Well, this was a most amazing trip! I guess by the title of my report you can guess what my favorite ride is. I must say this park is above and beyond and I had the most thrilling rides of my life! So here is my blow by blow trip report to give you all a glimpse of what Cedar Point is like with a family of five.
DAY ONE!
Hubby, myself , Chris (10yrs), Mikey (8yrs), and Danny (2yrs). Load up the car and begin our four hour treck, along the way we stop at a rest stop just outside of cleveland and note six bus loads of kids unloading,,,as I guessed they were heading to The Point, and from what they told me , so were about four other schools. I began mentally preparing for crowds. We arrived around ten , checked into Breakers and walked on over to the park. Our strategy was this....devote day one to tiring out the baby so that day two he will be more content to sit in the stroller and chill. So we headed for kiddy kingdom first thing and Danny rode and giggled till he filled his diaper. We took in DT, which was a cool ride, the kids enjoyed it too, by this time the crowds really picked up and it was rather crowded. We hit the sky ride for a cool veiw of the park and headed over to BS we waited about 30min for that one. (I have to say that the parent swap is a total god send!). The kids did calypso and the cars and we went back down the midway and headed for a better view of MF. We decided to save all the big coasters for day two, the kids were thank ful....they were very intimidated! we headed for the petting zoo where Danny fell in love with the goats (he called them dogs) and I starred at the menacing Mf. Then we hit ccmr and gemini which had some technical difficulties earlier and we were lucky to miss the lines as we caught it as soon as it began running again. The boys did three laps with virtually no wait. Chris is now a confirmed Handslapper junkie. Mikey insist that the red train is his and is much faster than the blue. Then we waited 1hr for MS! what a coaster! but for some reason I liked Gemini better. I must say that this ride is just phenominal to look at, I was taken aback as I entered the que. The baby fell in love with the giant snoopy and learned that he didn't appreciate spinning rides (I'll have to school him when he's older). The boys did the rock climbing thingy,,and were pritty impressed with themselves! We headed back down the midway because I wanted to take a peek at the raptor lines and see if I could sneak on. No luck,,,hour wait and Chris was a bit chicken yet so we stuck with the we'll do it tomorrow plan and headed over to the corkscrew for three laps. The kids did the flat rides and that brought us to closing time. So with my blistered feet I waddled back to the room and fell into bed.
DAY TWO: We show no fear!
After day one and my childrens missgivings about riding some of these coasters I was sure I would have to do some serious coaxing today. I spiked up Mikeys hair as high as I could and doused him with hairspray to provide some height to the boy in hopes that he could sneak by on Raptor and Mantis, and we hit the park. First up, Magnum. With the park still empty at this point, we were able to power ride we did about five laps and my boys were addicted. Mikey has put this one in his number one spot and with heavy heart give the red gemini train the number two. Hubby and I switched off with the boys and the one of us not riding chased the baby back and forth between the magnum entrance and chaos. The baby loved to watch this ride! I was glad he was running about knowing he would tire out quickly! We then headed over to Demon Drop. My hubby thinks this will provide a good warm up for power tower. He thinks he will find the nerve to ride this later in the day. I know him better. We do the drop and I remember why I hate those type of rides and kick myself for going on. My husband tries to play it cool and says it wasn't so bad. But I know him better! The kids take a spin on the merry go round and we head over to Raptor. I am glad I dont have to ask Chris twice, he is ready and so is mikey, but spiked hair and all he is still a few inches short, (he breathes a sigh of relief). Chris and I enter the hour and a half long line parent swap slip in tow! We finnaly make it to the platform and Chris says lets ride in front..I quiver with fear and against my will I agree. I shook like a leaf the whole way up the hill. Chris was silent, then we started down and all I could do was yell, at first in terror and then out of sheer excitement. If cocaine were a coaster this would be it. Chris has a new favorite ride and so do I. Hubbys turn, I take mikey and a now sleeping danny over to the games and blow some money while we wait. We stopped to look at their Pictures and my son says "Hey Dad..by the look on your face,,the sky kicked you!" I howled and purchased the pic. Hubby looked about as green as the raptor itself and the death grip he had on the harness! LOL! Chris and I decide to do it again and hubby takes mikey over to BS for a few laps while they wait for us....I take the parent swap form with me so we can do two laps! (I cheated,,I know,,but only this once I swear). We meet up at BS and chris and I take a few laps on it while mikey does calypso and the cars. Danny is zonked in the stroller and remains so for a good four hours..he is beat! We head over to Mantis to learn that it will be down for 45 min. so we hit ID, the kids loved this one too...rode it