SANDUSKY, Ohio, Oct. 24, 2011 — Summertime fun will officially end on Sunday (Oct. 30) when HalloWeekends at Cedar Point will close for the season.

This will be the last weekend to enjoy the park’s roller coasters and the fun and frights of HalloWeekends.

During HalloWeekends, the park combines its vast assortment of rides with dozens of Halloween attractions that range from scary fright zones and haunted houses to live entertainment and children’s attractions that include the Monster Midway Invasion Celebration parade (4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday afternoon), the Magical House on Boo Hill, the Hay Bale Maze and a sleeping ogre.

With two new fright zones, Blood on the Bayou, featuring zombies and a self-taught butcher, and Screamworks that is inhabited by creatures donning gas masks and goggles, HalloWeekends has more haunted attractions than ever before!

Guests interested in frights can find their fill all weekend long. All of the haunted attractions are ready to scare each night. Plus, the park’s rides and roller coasters will be in operation from open to close. (On Friday night, there will be a reduced ride offering.)

There are also several ways to save money on a visit to the park. A four-pack of tickets can be purchased online for only $156, a savings of nearly $11 per ticket. Seecedarpoint.com for all of the details. (Tickets must be purchased in advance online.)

Plus, Sunday (Oct. 30) is also the last day of the park’s Climbing to a Million contest when current and new Facebook fans of Cedar Point will be able to receive a $10 discount on admission to the park ($39.99 per person) by downloading and printing a special voucher from Facebook and redeeming it at Cedar Point.

There is also still time to save money on summer fun for next year. Cedar Point Season Passes and Cedar Fair Platinum Passes for 2012 are now on sale for the lowest rate available through the end of the weekend. See cedarpoint.com for great ways to save!

On Friday, Cedar Point will be open from 6 p.m. to midnight; noon to midnight on Saturday; and noon to 9 p.m. on Sunday.

For more information about HalloWeekends at Cedar Point, please visithalloweekends.com or call the park’s General Information Line at 419.627.2350.

Cedar Point Press Release

SANDUSKY, Ohio, Oct. 5, 2011 — If you “like” Cedar Point on Facebook, the Sandusky, Ohio, amusement park/resort has some money-saving deals and lots of fun waiting for you on Sundays at the park through the end of October.

Beginning this Sunday, Oct. 9 and all Sundays through Oct. 30, Cedar Point will be hosting the Climbing to a Million contest when current and new Facebook fans of Cedar Point will be able to receive a $10 discount on admission to the park ($39.99 per person) by downloading and printing a special voucher from Facebook and redeeming it at Cedar Point on any Sunday in October.

There is even more fun and prizes to be had for Facebook fans on Sundays at the park.

On all Sundays in October, all Facebook fans at Cedar Point will receive a specially designed Facebook sticker. If a Facebook fan is spotted by an official fan-finder (only on Sundays), those Facebook fans could win valuable prizes such as complimentary merchandise, food or front-of-the-line privileges on a favorite ride.

And when the park reaches one million fans (before or after the season), a special fan will win the Ultimate Opening Day Experience that includes complimentary tickets to the park on Opening Day 2012, the first ride of the season on your favorite ride, plus tours and more. Plus, all Facebook fans will be able to unlock a special prize when the park reaches one million Facebook fans. To enter the Climbing to a Million contest, please visit facebook.com/cedarpoint.

During HalloWeekends, there is fun for guests of all ages that includes more than 70 rides, including 16 roller coasters, and a variety of Halloween attractions.

With 10 haunted attractions, HalloWeekends has more creatures and spooky areas than ever before. This fall, Screamworks on the Frontier Trail and Blood on the Bayou, located in a wooded area along the lagoon, add to the screams.

HalloWeekends also has gypsy fortune-tellers, dancing monsters on the midway, two new shows and the Monster Midway Invasion Celebration parade that features floats, marching bands and dozens of strange-looking creatures.

