Episode 5: Cedar Point (The Coaster Enthusiast's Holy Grail)

My second stop on my week-long road trip was Cedar Point, America's Roller Coast, and what I call the coaster enthusiast's Holy Grail.  I visited this park way back in 1999, but so many roller coaster superlatives had been added since then, it would almost be like a brand-new park for me.  Join me for my first-time reactions to five new-to-me roller coasters at one of the best amusement parks in the world.

Millennium Force theme music credit Cedar Point
Magnum sound effect credit: Coaster Legend - YouTube 

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Transcript

Welcome to episode 5 of Coaster Redux.  My name is Erik and I am a life-long roller coaster enthusiast, but up until lately, I’ve been kind of a lazy one.  Through high school and college in the late 90’s and early 2000’s, I was a full on coaster nerd, then I entered the working world, and I went on a lengthy hiatus, only attending parks every few years.  During the pandemic, I returned to following the theme park industry more closely through podcasts and social media.  When the parks re-opened, I rode some of the new attractions that debuted in my home state of Florida, and my enthusiast flame is now fully re-ignited.  

This motivated me to get outside my bubble and embark on a week long road trip to see how some of the most elite roller coasters in the country compare to my new top two: Velocicoaster at Islands of Adventure, and Iron Gwazi at Busch Gardens Tampa.  I’ve never done anything like this before, but it’s time to get back out there. 

This is the story of my revived roller coaster fandom, and I’m so excited to visit some new parks.   Yesterday, Carowinds was the first stop on my trip, and I got multiple rides in on their top tier coasters.  Of course Fury 325 was the stand-out, and I still had so many more outstanding rides to look forward to at the next three parks.  My next stop would be Cedar Point, home to more roller coaster superlatives than any park in the world.  I had last been back in 1999, but so much has been added since then, it would almost be like a new park for me.  My journey will then take me back south to Kings Island, and finally to Dollywood.

I know as a roller coaster fan that one of my favorite parts of the hobby is getting the reaction of somebody coming off of a ride they’ve never ridden before.  That’s what I want to share with you.

And with that, roll into my return to the legendary Cedar Point, right here on Coaster Redux.  

I awoke to another picture perfect morning in Charlotte, NC.  This Monday after Father’s Day would be my second travel day on the trip.  I had 574 miles and roughly 9 hours between me and Sandusky, Ohio.  Fully caffeinated, I loaded up my car and headed north.  The drive would take me up Interstate 77 through West Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains.  The terrain was stunningly beautiful.  The road weaved around sharp mountain peaks that seemed to rise almost straight up.  I didn’t really realize how high I had climbed until it was time to descend.  I don’t think I have ever driven downgrade for so long.  It seemed like I didn’t touch the gas pedal for hours.  I passed through two tunnels that were blasted right through mountains that stood in the road’s way.  There were huge bridges that crossed deep gorges, and the gold dome of West Virginia’s state capitol glistened as I passed through Charleston, nestled between mountains with the Kanawha River passing through its center.  This drive was such a pleasure, and the scenery made the miles and time pass quickly.

The terrain eventually levelled out, and I exited the highway onto Milan Road, a long, straight route through open fields leading into Sandusky South.  I was still a few miles from Cedar Point, yet as I approached my hotel I could see the blue lift hill of Millennium Force way off in the distance.  

My hotel for the next two nights would be a Marriott Fairfield.  It was another brand new hotel, and it was only about a ten minutes from the park.  I recognized the parking lot of the Wal-Mart next to the hotel as I flashed back to my first visit to the area over twenty years ago.  I had bought the Smash Mouth CD in that Wal-Mart the night before my first time going to Cedar Point.  All Star and Walking on the Sun were stuck in my head that day, and forever remind me of my first visit to the parkl.

