CEDAR POINT

'Cedar Point' is a 364 acre (1.5 km²) amusement park located in Sandusky, Ohio, USA on a narrow peninsula jutting into Lake Erie. It is one of the world's largest amusement parks (by ride count) with 69 rides and currently holds the world record for most roller coasters with 17, one of them being the world's second tallest and second fastest roller coaster, Top Thrill Dragster. The park also has a mile-long white sand beach, two water parks (Soak City and Castaway Bay), two marinas[1], several hotels, and "Challenge Park" featuring attractions such as go-karts and miniature golf. Known as "America's Roller Coast", Cedar Point has been voted "Best Amusement Park in the World" by Amusement Today for the past ten years.
The park opened in 1870 and is the second oldest amusement park in North America after Lake Compounce. Cedar Point is the flagship park for Cedar Fair Entertainment Company (which is headquartered at the park) and, along with Valleyfair, was one of the original parks in the company.
Cedar Point's normal operating season runs daily from early May through Labor Day, then for eight weekends following Labor Day.

Contents

History

Boeckling era

Modern era

New for 2007: Maverick

Roller Coasters

Thrill rides

Water Rides

Family rides

Children's rides

Resorts

Awards

Roller Coaster Rankings

Slogans

Retired Attractions

References

External links

History

In the 1860s, during the American Civil War, a housing for a battery of four field artillery pieces was constructed at the tip of the peninsula to guard access to the Confederate prisoner of war camp on nearby Johnson's Island. When the war ended, Cedar Point resumed its role as a summer picnic area, and the initial park was constructed in 1870. The park provides low cost living complexes for staff.

Boeckling era

In 1899, businessman George Arthur Boeckling spent several decades expanding the park by planting flower gardens, adding a boardwalk and rides, constructing lagoons, and opening several hotels including The Hotel Breakers, which opened on June 12, 1905, and still operates today. He retired in 1931 and died later that year.
Cedar Point continued to expand over the course of the century, adding a series of new rides and roller coasters. In 1929, The Cedar Point Cyclone was built by legendary designer Harry Traver. The Great Depression had an adverse effect on Cedar Point. Edward Smith directed Cedar Point through these hard times. But it did not fully recover until the 1950s when businessmen George Roose and Emile Legros bought the park. When they first bought Cedar Point, Roose and Legros planned on tearing down the existing park and turning it into a residential area. With this in mind, they built a marina and constructed a causeway leading from the amusement area to Sandusky. Once the citizens of Sandusky found out about Roose and Legros' plans, they wrote letters to the governor of Ohio urging him to intervene. With the uproar occurring and the sudden popularity of Disneyland in California, Roose and Legros decided to end their plans to tear down Cedar Point and instead announced their plans to turn Cedar Point into the Disneyland of the Midwest.

Modern era

The park continued to expand rapidly through the next fifty years. Many of its roller coasters were record setters when they opened. Blue Streak, a wooden coaster, opened in 1964 and has given over fifty-four million rides. Cedar Creek Mine Ride opened in 1969 as one of the very first run-away mine train style roller coasters, and one of the first steel coasters. In 1976, Corkscrew was the first roller coaster to turn its riders upside down three times. Corkscrew was also the second-ever coaster to feature a modern-day vertical loop, the first coaster being Revolution at Six Flags Magic Mountain, opening just eight days before Corkscrew. In 1978 Gemini debuted as the tallest, fastest, and steepest roller coaster on earth. In 1989, Magnum XL 200, designed by Arrow Dynamics, opened as the tallest, fastest, and steepest full-circuit roller coaster in existence, as well as being the first full-circuit roller coaster to be taller than 200 feet (60 m). In 1991, Mean Streak opened as the tallest and fastest wooden coaster.
Raptor, designed by Bolliger & Mabillard, opened in 1994 as the tallest, fastest, and longest inverted roller coaster with the most inverting elements. Mantis, also designed by Bolliger & Mabillard, opened in 1996 as the tallest, fastest, and longest stand-up roller coaster with the most inversions. In 2000, Cedar Point and Intamin AG debuted Millennium Force, which at the time was the world's tallest and fastest roller coaster and the first coaster to top 300 feet (90 m) in height. Millennium Force was consistently voted the top coaster in the world until recently, but remains in the Top 2. In 2002, Cedar Point announced Wicked Twister, the world's tallest, fastest and first double-spiraling impulse coaster. Cedar Point continued its record breaking tradition in 2003 with Top Thrill Dragster, also designed by Intamin AG, which features a four-second launch to 120 mph (190 km/h) and a 420 foot (128 m) hill with a 90 degree spiral vertical ascent and a 270 degree spiral on the vertical descent.

