This week we had the chance to get a sneak-peek at Cedar Point’s brand new themed area, The Boardwalk! Every couple years or so, parks generally add a new ride or coaster and spruce up the area around it, but it’s not often that we see a total revamp of a section of a park. After removing Wicked Twister and the stunt show stadium, Cedar Point was left with quite a large chunk of real estate to invest in; and with land being quite hard to come by on the narrow peninsula (go figure), the park took full advantage of the space.
Diving into their history and reimagining life along the lake in the 21st century, the all new area of the park is bold, bright, and begs you to spend your afternoon riding, eating, and just hanging out with friends along the shore.
Here are five reasons why you need to visit The Boardwalk at Cedar Point this Summer:
1. The Views
For being basically an island in the middle of a lake, it can sometimes be quite the struggle to see the water while enjoying a day at the park. Unless you are climbing a tall lift hill, you may forget where you are! When this area of the park was occupied with Wicked Twister and the show stadium, there wasn’t really a good way to see Lake Erie, despite being right on the shore! The way the park has laid out this new land now almost encourages you to slow down and enjoy where you are.
From nearly any point on The Boardwalk you can see the water, and when summer comes, watch the beachgoers, jet-skis, parasails, and boats. The new section really differentiates itself from any other part of the park. The very airy atmosphere is open with wide pathways, with plenty of places to enjoy thrills or just chill. It truly feels like you are on the boardwalk at the beach.
The bright colors and new signage brings it full circle and makes you think you are back on the shore in the 1800’s and 2000’s at the same time.
2. The All-New Midway
Previously this area of the park lacked enough to do and was sort of out-of-the-way to get to. Cedar Point has opened up the space to seamlessly connect it to the GateKeeper and MaXair midway. They’ve even added more to make it a destination within the park now.
By relocating the Matterhorn and Scrambler rides, The Boardwalk now is home to 10 attractions that range in thrill and height requirement, making it a perfect place to hang out with the entire family!
Not only did they bring in rides, but also greenery. The whole area is flourishing with plants and flowers. I can only imagine it will become more full and lush come summertime.
3. The Grand Pavilion
The original Grand Pavilion at the park opened in 1888 and served as the central entertainment venue for years. The building still stand on property but is now used for conventions and meeting spaces. The new Cedar Point Grand Pavilion, as future guests will now remember it, is a stunning two-story restaurant and bar located right along the shoreline.
The architecture is phenomenal, the interior is immaculate, and the food was delicious! The space, just like the rest of The Boardwalk is spacious and will accommodate large crowds with ease.
The wide halls and seating areas will be a welcome spot for visitors to take time to sit and enjoy a meal in some air conditioning; or take it out onto the Grand Pavilion’s upper deck for open-air seating with panoramic views of Lake Erie and the park.
Inside you’ll also find historic photos and park maps that take you back to what the park was like over 1oo years ago. No detail was spared in the execution of the Grand Pavilion.
4. The Food
If there is one thing I like almost as much as going to the park to ride coasters, it’s going to the park to eat good food. I’ve come to learn where to go and where to avoid when eating at different parks, and the Grand Pavilion is definitely now a go-to spot. We were able to sample dishes from the all-new restaurant and we were very impressed. I’d consider myself an avid foodie, and this was hands down one of the best meals I’ve had at an amusement park.
Everything was fresh, hot, and seasoned to perfection. Let’s take a look at what’s on the menu.
Mains:
- Slow-roasted turkey breast
- Dry-rubbed pork tenderloin
- Beer-battered fish
- Funnel cake-battered (yes, funnel cake-battered) shrimp
- Seasoned chicken tenders
Sides
- Salted roasted potatoes
- Steak fries
- Pineapple fried rice
- Ciabatta roll
Dessert
- Mini key lime tarts
-
Grilled pineapple
Like I mentioned, we were able to sample everything and there was nothing that disappointed. All of the meats were tender and juicy. My favorite was the funnel cake-battered shrimp! So good. And I will definitely be stealing the pineapple fried rice idea!
That view though…
Upstairs in the Grand Pavilion you’ll find a full bar, complete with a roller coaster sculpture (nice touch). There is an extensive menu of custom-to-the-park cocktails and mocktails, including the orange cream slushy we sampled!
Shout out to the employees at The Boardwalk, they were all very kind and happy to assist you.
5. The Wild Mouse Spinning Coaster
Now to the main attraction on The Boardwalk! We’ve all seen them and most likely been on one …or twelve: the classic wild mouse. They are everywhere. Most parks have one and at a lot of fairs you can find them. Some are better than others, but overall the design is the same and usually those tight turns are a bit too abrupt and janky. Whiplash anyone? This is not the case of the new Wild Mouse at Cedar Point.
The Wild Mouse, while it shares its name with the carnival classic, is a totally reimagined ride. This is the first Twister Freeform model to be built by Zamperla. The best way to describe it, is that it’s everything you always want a wild mouse coaster to be, but never lives up to. It has has iconic back-and-forth turns and dips, but does them in a new way, a way that is butter smooth, extremely fast, and not painful in any way. The layout is compact and has subtle nods to the traditional course, while inventing new elements that deliver. There are coasters that are thrilling, coasters that are fast, and coasters that are just flat out fun; this is one that is a pure joy to experience.
I absolutely loved that there was theming that went into the ride as well. The paint scheme is eye-catching, the ride vehicles are themed to the mouse characters along the queue (plus a cheese car), and the sign is such a cool modern take on a retro look.
Cedar Point genuinely knocked it out of the park with The Boardwalk. It ties everything about the park’s history together and fully encompasses what people associate the name of Cedar Point with. It is the perfect fit and addition to round-out the iconic amusement park’s lineup of lands and attractions. Go check it out this summer!
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