CP August 9th & 10th
Weather: Partly Cloudy then sunny and humid on the 9th-high 80s. Clear, sunny,
perfect day on the 10th-low 80s
Crowds: I’d say average for a summer weekday
Highlight of trip: MF, of course
This trip was the most anticipated trip for me since 1994, my first trip to CP and
for Raptor. This time I had been waiting since July 22 of 1999. Left Greensburg
PA around 7PM the 8th of August and 200 miles later we arrived at the Radisson
Inn and watching people return on the causeway from an exciting day at CP.
Next morning I woke up and it was gray outside, that always happens on the first
morning to us. Called for rain on the weather. Great. Anyways we had breakfast
and traveled down the causeway around 9AM. Pulled in the lot I’d say around
9:15 and was parked in lot 13. Oh boy, there’s MF, looks better in person than
photographs. “Hey its climbing the lift, look everyone....hey where’d go? Oh, its
already done climbing.” Uh-oh.
MF Five Rides-Two night, Three in mornings, two in a row. All non-TTR
We got in the park and everyone around us went into a power walk of sorts
rushing back to MF-the only ride opened to the public at that time. I went back
and expected a line of some sorts, but spilling out into the trail all the way past
the Tenderfoot Pass and stopping at the Petting Farm?! Wow. Surprisingly the
in “chugged” along. We got in the actually queue line..ZOOM! Jesus here comes
a train coming to the end of the ride...at 40-50 mph! First time riders [like myself]
are caught off of guard and some others watch it glide into the almost
non-existent magnetic brakes and makes a sound that I somehow like. What a
sound you get when the brakes, the roar of the ride, and the squeaking of the
wheels combine. I like it. Almost every train I saw waiting in the one hour line
had almost all hands up. Amazing. You get up to the ramp and the bunny hop is
a stone throw, er...couple arm lengths away. As the trains go by, you get a nice
breeze [which would help on this day]
We finally get close enough to see people stagger off the ride with big smiles on
their faces, rubbing their eyes. Yeow. We travel in the station and I get 7-1. The
station is very futuristic with it being closed in and the logos floating all over the
place Plus there is a futuristic of sorts female pre-recorded voice doing the spiel.
I hear “clear” and wait and...WHOA! Its like we’re launched out of the station!
We head up 310 ft at a 45 degree angle going 14 mph. I look up to try to see the
top of the lift-can’t see it. I look to the left, whew look at the lake. I look behind
me, and we’re really steep. We finally got to the top when I saw the beacon light.
I put my hands up-”You only live once...” AHHH! No track is what you can see,
everything is almost a blur. “You sure we’re not on the drop side of PT?!” Almost
fretful. Wow. We pull out-some intense G’s there. We head up the overbanked
“loop” I lean over to my right side-its like a loop! We head down and fly through I
guess a tunnel since if you blink, you miss it ;)
We next then shoot up the “Magnum” hill and at the crest of 182 feet, we get
some nice floating air-nothing Magnum like at all about the air, ironically. We
then hit the island mess with a head chopper and hand chopper effects. We are
flying. We head up the return hill, WHOO, more floating air into another chopper
into the on ride picture tunnel and then over the station bunny hop, more nice
air. Next comes one of my favorite part of the ride. We fly through the track
queue line [giving people in line some hope] and that last overbanked turn and
glide through the brakes. You finally get to catch your breath after 105 seconds
of it being pulled away. Everyone on the train loved it. I get off and feel my blood
rushing back down to my feet. Amazing.
After that we decide to get back in the Frontier Trail line for a TTR for later on
[its around 10:45 now] Well we pass through the line around 10:55 and they
don’t end up handing out tickets until 11:30 So we stayed in line and got two MF
rides in three hours. Not bad. I came back around the MF area around 3:30 and
the line looked pretty short. TTR seems to work well. Another priceless sight: I
walked back towards the Frontier Trail and there was hundreds of people lined
up waiting for the open queue to open again. Most were sitting on the pavement
and some had gotten benches and slid them in line and sat on them! On our two
night rides, it was a different experience! The lift hill is a beauty and most of the
ride is dark! Waited 90 min for each times
Other notes from the trip:
-As much as I love ‘ol Raptor, I just can’t stand its line. It always has had the
longest line on every trip [except this year of course] It just doesn’t seem to move
as fast or maybe its just me. Two rides on best Inverted around
-Odd location for the relocated entrance to Mantis queue. It certainty adds to the
ride seeing MF’s 182 third hill right near Mantis. What a site at sunset. Anyways
I give my props to this Mantis crew. They had around eight people working and
they were hustling and running to fasten people up and and secure the empty
seats. This time last year when I went they were stacking all three trains. Guess
you just need a year to work some kinks out. One ride-30 min wait I think its
average coaster
-Taking a train ride on the tenth when we went by MF, I saw Monty Jasper
walking under MF’s lift. He of coursed waved to everyone on the train :) You can
get some good pictures from the train and also the cable spool for the lift is a
sight to see
-When I read on the 7th that Magnum’s lift chain broke, I couldn’t believe it. My
#1 would be down on my most if not all my visit, my only of the year. I was angry.
So I went into the trip opened minded. Then on the first day I saw people walking
around with on ride pics from Magnum and then I was safe. My props to CP for
getting the chain fixed in a hurry. I was surprised on how short the line was
pretty much. The most I waited was 45 min. Then on our last night around 10,
the line was no further than the DJ booth! I figured everyone would be bunched
on one side of the park for the Sucktacular or be here riding Magnum, wrong.
Three rides Max wait: 45 min
-The Wheel looks absolute wonderful in its new location. [Though the DT
building doesn’t help it]
-Other ride counts:
Gemini: 1
Blue Streak: 1
CCMR: 1
Draggin Iron: 2
Wildcat: 1
PT Space Shot: 1
DT: 2
Space Spiral: 1 [badly in need of A/C in cabin]
Mill Race: 1
Dodgem: 1
Summary:
The clear purpose of this year’s trip was obviously to ride MF. And I did too
riding it five times, more than any other coaster in one trip for me. SO the main
question is: Does/Will CP have another/new signature ride and it is worth #1
spots? Well I’ve said before, ask the first question in 2010 or so. Magnum will
be 21 then and MF will be 10. I don’t how much longer Maggie can hold to the
spotlight and MF sure has the potential to be a signature ride. And Magnum is
still my #1 coaster. I like MF and all, buts it just doesn’t “click” like Magnum, its
hard to explain. In some ways MF goes a little too fast. I know the lift is the way it
is for capacity, but imagine hanging up at the top of 310 feet. Wow. I would also
like to enjoy the island part a little slower. But the main thing is MF is big, fast,
doesn’t let up and its everywhere in the park, including how you can see the
second island turn by Magnum!
I’m not saying MF is a masterpiece, no coaster is perfect, I like it, but I prefer
Maggie better. There's nothing like coasting over Maggie's thrid hill lookign like you're going into Lake Erie. If Magnum wasn’t around, then MF would be under #1
Contendership. MF is here to stay and mostly everyone loves it. I don’t mind it.
Overall another exceptional trip to CP. See ya next summer CP Thanks for
reading
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Brian Z.
Hometown parks: Kennywood, Cedar Point!
Feel the Force NOW!!