Ruined for the summer.

Took my first mental-health trip to Cedar Point today. Took day off of work and went up alone so I could ride what I want when I want and do what I want without worrying about Ride Warrior #1's desires and height restriction.

I started a little later than planned so missed most of early entry time - but I wondered what would actually be running that early the way the season has gone so far. Pulled into the parking lot a bit before 10:00 AM to not many cars but a healthy number of buses. I made it up to the blockade inside the park right as 10:00 rolled around so I got to see the "running of the students" as they beat feet toward the Millennium Force and Maverick.

I started my day with Millennium Force (Oh how I've missed you) Two trains running, line to the bottom of the ramp. Thought about a quick re-ride, but I wanted to try out the new restraints on Maverick before lines really developed. (Ha!)

Maverick was a walk-on (never saw that outside of ERT.) LOVE the new restraints! Circled around to the Gemini midway and rode Pipe Scream and Lake Erie Eagles since they were walk-ons (a pattern is developing.) Then onto Magnum XL200. Two Trains running there as well, also a walk on.

Talked to a mom that was passing on riding the coasters - will talked about how our nine-year-old daughters were fearless when it came to the rides while her 17-year-old son was not keen on riding anything larger than Iron Dragon.

Thinking about lunch at this point, but moved onto Top Thrill Dragster - line started at the station. The launch just doesn't get old. Decided to to an immediate re-ride as I've never seen such a short line...then went around a third time. Okay, now it really is lunch time. Walked over to the gate by Windseaker (which was down all day, weather I think as it was pretty breezy) and walked over and through Hotel Breakers. Just lovely inside and out. Be sure to check out the photographs on the second floor of the hotel lobby. Stayed for lunch at TGIFridays. Excellent turkey burger and a view of the lake.

After lunch it was time to visit Blue Streak and have a look-see at the former location of Turnpike Cars. Almost had the Blue Streak train to myself. After that a walk-on to Raptor. Front seat on Raptor - I usually skew toward rear of trains but love the view from the front of Raptor when I ride it.

Wanted to ride Gatekeeper but it had stopped running, walked back to MF which had also stopped running. Okay, I'll take a ride on the CP&LE railroad instead. Wow, second train ride of the year and it seems to take them forever to get the trains out of the Funway station now. whatever they are doing now has REALLY slowed down the railroad. As the train was pulling out MF started running again. Round trip on the CP&LE, off at Funway station and back on MF. Line now down the ramp and into the first maze - two trains running still/again. Did I mention that I've really missed that coaster over the winter? Saw Gatekeeper was running again as I was leaving MF.

Decided to get up front and ride Gatekeeper while it was running. It actually had something of a line so the wait was a bit more than 30 minutes. Ride went down when I was about to board a train for about ten minutes. I know many people don't care for Gatekeeper or find it too tame but I enjoy the hell out of that ride.

I'd hit the coasters I really wanted to ride today at this point, what to go back to? Decided to check out the line at TTD....there wasn't one. Three more quick rides there. The line again was only on the station platform. There is something not right with the world when the line for Gatekeeper is longer than TTD.

Getting close to time for me to head home on a "school night" so one more spin on Gatekeeper on my way out was my plan. By the time I made it to the loading platform - next train! Gatekeeper went down for winds and they weren't sure if it would be up again or not as some ugly clouds were rolling in. Hmm, ride Raptor or Blue streak? I bagged on that and stood in Starbuck's long, slow moving line, so I was under cover when the skies opened. Nice, heavy downpour for a about 20 minutes or so.

Had my coffee for the road so I hit the road. Sorry to leave 90 minutes before closing time but the skies continued to look iffy anyway. Got to ride what I wanted, got to walk all around the park enjoying it at my own pace and take picture. Between the deep blue sky, bright sunshine with clouds most of the day the bright Cedar Point colors really seemed to "pop" today.

Hope that not too long/words for this, but now I'm home relaxing with a beer and feeling "chatty."

"Best day ever." as they say - any day at the Point. But now I am ruined for the summer since nearly every ride a walk-on today - how can it get better than that?

When I clicked the topic, the title gave me the impression that you had a bad experience today, when really that is not what you meant by ruined. From what I saw on the webcams today, it looked like a good day to go. I'll be going on Sunday for the Brew & BBQ.

Lines were definitely decent today, and I would be shocked if there were even 100 people in Soak City today, which probably explained why most of it wasn't even open.

Well it can't. Which is why, particularly the last five years or so, I make my park visits in the spring on days just like today. There's nothing like spending an entire week at the Point, Sunday night through Thursday night, with nothing to do but enjoy the park at my leisure. By the time the week is over I'm quite satisfied and have been able to ride all my favorites multiple times. There's even an afternoon (or two) for drinks on the patio or by the pool then back into the park for early evening rides.

Ruined? Absolutely. And aint nothin' wrong with that. I've had many friends ring me up to say they remember I have a pass so would I like to join them at the park for the upcoming weekend. I always look at the calendar and if it's July or August I'm afraid I have to decline. "Sorry," I say, "and thanks for thinking of me, but I had my fill of rides on weekdays in May when the park was dead. But y'all have fun!"

You can do this again in the fall, before Labor Day, if you time it right. It's not quite as good, but better than weekends for sure.

It sounds like a perfect day, rain and all. Good for you. I'm going to shoot for another day next week and hope I have similar luck.

Yep, mid-week in May is the best time to go!

I echo the sentiment of being 'ruined' by days like this...

Man, I wanted to go at that time so bad, even the first week of June, just didn't get a chance. But I will try again next year. I knew it was going to be like that. Glad you got to go and enjoy it!

Went to the point this evening. Arriving after 6:00. Walk-ons: Gatekeeper, Maggie, Corkscrew, Gemini, Mean Streak, Mine Ride, Iron Dragon, Wicked Twister and Bluestreak. 30-minute wait: Maverick and TTD. 20-minute wait for MF. I forgot my helmet so we didn't do Rougarou and just didn't do Raptor for some reason.

Won't be many more nights like this.

Oh yes, and for Shawn Meyer, STR was a walk on also.

Go on Sundays. Went May 17th and June 14th. Everything but MF and Maverick were walk-ons. On June 14th I also went alone and rode 16 of the big rides in 3.5 hours. Thought I was going to puke. Lucked out and walked on TTD as they reopened it as I was walking by. Rode Gatekeeper 5 times. All walk-ons. It is my new favorite ride there.
Ended up spending 3 hours at Soak City too.