So uh... I'm up from Orlando visiting my family who also happen to be on vacation in Washington DC. At the time an extremely unpleasant event had just occurred a few miles from my house and I was rather happy to just get away from Orlando for a bit.. and avoid everything. Originally my only 'planned' park visit was gonna be to Hersheypark because it was bugging me that I had yet to ride Skyrush. This was gonna be about spending some time with my Mom and Dad and hanging out in DC, the city I originally planned to move to... before ending up in Orlando. Well, after thinking about what else was in the area... I added Kennywood, it had been some 8 years since I visited there and since I enjoyed it.. it seemed like a good idea to add Pittsburgh along the way... but then it just seemed silly to not make the bit more effort and hit Cedar Point as well... The park had just opened what is the worlds tallest/fastest/loopiest Dive Coaster (and they had also added a Wing Coaster since my last visit there too) Soooo........ So here I am now... Waking up in DC at 4 a.m., getting my stuff together and saying goodbye to my parents as I walk over to the nearest Metro station, China Town, to catch the first train of the day out to the airport to pick up my rental. I also managed to take a photo in China Town to send via a snarky text proclaiming to have 'made it to Shanghai!!!' seeing is how it was opening day for Shanghai Disneyland, a jest at a lame post someone had made a few years earlier about (pretending to be at) Sochi (and also bragging about going here, here, and here, yet never actually going?)
Well, I get to the airport, get my rental, and start what should have been just over 6 hours of driving to Sandusky. But then came the rain... And a double accident outside of Pittsburgh where it took a full hour to move just one mile. I slowly watched my GPS arrival of 11.30 or so become nearly 2 p.m.
Oh yeah.. and the rain, did I mention the rain?
Oh yeah.. and the rain, did I mention the rain?
Uh, somewhere in NOVA
And then Maryland...
But hey, I'm getting to add some new counties....
At some point I entered Pennsylvania
And the sky cleared!
Tunnels... and stuff.
And then I made it to Ohio.
First time back in the state since my dramatic 2009 pre-moving to Orlando road trip.
First time back in the state since my dramatic 2009 pre-moving to Orlando road trip.
But here come the clouds again...
And rain... ZzZzz
But then as I'm getting to the 'Sandusky' signs.. blue sky again?
Maybe? Oh hey... Cedar Point, to the right.
Oh right... Maybe my Cedar Point blog post with have like.. I don't know.. photos from Cedar Point?
((And not just nine hours of driving))
((And not just nine hours of driving))
(((while I might not be the biggest fan of the park... its still rather impressive coming up onto the causeway and having the park 'reveal' itself.)))
And it was nice to see rides were still running, despite the high chances of rain.
And it was nice to see rides were still running, despite the high chances of rain.
Hmm.. something here looks slightly different than when I was last here in 2007....
Oh right, they've added one of those terrible Dinosaur upcharge things!
Oooooh, and GateKeeper.
Built as the tallest, fastest, longest, most inverting Wing Coaster on earth.
(and, uh, I think its still the current 'Worlds Tallest Inversion' holder too.. At 170 feet.)
I'm not a big fan of the genre... But the ride is rather impressive to look at and of the four I've ridden, GateKeeper is probably the best.
Built as the tallest, fastest, longest, most inverting Wing Coaster on earth.
(and, uh, I think its still the current 'Worlds Tallest Inversion' holder too.. At 170 feet.)
Walking into the park, I wanted to hit Valravn first, the parks new for 2016 coaster... But since I could see GateKeeper running with upwards of 15 empty seats a train... I decided to head there first and just get it over with. I ended up riding it twice since the station was practically empty when I got there. My first ride was on the left side, back row... followed by a front seat right ride. Its pretty fun and a great addition to the park... but it seems to have gone over pretty lackluster as far as the locals go. Had this gone into almost any other park... it would probably be a star attraction but here, its nothing more than filler.
Ah... the Giant Wheel.. one of many I'd have to skip during my summer adventures...