HalloWeekends at Cedar Point will be held Friday nights, Saturdays and Sundays through Oct. 28-30. Cedar Point will be open 6 p.m. to midnight on Friday nights (only a portion of the park is open); noon to midnight on Saturdays; and noon to 9 p.m. Sundays. This Sunday, Oct. 9, the park will be open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

For more information about the Climbing to a Million contest, please “like” Cedar Point on Facebook.com or follow us on Twitter. For additional information on HalloWeekends at Cedar Point, please visit cedarpoint.com or call the park’s General Information Line at 419.627.2350.

SANDUSKY, Ohio, – Frights, fun, mouth-watering food and a firefighters competition are just some of this weekend’s activities during HalloWeekends at Cedar Point.

In addition to challenging Cedar Point’s rides and roller coasters, guests of all ages at the Sandusky, Ohio, amusement park/resort will also be able to enjoy a variety of Halloween attractions that range from encounters with ghastly creatures to friendly monsters who dance on the midway.

With two new fright zones, HalloWeekends now features 10 haunted attractions. This fall, Screamworks on the Frontier Trail and Blood on the Bayou, located in a wooded area along the lagoon, add to the screams.

HalloWeekends also has two new shows (The Edge of Madness – Six Feet Under and Dr. Cleaver in the Clink). Plus, the Monster Midway Invasion Celebration, a parade that strolls down the main midway at 4 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, has several new floats and dozens of strange-looking characters.

In the middle of the park, the sleeping ogre who talks and recites poetry is also a crowd-pleaser.

Not to be outdone, G. A. Boeckling’s Eerie Estate, one of four haunted houses at HalloWeekends, is adding a new service. In addition to the Boeckling’s Banquet that offers a fine-dining experience on Fridays (5:30 p.m.) and Saturdays (12:30 p.m.), the ghostly mansion will now serve a Boeckling’s Brunch on Sundays at 12:30 p.m. (excluding Oct. 16 when the Boeckling’s Banquet meal will be served).

Served buffet-style, Boeckling’s Brunch will include eggs, breakfast meats, pastries, potatoes, rice, vegetable medley, carved prime rib, signature dessert, beverages and mimosa for only $49.99 including tax and gratuity. Price does not include admission to the park. Reservations required. (Visit cedarpoint.com for more information.)

Next door in the Soak City parking lot located adjacent to the park, the first Scott Safety Firefighter Combat Challenge will be held on Friday, Sept. 30 and Saturday, Oct. 1.

More than 100 firefighters will participate in the competition that includes climbing stairs, carrying a rescue manikin and dragging a fire hose – all while wearing full firefighting gear. There will also be a kids’ event on Saturday. The activities will begin at 5 p.m. on Friday (Sept. 30) and 9 a.m. on Saturday (Oct. 1). Admission to Cedar Point is not required but a parking fee will be collected.

HalloWeekends at Cedar Point will be held Friday nights, Saturdays and Sundays through Oct. 28-30. Cedar Point will be open 6 p.m. to midnight on Friday nights (only a portion of the park is open); noon to midnight on Saturdays; and noon to 9 p.m. Sundays. (On Sunday, Oct. 9, the park will be open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.) For more information, including attractions, entertainment and hours of operation, please visit halloweekends.com or call the park’s General Information Line at 419.627.2350.

Cedar Point Press Release

SANDUSKY, Ohio – For the 14th consecutive year, Cedar Point amusement park/resort in Sandusky, Ohio, was named as the “Best Amusement Park in the World” in the prestigious Golden Ticket Awards presented annually by Amusement Today newspaper.

Cedar Point also received another very special award as Dick Kinzel, CEO of Cedar Fair Entertainment Company that owns operates Cedar Point and 10 other amusement parks, was selected to become a member of the Legends Series as the 2011 Publisher’s Pick that recognizes the top examples of dedication, leadership and achievement in the amusement industry.

These announcements were made late Saturday afternoon, Sept. 17, during a special ceremony held at Holiday World amusement park in Santa Claus, Ind.

The Golden Ticket Awards are given to the highest-rated parks in approximately two dozen categories as determined by a panel of experienced amusement park fans from around the world. Headquartered in Arlington, Texas, Amusement Today is an international publication that covers amusement and waterpark news and trends.

