Boy did we start this trip off with a bang! After a quick, unplanned stop in Kennywood on our first day, and the wonderful day of coaster riding at King's Island on the second, our third and fourth days were to be the main event with a stop at America's Roller Coast, Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio. Sandusky is only about a four hour ride from Cincinnati and so with an early start we were able to make it to Cedar Point by early afternoon, giving ourselves a whole day and a half of ultimate coastering.
For those of you who've never heard of Cedar Point, well it is the Mecca for roller coaster enthusiasts all over the world. It's collection of world class roller coasters of every kind are rivaled by all and beaten by none. This would be my third soiree to The Point and ultimately proved to be my best visit yet to the park.
There are several talking points I'd like to make about our visit to Cedar Point, but for this post I'd like to focus on the coasters. If you're a fan and you've never been, then maybe this post will make you want to get there. Trust me, you won't be disappointed! Take a look at some of the best the park has to offer...
Gatekeeper
Gatekeeper is the second newest coaster at Cedar Point, opening in 2013 to much fanfare. The ride is a the park's wing coaster and is located towards the front entrance. It's structure is imposing, with a cool blue track hovering along the shores of Lake Eerie, slithering through two giant 'keyholes' at the front gate. The ride itself was much more fun than scary, very smooth and definitely worth it. Take a virtual ride...
Millennium Force
Millennium Force is one of my all time favorite roller coasters! It is one of only a handful of giga-coasters and it's one of the best. Giga coasters are ones that reach heights of over 300 feet and this one rises to 310 feet and with spectacular views and an unbelievable first drop of 80 degrees, this one is simply spectacular. We got to ride the thing several times, and I can now say with first-hand experience that it is even better in the dark. This one never lets up on some wicked twists and turns and some great negative G's. Take a ride...
Maverick
When you first take a look at Maverick, you think to yourself that it looks just like an okay roller coaster. It's not very big or tall or anything like that which would whet your roller coaster whistle. But then you ride it and whoah! This is one wicked ride! There are a couple of things about Maverick that make it such a great roller coaster, and judging from the wait time, plenty of others agree. First of all, it is very smooth, and that first drop is a doozy. That is the kicker that sends you off on a wild two and a half-minute ride through twists, turns and of course some wicked loops, starting with a 0-70 mph launch over a 95 degree, 100 foot first hill. The first time Rich and I had gone to Cedar Point, we'd waited most of the day to give it a try because it didn't look impressive and the wait was so long, but once we had ridden it, we'd wished we had tried it earlier. Not so this time. This trip to The Point had us riding the thing several, heart-stopping times. Take a virtual ride yourself...
Top Thrill Dragster
Before there was Kingda Ka, there was Top Thrill Dragster. Ever on the cusp of the newest technology in roller coastering, Cedar Point broke out with this then unique ride way back in 2003 and at the time it was the tallest in the world at 420 feet, only to be surpassed by a mere 36 feet by the aforementioned King of All Coasters. The layout is very similar to Kingda Ka...zooming at high speeds (120 mph) straight out to a towering hill, up and over. The only difference in layouts between these two monsters is that this one does not have another hill after the big drop. The finale is simply straight back..fun still! My pal Gary thinks that this one is better than KK, smoother and more fun. Perhaps! Take a look...
Valravn
Valravn is Cedar Point's newest coaster. It's what they call a dive coaster, that is, one whose train is wide, sitting ten across, over 200 feet tall (this one's 223), and perches at the top of the lift hill, dangling riders perched over the drop for a perilous few seconds before plunging downward into a wild frenzy. The ride opened up in 2016 and stands as the tallest, fastest (75 mph) and longest (3,415 feet) of its kind in the world. Loved it! Take a ride...
Well, that was just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to great coasters at Cedar Point. At the risk of posting too many videos and commentary, I've left out great rides like Magnum XL-200, an old favorite of mine, Raptor, Gemini, Wicked Twister, Rougarou, and more. Check 'em out on YouTube is you so desire. In the meantime, stay tuned for more about our Roller Coaster Road Trip 2017, including a relaxing spot on the shores of Lake Eerie, Niagara Falls and Toronto.
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