PhotoTR:TPR Assemble @Cedar Point! All Photos pg1&2!

[PKI Jizzman]

So I haven't been to Cedar Point in four years or so, I had to get back. Jo and I planned a trip up at the last minute and stayed at the awesome Breakers Express where you get free parking and discounted tickets. While we were there we ended up hanging out with Kyle and Oriol (Oriolat) who most of you know works at Tibidabo! I also ran into a few other enthusiasts from some fan sites - Cedar Point is lovely because there is so much coaster talk going on there. No other park do you hear people talking about Kennywood, Great Adventure, Ravine Flyer, Kentucky Rumbler, Boulder Dash, etc. Thursday the crowds were dead. Friday we got fastlane.

 

Probably got like, 20 rides on Maverick and 10 rides on Millennium, 5 or so on Dragster, many more on the others.

 

New is Gatekeeper. The last wingcoaster in the USA for me to ride. Oh boy.

 

 

 

The front entrance is very refreshed and nice looking, a lot more open so it doesn't bottleneck. I like the plaza for the ride as well. I actually thought the best part of the ride was the inversion next to the keyhole; had a nice little snap to it. But it rattled/bounced unlike X Flight or Wild Eagle (Which were both very smooth) and Gatekeeper was pretty smooth in row 2, bouncy/rattle-y in row 4, and really uncomfortably rattle-y in the back row. It didn't matter the inside or outside seat.

 

The ride just kind of shakes you, so you shimmy down further into your seat so the restraints can boa-constrict tighter against you from what I experienced. My most pleasant experience is row 2. It's a beautiful project and looks very nice, is fun to take pictures of; but I'm not happy with it, especially compared to my other fun rides I've had on Wild Eagle and X Flight.

 

I'm not going to hold the vest off of my chest for the whole ride; I shouldn't have to do that, I want to be able to put my arms up and have fun! Sigh. I really hope Banshee's restraints aren't bad like these next year. It sucks because I want to ride the ride, but I'll come off it complaining; I love the keyhole, the immelmans, etc because it's something different and it's got a fantastic location. But that back row ride I had was one of the worst coaster experiences I've had in the last couple years.

Overall I'd give it a 3.5/10. If I was comfortable the whole ride it'd be a 6/10.

 

Onto photos!

Kyle and Oriol get ready for MaxAirrrr

HUSS is starting to go faster

They're trying to smile like for a normal photo but they're going 70 MILES PER HOUR!

Hey, let's get to riding some coasters

This is where the asskicking starts.

Do you see two trains?

Time for some old school B&M.

Cedar Point is right on the water! So pretty.

They also added something new for this year.

Two for one! Victory.

Not full train is not a cool train.

Is Dragster stalled at the top? You decide!

Hello Marcel!

Boobies!

Most painful coaster ever. Ever. EVER.

One of the most fun coasters ever!

I Love Intamin! What a fantastic ride.

Aren't you a little early?

I feel like they were launching it faster than 120 today. It was flying over the tophat.

Weeee floaty blue goodness.

Amazing red fast 17 second bliss. I'm torn, what ride should I go to?!

And then there's Maverick. DAMN YOU FASTLANE! What did I do to myself?

Best ride. Ever! Incredible concoction of elements.

What a nice backdrop

Crazyyyyy airtime

Everyone, smiling so wide.

The front seat is the best place to ride! I think I rode it 75% in the front on my rides.

Whew. Break time. Let's relax a bit with some Force.

Here they come! 80*

One big, powerful drop that's really amazing because it gives you enough speed to keep you flying throughout the rest of the course - and over the 180ft hill!

This was a very difficult picture to get because the train is going extremely fast!

I will post the next update after class and warning! Tons of Maverick sunset shots!

Edited September 12, 2013 by PKI Jizzman

[oriolat]

It was so nice meeting you and Jo at the park I was most looking forward to! You also took some amazing shots, especially of Maverick, Dragster and Millennium Force (your favorites at the Point? ).

 

By the way, Kyle is going to be very angry/disappointed to see two front row seats go empty on Raptor. To be honest, that crew was not really efficient, which was surprising knowing how good operations are at CP.

 

I also must agree that, despite looking beautiful, Gatekeeper is rather tame in terms of intensity and shaky in the back, and restraints definitely boa-constrict you to the point that it is hard to move (the strap is as hard as concrete at the end of the ride!).

 

I hope to see you riding Shambhala (aka Spanish Diamondback for you, fanboy) soon!

 

Oriol "Official Maverick fanboy" Monroig

[cfc]

Maverick is still the star at Cedar Point. Gatekeeper is just "meh."

[The Great Zo]

Those are some nice pictures. Well done. Where were you standing for this one? I'd love to get some pictures from that spot also.

[RaptorBoyASU]

Wow, great pictures. I love the one of Maverick where you can see downtown Sandusky in the background.

 

This was a great trip for me, hopefully Oriolat will have a PTR of it eventually, because I didn't take many pictures.

 

Cedar Point was definitely a highlight. We got on all 16 coasters, with 4 rides on MF, 6 rides on Maverick, 3 rides on TTD, and 2 on Raptor IN ONE DAY!

[Jojo19799]

Maverick is still the star at Cedar Point. Gatekeeper is just "meh."

 

Totally agree with you Chuck! Why can't more parks get a ride like Maverick? I tried to give Gatekeeper a chance but I just couldn't. Zach was right about the rattling and the only enjoyable ride was in row 2.

