Photo TR: Cedar Point, 05/13/12

[IrishBuckeye]

First, allow me to introduce myself.

 

There's a dino behind us!

 

On the left is me, my name is Eric, and on the right is my girlfriend Christina. You have seen us in a couple previous Cedar Point TRs, although we didn't use our real names. But now you can put a name with a face!

 

We decided to head to Cedar Point on Sunday, the day after opening day, and take in some good rides. Also joining us was our friend Liz who is not shown, as she didn't want her picture taken. Oh well.

 

We arrived at 11:30am to a fairly empty parking lot, getting to park only about five rows from the front. At around 11:40am we headed to the season pass center where we thought getting our passes processed would be a breeze. We were way off on that. I was in shock as I turned the corner and saw a massive line stretching back to the picnic pavilion area and beyond. This was me and Christina's 4th season getting a pass, and I don't ever remember having a significant wait. I heard through the grapevine that it was even worse if we had come on saturday. We waited 40 minutes total, which I can't complain because that ended up being the shortest wait of the day.

 

After finally getting into the park, we rode Raptor twice, which was a walk on, and Blue Streak which was a near walk on. After doing so we decided to get lunch, since all of us had such a light breakfast. We decided on gameday grille where we got two appetizers to split, including a massive portion of loaded fries, see below. It all came to $25, which for 3 people, you can honestly do worse than that at CP.

 

After lunch we did another roll on the Blue Streak (I think Liz might have sat this one out to let her stomach settle). I really like the new paint job on the Blue Streak. Then we decided to head to the back of the park, and make it faster by using the sky buckets. We must have rode the sky buckets at least 4 times this day going back and forth. While walking through to the back of the park I checked out all the construction of the luminosity areas which I took pictures of below. Then we headed to Maverick, where the wait was maybe 10 minutes. Afterwards was a trip on Gemini, Skyhawk (which Liz sat out), Top Thrill Dragster (which I sat out, more on this later), and finally Power Tower down. All of these were very short waits. In fact, I think Gemini might have been the longest, as they were having problems and not running the blue train for most of the day. Even Top Thrill was 10 or 15.

 

By this time, Magnum XL-200, my favorite, was down for maintenance. We took a break and while Nina and Liz were sitting around I headed to the beach. The new CEO Matt Ouimet talks about doing more with the beach area at CP, and I look forward to what he has planned in the future.

 

By the time I got back from the beach, it was 5PM, and we decided to head to the car and eat our tailgate dinner. We finally walked back into the park around 5:50PM and capped the night with some good laps, Gemini a second time, Maggie twice, and Maverick twice. Liz didn't want to ride Maggie a second time or Maverick at all, and I rode Maverick myself the 2nd time. On our second spin on Magnum, we were next in line and the ride was delayed due to a maintenance issue, but this was cleared up and we were able to board after about a 10 minute delay. Maverick was a near walk on, maybe a 2 minute wait when you get to the station. After the 2nd spin on Maverick, the park was near close and we decided to call it quits. Sadly, we didn't get to see any of the new lighting packages, because by close at 8PM, the sun was still shining brightly.

 

Only once all day did I see anybody using the fast lane wristbands, in line for the Magnum. As I stated in the general CP discussion thread, I think the fastlane passes are a great idea, and the long waits on opening day were probably due to the large crowd in general, and not fast lane users.

 

Now for the one negative of the day, and I will keep this short. Sadly, I am not able to ride either MF or TTD, because I can't get the seatbelt latched. As you can see in the picture, I'm not super skinny, but I am no whale either. On previous visits I have struggled with the restraints on these two rides but have never been turned away. I think the seatbelts on these rides should be longer, and I know there are others who agree with me on this, but I won't go into a debate about this here. However, this is giving me a shot in the arm to finally get serious about my weight. I fit easily on everything else and don't think I would have to lose a ton of weight to get it to work. So in other words, while it is discouraging, I will not let it defeat me. CoasterMania is July 13th. Maybe by then I'll be skinny enough to ride.

 

Despite that it was still a very fun visit to CP for all of us. It was nice to see the beginning of a new era with Matt Ouimet in charge.

 

Ride counts:

Raptor X2

Blue Streak X2

Gemini X2

Maverick X3

Magnum XL-200 X2

Top Thrill Dragster (without me)

Skyhawk (without Liz)

Power Tower

 

And with all that said, please enjoy the pictures!

 

Approaching the Point for another season of fun.

 

Shot of Blue Streak and its new paint job from the lot.

 

 

Shot of new signage at the entrance.

 

Close up of the signage.

 

Heading to the season pass center, where....

 

...this line awaited us!

 

While waiting in line to get the passes processed, I snapped this pic of Blue Streak with its new paint job. Love it.

 

Tried to get a shot of BS' train at the top of the hill, in between the trees. Didn't get it.

 

We really dug into the loaded fries at the gameday grille. This was after we had already ate about half of them!

 

Liz: "SKY BUCKETS! YES!!"

 

This is the view that the big screen used to block (at least part of this)

 

Luminosity construction area

 

More Luminosity construction.

 

As far as I know, this piece of track on Millennium Force is a part of the ride that has been repainted in the ongoing paint job. This shot didn't turn out good anyway.

 

While I was disappointed I wasn't able to ride TTD, I decided to head to the beach!

 

People having fun on the beach.

 

Seagulls lurking while eating our dinner at the car.

