Cedar Point (CP) Discussion Thread

[griffonj2022]

Thanks for the advice. I've ridden Mean Streak in the past and suffered a back-breaking ride a couple of years ago that I want to avoid.

[Tbcoasterfan]

Anyone have advice for the best seat on Mean Streak? I'm going to the Point next week with my family and I know Mean Streak can be a killer, so I was wondering which seats are optimal for a smooth ride. I'd rather not feel like I'm getting beaten in the back by a bat...

 

Best seat is the bench just outside the exit

[jray21]

^Totally agree. That ride is brutal, especially in the evening when the massive bugs are out and smashing into your face.

[alilstronger]

Going to Cedar Point for my first time this Friday and Saturday. So excited! Already bought my fast lane plus pass so I can get lots of rides on GateKeeper.

 

Is there anything big down right now? Is their Windeseeker up? I have not been keeping track. I figure with it being a holiday weekend they will try to have everything up and running.

[Geauga Dog]

As far as I know nothing is down. Everything, including Windseeker, was up and running when I was there a couple week's ago. Have a safe trip and a great time.

[cmullin]

Going to Cedar Point for my first time this Friday and Saturday. So excited! Already bought my fast lane plus pass so I can get lots of rides on GateKeeper.

 

Is there anything big down right now? Is their Windeseeker up? I have not been keeping track. I figure with it being a holiday weekend they will try to have everything up and running.

 

Just so you know, when I went on GateKeeper during my visit to CP, the restraints got really tight at some point during the ride, every time I rode. Not sure if anyone else has noticed that?

[slappybob]

Ok, so I'm going to Cedar Poibt for the first time on July 15-16, which is a Monday and a Tuesday, and I was just wondering how crowded the park would normally be?

[titancoaster]

So I am going to Cedar Point for the first time ever next week (July 11th and 12th). It is myself and my Uncle going, we are staying at one of the Cedar Point Hotels. I was hoping somebody here could give me advice for how to tackle the park. I live in Texas and it may be a few years before I get back so I want to hit every coaster and major flat rides at least once. I have the following questions and feel free to PM me if you don't want to waste space on this thread:

1) What rides should I hit during the hour of early entry?

2) How should I plan on navigating the park (start in the back and work to the front or is something else better?)

3) Where are the best places to eat?

4) Where are the sweet spots on the rides? (I.E.- New Texas Giant the back is the best) Especially TTD, MF, Gatekeeper, Maverick...

5) I have heard that there is a special way to ride Maverick to make it more comfortable...what is that way?

Thanks!

[singemfrc]

^ ^^ I might as well jump in here so someone can answer all three of us at once, cause I too will be flying in for my first CP visit soon. Im flying in to CLE on Saturday at 6 and was originally just planning on going to the park on Sunday but figured I could drive right to the park from the airport sneak a few hours of night rides in on Saturday night and was just wondering what the typical evening lines are like? For example are there certain rides whose lines tend to dwindle at the end of the night or rides whose lines are always long at night? I'm getting FastLane+ for Sunday but won't be getting it for the couple hours I'm there Saturday night.

 

titancoaster, to answer part of your question, only a handful of rides are supposed to be open in the morning, so Im planning on obviously hitting those on Sunday morning before the park opens. (which is why Im asking the above question, Im thinking about hitting TTD and a few others at night if possible) According to cedarpoint.com the major coasters open in the morning are GateKeeper, Millenium Force, Raptor, Maverick, and Iron Dragon.

[pianojohn]

Found some pics from 2000, the first year of Millenium Force.

Also have pics of their FastPass system at the time called Ticket to Ride.

Enjoy!

 

And yes, the restraints on Gatekeeper do get tighter as the ride progresses. I crossed my arms UNDER the vest and held them there to prevent this from happening. Not the most comfortable way to ride, but I prefer that to suffocating!

[Hilltopper39]

I remember that ticket to ride system, didn't it involve getting your hand "stamped" with a ride logo stamp and the return time, when you returned they drew a big black "X" mark through the stamp? I remember it kind of working but kind of being a disaster at the same time haha.

[chknwing]

ride top thrill dragster first as even the fastpass line gets long. plan to see the bike show, its pretty good. I wouldnt eat throughout the day, try to hit the main street market around 1pm. its all you can eat buffet. Also outside of the park, thirsty pony is the place to eat. I suggest the sloppy pig and 30 wings. also visit ghostly manor and ride the coaster simulator.

[StealthFan]

And yes, the restraints on Gatekeeper do get tighter as the ride progresses. I crossed my arms UNDER the vest and held them there to prevent this from happening. Not the most comfortable way to ride, but I prefer that to suffocating!

 

Honestly that's a problem I have experienced on both wing riders I have been on so I would assume its a problem they all have. I'm surprised the park let you cross your arms under the vest but if it made the ride more enjoyable then I guess that's never a bad thing. Hopefully it's something B&M are looking into but if they are not I prefer suffocation to getting my head smashed in on an SLC or something to that nature.

 

-Craig

[therick311]

I also noticed that the vest part of the restraint on X-Flight had gotten tighter during the ride, when I rode it last year. However, it wasn't so tight that I noticed it during the ride, just while waiting on the brakes after the ride. Also, as a tall person (6'3") I didn't have any trouble breathing after the vest had tightened, but my problem was that top of the vest was pinching the top of my shoulders. It was a mild pain, but it was annoying.

 

I will be riding GateKeeper in 2 weeks, and I expect the same.

[BigDipper 80]

I remember that ticket to ride system, didn't it involve getting your hand "stamped" with a ride logo stamp and the return time, when you returned they drew a big black "X" mark through the stamp? I remember it kind of working but kind of being a disaster at the same time haha.

