My first trip to CP during Coaster Mania 2006...
What the heck; I'll post a TR just because I always like to hear about people's "first times" to my hometown park...so for all the CP gurus...here's mine:
I flew with my wife all the way from Washington State to Cleveland for Coaster Mania, a day a Geauga Lake, and a day to see the RnR hall of fame in Cleveland. Forget all the other stuff, here's how my day at CP went.
First you have to understand that while I am a coaster freak I really didn't do any homework on CP before heading out. That is, I didn't study coaster specs, or park maps, or anything. All I basically knew was that CP was surrounded by water, had the most coasters on the planet, and that Dragster went 120 mph and over 400 feet. That's about it, and I've got to say, it made discovering the park that much more enjoyable.
Driving out to the park I was amazed. Simply amazed. The only thing I could compare this to was trips to Magic Mountain: a coaster mecca waiting to be explored. However, having CP surrounded by water just blows MM away. (Warning, several MM comparisons here as I've been to MM many many times).
So we get in at 6 am and head straight for Dragster. I see it going while we're in the parking lot. Walking through the park for the first time (a very empty park at 6 am) was amazing. I love the way this park has built so many of their rides to "interact" with other rides, or built them into the scenery (WT with the Ferris Wheel centered in between the spikes). Anyway, I head for Dragster.
I can't remember being "scared" to ride a ride since X-Scream in Vegas. I can't remember being scared to ride a coaster ever. But I was scared to ride this thing. Scared and yet so excited. Got on my first ride and loved it. Went back 3 more times. Decided this was probably in my top 5 coasters of all time. I love Xcelerator at Knott's for the extra turns, but Dragster wins on pure adrenalyne and intensity.
Then it was over to Raptor for 2 rides: very good inverted. Probably the best I've been on; better than Silver Bullet at Knott's for sure (and I like that ride).
Next we rode on Mantis, which I was really anxious to ride after having been on Riddler's Revenge so many times and LOVED that ride (in my top 10 for sure, and I've ridden over 100 coasters). But Mantis SUCKS!!! Turned out to be basically the only coaster at CP that I didn't like. Too painful - rode front seat. Never again. How can this be so much worse than Riddler when they are both B&M stand ups???
We then walked back around Millennium Force through that western themed area and I loved the theming. Very cool. Wanted to hit the big wooden coaster which we later found out was called Mean Streak. Didn't know it didn't open until 11:00 for some reason. So we did the first ride on the Mine Train coaster. Fun ride; I love those things.
Next up was Gemini and this was also a great coaster. Rode the blue train as the red wasn't up that early in the day. Fun, and enjoyable. Not too intense, but good.
Magnum was next. This was for me the coaster that introduced me to Cedar Point years ago when I was a kid watching some old old OLD discovery channel program on coasters. I loved the ride. Did it once in the front row, once in the back. Very cool. The scenery can't be beat. Again, Magic Mountain's got NOTHING on CP as far as scenery goes.
Next ride was Iron Dragon and I really liked it, but then, I really like suspended coasters and wish there were more around. However, I give the nod to MM for Ninja on this one; a faster, more exciting ride. Still though, Iron Dragon is good.
It started raining so we next went to Disaster Transport. Never been on a bobsled coaster before and really liked this one though I felt it was too short. But fun anyway. Special effects were a bit cheesy but hey, this isn't Disney we're talking about. I went back again on that one later in the day.
Next we did the Wildcat and Blue Streak which were both fun easy rides. I liked them and have basically no complaints. Wildcats are always good for a ride or two. Blue Streak was just a great classic woodie.
We pounded out Woodstock Express just to say we did it and it was actually not bad! More intense than I thought it would be (as was evidenced by the kids bawling when we got off of it!)
Finally we get to ride Mean Streak. I loved it! No, there wasn't much air time but the length of this coaster was enough to satisfy. I really liked this ride and didn't realize how long or large it was before riding. I went back again at night but made the huge mistake of riding front row and ate bugs for 3 minutes. Bad decision, but still loved the ride.
We rode Wicked Twister which I had just the day before ridden Steel Venom at Geauga Lake and actually preferred that ride due to the straight up and down back spike with the pause before the final drop. But Wicked Twister's setting along the beach was awesome.
Oh yeah, we did do the Corkscrew which to me was just a typical Arrow ride - not much fun, and very uncomfortable seats/restraints (though Mantis still wins for most painful at CP). Not bad, but not really that good.
Later I did the Skyhawk and Maxair and loved both. It's funny because normally I hate those type of rides and get sick but neither bothered me at all.
As you are all aware by now, at about 5 or 6 p.m. Millennium Force opened and we rode it several times, and then at night during ERT. That coaster cannot be put into words with the exception of: BEST RIDE EVER. It is my new #1 coaster of all time and I think I could have ridden it all night long.
At the end of the day I found CP to be (aside from Disneyland which has too much nostalgia to ever be replaced) my favorite amusement park. I really enjoyed the atmosphere, theming, friendly staff, relatively good food offerings for a theme park, and of course the rides. The thing about the rides that seemed to impress me the most is that CP (Mantis aside) seems to be selective about adding rides that will appeal to the masses. That can't be said for Magic Mountain. MM has about 1/2 their rides that are extremely painful to the point where you either can only ride once or don't even want to ride them at all. Plus IMO, MM has horrible staff that could care less about you and CP is second only to Disney for friendliness of staff IMO. I never got tired of being asked "how was your ride?" So refreshing to see a staff that actually cares at a park outside of Disney.
Sorry to ramble for so long, but you people in Ohio have really got a gem there and I hope to be back again someday! Enjoy it!
You must be logged in to post