Cedar Point in the 1980's

I agree. Before the great coaster race era, it was way different at CP! Makes me want to dig up the season passes from the late 80s. Very scary indeed! Haha!

Somehow the park still managed to entertain 3 million guests a year with less than half the coasters they have now.

I think it is amazing that they have added all these great new rides and they still basically have the same attendance numbers they had in '87.

Whoa, my wife worked there in '84, Mine Ride and then Jr Gemini. (I worked there in the mid 70's). Much different place back then.

The '87 video is great, too! I remember Iron Dragon's first year. That ride would look much better with the original paint job. The view from the SS is perfect. The parking lot is full...I love it. Thanks again, Ghost. I've shared these videos with my family since you've shared them with all of us here. I already know they will incite hours of reminiscing with a good deal of family and friends.

Corkscrew Follies said:
I think it is amazing that they have added all these great new rides and they still basically have the same attendance numbers they had in '87.

I think this tells you the park has grown its attendance as much as it can, especially given the ruinous economy and the relentless shrinkage of Detroit.

Completely agree with you Ensign, which is the reason I chuckle everytime someone thinks CP needs a floorless, 10 looper dive coaster.

The 1984 and 1985 is the Cedar Point I remember. Did you notice how Blue Streak was not isolated down a narrow path, but actually part of the Midway? I love Raptor, but the planning for that section was awful.

The actual path to Blue Streak back then seems to look the same as now. The only difference I noticed was that the path actually had more rides back then.

The path may be the same, but the visibility of that section of the park was severely limited with the addition of Raptor.

The que and loading platform for Blue Streak used to be on the side of the building facing the midway. The other side of the station track was where the brake man and dispatch were.

Moving the entrance to the back side, although it opens more que space, was a downgrade in my opinion.

Rapids 77-78 said:
The que and loading platform for Blue Streak used to be on the side of the building facing the midway. The other side of the station track was where the brake man and dispatch were.

Moving the entrance to the back side, although it opens more que space, was a downgrade in my opinion.

Gosh I remember that! Wasn't the crew all guys in the late 80s and didn't they push the trains out of the station?

I think having the queue in the infield makes sense, as it's a more efficient use of space. The problem is that they did a half-ass job, and as a result the ride entrance is very non-obvious.

CP Kelly said:

Rapids 77-78 said:
The que and loading platform for Blue Streak used to be on the side of the building facing the midway. The other side of the station track was where the brake man and dispatch were.

Moving the entrance to the back side, although it opens more que space, was a downgrade in my opinion.

Gosh I remember that! Wasn't the crew all guys in the late 80s and didn't they push the trains out of the station?

Yes, the crew was all guys and it was alot of work pulling that brake handle all day. And no, we didn't have to push the trains out of the station.

Just watched the '87 video, great stuff just like the others. Funny that Iron Dragon was always as noisy as it is today.

Did the Frontier Lift stop in '87 due to Iron Dragon, or was that earlier? Also, were the Frontier Lift cars different from the Sky Ride cars? I seem to remember seeing some different cars somewhere.

Awesome videos, thanks for posting them! Brings back great memories of my childhood!

Chuck Wagon said:
Just watched the '87 video, great stuff just like the others. Funny that Iron Dragon was always as noisy as it is today.

Did the Frontier Lift stop in '87 due to Iron Dragon, or was that earlier? Also, were the Frontier Lift cars different from the Sky Ride cars? I seem to remember seeing some different cars somewhere.

I think "85 was the last year for Frontier Lift and the gondola's from frontier lift went on the main Sky Ride lift the next season. In the "87 video you can tell from the colors of the Gondolas that they were from the Frontier Lift.

The frontier lift cars were the same as on the main midway, as mentioned. However, they would enter the station unload area much faster than on the midway. So fast, that a crewman was stationed to "catch" the car as it began to run along the rail system in the station.

I was assigned one day, when there was a shortage of crew there, to work the Frontier Lift. Being a "temp" in the crew, they gave me the worst job of course. That was catching the cars. You had to lean forward and get hold of the car while walking backward to slow it down. If you didn't walk backward, it could bowl you over if you had a full car. My arms and back screamed at me that evening.

Corkscrew Follies said:

CP Kelly said:

Rapids 77-78 said:
The que and loading platform for Blue Streak used to be on the side of the building facing the midway. The other side of the station track was where the brake man and dispatch were.

Moving the entrance to the back side, although it opens more que space, was a downgrade in my opinion.

Gosh I remember that! Wasn't the crew all guys in the late 80s and didn't they push the trains out of the station?

Yes, the crew was all guys and it was alot of work pulling that brake handle all day. And no, we didn't have to push the trains out of the station.

Oh okay, I might've been remembering Mine Ride instead. No similarities there! ;)

I remember that big lever thing, as I called it when younger.