Forbidden Frontier on Adventure Island
2019-2022

Forbidden Frontier on Adventure Island was an interactive mystery area. 

In 2011 WindSeeker would spin riders 301 feet into the sky. Riders were given a very cool view of the Cedar Point peninsula. In January 2012, Cedar Fair got a new CEO named Matt Oumitt. He came to Cedar Fair from Disney. Dinosaurs Alive on Adventure Island would take guests 65 million years into the past in 2012. In 2013 GateKeeper sent riders screaming upside down over the new front gate. 2014 saw a new general manager for Cedar Point, Jason McClure. Jason came to Cedar Point from Dorney Park. 2014 also saw the debut of the new Gemini Midway. Mantis was converted into the floorless Rougarou in 2015. Valravn would dive into Cedar Point in 2016. Soak City was remolded and expanded to become Cedar Point Shores Waterpark in 2017. In 2018 Steel Vengeance became the world's tallest, fastest, and longest hybrid roller coaster. With all of these changes made to the park in just 8 years, there would be more to come in the future. 

Forbidden Frontier was a very unique attraction for Cedar Point. Every guest would have a different experience. The story of this one of a kind attraction is quite interesting. 

Dinosaurs Alive opened at Cedar Point in 2012. It was an upchage walk thru attraction. 

Dinosaurs Alive on Adventure Island replaced Paddlewheel Excursions. Guests were not happy that the boat ride was leaving the park. 

Dinosaurs Alive used a location in Camp Snoopy for guests to access a bridge that would take them onto one of the islands inside the park. 

Dinosaurs Alive took guests 65 million years into the past to see what it was like when dinosaurs roamed the earth. The attraction had 50 life-sized dinosaurs. Many of the dinosaurs would move and make noise. 

Guests were not a fan of Dinosaurs Alive. It did not become a favorite like Cedar Point wanted it to be.  

On August 21, 2018, Cedar Point announced that Dinosaurs Alive was going extinct and would be replaced with Forbidden Frontier for the 2019 season. 

Dinosaurs Alive on Adventure Island closed on Monday, September 3, 2018 to make way for forbidden Frontier on Adventure Island. 

During the fall of 2018 Cedar Point removed Dinosaurs Alive on Adventure and began construction on Forbidden Frontier on Adventure Island. 

When Forbidden Frontier on Adventure Island was announced Cedar Point was very vague about what it was. They didn't release a lot of details, but through the winter they did talk about it a little bit. 

Forbidden Frontier on Adventure Island would be a mystery attraction all the way until it would open. It did not open with Cedar Point in 2019.

Forbidden Frontier on Adventure Island opened on Saturday, May 25, 2019.

Forbidden Frontier on Adventure Island was located on Adventure Island. To access the island the attraction used a new bridge that was located on the Frontier Trail between Snake River Falls and Professor Delbert's Frontier Fling. 

Attraction Experience 

The Forbidden Frontier on Adventure Island experience began with guests walking thru the entrance sign of the attraction. 

The entrance area for Forbidden Frontier was first built in 2010. It was the original entrance to Shoot the Rapids. 

After crossing the train tracks guests would walk down a themed pathway. 

This pathway was originally the line for Shoot the Rapids. 

Guests would then enter the former station of Shoot the Rapids. You could walk thru the station and explore some really cool themed props. 

You would then walk over a bridge to access the island. The bridge would be replaced with a new one in 2021 to make room for Snake River Expedition. 

Once guests got on the island they reached Snake River Swamp. Guests would need to get to the other side of the swamp to experience the rest of the island. Guests would have several options to get to the other side of the swamp. 

Crystal Rock Rafts

Crystal Rock Rafts was a really neat way to get across the swamp. 

Guests would have to pull themselves across the swamp. 

Crystal Rock Rafts was fun for guests, but it made them very tired because it was a long way that they had to pull their raft. The line could also get really long to experience the attraction.

Boggy Bridge

Boggy Bridge was a way guests could walk thru the swamp. 

Boggy Bridge featured a moving bridge. The bridge would shake and bounce as you walked across. 

Boggy Bridge would cause guests to laugh and giggle as they walked across the bridge. 

A Walk Around Path

The third way to get to the other side of the swamp is to walk around. There was a path all the way around the swamp. 

The pathway was very scenic and it gave great views of the swamp, Frontier Town, and the remains of Shoot the Rapids. 

The Adventure 

After getting to the other side of the swamp guests walk down the path and enter the area that formally was used as Dinosaurs Alive. 

Guests would arrive at a fort. The fort was used as a prison. Sometimes you would see the local law enforcement. . 

The sherif will send you on an adventure to find some of the island inhabitants to learn what is going on. 

Traveling further down the trail guests would interact with the islanders, and they would give more clues to the mystery that they were trying to solve. 

High Ground 

High ground was a multi-story play structure located near the middle of the island. 

High Ground featured a series of climbing nets as well as two really cool slides. 

High Ground was a really cool experience. 

Provisions 

Provisions was a food stand that was on Adventure Island. It was built in 2019 for Forbidden Frontier. 

Provisions gave you the opportunity to eat what the  islanders ate. 

Provisions was a really great experience. It had really good food, and there was never a line! 

Middle Ground

Middle Ground was a stage that would host small shows and games for guests. It was used as meeting area. 

Character Interactions 

The back half of Forbidden Frontier was full of character interactions. 

Guests could interact with he characters who would tell them stories and send them on small missions. 

Guests would use the stories, clues, and adventures to develop the story of Forbidden Frontier. 

Leaving the Island 

You could leave Forbidden Frontier when ever you wanted. To leave the attraction you would have to walk all the way back thru what you had already done and over the bridge. 

A New Frontier 

Forbidden Frontier on Adventure Island was a different kind of attraction for Cedar Point. The park had never attempted anything like it before. 

It was a great area for families to explore together. There was something to see and do every where you looked. 

Forbidden Frontier on Adventure had one way in, and one way out. The entrance was off to the right side of the Frontier Trail. The entrance was kind of hidden and many guests didn't even know Forbidden Frontier on Adventure Island existed. 

The guests didn't like that you had to walk so far to experience the attraction. 

It also didn't help anything that Cedar Point didn't open Forbidden Frontier in 2020 out of concerns of Covid exposure. 

Many guests had just forgotten Forbidden Frontier existed. Many didn't even know Forbidden Frontier was at Cedar Point. 

Once Forbidden Frontier did reopen it had shorter hours than it had in 2019. Forbidden Frontier would also be closed on certain days. 

Forbidden Frontier was a very cool attraction, but it just wasn't foe everyone. Many guests were just bored with the attraction. Some guests didn't even go all the way thru because it was just too much walking. 

Every year that they opened forbidden Frontier after 2019 attendance for the attraction would drop. 

Forbidden Frontier at more theming than another attraction in the history of Cedar Point. 

After Cedar Point opened Forbidden Frontier in 2019 they planned to Celebrate the parks 150th anniversary in 2020. It was delayed until 2021 due to a global pandemic. Snake River Expedition would also open in 2021. In 2022 Cedar Point added general park additions. 

On Saturday, February 25, 2023 Cedar Point announced that Forbidden Frontier on Adventure Island would be closed for the 2023 season. 

Most people really didn't care that Forbidden Frontier wasn't coming back. Those that did, only miss Provisions. 

Forbidden Frontier on Adventure Island was a really cool attraction. It had a lot of potential, and it is really sad that it is closed. 

Forbidden Frontier on Adventure Island did not open for the 2023 season. It wasn't demolished, it just sat there.

Last Updated: 10/17/2023

Media By: Andrew Borgen, Cedar Point, and Jake Hamons