I settled in for the night, and of course my mind was racing with anticipation for the next day.  Cedar Point had six roller coasters that I had yet to ride: Millennium Force, the first coaster to break the 300 foot height barrier, Maverick, the much loved yet downtime-prone Intamin blitz coaster, B&M’s Gatekeeper wing coaster, and the Valravn dive machine, and of course the legendary Steel Vengeance, RMC’s conversion of the massive Mean Streak wood coaster that ranks #1 for so many enthusiasts.  The sixth is Top Thrill Dragster, the first coaster to exceed 400 feet tall.  Unfortunately this ride is closed for the entire 2022 season, so I would miss out on riding this coaster, just as I did with Kingda Ka, it’s slightly larger cousin, which was also closed when I went to Six Flags Great Adventure.  No matter, I still had plenty to be excited about in the coming day.

I awoke the next morning to more sunshine and clear skies.  I have been so lucky with weather thus far on the trip.  I headed to the park with a fresh cup of coffee in hand.  The roads leading up the Cedar Point Causeway are unassuming.  You can’t really see the park because of trees and buildings that could be part of anytown USA.  There’s a sign for the park, and the Cedar Point Express hotel is off to the left, as are the employee dorms.  It all looks pretty unremarkable, and then the trees clear, and the causeway extends outward over Lake Erie, and ahh, that skyline.  It’s all there, and it’s spectacular.  I can’t imagine this moment ever gets old, even for those who are lucky enough to frequent this park.

I parked my car, and made my way towards the entrance.  I paused for a second to take a video of Gatekeeper as it gracefully rolled through the keyholes above the gorgeous new entry plaza.  I’m finally here at Cedar Point!  The sign welcomes ACE CoasterCon to the park.  I knew they would be here when I booked the trip, and hoped it wouldn’t be too crowded.  Then I figured ACE would be smart enough to schedule their annual convention during best time to visit, so I rolled the dice and went with it.  I also planned the next day to be a “swing day.”  I only had 3.5 hours to drive to Kings Island, so I could spend a few hours at Cedar Point in the morning if I wanted a few more rides.

Cedar Point’s new moniker is “A Place Like No Other.”  I like it, and it’s undeniably true.  The atmosphere walking into the park is electric.  The midway is perfectly landscaped, and record-breaking roller coasters surround the path.  The likes of Gatekeeper, Raptor, and Valravn are all tempting, but I’m late for a date with a lady in blue named Millie, so I head back and to the left for my first ride of the day.

Back in 2000 when Millennium Force debuted, the hot debate online was whether it was better than Superman: Ride of Steel at Six Flags New England.  Both rides would take the crown in Amusement Today’s Golden Ticket awards numerous times over the years, and still rank closely today.  While Millennium Force is the taller, faster, and longer ride, many prefer Superman for its intensity and airtime, calling the giga “Millennium Forceless.”  As an Intamin fan, my 22 year wait to settle this debate for myself was finally over. 

I had seen so many pictures and videos of this roller coaster over the years that it almost felt familiar as I approached.  Hey Millie, nice to finally meet ya.  I love the way the ride’s queue is surrounded by its final bunny hill and overbanked turn.  The look and sound of those classic Intamin trains immediately transported me back to my first rides on Superman.    The trains rush overhead, and slam into the brakes with astounding kinetic energy.  Riders on the trains put on a show for those in line still waiting for their experience.  This exchange of adrenaline sets the vibe for the ride to come.

The wait time was supposed to be 45 minutes, but I think I was on in 20.  I had never heard the station music before, but it fit the Y2K tech feel of the ride to a T.  Some of the ride crew are dancing to it while the trains dispatch.  They were assigning rows and I was towards the back for my first ride.  While the B&M hyper trains with clamshell restraints are nice, nothing compares to these.  You sit down low and very close to the track.  It’s like riding in a go-cart.  The lap bars are small, and they aren’t ratcheting, so they’re set at the perfect position for every rider.  