#SingleRider
#SingleRider
WindSeeker was open... and again, not wanting to push my luck... I quickly walked over and got on the very next cycle.
BOOM!, credit.
I'm now up to 3 of 4 seen WindSeekers, having only missed the one at Kings Dominion so far
(it was closed.... due to high winds!)
((and I guess I saw the one at Knotts.. but long after it had closed permanently)
Cedar Point's is now my favorite of my ridden ones, the view of the park and also being right on Lake Erie is rather stunning.
But there was still another credit to be had.. and one I had been oddly excited for.
I'm now up to 3 of 4 seen WindSeekers, having only missed the one at Kings Dominion so far
(it was closed.... due to high winds!)
((and I guess I saw the one at Knotts.. but long after it had closed permanently)
Cedar Point's is now my favorite of my ridden ones, the view of the park and also being right on Lake Erie is rather stunning.
But there was still another credit to be had.. and one I had been oddly excited for.
VALRAVN!
The largest Dive Coaster ever built.
While the layout seemed pretty standard, although with an extra inversion, and again... for being such a massive ride... it still comes off as somewhat 'filler' in a park like Cedar Point... I've been such a fan of the coaster style, I was still pretty excited to ride it.
The largest Dive Coaster ever built.
While the layout seemed pretty standard, although with an extra inversion, and again... for being such a massive ride... it still comes off as somewhat 'filler' in a park like Cedar Point... I've been such a fan of the coaster style, I was still pretty excited to ride it.
But it was closed...
Oh hey, Blue Streak. I haven't ridden it in +15 years... and... today would be no different
<3 Raptor <3
Waiting for Valravn to open I was tempted to walk away and ride Raptor.. but then Val started testing.. So I stayed camped out.
Waiting for Valravn to open I was tempted to walk away and ride Raptor.. but then Val started testing.. So I stayed camped out.
It did in turn open, and the queue was reopened as well. I was maybe the 10th person to reenter the line although it became clear people in the last set of switch backs had stayed. Thankfully the wait was still only 20 minutes or so.
Woo, Valravn. And its 165 foot tall Immelmann. The tallest Immelmann ever built.
Because random music videos in line make lines...fun.
((watch me, watch me!))
((watch me, watch me!))
(Wait no, that's for Oblivion)
Eh, so the park doesn't let you pick seats on the ride.. Something I find rather annoying... but as fate would have it.. I ended up with my sought after front seat ride on Valravn
So... uh... time for my delightful review....
(All this is based off of a single ride. I would have liked to have taken a second lap... but due to rain and other conflicts, it just wasn't possible. Hopefully I can visit again sometime and form a more well rounded opinion. (but having a basically local Dive Coaster back home.. I really don't see my views changing and it does rather suck since I was really looking forward to the ride and put in the effort of coming to the park from Washington DC solely because of its addition.)
- The loading times and dispatches were horrible and very un-Cedar Point like. A park that is normally a capacity MONSTER couldn't ever get this ride to not stack all 3 trains... Every time.
- The lack of Choice of Seat is very off-putting to me. (Fury 325 was also doing this last year)
- THE VEST, MY GOD! I can't stand the new B&M vest restraint... So restrictive and pins you to the seat in what should have been a delightful floater airtime hill...
- The shakiness the train has engaging onto the holding chain. Not sure what was up with that, the other 3 Dive Coasters I've ridden don't do that...
- The drop is good.. but since its only a few feet taller than what I have in Tampa, it wasn't overly impressive. (Same for the first inversion)
- vertical drop #2 seems oddly short... with Griffon dropping down to the waters edge and SheiKra going into an underground tunnel, Valravn's seems small?
- Inversion #2, the Dive Loop isn't really any more noticeable than say, Griffons second Immelmann (Not a bad thing, just a moot point)
- Inversion #3 is most likely the highlight of the ride for me. The elongated roll over taken at a slower speed was pretty fun and rather odd feeling. +1
- The bunny hop would have been great had it not been for the over restricting vest restraint.
