From Boston to Cedar Point.

Not sure if I should post this in the trip reports as this is more a series of questions about a planned trip vs. a Report on one. So here is the deal. I have been a roller coaster enthusiast from the age of 12. However until now I have been confined to the trips my parents have made on our family vacation. "Hard to turn down a timeshare" That said I still manage to have my list at 120+ coasters. Anyways I'm now planning a trip with my wife to go to cedar point and everything around and on the way. We plan on having kids next year, so this will probably be my first and last non timeshare bound trip. Thus the plan is to hit as many points as possible on this 7 day trip.

A few notes.

I have the Cedar Fair Premium Season passes for the trip.

Parks planned.

Cedar Point 2days.

Dorney Park half a day (been a few times)

And Kings Island at some point on the trip.

Is their anything in the ohio area I am going to be killing myself for missing that wont take an entire day to get the full impact of?

Thanks. Sorry for being long winded.

If you've been to Dorney a few times, why not just skip and do some other park? You're driving from Boston to Ohio, there are Plenty on the way there. You seem to have Ohio covered, but I would suggest spending no time at Dorney and doing Kennywood instead, especially if you've never been.

My wife has yet to go to Dorney, plus its free. Were probably only stopping for a few hours for that one to get her list count up. Though I was considering Kennywood or Hershey Park (If I have time) for Hershey.

GalcianBTH said:

Sorry for the typo on the header.

Fixed. :)

Okay, do Dorney at opening for 2 hours or less, then do Hersheypark. You shan't need much time at Dorney.

Why not? I visited Dorney twice in two consecutive seasons and both times I stayed most of the day. Why must everything be rushed?

Accually my plan is now this.

Sunday morning leave

Sunday: Dorney 3pm to close.

Monday: Day at Hershey Park

Tues: Drive to Sandusky Hotel relax see a movie have a nice dinner.

Wed: Cedar Point

Thurs: Cedar Point

Fri: Kings Island

Sat: Rain Day Clean up- If one of the CP days or the Day at KI is affected by rain this is the buffer day.

Sunday: Long ass drive home.

Have not been this excited for a coaster trip in probably 10 years.

Curious..when are you going and where are you from? I didn't see that mentioned in your itinerary, but maybe I missed it.

Im from the Boston Area.

I am leaving sunday July 7th and driving home sunday July 14th.

I have no choice with the times, wives vacation time is what it is.

Well, I feel like a dolt now since the answer to one of my questions was in your header....

Hey I'm the one who put Cdar point in my header. Its cool. But yea traditionally my vacations have allays followed my family's time shares. They usually stay in PA, VA, and Florida. So Iv'e been to most all the parks within 4hrs of those areas, as well as most everything within 4hrs of me.

This is my first time I will be going to a state I have not been to for rides in over 8 years. However being we are going threw PA I did not want to rob my wife who's only been a coaster nut for 4 years of the parks we are driving right past.

(first coaster Kraken) rode on our Honey moon. Shes now up to a 40+ coaster count now.

Kennywood was just a healthy scratch because I can reasonably see us going back in a year or two. Ohio just wont be an option because well quite frankly we are going to start trying to have kids in Nov. After having kids it's going to again make more sense to stay in a beautiful timeshare with the family then go on a budget trip to cheap hotels.

Vater said:

Why not? I visited Dorney twice in two consecutive seasons and both times I stayed most of the day. Why must everything be rushed?

Depends on the situation. If you're passing thru and you only stop to get your wife the credits, the park can be done in 2 hours, and then move on, if you're on a multi-day trip and trying to do new things.

I spend an entire day open to close at the park and enjoyed it, but if I'm just passing thru, I would stop for 2 hours, tops. Heck, I have friends that have done every coaster in 90 minutes or less.

The park just isn't that busy on the rides side.

Plus, hershey has some policy that with a one day pass you can visit the night before for a few hours.

Yea I figure 3pm or 4pm to close will work out well. I quite enjoy Hydra for some reason so I know I will want to ride that a bunch of times. And at least every coaster front and back.

(our thing is we always ride every coaster front and back that gives you the option.)

Tekwardo said:
If you're passing thru and you only stop to get your wife the credits, the park can be done in 2 hours

Yeah, my bad. I missed the part where he said it was strictly to up the wife's count.

Mid July you will have lines for everything. I'm curious if your purpose it to experience the whole park or just the big rides?That will determine how much time you need at each park. Knoebels is partially between Dorney and Hershey and is worth a couple hours. Might I suggest reversing your plans to put the longest drive first? You will be tired at the end of the week and excited at the beginning of the week. It's a bit easier, I think, to do the longest drive first.

Lines? At Dorney? Since when?

The order of the trip is built around the few nights we have at a timeshare in PA. I've always done my trips mid July, so I'm no alien to the lines. At Dorney our only real intent is the coasters, same mostly for Hershey. For cedar realizing the sheer size of the park Ive set two days for the park, and a clean up day for either cedar point or kings island. Neither me or my wife are much into the flat rides.

Also, me an my wife are both used to long drives. And we pretty much both split the driving down the middle. Also believe it or not the final drive home, is in effect less stressful then the drive there. For one half way home were going to stop and see a move, and two the northern drive home is mostly a straight shoot with about 450 miles of just straight. While the PA drive goes through many high traphic areas. That being said. The times chosen are in basic in stone. But were both in our 20s so we will be fine.

thanks for the advise tho.

Because your target is simply coasters, you could easily add knoebels to your trip, and possibly kennywood or waldameer on the way back.

I would definitely recommend stopping at waldameer if you are taking 90 all the way home, it is only about 10-15 minutes off 90. I use exit 18 on 90 and usually stop there after/before all my trips to CP.

Ive done the drive from Kings Island back home to Albany before and it is terrible, and you would still have a few hours more till your home. Its nice to take a small detour and take an hour break from that godforsaken 90. And Ravine Flyer II is one of the best woodies around and only cost around 4.50, no charge for parking or admission.

Personally ide rather spend the evening at Knoebels than going to Dorney for any amount of time, even though it is free, I did Dorney 3 times last year and was done by 1130 each day and ended up going to another park for the evening because i was bored. But i understand you wanting to go there, but I would definitely try to sneak knoebels in there in between Dorney and Hershey. It is about 1 3/4 hours from Dorney and an hour from Hershey.

If you don't go to Knoebels I would defiantly recommend taking advantage of the extra entry at Hershey the night before. I went to Hershey in the summer last year and it was mobbed.

Anyway enjoy and have fun :) I've never done such an amazing trip with so many good parks, I usually am limited to two parks a trip. Drive safe and don't let 90 put you to sleep.