Thursday, March 28, 2024

Cedar Point Opens 2018 Season With a Vengeance

 

Cedar Point will open for the 2018 season on Saturday, May 5 with the first public rides on the new multi-record-breaking Steel Vengeance™ roller coaster. The park known as “A Place Like No Other™” is the perfect multi-day getaway for many reasons, and now there are even more park enhancements to see, ride and explore.

Steel Vengeance World Premiere Weekend

This weekend is the grand opening of Steel Vengeance, the world’s first hyper-hybrid roller coaster. Guests can enjoy live music, meet the ride’s trio of “outcasts,” receive commemorative giveaways, play a special scratch-off game to win park prizes, and of course, ride the latest scream machine to stake its claim in FrontierTown.

Adding to the entertainment is Loop Rawlins, best known for his trick roping and whip cracking on the hit show America’s Got Talent. Rawlins will have several performances on the Gossip Gulch stage.

Steel Vengeance stands 205 feet over the park and shatters 10 world records, including tallest, fastest and longest hybrid coaster, steepest drop on a hybrid coaster, most inversions on a hybrid roller coaster, the roller coaster with the most airtime (the feeling of weightlessness over large hills) in the world and more.

Fresh Eats

In addition to Steel Vengeance, FrontierTown is also home to a variety of new food locations, including Sidewinder Sue’s. Sue’s serves up sidewinder fries – curly potato fries with choices of toppings like pulled pork, brisket or chili. Just steps away, Miss Keat’s Smokehouse is serving up barbecue brisket, pork, wings, sausage and savory sides, with many of the meats smoked on site.

Steel Vengeance-themed food comes to the Round Up where new gourmet burgers debut, like the Blackjack Burger, Sizzlin’ Chess Burger and the Digger Challenge Burger. Steel Vengeance Brownie Bandit ice cream is available at Toft’s Ice Cream Parlor and the Vengeance Funnel Cake, available at CJ’s Provisions and Bayou Refreshments, adds soft-serve ice cream, hot fudge, chocolate syrup, caramel topping and whipped cream to the famous sweet dessert.

In Coasters Drive-In, the Hot Rod Burger speeds into the park with two patties, Applewood smoked bacon, barbecue sauce and beer cheese, and the new Birthday Cake Shake provides a cool treat at Toft’s Ice Cream Parlor.

On the Main Midway, guests can select from a plethora of custom cotton candy flavors at Cotton Candy Creations. Choices include maple bacon, bubblegum, birthday cake, sour grape, Georgia peach, strawberry-banana and more.

New Souvenir Stops

At the front of the park, a completely renovated gift shop opens as Point Plaza. Guests looking for the perfect Cedar Point souvenir will find it here, whether that’s a t-shirt, hat, sweatshirt, magnet or collectable. In FrontierTown, the General Store & Trading Post have also undergone makeovers and provide a wide variety of themed souvenirs.

New Places to Stay

The beachfront Hotel Breakers opens with a new six-story tower, located adjacent to the main hotel. Featuring a total of 669 guest rooms and suites, the classic hotel offers several guest amenities, including Early Entry – the chance to enter the park one hour before the general public to ride some of Cedar Point’s biggest rides, popular dining options, discounted ticket packages and the closest rooms to Cedar Point’s gates.

The Lighthouse Point resort property, located on the tip of the Cedar Point Peninsula, introduces 25 new Ultimate RV Sites that feature full hook-ups, a private patio area, dining table with chairs, built-in charcoal grill and fire pit, new restrooms and a new bathhouse. The Ultimate RV Sites will open in June.

The Boardwalk

The expanded boardwalk allows guests to take a leisurely stroll along the famous Cedar Point Beach as they make their way from the main parking lot to the tip of the peninsula. The boardwalk also connects to Cedar Point Shores Waterpark, making it even easier to enjoy everything Cedar Point has to offer.

Live Entertainment

Music comes alive on the midways with “The Traildust Trio,” performing classic country in the Gazebo near Town Hall Museum; “The Tomfooleries” guitar duo entertains with comedy and music in the Palace Theatre and on FrontierTown’s streets; “The Swell Tones” serenade guests with their classic 50’s musical stylings on the Main Midway; the “Roving Beach Crew” wanders the midways, interacting with guests on their quest to find the Cedar Point Beach; and the “Summerdaze Band” takes the stage at Cedar Point Shores Waterpark.

The high-energy “Vertical Impact,” located in Celebration Plaza, delivers fast-paced action with acrobats, bikers, dancers and wild stunts. “Lusty Lil’s French Revue” comes to the Palace Theatre and “PEANUTS™ Block Party” comes together on the Main Midway as the perfect party for families.

Cedar Point shows are available at various times during the summer; schedules and times vary.

Planning a Visit

Cedar Point will open for the season May 5 & 6 with all rides and attractions scheduled to be open, including Millennium Force, Power Tower, Camp Snoopy, the Cedar Point & Lake Erie Railroad, maXair and more. The park is then closed Monday, May 7 through Friday, May 10 and reopens for daily operation on May 11.

For a complete operating schedule, guests can log on to cedarpoint.com.

Joe Kleiman
Joe Kleimanhttp://wwww.themedreality.com
Raised in San Diego on theme parks, zoos, and IMAX films, InPark's Senior Correspondent Joe Kleiman would expand his childhood loves into two decades as a projectionist and theater director within the giant screen industry. In addition to his work in commercial and museum operations, Joe has volunteered his time to animal husbandry at leading facilities in California and Texas and has played a leading management role for a number of performing arts companies. Joe previously served as News Editor and has remained a contributing author to InPark Magazine since 2011. HIs writing has also appeared in Sound & Communications, LF Examiner, Jim Hill Media, The Planetarian, Behind the Thrills, and MiceChat His blog, ThemedReality.com takes an unconventional look at the attractions industry. Follow on twitter @ThemesRenewed Joe lives in Sacramento, California with his wife, dog, and a ghost.

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