Lightning Train Question

I dont know row numbers, but first row of the last car has always been my favorite.

I believe, since there are 6 cars with 3 rows each, that's the Row 16 everyone is talking about above.

That's correct, row 16 is also called "6-1" I believe.

1-2 is my favorite.

And look at all of you enthusiasts breaking the beholden rule of never-ever sitting over the wheels!

But give me row 18 on the Beast and I am in my happy place.

All I know is the wife and I have heard ride middle of each car and not be on the wheels. Works perfect for us! no special belt tension or lap-bar trick.

5-2 is my fav

I agree with most of this but I find row 17 to be better (I think it’s 17, second to last row). Why? Because the seat in front of it and the seat behind it are sitting atop a wheel. Row 17 is in between wheels. Far less vibration and shaking than sitting on top a wheel. I learned this years ago while riding the Beast at KI. It applies to magnum also, albeit not to the same degree.

2-1 has always been our go to seat. Just seems to be a smoother ride. Almost as good as 1-1. Not a fan of the back of the train seats.

This conversation brings to mind the changes that were made to Flight of Fear at Kings Island. Someone can correct me if I am wrong, but I was under the impression that the OTSR's were removed due to rider discomfort. It may have also had something to do with the earring policy similar to Maverick. I cannot speak on the specifics as it has been so long ago, I don't recall the exact reasoning why FOF was changed.

I will say this...if Cedar Point could find a direct relationship between declining ridership and the restraints used, they may look at making a change. It would depend on a lot of factors, such as if they intend to keep Magnum in the lineup for many years to come. I'm not privy to such conversations, so I have no idea what the plan is.

It’s hard to determine if declining ridership is due to rider discomfort or because the crews are simply operating slower than dog crap.

Declining ridership may not indicate any lack of love for the ride, it may simply be that over the years they have added more and more major coasters, so instead of riding Magnum 10 times in one visit and/or waiting a long time to do so as people did when Magnum was one of the top thrills in the park, they spread their visit out to experience some of the other world-class coasters CP has added to its lineup.

I remember riding Gemini 18 times on my 8th grade class trip. It was the newest and biggest ride in the park at the time. In the last 25 years combined I haven't ridden it that many times. Waited in 60-90+ minute lines for Blue Streak, Mine Ride, Corkscrew, Magnum and other rides that today are typically short waits/walk-ons. Think it has a lot more to do with other, newer options in the park than it does anything with the particular ride (restraints or otherwise). I much preferred the old restraints on the Blue Streak. But the new restraints are not the reason I ride it less often now than I did back in the day.

Keep in mind that line length does not necessarily indicate ridership numbers. 2021 was the most recent year that I could find anything resembling ridership numbers for Cedar Point. In 2021, Magnum was one of three rides to top 1 million rides in a season. From this, I would assume that Magnum is one of the three most ridden rides in the park, at least in 2021.

Magnum is still one of my favorite rides in the park. No, I can't ride it 5+ times in a row like I once could, but a trip to Cedar Point isn't complete without at least one lap on Magnum.

Regarding Magnum, didn't they recently post something about it having given its 60 millionth ride? That works out to more than 1.7 million riders per year on average. For 34 years and counting. Not bad.

Call me crazy, but, it's still my #1 in the park. A must ride every visit, and usually my last ride of the night. Maybe it's the nostalgia, but, I love the old hag.

0g:

Keep in mind that line length does not necessarily indicate ridership numbers.

That's what she said...

According to the latest LEL video below, at some point "in the coming weeks" there will be a larger crane on site to remove the top hat catwalk and an associated column for modification needed to accommodate the Lightning Trains.