Cedar Point Trip Report 10/19-10/21 & MoR!

[robintodd]

Ok, so every year me, my wife and my son go to Cedar Point on the last weekend, unfortunately because of a scheduling conflict we had to go the second-to-last.

Friday we checked into Breakers around 10pm. My wife (and I) love Breakers. The hotel is decorated to the max along with music. It really has a Halloween feel to it (plus it's 100+ years old). My son decided to take a nap (typical 14 year old) so my wife and I headed into the park. Blue streak was a walk on so we did that, afterward we did Millennium Force and waited 15 minutes. While walking we went through the Fright Zone and Carn-Evil. I love the walk thru "scare zones". They are my favorite. No wait, lots of scare and the ability to see others get scared (I saw one actor have two girls on the ground in a fetal position screaming just by standing over them!)

Saturday, as has been stated previously was ridiculous! We went straight to Maverick at opening and waited an hour and a half (it impresses me that Cedar Point takes the time to make sure the ride wait signs are as correct as can be). Front seat only had 3 groups waiting so the wife and I headed there, the son miss counted (did I mention he's 14 ) and went 1 ride ahead of us. Awesome ride. By that time it was about 1:30 and the park was PACKED. We took in the magic show just across from Maverick. Very nice, audience participation, kid-oriented but an appeal from adults as well. We walked around for a bit and went to Friday's in Breakers to watch the OSU game (go BUCKS). Afterward my wife and son went up to the room to take a nap. During that time I went to go see Monsters of Rock. This show is AWESOME! It puts ANYTHING I have seen at KI in the past 15 years to shame. You can catch pieces of it up on you tube. The show is simple a four piece band (drums, bass, lead & rhythm/keyboards) with 3 female singers and 4 male singers. It is in the small saloon just past Millennium force. The venue was PACKED. Standing room only. They started just playing and did a FANTASTIC set. Mostly 80's rock. Guns & Roses, Poision, AC/DC with a new song or two mixed in. The voices were spot on and blended very well. The musicians were perfect. When my wife and son got up I told them we had to go see the show. Before that show a gentleman stated he was video taping the performance because the show was up for an award. It deserves to win. The second show was better than the first. It really grows on you quick. The finale is Kickstart my Heart and really drives. I saw kids there head-banging! The audience ranged in age and everyone seemed very pleased. If you have ANY chance to see this show next weekend DO IT. I could have sat through all the performances that night (while drinking beer!) and I would have had a great time. After the show, we walked through Fright Zone, CarnEvil and FearFaire. Fear Faire is my favorite. The have an animatronic dragon that was amazing. I could easily just sit in the zones and watch other people get scared and be entertained.

Sunday we got up and headed in to ride Top Thrill Dragster. The lines were much more manageable, 1 hour wait. After that we rode Magnum (30 minutes) and then headed home.

All-in-all although I won't go until the last weekend next year, the Monsters of Rock show saved the Saturday. After seeing that show in a venue that could hold maybe 100 max I am very disappointed in Dead Awakening at KI. Monsters of Rock would EASILY fill International Showplace with people standing outside just to hear it. The singers are done in make up (even a vampire with red-eye contacts) but the groove of the show is awesome. The do "what about love" by Heart and the 3 girls sang their butts off. One word describes the show ENERGY. Tons of it. Cedar Fair should take that show and put it at every one of it's parks. For those of you who are going to ask yes, it is 10 times better than school of rock. Again it's the energy, variety and the talent that sets this show apart from anything I've seen in a long time. I hope this show wins, they deserve it.

Finally I wish to say that Cedar Point had NO LINES for scare zones. Why do WE???? Even packed the monsters still scare, it's easier for them to blend in! The park looked beautiful as always. I hope the start to pull more of that feel to KI.

Todd

[CoastersRZ]

Well, up until about a couple weekends in last year, Kings Island did not regulate the amount of people going through the fear zones. When they moved the Worksite from its location by Slingshot to the path between the Dodgems and IJST, they made both the Worksite and CornStalkers be one directional, and had lines.

I must admit, the fact that these midways are closed during the day, also makes it difficult to move from the front of the park to the back of the park.