Cedar Point 6/12 and 6/13.

This was my first visit to Cedar Point since 2013. Started the long drive from IL on 6/12 pretty early and were able to get checked into our off site mote and then were inside the park around 3:30. Parking lot seemed full but lines were not bad at all! I was with a Cedar Point with a first timer, wanted to do Blue Streak first but it was down, so ended up doing Windseeker then Wicked Twister. It didnt come back to the station as it was supposed to but we were only stopped for maybe 5 minutes. Besides a breakdown on Maverick later in the day (after we had already waited 30 plus minutes), the day was great and lines were mostly quite short! Below are my impressions of all that I rode, which included ALL major coasters over the course of the day and a half we were there. In no particular order:

Wicked Twister 1x near walk on: Still quite a bit of fun in the front or back.

Raptor: 20 minute wait: 1x: Awesome! My favorite suspended coaster.

Gatekeeper 2x 10 minute wait both times: I enjoyed this more than I remember enjoying it in 2013. I love how smooth it is!

Iron Dragon 1x: 10 minute wait: Eh not too bad...I really dont understand what VR would really bring to this or any coaster however...If I want to play VR I'll do it from the comfort of my home. Why put on a VR headset when your basically doing the thing in real life? Isnt the point of VR to simulate things like being on a rollercoaster? I just dont understand it.

Valravn 2x. One hour plus wait both times. My first ride I really liked it and would rate it an 8 out of 10. I was in the 3rd row both times which I feel does obviously diminish the hanging effect. My 2nd ride was at night to end the day and for some reason it was not NEARLY as smooth as my first ride, despite the fact that I rode in either the same seat or nearly the same eat, 3rd row all the way to the right. Anyone have any ideas on why that seat would be rough one time, and smooth the other? 2nd ride I would only give a 6/10 due to roughness. From what I saw, they were letting fast pass people go straight to the front row while everyone else was stuck with either row 2 or 3. I was not happy about this and its one of my biggest complaints of the trip. Why should fast pass get the front row while the rest of us NEVER do? I could understand if it was completely luck of the draw, where sometimes a fast pass person would get front row, sometimes not, but it didnt seem that was the case. They have to make that go both ways. Unfair.

Millennium Force: 2 x. 20 minute wait on night ride and 40 minute wait on the day ride the next day: I couldnt believe that the wait was only at the bottom of the ramp at 9:45 PM. I guess im just used to going to CP in July or August! Still my favorite, and as silky smooth as ever.

Maverick: 1x: 1 hour 15 mins: When we tried to ride it on day 1 it broke down after we had waited approx 30 minutes. We waited another 20 minutes and when there was no activity, we gave up. Got on it the next day and the wait was over an hour. I feel this ride is really worth it though. Such an interesting and quick layout. This was also the only ride we waited for the front row for as the wait for the front row was only a train or 2 longer than the wait for all other rows at the time we entered the station. A great ride! Possibly my 3rd favorite at Cedar point behind MF and Magnum.

Mean Streak 1x. 30 minutes. : I cant believe I waited 30 minutes for this thing. line was to the end of the tunnel. As boring and rough as ever. Seemed to be a fun crew, but otherwise nothing about this im going to miss when they refurb it.

Corkscrew 1x: 5 minute wait: Meh, its not bad, just so uncomfortable for taller people, which I am.

Magnum: 2x: 5 minute wait, walk on: Amazing! I love this ride. It really should have longer lines, but I guess im not complaining. And I have never really found it to be painful. Forceful, intense, but its never bothered my legs / thighs or anything.

Rougaru 2x 5 minute wait, walk on : This was one of the biggest surprises of the trip! Hated Mantis, LOVED Rogaru! I couldnt believe the line was so short! This thing is night and day better. Layout is interesting and restraints are now comfortable. 1st ride was smoother than my 2nd. First ride I was in the very back on the right. 2nd ride I cant really remember, I think I was near the front. Seemed to be a lot rougher up front, unsure why.

Top Thrill Dragster: 1x: 30 minute wait. Dragster seemed to be constantly going up and down in the 2 days we were there. Got on it on our 2nd day after it was down some in the AM. I think 30 minutes was the shortest I have ever waited for TTD. A great ride, as always. Such a rush. I'll gladly wait 30 minutes for it any day.

Skyhawk / Maxair: 1 x each. Skyhawk was a near walk on, Maxair was 10 minutes. I really enjoy both of these, in fact I cant say for sure which I prefer. Probably Skyhawk.

Cedar Creek Mine Ride: walk on: Enjoyable, not bad. The drop over the lake is cool.

Blue Streak: 1x. Walk on. Decent wooden coaster, a little rough but not bad.

Gemini: 2x. 10 minute wait, near walk on: 1st day it was only running one side but decided to ride anyways. Obviously SO MUCH BETTER when its racing. 2nd day had a great ride while racing, lots of hand slapping and the result was basically a tie. Still one of my favorites when its racing, and I wish they would race it more often. I dont know how may times I have walked by it because it wasnt racing.

Train: 1x. Did a lap on the train to let food digest. I dont remember the last time I rode this, I liked the Skeleton scenes which seemed to all be in good shape and working properly, and I enjoyed the views from MF.

Other thoughts: I dont like the FUN TV stuff. Not sure when they installed this but it wasnt there on my last visit in 2013. They keep playing the same 10 songs over and over again with the same dull trivia questions over and over again. I want them to go back to playing dance music on MF, 80's on Magnum, and Rock on Raptor. Fun TV is lame. Food wise, cant say I ate anything amazing. I did try the hand cut fries Parmesan fries which were not bad, but not great. Definatley NOT Kennywood potato patch good. The 12th was I guess the last day of the Brew and BBQ thing. While I didnt participate, I did walk through the area while it was going on and I have to say it seemd to be popular. It actually looked really decent, and the price didnt seem to bad either! I probably could have had a few beers and some better food than what I pad for a chicken strip basket in frontiertown. If they do this again next year and I happen to be at CP during this event, I will for sure consider it for next time!

Overall, a great trip! Crews seem to be doing a great job, no huge complaints other than what I outlined above, and besides Maverick and Valravn, lines were short! Oh, and weather was near perfect! Got a little chilly at night but nothing unbearable.

STL, but leaving from IL? Where do you live? I lived in Cahokia for 4 years. (I'll withhold opinions until you tell me where you live...)

As for ValRavn, we too have 4 rides, all in the back row. I was a little upset when, after waiting 2 hours in a breakdown situation, the station kid wouldn't even let us wait one train extra for a front row ride, but this is Cedar Point, and I'm not surprised one bit. They do this with many of their new rides during the first year. Look on the bright side, while I have no other rows to compare it to, the back row is a pretty awesome experience. I feel the pullover forces on the drop are most likely much stronger and the hangtime in the Zero-G roll as well.

I currently live in Bloomington IL, so pretty much smack dab in the middle of the state between Chicago and St. Louis. And your right in a sense, I shouldnt complain about the back row on Valravn when I have never eveb rode the front row. Who knows, maybe I would have liked the back row better anyways?