Photo TR: Cedar Point opening weekend

[haux]

So I went to Cedar Point on opening day and the day after (Saturday and Sunday). Here's my stupid trip report since I visit the park so much.

 

The park looks pretty good, considering it's not exactly ready for operating. The park opened about a week earlier this season (it's also staying open a weekend later). Obviously Planet Snoopy is the big new thing. Nine kiddy rides from Geauga Lake sit on the land that used to be Peanuts Playground. They're pretty cool, and it's a great addition to the park. The best part is adults can ride, so I can act even more like an idiot when I go. Also, MY GIRLFRIEND works there, so I can bother her.

 

The weather was freaking great on Saturday. Sunny, about 70 degrees, calm winds. Perfect. Crowds were light in the morning, but the park got pretty busy in the afternoon as no fewer than 1 billion buses showed up and dropped off kids. Christy's sister was there, so we hung out when I ran into her.

 

It was rainy, overcast, windy and chilly on Sunday. Blah. But it kept the crowds away, and I totally got two rides on Millennium Force in about eight minutes. Rock on. The line was on the freaking ramp. Sweet.

 

There are lots of little additions and improvements to the park. I love noticing stuff like that. A big addition is the removal of that dreadful Ben and Jerry's ice cream place that replaced the former Ice Cream Parlor. You'd get two small scoops of ice cream for about $6. Before, it was Toft's, which is a local ice cream and dairy company. So I guess people complained or didn't visit or threw ice cream at managers, so it's back to being a Toft's. The prices are reasonable, which is good.

 

Food is a bit more expensive this season, but I just pack sandwiches and eat in my car.

 

There are weird little wooden boxes in trees around the park. I had to ask around a bit before finding out what they are. They're bird feeders from Geauga Lake. Also, there's a small game in Planet Snoopy from Geauga Lake. Fact: My friend played that very game in 2003 when it was Six Flags Worlds of Adventure.

 

Magnum's chain seemed to be running fast on opening day. It might be that I hadn't ridden it in seven months, but it really seemed faster. Raptor's got some padding on the anti-rollback dogs, so you can actually hear your friends talk when they're sitting next to you. That'll last about two weeks. Raptor's running really well. I missed it. The entire crew is new this year. Apparently last season's crew isn't allowed back.

 

Maverick's being a jerk for some reason. There's a block before the station that had been having problems all day Saturday and Sunday. I stayed in line while it was down on Saturday. That killed 2 1/2 hours. That's longer than I'd normally wait, but I was bored and missed Maverick. The first drop still tickles my stomach.

 

The midway on the arcade side of the split midway (split by Sky Ride overhead) has brick instead of concrete now. It looks cool. But it's only a small section. I don't know why. In front of the arcade restrooms are two planters that are attached to the building. They've got little bushes in them.

 

Inside the Hotel Breakers is a Japanese hibachi thing, but it's not open yet. It replaces Dominic's, which used to be good Italian food in 2005 until it was changed to a boring old buffet last season. That was disappointing, but the hibachi should be cool.

 

The wood shop is now a Christmas shop on one side and some sort of arts-and-crafts deal on the other. It's cool, and the store is more open since they changed the layout. Paul, the woodcarver, is still stationed in front of it. He's doing well, and his work is as good as ever. He makes little paddleboats that move by twisting the paddle around a rubber band. There's a small trough in front of his station so the kids can play with them. But this year he made it wider and put two boats in! Oh boy, the excitement of racing pieces of wood is almost too much to handle. Hopefully it sells more. He says he can make one in about half an hour, and he had a whole bucket full of them. There were probably 90 in it. I don't know.

 

Magnum's DJ booth plays music from the '80s, and one happens to be that Rick Astley song that everyone on the Internet seems to think is hilarious to send to their e-friends. I guess the kids call that being "Rick Rolled." I thought it was stupid. I took a video while the song was playing, but all the mouth breathers were talking too much for the mike to pick it up. I'll try again later.

