Cedar Point looks ahead to 2018 season

The park will lose 187 hotel rooms at Sandcastle Suites, but will gain 158 rooms upon completion in 2018.

The rides have stopped and the gates have closed for Cedar Point’s 2017 season.

But the countdown has started for opening day in 2018, the park’s communications director said.

“Overall, it’s been another fantastic year,” said Tony Clark, communications director for the Sandusky-based amusement park.

Cedar Point Shores and Melt

After some questionable weather in May, the summer season bloomed for Cedar Point Shores, the renovated and expanded next generation of the Soak City water park. It turned into one of the biggest highlights of 2017, Clark said.

Renovating the waterpark was on Cedar Point’s list of things to do for some time, he said. The park cannot do every upgrade immediately, but the company leaders heard guest opinions on refreshing the water park, Clark said.

“The results are that everybody who visited, loves it,” he said about Cedar Point Shores.

At the waterpark, it was possible to see families playing in Lake-slide Landing and Lemmy’s Lagoon, while thrill-seekers were dropping on the six-story Point Plummet water slide.

Meanwhile, food lovers got a treat when Melt Bar & Grilled opened at the amusement park.

Northern Ohio residents familiar with Melt could enjoy it, guests from outside the area experience their sandwiches, Clark said. Loaded with memorabilia and photos, the restaurant is like a Cedar Point museum, he said.

Steel Vengeance

One highlight of 2017 came from unveiling the next thriller for 2018.

In August, Cedar Point unveiled the former Mean Streak roller coaster will be the foundation for the new Steel Vengeance. A new steel track will be built onto the wood structure, creating the tallest, fastest, steepest, longest “hyper-hybrid” ride of its kind.

“This is the roller coaster I think everybody wanted us to build,” Clark said. “This is probably going to be the biggest ride in the theme park and amusement park industry. It’s definitely going to be one of the crown jewels in our ride collection.”

Coaster fanatics have been getting online construction updates through the summer and fall this year. The track is built, but the trains are not ready to roll yet, so there is much to be done to build the coaster before spring, Clark said.

Even enthusiasts may not realize just how large Steel Vengeance is, Clark added.

“Pictures are one thing, but standing with it completed … when you’re standing there, it is way bigger in person than you see in pictures,” he said.

Halloweekends

In the fall, weather was good and guests came out to Halloweekends.

The “Deprivation” haunted area was designed around the ground space of Steel Vengeance, so guests could see the ride up close.

The “Hexed” haunted house, with a witch theme, opened without screamsters; instead, younger guests could experience it with activities to free the witches from a spell, Clark said. The concept went well and park officials will consider enhancements for next year, he said.

Major changes

The end of the 2017 also brought the announcement of two “major projects.”

Cedar Point will take down the Sandcastle Suites Hotel at the tip of the peninsula and the Extreme Sports Stadium near the Wicked Twister ride.

The structures are being removed to make room for future development, but Clark was tight-lipped about plans.

The park will lose 187 hotel rooms at Sandcastle Suites, but will gain 158 rooms upon completion in 2018 of the new Hotel Breakers tower, making the Hotel Breakers one of the largest hotels on the Great Lakes.

Cedar Point’s corporate parent, Cedar Fair Entertainment Co., also will have some changes coming next year.

In January, Chief Executive Officer Matt Ouimet will become executive chairman of the board of directors. Richard Zimmerman, president and chief operating officer since 2016, will become the new chief executive officer.

Debra Smithart-Oglesby, a board member since 2012, will become the new lead independent director of the company.

“I am well-versed with Richard’s leadership. He’s a great successor to Matt Ouimet,” Clark said. “The future of Cedar Point is in great hands, there’s no question about it.”

Record year?

Cedar Fair does not release daily attendance figures for Cedar Point. But the company’s second quarter results published in August noted net revenues of $393 million for the quarter were up $5 million from the same time in 2016.

Attendance in July was up 2 percent.

“Cedar Fair remains confident in its long-term business strategy and expects 2017 to be another record year,” the

report said.

As of Oct. 31, there are 186 days left until the park opens in 2018, Clark said.

“It’s going to be an exciting winter,” he said.