Chicago to TTD and back in 22 hours

As a crazy co-worker and I always do a few times a year, we left Chicago at 3:30 in the morning on Saturday May 24th with Top Thrill Dragster on our minds. After the 4 and 1/2 hour drive we arrived at CP at around 9:20. We entered the park ASAP as I knew the line would be quite long. The person in front of us asked how long the wait currently was and was told 2 and 1/2 hours. As we waited, the ride experienced problems a few times, one of which, lasted about 1/2 hour. During the wait in line I learned from the recorded PA message that you must be able to fasten your own seat belt in order to ride. Being a bigger guy, I was getting sweaty as I did not try the test seat. By the way this also goes for Millennium Force. After beating the seatbelt into submission, cause' I sure didn't drive 300 miles to go home without an addition to my track record, we rolled out the staging area. I knew what to expect as I spent some time at Knott's a few weeks earlier. What I never expected was the amazing speed and insane height that this ride delivers! If you can't handle an extreme launch ride, or have a fear of heights, do yourself a favor and just watch from the grandstand.

After lunch at Chet and Matt's pizza in Sandusky proper we headed back the park to take in some other coasters. We were surprised to only wait 1/2 hour for Magnum and 3 minutes for Gemini. We did, however, wait an hour and 1/2 for Millennium Force since there were tons of Freeway riders.

After wandering around in the shops and eating for awhile it was after 9 pm. Time for our second TTD circuit and last ride of the day. TTD is a great daylight ride but even better and more disorienting at night! Leaving the park at 10:00 pm Sandusky time we were off to Chicago and arrived back home at 1:30 am our time...The End

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CoasterBuzz club member 316 says I just kicked your @$$!

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Marky Mark said:
Being a bigger guy, I was getting sweaty as I did not try the test seat. By the way this also goes for Millennium Force. After beating the seatbelt into submission,

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How "big" a guy are you? I am a big guy too, and was wondering if/how much weight I need to lose to fit into TTD...

I am 6'4", 275....

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--George H
---Currency tracking experiment... http://www.wheresgeorge.com (Referring to The "George" on the $1 bill - Not Me)

Last week you said you were 280. ;)

Whats the real weight George? :)

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Arena football has arrived in the Windy City. Go "Chicago Rush"

I am 5' 6", 245 lbs. I saw you at CBuzzCon at SFGAm so i'm familiar with your size. All I can say is that it's all about your upper leg size. The "gut" doesn't matter. If you have smaller legs it's no problem. I saw one guy hang his leg over the side of the car till' he got his buckled, then snuck his leg back in. Whatever works I say. I gotta dump some pounds so I can go on Wicked Twister. BTW I was wearing the CP shirt with Charlie Brown on it. Peace!

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CoasterBuzz club member 316 says I just kicked your @$$!

What, Chitown, is a guy not allowed to lose weight??? Sheesh! ;)

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--George H
---Currency tracking experiment... http://www.wheresgeorge.com (Referring to The "George" on the $1 bill - Not Me)

Flew 600 miles to Cedar Point today only to be disappointed for the first time ever that the seatbelt would not fit me on either Millenium Force!! ...and therefore, not on Top Thrill Dragster or Wicked Twister either... I was told at TTD by one of the greeting staff that the "sample seat" outside TTD was in fact a MF seat, and that the TTD seatbelt is even smaller!! What is INTAMIN (*and* CP) trying to do to this element of park guests? Seems rather discriminatory to me... But more than that, the seat belts aren't adjustable! Look at the trains on Superman: ROS where essentially the trains are identical (with stadium seating) to MF's trains, with the exception, perhaps, of how many cars are in one train ..... on Superman, the front seat of every car has a LONGER seatbelt (at least the one in New England does), and they are ALL adjustable.

This is the FIRST time I've been turned away on MF and it was not a fun experience after waiting 1hr 15 min. in line.... I mean the seatbelt was maybe 1 inch from connecting. As badly as I wanted to ride it, I didn't want to wait 2 hours in line for TTD only to find out I couldn't ride!! Guess this Summer is gonna be one of slimming down, but I visited Park Ops at CP and told them what I thought, plus I'm gonna write a letter to the powers that be about this situation. How much expense would it be to change those seatbelts to adjustable somewhat longer ones? It's not right that larger park guests should be denied the fun of riding, and I'm not talking about very obese people; I'm talking about those of us who are even just a bit larger. There.... I feel better !!!!! I love you, CP, but....... ;-)

Ah yes, I remember the time when MF had far more adjustable seatbelts. This was before they shortened them by making a big pull loop on the ends!

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CoasterBuzz club member 316 says I just kicked your @$$!