Cedar Point Closing Weekend 2001

Another fascinating year draws to a close. I didn't spend as much time as I would have liked to at the park this year, but my priorities have been elsewhere.

Saturday was Jeff and Stephanie day, our first anniversary. Champaign in the room, best table at Bay Harbor Inn for dinner. We checked into Breakers Tower at about 5:30. First thing I noticed is that apparently the old portions of the building do not have heat. I guess there's no reason they would, but it was strange taking the walk down that long entrance way like it was outside.

First time in the tower section, oddly enough. We generally end up in the east wing. The suite layout is pretty much the same, with the screened in porch off the sitting room. One thing universal is that the beds all suck, in every section. It's like they got a good deal on mattresses or something, but they're all in terrible shape, and these were only three years old. Middle sinkers. Ugh. It was about 42 according to the thermometer in the Camry, so we were in no hurry to hit the park. Off to our 7:00 reservation.

Bay Harbor Inn is a nice restaurant, the kind of place you can sniff the cork and taste the wine. It's the most silly and pretentious practice I've ever seen in "fine dining." Anyway, the first bottle of wine was gone in no time. The second bottle came just after we got our food. I had this amazing peppercorn steak. My mouth still waters just thinking about it. Very good stuff.

We drove over from the hotel, and after all that wine on an otherwise empty stomach, driving back was not an option with one tied on. We entered the park through the marina gate and headed toward the trail in search of beer to extend the effect of the wine. Red Garter was a zoo, so we kept on moving toward the Fright Zone.

I've been telling people that the Fright Zone is fun when you're 14, or behind a group of 14-year old girls. Add to those conditions some level of intoxication. When your reaction time is slow, the spooks are far more effective.

We eventually made it to Lusty Lil's where two guys were standing there bored out of their skulls. With nothing back there but Mean Streak (running only one train), it was a ghost town (pun intended). We purchased a couple of Canadians and headed up toward Magnum.

At Magnum, we knew that if we waited long enough, we'd run into Dan, and sure enough, we did. We had him snap a photo. Mindy showed up to meet him, and the four of us jumped on Magnum.

Generally speaking, I don't like to ride buzzed because I fear the outcome. Since Magnum is up and down, not upside down, I figured it was safe. The 40 degree weather (probably a wind chill in the teens) would certainly sober me up a bit too.

Wow, it was crazy. It was damn cold. Normally I notice the trims, but I assume they were off with the headwind and temperature. In the second tunnel my brain was trying to catch up my body, feeling somewhere still in the pretzel. By the time we got to the on-ride photo, I finally met up with my body, which was somehow in the natural on-ride photo pose.

That was enough riding for me for the evening. Steph felt the same way. We headed toward the front of the park to catch an elephant ear, then exit the front gate which was pretty close to our car in the Bay Harbor parking lot.

On the way, we ran into Natlie and Jeff (Mantomatic). Nat mentioned Raptor was closed because the track had cracked. Interesting.

We finished the night off with champaign, a dip in the hot tub (where some moronic "aquatic technician" poured chlorine into the water three feet from where I was sitting) and called it a night. Saw my friend Gretchen anchor the 11 o'clock news for one of the Toldeo TV stations. Good to see one of my fellow Ashland alumni making it in broadcast.

I woke up surprisingly not hung-over, but dehydrated as expected. With the extra hour of sleep and all for daylight savings, we expected to go to Friday's for the breakfast buffet, but it never happened.

The plan was to get a few rides, get a spiffy Millennium Force jacket, check the construction and get out. It was about 52, much nicer. We headed to the construction site on the beach and got nice snaps of the Impulse footers. Now they're looking like a ride! We chatted with a couple of nice enthusiasts, the non-20-something appreciates every ride types, and headed to get some fries for lunch. While sitting in the area in the midway, Raptror roaring about, I saw Dick Kinzel on his Sunday walk. He was sporting that very cool Ghostrider jacket that I can't imagine anyone in SoCal would have much use for.

On the way into Raptor, Hooper and Raptor Jo jumped in line behind us, and they explained the track crack was welded, but not smoothly. So I sat on the left side, and wow could you feel it. After we got off, I could spot it on the left rail. It was right at section joint, apparently just on the one section at the point the tie connects to the rail. I'm sure they'll smooth it out and cycle it to death tomorrow.

After that, on to Millennium Force, where we found Jeff marathoning and Natalie on crowd control. We put the park to bed in grand style with that ride. As usual, it was outstanding. It was my last CP ride for the season, but Orlando and IAAPA were just a few weeks away.

