SusanM

I am planning to surprise my family with a trip to Cedar Point next summer. Because it will be a Christmas present to my teenagers, I want to splurge and stay at the Breakers, rather than go with my usual tendency to find something else at a better value.

I have read all about how the hotel is overpriced and not worth it unless you book the newer rooms, but the convenience of staying on-site and the hour-early admission are keeping me from changing my mind.

Here's my question: Is the early admission really worth it? I read on Trip Advisor that only certain rides are open at 9 am, and not necessarily the good ones. My boys will definitely want to go on the fastest, steepest, scariest, etc. roller coasters they have and skip just about every thing else. If these rides aren't available early, maybe I really should go elsewhere. Breakers Express seems like it could be an option. The other consideration is that DH and I will not be entering the park, so I thought the beach at the Breakers would be the ideal place for us to while away the day.

Does anyone have an opinion re/splurge on the Breakers or look elsewhere?

Thanks!

SusanM

TTT

cd

Susan, I can't answer your question about the early entry, we live 2hrs from CP so we never stay overnight. However, I just want to encourage you to stay at the Breakers if you can afford it. The location can't be beat! We go every year just to walk around the park. We've gone thru the hotel many times and sat beside their pools with a drink. The back of the hotel has the pools and the Lake and TGIF's, and a boardwalk and a really nice beach. The front of the hotel is the Park so you just park your car and leave it until you're ready to leave. The Express is a decent hotel and cheaper but you would have to drive into the parking area of the Park. There's no better location than the Hotel Breakers, if you can afford it, go for it!

I want to really encourage you to go into the Park. As I said my husband and I do this every year, our kids are grown and married now but he and I still go. We don't ride many of the rides anymore, but truly love the shows and just walking the different areas, Re: FrontierLand and riding the train and skyride all around, it is a huge Park! http://tinyurl.com/2afc5qk We always walk out of the main park into the marina area for lunch at Famous Daves...pretty good BBQ but what we like is sitting outside on the deck and watching the boats. This year we are trying an upscale waterfront restaurant, by the marina but still walkable. http://www.lymanharbor.com/restaurant.htm It has good reviews.

Well, as you can tell, we love Cedar Point. If you have any questions, I will be glad to try and answer them. If you want another vacation day, Put-in-Bay is close. You can take the JetExpress over, rent a golf cart and tour the island. Fun!http://www.jet-express.com/ferry-ser...avel/schedules

cd

Just realized I gave you two sites for restaurants and missed the one for their shows: http://a2view.wordpress.com/2010/05/...-shows-review/

SusanM

Thanks for the help and recommendations, CD. I do think I'll go for the Breakers, as I really want to make this a splurgy kind of surprise for the kids. I've booked us into some cheapo places before, and they haven't let me live it down!

We'll be tacking this trip onto the heading-home portion of a visit to PA for DH's 30th High School Reunion, so Put-in-Bay won't work this time, but I've heard it's fun! (I heard him tell our son the other night that visiting the Pro Footbal Hall of Fame is on his bucket list, so that'll have to get squeezed in there, too.)

zabes

cd,

Just wanted to let you know that you cannot walk to the Lyman Marina restaurant. It is on the other side of the bay. You might be thinking of the Bay Harbor Restaurant at Cedar Point?

http://www.cedarpoint.com/public/par...ut/bay_harbor/

dsgmi

We've only done the Hotel Breakers once, but it was great! Make sure to get a room in the new part of the hotel (the tower). My SIL had one in the older part and it was very musty; the original rooms, while more historic, were not equipped with AC and the window units do not always do the trick. If it works with your schedule, do get there to go in early. Your kids will be able to get in line for a ride that is usually a long wait (pick one), ride it and get in line for another before the crowds fill the park. This works especially well if you hit the rides at the back of the park, near the Breakers, while the masses are coming in the front. You can also stop in at the room for a rest or to eat. We arrived early the day of our stay, and while we couldn't check in yet we could go to the park. At the end of the day we were able to ride until the last possible moment, getting on the second to last car for the Maverick. They will let you get in line until 'park closing' and then let everyone in line ride. Staying late without having the drive home after riding all day was terrific for us. We had breakfast the next morning, our DS used the pool and we had a leisurly ride home. I don't know the timing of your trip...I guess it's possible that you will be staying the night before your day at CP and getting there early won't be an issue. You could really treat the kids and stay two nights!!!

cd

zabes, thank you so much! Darn,darn,darn! I purchased a $50.00 coupon for $25.00 from our local radio station thinking that was the restaurant we could walk to! I am so glad you said something, now I know we will have to drive!

zabes

cd,

It's not very far and it's a nice place. You can eat outside and watch the boats there too. I've not eaten there, only been there at night for the bands on the patio which is really fun too.

cd

Thanks again zabes, you saved us a walk!