Cedar Point OR SF Great America in June

I am planning only one park visit this year, and it will either be to Great America or Cedar Point. My mainreason for going to Cedar Point woud be Gatekeeper, and from what i have read about the cedar fair platimum pass from members of coasterbuzz. (thank you) It might turn out to be a good investment. If I go, it will be during he week, and end with a weekend camping trip, so a few days at the park, and cheaper place to crash, then staying a hotel.

The only things I have not experienced ar Gatekeeper, Windseeker, and the Dinosaur attraction. I have done eveything else at the park many times. My main issue with Cedar Point is the distance, and the possiblity of mob crowds. I have been there and done that, and it makes for a very long day.

My interest in Great Ameirca is a bit higher than Cedar Point, as I have not been there since Superman was their newest addition. I have not been on any of the new rides added since, nor have I seen the water park. The question is, are all of the newer additions worth it? my main interests are Raging Cajun, and x-flight. I am just curious as to what effect the addition of the water park has had on crowds. Is it like MA, where peope jam the water park and the ride lines ae short? Or, is the whole park packed to the walls, as in previous years.

My past experience with great America, is that lines are bareable, and a ot of the waiting is done in shade, instead of in the baking sun, like at cedar point. But, since I have not been there in so long, I do not know what to expect.

Any comments?

Also want to thank you guys for putting up with me. I know I say a lot of things that piss people off. But, just speaking my mind. But, hey, sometimes the banter is great entertainment!

I went to SFGAm a few years back in August, I think. I went on some weekdays, and with the exception of Raging Bull, I barely waited for anything (and Raging Bull wasn't so much long as it was more of a not-quite-walk-on as opposed to everything else). SUF had a line the second day, but I power-rode the daylights out of it mid-afternoon on the first day, so I didn't mind missing it the second time around.

Cedar Point, well, yeah, an un-crowded day likely still sees some lines. That being said, the coaster collection is, at least to me, well worth the visit.

I pick Great America hands down for the coasters, but Cedar Point has a much higher level of overall service. CPs ride capacity efficiency is probably 30% higher than GAs. But you've been to both places, sounds like your leaning towards GA. Just go! If you go on a weekday in early June, it won't be crowded at all. Both trains are finally on Batman backwards. So prepare for random 30 minute shutdowns for protein spills.

Hey! Paragraphs! It's a start. I still didn't read it, but this time I can happily say it wasn't because it was a wall of text.

Cedar Point until about July sees lowly attended days. However, thats not to say it wont still have lines for the better coasters. Last week, we waited about an hour for Maverick with a few minor hiccups that were about 5 minutes of us standing still. However, Gatekeeper may see longer lines as more people are out of school in June. I can't give you an honest accessment of how the lines will be since i have waited no more than twenty minutes in my one ride that didn't occur on media day.

Six Flags on the otherhand i did last year in the middle of July. It was a Tuesday if that helps as well. Supes gets a line early and was still pretty packed later in the day. Ragin Cajun was a half hour wait if not more in the mid afternoon when i was there. If you want to get on it for credits sake skip Supes and go there first and then work to V2 and Batman as they were slow in the morning. The Dark Knight, which is basically a wild mouse enclosed had a short wait in the early afternoon when i was there. X-Flight the line moved fairly well seeing as they only had one train on it. It was about 45 minutes and then later in the day they added the second train. Viper to me was a solid woodie and the Whizzer was a cool coaster as well for me. Raging Bull was about a half an hour wait, but a very lackluster B&M mega for me. All in all i thought it was the best Six Flags i have been to for sure.

Honestly if you go in June, I don't think you go wrong either way, but if you want more new experiences six flags is the answer, if you want to be thrilled more go to Cedar Point because i think they have the better coasters.

When The comment box will load for me, paragraphs are my friend Vater. My interent connection is fast enough today where I do not have suffer with a mobile post. Though I want to throw my keyboard out the window! As the letters stick, so I have to go through the post and fix words constantly! So much for my typing words per minute count!!

And, I forgot about Batman running backwards. That's another plus, and something I would certainly love to try. Thanks coasterguy! That takes the priority up a notch. Forgot to mention that I hate driving through Chicago!!, and the other drawback is finding a cheap place to stay while I am there.

Does anyone know if Great America still has the twicket? Where you get a big discount off a second day? What about Cedar Point, do they offer a second day discount? In case I decide not to go with platinum?

Wish I still had disposable income, I would do both. I'm not really thrilled with the idea of the Dark Knight, it seems to me that it would be pretty boring. I have been on a few Mad Mouse coasters, and don't find them that exciting. Another Great America negative would be the vanish of Iron Wolf. Rough, but it was one of my favorite rides there.

I can't decide where to go....the park I don't like that I was at in 2010 with the coasters I've ridden or the park I do like that I haven't been to since 2002 with the coasters I haven't.... hmmmm.... decisions, decisions.....

Timber-Rider said: Forgot to mention that I hate driving through Chicago!!, and the other drawback is finding a cheap place to stay while I am there.