- The ride then ends with a very HyperSonic XLC like 'Car Crash' that due to stacking leads to a harsh stop while on a steeply angled downward incline followed by an awkwardly long hold there while the train, 2 ahead of you, is dispatched from the station.
- Annddd lastly.. there was this rather odd.. wobble, to the trains. I wouldn't say it was rough or like... jack hammering.. but there was for sure a noticeable bounce to the cars as it made it ways around the course.
(All this is based off of a single ride. I would have liked to have taken a second lap... but due to rain and other conflicts, it just wasn't possible. Hopefully I can visit again sometime and form a more well rounded opinion. (but having a basically local Dive Coaster back home.. I really don't see my views changing and it does rather suck since I was really looking forward to the ride and put in the effort of coming to the park from Washington DC solely because of its addition.)
Valravn was also the first Dive Coaster to feature a Dive Loop (the reverse of the Immelmann) it also has this rather neat corkscrew/zero-g-roll that is taken so slow that it lasts pretty much forever.
<3 such a fitting shirt for this park <3
(YOUR FAVORITE COASTER SUCKS!)
Eh... I wouldn't go as far to say Valravn sucks.. its just not as good as SheiKra or Griffon and it suffers from terrible, terrible restraints.
And on to the other things... as the clouds get darker and darker...
(YOUR FAVORITE COASTER SUCKS!)
Eh... I wouldn't go as far to say Valravn sucks.. its just not as good as SheiKra or Griffon and it suffers from terrible, terrible restraints.
And on to the other things... as the clouds get darker and darker...
Last year the park converted Mantis, the former 'tallest,fastest,longest,most inverting...' Stand-Up coaster into Rougarou, a Floorless coaster.
Along with the new name and trains, the coaster was also painted in new colors. Sadly the transformation didn't really improve the ride much and the lack of riders helps back up that claim. While the first part of the ride was great... Once you get to the twisting bowl-ish ending... Its nothing but head-bang city.
(and for what its worth, I never had an issue with Mantis.. or any other B&M Stand-Up really, outside of slow loads)
(and for what its worth, I never had an issue with Mantis.. or any other B&M Stand-Up really, outside of slow loads)
Ehh.... I wasn't gonna.. I really just wasn't even gonna ride Millennium Force... ehh
But walking past... You could see the queue was barely out of the station.
(DAMN, I remember waiting +3 hours for it... many times back in 2001!)
(DAMN, I remember waiting +3 hours for it... many times back in 2001!)
While the ride is incredibly anticlimactic, car 9 still delivers a great ride on the massive 300 foot first drop. Sadly, after that the ride just doesn't do much else and I pretty much prefer the other six Intamin Hyper and Giga I've ridden... over it.
But seeing is how it was basically a walk on... I couldn't hate too much on it and its still a crowd-pleaser for the parks local clientele // market base. So who really cares what a jaded anti-enthusiast thinks
But Dat Drop Tho!
Probably in my top 10 favorite first drops.
(Fury 325 holds the #1 spot... for now)
Probably in my top 10 favorite first drops.
(Fury 325 holds the #1 spot... for now)
The 1910 built Albert engine for the Cedar Point & Lake Erie Railroad
The remnants of the ill-fated Shoot the Rapids. The parks Intamin built flume that barely operated 5 seasons...
(and had a rather unsettling incident where one of the boats overturned with riders locked in their seats... upside down... under water.)
(and had a rather unsettling incident where one of the boats overturned with riders locked in their seats... upside down... under water.)
Magnum XL-200 was closed the entire time I was in the park. I did see it make a few tests but it failed to open when I was within sight of it.
Snake River Falls, the one time tallest, fastest, steepest shoot-the-chutes
Random Wave Swinger photo for Jeff...
(did..not..ride...)
(did..not..ride...)
Making my way down to Maverick I took a quick ride on Cedar Creek Mine Ride, the parks aging Arrow Mine Train and likely the next coaster up for removal in the park. Oops! Mean Streak aside, CCMR is still the most likely candidate. Mid ride, the sky opened up and down came the rains... closing everything in the park for nearly an hour.
