Cedar Point announces exclusive 150th anniversary season "sneak peek" events

SANDUSKY, Ohio (March 10, 2020) – In just two months, Cedar Point’s gates will open to the public as the historic 150^th anniversary season begins on Saturday, May 9. However, the park is introducing new and nostalgic pre-opening experiences to get the celebration of a lifetime started.

Just for Fun Weekend

The 150^th anniversary season kicks off in true retro style with Just for Fun Weekend, Saturday & Sunday, May 2 & 3 from 12 – 6 p.m. Relive Cedar Point’s past when visiting the park was free and each attraction had its own ticket price.

Guests are invited to attend Just for Fun Weekend, but must RSVP and reserve a complimentary ticket online in advance at cedarpoint.com/events, as tickets are limited and may sell out. RSVP tickets include parking and non-rider admission. Guests who would like unlimited access to available rides must purchase a ride wristband online for $20.20 at the same time as their RSVP ticket reservation; no tickets or wristbands will be available at the park.

During Just for Fun Weekend, guests will be the first to try some of the new treats at French Quarter Confections, visit with the Peanuts^™ characters, see a special film in the Jack Aldrich Theatre celebrating Cedar Point’s history, pick up limited-edition merchandise at Celebration Central and be the first to purchase, collect and trade anniversary buttons with the new button-trading program.

Guests who have purchased an unlimited ride wristband will have access to a collection of Cedar Point’s rides scheduled to be available, including Valravn, GateKeeper, maXair, Raptor, Kiddy Kingdom, Planet Snoopy, Wicked Twister and more.

2020 Season Passes are not valid during this pre-opening weekend. In addition, special add-on products, such as All Season Dining, All Day Dining, All Season Drink Plan, All Day Drink Plan, Fast Lane and Fast Lane Plus, will not be valid for this special event.

Sesquicentennial Gala

The very same space that hosted so many famous big bands, majestic dances and grand events of days gone by comes to life once again as the park hosts the Sesquicentennial Gala in the Cedar Point Ballroom on Saturday night, May 2 from 8 p.m. – midnight.

The formal party at The Point will feature live music from the Bluewater Kings, a 13-piece band specializing in melodies from multiple genres and time periods that will satisfy any musical taste as guests dance the night away, just like they did many years ago.

Attendees will enjoy roving entertainment, an open bar, hors d’oeuvres stations, an official party toast and displays featuring memorabilia from Cedar Point’s storied past.

Limited tickets for the black tie-optional Sesquicentennial Gala are $150 each and include admission, parking and a commemorative anniversary gift crafted by Cedar Point’s own artisans. Sesquicentennial Gala sponsorship and VIP packages are also available. Guests can purchase tickets at cedarpoint.com/events beginning March 16.

Platinum Passholder Anniversary Preview Nights

All 2020 Platinum Passholders are invited to an exclusive Cedar Point event to experience select rides, attractions and new dining options during Platinum Passholder Anniversary Preview Nights, Wednesday & Thursday, May 6 & 7 from 4 – 8 p.m. This complimentary event is for Platinum Passholders only and advanced RSVP ticket registration is required at cedarpoint.com/events, as tickets are limited and may sell out.

Platinum Passholders will also have the chance to be among the first riders to enjoy the new Snake River Expedition ride. Platinum Passholders must RSVP to reserve their ride time at the same time as their RSVP ticket registration, as capacity is limited during this event. In addition to Snake River Expedition, 18 additional rides at the front of the park are scheduled to be open, including Ocean Motion, Sky Ride, Valravn, Raptor, Kiddy Kingdom, Planet Snoopy, Blue Streak, GateKeeper and more.

Passholders can also try free samples from some of Cedar Point’s new food locations making their debut in 2020, like French Quarter Confections, The Roost, The Mac Shack and The Corral.

Exclusive anniversary merchandise will be available for purchase at Celebration Central at Pagoda Gift Shop, and guests can get a head start on the new button-trading program by making their first purchases of special Platinum Passholder lanyards and anniversary buttons at the Button Stop.

For additional information on Cedar Point’s 150^th anniversary, guests can visit cedarpoint.com/150.

New Park Attractions For 2020

This article wlll include all new park attractions for 2020 that we are aware of. Park representatives may send their info for inclusion to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Mason, Ohio - Kings Island announces Orion Giga Coaster

Thrill-seekers will experience a new level of excitement when they visit Kings Island in 2020. Joining the world-class line-up of coasters at the park is Orion®, one of only seven giga coasters in the world, a class of coasters having a height or drop of 300-399 ft.  The park makes the announcement in honor of National Roller Coaster Day, August 16^th.

Orion will plunge riders down an exhilarating 300-foot drop before sending them on a high-speed journey over seven more hills at speeds of up to 91 mph. Racing along 5,321 feet of track; it will be Kings Island’s tallest, fastest and longest steel coaster. You may get to the Orion announcement page by Clicking Here.

Sandusky Ohio - Cedar Point to Celebrate 150th Anniversary in 2020

The biggest celebration in Cedar Point’s history is about to hit the Lake Erie shoreline as the second-oldest amusement park in North America commemorates its 150^th anniversary in 2020. All next season, the park will honor its past while embracing the future, providing the same family fun that has entertained generations and shaped the amusement park industry for decades.

As Cedar Point looks to the future, it will celebrate its grand sesquicentennial by introducing a multitude of new family entertainment and memory-making experiences.

Guests will enjoy a fully-immersive nighttime celebration along the Main Midway, try new, delicious and innovative food options (along with a few throwbacks of old), take home new memories with a complete line of nostalgic souvenirs and merchandise, step into a reimagined Town Hall in Frontier Town and climb aboard a river expedition for a new generation.