Over the years, Cedar Point evolved from a simple amusement park into a full-service resort with numerous hotels and camping areas. Since its inception many people have sunbathed along its Lake Erie beach, but more recently Cedar Point has also added Soak City, an eighteen-acre water park largely surrounded by the path of Magnum XL 200, including more than twelve water slides, two lazy rivers where guests can float on innertubes, a 500,000 gallon wave pool, two kids' areas, an adult pool with a swim-up bar, and plenty of shaded and sunbathing areas. Admission is separate from admission to the park.
Between Soak City and the amusement park is Challenge Park, which has two 18-hole miniature golf courses, two go-kart tracks, and the RipCord, a bungee-style thrill ride.
In 1971, Cedar Point opened the Camper Village, located behind the park, where guests could rent a lot and live out of their campers or RVs while they enjoyed the park. In 2001, Cedar Point opened Lighthouse Point near Camper Village, with individual cabins located between Camper Village and the amusement park, and single-family cottages along the waterfront of the Point. Guests staying at the cottages enjoy views of Sandusky Bay, Lake Erie, the Lake Erie Islands, and the Marblehead Peninsula from their private decks.

New for 2007: Maverick

On September 7, 2006, Cedar Point officially announced the construction of its 17th roller coaster, Maverick. Originally scheduled to open on May 12, 2007, it opened May 26, 2007. It is a sit-down, linear synchronous motor-launched roller coaster. Manufactured by IntaRide, an American division of Intamin AG, it's located in Frontier Town on the former site of White Water Landing, which was demolished in October of 2005. It features a 105-foot (32 meter) LSM-launched lift hill with 100-foot (30.5 meter) drop at 95 degrees (meaning the track on the first drop curves inward upon itself before leveling off), two 360 degree corkscrews, a second mid-course LSM-launch to 70 miles per hour (112.7 kilometers per hour) through a 400-foot (121.9 meter) tunnel, and ten banked turns. Six different trains traverse Maverick's course: Silver, Brass, Copper, Gold, Iron, and Gun metal.^[1]. Amusement Today ranked it the number 1 new roller coaster in the world for 2007.
In addition to Maverick, Cedar Point made improvements to its food service and games lineup for the 2007 season. Chick-fil-A debuted at the former Frontier Inn near Maverick, and Panda Express opened across from the Red Garter Saloon, replacing Trail's End/Dastardly Dan's restaurant. A second 3-Point Challenge game has also been added near Stockade Refreshments in Frontier Town.
Maverick's delayed opening was due to the need to replace three, 40-foot (12.2 m) track sections. Testing revealed that the three sections, which made the heartline roll element, were putting excessive stress on the trains. The heartline roll element was then replaced by an S-curve element before the ride officially opened to the public on May 26, 2007. Cedar Point delays new ride's start Booth John

Roller Coasters

★ 'Blue Streak' - Wooden Out & Back (1964) Philadelphia Toboggan Company

★ 'Cedar Creek Mine Ride' - Steel Mine Train (1969) Arrow Dynamics

★ 'WildCat' - Steel Wild Mouse (1970) Schwarzkopf

★ 'Corkscrew' - Steel Looping (1976) Arrow Dynamics

★ 'Gemini' - Racing Figure-8 on a wooden frame (1978) Arrow Dynamics

★ 'Jr. Gemini' - Steel Kiddie (1979) Intamin AG

★ 'Disaster Transport' - Indoor Bobsled (formerly Avalanche Run and outdoor) (1985) Intamin AG

