Jantzen73

Thanks - I have no problem downloading and using for desktop backgrounds etc. I just ask that you do not re-post the pics as your own or ask permission before using for use other than personal. I'm not a fan of watermarking photos - I do not make money doing this - not that I could. I just don't want to see one of my photo's entered into CoasterMania's photo contest next year or we're going to have a problem - that's all! I can send higher resolution pics of some that you particularly like if you message or email me. I'm really flattered by all the compliments - thanks again. And here's another cool (to me) shot that I snapped from my room at Breakers last year... From 9th floor Breakers September 2014

Yes - As noted Europa park is now quote, unquote - "The Best Amusement Park in the World" according to Amusement Today's annual Golden Ticket awards... Cedar Point "lost" after winning the category for like 14 years in a row. They were using that line in all their promotions and now have gone back to "Roller Coaster Capital of the World". The rankings seem to biased towards those who spend the most advertising with them - I'll leave it at that. As you can tell by my need to photograph and share these pictures that Cedar Point is number 1 with me - granted I've got a lot more parks to visit... So it by all means, it was a joke http://goldenticketawards.com/2014-park-ride-winners/

I work out of Pittsburgh and have a client I go to about an hour north of the city. It's the same route I take to CP and every time I'm out there I just want to keep going to the Point. But since I need a job to be able to go to Cedar Point my wish has never come true. Well, I was set to be out there this past Friday afternoon... So I got to thinking - I *could* just leave from there to go up to CP Friday evening... I slept on it and after the wife's approval in the morning I booked my room at Breakers Express 5 minutes before leaving for work. I threw some clothes in a bag, grabbed my camera and was set to head to the Point - as a single rider (Hey, they went on a cruise without me 2 weeks ago - that was like a vacation at home for me but don't tell them that ). This is the 2nd or 3rd time I've done a solo trip - and it is a nice change of pace from taking the rest of the family or the kids. I can get my early morning rides in then roam around and take some photos. Since the Point is in full swing I knew I was not going to be spending my time in long lines. And for one day I'd get to do what I want, when I want - something that is nice once in a while. I stayed at Breakers Express for the first time this year. It used to seem OK to me but after being spoiled at Breakers it definitely felt stale. They did add flat screen TV's and some art work above the beds. To be fair, the staff was friendly and the room was clean. For the photos I was planning on taking staying at Breakers Express made sense (and was cheaper). As I was planning on taking some sunset and sunrise shots at Battery Park. I arrived at the park a little after 6 PM and head right to Chick-fil-a using my season dining plan (I definitely have eaten well over what I spent on it and there's still a few months left in the season). Snapped a few pics of Maverick then head over to Lighthouse Point to take some pics from the small dock / walkway they have back there. After that I head to Battery Park for some evening / night shots. Waves were really crashing which made for some fun shots and wet feet. I highly recommend taking a ride over to Battery Park / marina. It is just so relaxing and a nice break from the park. I wrapped up early since I was going to be up early in the morning to come back for more pics. I got there at 6AM and stayed about an hour. Grabbed breakfast, relaxed, showered up and head over to the park for Millennium Walkback (thanks to my handy-dandy TPR membership card). It was now ride time - and despite the crowds forming I was able to get in MF, Maverick, TTD, Gemini, Magnum and Skyhawk in a little over an hour and a half - single rider has its advantages. I ate some lunch, grabbed some Starbucks, edited some photos and waited for the Tweetup to come... Luckily I was sitting in the seating near Luminosity and the Tweetup was near Cadillac Cars! Got my #lineskippie and made a b-line for Millennium Force - head up the exit ramp - waited one train while I had a conversation about Thunderbird with the ride op since I had on a Holiday World shirt and took my seat in the front row. Perfect way to end this quick getaway. Grabbed some salt water taffy from the Sweet Spot for the family and grabbed a below average slice of pizza before heading out. Anyway, on to the pics. There are more here (a lot are similar) if you want to check them out... Who doesn't like LSM lift hills? It was a beautiful evening at the park. Even a little Bluegrass music. Twisty! (You know you say it in Robb's voice) 95 degrees down. Love those new, soft restraints! Maverick make you strong. (and I mean that as a compliment if you are on the boards) Goodbye for now Maverick. A beautiful sky and a 420' yellow tower. Magnum pulling into the final brake run. Some dark skies behind the park and clear behind me made for some interesting shots. Guilty of gratuitous use of filter. Hey it's the banana train! Nice pop of air right there! Who would of thought such a short drop could be so thrilling? From Battery Park across the way. Warning - if you hang out over here you will want to buy a boat - I promise. Self explanatory. The crashing waves were fun to capture. Splash! Long exposure for that extra blur. Sun is setting behind me. Getting darker - can start to see the lights. Of course WindSeeker was down for high winds... Caught a passing boat in this extra long exposure. Good morning Cedar Point! It is just so calming to watch the sun come up behind the 2nd Best Amusement Park in the World. Lots of birds were out and about. See - there's another. Thanks for looking! Bonus pic I snapped from the CP Marina tha few weeks before. Another cool one I took a few weeks back. The lake was really calm this morning. The following are from Sept 2014 - Figured I'd add them here. This is really how it looked - it was jaw dropping for a few minutes. Bird fly-by. It was crazy to see the colors change over the course of like 10 minutes. My favorite shot - actually framed and hanging in my living room! This view happens like every morning - do yourself a favor and check it out next trip. Setting sail for the morning. It was Lion King meets Lake Erie!