We looped around the trail, finally saw the Gemini station in the light (yuck), and headed home.

What I liked so much about the trip was just getting away from reality (namely unemployment) and being with my wife on our anniversary. It's instances like these where you realize that, for many of us, the rides are just a backdrop. The real importance is the place itself, where we share good times and memories. Here's to another great year of them.

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Jeff - Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com
"As far as I can tell it doesn't matter who you are. If you can believe, there's something worth fighting for..." - Garbage, "Parade"

I just got back from there.  I thought the repainted Gemini building was aweful.  Is it confirmed that the new ride is an impulse?

Jeff, since you came back from Cedar Point on closing weekend I almost my self was going but apperently money was a little tight so I decided it would be best to hold off till next season first week in June of 2002. You said it was cold in Ohio it was pretty chilly at Great America also. Maybe you could answer this is it worth a drive for closing weekend at the Point was everything open how were the lines ext becauseI realy wanted to go to Cedar Point this weekend with my girl friend but I guess will have to wait till next year 7long winter moths in lovely Minnesota. I'm thinking its also a Impulse my self.
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18 Parks In the 2001 Season! 111 Coasters in Track Record.

*** This post was edited by The Beast on 10/29/2001. ***

I went on Saturday and it was nice although a few rides were closed power tower, and raptor closed early due to some problems! the lines were not that long MF had the longest wait at (30-45min)but that's to be expected. I went over the check out the construction and some footers are down for the new coaster and that's about it

all clear until next year

Cedar Point did what they do whenever they're open (unlike the competition): They make the last day just like the first. Everything that could be open, barring weather issues (or in Raptor's case, the track problem) was open. Heck, Raptor even opened on Sunday. It was full operation, as well it should be. I didn't see any closures that weren't related to weather.

I guess I forgot to add that Snoopy Bounce apparently got blown away in the wind last week, and Thunder Canyon was closed for the season, because as they learned last year you can't battle the falling leaves enough to keep it open (not that any idiot would ride it in those temperatures).

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Jeff - Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com
"As far as I can tell it doesn't matter who you are. If you can believe, there's something worth fighting for..." - Garbage, "Parade"

I went to the Point for the first time ever on Friday Night and only Magnum, Corkscrew, Iron Dragon, and Disaster Transport were open.... All front row seats with little to no waits. (It was windy and very c-c-cold) I was told Millenium was to be open Friday night but there was ice on the top of it.  It looked like it would be down Sat. along with some others, but it opened up... got on it twice in 20 Mins. all before noon.... Got on all the coasters (even Raptor.. it was open around 5:30 or so Sat. afternoon for a little bit) Longest wait of the day was for Mean Streak which was only running 1 train.  I never expected to get all the coasters in with the weather...but lo and behold it happened.... I waited for years for this trip and The Point didn't dissapoint!  It was a religious experience traveling in on the causeway for the first time.  The pilgrimage led me to mecca and now, more than ever....I'm a believer...Cedar Point Rules!

It was deinitely worth the trip for me on Saturday.  I got at least 10 trimless rides on Magnum with no more than a 5 minute wait, rode MF, Raptor, Mantis (no trim on drop), Blue Streak, Mine Ride, Gemini twice, Space Spiral, Corkscrew, Iron Dragon, and checked out the haunted housed.  Everything except for water rides, Power Tower and Vertigo appeared to be open.  Raptor had problems at the end of the night, but it was up and running with three trains for most of the day.  Magnum was running two trains.  MF was running two and then three in the afternoon.  Gemini dropped to one late that night along with Blue Streak.  Never waited more than 5 minutes for anyuthing except MF which was around 25 minutes.  It was cold, but CP did their best to make sure the people that were there were not disappointed.  This trip convinced me to get a season pass for next year.  It's a long drive, but I can make it at least 3 times a year I think, plus I plan on visiting Dorney next year.

-Matt

Jeff... Were was the track cracked on Raptor?

Near the bottom of the first drop, at the weld between the left rail and tie at the very front of a track section. I'm sure it'll be smoothed out by next spring.

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Jeff - Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com
"As far as I can tell it doesn't matter who you are. If you can believe, there's something worth fighting for..." - Garbage, "Parade"

Dick Kinzel... Not only is he cool, but he also has good taste.
Those Ghostrider jackets are cool. But as Jeff said, its not exactly jacket weather yet.
(MY 400th Post)
Wow. That is a ridiculous amount of posts...

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Montezooma's Revenge Count: 36
Ghostrides: 24

*** This post was edited by CoasterFanMatt on 10/30/2001. ***