markr

Was there last Saturday. Was pretty crowded although not as crowded as the peak season of July and August. See my trip report for details.

Saturday was pretty crowded although not as hugely crowded as the peak season of July and August. While there were lines for just about everything, including Magnum and Wicked Twister I still pretty much got to ride everything I wanted except for Maverick. If you go on a Saturday, I suggest if you have a Maxx Pass that you hit Raptor first, then M Force, then Maverick ( if there are no mechanical problems for any of those rides.) After Maverick, hit Mean Streak, then Skyhawk, then just move around the park in a clockwise direction. During Holloweekends, I find that Sundays are less crowded although you will have lines in the early morning and afternoons. However, by the late afternoon, a lot of people have left to go home from their trips and the lines will be pretty short from about 5PM to closing. Also, the park is open 6Pm to Midnite Fridays and the lines are usually pretty short then. If you can manage try to do a whole weekend. Hotels are really cheap during the fall season. I suggest you check out Travelocity. I got a room at Econo Lodge right across the street from the CP entrance for just $52. For those who don't have passes, there are some great Holloweekend package deals available for the resorts. Check online for packages. Plus you get the early ride time.

Took a CP trip Saturday 9/15. It was the first Holloweekend. After a nice hardy breakfast at Castaway Bay ( great breakfast bar. ) I got to the park 10:40 AM. After they opened the gates for early ride time for Maxx Pass/Jool Cool/ Resorts, I decided to head to M Force first. I was originally going to go to Raptor first but admission for the early ride guests was further down the midway instead of at the Raptor entrance, so I went to M Force first since I was already about halfway down the midway. When got to M Force it hadn't opened yet, so after about 10 minutes decided to hit Maverick. My hopes, however, were dashed when as I was walking down Frontier Trail, people coming in the opposite direction yelled that the ride was down. Therefore I got back in line for M Force. They finally opened the entrance for M Force at about 11:30a. However, when I was almost at the entrance to the station, I saw a train stop toward the top. It was by that time about 9:50AM and not one ride yet. It wasn't looking to be a very encouraging day. At 11:55 AM when the train was still stuck, I decided to take my chances and head to Dragster before the rest of the crowds headed inside. Got in line for Dragster a little after 12 Noon. It was just a 35 minute wait and was running in full swing. Next went to Power Tower, both shot up and shot down, walk-on for each. Then over to Magnum, again a walk-on. Next to Gemini, another walk-on. Rode the Blue Train, which got a head start, thus winning the race. However, because of the head start, I was dissappointed that I never got to high-five the riders in the other train. By this time, I was hungry, so I got a burger and fries in Frontiertown. As far as amusement park food I don't think any park can beat CP's burgers. By the time I finished lunch, it was approaching about 2P so decided to check out Maverick. However it was still shut down, so I hit Mean Streak which was just about a 10 minute wait. After my horrible experience on SOB after it reopened back in July, Mean Streak is a piece of cake to me now. Next I checked out Skyhawk but they were only operating one side and there was a bit of a line, so I decided to take the train back to M Force. I always got a kick out of that train going through Boneville, especially the skeleton sitting in the outhouse. How illogical!!! KI needs to spruce up their train with some serious theming. By the time I got to M Force it was a little after 3P and the line was filled all the way through the second to last group of queues past the soda machines. At first the line was moving really quickly but after about 10 minutes I noticed that no trains were passing. I then noticed that the ride was shut down due to mechanical reasons, so I decided to head over to Raptor. Got in line for Raptor at 3:30p, all the queues were completely full but was 1 1/4 hours wait. Nothing like Raptor's capacity. I had to laugh while I was in line when a young woman right behind me called someone on her cel phone stating that she had been in line for 2 hours. Obviously she had been in line as long as me. I checked my cel phone clock and it had only been a half hour. When we got close to the entrance about a half hour later, I heard her again on her cel phone stating that we had been in line for two hours. I think that is another reason that line waits for amusement parks are so exaggerated. Waits are reported by people who cannot tell time.Ahhhhh!!!! Next I hit Wicked Twister which was about a 45 minute wait. Afterward I decided to try M Force again. got in line about 5:45P.M. By this time the line was just at the soda machines. The line moved quickly at 1 1/4 hrs. Didn't wait for the front seat as was afraid would break down again. Next I had to do front seat on Dragster. Got in line at 7:30p. By this time the line was all the way to the second to last group of queues. Although the sign said 1 hr 45 minute wait, my wait was 1 1/2 hours for the front seat, which wasn't bad. Nothing like Dragster on the front seat the way the wind just folds up your face. Next I decided to hop the train again to Frontiertown to see if Maverick was open buy it was still shut down. The ride hostess at the entrance said they were still working on the ride, but it was doubtful that the ride would be open that day. I decided to do Skyhawk even though they only had one side open. About 30-45 minute wait but worth it. How I love that ride. I got back on the train to head for a nite ride on M Force. However by the time I got back to the main midway, I was dog tired, so I decided to to head back to my motel room. Took the Skyride back and left the park at close to 11:30PM. The park had the usual decorations for Holloweekends- the Ghoul Bus, the cemetary of dead rock stars and country stars, etc. I didn't check out any of the haunted attractions as am only interested in doing the coasters when I drive 4 hours to CP. All and all, CP does a really nice job fixing up the park for Holloween. All and all, a pretty good day even though I got off to a slow start. Can't wait until my next trip.

