Episode 38: Cedar Point 3.0 (The 2025 Two-Fer)

I visited Cedar Point last June, hoping to ride Top Thrill 2, the re-imagined version of the world's first continuous circuit 400-foot tall roller coaster.  It closed a few weeks before due to technical issues with the prototype trains, and unfortunately never re-opened for the remainder of the 2024 season.  

Then out of nowhere, Cedar Point announced Siren's Curse, North America's first Vekoma tilt coaster, would open in 2025 alongside Top Thrill 2.  Now, with two spectacular new roller coasters to ride, I had to get back to Sandusky.  

Join me for my first-time reactions to both of these outstanding new roller coasters, and hear from my brother Karl who joined me at Cedar Point for the first time in 26 years!

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Transcript

The Sandusky shoreline has captivated thrillseekers for decades as Cedar Point smashed record after record.  Taller, better, faster, longer.  Every superlative applies here.  Yet despite its reputation for building the greatest thrill rides ever, no chapter in the park’s history has fascinated us more than the saga of the world’s first stratacoaster, and how poor reliability, a tragic accident, subsequent refurbishment by a fledgling manufacturer, a colossal fail of an opening year, and a corporate merger, led to the installation of yet another ground-breaking coaster, as either an apology or a contingency.  

It’s a story wilder than Maverick, with more ups and downs than Magnum, and more twists and turns than Steel Vengeance.  Now after following this drama for the last four years, I’m heading back to Cedar Point to decide for myself.  Was this a comedy of errors, or an epic tale of redemption?              

Welcome to Episode 38 of Coaster Redux.  My name is Erik, and this is the story of my revived roller coaster fandom. For years, I’d all but forgotten my coaster obsession from high school and college, but since the pandemic, I’ve been on a mission to ride as many new coasters as I can.  I know as a roller coaster fan that one of my favorite parts of the hobby is getting the reaction of somebody coming off a ride they’ve never ridden before.  That’s what I want to share with you. 

And with that, join me for my first rides on Top Thrill 2 and Siren’s Curse, as I return to America’s Roller Coast to see if this 2025 towering two-fer truly triumphs.  It’s take three at Cedar Point on Coaster Redux.      

The sun was setting as I pulled into the Marriott Fairfield in Sandusky, Ohio.  It had been a leisurely late afternoon drive from Kennywood, and I was still reeling from the rush of Phantom’s Revenge, Steel Curtain, and the rest of the park.  I settled in for the evening as I prepared for two full days at Cedar Point.  I opened my laptop and checked the forecast for tomorrow, and it had taken a turn for the worse.  70% chance of rain for Tuesday, then 60% on Wednesday.  My heart sank.  Last I looked I was gonna be in the clear.  Now the main event of this trip was in jeopardy, but what was I to do?  I guess the same thing I did with a similar forecast at Epic Universe.  Get some rest, head to the park first thing and hope for the best.

Before we get too far into the story, this episode will chronicle my two days in the park on this trip.  I’ll go in-depth on Top Thrill 2 and Siren’s Curse, and talk about the overall experience.  If you haven’t already done so, I’d recommend going back and listening to Episodes 5 and 26 where I talk about all of Cedar Point’s other coasters in detail before listening to this episode.  

Anyway, I awoke the next morning to an Instagram message from a listener I’d chatted with before.  Sam had seen the story I posted yesterday en route to Cedar Point and said he could be found photographing Siren’s Curse and Top Thrill 2.  We resolved to meet up for a ride, and this really made my morning.  I love meeting fellow enthusiasts in the parks, talking coasters, and sharing rides, and the timing was perfect.  I’d be solo until my brother Karl and his husband Marcus arrived late afternoon.  

By the way, Karl will join me at the end of the show to give his perspective on Cedar Point following his first visit in 26 years, and we’ll rank our top five coasters in the park, so stay tuned for that. 

My spirits were high despite drab skies as I hopped in my car for the 15 minute drive to the park.  While there was no rain yet, the skies looked ready to open up at any moment.  Storm clouds loomed from the west as I crossed the Causeway, marveling at the steel giants in the distance.  I’d seen Top Thrill 2 completed last year, and strained to catch my first glimpse of Siren’s Curse.  Its crimson rails are dwarfed by nearby Valravn and Millennium Force, but hey, size isn’t everything, even at Cedar Point.  

I parked my car, and headed for the entrance.  Simply put, the anticipation approaching Cedar Point is unmatched.  Gatekeeper majestically snakes its way through the keyholes above the entry plaza.  The presentation is peerless.  Gone were last year’s scrolling marquees that Top Thrill 2 would be closed, replaced by a simple welcome to “A Place Like No Other.”  I scanned my pass and began walking down the main boulevard.