“Dick Kinzel has been instrumental in the growth and success of the Cedar Fair family of parks,” said Gary Slade, publisher and editor-in-chief of Amusement Today. “Because of his leadership, Cedar Fair maintained stability during a very tumultuous period for the amusement park industry. He started, he continued and he won the Coaster Wars. His vision for family entertainment has made him a legend in the industry.”

In addition to winning the highly coveted award for the world’s best amusement park, Cedar Point’s Millennium Force roller coaster was also named as the “Best Steel Roller Coaster” for the second consecutive year and the sixth time since its introduction in 2000.

“This is a very special day for us,” said John Hildebrandt, vice president and general manager of Cedar Point. “Not only is our park and our roller coaster named as the best in the world, but Dick Kinzel, who has been a mentor and trusted friend to many of us in the industry, has been recognized for his many achievements. It is a very proud moment.”

Millennium Force had lots of company in the “Best Steel Roller Coaster” category, with two other Cedar Point coasters rated in the Top Ten and another pair ranked in the Top 25. The Top Thrill Dragster (9th) that stands 42-stories tall and perennial favorite Magnum Xl-200 (10th) were the park’s two other Top Ten finalists while the Raptor inverted roller coaster was ranked 18th and the twisting Maverick captured the 21st spot.

Located on the shores of Lake Erie, Cedar Point is one of the most popular family vacation destinations in the country. With 75 rides, including 17 roller coasters, the park has more rides than any park in the world. Built in 1870, Cedar Point is the second oldest amusement park in North America.

Cedar Point is now open for HalloWeekends 15, a family fall festival of fun and frights, Friday nights, Saturdays and Sundays, Sept. 16-18 through Oct. 28-30.

For more information, please visit the park’s website at cedarpoint.com or call Cedar Point’s General Information Line at 419.627.2350.

Cedar Point Press Release

SANDUSKY, Ohio, – Cedar Point will offer a wide array of family entertainment this week when three popular special events return to the Sandusky, Ohio, amusement park/resort.

HalloWeekends
On Friday, HalloWeekends, Cedar Point’s fall festival of fun and frights, will return for its 15th season. For seven weekends, HalloWeekends will provide an unmatched mix of rides and roller coasters, haunted houses and fright zones, live shows and special attractions such as the Monster Midway Invasion Celebration parade that will feature four new floats.

This year HalloWeekends will also add two new fright zones (Screamworks along the Frontier Trail and Blood on the Bayou that will lead guests along the lagoon) and two new shows (The Edge of Madness – Six Feet Under in the Red Slaughter Saloon and Dr. Cleaver in the Clink in The Palace Theatre).

For an additional fee, the new Zombie Tour will provide front-of-the-line privileges at the park’s four haunted houses and the Blood on the Bayou and CornStalkers fright zones. Visit cedarpoint.com for all of the details.

HalloWeekends at Cedar Point will be held Friday nights, Saturdays and Sundays, Sept. 16 through Oct. 30. Cedar Point will be open 6 p.m. to midnight on Friday nights (only a portion of the park is open); noon to midnight on Saturdays; and noon to 9 p.m. Sundays. (On Sunday, Oct. 9, the park will be open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.)

For more information, including attractions, entertainment and hours of operation, please visit halloweekends.com or call the park’s General Information Line at 419.627.2350.

PointFest
Presenting some of today’s most popular Christian artists, PointFest will return to Cedar Point for its third year on Saturday, Sept. 17. It will feature nearly six hours of music and entertainment.

Headlining this year’s show will be Skillet whose performance will be highlighted by a lively pyrotechnics show and Christian music icon TobyMac, who returns for his second appearance at PointFest. Other entertainers include Manic Drive, Disciple and comedian Bone Hampton.

The concert will begin at approximately 5 p.m. with performances continuing until 11 p.m. The event will be held in the Soak City parking lot. Combo tickets to Cedar Point and the concert are available online and at Cedar Point. Concert-only tickets for season pass-holders and deals for groups of 15 or more are also available. Admission to Cedar Point is required. For more information and a link to purchase tickets, please visit cedarpoint.com.

