Cedar Point is a hoppenin' theme park located along the shores of Lake Erie. For more than 150 years, this amusement park has created fun memories for families with kid-friendly experiences, thrilling coasters, a mile-long beach, water park, on-site hotels, dining and special events. Get excited as Cedar Point reopens May 6! (And be sure to get your discount tickets through Undercover Tourist!)
Overview of Cedar Point in Ohio
Cedar Point is based in Sandusky, Ohio along the shores of Lake Erie. It is the second-oldest amusement park in North America, having first opened in 1870! This summer tradition has evolved over the years into a complete resort with more than 70 rides, live shows, dining, a mile-long beach, on-site hotels and the Cedar Point Shores Waterpark.
The Cedar Fair amusement park is made up of ten themed lands with three kids areas (Kiddie Kingdom, Planet Snoopy, Camp Snoopy), three wild west inspired lands (Frontier Trail, Frontier Town, Forbidden Frontier) and four midways (Main Midway, Lakeside Midway, Millennium Midway and Gemini Midway).
Debuting in 2023, The Boardwalk will be an entirely new area along Cedar Point Beach. Enjoy new and revitalized attractions, the debut of the Grand Pavilion dining venue and roaming entertainment.
Cedar Point Hours, Location and Map
After its seasonal closure, Cedar Point reopens on May 6, 2023! Cedar Point Shores Waterpark will open on May 26, 2023. Both parks will be open for the summer through Labor Day Weekend. Cedar Point will then be open for select dates in September and October for HalloWeekends.
During the summer, Cedar Point typically opens at 10 a.m. and closes at either 8 p.m. or 10 p.m. depending on the peak season. Shores Waterpark is typically open from 11 a.m. to 6 or 7 p.m.
The resort is located on a peninsula along Lake Erie. As you can see on the map, the park is long and narrow and surrounded by water, making for some incredible views of one of the Great Lakes! Location-wise, it is approximately an hour from Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. If driving, parking typically costs $25.
Cedar Point Tickets
Day tickets and season passes are available for Cedar Point. Separate admission is required for the main park and the water park. There are both weekday and any-day ticket options. Tickets are typically valid for the entire season. Did you know your favorite frogs now offer discount tickets for both Cedar Point and Cedar Point Shores Waterpark?
Cedar Point Rides
Cedar Point may be most known for its coasters, but it also has lots of family-friendly attractions. There truly is something for everyone! You'll find beloved classic rides that the parent frogs will remember from their childhood as well as exciting new experiences. Note that many attractions have minimum height requirements.
A new attraction debuting in 2023 is Wild Mouse, a thrilling family coaster based on the crazy game of “cat and mouse”. Cars spin 360 degrees as they twist and turn along the track. No two rides are the same as the number of spins changes every time!
Thrilling Coasters
Billed as the roller coaster capital of the world, there are 18 world-class roller coasters at Cedar Point to enjoy. Did you know many of Cedar Point's coasters are record-breakers?
Near the entrance to the park, start your thrills with GateKeeper, which broke seven world records! You'll feel like you're flying with a 67 mph wing-over drop as well as two 100' key holes and a 180-degree rotation. Millennium Force, the first coaster to top 300 feet, soars through twists and drops at fast speeds, reaching up to 93 mph! You're in for a wild ride with Frontier Town's Maverick, featuring twists, corkscrews, launches and tunnels. Get ultimate thrills with Valravn, which debuted in 2016 as the tallest, fastest and longest coast in the nation! Seasoned frogs will definitely feel nostalgic with Cedar Point's oldest coaster, Blue Streak, which remains a classic wooden coaster for the bucket list.
Family-Friendly Rides
Not just for thrills, Cedar Point has something for all ages with three areas filled with rides and attractions for young kids and families. Planet Snoopy, Kiddy Kingdom and Camp Snoopy are the main children's areas, with select attractions throughout the park for those junior thrill seekers. Some attractions for kids still have shorter height requirements, while others have no required heights!
Perfect for tadpoles, Woodstock Express is a great coaster for families, reaching a height of 38 feet and speeds up to 25 mph. The whole family can enjoy the Dodgem bumper cars or just the littles can have their own fun with Joe Cool's Dodgem School. Soar up and down with the Peanuts-themed Balloon Race and Red Baron. Hop aboard Snoopy's Express Railroad for a fun train tour of Planet Snoopy!
Fast Lane
Maximize your time with Fast Lane, the paid skip-the-line option at Cedar Point. For $95 plus tax, a Fast Lane wristband allows you to bypass the standby lines for 22 rides. For $115 plus tax, Fast Lane Plus is eligible for all of those attractions plus Steel Vengeance, Maverick, Millennium Force and Valravn. Either pass allows for as many repeat rides as you would like. A limited amount of passes are sold each day so be sure to snag them early in the day before they sell out!
Dining and Shopping at Cedar Point
With all these exciting attractions, you'll definitely work up an appetite! There are more than 30 restaurants throughout Cedar Point. Many locations offer American cuisine with classic summer food like hot dogs and chicken tenders, along with barbeque, pizza and pasta. Various snack locations offer fries, popcorn, pretzels, drinks and cool desserts.
From Wild West theming and 50's diners to national chains such as Chick-fil-A and Panda Express. there's something for everyone at Cedar Point! Be sure to stop by BackBeatQue for all your barbeque needs and enjoy delicious Southern-inspired sides like mac 'n' cheese and corn muffins. The new Farmhouse Kitchen & Grill provides savory options in Frontier Town like wood-fired steak and roasted corn ribs. Hugo's Italian Kitchen offers hand-made pasta, meatball sandwiches and even family-size pizzas! Melt Bar & Grilled offers unique takes on the classic grilled cheese and other sandwiches along with lots of great beer and cocktail options.