Just wanted to share some pics from my recent trip to the Point... Crowded as expected but Fast Lane Plus took care of that Friday for us and Saturday we got our early entry rides in then hung back at the beach / hotel until the evening. Watched the fireworks then went back to get the last train of the night on MF. From the ride we could see the mess of traffic at 12:45 AM. Nothing new on the peninsula - glad we could stroll back to Breakers... There was increased security this weekend - actually had bag checks and handheld metal detectors. It was a little unsettling the first time for some reason. Then I thought, I've been to countless parks / ball games etc. and never had any issues with it before. So after the initial check it was no big deal. There were some lines at the gates to get in (we only used the resort / marina / beach gates) but they moved quickly. Glad to see that Cedar Point had a plan and it went smoothly. Sunday morning there were no bag check / metal detectors at the beach or resort gates - so I'm guessing this is done for the time being... So another great weekend - perfect weather - the kids finally won their 2015 tweetup coins (I won mine opening day ) - They actually got busted for running a few weeks back and got DQ'ed from the tweetup... thought I taught them better... Anyway, I paid the extra $15 to get into the new this year VIP seating for the fireworks - yes I know it's a way to make more money - but to have an actual seat and food and a great view I found it worth it. It did sell out and I'm sure it will be back next year... Onto the pics... Lookout seagulls - coming in for a landing. These guys landed on the beach. Now that's a flag. One thing I'll say about WindSeeker - it looks pretty. Those 3 squiggles are skydivers. Insert your own patriotic music and booming sounds from this point forward. Make a wish. Loved the reflections off the lake. Boom. Double boom. Lake Erie looking blood red. Oooh. Snapped this from our room - Just couldn't get Maverick in there too. I tried. Playing with the silverized filter

Too lazy (and tired) to do a full trip report, plus pretty much everything from Rougarou Media Day and Opening Weekend has already been said. I will say that I was overly-impressed with the Hotel Breakers renovations - it has that Disney value resort feel to me. It actually feels like a resort now and not just a run-down hotel next to the park. I also loved the new Maverick restraints. On to the pics... Stopped across the bay on the night of arrival - we could hear them testing the howl / growl effects! This is what coasters look like at 5AM And they're still a bit blurry at 7AM The underwhelming "fog" effect on the first loop About the only shot I got where Rougarou looks good This is a much more photogenic (and better) coaster This ride is fun right up to the very end Last overbanked turn That joy this coaster has been giving for 15 years These were missing opening day but were spruced up and back out Sunday That first overbanked turn New comfy restraints! Watch out for that bird! Criss-cross Headed to the tunnel The Lakeside Pavilion is looking good A look back - even added some fancy umbrellas to the beach Rotunda is looking gorgeous New lobby from the back New lobby from the front The new main hallway is a lot shorter - surprised me. This is what you see coming out the main entrance This is what you see looking back

Rode it twice - once in front, once in back. In short - I loved it. I knew how to "ride" Maverick so it never really bothered me before - except during ERT sessions it could get a little much and I'd brace myself in the twisties by holding the shoulder harness in front of me. I did notice being "caught" by the restraints during the airtime pops - whereas my shoulders never hit the restraint before. Since the new restraints lay on your shoulders there is really no other option but to pop up into the restraints. It did not take away from the ride - but that was the only thing I noticed being different - besides the rest of the ride being so much more comfortable. All I heard was positive responses on trains coming in - so I think it's a hit... It's my 2nd favorite change besides the Breakers renovation - you can really see and feel Ouimet's Disney influence on the renovation. It actually feels like a resort now. I was blown away how nice it was!