As I approached Raptor, it started sprinkling.  I picked up the pace.  The rain followed suit, and I sought shelter.  I found an overhang with some empty tables and chairs outside a closed Chickie’s and Pete’s, right by the entrance to Blue Streak.  I would remain here for the next 45 minutes while the deluge pummeled the peninsula.

A check of the radar revealed a break in the rain, so I took the opportunity to hightail it across the midway to the Grand Pavilion.  I didn’t eat breakfast, so I figured I’d take advantage of this operational delay to eat so I wouldn’t have to later.  This massive two-story dining hall is perched lakefront on the eastern shore.  New in 2023, I ate lunch here with my dad last year, and really enjoyed the atmosphere and view.  It was jam packed on this rainy morning and felt more like a ski lodge than a lakefront retreat.  

I headed to the second floor snack bar that was serving brunch and ordered up hot honey chicken biscuits with a side of tots.  I dined from an unoccupied windowsill looking north at the beach and Hotel Breakers.  The rain persisted until about 11:30.  I emerged from the Pavilion and pulled up the app.  Everything was still closed.  I headed over to Siren’s Curse to at least get my first up-close looks at the ride.  

On September 24, 2024, Cedar Point dropped the bombshell of a lifetime.  2025 would mark the debut of Siren’s Curse, North America’s first tilt coaster.  It came out of nowhere.  But amidst the disappointment over Top Thrill 2 closing for the season after only 8 days of operation, it seemed like an apology.  We’re sorry you didn’t get to ride the re-imagined stratacoaster this year, so buy your season pass for next year and you get two new coasters to ride.  Or did it go deeper?  Was Cedar Point unconvinced that Top Thrill 2 would be reliable, so building a second major coaster would take the heat off?  Time would tell.

Perhaps even more interesting is that this coaster was originally ordered by Energylandia in Poland, and was cancelled.  Six Flags bought it, probably at a discount, planning to erect it at Six Flags Mexico, only to run into environmental hurdles. Then Six Flags and Cedar Fair completed their merger, and now we have the chain’s flagship park in the midst of a public relations nightmare and an already-built roller coaster up for grabs.  Now Cedar Fair leadership was steering the ship of the new Six Flags Entertainment Corporation, and they saw this as their way out.  At least according to speculation.

So, fast forward to 2025 and we have Top Thrill 2 ready to go for opening day, and Siren’s Curse construction moving along quickly for an early summer opening.  The world’s tallest roller coaster (RIP Kingda Ka) proves relatively reliable, and Siren’s Curse opens on June 28 to rave reviews.  Things are looking up for Cedar Point…..literally.  

Vekoma opened the world’s first tilt coaster at Discovery World in Taiwan in 2002.  Featuring a track that holds the train steady while it tilts to vertical and releases, it’s the ultimate gimmick.  A terrifying concept leaving guests taking photos and asking their friends, “Would you ride this?”  COTALAND at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, TX announced their plans to open Circuit Breaker, North America’s first tilt coaster back in 2022.  That ride faced several delays, and Cedar Point beat them to the punch claiming the record for Siren’s Curse.  Standing 160 feet tall, it features two inversions and 2,965 feet of track.  Small for Cedar Point standards, but man does this ride look impressive up close.  That menacing tilt track is placed right by the midway to capitalize on the ultimate photo op. 

While the ride remained shuttered, guests were already forming an disorganized death spiral of a line.  The end appeared to be right at the center of the madness.  I messaged Sam.  He was also in the area so we met up.  He was in line for Iron Dragon.  We chatted for a few minutes, yet there was no action on any of the rides.  I decided to leave this chaos and head for the back of the park towards Maverick and Steel Vengeance.  Maybe it would be quieter back there.  Sam and I resolved to meet up later and take our first ride on Siren’s Curse together.

I took the main midway to walk by Top Thrill 2.  There was absolutely zero sign of life around the ride.  I continued past Magnum and Gemini headed towards Frontier Town.  Lines were forming around both coasters, yet there was still no movement.  It was 12:30.  The rain had stopped for an hour, and nothing was even testing.  I started to get frustrated.  There just didn’t seem to be any hustle to get these rides operational.  I scoured the app, looking for any sign of life.