North American In-Water Boat Show
For the 39th consecutive year, the Cedar Point Marina will host The North American In-Water Boat Show from Wednesday through Sunday, Sept. 14-18.

The largest in-water boat show on the Great Lakes, the Cedar Point Boat Show will feature many of the newest power and sail boats, equipment and accessories. A 69-foot-long Marquis 690, displayed by SkipperBud’s, is this year’s Queen of the Fleet. Visitors will also be able to enjoy the Boats Under $15,000 and Boats $15,000-$25,000 pavilions, the Brokerage Pier and the Demo Dock and Sail Pier.

Regular admission is $9 for adults and $7 for seniors (age 60 and older), while children, age 12 and younger, are free. Hours for the boat show will be noon to 7 p.m., Wednesday through Friday, Sept. 14-16; 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 17; and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 18. Admission to Cedar Point is not required.

For more information about these events, please log onto to cedarpoint.com or call Cedar Point’s General Information Line at 419.627.2350.

Cedar Point Press Release

SANDUSKY, Ohio – Chicagoan Andrew Starykowicz captured first place in yesterday’s (Sept. 11) Rev3 Triathlon held at Cedar Point.
Nearly 1,400 people competed in the event that was held at the Sandusky, Ohio, amusement park/resort for the second consecutive year. Last year’s triathlon was the first time the park had ever hosted a triathlon and was the first time a triathlon was ever held in Erie County, Ohio.

In 2010, more than 1,100 people participated in the event.

The Revolution3 Triathlon consisted of two events: a full distance (140.6-mile) triathlon and a half-distance (70.3-mile) triathlon.

Starykowicz, 29, turned in the top time of 8:28:15. Malika Homo, a 32-year-old from Ogden, Utah, won the women’s Full Rev with a time of 9:19:14. In the Half-Rev, 30-year-old Ben Meer, Columbus, took top honors by finishing in 4:19:37. Amy Javens, 39, of Hermitage, Pa., won the women’s Half-Rev with a time of 4:58:06.

The Full Rev began shortly before 7 a.m. on the Cedar Point Beach. After finishing the early-morning swim (2.4 miles), participants started a 112-mile bike ride from Cedar Point through the rural roadways of Erie County before returning to the park. The final component of the race was a 13.1-mile run from the park to downtown Sandusky and back to the park that was repeated to complete the 26.2-mile trek.

Participants in the Half-Rev started the day swimming 1.2 miles and then biked 56 miles before ending the event with a 13.1-mile run to Sandusky and back.

Both races started and ended at Cedar Point. The swimming course began and finished on the Cedar Point Beach. At the end of the running course, the finish line was in the park’s main parking lot.

“It was an exciting and excellent event from start to finish,” said John Hildebrandt, vice president and general manager at Cedar Point. “It had a huge field of highly trained and motivated competitors who were treated to a scenic yet challenging course. Cedar Point, the City of Sandusky and Erie County are an ideal location for such a first-class event.”

For more information, please visit the Revolution3 web site at www.rev3tri.com.

SANDUSKY

A trademark Cedar Point attraction set sail on its final voyage Monday night.

The campy but nostalgic Paddlewheel Excursions is now officially extinct.

Space occupied by the 47-year-old ride will go toward building the park’s newest exhibit, Dinosaurs Alive!, in 2012.

But dedicated park enthusiasts received one last opportunity to ride the family attraction and say goodbye to a Cedar Point staple.

Almost 40 local residents and tourists contributed about $3,400 to be the last riders, said Ron Rude, the local chapter’s executive director.

SANDUSKY — Criticized last year by a group that advocates on behalf of the mentally ill, Cedar Point says it will rename two attractions for its upcoming HalloWeekends operations to ones that are less offensive.

At issue was a haunted house called “Dr. D Mented’s Asylum for the Criminally Insane” and an indoor show called “The Edge of Madness — Still Crazy.”

Members of the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Ohio last year complained that the Sandusky amusement park stereotyped those with mental illness by giving two Halloween attractions names that the advocacy group said were offensive to the mentally ill and their families and inspired fear and misunderstanding by the general public.

