Making a pass at the Cedar Point Beach

Editor's note: Justin Dietz is a Register correspondent representing CPFoodBlog.com and @CPFoodBlog on Twitter. SANDUSKY — Can you remember a time when Cedar Point used to be free and guests had to pay for admission to the beach? Many generations may recall there was a time when no one price admission to the park was available. Guests would walk freely throughout the property and purchase individual ride tickets, picnic in the park and maybe head over to the beach during the day, since that was the major highlight. Some parks still operate under this model today like Knoebels in Elysburg, Pennsylvania, and Waldameer in Erie, Pennsylvania. While it might not be the best model in every market, it certainly is fitting to the right locations and provides a great laid-back atmosphere. The Cedar Point individual ride ticket policy was in place up through the 1960s, and, according to the historic Cedar Point ticket prices in the 1970s, switched to an all-day admission program. Troy Werner, a lifelong Sandusky resident, recently shared some amazing photos of his 1965 beach season pass. Keep in mind this was an era when Cedar Point did not offer a regular season pass like guests are accustomed to today. The pass granted him admission to the beach through 1965. If the guest wanted admission to the bathhouse, it was an additional 25 cents. The beach season pass also gave the owner access to the ferry boat each day. As a 1980s child of Cedar Point, I could not even imagine an era where guests had to pay to access the beach. That is one of the wonderful things about the Cedar Point Beach, that outside of having to pay for parking, the beach is free for all to enjoy. According to a historic scan of the 1965 Cedar Point brochures from the collection of Jason Hammond, the park was open May 22 to Labor Day. As we prepare for the return of Cedar Point Nights and a celebration of the historic Cedar Point Beach, we cannot help but reminisce about the historical significance of countless generations spending time in the sand. We often wonder what those guests that are no longer with us would think marveling up at the skyline that is so different today.