Classic Trip - Eastward Coast Odyssey - Cedar Point, Ohio
After a cozy black as well as a solar daytime of touring inward Cleveland, nosotros moved on 50 miles due west to Sandusky.
My boy as well as I are roller coaster nuts as well as are e'er looking for ways to evidence ourselves. Here on the shore of Lake Erie magically ascent skyward from the tip of a peninsula is the holy grail of coasterdom, Cedar Point, amongst to a greater extent than roller coasters inward i spot than whatever other green on earth.
The Point is also habitation to the
I had made my hotel reservations via Cedar Point's website for the Breaker's Express hotel, which is the Point's budget lodging. There us also the upscale Hotel Breakers, Sandcastle Suites, as well as Lighthouse Point Cabins as well as Campground which are at the park. Breakers Express is almost a mile away. The other 3 properties mentioned were either non available or really expensive (Sandcastle Suites at over $200 per night).
I opted for electronic mail notification when making the reservations as well as 2 weeks earlier leaving got a message advertising $49 flavour passes that were available at for sure Cleveland expanse Tops markets. Since nosotros were going for 2 days as well as the usual cost was $39 per day, this was welcome news. So the final affair nosotros did inward Cleveland was to halt at a Tops marketplace as well as choice upward 3 passes.
After a lovely drive through the Ohio countryside, nosotros arrived at the Breakers Express. It's pretty large as well as basic...about Motel half dozen character except the beds are bigger. There's a large puddle expanse as well as a hot tub exterior amongst minimal landscaping. The boxy await of the edifice as well as the large safety ground behind the puddle expanse depressed my married adult woman who thought it looked similar a prison theatre exercise yard.
We reserved a barrier-free room as well as were house at the really terminate of the starting fourth dimension floor. Unfortunately, this was the absolute worst house inward the hotel as the door from the parking lot could live on heard slamming all black long. On top of that, the H2O ice machine was but exterior so nosotros were treated to a symphony of H2O ice buckets beingness filled. After the green closed at 10, many shouts from green goers could live on heard echoing through the halls. It was really a pitiful black (yes nosotros did complain as well as safety came to placidity the to a greater extent than noisy guests inward our fly but could non displace us or create anything almost the door).
The side past times side morning, nosotros demanded a move. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 lovely adult woman at the front end desk really went upward to the tertiary flooring to personally honour the quietest room she could as well as moved us there. It wasn't barrier-free but nosotros had no to a greater extent than problems amongst noise.
After settling that, nosotros headed over to the park. Handicapped parking is correct side past times side to the front end gate. We processed our flavour passes amongst 2 wonderful ladies who snapped our pictures as well as printed them on the cards that would serve as our passes. Noticing nosotros were from Southern California, they informed us that are passes are also practiced at Knott's Berry Farm until side past times side May. Great! We saved coin as well as got passes to our local green as component division of the bargain.
Entering the park, nosotros asked almost a Special Assistance Pass (SAP) for my boy as well as were directed to Park Operations. There, nosotros got the come about as well as learned almost Cedar Point's unique handicapped ride system.
Maybe a niggling history is called for here. For many years, parks routinely permit disabled guests acquire inward through the exits of rides. Many less scrupulous able-bodied green goers caught on as well as started renting wheelchairs to avoid the lines. Others started to resent disabled riders who got on directly spell they waited for hours.
Disney started edifice all their rides to conduct maintain accessible queues but many disabled persons withal can't create out to stand upward inward line that long without problems (and Disney's thought of accessible is somewhat lacking). They also started really slap-up downward on what constitutes disability...I volition never forget the humiliation of having to evidence my boy was disabled at City Hall at that topographic point when it is really obvious amongst his leg braces as well as express displace - non to advert the expensive powerfulness chair he sits in. Six Flags said, screw it, hold off inward line till yous can't become further as well as so endeavour to honour someone to aid you.
I sympathise amongst some of it. Disabled guests should non skip the hold off fourth dimension but on the other hand, should non live on made to needlessly suffer.
Back to Cedar Point Park Operations. In my opinion, I think Cedar Point has come upward upon a really neat solution. You are given a passport-like volume amongst all the rides probable to conduct maintain long lines listed inward it. This is your SAP.
You so conduct maintain this to the ride yous desire to become on as well as introduce it to the worker at the terminate of the line. The worker checks to encounter what the normal hold off is as well as stamps your volume similar a visa amongst the fourth dimension yous should supply (now addition the hold off time). If it's 12:00 as well as the hold off fourth dimension is one-half an hour, your volume is marked amongst 12:30. You tin alone brand i reservation at a time. It's similar to FastPass at Disneyland.