 

I think you're thinking of the "Free Way" system, which a few of the rides had before they realized how awful it was. I'd assume that the "ticket to ride", whatever it was, was set up specifically for Millennium during its first season and basically operated like a giant Fastpass for everyone, since I doubt that its queue could have handled the amount of people waiting to ride it. Does someone know for sure about this?

[griffonj2022]

My family and friends are here at the Point until Friday, and GateKeeper is spectacular! The whole wing coaster idea seems great, but riding is even more thrilling than watching. I seriously freaked heading towards the keyholes! Review and pics to come later.

 

Lines are long for the "main" coasters (Dragster, Millennium, Maverick) but others are bearable. The park also has set up Plinko games outside of some of these rides with two tries for $5. My brother played and won free front of the line passes for two on Millennium Force and GateKeeper! Great fun and a way to skip long lines if you're willing to take a risk.

[Mossed]

^ ^^ I might as well jump in here so someone can answer all three of us at once, cause I too will be flying in for my first CP visit soon. Im flying in to CLE on Saturday at 6 and was originally just planning on going to the park on Sunday but figured I could drive right to the park from the airport sneak a few hours of night rides in on Saturday night and was just wondering what the typical evening lines are like? For example are there certain rides whose lines tend to dwindle at the end of the night or rides whose lines are always long at night? I'm getting FastLane+ for Sunday but won't be getting it for the couple hours I'm there Saturday night.

 

titancoaster, to answer part of your question, only a handful of rides are supposed to be open in the morning, so Im planning on obviously hitting those on Sunday morning before the park opens. (which is why Im asking the above question, Im thinking about hitting TTD and a few others at night if possible) According to cedarpoint.com the major coasters open in the morning are GateKeeper, Millenium Force, Raptor, Maverick, and Iron Dragon.

 

GateKeeper and Raptor are two rides that I would recommend riding later in the day. Both rides will be packed to the brim in the morning since they are right out front. Maverick will likely be the longest wait of the day/night, so I recommend getting in line right before closing and also during the ERT. Dragster and Millenium will both likely have a pretty big line as well, but since the other coasters have a short line, you should get quite a few rides in with or without fast lane +.

[singemfrc]

^ Thanks thats a good point about GK and Raptor...exact same thing with X2 out here at SFMM, everyone rushes to it in the morning so you can always sneak in on short lines in the evening as everyone has already done it.

 

chknwng mentioned the FastLane queue for TTD gets long..seriously? Even with it only being available on FL+? How long can FL lines get exactly? I'm used to the Q-Bot system SixFlags has where there's rarely ever a line at all for FastPass. Hearing this I'll definitely make TTD a priority Saturday night, and if that doesnt work out I'll be hitting it first Sunday morning. I haven't ridden TTD or Kingda Ka yet so I definitely don't want to miss it.

 

I've now booked my flight and I'm locked in, I'll be at the park from about 8-10pm on Saturday Sep 7th and all day on Sunday Sep 8th which is a relatively short day theyre open from Noon-8pm not including morning ERT. If I can at least hit GateKeeper, Magnum, Maverick, Millenium, Raptor, TTD, WickedTwister, Mantis, and Corkscrew I'll be happy, but I'd also like to get a ride in on Gemini, Iron Dragon, Blue & Mean Streak, and Cedar Creek Mine Train if I have time. I definitely wont be stopping to eat while I'm at the park, I'll be eating right before and after.

[GigaG]

I have a thing for you all to ponder over - why have two Intamin hypercoasters had 3 ejections resulting in 2 deaths (SFNE & Darien Lake), but one of the largest rides with that type of restraint, without any modifications, over a long, fast circuit, has a perfect safety record? I am talking about the original giga-coaster, Millenium Force, which, to my knowledge, has a sparkling safety record. And yes, I can ride it with a loose lapbar. It still feels like you will be tossed out to Canada over the first drop in the back. Not to mention Dragster, Xcelerator, Formula Rossa, the mega-lites, and other Intamin coasters with a T-bar restraint. Is it a Six Flags (or in the case of the most recent one, PARC) issue? Or is it just bad luck? At least two of the incidents were caused by error on the part of the operator, allowing someboy who couldn't properly use the restraints to ride - the Bizarro ejection involved a man with medical conditions including cerebal palsy and was likely too large to properly fit in, while the more recent Darien Lake ejection involved a man that had no legs (a war veteran) being ejected, not to mention a second, near-fatal ejection before that on Darien Lake's ride. Note that the first ejection (Darien lake, near-fatal) caused the restriction to be raised to 54"from 48", and considering all 3 were owned by the Six Flags at the time, I would imagine the others were. MF went the opposite way, from 54" to 48" soon after opening if I have my facts right. So is this a Six Flags/PARC, Intamin, or guest problem, or just bad luck? I'll leave you all to decide.

[IronWolfman]

^Probably the major factor on why Millennium Force hasn't tossed out anybody is CP making sure everyone is secure. Secondary factor is airtime, which Millennium Force isn't exactly known for.

[necoastergp]

^SFNE wasn't due to airtime as it was the break run and the guy had MS so they shouldn't have been allowed to ride in the first place. I miss the original t-bar restraints =(

[novak72]

Singemfrc

If you are going to Cedar Point on Sept 8, DO NOT BUY FASTLANE . It will not be needed. The sunday after labor day is thee day to go to the Point. Its the only weekend after summer but before haloweekends. You can easily get multiple rides on everything.

[singemfrc]

^ Thanks I was already wondering if I should just bring the cash and get one if it got busy

[coasternut]

C.P. just added a live webcam to their site. It's a Gemini Midway live webcam. Not sure why they chose that location. Not much going on there to deserve a live feed?

[christianscoasters]

^It's the perfect location!!!