Friday 10/17 - Classic Halloweekends!

Friday the 17th was a classic Halloweekends experience, as far as I am concerned. Overall, the crowd was light to medium. We arrived at the gate at about 5:45pm, and Joe Cooled our way in. My daughter strolled to the Dragster, and had a 15 minute wait. Meanwhile, I strolled to the Magnum, and had a literal walk-on. My wife won't ride the big coasters yet, so I rode the Magnum alone for the first time. I walked into the queue, up the steps, through the turnstile, through the air gate, and into the coaster without breaking stride! It was me in the middle of the train, about 4 people in the front car, and 3 people in the rear car. The first ride was fast, and a bit rough. Kind of rattled my teeth. After I came off, my daughter showed up, and we had 3 more rides in less than 20 minutes! The rest were much smoother. I think I have finally come to terms with the Magnum, and can totally enjoy the ride. Maybe I will learn to like airtime next year!

After the Magnum, it was off to the U.R. Dade School, where there was no line at all. This was my first trip through, and it was pretty cool. (Or, ghoul, if you prefer). Once through there, it was about 7:20, so we joined the short line for Werewolf Canyon. Though there was a slight delay letting us go through, due to a faulty fog machine, we really enjoyed it. The smell of the pine trees was really cool, and the wolves were a lot of fun. It was like shopping for Christmas trees, but with wolves!

Once through the canyon, it was on through Fright Zone, which was much foggier and darker than last weekend. More screamsters, and more active. But then, no one could even move last Saturday night! After FZ, a stop for cider, marshmallows with fudge and M&M's, and a fudge-covered apple, it was off to the Wildcat. Short line, pleasant wait, except for two idiot kids in front of us who treated the queue like monkey bars. We were going to ride Iron Dragon, but it was down. There was a train waiting to enter the station, and it was there the whole 20 minutes or so we were doing the Wildcat.

At this point, my daughter split to go to the Fortune Teller, so my wife and I did the Matterhorn, Scrambler & Cedar Downs. Hooked back up with Katie, and threw some Skee Ball. I won a Sponge Bob Pineapple House on a hail-Mary throw which dropped into the 100 point hole! Out of the arcade, through Kiddie Kingdom to the Troika, and then to the Pharoe's Tomb. (So, how many times have they heard idiots ask "Are you my Mummy?".) Another trip on the Troika, just for kicks, and then up to the Midway for a few games of chance, and the Toxic Tunnel. That was big fun, as there were many screamsters wandering the halls. After that, a caramel-apple-to-go for the kid, and out of the park at 10:50pm, just in time to beat the bulk of the traffic. Picked up a pepperoni, double-cheese pizza on the way back to the in-laws house for the after-park munchies.

All-in-all, a classic Halloweekends trip to Cedar Point. Plus, I boosted my Magnum count for the year to 12! Hope to go next Friday night, but if we don't, we can count this as one of the best trips of the year. Totally makes up for the insanity of last Saturday night!

------------------
Tank
Magnum: 12