Cedar Point Dining Plans
A great addition to your Cedar Point visit is choosing a dining plan. For one price per day per person, you can dine at select restaurants every 90 minutes! The All Day Dining plan is $31.99 plus tax and includes an entree and side while the All Day Dining Premium for $44.99 includes an entree and side or snack plus a drink wristband that allows for drink refills every 15 minutes. There are also plans with souvenir bottles or even a season pass dining add-on. Only certain menu items may be eligible for the dining plan so be sure to double-check at the restaurant.
Shopping
There are also a variety of stores throughout the park so you can grab some fun souvenirs! Easily located at Main Gate, Point Plaza is the largest gift shop at Cedar Point. Other large stores include Frontier Town Emporium, General Store and Pagoda Gift Shop, as well as smaller themed shops. Shop for Cedar Point memorabilia, Peanuts merchandise (who doesn't love Snoopy and crew?), ride-specific items and even unique items like handpainted china, candles, art and handcrafted woodwork. There are also smaller kiosks for caricatures, face painting and Henna tattoos.
Entertainment at Cedar Point
More than just rides, Cedar Point offers exciting entertainment options as well. There are plenty of live shows, music performers and characters to add to your fun day — with a mix of genres, there's something for everyone! Families will especially love Snoopy's Sing-Along and Charlie Brown's Funtime Frolics, plus enjoy meet-and-greets with the Peanut pals. Witness the Celebrate Cedar Point Parade on select dates in the summer and then enjoy the Celebrate Cedar Point Spectacular stage show. Be sure to check the Cedar Point app for a complete list of entertainment showtimes.
For extra fun, try out some of the carnival-style games and interactive activities throughout the park!
Cedar Point Shores Waterpark
Across from the main amusement park is Cedar Point Shores Waterpark, the largest water park in Ohio offering up 18 acres of splashin' fun. Open from May 26 to Sept. 4, 2023, Cedar Point Shores is the perfect way to cool off this summer.
The water park offers a variety of pools, slides and play areas so everyone can enjoy a dip in the pond. Tadpoles will especially love the splash areas and simple slides at Lakeslide Landing and Lemmy's Lagoon, named after the mythical Lake Erie monster, Lemmy. There's even a water obstacle course named Lily Pad Walk (clearly Lily's favorite area)! Families will love floating along the Cedar Creek lazy river or surfing the waves of Breakwater Bay wave pool. There are lots of water slides to choose from with varying levels of intensity leading up to thrilling attractions like Portside Plunge and Point Plummet, a six-story body slide plunge!
Enjoy meals at Crystal Rock Cafe, Dockside Grill and Lemmy's Walking Tacos. Relax by the water with drinks available at two outdoor pool bars and treat yourself to refreshing desserts with Dippin' Dots and Beaches & Cream ice cream.
Locker rentals are available to store your belongings during the day. Remember that Cedar Point Shores Waterpark requires separate admission from the amusement park.
Cedar Point Special Events
In addition to the regular fun at Cedar Point, there are also special events throughout the year. Calling all coaster lovers, CoasterMania! is a special ticketed event on June 2, 2023. This annual celebration of coasters offers exclusive ride time before and after park hours, lunch, special events and more. Light Up The Point on the Fourth of July with a dazzling fireworks display on Cedar Point Beach.
Frontier Festival
Running daily from May 25 to June 18, the annual event in Frontier Town features live music, character entertainment, specialty food and drink, interactive games, crafters and more. Guests can typically purchase a tasting card to sample the menu items. For adult frogs, a variety of craft brews and other alcoholic beverages are available for purchase.
HalloWeekends
Even after the summer park season ends, Cedar Point remains open on select days for HalloWeekends. Open on Thursdays through Sundays from Sept. 14 through Oct. 29, HalloWeekends is the perfect fall event for all ages. During the day, the fall festival is a great option for families. Tadpoles can enjoy many kid-friendly activities like trick-or-treating, mazes, costume contests, crafts and more, in addition to select attractions.
Once dark, the park transforms into a spooky celebration with monsters, fog and eerie music and lighting. Brave outdoor scare zones, haunted houses and spooky mazes. Enjoy terrifyingly wicked entertainment and specialty food and drink.
Tips and Tricks for Visiting Cedar Point
Here are some tips and tricks for a stress-free Cedar Point visit!
- Be sure to download the Cedar Point mobile app for helpful resources like ride wait times, mobile food ordering and even special app-exclusive offers.
- Note that Cedar Point is cashless, so you'll want to be sure to have your credit card, debit card or use Apple Pay or Google Pay on your phone. If need be, there are Cash-to-Card kiosks where you can put your cash onto a prepaid debit card.
- Consider purchasing a Single Day FunPix or FunPix season add-on to have unlimited photo downloads from your trip, including photos from select attractions, stationed photographers and character meet-and-greets.
- Stroller and wheelchair (both manual and electric) rentals at available for each day of your visit. There are also lockers available for rent. For certain coasters, you'll need to place your larger items in a locker before entering the queue.
- Staying at a Cedar Point on-site resort includes awesome benefits like discounted admission, early entry before park opening, free parking, free fountain drinks and more!
- Families with young kids should consider using Rider Swap. With this program, one parent waits in line and rides while the other parent waits with the child. The first parent then gives their Parent Swap pass to the ride operator and the second parent can walk up the exit to get right on the ride.
- There are two Family Care Centers in the park as excellent places for baby changing, nursing and taking a short break inside.
Well, there you have it, your complete guide to Cedar Point! Let us know if you have any questions in the comments below!
Related: Uncovering the Cedar Fair Parks — Tickets Now Available Through Undercover Tourist!
Hoppy planning!
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