★ 'Iron Dragon' - Suspended (1987) Arrow Dynamics

★ 'Magnum XL-200' - Out & Back Hypercoaster (1989) Arrow Dynamics

★ 'Mean Streak' - Wooden Twister (1991) Dinn Corporation

★ 'Raptor' - Inverted (1994) B&M

★ 'Mantis' - Stand-up (1996) B&M

★ 'Woodstock Express' - Steel Junior (1999) Vekoma

★ 'Millennium Force' - Out & Back Gigacoaster (2000) Intamin AG

★ 'Wicked Twister' - Launched Impulse LIM (2002) Intamin AG

★ 'Top Thrill Dragster' - Hydraulic-launch Stratacoaster (2003) Intamin AG

★ 'Maverick' - Launched LSM (2007) Intamin AG

Thrill rides

★ 'Chaos' -- A Chance-Morgan designed ride, which made its debut in 1997.

★ 'Demon Drop' - An Intamin AG-designed Freefallride installed in 1983. Four riders are loaded into a single car, which is lifted to the top of a 131 foot tower. The car is then slowly propelled over the edge of the tower, before performing a track-guided 60 foot free-fall drop. The ride was advertised for sale in 2005. No buyer has been found yet.

★ 'Dodgem' - A bumper car hall. The cars currently used in Dodgem where previously used at another Dodgems ride which was removed to make room for Top Thrill Dragster in 2003.

★ 'maXair' - The second-ever HUSS designed Giant Frisbee, opened in 2005. maXair is currently the largest Giant Frisbee in the world. As of last August 2007, maXair has closed for the remainder of the season. The ride was shut down for mechanical reasons. There is no word as to whether it will return for the 2008 season.

★ 'Ocean Motion' - A 43 foot long steel and fiberglass HUSS-designed Pirate Ship, opened in 1981. The manufacturer plaque on the ride states that HUSS is located in W. Germany, as Germany was divided at the time by the Berlin Wall during the Cold War.

★ 'Power Tower' - A combination of two Space Shot and two Turbo Drop tower rides. Opened in 1998 as the tallest drop tower ride in the world. The assembly is 300 feet tall, and was designed by S&S Power.

★ 'Skyhawk' - A 40-passenger Screamin' Swing, designed by S&S Power and opened in 2006. Skyhawk is currently the largest swinging thrill ride in the world.

★ 'Troika' - A HUSS Troika, opened in 1976.

★ 'Witches' Wheel' - A HUSS Enterprise opened in 1977.

Water Rides

★ 'Snake River Falls' - A Shoot-the-Chutes ride designed by Arrow Dynamics and opened in 1993 as the tallest, steepest water ride in the world.

★ 'Thunder Canyon' - A River Rafting Ride ride designed by Intamin AG and opened in 1986. Thunder Canyon was the second ever Intamin AG River Rafting Rides built, and currently is the oldest operating water ride of its type.

Family rides

★ 'Antique Cars' - An automobile track ride designed by Arrow Dynamics. One of three track rides in the park. ★ 'Cadillac Cars' - A second track ride with cars designed to look like 1960's Cadillac cars. Also made by Arrow Dynamics. ★ 'Calypso'- A Mack Calypso ride that spins riders in two degrees of motion. ★ 'Cedar Downs Racing Derby' - The only one of its kind, it's a carousel with horses that move back and forth as well as up and down. ★ 'Cedar Point & Lake Erie Railroad' - A standard train ride around the park. Opened with Cedar Point's expansion in the 1960's. ★ 'Giant Wheel' - A standard Chance-Morgan Giant Wheel that takes riders 100 feet in the air. ★ 'Kiddy Kingdom Carousel' - A carousel just for the younger kids. Located in the kids' section of the park. ★ 'Matterhorn' - A Mack Matterhorn ride that swings riders as it goes up and down hilly terrain. ★ 'Midway Carousel' - The park's main carousel, it is one of the oldest riders in Cedar Point. ★ 'Monster' - An standard Eyerly Monster ride. ★ 'Paddlewheel Excursions (formerly Western Cruise)' - Guests can rent their own paddleboats and take them out on the lake. ★ 'Scrambler' - An Eli Bridge Scrambler ride that is one of the oldest rides at Cedar Point. ★ 'Sky Ride' - A standard aerial chairlift that opened in the 1960's. ★ 'Space Spiral' - An Intamin panorama tower that gives riders a 360-degree view of the surrounding area. ★ 'Super Himalaya' - A Mack Himalaya ride that goes up and down on a hilly track at high speed. ★ 'Tilt-a-Whirl' - A Sellner Tilt-A-Whirl ride. ★ 'Troika (ride)' - A Huss Troika ride. One of 8 rides like it in the United States. ★ 'Turnpike Cars' - The park's third car track ride, it features big 1970's-style cruising cars. ★ 'Wave Swinger' - A Zierer Wave Swinger.

