Boat ride to Cedar Point?

[Scottathew]

Better yet, set up two stargates and travel via wormhole.

This is feasible, the Stargate on the Detroit side is already built, they would just need to build one in Sandusky.

[Lowell]

It doesn't seem to make sense for reasons others stated above - too long and too expensive.


The ferry to Milwaukee however makes a lot of sense. I have taken it and it turns what would be a long stressful drive through the traffic of Chicago into a very laid-back enjoyable ride. If your timing is perfect you could be in downtown Milwaukee in six hours. I took my car because I was on business. That wasn't cheap.

It made me think about driving to Muskegon, parking the car there for three dollars a day, taking the ferry to Milwaukee and cabbing downtown from the dock. Milwaukee has a quietly nice downtown with lots of fun things to do.

It clips along at 45 but it can be bumpy if there is chop.

[EastsideAl]

According to this, there was steamer service back from Detroit to Cedar Point in the early-1900's:

http://timelines.home.insightbb.com/cp_years.htm

Ahhh, the good old days. In 1923 my grandparents took their honeymoon trip to Cleveland on an overnight voyage aboard this magnificent vessel:



It was only one of many passenger ships plying the rivers and lakes to and from Detroit back then. Other than the Bob-Lo boats, the last of them died off in 1950. Already reeling from the increased use of cars and planes, and the beginning of inter-city freeway building, the final nail was driven by the denial of docking space by the City of Detroit due to the clearing of land for our new ultra-modern Civic Center. Those old nasty boats were blocking the view of the river from the new Veterans Memorial Building!

The exorbitant price for my grandparents' luxury stateroom aboard the City of Detroit III? $12.50. But then grandpa was pretty well off by then. He was making $5 a day!

[EastsideAl]

Not to discourage anyone, but this idea didn't work out too well when they tried it on Lake Ontario. The idea was to get people directly to Toronto via high speed ferry from Rochester NY, thus avoiding the often traffic-choked drive through Buffalo, Niagara Falls, Hamilton, etc. that was necessary to get from upstate New York into Canada and around the western end of the lake.

It seems the major downfalls were the size of the boat, the steep fares necessary, and the time it actually took to get across the lake due to current and water conditions, which was about the same time it usually took to drive the distance [[approx. 2.5 hours).

http://www.rbj.net/article.asp?aID=209847

[douglasm]

The Victoria Clipper makes the Seattle/Victoria BC run [[about 90 miles) in 2 hours and 45 minutes. Assuming it would run at the same speed, I would guess a boat like their's....a hydrofoil.....would take about 2 hours between Detroit and Cedar Point. The VC is about $125 round trip, so I'm guessing a $70 round trip to Cedar Point.

http://www.clippervacations.com/seattle-victoria-ferry/

[KJ5]

Cedar Point is just too far for this to work. What we need is an amusement park closer to us, maybe on an island!

[.crash.]

I really appreciate everyone's input. And obviously if you happen to have a car load of friends to split the costs of gas, tolls, and parking with [[not to mention the car) and don't mind waking up early and spending a few extra hours on the road with them then that's definitely the way to go for you. Enjoy the construction and potholes.

But let's say, it's not a boat but a hovercraft with twin water-cooled diesel engines. That's large enough for 85 or 189 passengers. Floats above the water so currents and chop are barely an issue. Can drive right up on the beach for safely loading/unloading. And can reduce your travel time to [[okay, fine...) 75-90 minutes. Is that worth $10 each way/ person? [[I figure some people might want to stay the night). How about $20? What is your time worth? What would the demand look like? Is an 85 person craft too large? Is a 12 person craft too small?

Remember Cedar Point has season passes for $125. So you just have to get there. I'm just trying to estimate demand so I can choose a vehicle and a price point and do some cost estimates based on gal./hour, price of fuel, number of days running [[~139), number of trips per day [[2 there & 2 back?) It might be cheaper to run a few smaller craft filled to capacity than a large one that's only half full. And if there's only 1 vehicle, it would likely be completely empty every time it drove back! Probably smarter to have multiple boats that stay there for the whole day.

Anything else I'm overlooking? Can passengers board from the Riverwalk? Or wherever the Detroit Princess docks? How about the Detroit Yacht Club?