Just like at Carowinds, the crews are hustling trains out rapid fire, and they are enforcing the same sunglass policy where you need a neck strap to wear them on the ride.  Instead of keeping them on, I’m instructed to hang my sunglasses inside the neck of my shirt.  Really?  That’s more secure than having them on my face?   Anyway, I’m seated now with my lap bar checked, and that lift hill seems to pitch straight up out of the station.  The cable car engages, and we’re ascending at an amazing speed with stellar views of the lake and surrounding park.  This is it.  The world’s first giga coaster, and now my third.  The top is approaching quickly, and I’m so ready for this.  My hands were up as I left the station, and I lifted out of my seat down that infamous first drop. Then the positive G’s come on hard as the ride heads upward into its first overbanked turn.  Back in 2000, these elements were something super special and unique, but now they’re commonplace.  You then descend again and bank hard left into a tunnel before entering the first camelback.  It’s wonderful sustained floater airtime.  Not ejector like Superman, but it’s still a good long outta your seat moment.  Then it’s all about low to the ground speed as the ride traverses two more overbanked turns on its island in the center of the park.  A second, smaller camelback provides more of the same sustained floater, then you rocket into a second tunnel and scream past the station, doing your best to put on a show for the guests waiting in the queue below.  The train twists through the final overbank and silently comes to a stop in the final magnetic brakes.  

So Millennium Force was exactly what I expected.  It was not overly intense, though the positives after the first drop and overbank are pretty strong.  The rest of the ride is just so much fun.  The trains really make it.  They’re so comfortable and compact that you really feel that speed through the layout.  Maybe I wish Intamin had profiled those camelbacks just a little differently to provide more ejector airtime like Superman, but then maybe I don’t.  I really like this ride just as it is.  Is it better than Superman?  Tough call.  They’re very different, and I think that’s a good thing.  When I rode later, I overheard another guest sum it up perfectly: It’s two minutes of pure bliss.

Feeling warmed up for the day, I headed across the midway to Rougarou.  I rode this coaster as Mantis with stand-up trains in ’99 and really liked it.  The layout features some unusual elements, including an inclined loop, a vertical loop that leans to the side, and some very whippy transitions between banked turns.  In 2015, the ride received floorless trains, a new paint scheme, its new name.  This is a very pretty roller coaster with its twisting orange track placed mostly over water.  There was no wait, so I walked right on and selected the back row.

The first drop is great.  I love a straight first drop on B&M loopers.  The vertical loop is smooth, then there’s a bit of a rough patch through the dive loop.  Rougarou then banks through a helix above the station, and heads into the inclined loop.  It’s a completely unique sensation with solid whip.  The rest of the layout features a mid-course brake, a single corkscrew, and those excellent sharp banked turns.  A lot of enthusiasts don’t care for this ride, but I think it’s still pretty smooth, and rides much differently from other B&M’s.  I certainly preferred it to Green Lantern at Six Flags Great Adventure, a similar layout still running as a stand-up.

I made my way towards the back of the park along the Frontier Trail.  This section is well shaded and beautifully themed to the Old West.  Like Carowinds, Cedar Point offers complimentary water at every food and beverage location, so I took advantage of this walk to stay hydrated.  I entered Frontier Town, and they have given this section of the park a lot of love since my last visit.  The whole area around the new Farmhouse Kitchen & Grill is magnificent, but I couldn’t help but admire two of the roller coasters I was most looking forward to on this trip, both themed to outlaws who inhabited this western town.  Maverick hightails it around its final turn over the water next to the pathway, and massive wood structure of Steel Vengeance dominates the area.  Maverick’s wait was posted at 60 minutes, so I walked across the train tracks to find Steel Vengeance would only be 35 minutes.  Sweet!  I emptied my pockets into a locker, just like the ones at Carowinds, and proceeded into the queue.

Now I’ve talked about the hype factor for a number of roller coasters on this podcast, but none can match Steel Vengeance.  What is there to say that hasn’t already been said?  It’s the longest steel hybrid coaster out there, and Iron Gwazi only took the record for the tallest by one foot, and the steepest by one degree.  What SteVe has over Iron Gwazi is two additional inversions and 1700 more feet of track, including a final lap around the course completely contained within the structure for some incredible looking visuals.  Beyond that, this coaster is ranked #1 by so many enthusiasts, I couldn’t contain my excitement.