Just to throw in my 2 cents - with no trim on the first drop (I was still getting trimmed on the MCBR), the harder wheels and the warmer temps (it is 88 degrees right now in Sandusky) Rougarou was running nice and fast with a lot of forces. I was getting good airtime pops in the back and you could really feel the positive G's. I'd be shocked if they continue to run the coaster like this in daily operation - maybe tonight for the first rider auction and passholder preview - but I could be wrong. The general public will really like this ride and I thought the first half of the course was great - nice and smooth - I still got some head banging after the MCBR though. The front seat view offers a really cool view below. The effects were a nice touch - a little mist at the bottom of the first loop - some nice lighting from below - some howls and other sounds emanating from the woods. We'll see how long these last as maintaining effects seem to be low priority for the park - like the station music and tunnel lights in Maverick that seem to come and go. I would say it adds very little to the actual ride experience - but from the midway it adds greatly to the atmosphere. The B&M roar seems a touch less with the new trains - though I learned to tune out Mantis. The signage and station theming are nicely done as well. As to be expected from Cedar Point (always the gracious host) the event this morning was very well run. Add in great weather, a good crowd, a beautiful view of the sunrise over Lake Erie from the lift hill, a free Rougarou hat and no complainers at this event made for a really great time. I got in about 10 rides and my son got in about 20 - could walk on all morning if you wanted to. I'm more interested in that area of land they cleared by the marina gate but whatever helps lessen the lines of MF, TTD and Maverick works for me! It's a ride I will only ride going forward if there is almost no line - not something I'd wait more than a few minutes for. With that, I'm not sure if Rougarou was like putting makeup on a pig or more like making lemonade out of a lemon.

Thanks - and thanks to Robb for tweeting out the link. I am using a Canon EOS Rebel SL1 crop sensor DSLR. The wide angle shots were from the Canon 10-18 f4.55-5.6 IS - A nice cheap wide angle lens made for crop sensors. For the rest of the shots I used the Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II - I finally rented this beast to try it out - and wow did it ever live up to the hype... All this pics are the direct jpegs from the camera - I keep meaning to learn LightRoom to make things really pop but haven't really yet - this one I tried to crop and add some color enhancement to the picture... Love the front row of First Rider shirts!

Kids were off school Friday so I took the day off of work and we made the 7 hour drive to the Pass Holder preview Friday evening and Opening Day Saturday. Just got back - so here's (another) quick review. We got 1 ride in Friday - back row - it was a bit chilly and going 325' after not riding a coaster for almost 5 months is always exciting - but with that said my first impression was that it was very, very good - a solid 9/10. It didn't have that OMG! effect I've gotten with some other coasters - but I knew it was (to me) a top tier coaster. Kudos to Cedar Fair / Carowinds / B&M - it's enough of a thrill for enthusiasts - and something the general public will eat up. I found it interesting that they announced riders would be assigned a seat due to the length of the line - and they stuck to this rule. It took a while for my kids to get a ride up front Saturday and they got 20+ rides in thanks to FL+. Though I had never been to Carowinds - so I can't compare things to the old front entrance - the new entrance was beautiful - it did not remind me of Cedar Point's at all - except for the actual gate area - with the pedestals and a smaller LCD screen. The ticket windows were also similar - but the overall look / feel was unique to Carowinds. I was pleasantly surprised by Afterburn and Carolina Goldrusher - the rest didn't do it for me. Intimidator was typical B&M hyper to me. Liked the park overall - easy to get around - and fun to watch the planes go by - but probably won't be back until they add another big coaster (which I'm guessing won't be for a while). Here's some more pics - just couldn't resist with such a beautiful coaster... Love having access to the coaster from the parking lot - makes for some great pics! Looks like it could just walk away Does this coaster have a bad angle? Fresh bolts! Love the color scheme Drop time / Air time Another wide shot The sight of planes all day was unique to this park Out the other In one side Impressive front entrance Main gate Great theming Peaking through the yet to bloom trees 81 degrees down This ride is all about speed and more speed Caro _ _ _ _ _ Hands up! The only way! Coming through Even the Macho Man in back approves! See you later Loved the "newness" of the seats / restraints 'murca - had to go taller than it's Canadian brother The tunnel element is a great touch Zooming out the tunnel Lots of great twists and turns I thought only Intamin did twisty... Lift hill motor goodness Got my son the pin set (to match the Banshee set he "won" on the TPR tour Back of pin set Kid were able to snag first rider tee's - didn't seem to be as many as Banshee last year What patrons will be greeted by overhead

