a new number 1? (long)
Finally........Dan has come back...to Cedar Point. Since my first ride on Magnum in '93 I always wondered what it would be like if CP built a coaster that would outdo Magnum. Raptor came close in '94, Mantis couldn't touch Magnum, and Woodstock Express is great for the kids. For the last five or so years everyone questioned weather a park would break the 300ft height limit on a traditional roller coaster. The only park that had that land and capital to do it was the PO!NT.
Then came the day of July 22nd and very early that morning I got a call from a reporter from the Sanduksy Register and she wanted my comments on the future ride, after hearing all of the stats for the first time I was speechless. Could it be better than Magnum?
On Sunday Apr 30 I saw it run for the first time. I was in the park standing outside the Main Arcade and I saw the blue train crest the first hill and caught a glimpse of it on the island. Later that day over in Batter Park I saw it running again with Brandon and Howard G.
Then finally the day came this past Saturday. I made it to the park with Jeff, Steph and their friend Angel who got us the tickets in the first place. We made it to the park a little after ten and most of the rides were running. We went straight to the Force and the first queue block was filled. The line was closed and the line streched back to where the new lockers were placed outside the queue. Closer to 11 they opened the queue back up and we got in line.
The wait was two hours do to the fact that they were only running one train all morning. We finally got to the station and we saw that the line for the front was long so we decided to sit in the back.
My very first ride was in the blue train, car 8 second row on the left. I saw next to Jeff, and Steph and Angel sat in the seat infront of us. After seeing the trains back in Janurary I was ten times more impressed with them actually being able to sit in them. The lapbar is very comfortable and the seatbelts are great too.
Our train was clear and began to slowly creep out of the station after a minute or so we flew out of the station and before I knew it I was looking down on Magnum! A few seconds later we were at the top of the hill and we were pulled down the hill. The drop blew me away more than I though it would.
All of a sudden I was on my side, and before I could realize what was happening to me the train was half way up the third hill. I was impressed with the air on the third hill and the turns and headchoppers on the island were great. The little hill leaving the island did not have as much air as I though it would but it was cool going over the trail. We flew through the final tunnel (where the onride photo will be taken) and hit the airtime hill next to the station, we flew into the final banked turn and into the breaks.
I was simply blown away. It happened so quickly but it was the best coaster experience of my life. I really hoped for multiple rides on the Force sat. but only got one, and it was AWESOME. To my surprise I had to say that I still liked Magnum better.
Sunday morning I met ACEers and friends at the marina gate and we RAN to the Force. I was about 15 people away from the front of the line, and to my suprise they opened the ride right away.
We walked up the ramp and into the station. Walking though the queue everyone was giving each other high fives and when we enetered the station I went straight for the front seat.
I sat with my friend Tony and were on the 5th or 6th train out of the day in the front seat. Everyone in the station was cheering, clapping and just going crazy. I wish someone had it on tape, it was really a special moment.
We got in the red train and I sat on the right hand side. We were clear and the first two cars were out of the station looking up the lift. At this PO!NT I began to flip out and go nuts.
I was so ready to take many many rides on the Force but when I saw the line strech down to TC while I was going up the lift I knew that wasn't going to happen.
The train finally took off and it was an amazing site sitting in the front seat. When we crested the hill all I saw the pullout and the second hill. I didn't see any track below me!!!! The drop in the front is amazing. The banked turn sitting on the right is awesome. The track leading to the first tunnel was fast, and before we knew it we were going up the third hill. The third hill is the biggest airtime hill on anycoaster. Sitting in the front seat we floated up, over and down that hill. Even with the tight restraints I got some awesome air.
The visuals on the island and return run in the front seat are awesome. We came into the station and everyone was going nuts. I saw a tone of friends and it was great to see them in line as we flew by and into the station.
After getting off is when I seriously started questioning my self. Is it really better than Magnum.
When we got off I saw Robin Innes and told him I rode in the front and he said it best "its the best seat in the house." I couldn't agree more.
The group that I spent the entire day with was with my brother, Brandon, and our friend Tony. The four of us decieded to do the last ride of the night on Magnum and go home early.
Well we rode Magnum at 6:30 and while we were walking off the exit I made the choice that we should wait for the Force and ride it one last time. The four of us agreed and we got in line about 6:50.
We waited and as it got darker the lighting package on the Force began to stut its stuff. It is the coolest lighting effects that I have ever seen. Two hours and about forty five minutes later we were in the station. They were only going to send about five more trains so the wait for the first, second, or last seats was out of the question.
For my first night ride I sat in the red train, car 7, second row on the left with my brother. The lift was fast and we could see the lights below us. I looked over and I was looking down on Magnum again and we were at the top of the hill. It felt like we were being pulled down into a black hole. This was also the first time where it felt like I was floating down the entire hill. The ride seemed even faster than my other two rides and it was a pure rush.