 

New sound system construction along the midway near kiddie kingdom.

 

Its ALIVE!!!!

 

The wait for Maverick is now 15, errrr, 2 minutes!

 

Sunset right before we left. Snapped by Christina using her smartphone.

[coasterbill]

Very nice TR.

Glad you had fun.

[palmerleeberry]

Did I read that right: you only waited a few minutes to ride Maverick? I never waited for less than 45 minutes from all the times I've been there, so you are one lucky dog.

 

As for your misfortunes for not riding the Millienium Force and Top Thrill Dragster, I can feel your pain. I think that Cedar Point make a mistake by shorting the seatbeats when they should have rip out them all out along with the lap bars and put in the over-the-shoulder harnesses that Kingsta Ka employs. It is disturbing when one year I was able to ride Top Thrill Dragster, then unable to ride it the following year when the test seat belts won't latch, and I even lost a few pounds. Oh well, that was two rides I cannot ride, but there are still tons of rides I could still go on (including a few that somebody with a huge pot belly can get on and enjoy).

 

Great Trip Report, by the way.

 

"I like to present a trip report that features me and the bed and why you should visit us more often."

[STR8FXXXINEDGE]

I think that Cedar Point make a mistake by shorting the seatbeats when they should have rip out them all out along with the lap bars and put in the over-the-shoulder harnesses that Kingsta Ka employs.

This is crazy talk!

[robbalvey]

Sadly, I am not able to ride either MF or TTD, because I can't get the seatbelt latched. As you can see in the picture, I'm not super skinny, but I am no whale either. On previous visits I have struggled with the restraints on these two rides but have never been turned away. I think the seatbelts on these rides should be longer, and I know there are others who agree with me on this, but I won't go into a debate about this here. However, this is giving me a shot in the arm to finally get serious about my weight. I fit easily on everything else and don't think I would have to lose a ton of weight to get it to work. So in other words, while it is discouraging, I will not let it defeat me. CoasterMania is July 13th. Maybe by then I'll be skinny enough to ride.

 

While I know I went off on you about this previously, I do find your words of wanting to do something about it encouraging. I do want to offer a little bit of advice, though, and please don't take this the wrong way....

 

If you can't fit on some of your favorite roller coasters, next time, perhaps you should consider skipping this....

 

I'm obviously not a small person either, and have struggled with weight issues all my life, but I fit just fine on TTD and MF, and if I ever got to the point where I didn't fit, I know I would do something about it. Looking at your pictures, you're probably only about 20 pounds away from being able to fit. And while that sounds like a lot, I'm sure you can manage it. If you don't fit on rides, you can really only blame yourself, not the park. And if it's important enough to you, you should do something about it. And that was the point I was trying to make before.

 

--Robb "It's a huge pet peeve of mine when people will blame a park for not being able to fit on a ride." Alvey

Edited May 16, 2012 by robbalvey

[deguy123]

I think that Cedar Point make a mistake by shorting the seatbeats when they should have rip out them all out along with the lap bars and put in the over-the-shoulder harnesses that Kingsta Ka employs.

This is crazy talk!

 

Half of the pages on here are crazy talk

[IrishBuckeye]

While I know I went off on you about this previously, I do find your words of wanting to do something about it encouraging.

 

Thanks! I admit that when I posted my rant in the CP discussion thread, I wasn't in my right mind, and was posting (reacting) emotionally. thank you for not holding it against me, and no hard feelings.

 

If you can't fit on some of your favorite roller coasters, next time, perhaps you should consider skipping this....

(image of loaded fries).

 

...and I was thinking this while typing out this TR. I agree, although the good thing about that image is at least we are at a park that we will be walking around and burning most of it off. I would say more important is avoiding things like this when you are NOT at an amusement park! Which i am now making an effort to do.

 

And if it's important enough to you, you should do something about it. And that was the point I was trying to make before.

 

Exactly. After sulking a while I finally decided that I can do one of two things. I can sit here and bitch and moan about things I can't change (even if you could argue it is unfair), or I can do something about what I can change (my weight and size). I think even 10 pounds might be enough. So I will do the latter.

[gisco]

So many parks I have not been too and so little vacation time. One of these days.

 

The loaded fries look good but a heart attack waiting to happen!

[adavis]

Cool TR, thanks for the read and the pictures. That said, my anxiety over being too big to ride is now peaking. I'm going to CP tomorrow,and then we're wheeling over to HP. I'm 5'8", 210 lbs, and am freaking out that I might be too big to ride some of this stuff. Am I right to be nervous? Seriously, I've been having nightmares.

 

Yes, I've ridden MF and TTD before, for some reason I'm just really anxious this year, I think a lot of it is the unknown Skyrush restraint factor.

[IrishBuckeye]

Cool TR, thanks for the read and the pictures. That said, my anxiety over being too big to ride is now peaking

 

You are 3 inches shorter than me, and 50 pounds lighter. you should be fine.

 

Everyone's body type is different, so its impossible to post exact numbers, but the one measurement that constantly gets stated is a 40 inch waist. If your waist is at 40 inches or above you may have trouble fitting on MF and TTD.

 

thanks for the compliments. And yes Gisco, I will be avoiding the loaded fries from now on.

[dragonskeep]

Good report man. All this Cedar Point talk has me wanting to go badly, it's been 5 years...and I am from Sandusky. Glad you guys had a good time.