Love the transition of the park for HalloWeekends, though it does signify the end of Summer... Weather was fantastic and fall-like both days. Saturday was crowded as expected on a nice Saturday during HalloWeekends (also the PointFest concert going on that evening). I planned ahead though - the kids used some of their front of the line passes from their past Plinko wins and I took a bunch of pictures. In fact I don't think I rode anything Saturday - which is probably a first for me to be at the park at not ride anything - well I did ride Sky Ride and the train if those count. Kids are not into haunted houses yet - so no insight for you there (sorry) though we did check out a few shows that were enjoyable - I especially liked the last act of the Midnight Syndicate show - very well done (and kinda creepy). Sunday was like that dream day at the park - low, low crowds and beautiful weather! Got lots of rides in as everything was a near walk-on - even the big 4 were no more than 10-15 min waits! Anyway onto the pics! Thanks for looking! Some rides just won't die. Is there an ACE event here today? (I kid, I kid) Been a while since I rode this one - but it's so iconic over the midway! The gargoyles were out for HalloWeekends! This guy was new - doing some very clunky "dancing" in the main midway. Count Chuckula Someone woke the giant sleeping ogre - he always draws a crowd. This guy was new and hanging out near some other new attractions for the little ones. Pony rides? At Cedar Point? Yes! Well this picture is 1/2 true. Dorney Park would be offended. Love the cool little details they put into the tombstones. Nice decorations throughout the park (though the giant pumpkin is fake) Gatekeeper station - it's still there. Pretty, puffy clouds, and crowds with long-sleeves and pants - it's that time of year again. Just a picture perfect day (pun intended) New haunt - Hexed - I just know there is a big, green witch in there. The Buccaneer Band played some Halloween inspired tunes for all to enjoy. One of the best ride names ever- The Giant Wheel Stopped in Lusty Lil's to check out Spooky Shenanigans Fun little show - if you liked Young Frankenstein you'll like their little homage to it during the show. New scare zone setup as you head towards Maverick's entrance What are you looking at? Some weird horse skeleton props - they bounce around creepily if you push them. This is what happens to you if you ride Mean Streak one too many times. Some new theming and a balcony was added to the old Frontier Town Sky Ride station. Lots of clever names for the deceased. Picnic in the park. Here's a clue to who will be on that balcony later... Close up of one of the new props. Why not turn a raft ride into a haunted walk-through. You are entering Maniacal Mechanical ScreamWorks when you see this. Some nice attention to detail around the park. Another googly-eyed skeleton. Get it? Last Thrill.... nevermind. Magnum pulling out of the station. Spending the night here - nothing like a short walk to your room after a long day. Oh, and the views? Lovely! (Request Breakers Tower, top floors, park side - you won't be disappointed) Love just staring out the window and watching the rides. Dat hill. Wonder where the script M logo comes from? There's your answer. Will this part of the skyline look different soon? Taking it ALL in! If you like over-banked turns, MF has 'em. Someone has arrived to unleash the screamsters... Watching the lighting package on the Giant Wheel never gets old. Seems like it's been there forever and it's just finishing its sophomore year! Trashcans make great tripods. There's our clunky dancer... still going... Checked out this new show. They did a great job with the set - looked great. Loved the theming. I'm not sure what type of satanic songs she was singing. Keyboard solo! Shot side in motion. Love how the station lights reflect off the interior lining. Self-explanatory. Super Himalaya at night (I had to check the website for its name - shame on me) The gazebo representing Halloween. This shot turned out creepier than I thought. The appropriately names Monster giving some night rides. I watched this worker go all way down those stairs to press the start button - really - he has to press a button! Another beautiful day - and yes TTD was running! Some fall decorations near TTD's station. Dragster parking only. No rollback this time... Plenty of folks were taking their last stands. Evil, plastic, red-eyed horses! This guy was juggling - if you couldn't tell. Will there be something else going on where this ride once stood? This is why I lug my camera around the park all day. Giant jack-o-lanterns are awaiting you. Still love what they did to the front entrance. Keyholing over some pumpkins. They are rather large. Key-pumpkin-holing (or something like that) Some more theming Sky Ride fail Aren't they cute? Really nice attention to detail. An old favorite indoor dark ride (will another be on the way?) Creepy little witch. I thought that was a TPR tour bus at first... Draggin' Iron, I mean Iron Dragon It was fun (and bizarre) to see so many people posing for pics in front of this sign. Doing a headstand on Mantis - not for much longer thankfully. And that's all she wrote - thanks for looking!

Great, unique trip report - love the enthusiast's point of view from the inside! How was the experience walking up that lift hill the first time - no matter how many times I've been up it I think it would be quiet a different experience not sitting, secured in my seat! I got a quick ride in this past Sunday morning and your crew had a great, fun vibe! One of the girls working the height stick was freaking out because there was a spider on/in it - it was quite amusing! I did wonder though - what happens Monday - Thursday when the park's closed? Do you take online classes or go to local college classes or just hang out since it is your summer vacation... Oh, and is Magnum really sinking?!?!

You can buy tickets at any gate - at the main gate there are a row of ticket booths to the right. When we rode there were no single riders allowed on SlingShot - and it's a great ride if you get the chance - though a bit pricey at $25 / person. Better to buy tix online - right now it's $10 cheaper ($50) than the gate and you get a free drink wristband for the day. There is a 3 day advance ticket for $45 also. They just had their Christmas in July sell on the 25th for $30 - too bad you did not scoop up then.

