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I went to CP with my wife and two of her younger sisters, and we stayed the night at Breakers Express after getting our Season Passes and our first ride on TTD the night before (5/13). We left the hotel at 9:00, and shortly arrived at the CP front gate. There was a fair number of people already there in line, although the majority of them were lined up for the regular entry time. We stayed in the CP hotel, so we had early entry into the park at 9:30. Those lines were not too long when we arrived, and we were actually able to get almost to the front of a newly started line. Fifeteen minutes later the anthem played, the gates went up, and we were inside the park.
Having been told the evening before that TTD would be down the entire morning for commercials, we knew better than to head for that. So instead, we headed for MF, and were in a small minority of folks doing so. Most of the people didn't know TTD would be closed, and were running down the other side of the midway towards it. We arrived at the MF, and within minutes were up into the station. As it turned out, we would have been on the first ride of the day, except that I wanted to get closer to the back as opposed to the middle. So we were on the second ride of the day. When were first got there, they were running all three trains with the dummies in them. Shortly after, the dummies were taken off of the yellow train, and the first passengers boarded it. However, they did not take the dummies off either of the other two trains, so we actually had to wait through both of those trains going through the station before boarding the yellow train again for the second ride of the day. I thought that was a little wierd, but whatever....
MF was awesome as always, and after getting off, we got right back on. We waited for the front, so it was about a 45 min wait. Probably a lot of the pople who had ran over to Dragster and found it closed were now back in line for MF. I have to say, that ride, in the front, was one of the best, if not the best rides I've ever had on Millie, and I've been on it quite a bit. The ride really seemed to be flying, and it was just an awesome ride! My sisters in law had never rode the front before, so they got their first chance to and also really enjoyed it. What a great start to the day!
Our next stop was the Power Tower, and we rode it once in each direction. That was the younger of my sister in law's first time she had braved the ride, so that was cool to see her reactions to it. Approx. wait time for both sides was around 45 mins. While coming off our second ride on it, I noticed a line forming for the TTD, so when we got off PT, we rushed over to join the rapidly growing line.
It was now just after noon, and the line was not yet let into the queues. When they let us in, we filed forward, and stopped in the last section of queues before the ramp up to the station. The ride didn't open right away, but at least we were waiting in line, and not too far back either. After about an hour and 15 minutes we were halfway up the ramp to the station when disaster struck. A train went out the launching point, and just sat there, and sat there, and sat there.... Well you get the point. It became appearant to us all quite quickly that something was wrong.
Thus began the 1 and a half hour wait, in which I got quite sunburned. A number of people left both in front of us and behind, but we stuck it out. The mechanics were out looking at the tracks a number of times, and they tried to get the ride running a few times, but every time it failed again. The mechanics didn't appear to have any idea what was wrong. I set a deadline of 3:00 for leaving the line, and as it became 2:30, I got restless, and was just talking to the girls about if they wanted to leave now. However, shortly after 2:30, they got the ride running again, and elated cheers erupted from those of us waiting in line.
Now that I had waited this long in line, I was resolved to ride in the front. I felt like I deserved it, and I'm sure everyone else who was in line and wanted to ride in the front felt that way too. However, the ride op that was directing people where to go apparently felt otherwise, as I noticed that she rebuffed a number of people in front of us who wanted the front. I can understand the reasoning behind assigning people to seats, especially when the front cue is full and everybody wants it; but the front cue was not full, and even if it was, there is no reason people can't line up along the wall. People do it at other rides there at CP, and other parks even let the line stretch all the way back as far as it can go. Regardless of any of that, I feel that after putting up with that huge delay, and the inconvienence of half a day gone by at CP with hardly any rides on anything, not to mention the TTD being shut down all morning, that some understanding and lenience should be in order, and the rules lightened up on. When it became my turn to go into the station, I was assigned to row 5, and was quite dissapointed. However, having seen other protests be in vain, I did not protest myself. The poor ride op, she was getting so much grief from everyone, I felt bad for her. A number of people just went to the front line when she wasn't looking anyway, and I had seriously considered it. Somebody in line, I didn't see exactly who, complained to a supervisor or someone like that, and the supervisor said that if anyone wanted to go to the front, that the ride op should let them. As a number of people made their way to the front, I hemmed and hawed over what we should do. My wife took charge and pushed me into the front queue, and her sisters followed suit. I think that the poor ride op was almost in tears, and I felt bad for her. But I do feel that being allowed into the front was only right, and was glad to be there.
To make a long story short, after a little more wait, and a very pleasant conversation with one of the ride ops at the front, I rode in the front on TTD. Let me tell you, that was awesome! I thought it was a lot better than the previous night's ride in the back. The wind literally pulled my face back towards my ears, amd the view, albeit brief, was awesome. I was very glad to have ridden the ride in the front, and now feel like I don't have to wory about riding the ride as much in future trips if the line is very long. I've done about the best that can be done on the ride, and it was awesome!
So now it's 3:00, and we've only rode 3 rides, and I'm thinking this will not be one of my better trips to the Point, despite the awesome ride on TTD. However, the lines for the rest of the park were almost non-existent with the exceptions of Magnum, Mantis briefly, and MF, and we ended up riding every ride we wanted to and then some. That included: Raptor, Wildcat, Magnum, Mantis, WT, Mean Streak, Mine Ride, Iron Dragon, DT, Blue Streak, and a couple of flats. What's more, we were able to ride MF two more times at the end of the day. Both rides were in the back, and awesome as can be! Millie sure seemed to be flying faster than I'd ever rode it before that day. Maybe it was just my imagination, but it sure seemed that way. What a great way to end what turned out to be a great trip to CP!
The Dragster broke down a few more times that day after we rode it, but I didn't notice any of the other problems that people here mentioned. Even though the first half of the day left some doubts, it turned out to be a great trip to CP once again. There were a few more interesting tidbits about the day I might throw out later, but for now, I will be done. I hope this proved interesting, and not a waste of your time. I sure would hate to be like that TTD wait was to me! ;-) At any rate, take care all, God bless, and long live Cedar Point!
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