When your fourth dimension is up, yous supply as well as board the ride. For the inconvenience of having to wait, yous are allowed to ride twice. While yous wait, yous tin become on whatever ride non listed as well as acquire immediate boarding or create anything else yous desire but yous don't conduct maintain to hold off at the queue.
I asked several able-bodied guests what they thought of this as well as all seemed to think it was a fair as well as compassionate solution...as did I. The ladies inward the Park Operations component division told us that many disabled green goers didn't similar it. I don't encounter the problem, but perchance some of us conduct maintain gotten also used to non waiting inward line. The ADA says everybody's equal now, so nosotros conduct maintain to alive amongst the same guidelines.
Now having praised Cedar Point's policy, I create conduct maintain exception that several rides conduct maintain stairs to negotiate fifty-fifty for disabled guests. The older rides similar Corkscrew, Disaster Transport, Gemini, as well as Iron Dragon were this way. I know it would non conduct maintain much to ramp upward some of these rides.
Photo courtesy of Wikimedia
Coasterman1234 nether CC-BY-SA license
Our starting fourth dimension ride was on Corkscrew where the line worker stamped our volume for immediate boarding. I carried Tim upward the stairs. It was fun but bumpy. Too bumpy for my married adult woman who refused to become on some other coaster later on that. 
Photo courtesy of Wikimedia
Chris Hagerman nether CC-BY-SA license
Next was the Mine Train coaster where nosotros i time to a greater extent than had a brusk 15 infinitesimal hold off (we rode the Antique Car ride as well as had a beer inward the meantime). It was extremely smoothen as well as gentle. 
Photo courtesy of Wikimedia
Nick Nolte nether CC-BY-SA license
Now it was on to the big, bad man child himself, Millennium Force. It's really pop translating to an hr as well as 20 infinitesimal wait. We used this fourth dimension to conduct maintain some elephant ears (fried dough) as well as to a greater extent than beer. Yummy!
We also went on the Calypso, a kinda combination Twister as well as Himalaya. The operator made for sure that the machine my boy was riding inward was at the bottom of the gradient for slow unloading when the ride was over. How thoughtful! I call back the hurting of a severely wrenched dorsum from getting my boy out of the Himalaya at Magic Mountain when that ride's operator did precisely the opposite.
Time to human face upward our demons as well as study to the Millennium Force queue for our engagement amongst destiny.
Tim was really nervous. I reassured him although I was fighting off my ain severe illustration of butterflies as nosotros waited to load. As nosotros waited I noticed something else almost this park...the ride operators are really proud of the beasts that they operate.
Every coaster nosotros rode, the operators would consistently brag over the speakers to the guests the eye-popping statistics of their rides similar proud parents of niggling leaguers.
The Mean Streak operator would piping upward "You are almost to live on dropped 165 feet downward at lx miles an hr on what was the largest roller coaster of it's time. G-forces exceeding four volition describe at your body. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 combined half dozen seconds of weightlessness awaits you. Ladies as well as gentlemen, yous are almost to experience Mean Streak....please go along your hands as well as feet within at all times."
While waiting at Millennium strength the speakers would blare "Ladies as well as gentlemen, delight board Millennium Force as well as ready to hurtle 300 feet downward at 92 miles per hr into some seriously overbanked turns that volition invert as well as disorient you. You volition locomote through 2 tunnels as well as over 6,595 feet of twisting steel track. This is the tallest as well as fastest roller coaster inward the solid ground as well as 2nd tallest inward the world. Ladies as well as gentlemen...this..is...Millennium force."
Millennium Force Looms Over Lake Erie
Upon their return, the operators would acquire dorsum on the speakers as well as enquire how they similar their ride whereupon the riders would suspension into enthusiastic applause. I similar it when it's obvious the employees similar their jobs as well as are as enthusiastic as yous are.
We board the prepare inward the 2nd row of the starting fourth dimension machine as well as strap inward tightly. The elevated 2nd row allows us to encounter over the heads of those inward the starting fourth dimension row giving us an as tantalizing view.
Photo courtesy of Wikimedia
Coasterman1234 nether CC-BY-SA license
Photo courtesy of Wikimedia
Coasterman1234 nether CC-BY-SA license
Arcing over the top, I await amongst dread 300 feet...straight..down. In a flash we're zooming through the bottom. Another 2nd as well as we've cleared those massive overbanked turns as well as caput through the tunnel. Around a bend, into a 2nd tunnel where our photograph is snapped for posterity. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 wicked camel hump, some other overbanked plow as well as we're dorsum where nosotros started. Wow...that was some seriously demented fun. Lunch is side past times side at the Silver Dollar, i of the park's sit down downward restaurants. The service is good, the nutrient terrible. Cedar Fair also owns Knott's Berry Farm...I would advise that they import Mrs. Knott's chicken dinners hither ASAP!
