Photo TR: Cedar Point 2005

[coasterlover420]

Sorry this is kind of late, but here it is! It's my first TR, so go easy.

 

This was when I went to Cedar Point for the first time in June 2005 and let me just say one thing. It's a hell of a lot better than Cliff's! lol

 

After a 1.5 hour drive, I was really excited to see CP for the first time. After spending another what seemed like an hour in the Breakers trying to check in, we finally got in the park around 6. Naturally, Dragster wasn't open, so we headed to the closest thing, Magnum. We were just about to get to the end of the line when we heard a sound like a jet passing by. I immediately declared running over to TTD. We stopped just as the brakes were dropping and waited. Seeing pictures and watching videos is one thing, but just standing there staring at it was more worth it than everything I've ever downloaded, even if it wasn't running yet. Then...whoosh!!!...and the train was up 420 feet. We immediately got in surprisingly short line and experienced TTD for the first time. (my first ride on anything that pulls more than .7 G's of acceleration!) I'll sum it up for you in a paragraph or so from my "story":

 

As I walked up to that beautiful train, I really got nervous. I climbed over the first seat and sat down in the second, right next to my dad. I'll never forget the distinct smell of a TTD train. I restrained myself, but it obviously wasn't enough because the ride op came over to staple me in. Not that it mattered because the lap bar was so comfortable. The announcer was echoing through the station and then the song "ready to Go." By the end of our trip I was practically singing it. Then the music stops and we hear "CLEAR."

As the trains start to move out of the station and into the holding areas, your stomach will be ripping itself to shreds. Nothing in the world can prepare you for the suspense at this point. You are starting to sweat, but then you get curious. "Nothing has prepared me for this ride. How will it feel?" (says me with no "real" launch experience). I started to look around and get a feel of the atmosphere at Cedar Point. I couldn't help but lean between the seats and see the train staging in front of us. It was a marvelous view. I could barely see what was going on, but I knew that the train was rolling back and locking into the catchcar. Then the brakes dropped and I knew it was only a metter of seconds until that train was a tiny dot at the end of the launch track. I looked at the christmas tree which quickly flashed: Yellow, Yellow, Yellow, GREEN.

At this point I got a huge chill down my spine because it felt like our train was going to be the one launching. The train ahead of us was already too small to see until it shot straight up. At this point, it was rather quiet until the train passed the top. You could hear the sound of motors firing up and our train started to move forward. My face was red hot. There were constant chills going through my body. I'm a hardcore coaster rider, but at this point, I'll admit, I was scared! The staging lights flashed on. The first one read "Pre Stage." Under were four yellow lights. The second one read "keep arms down head back and hold on." Then 4 more lights popped on under that. Then the announcer came on and screamed "Keep arms down, Head back, and hold on!" and the speaker started making revving noises. If you were sitting in the front, you would see the catchcar sneaking under the train. When you aren't you can look between the cars and watch it snake by extremely slowly. Then you see it stop and you know "It's finally happening!"The next few seconds happened too quickly to remember very well, but here it goes:

The hook dropped from the train into the catchcar, creating a loud clank...clank.clank. Someone screamed. The train slowly started to roll backwards. "Ok, here we go," my uncle blurted out. The revving was still going. The train locked into place with a THUD and I heard the release of air from the brakes dropping. "This is it" I thought. The lights went very quickly. Yellow, Yellow, Yellow, GREEN!!! This was truly overwhelming. The train quickly accelerated forward with extreme force knocking the wind out of me. In 2.8 (I don't care what you think, it's 2.8, ok?) seconds the acceleratoin ceased and our train was rocketing past everything at 120 MPH. 2 more seconds and the pounding G forces were vertical. The train quickly went vertical, took a sudden 90 degree twist, and then came the best airtime I had ever felt in my life. Millennium Force flashed BELOW us and then the 420 foot dive began. Still experiencing incredible airtime, our train completely went vertical a second time. This time twisting 270 degrees, all the while staring straight down to the ground 400..300..200 feet below, just shooting towards us. Finally we hit the level after more pounding vertical G's. The finish line flew by and we shoot by the line we were just in. 100..80..60..40..20..10 MPH, as our train decelerates over magnetic brake fins. We slow down to a quick crawl and the entire train cheers and applauds. That one ride was worth more than the cost for the entire trip itself.

 

Well there you go. That's what I thought!