The line moves along quickly, and I’m finally climbing the stairs into the station.  I hear that familiar sound as RMC’s ridiculously loud anti-rollbacks do their thing as the trains are pulled up to the top of the world’s first hyper-hybrid. Riders scream and whoop with excitement as the ride barrels down that vertical plunge.  Trains are flying overhead in a tangled mélange of burgundy steel and Southern Yellow Pine.  I’m at the top of the stairs now, and it’s time to board one of those western themed wagons.  

I’m placed in the middle, and I don’t care.  I’m finally riding Steel Vengeance!  Seatbelt buckled.  Lap bar lowered.  The operators didn’t push them down, so there’s ample room to levitate.  The ride leaves the station and makes an about face before two quick hops and we’re on the lift.  Lake Erie stretches to the horizon on the left, and the rest of Cedar Point is to the right in all its glory.  The front car starts to fall away.  Hands up, and I’m looking straight down and completely out of my seat!  Then it’s a speed hill for a quick ejector pop before the two massive outer banks on Steel Vengeance’s second and third hills.  I have never experienced such prolonged airtime, but SteVe is only getting started.  The next few elements over the station were so disorienting I didn’t know which way was up, or how many times I went upside down.  Then you blast back out into the infield and hit the ride’s strongest ejector moment, a banked hill that turns left into the mid-course.

There’s not much of a pause before Steel Vengeance plummets to the ground again and makes another complete circuit around the layout, narrowly missing wood beams as it hurdles through heartline rolls, overbanks, under banks, outer banks, and you can take it to the bank that this ride is mental!  The final approach to the brakes includes six mini airtime hits like the finale of Twisted Timbers.

So, I needed a moment to collect myself.  I don’t know what had just happened.  Steel Vengeance is so intense, so disorienting, and it’s everything a great roller coaster should be.  It’s got a phenomenal first drop, and an incredible layout with more airtime than any coaster I have ever ridden.  It’s long, intense, and perfectly smooth.  I loved it, yet, I was not blown away.  Maybe it was overhyped?  Maybe it’ll grow on me like Fury did.  No matter what, I’m gonna take SteVe for a few more rides, because this is an absolutely outstanding roller coaster, and I need to get a better feel for it.

I left Steel Vengeance, and paused in the gift shop.  They had sunglass straps!  I bought one, and then headed over to Maverick.  The posted wait time was 45 minutes, and I stepped into the queue, but it was slow moving, and we weren’t even in the shaded area.  I was roasting in the Ohio sun, and I wasn’t feeling it.  I was thirsty, and wanted to try and pack in a few more rides before waiting in the longest line of the day, so I figured I’d head to the front of the park to ride the two new-to-me B&M’s.  I walked along the main pathway and saw that Magnum only had a 5 minute wait, and of course I wanted to ride this groundbreaking coaster again.

Magnum XL-200 absolutely oozes nostalgia.  It was a landmark roller coaster for me during my last visit to Cedar Point because I got over being afraid of these big drops, and left the park loving this ride.  Then there’s everything else about it.  The trains, the station, that Arrow lift hill sound.  It’s so 80’s fabulous, and I love it.  I walked into the station and only had to wait one train.  I hopped in the middle row of the last car, and with about a half-full train, rolled out of the station.  Again, like Carowinds, Cedar Point was running every available train on all the coasters.  Magnum had three trains on the track even though there was no line.  Props to them on that.  

Magnum is still a great ride.  Sure, it’s an Arrow, and some of the transitions, especially in the pretzel turnaround are a bit janky, but I still had my hand up the whole time and enjoyed every second.  I probably would have jumped on for another ride, but as we stopped in the holding brake, I looked over and saw another train stuck on the lift hill.  We had to wait a few minutes to be able to disembark, and the ride would be down for much of the day.

