park from the water.
I hope you have a fun trip!
The hot dog stand in Frontiertown is Sagebrush Sue's Frontier Food Company. It's also home to the much-loved and decidedly decadent cheese-on-a-stick. Even though it's near a major ride (Maverick) the stand tends to keep limited hours due to its location near the back of the park (which tends to quiet down later in the day).
If you're looking for a hot-dog-on-a-stick or a cheese-on-a-stick and Sagebrush Sue's is closed, try Transport Refreshments near the front of the park. It's right at the base of the Space Spiral (the tall white observation tower ride). It can close early as well but it's generally open more than Sagebrush Sue's.
