Magnum turns 20

So the 2009 season is Magnum's 20th year of operation. Is Cedar Point planning anything special for this event?

Looks like they will be celebrating with a sign over the main entrance and who knows what else. Here is a blog posting about it.
http://www.cedarpoint.com/public/fun/blog/index.cfm?entry=04e8f0eb-...6ca8c0cf76

They will also have a "first rider" sort of thing with donations to the Red Cross on opening day I believe.

20 years old and it's STILL rocking! My first trip to CP was 1990 and the first time I saw it I thought "Now HOW can anything get any taller than this?"

If I knew then what I know now. ;)

-Tina

Funny how time changes things. The coaster that first topped the 200' mark in the U.S. is now the sixth-tallest coaster in Ohio. Must be that whole sinking thing. :)

20 years later and there's still only 33 operating roller coasters in the world that are taller than 200 feet.*

Seems like so long ago and such common thing with rides seemingly getting bigger and bigger, but a coaster standing more than 200 feet off the ground is still a pretty rare thing.

*34 once Diamondback opens next week
*according to RCDB

^I'm just thankful that of those 34, only one is made of wood. Although a wooden out-n-back hyper might not be a bad thing...

I will never forget opening day when Magnum premiered. With very little information to go on (an occasional picture in the newspaper- there was no internet then) we went up to ride the worlds tallest ride. When we hit the causeway we all gasped at how the ride seemed to pierce the sky. And like like you, Tina, we wondered how any other coaster would ever be higher.

Cedar Point wasn't very busy that day, it was freakish cold as I remember, and the wait wasn't bad. We kinda split up, some going for the front and others to the back and wound up on different trains. When we all met up at the bottom of the exit ramp we literally jumped up and down like silly kids at how fantastic the ride was.

I still think so. Happy birthday, Magnum!

Yes, that was one heck of a day. It actually snowed on the way back home, it was May 6th, 1989. I remember that the focus of late night riding shifted from the Gemini to Magnum. They added a DJ booth, you could get in line until midnight on Friday's and Saturday's, people would hit beach balls all over the place, and they eventually built a small set of switchbacks behind the bathrooms to accomodate much longer lines and the entrance was moved closer to Corkscrew. The summer of 1989 was one of the best ever.

Tom

I remember when Beast was the tallest, longest and fastest. 1979. BTW, It turns 30

Isn't Beast at the park that removed a set of Flyers?

Yeah, it is.

Shame that it's the closest major park to my house.

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

Still my favorite steel coaster, and maybe it always will be considering they'll never make 'em like that again.

I remember my first ride ever was in 1996, early evening, DJ was just getting warmed up, total party atmosphere. Was awesome.

Charles Nungester said:
I remember when Beast was the tallest, longest and fastest. 1979. BTW, It turns 30

Feels like just yesterday that we were there for the 25th.

I miss BeastBuzz. :(

Happy 20th and 30th to two of my favorite coasters!

I love how loud the anti-rollbacks are as the train makes it's way slowly the lift, and the awesome view from the top of the first two hills. The turnaround feels so out-of-control. The amazing pops of airtime on the return run makes me laugh out loud every time.

It's definitely one of the greatest coasters ever made. When put it into perspective with every other coaster ever built, I'd say that Magnum is somewhat underrated.

When I arrived at CP in '05 for my job, I actualyy found Magnum by accident. It was my first time at CP, AND I had just completed a 12-hour banzai run from NH.

Needless to say, Magum was my first love.

Dare I say... Magnum sucks! Long live Steel Force! Coaster hills should not have points... let the flames begin LOL

How cool would it be if to celebrate Magnum's 20 years they brought back the original lift hill lights? Anyone else remember those? They looked so cool shooting up and down the lift.

Also I have to agree with LostKause, I absolutely love the sound of Magnum's anti-rollbacks!

I love Magnum now, but I have to admit that I didn't like it the very first year. There was no padding in the seats, it had some nasty slams, the trim brake was at the top of the third floater hill so as soon as you started to float, the brakes would grab and you would get slammed into the harness. There were no upstop wheels, instead the upstop pads would touch the underside of the track at the top of each of those pointy hills momentarily grabbing the train and thrusting everyone forward. Unsuspecting guests who had their hands up, would sometimes get lurched so far forward they would hit their face on the grab bar. I remember hitting the grab bar on my first ride, but fortunately it was minor. However not everyone was as lucky. Occasionally riders would come back into the station with bloody noses and broken glasses.

Then of course there was that one windy day when it got stuck in the pretzel and they had no idea how to get the passengers out.

I followed the news reports closely, and I was concerned that Magnum was in danger of being closed. But by year two they had resolved most of the problems, and it's been fantastic ever since.

Great post that is a very interesting perspective.