Cedar Point - Mon-Wed, July 28-30, 2014

"Three days at Cedar Point in July? Are you nuts?" Ha, maybe, but having visited CP numerous times this was an opportunity to take a more leisurely pace, and do vacation-y things in the afternoons like: kick back on the beach, hang out at the pool....or enjoy doing absolutely nothing! Weather was pleasantly cool, temps barely cracked 75 and evenings were actually chilly at around 60. I'll do this one bullet point style.

Rides

• I've really warmed up to GateKeeper. The first "wing over drop" just feels cool (front right for maximum hang effect), the keyholes work well both out & back, and there are headchoppers aplenty on the right side. The lighting package looks spectacular. There's definitely a bit of vibration, doesn't hamper the ride but it's disconcerting for a B&M.
• Blue Streak's been running quite well for years and its 50th anniversary season is no exception. Rode once with someone who hadn't ridden it since the 70s. He agreed.
• Magnum can be an acquired taste, but it's one of my all-time favorites. 6:1 and 6:2 are my go-to seats but the ejector seat (1:3) is worth one go-round each visit.
• Hard to believe Millennium has been around for 15 seasons now. Looks great after last year's repaint. Fast as ever.
• Leaning into the turns makes all the difference on Maverick. In the front row, when you lean & hold on, it really feels like you're riding the ride -- sounds weird I know!
• Took my annual lap (singular) on Mean Streak. Towards the front it's not that bad, but nothing can salvage the utterly boring layout.
• I often forget Wicked Twister exists. Not sure why. Hell yeah Row 15.
• Dragster isn't a huge rush anymore, but at least it's still pretty smooth, unlike Kingda Ka. That view 420 feet up is second to none.
• Even after dozens of rides over the years that dang headchopper on Gemini gets to me every time.
• Raptor is running furiously intense this year. The MCBR is very light on the "B".
• Pipe Scream is a solid flat addition, ended up riding nearly every time I passed by. I'm glad CP went with this seating arrangement vs. the circular Disc-O.
• CEDAR DOWNS! I've had a soft spot for it even before I read about the history and rarity of derby racers. I love the race music....haha. If I'm ever near NYC I gotta get to Playland....hear theirs is much faster.

Food & Atmosphere

• The new Gemini midway looks fantastic. I hope they keep the lights maintained.
• Bluegrass Jamboree is a cool little traveling band that appropriately plays at Frontiertown. Or Maverick.
• Speaking of Frontiertown, glad that it's not being ignored, with the additions of Trail Tavern and the Barnyard.
• Irked that Fun TV means no more 80's music in Magnum's queue.
• The brat carts used to be a good deal: brat, chips, and 12 oz. drink for $6. It's now a 20 oz. drink....but now costs $10.
• Midway Market is somehow cheaper than when I last ate there: $14.79 dinner price. There's no servers anymore, drinks are self-serve Coke Freestyle machines, handy for grabbing a refill on your way out! The food lineup is mostly the same; highlights: brats, italian sausages, carved ham, yummy buttery dinner rolls, sundae bar.
• Pink's is pretty solid, it does taste like a premium product. $8 for a near-footlong dog with onion rings and BBQ sauce isn't that bad.

Odds & Ends

• The new Peanuts handstamps are tacky, but I was always paranoid about the invisible ones washing off, so I actually prefer them.
• They made ride anniversary banners for Blue Streak's, Raptor, Magnum....and even Mine Ride! (45th)
• When walking out the main gate after close it's amusing hearing the dino by Ocean Motion roar constantly at passersby.

Off the Peninsula

• Hotel mini-review: Knights Inn Sandusky off of Rt. 6. Close to the park and away from all the traffic on 250. The bedding and fixtures are older but clean. There is the train nearby, but it's just track (no intersection) so at least you don't hear the horn. Also, part of their continental breakfast is goodies from Jolly Donut. Free wi-fi.
• Chet and Matt's pizza still hits the spot. The dinner buffet has a wide variety of pizza and wing flavors. Great deal too at $10 with a drink. Plus they have a Simpsons arcade cabinet!
• Won $20 playing Keno at Thirsty Pony.

Interesting, you're the first person I've heard who likes the new Cedar Downs music. To me it sounds like the bumper music they play before commercial breaks on ESPN, and seems out of place after the old-fashioned trumpet fanfare. Is it a reference to modern horse races that I'm just not getting?

VT: I don't think it's so much that Playland's Derby Racer is faster than Cedar Downs, but it feels that way since it's in a smaller space and more compact. I rode it two weeks ago.

I'm sure part of it is by association, the new music is all I've known. What was the final year w/ the old soundtrack?

I tend to think Rye's Derby Racer really is considerably faster - I ride CDowns vertically, and lean pretty hard to the inside just to stay on Rye's ride....it could be that they travel the same speed but that Rye's smaller table turns more RPMs, but it seems faster too.

Blackpool's is a *little* faster than CP's if I recall correctly, but pretty much the same ride. I totally love these rides...

Yeah, Derby might be a little faster. I have a hella lot more difficulty keeping position there. So, you're probably right, Gator.

^^^ I could've sworn they just added the cheesy music a year or two ago, but upon googling (and youtubing) apparently it was 2009. I'm not having any luck finding a recording of what it used to be, but it replicated an old-timey horse race being called over the PA.

^Yes, they called it like a horse race...IIRC, Blackpool does the same (only since it's the UK, they run on grass)... ;~P