Cedar Point and their coasters at night

Last season, I was at the park on a late close day, and I will have to say that CP is about the best at lighting their rides, lighting the park, and keeping up with the maintenance. Have you been to SFWoA, PKI, or SFGAmerica at night. It seems that these parks remove much of the decorative lighting, while CP keeps and maintains it. I know that rides like the Matterhorn, Musik Express, Silver Bullet (Witches Wheel) and Ferris Wheel at SFWoA are just not the same without their lighting packages.

Idora Wildcat

If you think that Cedar Point lighting is sub-par, I don't think you've been to enough other parks. And as far as being open late to see lights, I'm not sure I know what you're talking about in that respect either.

Only ONE coaster in the world has the automated architectural lighting of High End Systems, and I think you know which one that is. The local boat past the point just to see Mean Streak. Power Tower has automated lighting from Vari*Lite. Giant Wheel has an incredible pattern. Blue Streak has the long chase. Raptor and Magnum have nice lights. Mantis has the strobing chase. Gemini has nice subtle lighting. Raptor has nice lighting on the inversions.

By the way, I visited the High End folks at IAAPA, and was really impressed with the engineering inside those lighting enclosures. Did you know that MF lighting instruments, internally, are nearly identical to the Studio Colors and Cyberlights used in the Summer Spectacular? Strange but true.

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Jeff
Webmaster/Guide to The Point
Millennium Force laps: 50

I once had the pleasure to take a boat from Port Clinton to the CP marina at night. The people I was with it just ate for an hour, but I went in and got a couple of laps in on Gemini before close.

First we saw Mean Streak from a good distance away, it makes a pretty good lighthouse. There is a little lighthouse and navigating beacons along the shore in front, but I would just say turn to port when you see MS. Then seeing MF from directly across the water just made me appreciate those lights even more. On our return trip, I sat on the back of the boat and just drooled.

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I think Jeff is right. CP's coasters look good. My personal favorites are the classic lights of Blue Streak and the no lights, for the most part, of Gemini. I am very glad they removed the bright lights from the exit of Magnum's first tunnel that were originally there. They destroyed night rides.

I think that CP is magnificent at night, but that they could use some more lights on Mantis. Oh, and excuse me for being stupid, but what are chase lights? Do they follow the train along the course?
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"Sorry, gotta go, my damn wiener kids are listening."

~From the brilliant mind of Homer J. Simpson

No, they just go up the lift over and over quickly.

IMO the midways should be highly lighted, as well as the lifts. But thats it. could you imagine Mean Streak with no lights except for the station? It would be insane, getting beat up by the coaster and not being able to see anything at the same time.

Jeff,

I'll give you Power Tower and the Giant Wheel. I might even go as far as to let you have Gemini and one more that's completely in the dark, but that's it.

Come on now guy, we're talking Cedar Point. I think they could do just a little bit better on Magnum, Mantis and Raptor. Impress me a little. Oh and did I mention the others; Iron Dragon, Corkscrew, Cedar Creek Mine Ride. What are they showing me?

Why would THOSE need lights??? CS, MR

Corkscrew is impressive, what with the red lights on the midway inversions. A question I have is this (and I'm not knocking the lighting that CP does have - I like it): Why do most of the coasters (not all) have the great majority of their lighting only along the lifts? Why not throughout the ride or at other key points as well? Personally, I don't care for the searchlight/spotlight routine, except for how it highlights the Mean Streak, which is nice. But then again, we're probably talking way too much in terms of maintenance, power, accessibility -- there has to be a trade off somewhere. Just a thought!

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I think Corkscrews lights are awsome. I love how they outline the corkscrews. *** This post was edited by Nick G. on 2/12/2001. ***

I think Power Tower's lighting looks the coolest, especicially while your on it at night. Unlike MF, Power Tower's lights can be seen from any angle in the park. The best ride to go on during the Summer Spectacular is Turbo Drop PT on the side of the fireworks. Its a great view before your breath is suddenly taken away.

Dude,

Why would those need lights? If you want to use that philosophy, why does anything need lights?

Well for starters......... How about so you can see it!

Chuckle ... Nothing like reviving a topic that's over 8 years old, but RideMan said something that got me thinking about this again. I still maintain that the overall lighting on the coasters leaves a lot to be desired. I love MF, BS and MS. The rest of them however, could use a little face lift I think.. Perhaps a huge helping of LED's.

^Hell no, as said before the best lighting package is no package at all, but if you must just add chasers. Look at Diamondback, CF did that thing right, spotlights on the main hill and splashdown pool but no lights anywhere else. It makes for a fantastic ride. Also I weep for the day that they should ever decide to put gigantic spots on Magnum.

No lighting package at all ?!?! Wow. Wouldn't that be just a tad bit boring to say the least ?

Boring? How about fantastic. What is Space Mountain if its taken outside? Flight of Fear, even with its MCBR is still 10 times better then the SF Premier Spaghetti Bowl rides. Without your normal vision, your body gets easily fooled into believing that you are going faster then you actually are making it a better ride.

You get that sensation of going faster at night whether the coaster has lights or not. Have one or two of them in the pitch black then to round out the "experience", but light the other ones up. A lot.

^No you dont Stew.

Think of the rides enthusiasts always talk about being amazing night rides:
-Magnum
-MF (double so during Halloween when all the lights but the main hill are turned off and the track is covered in fog.)
-Big Bad Wolf
-Beast
-Holiday World Woodies
-Hershey's Lightning Racer
-etc.

They all have one thing in common, they have no or a very limited light package associated with them.

^ Lightning Racer is really nice in the dark. It looks so classic with the lights going down the first hill. The tunnels are pretty cool too.