Cedar Point (CP) Discussion Thread

Some more details emerge with an eyewitness quoted. Link

SANDUSKY -- A cable on the swing ride Skyhawk snapped on Saturday night at Cedar Point, injuring two park guests.

Around 10 p.m., a cable attached to one of the ride's carriages broke loose.

The cable struck two different people and the park's emergency personnel where immediately called.

One of the injured was treated and released at the park. The other was transported to a local hospital.

Season ticket holder Tom Achtziger and his two kids were on the ride at the time.

Achtziger said in an email, "It was awful. When the cable broke they didn't stop the ride. They shut down the power and the ride kept swinging, letting gravity take over...meanwhile the cable was whipping around smacking the ride and destroying things on the ground. We are all lucky that there were no more serious injuries."

He managed to snap a few photos from his seat on the ride: "Some of these pictures were taken while we were still trapped in our seats as the ride would not release the safety belts."

The ride was immediately shut down. Cedar Point spokesman Bryan Edwards said the ride will remain closed until the park completes an investigation.

Cedar point is quick to repair that.

Also here is a pic of the cable that broke:

Bad photo, but the cable is missing.

Thanks...I dont have a plat. pass so early entry isn't an option. Is the entrance by soak city for regular guest as well?

Yes - this entrance is for everyone to use.

When you get close to the main entrance after crossing the causeway, stay in the left lane and then choose the furthest left lane that says Soak City, Hotel Breakers, etc.

Once you pay for parking, you will then drive on the road left of the Blue Streak and all the way around the left side of the park, past Millennium & Maverick, behind Mean Streak, Gemini, etc...you will then see the parking lot for Soak City on your left near the Camper Village entrance.

After you park, you will walk between Soak City/Challenge Park & under Magnum's first drop to get to the entrance right next to it's lift hill. If you enter the park and want to do Magnum, Power Tower, TTD, Iron Dragon, Mantis, and Millennium, go left. If you want to do Gemini, Maverick, Skyhawk (probably not going to be open after the cable snap) and Mean Streak, go right.

Thanks sooo much! what do you suggest? left or right? I am really anticipating maverick after all the hoopla about it!

^ Maverick's line tends to move a bit slowly so I would suggest taking a right & head there first and then maybe back around the Gemini area to hit TTD.

After that, you might want to hang a right out of TTD's exit and head around Iron Dragon and over to MF to check the wait. If it's less than an hour, then I would suggest riding it then as the line will most likely get longer as the day progresses. Although if you stay till the end, you definitely want to get a night ride on this coaster - preferably in the front or back seat.

I also like the gentleman's idea about saving $20 for the plinko games. You win something every time you play and if you win front of the line passes, even better!

Some more details emerge with an eyewitness quoted. Link

 

SANDUSKY -- A cable on the swing ride Skyhawk snapped on Saturday night at Cedar Point, injuring two park guests.

 

Around 10 p.m., a cable attached to one of the ride's carriages broke loose.

 

The cable struck two different people and the park's emergency personnel where immediately called.

 

One of the injured was treated and released at the park. The other was transported to a local hospital.

 

Season ticket holder Tom Achtziger and his two kids were on the ride at the time.

 

Achtziger said in an email, "It was awful. When the cable broke they didn't stop the ride. They shut down the power and the ride kept swinging, letting gravity take over...meanwhile the cable was whipping around smacking the ride and destroying things on the ground. We are all lucky that there were no more serious injuries."

 

He managed to snap a few photos from his seat on the ride: "Some of these pictures were taken while we were still trapped in our seats as the ride would not release the safety belts."

 

The ride was immediately shut down. Cedar Point spokesman Bryan Edwards said the ride will remain closed until the park completes an investigation.

Oh snap!

Updated pics from article posted earlier.

Crews on scene after cord snaps on the Skyhawk ride

The ride's broken cable resting on the ground nearby

The upper area of the swing, where the cable broke loose

The broken cable hanging near passengers still sitting on the ride's carriage

The broken cable draped over the passenger seats on Skyhawk

Can't imagine how shocked the riders felt! Airtime, airtime, airtime, cable

Does Valleyfair's Screaming Swing have the same issues?

Another update

Sandusky, Ohio -- A New Jersey man who was at Cedar Point last night said he heard "something whip, then bang and screaming," just after a cable broke on the popular Skyhawk ride, injuring two.

Kevin Gregg, who was near the ride but not on it when the accident occurred, said at least one of the injured guests was a spectator who was hit in the mouth with wood debris.

"It didn't look too serious, but he was in pain," said Gregg, of Barnegat, N.J., who runs an amusement park fan website called Themeparkmaniacs.com.

Gregg said he saw a second guest, a girl, get into an ambulance after the accident. "She walked on her own power," he said.

In a statement early this morning, Cedar Point said two guests were injured in the accident, one of whom was transported to a local hospital for evaluation.

The fence in front of the now-shuttered Skyhawk ride at Cedar Point has already been mended, less than a day after a cable on the ride broke, injuring two.

In an updated statement this afternoon, Cedar Point spokesman Bryan Edwards said that the transported guest was treated and released.

According to Cedar Point's initial statement:

"At approximately 10 p.m., a cable on one of the Skyhawk swing ride's carriages disconnected. The ride's crew immediately shut down the ride and notified the park's emergency personnel. The cable came in contact with two guests. One was treated and released at the scene. As a precaution, the other was transported to a local hospital for evaluation."

Gregg, who was standing near the roller coaster Maverick when the accident occurred, said, "After the cable broke, the ride slowed down and eventually stopped. Everyone was screaming and very scared."

