Which ride was more amazing for its time ?

If you enter through the Resort Entrance or from Magnum's exit I think TTD looks very impressive. I don't think it is good that CP is expected to building the tall coasters. If they build a 500+ coaster in 06 or 07 it will be the same thing as TTD was. People saw it coming. MF surprised everyone, which is the reason it was more amazing.

I do somewhat agree with you on that Gomez. Millennium Force certainly was just so "out of the blue". And it was so thrilling to see something so high and so massive. Especially with the ten world records that it broke. However...I certainly did not expect CP to build a coaster over 400ft so soon. CP kept Top Thrill Dragster a secret for quite some time. People really on knew that is was going to be a big ass coaster when it was visible on the skyline.

Do you really think you saw it coming before the official announcement was made? I sure didn't.

I remenber my for trip to cp in 2001. I'd seen the pic and videos of Millennium Force and was just all struck with riding in the car and waiting to see the park. As we past the dorms and housing, I was just so amazed be the sight of the huge Millennium Force. It was the biggest coaster I've ever seen at the time. PKI's SOB was amazing to see all that wood. But, just to see MF's lift and seeing for the first time in person as train was making its way going over the top. And how beautful the lights flashing on the hill at night. *** Edited 10/2/2004 3:24:50 AM UTC by daniel smith***

I think Magnum is the first best and Millennium Force the second best.

I was at the park yesterday walking into the Magnum queue and I thought about this topic when I looked the "ACE Coaster Landmark" plaque near the entrance. And then it dawned on me: I haven't seen one of those near the entrances to any other rides. Of course that's just ACE's opinion and everyone's entitled to their own.

My own opinion, Magnum changed everything. Not just at CP either. I give Magnum credit for revolutionizing the entire amusement industry.

I would have to say Magnum. I mean think about it, first coaster over 200 feet tall. It doesn't sound that wonderful but think about when the coaster race really got going.

Thanks for bringing a 6-month old post back from the graveyard.

I would have to say that if there was never a magnum XL then there would be no MF.

But think about this- when the Corkscrew opened in 76 it caused the greatest sensation we'd seen so far. I saw people scream out loud and fall to the sidewalk when they'd turned the corner to witness a coaster train flipping upside down 3 times, twice right over the midway. I am not kidding about this. On Saturdays the line could be 2 or more hours long, stretching all the way to the Pagoda. It was not unusual to have the Corkscrew operate past midnight on 10 o'clock nights. It was the ride on everyone's lips and the one those that were brave enough couldn't wait to ride.

So maybe it's all relative. Many of the coasters built at Cedar Point since 1892 have left their mark on the world. And certainly the Corkscrew wasn't the first coaster in history to travel upside down. But I believe it was the first with 3 inversions, and more notably for our discussion, marked the first time the operators of modern Cedar Point sought out a custom ride concept that would break a world's record. After that the coasters kept coming, each one in it's own amazing way upping industry standards, and establishing Cedar Point as the "-est" park.

From the Gemini, to the Magnum, Mantis, Millenium Force, and Top Thrill Dragster. And back to the Switchback Railway, Leap The Dips, Speed-O-Plane, and Cyclone. Cedar Point has always had the most amazing ride for it's time, and continues to be the one they all try to beat.

I can't wait to see what's to come.

If the amusement park industry was music, Magnum XL-200 would be The Beatles.

kylepark said:
If the amusement park industry was music, Magnum XL-200 would be The Beatles.

Well put! I couldn't have said it better!

Fastball84 said:
Thanks for bringing a 6-month old post back from the graveyard.

He isnt allowed to express his opinon? Was his post off topic? No so why do you care?

I'm glad that this thread was ressurected. I guess I missed it the first time around.

I wasn't old enough to know about the hype that surrounded Magnum when it debuted, but like Chief Wahoo said before the park's resorts were built up around Magnum and it definitely had a huge impact on the park itself and the industry as well.

I mean, just look at the amount of hypercoasters that started popping up all over the place. That went on for 10 years and then Cedar Point did it again with MF. But MF's impact on the industry was to much less of an extent. I'm not sure if the reason is because of the money issue or parks' real estate concerns, but there are only 2 gigas to date.

I would have liked to have been aware of the energy that surrounded Magnum back in the day. I remember there still being this energy that ran through its queue back in 1999 after MF was announced, but before it was built so I can only imagine how it was 10 years prior.

