Last Ride of the Night Honors

Nice analogy cpboy! LOL!

I usually kick the sky but this year the tower is what does it for me. Next year Magnum maybe MF but in the end does it really matter?

As for those enthusiats that act like complete fools GET A LIFE as an enthusiast myself I would like to personally kick you in the butt. Over the years you have gotten worse you act like you own the parks you go to and deserve all of the special previleges. You are not a true coaster fans. Dan and Jeff rock on I'm glad that I was there on saturday to catch my last ride on Magnum during the afternoon to end the season.

It was kind of my gaol for last season to get the last ride on all the coasters. I came kind of close. I got Blue Streak, Gemini, Mantis, Mine Ride, and Mantis. Well, there is always next year:).

One night did get last ride on Snake River Falls and Mine Ride. I think my friends and I where the only people in the back of the park. The guy working the Mine Ride wanted to get our pictures, but his camera wouldn't work. *** This post was edited by Magnum 89- on 12/18/99. ***

Oh, I was about to say my best memory is riding Snake River Falls five minutes before closing and just getting drenched, but being in the boat alone is a cool felling.

That night I rode Snake River Falls like fifteen times. It was great after my buddies left me I had to go it alone for the last 14 times:). I need to find some better friends.

Well, now I usually ride Magnum last thing, but before Magnum was built, I have fond memories of running through the line of Gemini over and over again. The coaster was always crowded at the end of the day and the trains were always racing. Of course things have changed now. Usually one side of the other is closed before the end of the day since people just don't flock to Gemini at the end of the day like they used to.

Gemini night rides ruled. People were so energetic and fun. It is okay now, but not the same.

I got to ride Mean Streak with my Friend in the front seat. The rest of the trains where empty. We had rode it for 3 hours strait before and really worked on keeping the ride ops going. They looked like they where going to fall asleep and where swaped all day. It was about 80 deg. all day and we kept buying them water and such. They let us re-ride on the last rides with no trims on both times, as a thanks I guess. After, I got a picture of us and all 6 ride ops. I don't think any of them post on her, but they gave the Magnum, Raptor and Disastor Transport (the other good coaster crews that season) crews a run for their money.
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MEAN STREAK RULES THE WOODS!!!!

This is the only topic I could find that shares what was on my mind here. Earlier in the day yesterday, Rougarou had a 1 hour line wait. I waited it out because I'm a blockhead like that lol. Anyway, I came back the last half hour, and it was a walk on. So I made sure to get two rides in and making sure I was able to get last ride of the night on Rougarou. I know I'm crazy to pick Rougarou as the last ride of the night.

Nothing wrong with Rougarou as last ride of the night. GateKeeper, Valravn, Rougarou, MF, Maverick, TTD, even Mine Ride is on my list for last ride of the night rides.

Every ride needs somebody to take that last ride of the day.

(With early closing there are no night rides)

—Dave Althoff, Jr.

    /X\      *** Respect rides. They do not respect you. ***
   /XXX\     /X\     /X\_      _     /X\__      _      _____
  /XXXXX\   /XXX\   /XXXX\_   /X\   /XXXXX\    /X\    /XXXXX
_/XXXXXXX\_/XXXXX\_/XXXXXXX\_/XXX\_/XXXXXXX\__/XXX\__/XXXXXX

Only ever witnessed the fight for final rides once and that was ttd. Was shocked to see the way the little darlings were acting, like they owned the ride and everyone waiting was a nuisance. Spoiler alert there are some losers in the fight for last ride, but its not who you think.

With that, ive always enjoyed last minute rides on mean streak and magnum when the wife went to the car and waited so patiently. And of course maverick when we weren't quite the last ride but the station was empty when we pulled back around, making for a strange atmosphere.

Ride on.

Yeah, there can be quite a bit of drama around who gets the last ride of the day. Especially on closing day.

The significance of last rides and zen rides is part of thoosie culture I just don’t understand.

Zen rides seem really stupid. Kind of like test rides. I'd rather have a full train of people - preferably close to someone riding for their first time!

Agreed, Matt. I don't miss those days doing test rides.

Cedar Point policy, if you are in the queue line after the ride entrance has closed, you will get to ride. Back in the mid 2000s on MF at the end of a regular day, Bob and I were loaded on the 2nd last train of the nite, there was one empty seat to be filled and two people waiting in different queue line. Neither one of them would take the empty seat as the other would get the last train of the nite and ride the last train alone. Security was called to handle the situation. Security personnel were not able to get one of them to board and since the 2 potential riders were interfering with normal operations, security made the call of the train ready to go with one seat unfilled would be the last train and the 2 potential riders LOST. Security escorted the 2 off the platform and Bob and I rode the last train of the nite.

Bob and I often got MF last train but we knew better to not cause problems and keep normal operation flowing smoothly. Sometimes it works out and sometimes it doesn't. If it doesn't work out, there's always another day.

Bob and I would always go for the evenings till closing time and I enjoyed walking back thru the park to the parking lot with the park all lit up and quiet because all rides were done for the day.

Because Bob and I were automotive performance enthusiasts, we both raced our Camaros, the TTD was more in line with our other interest of cars.

The stories are much 'better' for TTD that I'll relate later.

You can get last train of the season on Corkscrew or Mine Ride with relatively little fighting

Last ride of the night on Blue Streak used to be a lot of fun!

^Presumably still is a lot of fun, just like the Blue Streak rides the rest of the day. ;)

Speaking of last rides, had a fun moment on Tuesday night that brought back memories of being a kid at the park in the 90's again. This was the the last day of our quick 3-day trip.

The park was hampered by t-storms that shut almost everything down by 6:30-7:00 (ish). We were kind've bumming around the park, hung out at the Last Chance Saloon, then meandered our way to the entrance, grabbing a snack at Sweet Spot for the ride home. By now it was around 9:00, and we saw this:

It was a sign.

By 9:15, some rides started to creep open, and instead of heading to the car we did an about face and made our way back to Millennium Force, which the park opened up around 9:40. We figured we would get a quick ride in and then go home on a positive note.

Not so fast.

The guests left in the station were super-hyped and doing all sorts of chants and interacting with the crew (all of whom were also playing along). Every time we pulled into the station, the entire train would yell "one more time, one more time", and the crew obliged. This kept going well past 10:00.

In the end, what would have been a bummer end to the day (and our 3-day trip) with no rides the last 3-4 hours ended being a magical ending to the day, as the crew let us marathon MF a total of six times before finally saying goodnight around 10:25.

What an awesome crew, and what an awesome ending to our trip.

Love that the park still tries to get rides running/open even with 20 minutes left in the day for the few guests that stuck around during the incessant rain.