On my way to the front of the park, I had to stop and marvel at Top Thrill Dragster as I passed.  I can only imagine how great it would have been to ride this coaster today, along with everything else.  I mean, it’s a full 100 feet taller than Millennium Force, and the hydraulic launch is supposed to be so intense.  Bummer it’s closed.  Being known for technical issues, and having caused a serious injury last season, its future is uncertain.  Hopefully it’ll reopen and I’ll get back up this way to ride it.

I approached Valravn and it was also closed for a mechanical problem.  Guess the maintenance crew have their work cut out for them today.  So I continued all the way to the front of the park to ride Gatekeeper.  This would be my first wing coaster, and I loved the impression this ride makes as it gracefully loops over the park entrance.  It really is a very pretty roller coaster.  The area around the ride is definitely a dead spot in the park.  It felt completely deserted.

As I walked into the queue, I overheard a team member at the bottom of the stairs tell some other guests that train 2 runs the fastest.  I walked up the stairs into the station, and there was train 2 waiting for me.   I wanted to ride back row left so I would twist upward before the first drop, but I ended up on the right side because I didn’t take into account the turnaround before the lift hill.  Oh well.  I would be surprised if there were ten people on the train.  I did not have to wait at all for the back row.  Gatekeeper would also be my first B&M with their new vest restraints, and I’m not sure how I feel about them.  On the plus side, there’s nothing to bang your head on, but the downside is that they keep you pretty well planted into the seat, so you can’t levitate with negative G’s.  

Properly secured, I glided out to the lift hill.  At the top, I slowly twisted downward and accelerated through the first drop.  There is a noticeable rattle on this ride, and it really doesn’t have any strong forces.  There is no whip at all, despite the wide trains.  The near misses with the key holes are cool, but that’s about it.  I got back on and rode on the other side since there was no line, and while the first drop was a little better when twisting over the top, this ride was not on train 2, and the rattle was much worse, bordering on uncomfortable.  Gatekeeper is honestly more fun to watch than it is to ride, which is a shame, considering the size and price tag for this attraction.

With three of my new credits checked off the list, it was getting on lunch time, and I kept hearing about this Ohio institution that had recently added a location within Cedar Point: Melt Bar & Grilled.  It’s an artisanal grilled cheese restaurant with a sports bar vibe, and I was looking forward to sitting down and enjoying a meal in air conditioned comfort.  The whole place is filled with Cedar Point memorabilia, and their logo is based on the old Mean Streak’s.  I bellied up to the bar, ordered a beer and checked out the menu.  There were so many grilled cheese options that looked great: Cheese Steak, Monte Cristo, Meatball, Italian, but there was only one choice for me: Buffalo chicken.  Melt was the first time on my trip thus far that I noticed any evidence of staffing challenges.  The young man working the bar was hustling and clearly underwater.  He commented that he’s not even a bartender, but he was doing his best.  I hate seeing people in this situation.  Soon enough, my sandwich came out and it was awesome!  Theme park food tends to be basic burgers, hot dogs, chicken fingers and pizza.  Maybe barbeque or tacos if you’re lucky, and none of them are done particularly well.  It’s really nice to have a full sit-down experience within a park with good quality food.  I’ll echo what so many have said before.  When you go to Cedar Point, you have to eat at Melt.  I left an extra generous tip for my server, and headed back out into the heat.

I made my way across the path to Raptor.  This classic B&M invert is placed right against the midway and puts on a phenomenal aerobatic show as it roars through its course.  This was one of my favorite coasters at Cedar Point back in ’99 and I was excited to see how it was running today.  I waited about 15 minutes, and hopped onto the back row right.  The ride remains forceful and fun.  I really like the first drop that only turns 90 degrees then has a mostly straight first plunge which is unique among inverted coasters.  The layout is filled with strong positive G’s and snappy inversions and is still pretty darn smooth.  What’s up Gatekeeper?  Raptor was built in 1994 and there ain’t no rattle here.  I would love to know if the older B&M’s are somehow built differently than the newer ones, or use different wheels, because to date, I’ve never ridden an older one with a rattle.