Sadly... This is about as close to Maverick as I got.. one of the few coasters in the park I actual like :/
rain...rain..rain. And now I'm the absolute furthest I could be from the font gate and my car.
(like, over a mile away!)
Cedar Point has one of the WORST rain policies I've ever come across. After an indecent back in 2007 that rather than admit to poor maintenance, blamed rain on... The park changed its policy to not operate any of its coasters in the rain unless only a single train was running.. So rather than take a train off and keep coasters cycling, they just close everything. Once the rain stops everything has to cycle a few times before reopening.. but since the rain was so off and on.. It just kept things closed
(Something I also experienced back in 07 where I waited some six or seven HOURS for a single coaster ride on Maverick because with 5 trains needing to cycle 3 times each after rain... the ride would have to close again because it rained for a few minutes and then the entire cycle process would have to start again......)
(like, over a mile away!)
Cedar Point has one of the WORST rain policies I've ever come across. After an indecent back in 2007 that rather than admit to poor maintenance, blamed rain on... The park changed its policy to not operate any of its coasters in the rain unless only a single train was running.. So rather than take a train off and keep coasters cycling, they just close everything. Once the rain stops everything has to cycle a few times before reopening.. but since the rain was so off and on.. It just kept things closed
(Something I also experienced back in 07 where I waited some six or seven HOURS for a single coaster ride on Maverick because with 5 trains needing to cycle 3 times each after rain... the ride would have to close again because it rained for a few minutes and then the entire cycle process would have to start again......)
Well, I had made it to an oversized umbrella near an extremely closed Mean Streak and decided to camp out and hopes the rain would stop... The ride isn't very good but there had been rumors of its demise spreading all season.. some even setting a date for its closure and I didn't wanna miss the chance to get one last lackluster ride on it.
Eventually the rain passed and the coaster started to test cycle, once the queue opened I was maybe the third person in line and made the hike past its empty queue and into the station... the whole time thinking to myself... this ride better be closing after all this!
(I had skipped it altogether my last two visits to the park)
(I had skipped it altogether my last two visits to the park)
To bid it farewell, I gave myself the enjoyment of a back car ride... Ehhhh
It actually wasn't that bad. The rain might have helped in improving the ride quality. It was still pretty meh, but it wasn't overly rough. It just doesn't do anything and it goes on and on with no real excitement outside of the first 3 drops or so.
But I do think its a very pretty coaster and the massive ride structure is rather dominating/imposing.
Well, after my trip... the alleged closing date came and went without notice but suddenly on August 1, Cedar Point publicly announced Mean Streak would be permanently closing before the end of the 2016 season.
(K, BYE!)
But I do think its a very pretty coaster and the massive ride structure is rather dominating/imposing.
Well, after my trip... the alleged closing date came and went without notice but suddenly on August 1, Cedar Point publicly announced Mean Streak would be permanently closing before the end of the 2016 season.
(K, BYE!)
Maverick had reopened by the time I got off Mean Streak but sadly the line had ballooned far past what I was willing to wait for.. Despite the fact I really do like the coaster I was just unwilling to wait in a line that seemed to be at least an hour with storms still in the area potentially closing the ride again at any moment.... So I sadly walked away...
Jr. Gemini had been repainted and renamed into Wilderness Run since my last trip here. Someday I'll get this credit. I've never actually tried but its known to be off-limits to non-childbearing adults.
(I only really wanna ride it because its Intamin's first known coaster!)
(I only really wanna ride it because its Intamin's first known coaster!)
Gemini was still down when I walked past but opened just as I was maybe 30 feet past the queue entrance.
I do enjoy the ride.. So I didn't pass up the chance for a quick ride. Being on the first loaded cycle of the blue train (we lost...)
((at the time it opened... it was the tallest, fastest coaster.. hmm, a trend here?)
