Starlight Experience

Last Saturday I walked through the long awaited Starlight Experience, Cedar Point's most highlighted attraction for 2009. The Experience opened last Saturday, May 23, and a small preview was shown before it opened. I have one word to describe it-amazing. When you walk through during the day, you don't see much, but at night, you certainly do! The entire trail is covered in extremely bright LED lights, and there are other lights to illuminate buildings and trees, and some cool lights in Millennium Tunnel. Lots of lights. If you start at Millennium Tunnel, you first enter winter, and go through fall, summer, then spring (I guess I went through it backwards!), or if you start at Snake River Falls, then it is the opposite. There are numerous cool special effects throughout the trail, and I won't give it away, so make sure that you check it out the next time you are in the park.

The show started around 9:00 PM, and on the 23rd, the trail closed at around 8:35 PM to set up parts of the show. Since then though, the trail is closed for a much shorter time, and some people have noted that people are allowed through the trail, as long as it stays organized, although I can't confirm this until the next time I see it. There are new signs up by the entrance to Millennium Tunnel and on top of the new Frontier Trail sign that I described earlier. Overall, it was great experience and it will be something that I will try to get through most nights that I'm in the park. I was oohing and ahhing all the way!

Thanks!

Brad

2009 is On Its Way!

Yesterday, Cedar Point announced all of their 2009 plans. The main addition for 2009 is a new show called Starlight Experience. This new themed, lighted midway will be an exciting attraction for all ages as you walk past scenes of the changing seasons. The official Cedar Point blog stated that electrical work was almost done, and they would start hanging fixtures and lights in around two weeks. Sounds exciting!

Also, there will be a new fountain on the main midway. this will be a great way to cool off, because water will shoot out from different places and there will be seats. This sounds like something that will be great for those hot August days!

A new sign on Magnum is being constructed, although it will not be complete until close to opening day, so we'll have to wait until then to see it!

In addition to all of this, the main entrance will be getting some new improvements. The concrete is being replaced, and there will be new LED signs to display park information. Also, there will be large LED signs on the causeway. Snazzy!

I'm already excited for opening day 2009! The park will look great this year! Only 37 days left! If you want to read the official post and look at the pictures, visit this post from Cedar Point's Blog.

Thanks!

Brad

Cedar Point Introduces New Starlight Experience

Cedar Point's main capital expenditure for 2009 has finally been revealed! The Starlight Experience will be a fantastic themed, lighted walkway located on the Frontier Trail. There will also be music, characters, and other surprises! Here's the official press release for more information:

SANDUSKY, OH--(April 7, 2009) - Cedar Point's Frontier Trail will be filled with light and music when the Sandusky, Ohio,amusement park/resort will introduce the Starlight Experience, a brand new themed lighted walkway, for this summer. Each night, the Frontier Trail will be transformed into a brilliant canopy of lights and colors that will be themed to the changing of the seasons. Similar to the climate in the Midwest, each display will gently segue into a different season.

Accompanied with music, the Starlight Experience will use a diverse mixture of colored lights and displays to decorate and highlight the buildings, trees and structures along the wooded walkway. It will extend from the bridge across from the Snake River Falls water ride to the tunnel beneath Millennium Force.

Besides the seasonal scenes, the Starlight Experience will also use several themed floats that will depict each season. For younger guests, Snoopy and his favorite friends will also be included in the show. Larger-than-life replicas of the PEANUTS characters will be displayed at different locations along the trail.

Using more than one million highly efficient LED lights, the Starlight Experience will be presented every night the park closes at 10 p.m. or later, Saturday, May 23 (Memorial Day weekend) through Sunday, Sept. 6. The new family attraction will cost approximately $1 million to design and install.

"The Starlight Experience will be a very popular addition to the park this summer," said Charles Bradshaw, corporate vice president of live entertainment for the Cedar Fair Entertainment Company. "These dramatic light displays will appeal to everyone in the family and will be a wonderful finale to our guests' day in the park."

Besides being visually stunning, the Starlight Experience will also be environmentally friendly. LED lights use a lot less energy and will last considerably longer than standard bulbs. Plus, LED lights reduce the emission of carbon dioxide and do not contain mercury.

The Starlight Experience is scheduled to begin daily at twilight and will be in operation until the Maverick and Millennium Force roller coasters close for the evening. (The Frontier Trail will close 30 minutes for show setup.)

To add even more value during a stay at Cedar Point, registered guests at any of the park's resort properties will be able to purchase Starlight admission tickets for $14.99, a savings of $15 per ticket. Starlight admission begins at 5 p.m. daily or 4 p.m. when the park closes at 8 p.m. or earlier.

In addition to the Starlight Experience, Cedar Point will add two new offerings to its live entertainment lineup for this summer. "Got Country!," a rowdy rendition of country favorites, will take the stage in the Red Garter Saloon on the Frontier Trail, while in Frontiertown, the Palace Theatre will present "Live Music at the Palace," a new venue featuring piano music.

Three new shows from last year will also be back for an encore performance. "Signed, Sealed, Delivered," a '50s and '60s revue, will return to the Centennial Theatre, while "Snoopy's Big Bow-Wow" that features the lovable beagle and his friends in an ice-skating extravaganza takes to the ice in the Good Time Theatre and "All Wheels Extreme," the high-energy stunt show with rollerbladers, bikers, skateboarders, gymnasts and dancers, will defy gravity for a second season in the Extreme Sports Stadium along the Cedar Point Beach.

Cedar Point will open for its 140th season on Saturday, May 16 and will be open every day through Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 7. The park will reopen on Sunday, Sept 13 and will host its 13th annual HalloWeekends fall family screamfest on Friday nights, Saturdays and Sundays, Sept. 18 through Nov. 1, 2009.

For more information, please visit Cedar Point's web site at www.cedarpoint.com or call the park directly at 419.627.2350.

Looks awesome! I can't wait for 2009!

Thanks!

Brad