Skyhawk update Source Sandusky, Ohio – It had just started to rain, the ride was only about half full, and there were few spectators standing nearby to watch – all of which probably contributed to the lack of serious injuries Saturday night at Cedar Point, when a cable on Skyhawk came loose and started whipping around the ride. "It could have turned out a lot worse," said Jim Jirousek of Brecksville, who was on the ride when the accident occurred. The ride features two giant arms, up to 20 passengers on each, which swing back and forth 125 feet in the air and at speeds of up to 60 mph. Jirousek said early in the ride – perhaps on the second or third swing – a thick metal cable broke loose from one of the arms. The cable, estimated by witnesses to be about 100 feet long and 1½ inches thick, broke free from the top of one of the arms, fell to the ground, then flailed wildly as the swing continued to move back and forth. "There were shooting sparks when it hit the ground," said Jirousek, 22. "It took out fences on both sides. That was a pretty gnarly accident." The ride remains closed while Cedar Point investigates the cause of the incident. An inspector from the Ohio Department of Agriculture's Division of Amusement Park Safety is expected to visit the park this week to look into the incident as well, said chief ride inspector Mike Vartorella. The ride was last inspected by the state on May 9, 2014, as part of the park's annual pre-opening inspection. A father from Orrville, who was on Skyhawk when the accident occurred, said the experience on Saturday was terrifying. "We all thought the cable was going to hit us," said the man, who was on the ride with his 8-year-old daughter and asked that his name not be used. "We watched it come right at us, thinking it was going to cut us in half." Yet only two people were injured in the incident, neither seriously. One of the injured, a spectator, is believed to have been hit by wood from the broken fence, and was treated at the scene. The second injury occurred to a rider – a teenage girl, according to witnesses – who was transported to a local hospital, where she was treated and released. After the cable came loose – it did not break, according to witnesses -- park employees immediately cut power to the ride, which kept swinging on its own, the cable trailing behind. Brittany Rich of Olmsted Township was watching in horror from a nearby bench. Her husband was on the ride, but she was equally worried about the safety of her family on the ground. "My 13-month-old and my father were standing at the fence when it broke. They were standing right in front of where there is no more fence," she said. "My dad scooped up my 1 year old and ran to safety, thank God!" Though she was standing farther away, she scrambled to move, too, not knowing how far the cable could reach. "I saw the wire snap and saw it flailing through the sky," she said. "The whole thing was terrifying and people were running for their lives." She said it will be a while, if ever, before she returns to Cedar Point, or any amusement park. "I just keep playing what-if scenarios in my head. It's a miracle that no one got hurt." Jirousek, meanwhile, said he'll probably be back at Cedar Point later this summer. But he's likely done with Skyhawk. "That's the last time I'll be riding that ride probably ever," he said, though it used to be one of his favorites. The ride, installed in 2006, was made by Utah-based S&S Worldwide, which also made the park's Power Tower ride.

1 ride for 2 riders good on MF, TTD, Gatekeeper and Maverick if you win Plinko. If you win a tweetup they are good for any ride for single rider - but can ride front row.

Another update to the Skyhawk incident from here "The photos show Roxanne Dreer, a rider injured in the accident. According to her fiancé, she received a concussion, while other riders suffered sprains, cuts and bruises. Dreer's fiancé also says Cedar Point took over twenty minutes to call for an ambulance."

It was having some issues early this season. In early June I believe they installed a new launch cable among other things as it was down for many days. Since then it seems to have been running pretty well. It is still prone to go down at the drop of a hat - so if you are near it and it's running - don't come back to it - just do it. It will also go down for wind and any, I mean ANY rain. So, if weather is iffy I'd definitely make sure to get to it when you see it running - which is conveniently easy to monitor from most areas of the park.

I've been to the park during Labor Day weekends and they aren't as bad as you'd think. I'm a plinko believer - I'd drop -$10 to $20 each and walk on a few of your favorites that evening - in between hit up some of the lesser coasters, ride the Sky Ride or train - take in the park. I'd definitely do a MF ride at night - in fact I like to go in line around 10 PM and wait out the line - lets the traffic clear if you're staying off site - if on-site take the long way back through FrontierTown - it's eerily quiet and relaxing. Sunday you should get over to the Marina gate as coaster club members get to do the MF Walkback at 8:50 AM - each person has to be a card carrying coaster club member - and they sometimes check ID's - so you can be turned away. You will get the first ride of the day on MF - then with FL+ you will have no problem riding whatever you want with little wait. It will be nice that you can get some of the lesser rides out of the way Sat night and you can concentrate on the good stuff!

