SANDUSKY, Ohio — When Cedar Point opened for its shortened 2020 season amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the park’s daily hours were also reduced. That doesn’t appear to be the case for the 2021 season, which begins May 14.
Cedar Point released the majority of their 2021 operating schedule Thursday morning, which shows the park will be open from 11 a.m. until 10 p.m. on many nights this summer (some dates have 8 p.m. closing times). Details on the 2021 fall calendar will be announced at a later date.
Also confirmed: The Cedar Point Shores water park is set to open Saturday, May 29 after remaining closed for all of 2020. Its full calendar will be released in the coming months.
“Cedar Point will continue to provide safe family fun in 2021, just as it has since its beginning,” said Jason McClure, vice president and general manager of Cedar Point.
“The entire team is eager to celebrate the park’s postponed 150th anniversary with new entertainment, new dining options, commemorative merchandise, a great new family ride and more. Safety is always our top priority. In the current environment, our team will continue to carry out our mission of not only safety, but the very reason we’ve been here for more than 150 years -- to make people happy.”
Cedar Point has not yet detailed its COVID-19 procedures for the 2021 season.
“Cedar Point continues to monitor the ever-changing conditions surrounding the pandemic and is actively working with health experts and government officials to maintain the highest safety standards for guests and associates,” officials noted in a press release. “Guests are encouraged to visit cedarpoint.com for the latest updates on requirements, policies and safety protocols for the 2021 season, as these guidelines may be revised prior to opening day.”
The park also plans to host its delayed 150th anniversary celebration throughout the 2021 season. Here are some of the highlights:
NEW RIDE: SNAKE RIVER EXPEDITION
Parents, kids, grandparents and thrill-seekers alike can join the mission to smuggle valuable goods around Adventure Island on the new Snake River Expedition river boat ride. Riders will be immersed in a journey that will have them performing secret tasks, encountering surprises along the way and avoiding “danger” around every bend. Tours on Snake River Expedition are led by a cast of live characters with animated scenes and special effects to enhance the experience. Guests will also see nods to Cedar Point’s past attractions like the Western Cruise and Paddlewheel Excursions boat rides.
Snake River Expedition is scheduled to open on May 29 and will be in operation through Labor Day, Sept. 6.
150TH CELEBRATION
The heart of the summer will heat up with the continuation of Cedar Point’s 150th anniversary celebration. The centerpiece will be the Celebrate 150 Spectacular parade and nighttime party, with larger-than-life floats (some more than two stories tall) that depict moments in the park’s rich history, talented dancers, acrobats and performers, a high-energy soundtrack and a grand finale like no other.
Special commemorative merchandise will also be available during the celebration, including limited-edition buttons, collectable pins, 150th anniversary logo items, books and more.
New food options are set to debut, including C.P. Juice Co., featuring unique fruit-shaped drink cups that are a nod to the very same products served in the park years ago. The Taste of the Point food tour will also be offered, allowing guests to sample some of the park’s most famous fare, including new Cedar Point favorites.
The 150th Anniversary celebration will take place daily June 26 through Aug. 15.
FRONTIER FESTIVAL
Frontier Festival, celebrating hope, health and harvest, kicks off the season on opening day, Friday, May 14. Frontier Town will transform into a Wild West hootenanny, brimming with live music, interactive games for adults and kids, festive décor, street entertainers and a mouth-watering food and drink menu.
Frontier Festival will continue its partnership with Prayers From Maria, a local organization whose mission is to celebrate hope, raise awareness and money to fund research to end childhood cancer. Its symbol of hope, the sunflower, blooming annually at Maria’s Field of Hope in Avon, Ohio, and more recently at a second location, Maria’s Field of Hope at Cedar Point, located next to Express Hotel in Sandusky, will be at the heart of this year’s festival.
A wide selection of unique items from local artisans and crafters will be available, as well as themed photo spots to capture family moments. Prayers From Maria merchandise and custom sunflower merchandise featuring the PEANUTS™ characters will be available for purchase throughout the event with proceeds benefiting the organization.
This year, Frontier Festival’s menu centers around a stockpile of cherries amassed during the harvest, and the town folk have made it their mission to use this bounty to create sweet and savory dishes and drinks for this year’s celebration. More than 20 cherry-inspired food tastings will be available, and adults can quench their thirst by sampling from more than 100 craft brews, seltzers, ciders and custom cocktails around Frontier Town.
Frontier Festival runs weekends, May 14-16 & 21-23, then daily May 28 through June 13.
TICKET OF A LIFETIME
This summer, guests will have their final chances to win a Cedar Point Ticket of a Lifetime, an exclusive ticket that affords each winner (along with three guests) free admission to Cedar Point and Cedar Point Shores Waterpark for the rest of their lives.
Guests will have a chance to win one each day by scanning their mobile device at the throwback Courtesy Corps guest information kiosks throughout the park. Each day, guests who register will have five chances to win the Ticket of a Lifetime. They’ll also have the chance to be one of 150 winners per day to receive an upgrade to the CP 150 VIP Club, giving them access to two exclusive VIP areas, several one-time Fast Lane passes, VIP viewing of the parade and nighttime party and more. The opportunity for a chance to win a Ticket of a Lifetime each day will be available in the park during the 150th anniversary celebration, June 26 through Aug. 15.
CEDAR POINT NIGHTS
The summer season culminates with Cedar Point Nights, the park’s nighttime celebration at the place where it all started – the Cedar Point Beach. The annual festival will feature a new “dining in the dark” experience, interactive beach games, fire pits, glow games and decor, live entertainment and the electric nighttime atmosphere of the best rides and roller coasters on the planet.
Cedar Point Nights takes place while the park is in operation Aug. 6 through Labor Day, Sept. 6.