My next stop was Blue Streak, Cedar Point’s only remaining wood coaster.  As part of their convention ACE had bestowed their Roller Coaster Landmark designation onto Blue Streak the day before my visit, and it was cool to see the shiny new sign next to the entrance.  This simple out-and-back ride is very well cared for.  It had fresh paint, and ran smoothly.  There are several moments of decent floater airtime through its hills, and I always enjoy a classic wood coaster that is properly maintained.  

Valravn was still closed, so I returned to the back of the park to try and get on Maverick, and take another lap on Steel Vengeance.  Again, Maverick had the longest wait in the park at 60 minutes, but SteVe was only at 20, so of course I took another spin, this time in the back row.  I liked it a lot more on the second ride.  I had more of an idea of what was happening, and what was coming up.  My favorite section is the part that takes place over the station with the upwards barrel roll and the zero-G stall in the structure.  The visuals are amazing, and I still found it disorienting.  The train treats riders like clothes in a washing machine, just tossing them every which way.  Like Twisted Timbers, I didn’t really care for the quick airtime hits in the finale before the brakes.

After my second ride, I was pretty high on Steel Vengeance.  So was it better than Iron Gwazi?  My head said yes.  It’s so long, and has so many different elements.  The airtime is relentless.  But then my heart said no.  I couldn’t put my finger on it, but I just felt like I enjoyed Iron Gwazi more.  I’m not sure why.  

Now with two rides on Steel Vengeance under my belt, I headed next door to Maverick to suck it up in the queue.  At least now the whole line was under the covered pavilion.  This was one of my most anticipated roller coasters of the trip.  Y’all know I’m an Intamin guy, and this one gets consistently high marks from enthusiasts.  Plus it’s super unique.  Unlike most Cedar Point coasters, Maverick has no record breaking statistics.  When it opened in 2007, it was advertised as emphasizing low to the ground speed, like an outlaw on a horse being chased through the frontier.  The ride stands a paltry 105 feet tall.  The coaster includes a wacky LSM lift hill leading into a beyond vertical drop, two inversions, and a twisting layout through rockwork and water features.  It’s known for strong airtime and whip, and has an intense second launch in a tunnel.  Sounds like my kind of ride!

The majority of the queue is shaded by a wooden pavilion.  The line moves slowly.  Maverick operates six trains, each seating twelve riders across three cars.  These tiny trains enable the coaster to better navigate sharp changes in direction, but the ride’s capacity suffers as a result.  In the station, two trains are loaded simultaneously.  I was assigned row 4 left in the second train, and I was ready to saddle up..  The seats are the same as Intimidator 305.  There’s a lap bar that pulls down from above with a vest restraint.  Operators move quickly, and we finally roll out of the station. 

The train ahead does a giddy up the hill while we wait our turn at the bottom.  Anticipation is mounting.  We start moving forward, and then Maverick cracks the whip.  The train is moving upward faster than a cable lift, but we’re still only at a gallop.  The view of Lake Erie is stunning.  It’s right there.  So close.  Time to let go of the reigns, and let Maverick do its thing.  Hands up!  

Even in the middle of the train, you are ejected down the 95 degree drop.  Then it’s a hard pull to the right, and we’re sidewindin’ hard through three intense banked transitions with an insane ejector airtime hill squeezed in between.  Like Devo said, Whip it good.  Maverick then charges into the twisted horseshoe roll, a pair of back to back corkscrews with a hard banked turn in between.  Then it’s woah, boy as the ride enters the launch tunnel and slows to a crawl.

It’s dark, and there are caution signs.  I think they’re blasting.  Like a spooked stallion, Maverick lit up outta there at 70 mph, turns left and gradually ascends a lightly braked hill, before turning downwards over a lagoon.  Next comes a relentless assault of overbanked turns and one final ejector airtime hill before hitting the brakes.