three times then to the wild cat. All the while MF is waiting for us. We eat and I say lets do it! Chris is unsure, and Mikey says no way. I say I am jumping in line and Chris joins me,,,reluctantly. We wait and wait and wait 1.5 hours, longer if you add the fifteen minutes it was down while we were inline. The whole time I am consumed with the fear that it will get stuck on the lift while I am on it. Cant handle that thought at all. Finnaly we board. Chris is silent, I am shaking like a leaf. The ride op looks at Chris as he helps him buckle and says "what's up". Chris is unable to speak so I answer for him...I state that we are scared to death and we have to pee. "not on my ride!" The op says and we both laugh ...and were off....I do deep breathing execrcizes till we reach the top. Chris still can't speak and we make it to the crest of the hill and oh my god I can't believe my eyes! THis was the most amazing thing I have ever done. I couldn't scream, I could barley breath I was awe-struck. AWESOME! We got off to learn that Mikey and hubby and danny took a few laps on the train and visited the goats(dogs) while we were gone. I told my husband to go! get on! It is amazing,,,,,he chickend out. I honestly didn't have the strength left to do it again or I would have used the swap myself. Chris loved the ride but not unlike me found it physically and mentally draining. Once a visit is enough for us on that bad boy! We headed over to Mantis, The hubby took Chris with him and I waited this time. Me and mikey went over to ID where there was virtually no line and he rode three or four times. Chris came off mantis rather shaken..I rode myself. I wish I would have known that the best way to ride was to lean into your harness. I found this ride amusing but,,it's no raptor! I loved the loop though. The evening coming to an end found Mikey longing for his red car...so gemini it was. THe lines were gone and they rode three times and I suggested that we hit Magnum for a few before it was too late. I didn't have to ask twice. Hubby and the boys took the first lap while Danny and I waved! then my turn! then the boys went again with the old man and caught the last ride of the night!
WHAT A DAY! WHAT A PARK! HOW AM I GONNNA AFFORD TO GET BACK BEFORE THE SEASON ENDS?
these were my final thoughts of the day.
kruggie and family have found a new favorite place!
I need to also mention that the staff from the desk clerks at breakers to the sanitation workers at the park were awesome! See my enty under the employee section!
Nice report Kruggie! I read all of your posts leading up to your trip and I was anxious to see you actually get to the Point and have a great time!
-Matt
2001 Magnum Crew (9 days)
Thanks MD! we did! and we will be back!
"Hey Dad..by the look on your face, the sky kicked you!"
That is hilarious! :)
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Steuks!!
Well, dear kruggie, the wife and I were at CP as well, and I hope you gave credit where credit was due for the perfect weather - you had threatened to bring rain, and I promised (and delivered) sunshine. So there.
Which leads to a rather unusual new addition to our lexicon - I had mentioned the above to the wife, and over the course of the weekend we began using "kruggie" (rhyming w/ "buggy") to connote less-than-perfect conditions (please - no offense intended). For example, on Sunday morning I was a little bleary-eyed after a rather late night at the bar at TGIF's - when my wife asked me how I slept, I replied that I felt a little kruggie; or, after one particularly mayfly-encrusted ride on MS my wife observed that "the ride was kinda kruggie"; and, as we drove away on Monday, we observed the weather turning kruggie. Quite a useful word, actually. And I'm glad you liked the park as much as we do. You should really try to get back for Halloweekends - the best part of the season at the best park in the world.
On an unrelated note, we spent the weekend at a cottage (cabin? I get them mixed up - anyway, the smaller ones right on the water) at Lighthouse Point. I just wanted to add to the praise of LHP that has appeared on this site - yes, they have a long way to go on the landscaping and pool areas, but the cottages themselves are fantastic - seperate living room (with futon) and bedroom, two TV's, a little kitchen, etc. - great for families or even two couples, with much more privacy than a hotel room. Add the view from our deck on the bay, with the gorgeous Mean Streak towering over us (we were in #50, right beside it), and it can't be beat. It was even cheaper than Breakers! We're already planning to rent one for a week next year, and have friends come out and stay for a day or two.
OH SPEWEY! THANK YOU FOR THE SUN! THE WEATHER WAS PERFECT WASN'T IT! I have the sunburn to prove it too!
I have to agree that Kruggie is a good word and useful for many occasions...like eeew! I stepped in something sort of Kruggie! I love your many uses for my name! Kruggie the krusher or Kruginator is a name bestowed unto my 10yr old son by his football teamates,, I adapted it here as for I am Mrs. Kruggie to about twenty 10yr old boys.
I am gonna have to investigate the cottages. They did look very charming! Hopefully I can talk the hubby into another weekend at the point this fall!
ALL HAIL SPEWEY~~~~~BRINGER OF THE SUN!
You must tell me when you again plan your next visit....I will try to book at the same time to ensure lovely weather conditions!