I do enjoy the ride.. So I didn't pass up the chance for a quick ride. Being on the first loaded cycle of the blue train (we lost...)
((at the time it opened... it was the tallest, fastest coaster.. hmm, a trend here?)
Woo, but at least it was racing... Something it wasn't doing the last time I rode it (in 2007)
Monster had also gotten a new paint job since I was here last, it almost took me by surprise but I'm glad the park still has it.
Magnum......
Still not open, not even testing at this point. I think something was actually wrong with it during my visit, not just the weather.
(Oh, oh, and it was also the tallest coaster when built.. Wait, no it wasn't. but the park still claims it.)
Still not open, not even testing at this point. I think something was actually wrong with it during my visit, not just the weather.
(Oh, oh, and it was also the tallest coaster when built.. Wait, no it wasn't. but the park still claims it.)
Witches' Wheel photo for Jeff
(did..not..ride...)
(did..not..ride...)
lolol
TOP THRILL DRRAAAGGG... Wait, its closed.
Again... with this shirt being meant for THIS ride!
TOP THRILL DRRAAAGGG... Wait, its closed.
Again... with this shirt being meant for THIS ride!
Yeah, its tall... and fast.. but its also incredibly stupid and I have zero cares to give about NOT riding it... In fact, I think its rather amusing that I skipped both Dragster annddd Kingda Ka in the same summer (both being the two tallest coasters in the world) I don't know.. I've ridden them both, more than once... They just don't do anything for me. ONE hill isn't worth my time waiting in line an hour or more! Hell, I wouldn't even wait 15 minutes for them... You can have it.. I'd rather spend my time elsewhere.
It did eventually open and I got to watch the same green train roll back.. twice... in the same cycle. That probably would have made the ride worth it. Getting 3 launches and 2 backwards +400 foot drops... Hm.
Still don't care that I skipped it.
Still don't care that I skipped it.
I didn't plan on riding Power Tower either but the Space Shot side had zero riders in line and the Turbo Drop side had, well, 2 riders.... I did the shot side because it had been some 15 years... haha and I was the only one on it!
Mmm, it might me a tamer S&S tower.. but its still +240 feet tall and has a great view from the top.
I was also amused that my glasses were fine on WindSeeker, GateKeeper, and Valravn without a safety strap but I was required to remove them on Power Tower.
I was also amused that my glasses were fine on WindSeeker, GateKeeper, and Valravn without a safety strap but I was required to remove them on Power Tower.
And while I was here.. I might as well have given Corkscrew a courtesy ride.
It was a one train wait when I got up to the station and opted for a back row ride. The coaster was running surprisingly smooth but one lap was more than enough.
Iron Dragon, the parks somewhat lazy Arrow Suspended coaster. I had planned on riding it when in passing but the queue was oddly full so I kept going.
(Also worth noting they were *not* offering the VR experiences the day I was at the park)
(Also worth noting they were *not* offering the VR experiences the day I was at the park)
The parks 'famous' er, iconic? Water Tower
Soon to be replaced by this one... That when first started ground work set off a whole bunch of unfounded new ride rumors (lolol)
And with the storm clouds quickly returning I made a last second...run.. over to Wicked Twister
And with the storm clouds quickly returning I made a last second...run.. over to Wicked Twister
Where I was greeted with this... empty... station. <3
Although both of my previous visits to the park since it opened, looked no different.
I'm not sure why this ride isn't more popular. I really, really enjoy it and its probably my second favorite ride at Cedar Point!
Although both of my previous visits to the park since it opened, looked no different.
I'm not sure why this ride isn't more popular. I really, really enjoy it and its probably my second favorite ride at Cedar Point!
Its also built right on the beach of Lake Eire.
(I see you clouds... let me get my ride in first... then you can do your thing)
(I see you clouds... let me get my ride in first... then you can do your thing)
I actually managed two back-to-back... back seat rides on it <3
While it lacks the holding brake on the back spike.. the twist in the backseat is pretty fantastic.
(especially if you try looking at your feet the whole ride!)