Hearing the story of the park heads and Arrow engineers waiting anxiously in the station while the first train went up the lift and how they erupted in elation as it made it over the 2nd hill really tells us what ride was more amazing for its time. I mean they didn't have the aid of advanced computers to help design the ride like we do today.

The answer is Magnum.

I was only 8 months old when Magnum debuted so I obviously don't remember. I do remember my cousin telling me about Millennium Force. He told me that it almost went upside down and it only had a lap bar, no OSTR. These were before my roller coaster days so he put these scary thoughts into my mind. Ironically enough, I rode my first roller coaster at Cedar Point with him. After that I remember hearing about MF a lot on TV and on the radio. When Dragster debuted I was 13 but I don't remember hearing very much at all about it. My aunt works at CAA (the Canadian equivilent of AAA) and she gave me a "New for 2003 Top Thril Dragster" CD ROM preview. She told me it was the new ride at Cedar Point. However, at the time I had a crappy computer which would not run the CD so I just put it in my CD rack and never paid attention to it. Last September we got a new computer so I decided to try it out, even though I had already been on it, but it's a great CD, I'm glad I kept it.

Between Millennium Force and Dragster, MF had the bigger media impact on me, since I actually remember hearing about it on TV, radio, word of mouth whereas I didn't hear about Dragster at all on the TV or radio. I wish I would have been old enough to remember the debut of Magnum.

Well I'm not exactly sure, but I don't think people were exactly expecting TTD, like so many people are saying. Yes, MF was a surprise after 11 years, but wouldn't that lead people to believe that their next record-breaker would be about 11 years later...? 3 years later, they shatter the 400 ft. barrier... I'd say that was kind of a surprise.

I don't know much about when Magnum debuted, but I'm sure it was a big deal at the time. And Millennium Force's sheer style wowed people; it's state-of-the-art lift system, angle of descent, height, etc. Top Thrill Dragster, my personal favorite, is just pure power, an amazing coaster to look at, and even more amazing to ride. So my answer is that all 3 coasters have made a huge impact on the coaster world, probably more than any other coaster.

I worked at the park the year Dragster opened! Never being to the park before but being an adrenaline junkie I started my 2003 year off with Magnum, I was pretty impressed. I think it was my first coaster over 200Ft. Then I continued to hang out in the park, a few days had past, I had met another employee who had never riden Millenium so we decided to wait for each other and ride togethor. While the catch car was carryin us away up the hill ( the 20 second ride it is) My partner and I fought back and forth about putting our arms up. Beings neither of us had ridden the ride before we werent sure as to what to expect. I was on the side of the train that was closest to the lake( the better side). We both got to the top and with out saying anything to each other our arms simotaniously went up! Best ride I had ever been on in my life. Sooo I only had one more coaster to conquer. Once again I teamed up with my T.L. (Dan Baker) to embark on the next trip. The tallest,fastest roller coaster in the world(at the time). Both being first time riders we had no clue what to expect. I was hoping for a roll back and hoping to make it over on th first shot. The rollback because I wouldnt to be one of the few one of the proud one of the only ones! I wanted to make it over because I was affraid I was going to **** my pants and not wanna ride it again... Well unfortunatley we made it over... I didnt **** my pants and I was dissapointed. The easiest way to compare TTD to MF is that MF is a better ride. TTD is a better adrenaline rush. Although I think TTD did more for the park because they could advertise "Tallest Coaster in the WORLD" wich they used to the advantage. But Millenium still owns my heart!! (behind the Iron Dragon)

Chris, you know WildCat is your favorite ride in the park

Jeff,

I think you should change the TOS so that people can't say things like, "I was only 8 mos old when Magnum opened." I don't need to hear things like that.

Of course, I'm just kidding....................sort of.

As someone who was around in 1989, and rode Magnum on opening day in 1989, I can say that nothing equaled the excitement generated by that ride. The slogan "Even When You See It, You Won't Believe It" was very true. People were just awed by the look of the ride, and it delivered a ride that was every bit as good as it looked.

There was even an ad in a national boating magazine that sold a brand of off shore speed boat. The boat was floating in front of the Magnum and the ad said "The Ride Everyone's Been Waiting For".

As someone who has been going to CP since 1962, I don't think any summer had as much excitement in the park as the summer of 1989.

Must be hard going 15 days huh Chief? Well, you only have to wait 2 more days and you can go grocery shopping. :)