9/1 The Perfect Normal Day

I don’t normally write TRs about my home park(s) anymore, but today was such an exceptional day that I feel the need to post just so everyone is aware about how amazing Labor Day Monday can be at Cedar Point. Here is what I accomplished today in order:

*Maverick (1 train wait)
*MF (20 min wait for Front Row)
*TTD (20 min wait for Front Row)
Wildcat (10 min wait)
Iron Dragon (walk on)
Mantis (1 train wait for Front Row)
Train to Frontiertown (2 min wait)
Mean Streak (1 train wait for Front Row)
CCMR (walk on)
Skyhawk (5 min wait)
Gemini (1 train wait)
Woodstalk Express (5 min)
Tilt a Whirl (walk on)
Witches Wheel (walk on)
Magnum (walk on)

*ERT Rides (or rides that I got to the front of the queue due to ERT)

That takes us up to 1:00 and my lunch break at my car, so far that’s 15 rides, 11 different coasters, 4 front row rides, anyways after a half hour break:

Corkscrew (1 train wait for Front Row)
Power Tower Blue (5 min wait)
Matterhorn (walk on)
Scrambler (walk on)
Troika (walk on)
Space Spiral (walk on)
Disaster Transport (walk on due to ride break down reopening)
Maxair (10 min)
Blue Streak (1 train wait)
Calypso (walk on)
Raptor (walk on, that’s right walk on)
Raptor (1 train wait)

Okay now we are at 4:00, time for some Tofts Ice Cream and another 30 min wait from riding, now my total stands at 27 rides, all 15 coasters I can ride (I waited for WT because I thought I was close on the check seat, alas not close enough,) including Raptor twice for 16 coaster rides. Now for the last four hours:

Demon Drop (walk on)
Maxair (walk on, yup)
Cedar Downs (walk on)
MF (20 min wait)
Maverick (65 min, including a 10 min breakdown)
Skyhawk (walk on)
Frontiertown Antique Cars (walk on)
Gemini (walk on)
Monster (walk on)

That brings us to 7:20, and the totals to 36 rides, 19 coasters. Time for my traditional Magnum marathon, managed 6 rides in 40 min all of which were trimless due to the cars only being partially loaded bringing the final tally to: 42 rides, 25 coasters, all 15 coasters I can ride and 5 Front Row seats. All without waiting more then 20 min for any ride except Maverick.

This was by far the best “normal” (non event or Halloweekends) day I have ever had at Cedar Point by far. The weather was perfect, mid 80s with a lake breeze, the crowds were close to nothing (not quite “dead” but pretty darn close only Maverick and TTD ever sported a more then one hour wait.) So if you ever are on the fence of trying to go to Cedar Point on a Labor Day Monday, please go, you will have a fantastic time!

Wow, wish I was there. Went last Monday instead, wrong choice.

Yeah, I agree, yesterday was a very great day to go!! Not as good at Maverick PP Night in May or some of those other late May/early June days, but for late season pre-Halloweekends, still very good!!

By 2:30 I had done Maverick 3x (ERT), Magnum 2x, TTD front seat, MF 3x, Wildcat, Raptor 4x, WT, and maXair 5x.

Then after a break from the maXair power riding and seeing how nuts I could get, did Maverick, Skyhawk 2x, MF 3x, TTD, and Magnum 4x before leaving at 6:00 pm...needless to say I'm feeling the effects this morning! :(

I felt exhausted when i got home last night. On both Friday and Saturday I worked 9am-11pm, Sunday I was up bright and early to spend the day on Belle Isle for the Grand Prix, then yesterday I was picked up at 7:30 to spend the day at Cedar Point. My two days off were more tiring than my two 14 hour work days. Oh well, I had an awesome weekend.

I'm so depressed.

I had thought about staying for the morning (I had been there for the Reunion all weekend), but I didn't think my feet would stand for it. I acquired a really nasty blister on my little toe -- rubbed raw & bleeding, not just a little white bubble. So I headed home.

Dang! I could have ridden so many coasters before I left! But, as my husband points out, that might have resulted in my driving home fighting a major migraine.

Mean Streak Sat. afternoon put me out of action for a good part of the weekend. Man, that stinker really rattles your @$$, doesn't it? But it's a terrific wood coaster -- certainly in the same league as The Beast.

I missed most of the dance, and the Maverick ERT, because my head was exploding, woke Sunday morning with a full-bore migraine, took meds, slept until late afternoon, and hit the park again. played ani...er, ran around the park until about 8:00, crashed again, and woke in time for the MF ERT. Man, am I glad I didn't miss *that* one! What a coaster! Front car 1st time, any ol' car after that -- just run right up! I liked that a lot.

But, really, since I hadn't been to CP in 30 (yes, 30!) years, I wasn't going primarily for the rides. I spent a lot of time just hanging out by the blacksmith shop, where I used to work. The '08 season's smith, Jonathan, is just a scream and a half. Sunday was his last day, so he was very punchy. I remember that giddy feeling at the end of a season!

He also made me one of his specialty items -- a wrought-iron rose. Now, how poetic is that? I have some fun pictures of him making it, and proving that at one time, that rose really was red. Glowing, in fact.

I talked to a lot of current employees, and on the whole, I'd say more things are the same about the Point than are different after 30 years.

I had a blast, though part of me is galled at having paid so much for the AYCE chicken "barbeque", only to be offered underdone baked chicken with a little cup of sauce on the side, some of the toughest, chewiest corn I've ever gnawed off a cob, and pricey draft beer. Food Services management may huff that they were trying to do something nice for us, but I'd like to remind them -- we paid for it. $13.45, to be exact. And underdone chicken is a major health hazard. Y'all are lucky (I know you're checking this, Management!) that nobody called the health department. I'm serious.

Don't get me wrong -- the reunion was a fabulous idea, and I don't think anyone had a bad time. But hey -- don't we at least deserve palatable food, fully cooked?

Breakers staff was terrific. Treated us like treasured, long-missed relatives. Jeremy, Nick, and Zach were especially helpful.

Current employees were welcoming and very interested in our experiences, how they were different, and how similar they are. They also were impressed with the reunion idea, and are excited at the prospect of their own future reunions.

Let's do it again, and this time, let's cook the chicken all the way.

My girlfriend and I went Sunday? of labor day weekend if memory serves me correct to Michigans Adventure. This is off topic...but the park was freaking dead.

We were like where are the lines? It was hot, it was humid...there was no reason for the park to be empty.