I suggest sorting through the last few pages of posts from jarmor - he had the same question about going on a Wednesday. Lots of good info there. It's peak season - so even a Tuesday this time of year will see a good size crowd. Though it's not been as crazy as last summer when GateKeeper opened. It would also helpful to know some more info - like if you're staying on-site, how many in your party, what your goals are ride-wise - like certain flat rides you want to do - coasters (if any) you are ok with skipping etc. Have you been to the park before, etc. Weather and mechanical issues can also have a big affect on how productive your day is. Regardless - you'll be at the best amusement park in the world - so just make sure to have fun - and based off your location - you'll have plenty of chances to get to know the park in the future. I'm going with 2 other people and not staying on site( I'll probably get there before noon but not at opening). Flat's wise I'm hoping to get on Power Tower, MaxAir, and if its somehow open, Sky Hawk ( Compared to other Screamin swings it's definitely been slowed down. Less swings to the top and It isn't even thrusted downward any more) I'm Okay with skipping Mean Streak, Mantis, Mineride, Iron Dragon, and possibly Wicked Twisted and corkscrew. You really should try to get to the Magnum gate (follow signs for Soak City parking) by 10 AM - that way you could start back at Maverick then work against the crowd to the front of the park - where typically later in the day Raptor, Gatekeeper and Blue Streak wait times aren't too bad. Getting there at close to noon you will be walking into a packed house if weather is good. A lot of the rides you listed as skip-able are a lot of times less than 15 min. waits - except Wicked Twister. Magnum also is usually around 15-30 minutes. Gemini is usually 15 mins. Power Tower is usually slower waits early on - shot side always seems to have less wait. Max air - can lessen out later in the day as the crowds move back - but can still be 45 min wait. Again, I'd take $20 each and try your luck at the plinko game - it will make your day a lot easier assuming you can win 4 each - I've typically won 2 of 5 chances (which is $10) - so there is a good chance to walk away with 4 each between the 3 of you. If you are able to stay until past closing hit up MF (or whatever your fav is right after 10 PM as they will clear out the queue) If you will be making return trips to CP don't sweat it and have fun - the park isn't going anywhere. It's more important to have fun and make memories with your friends / family. Putting too much pressure to get X amount rides in can spell doom on a busy day especially with a late start - it can happen but everything has to go just right. You will get the big 4 in and a bunch of other rides in I'm sure. Be sure to report back how it went.

I suggest sorting through the last few pages of posts from jarmor - he had the same question about going on a Wednesday. Lots of good info there. It's peak season - so even a Tuesday this time of year will see a good size crowd. Though it's not been as crazy as last summer when GateKeeper opened. It would also helpful to know some more info - like if you're staying on-site, how many in your party, what your goals are ride-wise - like certain flat rides you want to do - coasters (if any) you are ok with skipping etc. Have you been to the park before, etc. Weather and mechanical issues can also have a big affect on how productive your day is. Regardless - you'll be at the best amusement park in the world - so just make sure to have fun - and based off your location - you'll have plenty of chances to get to know the park in the future.

Another update Sandusky, Ohio -- A New Jersey man who was at Cedar Point last night said he heard "something whip, then bang and screaming," just after a cable broke on the popular Skyhawk ride, injuring two. Kevin Gregg, who was near the ride but not on it when the accident occurred, said at least one of the injured guests was a spectator who was hit in the mouth with wood debris. "It didn't look too serious, but he was in pain," said Gregg, of Barnegat, N.J., who runs an amusement park fan website called Themeparkmaniacs.com. Gregg said he saw a second guest, a girl, get into an ambulance after the accident. "She walked on her own power," he said. In a statement early this morning, Cedar Point said two guests were injured in the accident, one of whom was transported to a local hospital for evaluation. The fence in front of the now-shuttered Skyhawk ride at Cedar Point has already been mended, less than a day after a cable on the ride broke, injuring two. In an updated statement this afternoon, Cedar Point spokesman Bryan Edwards said that the transported guest was treated and released. According to Cedar Point's initial statement: "At approximately 10 p.m., a cable on one of the Skyhawk swing ride's carriages disconnected. The ride's crew immediately shut down the ride and notified the park's emergency personnel. The cable came in contact with two guests. One was treated and released at the scene. As a precaution, the other was transported to a local hospital for evaluation." Gregg, who was standing near the roller coaster Maverick when the accident occurred, said, "After the cable broke, the ride slowed down and eventually stopped. Everyone was screaming and very scared." He said the cable broke the fence in front of the ride – where spectators often stand as they watch the ride's two giant arms swing back and forth, up to 125 feet high and at speeds of up to 60 mph. The cable, he said, was hanging over the ride when the ride stopped. Gregg sent two photos to The Plain Dealer this morning – one showing the shuttered ride, with a cable missing on its left carriage/arm; the other with a newly mended fence in front of the ride. Gregg was at the park this morning and said everything, except Skyhawk, appeared to be operating as usual. Park fans on social media this morning suspected this might be the final straw for Skyhawk, which has been sidelined with mechanical problems in the past. The ride was installed in 2006. Edwards, the Cedar Point spokesman, said Skyhawk's problems in 2013, when it was shut down for weeks, were unrelated to the broken cable last night.