[Honky Tonk]

I really appreciate everyone's input. And obviously if you happen to have a car load of friends to split the costs of gas, tolls, and parking with [[not to mention the car) and don't mind waking up early and spending a few extra hours on the road with them then that's definitely the way to go for you. Enjoy the construction and potholes.

But let's say, it's not a boat but a hovercraft with twin water-cooled diesel engines. That's large enough for 85 or 189 passengers. Floats above the water so currents and chop are barely an issue. Can drive right up on the beach for safely loading/unloading. And can reduce your travel time to [[okay, fine...) 75-90 minutes. Is that worth $10 each way/ person? [[I figure some people might want to stay the night). How about $20? What is your time worth? What would the demand look like? Is an 85 person craft too large? Is a 12 person craft too small?

Remember Cedar Point has season passes for $125. So you just have to get there. I'm just trying to estimate demand so I can choose a vehicle and a price point and do some cost estimates based on gal./hour, price of fuel, number of days running [[~139), number of trips per day [[2 there & 2 back?) It might be cheaper to run a few smaller craft filled to capacity than a large one that's only half full. And if there's only 1 vehicle, it would likely be completely empty every time it drove back! Probably smarter to have multiple boats that stay there for the whole day.

Anything else I'm overlooking? Can passengers board from the Riverwalk? Or wherever the Detroit Princess docks? How about the Detroit Yacht Club?

Why don't you answer your own questions and inquire about docking somewhere on the waterfront and what the charges would be? [[don't forget Park Davis where the Diamond Jack and Diamond Belle are docked) You talked about Cedar Point and paying for parking, are you going to provide parking as part of your boat ride package, or do you expect people to pay an additional $20 on top of the boat ride? Most of Cedar Point's customers aren't from Detroit proper. Bob-Lo and Point Pelee have\had a lock on boat travel, because that is\was the only way to get there, getting to Cedar Point, it isn't. Bob-Lo had issues with people not wanting to deal with coming into Detroit and parking, in their waning years. They added a Wyandotte stop, and finally added ferries from Gibraltar. I have been on hovercraft, and they're unbelievably smooth, quick and maneuverable. I don't think you have a bad idea, but you'll need to do more research and logistics if you plan on turning a profit.

[Willi]

It is a short season
and the pay-back period
for the capital outlay may substantial.
Definitely crunch the numbers, and get feedback.
Forum is a tough crowd, no doubt.

[iheartthed]

I really appreciate everyone's input. And obviously if you happen to have a car load of friends to split the costs of gas, tolls, and parking with [[not to mention the car) and don't mind waking up early and spending a few extra hours on the road with them then that's definitely the way to go for you. Enjoy the construction and potholes.

But let's say, it's not a boat but a hovercraft with twin water-cooled diesel engines. That's large enough for 85 or 189 passengers. Floats above the water so currents and chop are barely an issue. Can drive right up on the beach for safely loading/unloading. And can reduce your travel time to [[okay, fine...) 75-90 minutes. Is that worth $10 each way/ person? [[I figure some people might want to stay the night). How about $20? What is your time worth? What would the demand look like? Is an 85 person craft too large? Is a 12 person craft too small?

Remember Cedar Point has season passes for $125. So you just have to get there. I'm just trying to estimate demand so I can choose a vehicle and a price point and do some cost estimates based on gal./hour, price of fuel, number of days running [[~139), number of trips per day [[2 there & 2 back?) It might be cheaper to run a few smaller craft filled to capacity than a large one that's only half full. And if there's only 1 vehicle, it would likely be completely empty every time it drove back! Probably smarter to have multiple boats that stay there for the whole day.

Anything else I'm overlooking? Can passengers board from the Riverwalk? Or wherever the Detroit Princess docks? How about the Detroit Yacht Club?

I'd be very interested in hearing the math behind getting that ticket down to $10/person. Even bus rides to Cedar Point usually float around the $50/person mark.

[Bham1982]

There are so many problems in the region, yet so many DYes threads are about solving non-problems.

There is no issue with Cedar Point access. It's 2-3 hours away by car, no tolls, just costs a half tank of gas or whatever. Cedar Point is all families and groups, so pile people in your car, and you're there in no time at a per-person cost of almost nothing.

[iheartthed]

There are so many problems in the region, yet so many DYes threads are about solving non-problems.