 

Millennium Force is running well. I rode it in the rain on Sunday. Uh, don't do that. It hurts. Really, really bad. My eyelids hurt for about an hour afterward. I'd never ridden MF with my eyes closed, and it was interesting. The ride is so well engineered, I couldn't really tell where I was. Not even when the track was banking. That was kind of cool. I only knew I was in a tunnel because it got darker.

 

Wildcat was down most of Saturday and Sunday. Freaking traveling coaster. To my surprise, Disaster Transport was open on Sunday after the rain stopped. It closes in the rain because the roof leaks, and the cars fishtail. Isn't that ridiculous? The indoor coaster closes in rain. Oh boy.

 

Speaking of coasters closing in the rain, since the Raptor crew is new, they didn't know Raptor closes when it rains. Raptor hasn't operated in the rain since about late 2004 because the grease, oil and rust from the wheel chassis gets in the water and pours on riders. I've got a shirt stained with rust and grease thanks to a rainy ride in '04. But they were running it. Well, they ran two trains. I got on the second train of the day Sunday, and I ended up with rust on my face and jacket. I asked a ride host who I knew from last season if there was rust on my face, and she pointed it to me. It's a mark of honor for me because I'm insane. But everyone else was complaining, so they closed the ride. Makes sense. I wouldn't want my clothes stained with rust.

 

Uuuhhh, what else? Hmm hmm hmm.

 

The park seemed to be doing OK for an early opening day. The employees are all smiley and nice, and they should figure out operations in a week or so. Matterhorn has seat belts, which is totally needed since I think 9,000 people flew out of their cars last season when it was lap bars only. Of those 9,000, I believe about 100,000 were killed. So those seat belts should lower capacity and keep the death count down.

 

The ride hosts all say "check" when they push your restraints down. Thanks, Jack Falfas. Magnetic brakes were not added to Magnum before the brake run. I thought it'd be a good idea since they'd slow the train down enough to make sure those brakes always caught.

 

Millennium Force's seat belts are new and about 6 inches longer, despite the protests from a ride host who told me they were not new. Uhh, I have a lot of slack in mine now, and I'm no fatty. Magnum has neat seat belts. They've got a big loop at the end, so it's easier for the ride hosts to check your belt. Speaking of checking the belt on Magnum, in my ride on Saturday, the ride host who checked mine totally felt my balls. Not cool. He laughed when he did it. Either he has the gay, or he doesn't know that it happens. Get used to it, bro. You're in for a long season.

 

The park has a Subway now. I bet they picked that up from the Paramount purchase because Kings Island had (still has?) a Subway. Guess what? You can get a footlong or only $10! Nice. Ignore the "$5 footlong" commercials. They're a lie. Also, there's totally a sign that says you can upgrade your sandwich to a meal (chips and a drink) for only $6. Sweet. I can save tons of money.

 

There's some weird new sponsor in the park called Bluegreen. I guess it's a travel company. I don't know. It's got a booth set up near Witches' Wheel.

 

There are a couple of "Icee Mix It Up" stations around the park. For something like $95, you can get a small cup and fill it with a mixture of 12 Icee flavors. A sign by it tells you some mixtures you can make for customized Cedar Point flavors like Iron Dragon Blast, CP Sunrise and Magnum Mayhem. I'll stick to green lemon lime and cherry and call it Raptor Rust Stain.

 

The front of the park guide is kinda crappy this season. It's green and just says, "Kids rule the planet in 2008!" Blah. Give me a picture of some rides. Even in 2005, they had a picture of Troika.

 

The first aid station was totally redone. It looks good. I didn't go in.

I sat in Planet Snoopy waiting for MY GIRLFRIEND. Some maintenance guys were putting up chains at the ride entrances. And this guy was peeing sparks.

This sea gull decided to make a nest on a support on Raptor's first corkscrew. Great location, dude.