After getting off I made up my mind that it was better than Magnum. It was a hard choice. Magnum will always hold a special place in my heart. The two big factors that really pushed it over Magnum was the night ride, and something that Old Timer Tim said. "it all boils down to one question. If you only had a choice to ride one coaster what would it be?" That question made me think.....I was thinking about it all afternoon, and after that night ride, the answer was easy.....
*** I wrote this before I read other peoples comments. There was a lot of stuff I wanted to say but kept out. More on my goals and thoughts about the Force and Magnum will appear in other threads. I know this one was long, but thanks for reading.***
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daniel j. haverlock
'00 Magnum Count: 010
'00 M. Force Count:003
spiritofthepoint.com
Then came the day of July 22nd and very early that morning I got a call from a reporter from the Sanduksy Register and she wanted my comments on the future ride, after hearing all of the stats for the first time I was speechless. Could it be better than Magnum?
On Sunday Apr 30 I saw it run for the first time. I was in the park standing outside the Main Arcade and I saw the blue train crest the first hill and caught a glimpse of it on the island. Later that day over in Batter Park I saw it running again with Brandon and Howard G.
Then finally the day came this past Saturday. I made it to the park with Jeff, Steph and their friend Angel who got us the tickets in the first place. We made it to the park a little after ten and most of the rides were running. We went straight to the Force and the first queue block was filled. The line was closed and the line streched back to where the new lockers were placed outside the queue. Closer to 11 they opened the queue back up and we got in line.
The wait was two hours do to the fact that they were only running one train all morning. We finally got to the station and we saw that the line for the front was long so we decided to sit in the back.
My very first ride was in the blue train, car 8 second row on the left. I saw next to Jeff, and Steph and Angel sat in the seat infront of us. After seeing the trains back in Janurary I was ten times more impressed with them actually being able to sit in them. The lapbar is very comfortable and the seatbelts are great too.
Our train was clear and began to slowly creep out of the station after a minute or so we flew out of the station and before I knew it I was looking down on Magnum! A few seconds later we were at the top of the hill and we were pulled down the hill. The drop blew me away more than I though it would.
All of a sudden I was on my side, and before I could realize what was happening to me the train was half way up the third hill. I was impressed with the air on the third hill and the turns and headchoppers on the island were great. The little hill leaving the island did not have as much air as I though it would but it was cool going over the trail. We flew through the final tunnel (where the onride photo will be taken) and hit the airtime hill next to the station, we flew into the final banked turn and into the breaks.
I was simply blown away. It happened so quickly but it was the best coaster experience of my life. I really hoped for multiple rides on the Force sat. but only got one, and it was AWESOME. To my surprise I had to say that I still liked Magnum better.
Sunday morning I met ACEers and friends at the marina gate and we RAN to the Force. I was about 15 people away from the front of the line, and to my suprise they opened the ride right away.
We walked up the ramp and into the station. Walking though the queue everyone was giving each other high fives and when we enetered the station I went straight for the front seat.
I sat with my friend Tony and were on the 5th or 6th train out of the day in the front seat. Everyone in the station was cheering, clapping and just going crazy. I wish someone had it on tape, it was really a special moment.
We got in the red train and I sat on the right hand side. We were clear and the first two cars were out of the station looking up the lift. At this PO!NT I began to flip out and go nuts.
I was so ready to take many many rides on the Force but when I saw the line strech down to TC while I was going up the lift I knew that wasn't going to happen.
The train finally took off and it was an amazing site sitting in the front seat. When we crested the hill all I saw the pullout and the second hill. I didn't see any track below me!!!! The drop in the front is amazing. The banked turn sitting on the right is awesome. The track leading to the first tunnel was fast, and before we knew it we were going up the third hill. The third hill is the biggest airtime hill on anycoaster. Sitting in the front seat we floated up, over and down that hill. Even with the tight restraints I got some awesome air.
The visuals on the island and return run in the front seat are awesome. We came into the station and everyone was going nuts. I saw a tone of friends and it was great to see them in line as we flew by and into the station.
After getting off is when I seriously started questioning my self. Is it really better than Magnum.
When we got off I saw Robin Innes and told him I rode in the front and he said it best "its the best seat in the house." I couldn't agree more.
The group that I spent the entire day with was with my brother, Brandon, and our friend Tony. The four of us decieded to do the last ride of the night on Magnum and go home early.
Well we rode Magnum at 6:30 and while we were walking off the exit I made the choice that we should wait for the Force and ride it one last time. The four of us agreed and we got in line about 6:50.
We waited and as it got darker the lighting package on the Force began to stut its stuff. It is the coolest lighting effects that I have ever seen. Two hours and about forty five minutes later we were in the station. They were only going to send about five more trains so the wait for the first, second, or last seats was out of the question.