Children's rides

★ 4x4's ★ Balloon Race ★ Bumper Boats ★ Camp Bus ★ Dune Buggies

★ Frog Hopper ★ Helicopters ★ Hot Rods ★ Krazy Kars ★ Lolli Swing

★ Motorcycles ★ Mustangs ★ Old Timers ★ Peanuts 500

★ Peanuts Express ★ Police Cars ★ Red Baron ★ Rock Spin & Turn

★ Roto Whip ★ Sir Rub-a-Dub's Tubs ★ Sky Fighters ★ Space Age

Resorts

The Cedar Point Resorts:
On Park Property

★ Camper Village

★ Cedar Point Marina

★ Hotel Breakers

★ Lighthouse Point

★ Sandcastle Suites
Short Drive From Park

★ Breakers Express

★ Castaway Bay

★ Castaway Bay Marina

Awards

Cedar Point has been ranked #1 park in the world by ''Amusement Today'' for 10 straight years. It is also home to the most top rides in the world. Cedar Point was ranked #3 in the Friendliest Staff category, #5 in the Best Outdoor Night Production category, and #5 in the Best Halloween Event category according to the "2006 Amusement Today Golden Ticket Awards".

Roller Coaster Rankings

The following coasters were ranked by ''Amusement Today'' in 2007:

★ Millennium Force: 2nd

★ Magnum XL 200: 5th

★ Top Thrill Dragster: 9th

★ Raptor: 9th

★ Maverick: 13th
Cedar Point also holds several IAAPA Big E Awards for Live Entertainment productions.

Slogans

★ Early 1900s: "America's Most Beautiful Summer Pleasure Health Resort"

★ Mid 1930s: "Queen of American Watering Places"

★ 1951-56: "The Most Popular Summer Vacationland in the Midwest"

★ 1974-75: "All the places that you wanna go this summer are at Cedar Point"

★ 1976: "Cedar Point, for the time of your life"

★ 1977: "With more rides than ever before, and a lot more than just rides. Cedar Point."

★ 1978: "And share it, with someone you love, Cedar Point"

★ 1979-1985s: "The Amazement Park," while ads featured "Cedar Point is the cure for the summertime blues" (sung as a modified version of the classic Eddie Cochran song "Summertime Blues")

★ 1986-87: "The Cure for the Summertime Blues!"

★ Late 1989-early 1990s: "Get to the Point!"

★ Early 1990s - present: "America's Roller Coast"/"America's Rockin' Roller Coast"

★ 1995: "Real Thrills"

★ 1996: "Get to the Point!"

★ Early 21st century: "Simply Amazing"

★ 2006: "Ride On!"

★ Present: "America's Roller Coast"/"America's Rockin' Roller Coast"/"Ride On!"

Retired Attractions

Among the notable rides and attractions Cedar Point was home to in the past (with their last year of operation):

★ 'Shoot the Rapids' (1981) — a lengthy flume ride with twin tracks. Located in Frontiertown near the train station.

★ 'Mill Race' (1993) — A more compact flume ride than Shoot The Rapids that was located near the main entrance. It was one of the first Arrow Dynamics flume rides opened. This ride was retired after the 1993 season to make room for Raptor.

