anyone camp at Cedar Point?

[funhouse8]

Just wondering how this campground is. We will be heading there this summer and thought some of you might know. We know it's not Disney but hey we heard they have some great coasters there. Are there any sites that are better then the rest? Any input would be greatly appreicated.

 

[bigdisneydaddy]

I am interested as well, We have ressies for June 24 and 25

 

[georgina]

We camped there several years ago, but I'm sorry I don't remember much about the campground. I think they had some back-in sites and some pull-through sites. I don't remember it being very shady, it was pretty open. There was a shuttle to the park. It cost me more to camp there than it did at Disney! We mostly used it as a place to sleep and spent the days at Cedar Point. They do have a lot of roller coasters now. I remember when they only had the Blue Streak and there was no Frontier Town. A group from our school went last week and said the wait for the Top Thrill dragster was 6 hours.

 

[bigdisneydaddy]

A friend of mine chaperoned a church group last week and said "minimum 4-5 hrs" on Top Thrill Dragster. Thats a long time to wait for a 20 second ride.

 

[bianca]

We camped there for one night about 3 years ago. We just really don't get too excited about Cedar Point, as we live only a few hours away and it is definitely NO DISNEY!!! The campground as I recall was very crowded, no shade and with over-used and out-dated bathrooms. The sites were pretty small, as we only had a 30' travel trailer at the time and had a time getting in (would never dream of taking our 36' fifth wheel). Perhaps they have up-dated everything since then ...... although I have my doubts. I have been to Cedar Point periodically over the last 30 years and truthfully, outside of adding a larger coaster every year, not much has changed. True roller coaster aficianados LOVE Cedar Point, but for us we prefer the pristine family atmosphere of Disney. If you love long wait lines for short rides and don't mind standing in the direct sun for hours on end to do it, then by all means have a great time! It is worth experiencing at least once!

 

[TheRustyScupper]

1) The campgorund is showing its age.
2) However, it is still pleasant and close-by the park entrance.

3) I realize Cedar Point is no Disney, due to the theming.
4) But, if you want thrill rides, there is no other "Roller Coast".

PS - Can you imagine 420-feet tall coaster and 120-mph? This is not Goofy's Barnstormer.

 

[Camping Disney]

Ok, let's talk the Point!! The campground at Cedar Point was completely remodeled last year!! The sites are very large and most are paved. They do NOT allow any campfires, but all sites do have a grill and table. By staying at the park, you are entitled to enter Cedar Point 1 hour before all the other guests. You will only get this, however, if you specifically request the pass from the campstore. You can only receive one pass per day, so you have to ask for one on each day of your stay. I have a lot of info. on Cedar Point as we have been passholders for many years. I personally prefer a campground that is less than a mile from the causeway. Any questions, please e-mail me at anytime!!

 

[funhouse8]

Thanks for all your replies but most of all to Camping Disney, You made me feel better. We are staying on site so we can get in early and run to Top Thrill dragster and maybe not have to wait for six hours. We are not worried about the camp fire because we plan to be in the park till it closes. I know it's not Disney but it's still fun! My kids love the big coasters and it's a great way to get the older kids to still go on vacations with us.

 

[Mcert01]

If you like coasters you are going to LOVE Cedar Point. The best thing about Top Thrill Dragster is the 5 hour wait! No, I haven't lost my mind. While everyone is in line for TTD you can take advantage of relatively short lines at the #1 (Millennium Force), #3 (Magnum) and #12 (Raptor) coasters in the world, not to mention the Mantis (awesome standup coaster), Power Tower, Mean Streak (great wooden coaster) and the rest. There are 16 coasters all together.

Take advantage of the early entry to ride the Dragster, then enjoy the rest of coaster heaven.

As far as the campground is concerned, you should enjoy it. While it is no Fort Wilderness (no crime since no other campground is either), it is very nice, convienant to the park, and offers some alternatives.

