Valravn coaster leaves first riders screaming for more from A1

Lines for Cedar Point's new coaster, Valravn, were long all weekend -- 90 minutes and up. A new Cedar Point smartphone app will make it easier for guests to avoid long lines. (Marvin Fong, The Plain Dealer)

(Marvin Fong)

SANDUSKY, Ohio -- I love amusement parks, but hate standing in line -- which is why the addition of a new wait-time feature at Cedar Point this year is almost as exciting to me as a new roller coaster.

This past weekend, Cedar Point activated a new smartphone app that gives guests the ability to choose their next ride based on where lines are shortest.

This is a feature that Disney, Universal and other parks have had for years -- and that Cedar Point guests have been waiting for almost as long. Cedar Point sister parks Kings Island and Carowinds piloted the new technology for Cedar Fair last year.

A screen shot from the new Cedar Point smartphone app shows the estimated wait time for Valravn -- 90 minutes -- plus height requirement, thrill level and location in the park.

My family and I put it to the test when we arrived at the park on Sunday afternoon:

* We saw immediately that the line for Valravn, Cedar Point's new record-breaking dive coaster, had a 90-minute wait. Too long, we decided, we'll keep looking.

* Maverick -- at the back of the park, a 20-minute walk from the entrance -- wasn't currently operating, so we crossed it off our do-it-now list, too.

* GateKeeper, a family favorite, had a wait time of only 15 minutes. We made it our first ride of the day.

Jason McClure, Cedar Point's general manager, said park guests have been asking for a wait-time feature for years. But park officials didn't think they should offer it until Cedar Point could also offer park-wide wireless internet access -- which is also new in 2016.

It works like this, according to McClure: Employees who work at popular rides already are fairly adept at estimating wait times based on the length of the line. Many rides for years have had wait-time estimates posted at the entrance to their lines. Those same estimated wait times will be called into a central operator at the park, who will update the app regularly. Temporary ride closures will be noted, as well.

One thing to keep it mind: The wait-time feature only works if you're inside the park, which means a prospective visitor can't use it from home, 60 miles away, and decide whether he wants to come or not based on wait times.

Keep in mind, too, that it may take a few weeks for the system to work seamlessly, as employees get comfortable making estimates (and even then, it won't be perfect -- given that line estimates are just that, estimates).

During our day in the park, we discovered a few glitches in the system:

* Maverick, when it opened, had an estimated wait time listed on the app at 1 hour and 45 minutes, which seemed excessively high, given that the park wasn't that crowded. We walked back to Maverick, where the employee at the front of the line estimated the wait at about an hour. "It's a work in progress," he said of the new app.

* Aside from Maverick, times listed on the app were usually pretty accurate -- within 5 or 10 minutes, a respectable margin of error, in my opinion.

* Ride closures listed on the app were a bit delayed, too. Top Thrill Dragster -- which was opening and shutting down throughout the day -- was still listed as closed as I boarded the ride around 3:30 p.m.

The wait-time feature is certainly the most eagerly anticipated part of the new app. But other features are cool, too:

* A find-your-car element helps you locate your parking space at the end of a long day (but you have to remember to activate it when you park in the morning).

* An interactive map shows the location of rides, show times, food venues and shops.

* A location tracker allows the park to offer special discounts to guests as they're strolling the midway. While we were there, for example, we received electronic coupons for a free drink (the new FlavaRavn Fizz, a Valravn-themed soft drink).

Of course, there is a creepy side to this technology -- while the app is running, Cedar Point can track your every move as you explore the park.

That, however, is a price I'm willing to pay to substantially reduce my time standing in line. How about you?

Parking increase: Cedar Point has enacted a tiered system of parking, with a higher rate on busy days. On the Sunday we visited, the fee was $15 -- same as last year. But on Saturday, the fee was $18, according to the parking attendant.

Cedar Point spokesman Tony Clark said parking fees will fluctuate this year, but will always be $15 online.