A look back at CP circa 1978

I was given a copy of an old book entitled Fun Land USA by a coworker the other day.  This 1978 book gives about a page of information, including a description and sometimes photos, on each park that was open at the time.  It makes for some reading and so here are some exerts from the Cedar Point write-up:

 

"Price Policy: Pay-one-price. $8.50 adults; $7.50 children 4 to 11.  Children under 4 admitted free.  Senior Citizens, $6.50.  Evening admission price, $5.50 (after 6 PM)."

 

"Parking: On-site parking for 12,000 cars.  No charge.  (There is, however, a $0.50 toll to cross a causeway to Cedar Point.)"

 

"Number of Rides: 55 (16 for young children"

 

"...This is a haven for carousel and roller coaster buffs.  The 4 merry-go-rounds are all genuine antiques, and 2 of the 5 coasters are spectacular, large-size models.  "The Blue Streak," a wooden coaster classic with a 90-foot first drop, was constructed in 1964 and has made more than one coaster buff's top-ten list.  "The Corkscrew" is a unique adaptation of the standard Arrow Development ride; it has a vertical loop in addition to the familiar double helix portion of the track..."

 

"...A giant new double racing coaster is planned for a future season.  It will be constructed much like the traditional wooden coasters, but will incorporate the kind of pipe-rail track found on modern Corkscrew coasters..."

 

"...The Cinema is a 950-seat theater which shows 30- to 45-minute film programs produced in IMAX, a new film process using horizontal 70-mm motion-picture film and a screen that measures nearly 90 by 70 feet.  The result is a sharper, brighter, and bigger movie than any in the past.  Other theme parks have begun plans for their own IMAX theaters, and the next decade will, no doubt, see the parks producing their own thrill films for exhibition in these cinemas..."

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James Draeger
"Whose bright idea was it to get him talking about Cedar Point?!"

I take it this was written in the winter before Gemini opened?...

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MF count: 23

I liked how Corkscrew and Blue Streak are described as 'spectaculer, large size models'.  How times have changed.  At .50 cents for parking, whata deal!
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Bob M.

God...I wish it was only 8.50 to get in the park and no charge for parking now. Farn changing times....:)
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One Time Me And My Friends Rode The Mine Ride 25 Times In A Row For Fun, And Gave The Ride Op's A Thumbs Up Back. I Think We Annoyed The Heck Outta Them:)

$8.50, thats the cost to go see a movie
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You are the Weakest Link, Goodbye.

And when did they take out the 18 extra feet on the Blue Streak?  No wonder it seemed bigger when I was a kid.

-- Harley

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CP fan since 68.

Good call Harley...

Just caught that...

If anyone is interested, I have a copy of the 1977 CP Brochure with the introduction to the Gemini which was on the back on my website:  http://www.webtechnik.com/ebony/cphistory.htm

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I'd rather die living than live like I'm dead

Old times, good times. Too bad I wasn't alive until 1988.

The first thing that strikes me about OldCPer's pics is the amount of trees that you can see from the Sky Ride back toward the far end of the peninsula.

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Duane Cahill
Coasterbuzz Track Record - 59
CP Track Record - 13 (too tall for Jr. Gemini)

I have a huge number of pictures from that time period, and indeed to me the saddest change over the years has been the gradual loss of wooded area.

-- Harley

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CP fan since 68.

Look at it this way, the back of the park is still very wooded, but now the trees are in the form of Mean Streak.
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-Chris Woodard
"Mean Streak would be better if they replaced the square wheels with round ones."

What I find interesting about the pictures is no coasters.  It's funny when I think back to that time, and the mid 60's.  CP has changed so much over the years.  So many rides I miss, like the upside down funhouse and the log ride.  But so many new coasters to make up for it.

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I'd rather die living than live like I'm dead