So, finally after years of reading about them, I got to experience my first TPR event – and Wow!!! What a great time!!! First, kudos to Robb, Elissa and Don Helbig (and I’m sure many more behind the scenes) for organizing this great event for us! Every time I saw Robb he was making sure everyone was having a great time! Don was there all day too – even ending with a few well deserved night rides on the Beast. Me, my son and daughter arrived Thursday night about 7:30 PM – grabbed a bite to eat and could not resist getting in a few rides before heading to bed. I had planned to get to bed earlier than later since we had a full day ahead of us but with such a beautiful evening and Platinum Passes we had to head over to the park for a while. So, after grabbing a bite to eat we got to the park about 8:30 PM – walked over and waited about 45 min for Diamondback – grabbed some blue twist cones and made it to the Beast line right before 10 PM. Got a great night ride on the last train of the night and headed back to the hotel to rest up for Banshee Bash! We happened to be at the same hotel as the TPR tour – so it was exciting to see all the TPR members getting ready for the big day (and you know, eating cereal and stuff). Anyway, we headed over to park about 7:30 AM, checked in and received our lanyard and event wristbands from a smiling and excited Robb. I met Dave from the upcoming Mini-East-Coast tour and then we hung out until the gates opened. First up was Banshee for some morning ERT – or I like to call it EERT – EXTRA Exclusive Ride Time! I was pleasantly surprised that Robb had kept the number of participants in check so it was walk-on city (and a 1 train wait for the front) during ERT. We even snagged a back row ride with Robb – it was like living in one of his POV video’s – hearing him whoop and wheee through the course!!! We then head over to Diamondback for some more walk-on ERT! Too many rides to count. Had a great crew member on the mic that was excited to have all us enthusiasts aboard and kept it fun for us. We then decided to skip the waterpark ERT (due to the time and distance) and headed over for a morning Beast ride as the park opened to the public. We opted out of the Fast Lane Plus as we had done the park a few times before (with FL+) and were good hanging out and enjoying the day. So we head up the Eiffel Tower to enjoy the views then my kids did the Sling Shot since they loved the new one at Cedar Point – though this one was a bit painful as the restraints are not as comfortable as the new one – and really dug into their laps. We swung by the front of the park and kicks some soccer balls into the fountain for the KI Kicks Cancer event. It was nearing lunch so we headed over to the Picnic Grove where we were treated to a nice spread of food and drink. There was even a Banshee Bash cake! And it was really tasty! I enjoyed a beer with lunch as we listened to Robb, Don, Greg and a gentleman that runs all the Cedar Fair FunTV programming. Don gave us a quick history on the Beast while Greg discussed the process of bringing in Banshee. The FunTV guy (sorry can’t remember his name) told us how all content for all Cedar Fair parks originates from the Kings Island office. He also mentioned that they plan more interactive trivia games via smart phones – so you could compete with folks in your line and even in other parks – pretty cool. He then asked for some requests for content – Robb jokingly asked for Frozen – then on a more serious note asked for some good behind the scenes videos. Which then led to them revealing that FunTV will be providing official POV videos for all Cedar Fair coasters in the future. Also got to meet some friendly TPR folks (sorry don’t recall the names) and got to get a quick pic with Snoopy! Good times. Next on the event schedule were some behind the scenes tours of Banshee, Beast and Diamondback. Banshee was more of a side, than a behind the scenes tour – and being there opening day when the crowds over-spilled to the side of the ride I had already seen this side of Banshee. I was hoping to get back by the pretzel loop area – but with the amount of people it was understandable – and it still made for some great pics! The Beast tour, however, did not disappoint – we got to go all the way back to the 2nd lift hill. It was great to be among all that historic lumber and you could really appreciate how they used the existing terrain. The TPR crowd was definitely in coaster-nerd nirvana back there! Oh, and the Diamondback views were cool too - especially when the train came rolling through. Next, we decided to head to the water park to relax and recharge. Unfortunately, we got so caught up over there that we did not make it back in time for the Cirque Imagine show that evening. Though from all accounts (and all the tweets) it was a great show. Getting hungry we headed to the Reds Hall Of Fame Grille for a bite to eat – wings were surprisingly good there – rest was just ok. My son played the spin the wheel game in front of Diamondback and went 2 for 2 – so we headed over to Banshee where he and my daughter used a voucher. My son and I did the drop tower then we head over to the Beast where my son wanted to get an evening ride in using his second front of the line voucher (he always seems to take his sister - and not me ) We then made our way to the International Restaurant above the front gates for the TPR fireworks viewing. Had a great time and a great view of the show – just one more cool / unique thing we got to experience that day. Now it was time for some night ERT! We headed to Banshee for a quick ride in the dark – then off to Diamondback for a few quick rides – and finally over to the Beast at 10:55 PM for the 11 PM ERT. Got too many rides to count – and had a blast! Rode until the final train of the night! Again great crews at all the night ERT sessions. Finally it was time to make our way out of the empty park. We were able to thank Don for his hospitality as we made our departure. Great day – so many highlights – and a well-run and fun event!!! TPR'ers huddling before Banshee Bash I see you - 4 Delirium ERT riders Time for some, er, morning wood Who doesn't love that slow, long ascent? Artsy Beast Diamondback doin' its thing Put your hands up if you love airtime! What goes up, must come down Love, love, love this element Time to go up the Eiffel Tower for some views There's that twisted metal we call Banshee 2nd loop in the back Love the contrast of the green train I spy a Diamondback splashdown This is as close as I want to get to WindSeeker Sorry - it's just so pretty The money shot - full spray! And poof! It's gone Any last thoughts? The International Restaurant where we'd watch the fireworks from later tonight Spied Banshee through the fence waiting for SlingShot That great first drop! It was tough fitting in all this track in one shot Love all the theming on this ride Watch out for that tree! Let's loop the lifthill Weee! A ride through the cemetary Get your Delerium face on I think that's the same train from this morning going up the lifthill Behind the scenes of the station TPR'ers walking hallowed ground Like a wooden jungle gym back there It's like the Beast just rose right up out of the ground back there Lots of lumber Crowds starting to gather for that first hill money shot Get ready! Here it comes! Headed back in Just a lovely structure Trying an artsy first drop shot More lens flare and more Beast Isn't she purty? Damn, this is one big roller coaster Raise your hands if you love the double helix! Swoosh - right by us I see you WindSucker A shame so few will get to see this giant from this point of view It keeps going, and going and going... More wood ...and on the 8th day - He created the Beast 2nd lift hill motor goodness Paparazzi were out and about Everybody say "Cheese!" Postcard shot Some sexy lines Had a great time at Banshee Bash! Beast at night is best at night We give the Beast at night 4 thumbs (and 4 red-eyes) up!!! Someone is ready for Banshee Bash! Pre-ERT line starts at Banshee On 3! 1, 2, 3 - Banshee Bash!!! Almost there - let us in! Helping out a good cause and having fun too! Goooooaaaaallllll! Don giving us some backstory on the Beast My son was so excited to see Snoopy he forgot how to smile! Smile like a Banshee Looks like they found their second home 2 spins, 2 wins! Lets go ride! And that was our day at Banshee Bash! Thanks for looking! That's enough - I'm outa here Gathering for Banshee behind the scenes He thinks he can solve it How's that Diamondback ERT going?