 

Kyle, Oriol, it was great meeting you guys. Hopefully our paths will cross again.

[DanM64]

Great pics!

[GigaG]

What camera did you use?

[Koasterking48]

Most painful coaster ever. Ever. EVER.

agree Agree AGREE! Being tall and riding Magnum is not a good combination!

[Mrlittle]

Any TR with boobs is always great. You took some great photos.

[PKI Jizzman]

Those are some nice pictures. Well done. Where were you standing for this one? I'd love to get some pictures from that spot also.

 

Just at the exit of Maverick. I do have a 200mm lens, so that might make you think I'm somewhere else. A 2008 Nikon D40, GigaG.

 

Chuck it was more than meh, it was ughhhh in most places. I hate the restraints.

 

I'll post the rest of the photos soon. Thanks for the comments everyone~!

[John_RN]

Beatiful photos!!! WOW!

[PKI Jizzman]

Round 2.

Awh, no one in the front row? Por que?

There's a LOT less bird crap this year.

I love the sky ride. I miss these.

Hey look a seagull.

The sun is going down it's time to grab a beer and head over to Mav-shark!

The sun goes kabooommm

Maverick makes your body melt away.

What a spectacular up and down.

Now that's a dayglow orange.

Stengel dives. Absolutely...phenominal. On another level. You've got to have some balls to re-ride this ride over and over again.

Bloodbuzz Ohio

Oh crap it got really dark

Neon at warp speed

This new plaza area does look nice!

The lights on the train do add a nice touch

I'm totally not down with B&M's new aliens but they're fun to look at.

photo memories

Instant crush

Trash cans make great tripods. Pro tip.

And the comeback

Keyhole-ing! There. I said it.

Goodnight.

Wheels off the track.

[TBpony414]

Really great photos!! I haven't been to CP since Millennium Force was built so it's nice to experience the park through your pics. I have a question about your camera - what do you do with it during the day? Keep it in a goo bunny? Store it in the hotel room and then go back specifically for it and just walk around snapping pics? What if you have the camera and want to hop on a ride and there's nobody to watch the camera? I have a Nikon D200 and am overly protective of it so never take it to parks because I don't know what to do with it. (Instead I take it to the beach to take pictures of my dogs splashing in the waves and get sand and seawater in it, sigh.) Thanks!

[PKI Jizzman]

Really great photos!! I haven't been to CP since Millennium Force was built so it's nice to experience the park through your pics. I have a question about your camera - what do you do with it during the day? Keep it in a goo bunny? Store it in the hotel room and then go back specifically for it and just walk around snapping pics? What if you have the camera and want to hop on a ride and there's nobody to watch the camera? I have a Nikon D200 and am overly protective of it so never take it to parks because I don't know what to do with it. (Instead I take it to the beach to take pictures of my dogs splashing in the waves and get sand and seawater in it, sigh.) Thanks!

 

The park has bins for each train and locks them in, and unlocks the bin when your train comes back! Certain rides you need to buy lockers for, but really if you're that over protective with your camera you need to pick a time to go around and shoot, then lock it up and ride otherwise you will just be putting yourself in fits. I like to put all my stuff in my camera bag and put it in the bin; like I said, CP locks it up in your color coordinated train so I feel safe.

 

I don't think someone's going to jack my bag. I just go around and take pictures throughout the day as I'm going from ride to ride. Like I mentioned before, I hadn't been in 4 years so I really was riding as much as possible and wasn't taking much time at ALL to shoot!

[Jojo19799]

What a great weekend. When can we go back? I'm kind of kicking myself for not riding TTD. Next time for sure.

[firewalk13]

Thanks for the trip report! You've taken some GREAT photos, no really...

 

One nitpick though, that picture of Corkscrew with no one in the front row is painful. That fucking airtime before the vertical loop makes that ride much better (or at least worth a re-ride).

[PKI Jizzman]

Thanks for the trip report! You've taken some GREAT photos, no really...

 

One nitpick though, that picture of Corkscrew with no one in the front row is painful. That fudging airtime before the vertical loop makes that ride much better (or at least worth a re-ride).

 

There are a few rides at Cedar Point I hadn't been on in a couple visits that I rode this year - Blue Streak and Wicked Twister. There are some rides that I haven't been on since probably 2007. Corkscrew and Mean Streak are those two rides. I didn't think Corkscrew was that bad, it was just they seemed to stack the trains and I hate sitting in the sun on the brake run! Mean Streak is pretty self explaining. I do remember that airtime hill being pretty nice!

[arby]

You got some great shots! Thanks for sharing.

[Philrad71]

Great photos and trip report, but what happened to PKI Jizz Man?

[RCjunkie]

Maverick is still the star at Cedar Point. Gatekeeper is just "meh."

 

Testify! Hallelujah! Spread the gospel.

 

Great close up pictures of Maverick and the rest of the rides. Thank you for sharing PKI.

[TBpony414]

Ah, that's cool about the color coded bins for each train! I would definitely feel safe leaving my camera bag in something like that. Thanks for explaining. The only place I've seen a similar system is at Hersheypark on Great Bear, they have a sliding door thing for both trains.

[PKI Jizzman]

Thanks for the comments everyone I hadn't done a trip report in a hot minute, it's fun to share photos.

 

The color coded bins are awesome and do make you feel very safe about leaving anything in them; because no one can get in them or open them until your specific train gets back! And the best part is you don't have to pay for that type of security.