Whoo doggies.  I guess Cedar Point was right.  The old west was never this wild.  I’m disoriented after everything that just happened, but I’m durn sure I love this ride.  Maverick has it all.  Airtime, whip, launches, and inversions.  I need to ride again, but I’m stuck sitting on the brake run.  Something’s up.  The minutes tick by and I’m still stalled on the train.  These seats are comfy enough for the ride duration, but the seating position is pretty straight up, and sitting here for more than an few minutes is becoming uncomfortable.  Apparently for the second time today, I got the last ride before a breakdown.  I would bake in the sun for about 15 minutes before the crews were able to disembark us.

Bummer.  This coaster is known for downtime, but it’s also just so darn good I really want to ride a few more times to get a good feel for it.  With only one ride on Maverick, I can’t really give it a proper ranking because there’s so much happening so quickly.  As I walked down the exit path, an employee apologized for the delay and handed me a piece of paper.  It’s a skip the line pass! And it’s good for any ride in the park.  That’s some great customer service.  Way to turn a negative into a positive!  For only 15 minutes of inconvenience, I felt like Charlie getting the Golden Ticket.  I was going to use that pass for another ride on Maverick come Hell or high water.

By this time, I only had one new credit remaining, Valravn.  As I headed for the front of the park to take on the B&M Dive Machine, I decided to stop for a quick ride on Iron Dragon.  It was a walk on.  This is the only Arrow suspended I have ridden to date, and I love the swinging sensation.  This is a fun coaster with most of its layout hidden in the woods, and a great twisting finale over water.  The best moment is that last swing into the brakes.  I would love to have ridden Big Bad Wolf at Busch Gardens Williamsburg, and this got me excited to try out the Bat at King’s Island tomorrow.

The line for Valravn was also 45 minutes.  I get why.  This roller coaster is visually stunning.  Its vertical drop and three inversions are placed right against the main midway, and you can walk under most of the layout.  The color combination really pops.  It’s copper colored track with blue supports and silver on the spine is truly a work of art.  Like most dive coasters, it features extra-large B&M track, and watching those 8-across trains pause hanging over the edge of the drop, and then twist gracefully through the course is eye candy perfection.  Valravn is a magnet for the general public, and despite its high capacity, the wait was still one of the longest in the park.

As I entered the station, the crews were really hustling.  I was hurried onboard and with the vest restraint in place, I glided out of the station, and engaged the steep lift hill.  The view from the top of Valravn is undoubtedly the best at Cedar Point.  The whole park is visible with the lake stretching endlessly ahead.  The train pauses in that classic “Don’t Look Down” moment, then plunges.  What’s not to love about a vertical drop?  The rest of the ride is a slightly longer version of ShieKra and Griffon with an Immelman, brake run with a second vertical drop, a dive loop, a zero-G roll kinda thing, and finally a camelback hill before a turn into the brakes.  Sure, it’s fun, but of the three dive coasters I’ve ridden, it just doesn’t pack much of a punch.  There’s no whip at all.  The elements are graceful, floaty, and glass smooth.  The vest restraints keep you much more secure than B&M’s original shoulder restraints.  Valravn is a looker for sure, but the ride experience lacks substance.  If the line wasn’t so long, I would have ridden a few more times, but it was never less than 45 minutes all day, so once would have to do.

I got another ride in on Millie, and then headed back to Frontier Town to see what was going on with Maverick.  It was still closed.  No test trains were running, so time for ride number three on Steel Vengeance.  It was about 6:00 pm and starting to cool off a bit.  The crowds seemed to be dropping off.  I only waited about 20 minutes and sat towards the front this time.  I had my hands up, as I always do, and SteVe hauled through the first half of the ride, and I was digging it.  Then on that insane airtime hill before the mid-course, something changed.  My thighs were actually hurting from all the airtime.  By halfway through my third ride of the day, I was done.  I didn’t need any more RMC ejector.  I was ready to get off.  I rode a bit defensively through the second half of the ride, and as I walked down the exit ramp, I had my mind made up.  The actual ride time lasts one minute and 22 seconds from the top of the lift hill to the final brake run, and Cedar Point advertises that Steel Vengeance features 30 seconds of airtime.  That means that more than one third of the ride duration is spent with your thighs pinned against the lap bar.  For me, it was too much of a good thing.  It’s like having one drink too many.  It’s not like I marathoned it or anything.  I got three rides on it spread throughout the day, and that was enough.  Don’t get me wrong.  Steel Vengeance is an incredible roller coaster.  It’s an enthusiast’s dream.  I loved it, but I’m going to go ahead and say it, Iron Gwazi my favorite RMC to date.