Updated pics from article posted earlier. Crews on scene after cord snaps on the Skyhawk ride The ride's broken cable resting on the ground nearby The upper area of the swing, where the cable broke loose The broken cable hanging near passengers still sitting on the ride's carriage The broken cable draped over the passenger seats on Skyhawk

Some more details emerge with an eyewitness quoted. Link SANDUSKY -- A cable on the swing ride Skyhawk snapped on Saturday night at Cedar Point, injuring two park guests. Around 10 p.m., a cable attached to one of the ride's carriages broke loose. The cable struck two different people and the park's emergency personnel where immediately called. One of the injured was treated and released at the park. The other was transported to a local hospital. Season ticket holder Tom Achtziger and his two kids were on the ride at the time. Achtziger said in an email, "It was awful. When the cable broke they didn't stop the ride. They shut down the power and the ride kept swinging, letting gravity take over...meanwhile the cable was whipping around smacking the ride and destroying things on the ground. We are all lucky that there were no more serious injuries." He managed to snap a few photos from his seat on the ride: "Some of these pictures were taken while we were still trapped in our seats as the ride would not release the safety belts." The ride was immediately shut down. Cedar Point spokesman Bryan Edwards said the ride will remain closed until the park completes an investigation.

I'd normally agree with you but this isn't the first time this ride has broken down in spectacular fashion that put riders and bystanders in serious danger. I thought the last cable snap was from a drive cable that is mainly enclosed in the structure - and that there were no injuries or any danger to the riders or by-standers. I could be mistaken but that is my recollection. Though it was a cable failure - it seemed to be in a totally different part of the ride structure. I guess we will find out what happens - what we think does not matter - I'm sure that Cedar Fair's lawyers will be the ones playing a big role in the future of the ride. As a fan of the ride and Cedar Point I hope that they are able to keep the ride going - but if this is a case of another accident waiting to happen then I understand they need to do what is best for everyone's safety.

I really think the park will evaluate the situation and do the right thing. If this was just a freak accident - then there is no reason the ride should close permanently. Maybe they will be able to modify the ride to keep this - the cable flying wildly upon snapping - if that's what happened - from happening again. I agree this was a horrible accident and it is a good thing it was not worse but closing permanently seems pretty extreme at this point. At least until they find the root cause of the issue. Look how they handled the Shoot the Rapids incident - again another accident that could have been a lot worse. I think they will follow a similar route in evaluating Skyhawk - with rider safety the number one priority. Wouldn't be surprised if it is down the rest of the year though.