Oh, man! I can get chips and a drink for only $6? Nice. So my meal will be $16!

This game was totally at Geauga Lake.

Here is a moose.

This dude was totally chilling by the lagoon. I wanted him to catch a fish.

Art.

Here's the cover of this year's map. Blah.

New banners.

This stuff from last season was sitting next to Hurricane Hannah's.

Reasonable prices.

And on the other side of it is a small fenced-in area with a fountain. And a tree. Gasp! Cedar Point added a tree!?

It's got a cow out front. I wonder if they'll paint the udder.

Hooray! Ice Cream Parlor is back!

You love Icee. Buy it. Make fun mixtures.

Here's a new Icee place.

Ah. A good idea. The menu at one of the french fry places is on the outside now. Yay for being easier to see.

Here's another Planet Snoopy ride.

This is a bird feeder from Geauga Lake. There are a few of them around the park.

Kid eats.

Here is the Kite-Eating Tree. MY GIRLFRIEND is creeped out by its smile.

Planet Snoopy. Totally new for 2008 with old Geauga Lake rides.

Buy vacation time while you're on vacation!

This guy was totally chilling by the pond. He was pretty big.

Maverick's pond has a fountain. No more bubblers for you!

These rocks by Maverick are new. Stay out of the mulch. That's also new.

In Frontier Trail, there are some markers for the new B&M flying coaster.

Now you can race two paddleboats at the woodcarver's station.

This midway's totally bricks now.

[Team Thriller]

HAHA. One of the funniest Tr's I've read in awhile.

Great job.

 

--James

[ginzo]

---Nevermind---

[Groteslurf]

Very funny TR.

 

I already made up my choice what to eat next week when I'm there

[Moose]

Nice report.

 

 

Something for history buffs out there. And I don't mean park history. I believe that the round stone in this pic is actually an old grinding wheel from a mill. Actually, i just noticed that the square stones look salvaged as well. I wonder where they're all from.

[coastrfreak2000]

Nice TR.

 

The first thing I noticed about Planet Snoopy is that the paths, for once, are not concrete! It looks pretty nice.

[snoodog]

I must comment that Matterhorn doesn't need seat belts. You may of exagereated? on 100,000 people dying. Maybe 100,000 people being bored. Nice TR. The place looks more well lanscaped and nice scenery. IDK if you were kidding but are they getting a flying coaster. My input is they should get a custom B&M flying coaster cause Superman is getting old. Take a look at this picture:

 

Her is what CP should do. Tear down Disaster Transport or CCMR and build a custom B&M flyer. Then tear down the other one and get a new GCI wooden twister!

[mcjaco]

^ You probably should re-read the posting rules:

 

http://www.themeparkreview.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=21962

 

When it comes to making a post, please be sure to make quality posts. You've already had threads locked, and this reponse makes no sense.

 

The Bantron is watching.

[SLUSHIE]

The smile on the tree looks like TP.

 

Thats probably what it's supposed to be actually.

[haux]

I must comment that Matterhorn doesn't need seat belts. You may of exagereated? on 100,000 people dying. Maybe 100,000 people being bored. Nice TR. The place looks more well lanscaped and nice scenery. IDK if you were kidding but are they getting a flying coaster. My input is they should get a custom B&M flying coaster cause Superman is getting old. Take a look at this picture:

 

Her is what CP should do. Tear down Disaster Transport or CCMR and build a custom B&M flyer. Then tear down the other one and get a new GCI wooden twister!

I was joking on both counts. I was being sarcastic that Matterhorn needed seat belts. It doesn't.

 

The B&M flyer also was a joke. There are markers in Frontier Trail that could be for anything.

[RCFreak]

I definitely think the most shocking thing is that Alex found someone to date him.

 

I don't follow much CP stuff now (especially "fan sites" that have like 15 pictures of the same damn thing from slightly different angles!), so thanks for posting this in a fun way while pointing out the new stuff. Hopefully I'll get to see it all later this Fall.