Snake River Expedition
2021

Snake River Expedition is a family boat ride that is located on Gemini Midway. The ride is a re-introduction of a classic Cedar Point ride. 
Snake River Expedition opened as part of Cedar Point's 150th Anniversary Celebration. 
In 2012, guest would journey 65 million years into the past to experience Dinosaurs Alive! on Adventure Island. Gatekeeper would fly over the parks front gate when it opened in 2013. In 2014 Gemini Midway was updated and received 3 new rides. Rougarou opened in 2015 as Cedar Point's first Floorless Roller Coaster. In 2016 Valravn opened as the world's tallest, fastest, and longest Dive Coaster. Cedar Point Shores Water Park opened in 2017 replacing Soak City. In 2018, Steel Vengeance opened as the world's first Hyper-Hybrid Roller Coaster. Forbidden Frontier sent guest on a journey like no other in 2019. 
The story of Snake River Expedition beings all the way back in 1960, 61 Years before Cedar Point opened Snake River Expedition they opened an old favorite that would someday inspire the 2020 attraction. 
In 1960 Cedar Point opened the Riverboat Cruise. Riverboat Cruise was built to utilize the old lagoons in the middle of the park. The lagoon was originally built in 1906 to control bugs. 

The original boats for this ride were built by the park using what materials they could find. It was a very low budget ride, but it was a huge success. 
In 1964 River Boat Cruise was rebuilt as Western Cruise. The ride got new boats and featured animation for the first time on the ride. The ride was very popular. In 1970 the station was relocated to where Iron Dragon's station is today. 
In 1987 Cedar Point opened Iron Dragon. Iron Dragon was Cedar Point's Suspended Coaster that was built by Arrow Dynamics. Iron Dragon was built over the lagoon and the station displaced the location of Western Cruise. 
In 1987, The Western Cruise was relocated to the Gemini Midway where it received a new name, Paddlewheel Excursions. The ride received an all new loading platform and the ride course was changed for the first time in many years. The ride was reduced to half its length and only traveled around one island. 
On Monday, September 5, 2011, Paddlewheel Excursions was closed forever to make room for Dinosaur's Alive! on Adventure Island. Paddlewheel Excursions leaving the park was criticized from the moment it was announced. 
Dinosaurs Alive! on Adventure Island opened in 2012. It was a walk thru attraction that was located on the island. Over the years the attraction wasn't really that popular. Guest didn't like that Paddlewheel Excursions was removed for the attraction. Due to its lack in popularity, Dinosaurs Alive would close on September 3, 2018.
In 2019, Dinosaur's Alive! was replaced with Forbidden Frontier on Adventure Island. Forbidden Frontier was a really cool experience. Forbidden Frontier was a themed experience. 
On August 15, 2019, Cedar Point announced for  2020 they would be celebrating the park's 150th anniversary. As part of the anniversary they would open a river boat experience. On December 11, 2019, it was annoced that that river boat ride would be named Snake River Expedition that that the ride wold use Paddlewheel Excision's old docks as the ride entrance. 
The park worked really hard during the winter to get the ride ready for opening day. 
On March 21, 2020 Cedar Point announced it needed to delay the  150th anniversary celebration and Snake River Expedition until 2021 due to Covid 19 concerns. 
Cedar Point would work thru the summer of 2020 and the next winter to get the new ride ready. They tested the ride and made final minute preparations the ride needed.
Cedar Point opened for the 2021 season on May 14, 2021.  Snake River Expedition was scheduled to open for the season on Friday, May 28, 2021.

The park would use the first two weeks the ride was open to train the crew that would operate the ride. 
On May 28, 2021, Cedar Point was hit with very bad weather. The park would end up closing early due to the weather being so bad. The same thing would happen again on May 29.
Snake River Expedition finally opened to the public on Monday, May 30, 2021.
Snake River Expedition was an instant hit! It is a great ride for families! Snake River Expedition was the first family ride to open at Cedar Point since 2014.
Snake River Expiation is a family boat ride. It was a great reintroduction for a new generation.
Snake River Expedition is very similar to the former Paddlewheel Excursions and Western Cruise. 