He said the cable broke the fence in front of the ride – where spectators often stand as they watch the ride's two giant arms swing back and forth, up to 125 feet high and at speeds of up to 60 mph.

The cable, he said, was hanging over the ride when the ride stopped. Gregg sent two photos to The Plain Dealer this morning – one showing the shuttered ride, with a cable missing on its left carriage/arm; the other with a newly mended fence in front of the ride.

Gregg was at the park this morning and said everything, except Skyhawk, appeared to be operating as usual.

Park fans on social media this morning suspected this might be the final straw for Skyhawk, which has been sidelined with mechanical problems in the past. The ride was installed in 2006.

Edwards, the Cedar Point spokesman, said Skyhawk's problems in 2013, when it was shut down for weeks, were unrelated to the broken cable last night.

^great update. Thank you!!

I'm going to the park on Tuesday and I was wondering what the crowds will be like. Also I won't be getting Fast Lane so what general order should I ride in?

Wow the evil intamin cable has been giving lessons to his S&S fellows!

SkyHawk is the best flat ride at Cedar Point, it's a shame it has so many problems.

^How often does it have problems? I went there for two days in August last year and it was always closed.

^How often does it have problems? I went there for two days in August last year and it was always closed.

I believe that last year or maybe the year before (probably not) there was a cable accident during test runs (with the opposite swing that had a snap here) resulting in the ride being closed for much of the year and only running one swing for the rest.

^This is the first issue it has had this year. Last year, the drive cable snapped, which resorted to the ride being shut down for the majority of the rest of the season. When it did run, only one side would run. I believe it opened up later this season too while one side was ran on a limited basis until the replacement part could be brought in.

Generally it doesn't cause too many issues, but the last two seasons it certainly has.

Expect it to be down for quite some time after this incident.

Just wondering- given the cable issues that Skyhawk has had in the past, have the other rides of this type had similar issues? Is this the largest ride of its type, or are there larger?

I'm going to the park on Tuesday and I was wondering what the crowds will be like. Also I won't be getting Fast Lane so what general order should I ride in?

I suggest sorting through the last few pages of posts from jarmor - he had the same question about going on a Wednesday. Lots of good info there.

It's peak season - so even a Tuesday this time of year will see a good size crowd. Though it's not been as crazy as last summer when GateKeeper opened.

It would also helpful to know some more info - like if you're staying on-site, how many in your party, what your goals are ride-wise - like certain flat rides you want to do - coasters (if any) you are ok with skipping etc. Have you been to the park before, etc.

Weather and mechanical issues can also have a big affect on how productive your day is.

Regardless - you'll be at the best amusement park in the world - so just make sure to have fun - and based off your location - you'll have plenty of chances to get to know the park in the future.

Just wondering- given the cable issues that Skyhawk has had in the past, have the other rides of this type had similar issues? Is this the largest ride of its type, or are there larger?

I did see a video of Rush at Thorpe Park (a similar ride, probably smaller) have a chunk of metal fall off, but that seems unrelated to this. This is the tallest Screamin' Swing, but is not that much larger than Valleyfair's Xtreme Swing, which looks practically identical. Skyhawk has a sign on top, which is about the only visual difference.

On another note, is it just me or has Skyhawk been neutered over the past few years? It seems like it does less swings to peak altitude, and it also seems that it might take a bit longer to get to peak altitude.

^I definitely agree that it feels like they have toned down Skyhawk over the past few years.

SkyHawk is the best flat ride at Cedar Point, it's a shame it has so many problems.

Not to start a war or anything here, but after being on both, I feel as if MaXair is a better ride. Just IMO

So it appears the cable itself did not break but the mount/bolt/whatever securing it at the top failed.

This accident caused Xtreme Swings at Valleyfair to not operate today. They are probably checking all of the swings at all the parks.

I'm going to the park on Tuesday and I was wondering what the crowds will be like. Also I won't be getting Fast Lane so what general order should I ride in?

 

I suggest sorting through the last few pages of posts from jarmor - he had the same question about going on a Wednesday. Lots of good info there.

 

It's peak season - so even a Tuesday this time of year will see a good size crowd. Though it's not been as crazy as last summer when GateKeeper opened.

 

It would also helpful to know some more info - like if you're staying on-site, how many in your party, what your goals are ride-wise - like certain flat rides you want to do - coasters (if any) you are ok with skipping etc. Have you been to the park before, etc.

 

Weather and mechanical issues can also have a big affect on how productive your day is.

 

Regardless - you'll be at the best amusement park in the world - so just make sure to have fun - and based off your location - you'll have plenty of chances to get to know the park in the future.

I'm going with 2 other people and not staying on site( I'll probably get there before noon but not at opening). Flat's wise I'm hoping to get on Power Tower, MaxAir, and if its somehow open, Sky Hawk ( Compared to other Screamin swings it's definitely been slowed down. Less swings to the top and It isn't even thrusted downward any more) I'm Okay with skipping Mean Streak, Mantis, Mineride, Iron Dragon, and possibly Wicked Twisted and corkscrew.

I know we're in the middle of discussing the cable issue and all, but I'm planning to be at the park over Labor Day weekend. I've been on weekends in late July the last few years and they haven't been too insane, but I'm guessing the crowds Labor Day weekend will be ridiculous, right? I'd probably be getting to the park around 5pm on Saturday and be there from opening (ERT) till dinnertime on Sunday. I'm planning to get FLP for Sunday, but what are the chances I could live without it Saturday night? (Maybe just try playing plinko?) Any tips to maximize my riding efficiency for Saturday night? I'm also likely going to have a CP newbie with me, so I want to make sure he gets the full Cedar Point experience. Thanks!