I decided it was time to wrap up for the day, and what a phenomenal day it was!  The weather was perfect, and the rides were amazing.  Cedar Point continues to be the coaster enthusiast’s Holy Grail.  No other park I’ve been to has such a stellar collection of roller coasters, and the location and vibe really make the park special.  It truly is a place like no other.  I got a total of 16 rides in for the day.  Four on Millennium Force, 3 on Steel Vengeance, two on Gatekeeper, and one each on Maverick, Magnum, Raptor, Rougarou, Blue Streak, Iron Dragon, and Valravn.  I’d call that a successful day of coaster riding, with one exception.  I needed a few more rides on Maverick.

I would use the first part of tomorrow, my Wednesday swing day, to come back and ride Maverick again, and then make the three and a half hour drive to Kings Island.

I retired to my hotel, grabbed a steak dinner from the Long Horn across the street, and passed out hard after such an epic day.

The next morning, I awoke, cleaned up, and packed up my car.  I looked in the mirror, and a half smile broke across my face, and I chuckled to myself.  I got some unfinished bidness to attend to in Frontier Town, and I hoped to have it dealt with before high noon.  I arrived at Cedar Point just after opening, and skedaddled to the back of the park .  My plan was to wait in line for my second ride on Maverick, then use my skip the line pass to take a second one rapid fire.  

Once again, the posted wait time was 45 minutes, and I waited every bit of that.  I was fortunate to be seated on the first train out of the station in the back row right.  Sweet!  The first drop was even better in the back.  The airtime is ejector to the max.  Everything about this ride is awesome. The ride op on the mic clearly had some bias.  As we returned to the station, he thanked us for riding the best roller coaster at Cedar Point.  I smirked, and walked down the exit.  I then took my skip the line pass to the Fast Lane entrance to ride again.  The attendant told me that I needed to walk back through the gift shop and up the exit ramp to redeem it.  So I did an about face and returned to the exit platform.

I handed my pass to the same guy who called Maverick the best ride in the park.  Before boarding the next group of guests, he told me to hop into the back row right.  “It’s the best seat on the ride,” he said, and after two rides in a row in that seat, I agree.  Maverick is my favorite roller coaster at Cedar Point.  And that’s saying a lot.  I love the mix of elements.  Launches, airtime, inversions, tunnels, positive G’s, whip, and a gorgeous setting.  It’s like a love child between Velocicoaster and Intimidator 305.  The only thing I would change would be if Maverick had the same trains as Velocicoaster.  Riding it with just a lap bar would be absolute perfection.

I had two more things to do before leaving Cedar Point.  I wanted a souvenir shirt, and after declaring Maverick my favorite ride in the park, I picked up a black long sleeve T-shirt with the coaster’s first drop profiled.  I was also looking for a poster or wall hanging.  I had bought a park map poster on my first visit back in ’99 and I wanted something along those lines.  In the main gift shop at the front of the park, I found a print of a painting of the Cedar Point skyline.  Perfect!  I made my way out of the park and back to my car.  I was now halfway through my road trip.  I still had two parks to visit, so I left Cedar Point in my rearview, feeling immensely satisfied with my time there, and hit the road bound for Mason, OH.  

The second half of the trip would be on a more condensed schedule.  My plan was to go straight to Kings Island to get some rides in before tomorrow because I would need to leave mid afternoon to drive to Dollywood which I would visit on Friday.  Join me for the next episode, when I spend an afternoon and much of the following day at another beloved Ohio amusement park, Kings Island.  That’s next time on Coaster Redux.