You *could* take the Skyway to Stoney Island, go local to LSD and take that to Hollywood Ave -> Peterson -> I-94. It's more lights, but depending on your temperament, is less annoying than sitting in the HUGE parking lot that is I-94 through downtown. I-294 is another option, but don't know it well myself.

Timber-Rider said: Does anyone know if Great America still has the twicket? Where you get a big discount off a second day?

I don't know about that, but for the full price of on day ($61.99) you can come back the rest of the year. It's basically a season pass minus Fright Fest. Of course, with a Coke can you get $20 off that price, but then I'm not sure if it still works as a season pass. It's always confusing... Then of course, you can get a Gold Pass and come anytime - including parking.

If I had my choice it would be Cedar Point. I believe Cedar Point has every type of coaster that Great America does and on a larger scale in some cases. Now I will say that Great America is running Batman BACKWARDS this season but not sure how novel of a concept that is going to be. Ill find out when I get there in August =D Now I do have to ask one silly question: Why only ONE theme park this summer?

^Great America also has Whizzer and 2 GREAT woodies (well, when American Eagle is in a good mood. Red side, please.) And 2 wild mice.

Wizzer's line can get outrageous because I won't wait more than 15 min for it. I do LOVE Viper. It's a mirror image of Cyclone at Coney Island. Now I know why so many people love Cyclone.

Was kind of in the same boat last summer. I could have went to CP, which is 4.5 hrs from where I live or SF which is 3.5 (assuming CHi-town traffic is OK). I go to CP at least once a season and hadnt been to SF in over 10 years. It seems like as easy decision, but I know exactly what I was getting with Cedar Point and sometime its hard to change. However, when push came to shove, I decided to go to Six Flags. A decision I was glad I made. Had an incredible day in the park and got to ride some incredible coasters that I hadnt ridden yet. In my opinion I thought that xflight was just as good as Gatekeeper. Is say go to SF.

Hey gaycoasterguy. If I decide to go to Great America, I will most likely drive through chicago very early in the morning before the rush hour starts, most likely around 5 a.m, then take a nap at one of the rest areas north of Chicago. If you hit chicago very early in the morning, there is very little traffic on 94. I would be more worried about the 80/90 traffic.

I also know the 294, but, don't think I want to be on the toll road, as the last few times I was on it, it was under construction, and traffic was moving at a snails pace. I have made the trip to Great America many times over the years. It can take as little as 4 hours to get there from Grand Rapids, if you time it right, but, hitting Chicago at gridlock, will quickly turn your 4 hour trip into a 7 or 8 hour trip.

They last ime I went to great America, I also had a buy 1 get 1 free ticket, so my friend and I only paid $23.00 each to get it. Which was cheaper than a day at Michigan's Adventure! But $61.00 was more than I was expecting to pay, so, may lean back toward Cedar Point. But, that is only if I can score a platinum pass before I decide to go.

Having a place to stay, and less worry about traffic problems will be my main concerns. That and the frickin price of gas, that is $3.99 here now. I wish someone would do something about the oil bastards, they are ruining our economy, and they don't give a crap.

Hey Tyler. If I go to Great America or Cedar Point, I will most likely skip rides that I have been on a million times. I have been on the Whizzer so many times, I wouldn't think twice about skipping it, unless lines are short, then I would go for a spin. My main ride Choices at great America woul be, Batman, Ragin Cajun, Superman, Raging Bull, Viper, and X-Flight. I would most likely hit x-flight first, or batman, then do the rest as I circle the park. Depending on what the lines at like. Viper is one of my favorite coasters. Can skip Demon, Whizzer, and the eagle.

As for Cedar Point, my main goal is scoring rides on Gatekeeper, the rest doesn't really matter. Could spend the whole day in the front of the park and I would be happy, though If it is hot, I might do Shoot the Rapids, haven't been on that yet, and maybe stroll the Dinobore attraction. Though if it does end up being Cedar Point, I might do more than one day.

If it is Great America, I will most likely go for the day, and return home, and stop again at a rest area to take a nap, so I don't have to spend a whole lot of cash. I do know some people who live in the Chicago area, should ask if I could bum the couch. Who knows, they might want to tag along!

Plat pass gives free entry to Dinosours alive, I think.

Damn oil bastards, selling us something we want at a price we're willing to pay. What kind of business model is that?

People gotta drive.

People do gotta drive. But as long as people are going to pony up $3.99 a gallon gas stations will charge $3.99 a gallon. Gas stations haven't reached, nor, I'd guess, even come close, to a price point that would cause people to use less gas. That's all I'm saying.

That's a little different than the prices at parks. Driving isn't some leisure activity, it's a means of transportation. If I have to get to work and there are no other alternatives but to drive, then I HAVE to pay for gas, regardless of what price it is, unless I don't have the means to pay, then I'm probably out of a job. It's not selling me something I want by any means, I'd much rather have mass transit or an electric car.

I remember a few years ago when gas went well above $4 a gallon and I know I didn't use gas for transportation to leisure activities for a few months. We haven't really seen gas get that high again in most places, for a sustained amount of time.

If you live in an urban location where public transportation doesn't suck, you don't have to pay for gas.