Platinum all the way. Can't beat the value.

It would be nice if we had an extended season weather permitting. However, if I am not mistaken, CP's specials on season passes always ended in November after the operating season ended. Therefore, I doubt that the end of the KI season pass specials in November means an extended operating season.

That's a bargain with parking included at all the Cedar Fair Parks. Less than I paid last year for the Maxx Pass and all Ohio parking.

Any information about the cost of the platinum pass? It sounds even better than the maxx pass.

May and June seem to be good times to go. July and August is packed, even on weekdays.

I would be fine with that too. I don't really do the haunted attractions but I just love the atmosphere of the park at night during the Holloween season.

Holloweekends at CP are included with park admission or your season pass. Therefore I don't see why it should be different for the other parks including KI>

I don't like when the term "free" is used. As far as I am concerned we have already paid for our season pass which entitles us to admission the entire season, including the Holoween festivities. To say that we are getting "free admission" for a service which we have paid for is wrong.

Ditto. And replace it with a B and M hyper.

I certainly hope they bring back the Maxx Pass. What a deal.

The queue music this year is a breath of fresh air after constantly having to watch scenes of Tom Cruise movies during the Paramount years. I agree, however, that there should be more of a variety of queue music. At least Firehawk has some different music. Also in some of the lines you can hardly hear the music. What good is having music as a diversion from waiting in line if you can hardly hear it?

Doesn't matter to me what the Holloween festival is called, as long as it is good, who cares? For Holloweekends at CP, I love how they line the causeway with warning signs leading up to the entrance of the park. I think it would be a nice touch if they could line the road leading to KI with similar signs.

Just bought my ticket for the concert this Sat, section 2, row MM.

Just bought my Weird Al concert ticket.Section 2 Row MM.

First rides: SOB ( On the first day opened to entire public -opened night before to just Season Pass holders.), Beast (numerous times.) Firehawk ( at KI Central event 8/4.), Raptor, M Force. Last rides: M Force, Beast

Made a mistake on my last posting. The old ride next to Dodgems was called Cuddle Up, not Cut a lup.

It really peeves me when parents try to get out of the height requirements such as by having their children stand up on their tippy toes, make their hair wavy to make them seem taller, etc. How anyone could put a ride ahead of the safety of their own child just infuriates me.

In my 35 years of going to KI I threw up one time and it was in Hanna Barbara land. It was the old witches cauldrins that used to spin around, sort of like the old cut a lup that used to be next to dodgems. I had just had an orange soda before I got on the ride. I was 12 years old.

Three hours the first year of SOB ( When they were running just one train ) Three hours opening day for Firehawk( Again just running one train.) Two hours forty-five minutes for M Force ( and well worth the wait.)

How can a roller coaster economically succeed if only the front seat provides a proper ride?

It seems like a lot of people are being denied entry on Millennium Force incorrectly. I have a bit of a middle age spread but I have always been able to get on the ride. After you fasten your seat belt they require you to pull on it until the black part is pulled 1 inch. Sometimes after it rains I find it is harder to pull on the belt because of its dampness. I have seen people who do not seem to be much thicker than myself in the waist being not allowed to ride. I agree with Interpreter that often it has nothing to do with the size of the person but a problem with the seat belt. Park Operations really needs to get involved more in this issue.

I have been going to KI since it opened in 1972 when I was 11 before which my parents took my sister and I to old Coney Island. ( For those of you too young to remember KI was built because of flooding at Coney Island regularly.) My dad used to take me to KI about once each summer until I was in the sixth grade after which I started going with my friends. My dad loved roller coasters and I remember him taking me on The Racer and us both loving it. Unfortunately my father had to stop riding coasters after having open heart surgery in 1988. I just came across KI Central by accident after surfing the internet. I am so glad I did as it has been a blast exchanging our two cents among ourselves. Also I got to meet some nice people at the event on 8/4 who hopefully will become good friends in the future.