Cedar Point this weekend

Cedar Point: What is the best day to visit CP for HalloWeekends...Friday, Saturday, or Sunday?

From Anne Duncan
Posted October 12, 2010 at 12:31 PM
I am looking forward to my first Cedar Point trip this weekend, October 15 - 17. I have purchased a single day general admission ticket. Considering crowd levels for Halloween, what day would be the best to go? I am certainly not against purchasing an additional evening-only ticket if unable to fit everything in. I am going for the coasters! And if you have tips for attire I would also appreciate as well - looks like low of 45 and high of 61, no rain. Thanks in advance!

From Tim Chatlos
Posted October 12, 2010 at 8:15 PM
Assuming that the weather is the same throughout the weekend, namely no rain in the forecast, Saturday is BY FAR the busiest day to visit during HalloWeekends. Saturdays in October are now the busiest days of the entire Cedar Point season with full queues on every major ride and considerable waits for most haunted attractions. If possible avoid visiting on a Saturday if the weather is nice.

That said, Friday is generally quieter, although a number of rides are closed. All HalloWeekends (except for family events like the parade and costume contest) are available on Friday evenings. These have gotten progressively busier the past few years but are still a better choice than a Saturday.

This season Sunday has emerged as perhaps the best day to go. The entire park is open, so all major coasters and attractions will be available. For the first time all of the outdoor haunted attractions will be available on Sunday evenings (in past years they were only open on Friday and Saturday evenings). While Sunday can still be busy, again depending in the weather, they are still considerably quieter than the generally-crazy Saturdays.

I hope this helps. Have a fun trip!

From Anne Duncan
Posted October 13, 2010 at 2:49 PM
Thank you, Tim! At this point, I am almost positive we will go Sunday. I appreciate your feedback!

From Tim Chatlos
Posted October 13, 2010 at 8:31 PM
No problem!

Sunday should be a solid choice. It might still be busy, the nice forecast seems to point towards it, but it will be much more manageable than Saturday. If you get a chance this weekend it's kind of fun to watch the Cedar Point webcams on Saturday as the parking lot fills up along with the midways and queues. It's quite the sight!

As for what to wear, right now the forecast is calling for mid-60s and sunny, so dressing in layers would probably be the way to go, particularly if you're staying until after sunset.

Is this your first visit?

From Anne Duncan
Posted October 13, 2010 at 11:17 PM
Ha, I will check out the webcams on Saturday! It should be a relief to watch the large crowds and not be there. So Sunday it is!
Yes, first visit. :)

From Tim Chatlos
Posted October 13, 2010 at 11:58 PM
The first time visiting Cedar Point can be somewhat intimidating because there's a lot of ground to cover. While it might be tricky to experience "everything" you should be able to ride most of the major coasters and visit a few of the haunted attractions.

If you need any specific tips/tricks, feel free to ask anything that will make your first visit a great one! Cedar Point is my home park, so we visit a couple dozen times a year (not to mention the five seasons I spent there as an employee).

From Anne Duncan
Posted October 19, 2010 at 8:09 AM
Thanks, Tim! Crowd level was great on Sunday. The only significant lines were for MF, Maverick, and Dragster - about 1 hour for each - had a WONDERFUL time!

From Tim Chatlos
Posted October 19, 2010 at 8:10 AM
That's great! I was watching the webcams on Saturday and hoping that you didn't end up going then! Sunday was easily half the crowd that was there on Saturday, so planning ahead definitely worked out for the best. Glad I could help!

Any thoughts on the park?

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