Cedar Point took the concept of the former ride and added to it to create Snake River Expedition. 
Snake River Expedition features 4 boats. They are named Catawba, Kanawha, Lil' Miami, and Lehigh. Each of the boats have a throw back to the areas of different Cedar Fair parks.  
Each of the boats feature unique theming. Some of the theming is Easter eggs to other rides at other Cedar Fair parks.
Snake River Expedition Ride Facts:
Opened: May 30, 2021
Type: Boat Ride
​Boats: 4
​Experience Time: About 10 minutes. 
Snake River Expedition is third boat ride Cedar Point has had. 

Ride Experience

Riders would be pointed to the Snake River Expedition station by a sign that was placed on the Gemini Midway. 
The Snake River Expdition expernece began with riders eintering the queue line. The queue line is housed in the same pavillion that was built for Paddlewheel Excursions in 1986. 
The queue line for Snake River Expedition is very well themed. It has more theming then any other ride at Cedar Point. 
At the end of the queue, riders are preloaded into groups right outside the pavilion. 
On the dock there is more theming. It is also from here that you can view the boats as they depart the dock. Riders are loaded onto numbers. These numbers are where they will sit on the boat. 
Riders are then taken around the cornoer where they are given the back story for the ride. 

Trapper Dan is sending you on a journey down the river to deliever gold to his gold mine. 
Riders are then loaded into the boats. There are seats for 24 passanagers on each boat. There are 4 boats. 
As Snake River Expedition leaves the boat dock the caption and the actor continue the story. They take the gold and the dynamite from the guests so the outlaws don't see it.

​They are also taught the Snake River wolf call. The Snake River wolf call is used if anyone sees any outlaws so that the outlaws can't attack the boat. All of this happens while the boat goes past Camp Snoopy. 
As you go around the corner near Cedar Creek Mine Ride you see a lovely house located on the banks of the Snake River. Its just a bad thing for the people who live in this house because its being attacked by a bear!
The boat then comes up on a group of wild animals playing instruments while they are making music. They are some really cool animatronics. 
Riders are then introduced to Forbidden Frontier on Adventure Island as the boat goes past the island. 
On the left side of the boat you can see Flap Jack McGee making pancakes. 
Flap Jack's family is out being busy as beavers as they try to repair a hole in a damn so their nearby home doesn't become flooded. 
They are even busy cutting trees down so they have wood to repair the dam.  This occurs as the boat goes around the corner by Snake River Falls. 
The boat then takes you past the Crystal Rock Bottling Company. You can see some critters and they are raiding the bottling company. This was actually the station for Shoot the Rapids from 2010-2015.
The boat then takes riders under a bridge. The bridge is very themed as it's how guests get to Adventure Island. The bridge features some snakes to add to the rides story line. 
The boat then comes to a dock. that is located on the outside of a city. They see someone that could be on Trapper Dan's team so the boat stops. 
Just as thy were getting the password an outlaw shows up.  The outlaw knows the password and gets on the boat. 
The outlaw then tries to take the gold from the boat.  They have a gun and they use it to their full advantage. They get the gold then they leave the boat. 
Once the outlaws get the gold they tell the other outlaws to shoot at the boat. The outlaws then try to shoot the boat. 
The boat continues to go down the river. The actor makes sure that everyone on the boat is ok and that they didn't get shot. The boat then passes Rougarou and heads towards Iron Dragon. 
It is then realized that the boat still had the gold! They had given the outlaws the dynamite! Trapper Dan's team then shoots the outhouse that the Outlaw was in!
The boat then goes around the corner by Top Thrill Dragster. 
The boat then goest past a giant snake! The snake tries to spray the boat with venom! Just after the snake is a boat that looks like it's crashed. It appears to have been attacked by the snake!
The boat then arrives at the boat dock and all riders exit the boat. 
Snake River Expedition has a really nice exit plaza. The exit Plaza is located right next to the entrance of the ride. 

Snake River Expedition's Impact on Cedar Point 

Snake River Expedition is a really cool ride experience. The ride is great for the entire family to enjoy together. Snake River Expedition was the first ride for the entire family that was added to Cedar Point in a long time. 
Snake River Expedition is a ride that you can't experience in many other parks. It is part of what makes Cedar Point cool. 
Riders must be 46 inches tall to ride alone. Anyone under 46 inches tall must ride with an adult.
Last Updated:01/06/2023
​Photos by: Andrew Borgen, Cedar Point, and Jake Hamons

Follow us on Social Media Today! 


Copyright © 2024 Insiders of the Point. All Rights Reserved. version IOTP 1.1

Insiders of the Point is not affiliated with Cedar Point or its parent company Six Flags Entertainment Corporation.