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Cedar Point winds down to weekends

By TOM JACKSON
tomjackson@sanduskyregister.com

SANDUSKY - The last day of the summer season at Cedar Point is a time when many of the amusement park's savviest fans show up to enjoy the rides.

"We come on Labor Day because there's no crowds," said Jill Charlton of Jelloway, Ohio, who visited Monday with her husband and three children.

The Tangoras from Beaver Falls, Pa., enjoy a Labor Day picnic at Cedar Point. The roller coasters Gemini and Top Thrill Dragster are in the background. (Register photo/ABIGAIL BOBROW)

In fact, the Labor Day jaunts are a tradition for the Charlton family. They've been out to Cedar Point for nine Labor Days in a row.

"We've done it every year since we moved to Ohio," Charlton said. "We moved here nine years ago from Michigan."

Labor Day is also a special day for Eric Morris of Perrysburg, Ohio, who was at Cedar Point Monday with his wife and five children.

"We come here twice a year," Morris said.

Usually the family visits on Memorial Day and Labor Day, he said.

"If we come early or late in the year, it takes 15 minutes or less for the rides," Morris said.

People who know Cedar Point well have learned that the third day of a three-day holiday weekend is always the best time to come out to avoid the crowds, said Robin Innes, public relations director for Cedar Point's Marketing Division.

"Normally, on a three-day weekend, Labor Day is the best day to visit. Everyone has to go back to work tomorrow," said Innes, who has been with Cedar Point for 26 years.

Saturday was the busiest day this weekend, Innes said.

Chuck Tangora of Beaver Falls, Pa., said he had noticed that the crowds were smaller Monday.

"Yesterday, there was a big crowd. We had to stand in big lines," Tangora said.

Tangora came out to Cedar Point with his wife, Debbie, two grandchildren and two great-nieces.

"Today we have to leave early, because there's school tomorrow," Tangora said.

For visitors such as Tangora, Labor Day was one more opportunity to get value out of season passes to the park.

"We've been up here five times this summer," Tangora said.

John Ackerman of North Royalton, Ohio, said he and his children, Johnny, 9, and Katie, 11, had been to Cedar Point 22 times on their season passes last summer. He figures it will be about 20 trips this summer.

"This year, I stopped counting at about 13," he explained. "We'll be here at least two more times."

Labor Day is a traditional milestone at Cedar Point, because it's the last day that the park is open on a daily basis and thus the last day of the summer season, Innes said.

Still, the park will be open on weekends in September and October. It doesn't close for good until Oct. 30, he said.

Innes said he didn't have summer attendance figures to release or figures for the Labor Day weekend, but said Cedar Point was helped by good weather.

"It's been a good weekend," he said.

FunCoast.com is your online guide to summer fun for Cedar Point, the LakeErie Islands and Sandusky area. Our site offers up-to-date information on area attractions, restaurants, hotels, gasoline prices, ferry schedules, swimming, birding and fishing, along with a complete listing of events happening in the Sandusky/Cedar Point area. To use our Webcam and zoom in on Cedar Point's rollercoasters, go to http://funcam.funcoast.com