ohmomto2boys
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Post by ohmomto2boys on Jul 21, 2014 9:07:52 GMT -5
Going to Cedar Point soon and I was looking on-line for ticket prices and checked out AAA and local grocery store for discounts. Best deal appears to be $49.99 includes free drinks all day. CP also offers Fast Pass for an additional $70 per person. $119.99 per person, per day. PLUS $15 for parking.
Would you pay the extra $70 for the Fast Pass? This lets you pass the lines and go right to the front on all the "big" roller coasters and that is the main reason we are going to CP for the day. We are not spending the night. It is only a 2 hr drive for us.
I am looking at over $250, just to get in the door (2 people). We will need to eat at some point during the day.  |
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swasat
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Post by swasat on Jul 21, 2014 9:14:49 GMT -5
Hi fellow Ohioan !!!  As a long time Cedar Point lover and visitor, I will say it depends on the day and the month you are going. If you are going in the next month, before school starts, Fast Pass will save you tons of time. Weekends are obviously more crowded than weekdays, but these days even weekdays are a mad rush. The big rollercoasters and rides can have wait times upto 2 hours some days ! If you go September or later, you could give Fast Pass a pass  Its so much less crowded after the school is in session. I know you didn't ask about fod options, but Cedar Point allows you to bring your own food. You can even take a cooler with you, which they ask you to put at a designated picnic spot near the entrance. When you are ready to eat, just go and eat and go back into the park. Or you can carry food in a shoulder backpack. Done that multiple times. |
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Shooby
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Post by Shooby on Jul 21, 2014 9:15:22 GMT -5
Yes, just get the Fast Pass. I wish I would have.
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Shooby
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Post by Shooby on Jul 21, 2014 9:17:02 GMT -5
And, I didn't get them at Disney either which was dumb. I guess I still lived in the idyllic world of Disney. Didn't realize there were different levels of customers with special seating, etc. Not opposed to that but seems kind of funny that Disney has no problem embracing hierarchies for kids.
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Ryan
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Post by Ryan on Jul 21, 2014 9:20:54 GMT -5
I would definitely get the fast pass. There is no sense wasting half the day sitting in line, esp. if it's really hot outside.
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Shooby
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Post by Shooby on Jul 21, 2014 10:15:50 GMT -5
If you are spending all the time and effort to get there, a few extra bucks will really make it more enjoyable. BTW, we rented jet skis at Cedar Point and it was a blast!
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HoneyBBQ
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Post by HoneyBBQ on Jul 21, 2014 10:44:35 GMT -5
And, I didn't get them at Disney either which was dumb. I guess I still lived in the idyllic world of Disney. Didn't realize there were different levels of customers with special seating, etc. Not opposed to that but seems kind of funny that Disney has no problem embracing hierarchies for kids. ?? The fast passes at Disney are free and available to anyone. |
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Shooby
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Post by Shooby on Jul 21, 2014 10:46:39 GMT -5
OH well, we didn't figure that one out! lol
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HoneyBBQ
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Post by HoneyBBQ on Jul 21, 2014 10:47:09 GMT -5
Wow, one really can learn things here! They have a "fast pass" for Disney now? Do they advertise that or is it on the QT?
That would be good to know if we ever went back to Disney! Yes. If you go back to Disney, pick up the "unofficial guide" and it will explain it all and the magical path that you should take to maximize your fun. IIRC, they have been doing fast passes for over 10 years now. The fast pass is not an all day ride pass like the Cedar point one. There is a machine at the line for the ride you are wanting to go on. You can get a fast pass for THAT RIDE that will allow you to go to the front of the line at some point in the future (over 2 hrs ahead usually). So if you are there at 9, you can get a fast pass and it'll tell you to come back between 11-1 or something like that and you can go to the front of the line. You can hold up to 2 fast passes at once. I haven't been in about 4 or 5 years though, so check and see if any of the rules have changed. |
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Shooby
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Post by Shooby on Jul 21, 2014 10:47:41 GMT -5
There is a lot to learn about Disney for sure.
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swamp
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Post by swamp on Jul 21, 2014 10:47:48 GMT -5
And, I didn't get them at Disney either which was dumb. I guess I still lived in the idyllic world of Disney. Didn't realize there were different levels of customers with special seating, etc. Not opposed to that but seems kind of funny that Disney has no problem embracing hierarchies for kids. you just go get one at Disney, you don't have to pay..... |
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swamp
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THEY’RE EATING THE DOGS!!!!!!!
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Post by swamp on Jul 21, 2014 10:48:52 GMT -5
Wow, one really can learn things here! They have a "fast pass" for Disney now? Do they advertise that or is it on the QT?
That would be good to know if we ever went back to Disney! it's advertised.
You scan your admission card, get a fast pass that tells you to come back at a certain time, and then go back and get in the fast line.
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Shooby
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Post by Shooby on Jul 21, 2014 10:49:27 GMT -5
OK. We were probably to glazed over to take note of that!
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Shooby
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Post by Shooby on Jul 21, 2014 10:50:35 GMT -5
Wasn't there some issue awhile back about people posing as disabled at Disney to try to get on the rides?