Cedar Point spokesman Robin Innes said Thursday the park decided to address the criticism this year.

“We knew they were upset with some of the names,” he said. “We didn’t change them last year but we have changed them for this year.”

“Dr. D Mented’s Asylum” has been renamed the “Eternity Infirmary,” while “The Edge of Madness” has been changed to “The Edge of Madness — Six Feet Under,” Mr. Innes said.

The renamed attractions will make their debut when Cedar Point’s HalloWeekends opens on Sept. 16. The park’s Halloween-themed makeover will run each Friday-Sunday until Oct. 30.

The man who spearheaded the criticism last year, Terry Russell, interim executive director of the advocacy group, said he was pleased with Cedar Point’s decision. “NAMI Ohio is extremely thankful to them for doing that and our organization now fully supports their Halloween activities,” he said.

SANDUSKY, Ohio – Cedar Point will host several special events and offer a variety of ways to save on all the fun during its Bonus Weekend on Friday night, Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 9-11.

During this Bonus Weekend, the Sandusky, Ohio, amusement park/resort will be open 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday (Sept. 9); noon to 10 p.m. on Saturday (Sept. 10); and noon to 8 p.m. on Sunday (Sept. 11).

The next weekend, HalloWeekends 15, the park’s fall festival of fun and fright, will open for its 15th season. HalloWeekends will be held Friday nights, Saturdays and Sundays, Sept. 16-18 through Oct. 28-30.

The fun and the savings will start Friday evening when everyone will be able to purchase a ticket for an evening of rides and entertainment for only $19.99. Guests age 2 and under are free. (A reduced ride offering will be available.) Tickets can be purchased online at cedarpoint.com or at the park.

Cedar Point Season Pass-holders and Cedar Fair Platinum Pass-holders will also be able to take advantage of some special deals for added fun and savings. On Saturday and Sunday (Sept. 10-11), Season Pass-holders and Platinum Pass-holders will be able to bring as many guests as they like to the park each day for only $19.99 per person, a savings of $30 per ticket. These specially-priced tickets are only available at the park.

As a special bonus, Platinum and Season pass-holders will also be able to enjoy Exclusive Ride Time (ERT) on both days. On Saturday, ERT will be held on Top Thrill Dragster and the Magnum XL-200 for one hour shortly after park closing. On Sunday, ERT on Millennium Force will be held from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. All guests of season pass-holders will also be able to participate in these special ride sessions.

In addition to the ERT sessions, all Platinum Pass and Cedar Point Season Pass-holders will be able to save 20 percent on all purchases of $20 or more at the Park Plaza, Snoopy Boutique and Pagoda gift shops. All season pass-holders will also be able to buy one-get one game free at all $1 and $2 games.

Cedar Fair Platinum Passes and Cedar Point Season Passes for 2012 are now on sale at the best prices of the season. Through Oct. 30, Platinum Passes are only $159 while Season Passes are $99.99. Renewals are $149 and $95, respectively. For Juniors (age 3 and older, under 48 inches tall) and Seniors (age 62 and older), Platinum Passes are $96 while Season Passes are $69.99. Season Passes can be purchased online (cedarpoint.com) or at Cedar Point’s Season Pass Center during the park’s operating hours.

Now through Sunday, Sept. 11, the park is offering Pick-A-Date tickets that allow guests to pick a specific date to visit the park and save $12 per ticket. Tickets can be used on a different date with an upgrade.

The park will also host two special events during the next week. On Sunday, Sept. 11, Cedar Point will host the Revolution3 Triathlon for the second consecutive year. The event will consist of a full triathlon and a half triathlon. Participants will swim, bike and run more than 140.6 or 70.3 miles. Both races will start on the Cedar Point Beach and will end at the park. Last year, more than 1,100 participants competed in the event.

Guests will be able to experience the excitement of the finish line all day long through midnight as the last racers cross the finish line located in the park’s main parking lot. For more race details, please visit: www.rev3tri.com.

On Wednesday through Sunday, Sept 14-18, the 39th annual North American In-Water Boat Show will be held in the Cedar Point Marina. It is the largest in-water boat show on the Great Lakes.