For my first night ride I sat in the red train, car 7, second row on the left with my brother. The lift was fast and we could see the lights below us. I looked over and I was looking down on Magnum again and we were at the top of the hill. It felt like we were being pulled down into a black hole. This was also the first time where it felt like I was floating down the entire hill. The ride seemed even faster than my other two rides and it was a pure rush.
After getting off I made up my mind that it was better than Magnum. It was a hard choice. Magnum will always hold a special place in my heart. The two big factors that really pushed it over Magnum was the night ride, and something that Old Timer Tim said. "it all boils down to one question. If you only had a choice to ride one coaster what would it be?" That question made me think.....I was thinking about it all afternoon, and after that night ride, the answer was easy.....
*** I wrote this before I read other peoples comments. There was a lot of stuff I wanted to say but kept out. More on my goals and thoughts about the Force and Magnum will appear in other threads. I know this one was long, but thanks for reading.***
-------------
daniel j. haverlock
'00 Magnum Count: 010
'00 M. Force Count:003
spiritofthepoint.com
ahhhhhhhhhhhh.
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"MOICHANDIZING! MOICHANDIZING! MOICHANDIZING!," Yogourt from Spaceballs
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"MOICHANDIZING! MOICHANDIZING! MOICHANDIZING!," Yogourt from Spaceballs
Wow, Speechless. I would love to ride with you.
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Welcome back Millennium Force riders...We all want to know how was your RIDE!!!!!
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Welcome back Millennium Force riders...We all want to know how was your RIDE!!!!!
I think what makes this a special ride for me, and probably Dan (since we seemed to do everything concerning this ride together from the first track sighting), is that I was there with it from before the announcement. I photographed the first track piece from Mean Streak, chronicled the early construction here, and toured the site at two critical points in the ride's development. It's the only ride that I can say I know a lot about.
Here's hoping I can knock out a lot of rides this year!
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Jeff
Webmaster/Guide to The Point
Park visits May 6, 7, 10, 11, 13, 14, 16, etc...
Here's hoping I can knock out a lot of rides this year!
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Jeff
Webmaster/Guide to The Point
Park visits May 6, 7, 10, 11, 13, 14, 16, etc...
I can make the arguement that this ride is more my "baby" than Magnum becuase I have been with the Force since day 1. I mean there were a handful of people who already had 1000 laps on Magnum before I did.
I have seen, touched, and sat on the track before it opened.
I walked the construction site a few times.
I have a full book of construction pictures.
I rode it before the official opening day.
I will go to the media day.
I will ride it opening day.
All of these things and more I have done with the Force and are things that I never got to do with Magnum that make it more special to me. Don't get me wrong thoughm, Magnum means a lot to me still.
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daniel j. haverlock
'00 Magnum Count: 010
'00 M. Force Count:003
spiritofthepoint.com
I have seen, touched, and sat on the track before it opened.
I walked the construction site a few times.
I have a full book of construction pictures.
I rode it before the official opening day.
I will go to the media day.
I will ride it opening day.
All of these things and more I have done with the Force and are things that I never got to do with Magnum that make it more special to me. Don't get me wrong thoughm, Magnum means a lot to me still.
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daniel j. haverlock
'00 Magnum Count: 010
'00 M. Force Count:003
spiritofthepoint.com
Well, Dan, I was wondering what your verdict would be. It must be something special to knock Magnum back a notch. Unfortunately you won't be able to get as many rides on MF this year as you did on Magnum last year, but look at it this way: if the wait for your new baby is too long Magnum will always be glad to take you back!
Dave McWilliams
Dave McWilliams
NOOOOOOOOO Magnum my baby is number 2 why why (cries) oh well. I can't wait to ride
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Millennium Force Ride Count:0
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Millennium Force Ride Count:0
WOW! i have to say I just started to be really in to rollercoasters, it was just 5 years ago thaat I was scared of them. Dan, I love your story and hope to have one like that when I come back from CP on May 23. MF is the first rollercoaster I have truly followed from the beganning of it's construction and I can not wait to Feel the FORCE!
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Cedar Point is not just a park, it's a state of mind
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Cedar Point is not just a park, it's a state of mind
Me too. It has been over a year now that I have had the internet, and I am SOOOOOOO glad about it. To think I would just be another lowly peep if it hadn't been for the internet. I would just be finding about MF now. SCARY!!!
Great story Dan. After one Force ride I was hooked just like I was with Magnum but in my own judgement I have these two rides and a deadlock tie one will never out do the other for me. Alot of posts are asking which is better and if you had one last ride which would you pick. If I had to choose don't think I could, love'em both. Millenium is the new and Magnum is the old we're ready for the new, after all it has been ten years.
*** This post was edited by sky kicker on 5/10/2000. ***
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