The "old" section is more heavily treed, providing good shade. The shower houses are clean, and have plenty of shower stalls to limit, or eliminate, waits. They are a short walk to the entrance to Soak City, Cedar Point and Challenge Park. You can also catch a shuttle to any of the parks or restaurants on the grounds. The downside is that they offer only electric hookups, and are farther away from the new pool and hot tub. Also, since it is closer to the back entrance of Cedar Point, and the Soak City parking lot and Magnum in particular, it can be a bit noisy at night. The Magnum runs until everyone in line at closing gets to ride. Though with Millennium Force and now TTD, this has not been as big an issue as in the past. Also, CP cleans the parking lots every night, and the machines can be a bit loud.

The "new" section is in "Lighthouse Point". Cedar Point has built cabins on Lake Erie, and added full hook-up campsites, a pool and hot tub. The sites are all good sized, and are clean and dead level. There is a shuttle that can take you to any park entrance, hotel or restaurant on the grounds - with minimal waits - though you are still close enough to walk to Soak City, CP and the Challenge Park. Also, the campsites are just far enough away that you don't get the noise late at night. The Mean Streak is the closest coaster to the sites, and unlike Magnum, it closes at normal hours.

The only downside is that the sites offer little shade. We prefer the back-in sites to the pull throughs because they offer a little more shade.

CP has just updated their website. You can get more information and pictures by going to their Resort page and clicking on Camper Village.

Good Luck!

CP June, 2003
FtW Feb, 2004

 

[Whosemom]

Yipee!!! Ohio in the spring!!!! (ok, almost...)

Cedar Point June 13, Kings Island June 21. My 4 yr old is so excited to get back on beastie and jr gemini, she may burst.

We were thinking about the campgrounds - thanks for asking, and thanks for answering

 

[TRAPPED-PARENT]

We have camped at Cedar Point in a pop-up several times. We've also stayed at the campground near the causeway off-site.

Staying on-site is the way to go. As with WDW, you have the perks of early entry. They have a shuttle that will take you to the other entrances (we like to go in at the Marina entrance). They have church services at the large hotel on Sunday mornings. You don't have to mess with parking and joining the HUGE herd of people at the main gate. The causeway/parking fee is reimbursed at campground check-in, so remember that when calculating the cost of staying on-site.

Most of all, I like the fact that we can walk back to the camper mid-day for a short nap / lunch and then stay until the park closes without having to worry about driving in the dark or when we are tired. I also tend to "poop out" before the rest of the family and so will walk back to the camper on my own to begin my nightly "getting ready for bed" ritual.

The campground is not "Ft. Wilderness", but I have stayed at ones that are worse (Yogi Bear near SeaWorld in Ohio). You are at an amusement park, so it is pretty quiet during the day as most people are in the park. The noise of the coasters can be lessened by having a fan running (for white noise ... old camping trick!!). Also, most people just tend to stay just one or two nights so you don't have the problem of the drunken friends/relatives visiting and drinking beer by the campfire (not allowed) all night! Sorry about that, maybe I've stayed at too many Michigan State Parks!!!

Anyway, same as WDW ... being onsite has it's definite advantages!!!

 

[Mcert01]

I guess we have been fortunate. The Michigan State Parks we stay at don't have the problem you described. In fact, the parks we typcially stay at are very family oriented and strickly enforce quiet hours and guest visitation hours. Where do you stay? I want to be sure to avoid those particular parks.

 

[funhouse8]

I have another question. can you rent a boat at the marina? The kids want to rent a motor boat and pull a tube on lake Eirie. Is this allowed? Thanks, Gina

 

[Mcert01]

I don't believe you can. However, there may be someplace outside offsite where you can rent a boat. You may want to try the following link: http://www.sandusky.net/

Good Luck

 

[TRAPPED-PARENT]

We stay at Van Buren State Park outside South Haven. Actually we have learned which part of the campground to avoid so don't have the problem quite as much now. Since we go each year for a week or more, we know which spots to reserve and which ones to avoid.

If you stay there and want some quiet, reserve a site away from the lake side ... the west side of the park gets quite full with "families" that haul in loads of wood and 20 bikes and then proceed to have about 30 people come to visit. One year it got so bad that when we were sitting at our campfire the kids would run through our site between us and our fire!!! That same year, a neiboring site put their radio on loud first thing in the morning and left it on all day!! Ugh!!! That's the last year we stayed on that side of the park!