For more information on these money-saving deals and special events at Cedar Point, please visit cedarpoint.com or call the park’s General Information Line at 419.627.2350.

SANDUSKY, Ohio – Shortly after 8 p.m. on Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 5, guests of the Firelands Chapter of the American Red Cross will take the final public rides on the Paddlewheel Excursions, the scenic riverboat cruise at Cedar Point.

To determine the participants on the two last rides, the Red Cross will host The Last Ride Auction for the seats on the last two boats. Each boat will accommodate 25 riders. (Riders must be at least 46 inches tall or accompanied by a responsible person.)

The top 49 bidders will be officially certified as the Last Riders on the Paddlewheel Excursions. The highest 24 riders will earn a seat on the last public cruise. As a special treat, that last boat will be captained by Dick Kinzel, CEO of the Cedar Fair Entertainment Company. Bidders 25-49 will have a seat on the second last boat. Official bidding began Aug. 26 and will run through 8:30 a.m. on this Friday, Sept. 2.

In addition to a final ride on Paddlewheel Excursions, successful bidders will also receive complimentary admission to Cedar Point, admission to the Last Ride Auction Reception with complimentary hors d’oeuvres and refreshments that will begin at 7 p.m. at Charlie Brown’s Cookout in Camp Snoopy, a commemorative medallion from the Red Cross and certificates of recognition from the Red Cross and Cedar Point.

Winning participants will be able to enter the park anytime during the day and will also receive free parking. (Cedar Point will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 5.) They will also be able to purchase discounted tickets for family and friends for use on Labor Day.

A themed-riverboat cruise has been in operation at Cedar Point since the early Sixties. During that span, it has given more than 47 million rides.

All proceeds from the event will support the many programs provided by the Firelands Chapter of the American Red Cross.

Those interested in submitting a bid should visit:

http://www.firelandsredcross.org/lastride

For additional information about The Last Ride Auction, please visit www.firelandsredcross.org or call the Firelands Chapter of the American Red Cross at 419.626.1641 or 800.589.2286.

Cedar Point Press Release

SANDUSKY, Ohio – Cedar Point has some pretty big plans for next summer.

The Sandusky, Ohio, amusement park/resort earlier today announced plans to introduce Dinosaurs Alive! on Adventure Island, a prehistoric themed attraction, for next summer. The new attraction will be located on four acres on the wooded island that is located in the lagoons toward the back of the park.

In addition to Dinosaurs Alive!, Cedar Point will also add a mat-racer slide complex to the Soak City waterpark located adjacent to the park. Dinosaurs Alive! will cost approximately $1 million to build.

The journey into Dinosaurs Alive! will be multi-sensory and interactive. Guests will be able to see approximately 50 life-size animatronic dinosaurs that will roar and move. Each will be handcrafted and covered with skin-like materials that will replicate almost every feature. Four of the dinosaurs will have interactive consoles that will allow guests to guide their movement to create an up-close look at how these dinosaurs moved their arms, tail, eyes and mouth.

“We are extremely excited about introducing Dinosaurs Alive! to our guests next summer,” said John Hildebrandt, vice president and general manager of Cedar Point. “Our guests will have the opportunity to visit the Jurassic Age up close and see some of the amazing creatures that called it home. Dinosaurs Alive! will be educational but fun, too.”

Overall, Dinosaurs Alive! will feature approximately three dozen types of dinosaurs. The dinosaurs will range in size and height. The largest will be the Ruyangosaurus that will stand nearly 40 feet tall and 72 feet long. The smallest will be an Angustinaripterus that will only be two feet tall and eight feet long.

Other dinosaurs in Dinosaurs Alive! will include the vicious Tyrannosaurus Rex, Irratator, Baryonyx and Spinosaurus, the largest of all known carnivorous dinosaurs. A plated Stegosaurus and three-horned Triceratops will also inhabit the island. The half-mile-long path will feature more than a dozen themed exhibits and displays and will veer underneath several of the larger dinosaurs providing a very intimate encounter with the prehistoric beasts.