The New Gold Pass

Cedar Point’s 150^th anniversary wouldn’t even be possible without the loyalty of its guests over the past century and a half. To celebrate this very special year of commemoration, the park is introducing the new, limited-edition anniversary Gold Pass. This $99 pass has been created to not only celebrate the park’s once-in-a-lifetime milestone, but also for families looking to return “home” to Cedar Point to keep current traditions, start new ones and make lasting memories together.

The Gold Pass provides unlimited access to next year’s season-long celebration – but it also offers unlimited visits to Cedar Point and Cedar Point Shores Waterpark for the remainder of 2019, including HalloWeekends^®. It includes free parking, discounts on food and merchandise, bring-a-friend admission discounts and exclusive ride times. The Gold Pass also comes with access to “Golden Entry,” the opportunity to ride some of the park’s best attractions 30 minutes prior to posted park opening time.

The new Gold Pass is available now at the park and at cedarpoint.com. For more information on the 150th celebration Click Here.

Charlotte NC - Carowind to debut  longest mat racing water slide in the Southeast

World-class water slide racing is coming to Carowinds in 2020 when Boogie Board Racer, the longest mat racing slide in the Southeast, debuts next summer at Carolina Harbor waterpark. On Boogie Board Racer, guests will ascend to nearly 60 feet, grab a mat, and choose one of six lanes where they’ll wait for the green light to begin an exhilarating competitive ride. Racers will zoom through tubes, high-speed chutes and a thrilling 360-degree loop. A final drop brings them to maximum acceleration before they reach the finish lane to splashdown.

Boogie Board Racer is the first new attraction in Carolina Harbor since the waterpark was expanded and re-themed in 2016. The brightly colored slide will be located near the park’s newest roller coaster, Copperhead Strike. The slide was custom designed for Carowinds by White Water West, a Vancouver-based world leader in water park attraction design.

Also new in 2020 is Grand Carnivale, a nighttime international festival and street party celebrating global culture in grand scale, with signature beverages and a special menu. The Spectacle of Color full-scale parade is a highlight of the festival, with extravagantly decorated and brightly lit floats, and lavishly costumed street performers who will draw guests into the action, tossing beads as they travel through the park to the beat of lively music. The festival will run nightly June 13-July 5, 2020. For more information Click Here.

Whitehall, MI - Michigan's Adventure to open new kid friendly Camp Snoopy in 2020

Michigan’s Adventure will debut its new Peanuts® themed kids’ area, Camp Snoopy, for Spring of 2020. Camp Snoopy will feature five family rides, including a family-friendly roller coaster and beautiful natural landscaping with plenty of shaded seating and pathways that offer something to explore around every corner.

Camp Snoopy will feature five new rides aimed to please families with kids from toddlers to tweens:

• Woodstock Express: Little thrill seekers can join parents and grandparents on this family roller coaster with plenty of ups and downs, just like the flight of Snoopy’s best bird buddy.
• Beagle Scout Lookout: Adventurers will board a version of a colorful hot air balloon and float high in the sky.
• Mud Buggies: Kids will climb aboard their very own all-terrain vehicle for a bouncy ride.
• Camp Bus: This fun family ride takes passengers soaring up and down and all around on a wacky bus with Snoopy in the drivers’ seat.
• Trail Blazers: Riders will buckle in and zoom around a track, like an off-road expedition.

In addition, the new Beagle Scout Acres will feature a large climb-and-play structure with lots of interactive features and things to climb. For more information Click Here.

Hershey, PA - Hershey Park to open Candymonium, it's 15th coaster

Candymonium is the tallest, fastest, longest, and sweetest coaster in Hersheypark®. From the distinctive Hershey’s candy theme to the memorable thrills around every turn, we’ve masterfully assembled the finest ingredients to create a one-of-a-kind Bolliger & Mabillard hyper coaster. Candymonium opens inside Hershey’s Chocolatetown summer 2020! For more info Click Here.

Cedar Point Voted “Best Amusement Park” Once Again

SANDUSKY, Ohio (June 28, 2019) – Cedar Point has once again been named “Best Amusement Park” in USA TODAY’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards. The park beat other famous travel destinations in Florida, Virginia, Tennessee and more.

In addition, Cedar Point’s world-record-breaking Steel Vengeance hyper-hybrid roller coaster won the “Best Roller Coaster” award. This comes just after its “Best New Ride of 2018” recognition, chosen by readers and voters in Amusement Today’s Golden Ticket Awards.

The historic Hotel Breakers, Cedar Point’s beachside resort, also captured the top spot in the “Best Amusement Park Hotel” category. The iconic property offers spectacular views of Lake Erie, the famous mile-long Cedar Point Beach and the world’s best amusement park destination.

Cedar Point, Steel Vengeance and Hotel Breakers were chosen to be included in the 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards by a panel of experts that includes a combination of editors from USA TODAY and travel industry contributors. Online voting for the awards lasted four weeks and readers were allowed to vote for their favorites in each category, once per day.

Adding to these accolades, Cedar Point has been issued TripAdvisor’s Certificate of Excellence for a fifth consecutive year. The Certificate of Excellence is awarded to businesses all over the world that consistently deliver great service. According to TripAdvisor, approximately ten percent of total businesses listed on the travel site earn top reviews on a regular basis.

With 2019’s Certificate of Excellence, Cedar Point has been “inducted” into TripAdvisor’s “Certificate of Excellence Hall of Fame,” which recognizes businesses that have received a Certificate of Excellence for five consecutive years.

“We’ve made it our mission to be the top destination for family fun, and these awards help validate our team’s efforts,” said Jason McClure, vice president and general manager of Cedar Point. “We’ve been a summertime tradition for almost 150 years, and we won’t ever rest on our promise to deliver an exceptional experience for our guests.”