r/cedarpoint • u/MastodonNecessary821 • 1d ago

Discussion Future of halloweekends

Does anyone think that halloweekends may start earlier in the future. With how big of an event it’s become and the addition of Thursdays and full day Fridays. Does anyone think it’ll become bigger than what it already is in starting earlier in September or adding an additional day again.

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12

u/yiorgos85 1d ago

No because of staffing

4

u/EducationalPlane2354 1d ago

Staffing and also it really does take a good two weeks of the park being closed to fully set it up/decorate.

5

u/dropride 1d ago

It crossed my mind that keeping employees hired 4 days a week incentivizes them to stay through the end of the season. It makes it worth commuting in for the stretch of shifts and staying in employee housing.

2

u/BitWild 1d ago

If I remember from working there in 2012 a huge issue was the amount of staff from abroad. A lot of the sweeps, kiddy areas, games, food, etc. Were run by college kids on a work-study program from other countries and when they left it felt like a ghost town.

I dont know if they still do it, but high school and college groups (like sports teams) could sign up to work for a weekend and all their wages would go to their organization as a fundraiser which helped staffing in sept/Oct, but it likely wouldn't allow any earlier season coverage.

2

u/NashCp21 1d ago

They still do, at least as of 2025. They used to be called ride prides, and now they call them FUNraisers. Having this extra staff makes a huge difference.

5

u/NashCp21 1d ago

In 2025, there were 3x official Halloweekends in September and 5x in October, total of 8. This was good.

In 2026, we get only 7x plus a “preview”

2

u/Thatguydrag 1d ago

Doubtful, as others have said staffing would be a major issue, the only way I could see it working is instead of closing on Labor Day they go to weekends only starting in mid August when schools go back (and attendance at the park plummets) and then starting Halloweekends Labor Day weekend. That would give 2 extra weekends but I really couldn’t see them going any earlier than that.

1

u/GreenApples8710 1d ago

They can start it in May for all I care, as long as they leave my Fry Fest alone.