★ 'Frontier Lift' (1985) — A second sky ride which operated separate from the existing one. It ran from the main midway to Frontiertown. The midway station is now the queueing area of the Iron Dragon, but the Frontiertown station still stands — unused except for its restrooms.

★ 'Avalanche Run' (1989) — Opened in 1985, this ride was enclosed, and rethemed in 1989 as Disaster Transport.

★ 'Jungle Larry's African Safari' (1994) — a zoological attraction with live animal exhibits, including some trained-animal shows. Originally, guests had to walk a long bridge to get there. But once the midway was extended in 1976, part of the lagoon was filled in and the area was no longer an "island", so the Safari ended up sort of tucked in the shadow of the Corkscrew.

★ 'Fun House' (1981) — A creepy 3-story walk-through house. Of particular popularity was the upside-down room (which featured someone in a rocking chair on the ceiling) and the labyrinth room where the floor was at an angle. At the end of the tour was a stairway back to ground level, but kids had the option of exiting via one of three enclosed spiral slides. Replaced with the Kid Arthur's Court play area, which would also eventually be removed.

★ 'Sky Wheel' (1980) — Two smaller ferris wheels mounted on opposite ends of a giant pivoting arm, allowing one wheel to turn high in the air while the other was being loaded. It was located in the middle of the Funway in front of the main entrance.

★ 'Earthquake' (1984) — a dark ride based on the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. This ride formerly operated at Freedomland U.S.A., and was relocated to Cedar Point in 1966.

★ 'Pirate Ride' (1996) — a pirate-themed dark ride located near the Blue Streak queueing area. This ride formerly operated at Freedomland U.S.A., and was relocated to Cedar Point in 1966.


★ 'Sky Slide' (1991) — a huge cyan-colored fiberglass slide located just west of the Main Arcade. Guests had to sit on a burlap mat while sliding down. There were two long steep drops followed by a short dip, and the slide had 15 "lanes" for riders. Unfortunately, the adjacent first-aid station saw many treatments for slide-related friction burns.

★ 'Jumbo Jet' (1978) — a steel roller coaster similar to the Wildcat, but larger and longer. It used individual self-powered cars to run up a spiral lift hill unassisted. The coaster run had some 90° sections, and an ATC-style radar prop rotated up above the ride. The Jumbo Jet had the tallest height requirement in the park at the time. One of several built by Schwarzkopf, CP's Jumbo Jet is now at Beoland in Russia. [2]

★ 'Switchback Railway' (1892) Cedar Point's first roller coaster.

★ 'White Water Landing' (2005) - a log flume built by Arrow Dynamics in 1982 on the former site of Shoot the Rapids. It operated for twenty-three years before it was retired to make room for Maverick. The station and queue are now part of Maverick's queue.

★ Vertigo(Cedar Point) (2002) - An air powered thrill ride that uses three 265 foot tall towers and cable to propel riders over 300 feet. This ride was damaged during a storm and partially collapsed after its debut season. Park management felt the potential for failure of this ride design outweighed the postitive impact made by repairing it for the next operating season.
Former flat rides included:

★ 'Rotor' (1984)

★ 'Tiki-Twirl' (1984) — a Tilt-A-Whirl type ride. Similar to the Calypso except for tropical theming.

★ 'Trabant' (1990) and 'Schwabinchen' (2002) — two rides in which the riders sat on the ends of a round disc-shaped object similar to a flattened cone. The ride motion pattern resembled that of a spinning coin before coming to rest. Theming was different; the Schwabinchen featured a beautiful German tavern dancer in the ride's center, where riders "sat" on the outskirts of the "Lady In Red's" dress, while the Trabant had a disco ball as its centerpiece.

★ 'Bayern Kurve' (1984) — a bobsled-themed ride that ran around an ovoid track.

★ 'Zugspitz'(1966) --a Himalaya-like ride; demolished when Super Himalaya was built in 1972.

★ 'Comet' (1969) --a Hrubetz Round-Up; removed to make room for Trabant/Schwabinchen in 1990.

References

1.


★ Magnum XL-200 Accident

External links

★ Official Cedar Point website

★ Pointbuzz - Cedar Point fan website

★ The Point Online - Cedar Point fan website

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