While it lacks the holding brake on the back spike.. the twist in the backseat is pretty fantastic.
(especially if you try looking at your feet the whole ride!)
The parks Mack Calypso was renamed, painted, and moved within the park last season... becoming the Tiki Twirl.
I would have ridden it had the weather held out longer.
While Cedar Point doesn't run theirs to its full potential... I'm still a fan of the ride.
I would have ridden it had the weather held out longer.
While Cedar Point doesn't run theirs to its full potential... I'm still a fan of the ride.
maXair... More like LAME.
I'm a pretty big HUSS fanboy... but their Giant Frisbee's are the worst.
I'd rather ride the Zamp, Moser, even the Mondial over it...
((or just give me the standard HUSS one!))
I'm a pretty big HUSS fanboy... but their Giant Frisbee's are the worst.
I'd rather ride the Zamp, Moser, even the Mondial over it...
((or just give me the standard HUSS one!))
It might be big.. but the cycle is so short and the spin speed is slow... And while the ONE full swing could be epic.. the ride just fails in my opinion... So much build up to such little payoff.
It rained for maybe 15 seconds or so but as I walked past Raptor the queue was still open so I quickly made my way past the deserted cattle pen and up into the station, grabbing a backseat ride on a train with maybe 6 other people on it. The ride is still amazing and one of the best when it comes to Inverted Coasters... but
after getting off, it started to mist again and you could see the heavier rain coming.. So for fear of yet another downpour I started making my way to the exit checking my phones radar while at it to see if it was gonna pass or not...
after getting off, it started to mist again and you could see the heavier rain coming.. So for fear of yet another downpour I started making my way to the exit checking my phones radar while at it to see if it was gonna pass or not...
Oh, and Ocean Motion has been moved out of Time Out and placed right on the main midway near where Demon Drop once stood.. And it looked rather nice too.
The rain started picking up as I left the park.. But these last few people got their ride on GateKeeper.
Well, since the rain just wasn't gonna let up... I decided to call it early-ish and make my way to my hotel for the night.
Well, since the rain just wasn't gonna let up... I decided to call it early-ish and make my way to my hotel for the night.
Starting off on my... what should have been 3 hour drive toward my hotel for the night.
Oh. Its Cleveland.
I've heard that place.. rocks
I've heard that place.. rocks
And after a nightmarish drive into Meadville, PA... I made it to my hotel and passed out for a few hours.
Due to road work on my exit off the highway (it was completely closed).. My GPS rerouted me onto county back roads... zig-zagging my way across Northwestern Pennsylvania in desperate need of gas and ZERO cell coverage.... near midnight... The empty fuel warning had gone from add fuel now, to dashes, to turning completely off and the arrow indicator was well below the E. I finally found a station... that was closed, but hoped at least pay-at-the-pump would be active.. After giving my car a grand total of FOUR CENTS in gas, the pump shut off. I was about to cry... But at least got enough of a signal to find a 24 hour Sheetz just a few miles away.... and pretty much got ready to push the car the rest of the way............
Due to road work on my exit off the highway (it was completely closed).. My GPS rerouted me onto county back roads... zig-zagging my way across Northwestern Pennsylvania in desperate need of gas and ZERO cell coverage.... near midnight... The empty fuel warning had gone from add fuel now, to dashes, to turning completely off and the arrow indicator was well below the E. I finally found a station... that was closed, but hoped at least pay-at-the-pump would be active.. After giving my car a grand total of FOUR CENTS in gas, the pump shut off. I was about to cry... But at least got enough of a signal to find a 24 hour Sheetz just a few miles away.... and pretty much got ready to push the car the rest of the way............
Wait, what?
...STUFF...
So even with my super late arrival and my early departure I did my best to make the best out of my way at Cedar Point and in the end actually had fun and manged to ride both new for me coasters and the WindSeeker and riding a total of 12 rides (10 being coasters) with 2 re-rides in just over 5 hours (with a massive rain storm closing everything for an hour in the middle of it all)
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