Guests will enter Dinosaurs Alive! by crossing a bridge near Camp Snoopy. In addition to the dinosaurs, explorers will also encounter an excavation site and paleontological dig. There will also be informational signs for each exhibit and guides and fossil displays that will make Dinosaurs Alive! an entertaining three-dimensional educational tool for school groups as the discovery and identification of new species of dinosaurs increases annually. At the conclusion of the journey, there will be a prehistoric-themed gift shop.

Admission to Dinosaurs Alive! will be $5 per person. Special rates for groups and schools will also be available.

With the addition of Dinosaurs Alive!, the Paddlewheel Excursions boat cruise will be retired from the park. The pioneer-themed boat ride will be in daily operation through Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 5.

Cedar Point’s newest attraction will be created and produced by Dinosaurs Unearthed, an innovative traveling exhibition company that creates dynamic, multi-sensory experiences about the world of dinosaurs. Since 2005, the Richmond, British Columbia, Canada,-based company has provided multi-faceted exhibitions to museums, science centers and zoos throughout the world.

Next to Cedar Point, the Soak City waterpark will also have a new look for 2012. Next summer it will add a new mat-racer complex that will offer racers a speedy ride through a series of dips and plateaus. Additional information will be available later this year.

For more information about Dinosaurs Alive! on Adventure Island and Cedar Point’s plans for 2012, please visit the park’s website at: cedarpoint.com.

SANDUSKY — An Ohio amusement park says it will have new names this year for two Halloween attractions that drew complaints from mental health advocates.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness, or NAMI, said Cedar Point promoted false stereotypes last Halloween by calling a haunted house “Dr. D. Menteds Asylum for the Criminally Insane” and a musical show “The Edge of Madness: Still Crazy.”

The Sandusky Register quotes CEO Dick Kinzel of parent company Cedar Fair as saying the haunted house will keep the hospital theme but be renamed. He says Cedar Point doesn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings.

A park spokesman says the show will change to “The Edge of Madness: Six Feet Under.”

NAMI Ohio chapter executive director Terry Russell says Cedar Point is moving in the right direction.

SANDUSKY, Ohio, Aug. 12, 2011 – Trucks, cars, interactive displays and special appearances by drivers await race fans as Wheels of Thunder returns to Cedar Point for the fourth consecutive year from Tuesday through Thursday, Aug. 16-18 at the Sandusky, Ohio, amusement park/resort.

Different drivers will be visiting the park every day with public appearances planned for each day of the three-day event. Guests may also be able to win a special ride with their favorite driver. There will also be vehicles and exhibits on display all three days near the Dodgem bumper cars on the park’s main midway.

The event opens with ThorSport Racing Day on Tuesday, Aug. 16 when drivers from the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will be at the park. Visiting the park that day will be Johnny Sauter, who is in second place in Driver Championship Points, two-time winner Matt Crafton and another recent winner, Dakoda Armstrong, who won the Winchester 200 in Winchester, Va., earlier this summer.

In addition to the driver appearances, there will also be three ThorSport trucks and the Michigan International Speedway’s (MIS) interactive racing-themed trailer that features simulators, race video, helmets and driver suits.

On Wednesday, Aug. 17, NASCAR driver Juan Pablo Montoya will be at the park to meet fans and sign autographs. Afterward, 34 lucky contest-winners will be able to take a ride on the Millennium Force roller coaster with him. Currently, he ranks 17th in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series standings and finished sixth in the Daytona 500. Besides the MIS trailer, a Jeff Gordon Pepsi Show Car, a Pepsi transport truck, racing simulator and interactive tire changer will be on display.

That morning the park will also host a scavenger hunt with winners earning a seat for a 30-minute ride on the Goodyear Blimp later that afternoon. The Goodyear Blimp will cruise nearly 1,000 feet above the ground and will offer picturesque views of Cedar Point and Sandusky Bay. Just “Like” Cedar Point and the Goodyear Blimp on Facebook to watch for clues in the days before the event.

