Geauga Lake lowers some admission prices

Tuesday, 15 November 2005

By BRANDI BARHITE
brandibarhite@sanduskyregister.com

AURORA, Ohio - Geauga Lake is taking the lead from its sister park Cedar Point.

Next summer, the price of admission for juniors and seniors will be $9.95 -- the same as Cedar Point.

Regular admission will remain $24.95 at Geauga Lake, which includes the price of the amusement park and waterpark. Juniors were $14.95; seniors paid $24.95.

Also in 2006, Geauga Lake will no longer be open for its version of Cedar Point's HalloWeekends.

Geauga Lake will close Sept. 17 after its annual Oktoberfest event.

"We are attracting the entire family to the park and want to offer an affordable price," said Geauga Lake spokeswoman Lexi Robinson on Monday.

"We lowered the general admission last year -- and a lot of guests were concerned we would raise it this year, and made the commitment we wouldn't," she said.

Robinson said Cedar Point had tried the discounted prices for the latter part of the 2005 season and it was successful.

In addition to wanting to focus on its core season, Geauga Lake doesn't want to compete with Cedar Point's HalloWeekends, Robinson said.

Robinson said it's hard to know if Geauga Lake was taking away from Cedar Point's attendance at HalloWeekends. Mostly, it comes down to having a smaller staff at Geauga Lake and wanting to focus on the summer activities, she said.

The completed Geauga Lake's Wildwater Kingdom will open Memorial Day, and will include a 30,000-square-foot wave pool and cabanas.

Cedar Point spokesman Bryan Edwards said HalloWeekends was popular at Cedar Point this year.

"It was one of the most popular HalloWeekends we ever had," he said.

Next summer, the price of regular one-day admission will be $39.95 at Cedar Point, down $5 from this summer's price of $44.95.

Cedar Point reduced its prices to bring guests back to the park. Park officials said the weak economy combined with high gas prices kept people from visiting.

Only 3.1 million people visited the park this summer, down from 3.2 million in 2004. Geauga Lake had 700,000 visitors, about the same as last year.

A 2006 two-park pass, which includes admission to Cedar Point and Geauga Lake & Wildwater Kingdom, is $114. Junior and senior passes are $70.

Cedar Fair acquired Geauga Lake in 2004.

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