We conduct maintain a nap suspension at the hotel as well as supply to honour the green closes at 8:00 today. We thought it would live on 10:00. Not much fourth dimension left. We brand an engagement for Raptor correct at closing time. Meanwhile nosotros conduct maintain inward some great views of Lake Erie as well as the green from their giant Ferris wheel.
Agh! I'm out of film! I would conduct maintain loved to conduct maintain posted those pictures hither (thank God Wikimedia has come upward into existence since this trip was taken - Ed).
It's 8:05, but later on dusk...Tim as well as I board Raptor inward the front end row. Those of yous familiar amongst Magic Mountain volition recognize this as a clone of Batman amongst an extra inversion. Those of yous who are not, this is a suspended, looping coaster where your legs dangle inward midair the entire ride.
I similar this ride, a lot, but similar I similar Batman. It's smooth, fast, as well as the inversions are awesome. One major work on riding it at the item fourth dimension nosotros did.
Photo courtesy of Wikimedia
Coasterman1234 nether CC-BY-SA license
After the starting fourth dimension loop, some other finds my eye. I closed my eyes as well as oral fissure as well as experience many to a greater extent than stingingly bounce off my human face upward for the remainder of the ride. This is i I don't demand to ride twice correct now.
That's the terminate of the starting fourth dimension day. That black nosotros slumber the slumber of the dead inward our new, much improved room. The side past times side morning, nosotros caput dorsum to the Point.
We conduct maintain a decent, sit-down breakfast at the Boathouse located at Cedar Point's marina earlier heading in.
We caput over to Blue Streak, a much smaller as well as older wooden coaster than Mean Streak. It looks similar a pleasant niggling coaster that should give us but a niggling thrill to start the day.
Photo couresy of Wikimedia
Nick Nolte nether CC-BY-SA license
Tim wants to create Raptor again. After waiting an hr for our appointed fourth dimension (we wiled it away going on a few spinner rides), nosotros ride it twice. It’s much nicer without the black fourth dimension bugs flogging your face.
Tim as well as I conduct maintain i to a greater extent than major coaster to create to consummate our list...Magnum XL-200. In its day, similar many of the Point’s coasters, it was the tallest as well as fastest inward the world. Although many modern coasters conduct maintain passed it by, it withal packs quite a punch.
Photo courtesy Wikimedia
Nick Nolte nether CC-BY-SA license
Millennium Force had been planned for an encore but past times this fourth dimension it had started to pelting pretty difficult as well as most rides were closed. We called it a solar daytime at that point.
Although nosotros had wanted to repeat many to a greater extent than rides, nosotros are satisfied that nosotros accomplished what nosotros laid out to do.
It’s withal early, around noon, as well as nosotros don’t desire to pass the solar daytime inward our hotel. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 drive inward the solid ground sounds good. We caput due west towards Toledo as well as cutting upward to Michigan where nosotros conduct maintain tiffin at the Buffalo Grill inward Erie.
My married adult woman as well as I divide a delicious rib oculus steak sandwich spell Tim had a burger as well as fries for a full of less than $12. We notice that nosotros withal conduct maintain some fourth dimension as well as Detroit is alone 34 miles away. We tin pop upward at that topographic point as well as conduct maintain a quick tour of Comerica Park (the Tigers stadium) as well as Tim tin add together that to the listing of ballparks he’s visited.
Comerica Park, Home of the Tigers (notice the tigers on top of the scoreboard)
Though nosotros were alone at that topographic point a twain of hours, Detroit itself was quite a depressing place...like an American Beirut. The stadium is really nice, though. Eating at the in-stadium McDonald’s (the Tigers were on the route playing our Angels) afforded us the chance to become within the green as well as conduct maintain some pictures.
We noticed the quondam Tiger Stadium was withal standing when nosotros came into town as well as tried to drive over to encounter it, but the streets were really confusing as well as a Detroit cop but almost T-Boned us because he was going almost lxx miles an hr as well as non looking where he was going (no lights or siren, I think he was but inward a hurry). At that point, it was decided that was plenty of the Motor City as well as nosotros hightailed it dorsum to Ohio.
Another practiced night’s slumber as well as it was off to the side past times side component division of our trip, Amish country.
-Darryl
Copyright 2001 - Darryl Musick
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