 

[Mcert01]

Wow, sounds like someplace I want to avoid. Here are some "family friendly" alternatives you might want to try:

Holly State Park: Best camp sites in the whole state park system in my opinion - very private sites and it doesn't feel crowded even when its full.

Ludington State Park: Lots of things to do, lighthouse, beach on Lake Michigan and on Hamlin Lake, boat rentals, nice trails, etc.. You take a leisurely tube ride on the Big Sable River which ends in Lake Michigan.

Aloha: Sites right on Mullett Lake - swim from your site

North (not South) Higgins State Park - Higgins is rated as one of the top 10 most beautiful lakes in the world - not overrated.

Petoskey State Park: Great beach on Little Traverse Bay - at most a two minute walk from any campsite

Young State Park is also beautiful and right on Lake Charlevoix.

Also, most of the UP (Upper Penninsula) parks I've stayed at are much less crowded and very beautiful.

Hope this helps

 

[yoopermom]

I know this is kind of a thread hijack, but as a fellow Michigander(?), I have to say that I was a little shocked at staying at some downstate campgrounds last summer after staying at more "resort-like" private campgrounds. Gaylord, for example, had a beautiful beach, but scads and scads of parties/families/extra people. This was the first campground where I absolutely would not let 8DS walk anywhere alone because of the roving "gangs" of preteen boys talking mouthy and looking for trouble. A few KY state run campgrounds had similar problems.

To keep this on track, if we ever go to CP, we'll definately stay at the campground!
Terri the Yoopermom

 

[TRAPPED-PARENT]

In defense of Van Buren State Park ... it is mostly on weekends that things get crazy. You have a lot of "locals" who frequent the park rather than those on a trip.

We live only 45 minutes from there ourselves. In fact, this is one of the pluses for us because we can run back to town for any appointments, etc or if we want to have one of the kids friends stay for just a couple of days. My DH tends to work part of the time we are booked as well.

The east side of the campground is usually pretty quiet during the week and then on the weekend that side tends to fill with people from Indiana and Illinois who tend to be there to jet ski, etc so are gone most of each day.

Rather than give up on the park, we have learned what we need to do to live with it. Staying on the east side of the campground is worlds away from what the west side is like.

-----
Cedar Point is pretty quiet because everyone is just there for a day or two to go into the park. Because of the low water table, they don't allow tents; they also don't allow sleeping in your vehicle; they don't allow roller blading, bikes, etc. In other words if you're camping there it is to go to the park.

[Ft. Wilderness is similar in that "most of the time" things are fairly quiet because people are there for the parks and are gone most of the day. Exception is around holidays when the locals and all their relatives/friends camp on one spot. Oh yes, we saw a similar "Michigan State Park"-like site there one year (loop 1500) when we were there over Easter -- 3 vehicles on a site with about 20 people and the uncle who snored real loud slept in the van with the window down!!! Ugh!!]

If you do go to Cedar Point and have an extra day, try taking a ferry to one of the Lake Erie Islands (Kelly's Island, South Bass) ... lots of fun!!

If you live out of the Sandusky, Ohio area, you can call for a nice brochure with lots of money-saving coupons at 1-800-BEST FUN.

 

[gcooker]

We have stayed at Cedar Point the last 2 years. We have two kids 5 & 8 and have found it very nice to be able to walk back to the camper when ever you need too. As discribed before there is two camper areas - Old - camper circles that are elec only (mabye some water) and the - New - Light house point with full hookup including cable. The sights are nice. They are not really wide at either place. The lighthouse point sites are close to a nice pool and water play area (& hot tub) We will most likely be back again this year.

I would also like to second the recomendation for Holy state park.

I would also recommend the alcona park by Glennie Mi. It is very busy during the major holidays but is nice the rest of the time. They have rustic, semi modern (water & elec) and full hook ups. http://alconapark.com/

have fun - be safe