 

The rest of our 3 days we spent going around riding random things. Everything was open, which was just my luck! I rode every coaster in the park except Jr. Gemini, Woodstock express, and Wildcat (Not a credit whore!). The atmosphere of Cedar Point really amazed me. It really made SFMM seem like garbage. I really had a blast!

 

Here are 2 of my videos (both in the front seat!):

 

Me and my dad on TTD

Me and my uncle on TTD

 

Here are some photos:

Best photo I ever took. Yeah, this is what I could see from my bed every night!! it was fun to see it run, too.

Great finish to a great coaster!

Train going through the knot.

Me again! YAY! my dad shot a video of me shortly after this.

I told you you can see it everywhere!

MaXair!! Best thrill ride I've been on!

Broken ride. How sad. But because of it, everyone in front of us left the line ad we were first to ride that day! Yippee!

Yay, me in front of the Breakers sign, some pools, a hotel, and a very large roller coaster that you can basically see where ever you go!

Wicked Twister from the boardwalk behind Breakers. My 3rd favorite of all time.

Lots of steel + a train and wheels = a whole lot of fun!

Ha. Got a shot from the skyride.

Great first drop! I loved Raptor. A lot more than Batman...

Raptor behind a water tower. How origional!

3 in 1 image! Woo Hoo! Power Tower was soo fun! Mantis and Corkscrew,....Not so fun.

Best view from a hotel room I've ever seen!

Mean Streak. Old, Faithful, Painful Mean Streak.

Gemini! I love this picture for some reason.

This is where you get the whole height experience! You stand here and say, "OMFG, I had no Idea it was so tall!"

TTD midway. The best part of the park!

Random photo of MF track.

I just love the MF station. It is so awesome.

Big loop, Mantis style!

MF was running very smoothly, but slowly. (as always!) It is definitely a very very good roller coaster worth riding more than once.

Yay, Mantis and MF with a bunch of people.

The inspiration that started it all! Read the captions behing it!

Closeup of a train ready to launch. Shortly after, I caught a video of this train launching.

Best Ride in the world and best 17 seconds of MY life!

After my first Dragster ride (HOLY CRAP!), I snapped a pic of the station. It was nice of the ride op to pose for me expressing her true feelings toward her job! lol

Yay, Dragster! I was still in shock over how tall it really was when I took this picture from the Breakers perking lot.

This was after I'd gotten out of the car from an hour-and-a-half drive. I snapped a pic of Corkscrew for no reason.

Magnum XL-200. It was fun to drive under, but not quite as fun to ride. (ouch)

First glimpse of Mantis. Probably 20th glimpse of TTD, which as we drove only got bigger and bigger.

First glimpse of Blue Streak, which I found rather fun. It was my first out-and-back coaster.

Wicked Twister!!

During the drive in, I took as many photos and videos as I could.

I was amazed at the skyline. I had never seen so many coasters in one empty spot.

First glimpse of Cedar Point=pure amazement

Cedar Point!! I only got the back of the sign.

[coaster_type_of_person]

Dude, that was an amazing TR!

 

I'm going to CP in about 2 weeks (I went last summer but didn't ride TTD) so i am extremely excited about riding it, and your summary even made my stomach churn. Amazing, and looks like you had fun!

[coasterlover420]

^Everytime I read it myself, I get chills! lol

[Fatality]

Ugh, I wanna go check out Cedar Point. It looks like it can be better than Six Flags Magic Mountain. Is it really hot during the Summer ?

[coasterlover420]

No... It rains a lot!

[jmicha]

It really depends. I've gotten days in the middle of the summer around 90 degrees (not too comfortable) and days where its 45, rainy, and windy (ironically enough, these are some of the most fun days I've ever had). I'm going on Memerial Day which is generally a slower day for the park and it's supposed to be in the mid 80s which is still a little uncomfortable but when travelling at 120mph, that really doesn't matter does it?

[dandaman]

Dude... your TR almost made me cry. Great summary of TTD, exactly the same experience for me. (May 15, 2005 = best day of my LIFE!)

 

Awesome photos as well. Thanks a bunch.

 

I've said it before, I'll say it again... June 3rd can't come fast enough.

[jamesdillaman]

you didn't ride Wildcat!!!?? You don't have to be a credit whore to ride it, it's a great ride! You need to go back and ride it, you'll be shocked, trust me.

-James Dillaman

[coasterlover420]

^I have the Galaxi. That's close enough for me.

 

Dude... your TR almost made me cry.

 

Wow. I've never made anyone cry before...

[coasterlover420]

Videos have now been added! Check them out.