Other prizes include front-of-the-line access to the ride of your choice, an opportunity to meet Montoya and other great prizes from Goodyear. Wheels of Thunder will conclude on Thursday, Aug. 18 when Matt Kenseth will make two special appearances at the park to meet fans and sign autographs. Afterward, 20 contest-winners will be able to ride the Dodgems with him. Kenseth has already notched two wins this summer and is in sixth place in the points standings. The Jeff Gordon Pepsi Show Car, Pepsi transport truck, racing simulator and interactive tire changer will also be on display.

For more information about Wheels of Thunder, please visit cedarpoint.com or call the park’s general information line at 419-627-2350.

SANDUSKY

(UPDATED) A Cedar Point building that houses a restaurant and game storage area caught fire early Friday morning, prompting Sandusky firefighters to call in additional manpower to handle the blaze.

A Cedar Point security officer noticed the blaze at about 12:30 a.m.

Cedar Point’s firefighters went to the scene, but the park’s dispatcher quickly asked Sandusky fire to help fight the blaze.

The building, which houses Johnny Rockets restaurant and a game warehouse, is located on the east side of the midway near the park’s entrance.

Sandusky firefighters arrived and immediately called in additional crews from other shifts, a Sandusky fire dispatcher said. All told, about 15 Sandusky firefighters fought the fire.

At about 1:20 a.m. police scanner traffic indicated firefighters had knocked down the brunt of the blaze, but some flames and smoke still lingered.

At least three fire trucks and one ladder truck responded, as well as one ambulance. Sandusky fire didn’t call any other fire departments to provide mututal aid.

Cedar Point spokesman Robin Innes, who arrived at the park at about 1:30 a.m., said no one was injured and the building was empty when the fire started.

The park had also cleared of guests by 11 p.m., so the fire had no impact on visitors.

The fire itself wasn’t large, Innes said, and the flames were limited mostly to the warehouse area. Johnny Rockets sustained some water and smoke damage.

“Everybody’s safe, no injuries,” Innes said. “Tomorrow it’ll be business as usual.”

The park still plans to open at 9 a.m. Friday for early-entry guests and 10 a.m. for the general public.

***(UPDATE)***

Sandusky fire officials say the fire was likely ignighted by a fluorescent sign in a hallway of the building. The blaze is currently being considered accidental.

SANDUSKY, Ohio – A trip to Cedar Point just got a whole lot easier as the Sandusky, Ohio, amusement park/resort has two new ways to help guests with a need to know. Cedar Point has recently launched a new and improved mobile website and an iPhone and Android app.

The Cedar Point MyPark™ App, available as a free download on iPhone- and Android-powered mobile phones, is the ideal tool to plan a trip and save time during a visit to the park. Users will be able to immediately find live shows and food outlets, plus restrooms, ATMs and lockers. The app will feature a map of the park and will designate the user’s location. As the guest moves, their location will change on the park map, taking advantage of the smartphones’ GPS location technology.

The new mobile website, found at mypark.cedarpoint.com, streamlines information on the full version of the website and caters to guests’ information needs whether they are inside or outside the park. Guests can easily find directions to the park, pricing information or check the day’s special activities and more.

“As mobile technologies have improved, more and more of our guests are using their phones to access information about the park. It was important to make sure they had a convenient and effective way to find the information they need, said Rebecca Baker, Cedar Point’s interactive marketing coordinator. “With the new mobile website and smartphone app, we have made it easier to find information, save time and make their visit to the park more enjoyable.”

Other features of the new app include a “Friend Finder” that will help guests locate other members of their party. There is also a listing of food menus and live show schedules. Users will also be able to purchase tickets and/or season passes or make reservations for overnight accommodations at a Cedar Point Resort Property.

The app will be useful to guests even after the park closes for the night. They can use the app to mark their car when they arrive and then can easily locate it at the end of the day.

Both the app and the new mobile website will also allow users to interact with Cedar Point through social media. They can connect to the user’s Facebook and/or Twitter accounts to send instant posts or photos and “like” Cedar Point rides. Guests can also instantly read Cedar Point’s posts tweets and blogs directly.

Information and photographs of the park’s rides are also available on both the app and mobile website.

For more information about the Cedar Point MyPark App, please visit cedarpoint.com or www.facebook.com/cedarpoint.