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swamp
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Post by swamp on Jul 21, 2014 10:52:03 GMT -5
Wasn't there some issue awhile back about people posing as disabled at Disney to try to get on the rides? Yes. If someone in your party is disabled, you can get to the front of the line. Disabled people would pimp themselves out.
My friend used it because her son is autistic and it was very helpful. But I think they've curtailed the program.
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justme
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Post by justme on Jul 21, 2014 10:52:26 GMT -5
Wow, one really can learn things here! They have a "fast pass" for Disney now? Do they advertise that or is it on the QT?
That would be good to know if we ever went back to Disney! The one that gets you into all the rides fast is $300/hr and I think a minimum of 3 hours - and doesn't include tickets to get in the park! But you get insider info and backstage access. Otherwise, Disney has had FP system for decades, but was always free. They have upgraded their FP system, but it's still free. It's all done electronically and now you can book your FPs in advance (I think it's 60 if you're on property 30 if you're not). You get 3 FP per day to book in advance, though all have to be in the same park. You pretty much won't be able to pick more than one of the big attractions (i.e. for Epcot you choose either Soarin' or Test Track, you can't get both in the 3 you pre-book). Then you can book one FP at a time once you're in the park and all your FPs are either used or expired. The new system sucks over the old one though. |
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justme
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Post by justme on Jul 21, 2014 10:54:53 GMT -5
Wasn't there some issue awhile back about people posing as disabled at Disney to try to get on the rides? Yes. If someone in your party is disabled, you can get to the front of the line. Disabled people would pimp themselves out.
My friend used it because her son is autistic and it was very helpful. But I think they've curtailed the program.
It's now one ride at a time. You get a CM to write it down on your card and you come back in Wait Time - 10 mins (give or take how well the are at adding/subtracting time) and then go through the FP lane. Once that one has been used you can go to another ride and go through the same process. It doesn't exclude you from also using their new FP system. |
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Ryan
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Post by Ryan on Jul 21, 2014 11:17:53 GMT -5
And, I didn't get them at Disney either which was dumb. I guess I still lived in the idyllic world of Disney. Didn't realize there were different levels of customers with special seating, etc. Not opposed to that but seems kind of funny that Disney has no problem embracing hierarchies for kids. ?? The fast passes at Disney are free and available to anyone. They have fastpass+ now as well and that allows you to make reservations at rides ahead of time. It's available to everyone, but people who stay on disney property can schedule rides 60 days ahead vs. 30 days ahead for everyone else. |
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HoneyBBQ
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Post by HoneyBBQ on Jul 21, 2014 13:33:12 GMT -5
?? The fast passes at Disney are free and available to anyone. They have fastpass+ now as well and that allows you to make reservations at rides ahead of time. It's available to everyone, but people who stay on disney property can schedule rides 60 days ahead vs. 30 days ahead for everyone else. Ah, see, I figured once I had the old way figured out it'd change. I'm sure the new 'unofficial' guide will explain it all. That thing was worth it's weight in gold! |
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Ryan
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Post by Ryan on Jul 21, 2014 13:42:15 GMT -5
They have fastpass+ now as well and that allows you to make reservations at rides ahead of time. It's available to everyone, but people who stay on disney property can schedule rides 60 days ahead vs. 30 days ahead for everyone else. Ah, see, I figured once I had the old way figured out it'd change. I'm sure the new 'unofficial' guide will explain it all. That thing was worth it's weight in gold! It's a pretty recent change to the new system, I think it was rolled out officially this year but they beta tested it last year and it was only open if you stayed in the magic kingdom resorts (I'm pretty sure). From what my buddy told me, he said that the new system kinda sucks if you're not staying on the disney property. It used to be first come, first serve to the fast passes. While you can still get a fast pass 30 days ahead of time, all the people staying on the property have already taken a lot of the good times. I think this only comes into play if it's really crowded. I have been there during the busiest week of the year (christmas and NYE) and fastpasses were ridiculous. For the popular rides, you'd get there at 8am to get one and it would tell you to come back at 9pm. With the new fastpass system on a week like that, the people booking 30 days out probably won't be able to get a fast pass at all. |
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justme
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Post by justme on Jul 21, 2014 14:02:32 GMT -5
It still sucks even if you're staying on property, you just have a 30 day advance on the suckiness.  |
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morrisr2d2
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Post by morrisr2d2 on Jul 22, 2014 10:54:38 GMT -5
The fast pass is bearable to pay if it's just a couple. Bring the whole family and ouch!!!
Funny, when I was younger I loved cedar point and hated the lines but would have been too poor to pay the fast pass (no such thing when I was younger). Now I can afford it but really don't have a desire to maximize my roller coaster rides in a day! Would much rather stroll around, do two to three rides and stay cool on the water rides!
If you can afford it go for it. Think of it as a vacation.
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happyhoix
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Post by happyhoix on Jul 22, 2014 11:58:14 GMT -5
Ohmom I think it depends on how old your kids are and how much they love the coasters (and if they're big enough to ride on them).
DH and son went to Cedar Point several times over the years and spent 100% of the time riding the coasters (and they have some awesome ones) - if that's all your kids want to do, the extra money is well worth it, because those rides have the longest wait times in the park.
For smaller kids or kids who don't like the coasters, I wouldn't bother.
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