Before GTTP

Well, with all of us anxiously awaiting the upcoming announcement, I started thinking about life before the internet.  Here is my question for you.  How did you find out about changes at Cedar Point each year before you became affiliated with this site? 

For me, it has changed over the years.  I have been visiting Cedar Point about once a year since I can remember.  I have never been able to visit as often as many of you do, but I have always been fascinated with the park. 

When I was very young, I would hear about additions through word of mouth.  I remember hearing about Witches Wheel and White Water Landing from other people in this way. 

Then, when I got a little older, I would wait anxiously for the Cedar Point commercials to start running for the year.  I can vividly remember getting all excited when I first saw Demon Drop, Iron Dragon, and Avalanche Run advertised.  In all three cases, I had no idea what these rides would look like and couldn't wait to get to the park to see where they had put them and what they looked like 

In some years, I remember retrieving the advertisements that my parents got in the mail (I'm not sure if they got them because they were stock holders, or because we visited and stayed at Camper Village every year)  Either way, I remember when that time of the year came I would look in the mail every day hoping to find something from Cedar Point.  I can remember finding out about Thunder Canyon in this way. 

In other years, I would grab a flyer if I got lucky enough to go to a place where they had them.  Whenever I was on a trip of some type and we stopped at a rest area or restauraunt and I would look through all of the travel information and hope to find a Cedar Point flyer.  I remember learning about Magnum, Disaster Transport, and Mean Streak that way 

Then when I graduated from high school and headed off to college, I found out that Cedar Point flyers would appear at Michigan State's student union around March.  Everytime that I was in the union during the period of January to around March, I would look to see if the Cedar Point flyers had arrived yet.  I would get extremely excited and spend a lot of time studying the flyer when it finally did arrive.  It is amazing how many times and can read the same words about Cedar Point.  I remember learning about Raptor, Mantis, and Snake River falls in this way.   

Now I find about the new attractions a lot earlier than I did back then because of the Internet and especially this site.  Sorry that this post is so long.  The fact is, I could still write a lot more on this topic.  So what are your stories?

*** This post was edited by Natas on 11/9/2001. ***

I always used to say that the first Cedar Point commercial I saw each year marked the beginning of summer for me. Now, sadly, I live too far away to see CP commercials. I think I usually learned about Cedar Point's new attractions by reading the Detroit newpapers, watching tv, and waiting for the Getaway Guide to arrive in the mail.

slithernoggin, I hear ya.  I lived in Cincinnati for about 7 years, with no CP commercials, and they ment summer to me when I was younger.  Now that I'm back in Columbus, I'm already looking forward to my first commercial of the next season. 
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Mr. Skyward is my hero.

I remember the Mantis ad (should I squish it! Or not, Squish it?...),  I thought it sounded so cool from the ad.
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"I'm on a drinking team with a bowling problem..."

P> would write them and get all sorts of pictures and things other than that just waited to go to the park or look at commericals. /P>
P>FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #587ab1"> think will write them, get some pics to hang around my room./P>
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You are the Weakest Link, Goodbye.

I would get all excited when I first saw stuff on commercials, because I didn't get the internet until 1998. Then I didn't join this forum until 1999. Before that, I was just another member of the GP.

Before 1992, I got info in the local newspaper (most Detroit media were invited to attend announcement functions) or from the first commercials of the season. But once my son was tall enough to ride the coasters we got season passes. Just being at the park we heard rumors, and got announcements from CP as passholders. We were there the day after Raptor was announced and saw the schematic. I learned about Banshee (before they changed the name) from the internet. I remember trying to find out from a ride op on the riverboat exactly where the entrance would be. He asked if I was one of those "internet people" and said he couldn't tell me. But when we rounded the curve (I was sitting in the front row), he winked and discreetly pointed to where the entrace would be constructed. Nothing like the anticipation of a major new ride to get you through the winter.

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

I didn't get on the coaster fanatic "train" untill after joining this site.  So this site is the first for me.
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I love fall...
The cool, brisk air...
The brightly colored leaves...
The amusement park announcements...

i didn't