There is no issue with Cedar Point access. It's 2-3 hours away by car, no tolls, just costs a half tank of gas or whatever. Cedar Point is all families and groups, so pile people in your car, and you're there in no time at a per-person cost of almost nothing.

Well buy the domain from Lowell and ban those discussions. Until then have a Coke and a smile.

[Gistok]

<Snip> The ferry to Milwaukee however makes a lot of sense. <Snip>
It clips along at 45 but it can be bumpy if there is chop.

Lowell.... after reading your comments, I was reminded of a Youtube video about 64 used cars going on a ship from Japan to Vladivostok Russia.... of 64 cars 52 didn't quite make it because of "chop" [[in extremis)... this is almost funny, unless you were the owners...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38jDQkkaxT8

And of course going to Cedar Pointe.... getting out of the Detroit River channel into the open water of Lake Erie on a choppy day brings up a whole other can o' worms.....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAo7q9JUzRs

[Smirnoff]

Has the jet engine hot air balloon with turbo been ruled out?

[compn]

i'd vote for a blimp ride. would you take a 3 hour blimp ride from detroit to cedar point? i would. but not for the $300-$500 it would end up costing. http://www.goodyearblimp.com/passenger-guide/

hovercraft are so expensive as to be unattainable. there is a hovercraft ferry still operating in the UK.
http://www.hovertravel.co.uk/

this will never work as no one wants to park in detroit to get on the blimp/hovercraft/ferry/magical flying train or submarine.

[compn]

or you know, just take the cedar point bus?
http://trinitytransportation.com/ced...-from-detroit/
Now Selling Tickets for Cedar Point 2014!

Cedar Point Charter Bus trip from Detroit running all summer long with Trinity Transportation. Enjoy the park without the hassle of the drive! Our luxury charter buses are equipped with free WiFi and Power Outlets so your trip can be almost as fun as riding Cedar Point's GateKeeper!

$79, includes park ticket

[gnome]

i'd vote for a blimp ride. would you take a 3 hour blimp ride from detroit to cedar point? i would. but not for the $300-$500 it would end up costing. http://www.goodyearblimp.com/passenger-guide/

I fear the unicorn horns might poke holes in the balloon.

[Scottathew]

There are so many problems in the region, yet so many DYes threads are about solving non-problems.

There is no issue with Cedar Point access. It's 2-3 hours away by car, no tolls, just costs a half tank of gas or whatever. Cedar Point is all families and groups, so pile people in your car, and you're there in no time at a per-person cost of almost nothing.

I don't agree with you first sentence. This is a message board for people to exchange ideas on a variety of topics. If this topic isn't important enough or interesting enough, then don't open it, don't reply to it, don't think about it.

However, your second paragraph is pretty much the answer to this thread. Once you put a second person in the car, the cost per person is so difficult to compete with. When you put four people in the car, there's simply no way for mass transit\boat\whatever to touch the cost.

I enjoy the outside-of-the-box thinking on this, and trying to come up with different solutions. It's just that most solutions simply can't compete with the time\cost of two or more people driving to Cedar Point.

[Mikeg]

Ahhh, the good old days. In 1923 my grandparents took their honeymoon trip to Cleveland on an overnight voyage aboard this magnificent vessel...... it was only one of many passenger ships plying the rivers and lakes to and from Detroit back then. Other than the Bob-Lo boats, the last of them died off in 1950......

Lest we forget.

The SS Aquarama began service from Detroit to Cleveland in 1957, carrying automobiles and passengers. Once in service the ship was able to transport its passengers, as well as their automobiles, from Detroit to Cleveland in under six hours.

Although the ship was immensely popular, it never generated enough revenue to be self-supporting; On September 4, 1962 the ship made its last trip.

I remember seeing the Aquarama up close and personal from the Bob-Lo dock as she steamed up-bound in the Amherstburg Channel.

[Honky Tonk]

Lest we forget.



I remember seeing the Aquarama up close and personal from the Bob-Lo dock as she steamed up-bound in the Amherstburg Channel.

Closer than that. Everyone fishing had to scatter when she docked @ the coal docks. [[Detroit Harbor Terminal)

[Lowell]

If you have a car it seems nothing beats that but how does the upstart Uber do on the cost / convenience scale?

[Downriviera]

This is feasible, the Stargate on the Detroit side is already built, they would just need to build one in Sandusky.

They already built it.