30 minutes later, I saw that Magnum was open, so I bolted for it.  I had missed riding it last year because it was down, and I had never ridden in the magic seat, row three, so here was my chance!  I entered the mostly empty queue with a family of six or seven in front of me.  An operator was adjusting the switchback chains as we approached, which somehow made it appear as though we had jumped the line to the grouper who attacked us pretty hard.  The family in front of me didn’t speak much English, so I jumped in and defended them.  We absolutely did not jump the line.  It got tense for a moment with the grouper, but she finally relented and let us into the station.  I was pretty fired up.  I’d been in the park almost three hours and this was my first chance to ride, and now I’m being accused of the coaster enthusiast cardinal sin?  No.  It didn’t sit well.

Two trains were running on Magnum, and I hopped in line for row three.  After a cycle or two I was onboard.  The train clacked up the lift overlooking the lake and I started to calm down.  After 5100 feet of delightful Arrow jank, triangle shaped airtime hills, and plenty of airtime, I emerged rejuvenated.  Magnum is so much fun.  It’s old school perfection, and while it isn’t the smoothest, it’s still perfectly enjoyable, and that airtime in the magic seat lived up to the hype.

The app revealed hour plus waits on everything that was open.  Siren’s Curse was two hours.  Several rides, including Top Thrill 2 had yet to open.  I returned to Frontier Town to ride Maverick.  The line extended to just beyond the covered enclosure, which in my experience is about 45 minutes.  Not today.  It was crawling.  I tried counting the colors of the trains as they lined up for the second launch.  It might have been as few as four, but definitely not the full six.  I trudged along back and forth before an announcement played.  The ride would be delayed while additional trains were added.  Lovely.  We were stuck in place for another 30 minutes.  Once testing commenced, we got another rain shower, further delaying operation.  After navigating delays and closures during my two-day visit last year, it was beginning to feel like more of the same.

After two hours in line, I emerged from my favorite roller coaster at Cedar Point.  I rode in row two, and the whip through the turns seemed stronger than I remembered.  Like you really need those shoulder straps to keep you upright.  It was awesome, but bordered on too much.  I’d never felt that way riding Maverick before.  Time check?  3:45 pm.  Almost six hours in the park and I’d only ridden two coasters.   I get that things happen mechanically with rides, and that weather doesn’t help, but this day was off to a rotten start.     

The wait for Siren’s Curse was down to an hour, so I messaged Sam.  Turns out he was not far behind me in line for Maverick.  I walked down the Frontier Trail, figuring I’d have enough time to ride Rougarou while Sam rode Maverick and walked back to the middle of the park.

The stand-up turned floorless had no line, and as I walked up to the station, I noticed that part of the queue is actually a floating dock across the lagoon.  It was a cool feature that the marine nerd in me had never picked up before.  I rode up front on a mostly empty train, and while the ride has some rough spots, I like the whippy transitions in the second half.  They still have some bite, and I mean that in a good way, as that was a signature design element on this ride.

I had to shelter for another minute at Coaster’s Diner while another rain line passed.  Once it did, I finally met up with Sam and we got in line for Siren’s Curse.  Cedar Point did a great job theming the area to a Great Lakes shipping terminal called Erie Freight.  There are containers placed around water features, industrial lighting, and a soundtrack with lapping water and squawking gulls completes the vibe.  Periodic radio calls from security play informing guests that loose articles must be placed in lockers. Supports have algae and seaweed painted at the footers, and even fake rust.  The lift hill and tilt mechanism are supposed to resemble a loading gantry.  It’s on par with Cedar Fair’s latest installations, and it works so well.  

Just as Sam and I reached the end of the line, which was about half way through the queue, it started raining again.  A few moments later, the ride went down.  We reversed course and exited the queue.  Interestingly, Valravn was still open with a 35 minute line, so we headed next door.

It was great chatting with Sam throughout the queue, and the time passed quickly.  He’s a gifted photographer, and through talking with him, it sounded like he spent more time over his three days at Cedar Point taking pictures than actually riding.  His photography focuses on storytelling by capturing moments in parks with brilliant candids of people surrounded by the rides we love.

About halfway through the queue, my phone buzzed.  Karl and Marcus had arrived.  Sam and I were still about 20 minutes away from the station, so I told them to grab a ride on Gatekeeper with its 15 minute posted wait, and then to meet me at Valravn.  Sam and I got a back row ride in the middle of the train.  I’ll stand by my past opinion that it doesn’t have the same intensity of older dives like Griffon and SheiKra, but it’s got the best view at Cedar Point from the top of the lift, and the 214 foot vertical drop is a phenomenal rush.  

Sam and I parted ways after that ride.  Our goal had been to ride Siren’s Curse for the first time together and record our reactions from my Apple watch on the break run, but that didn’t work out.  I still want to give him a massive shoutout.  He’s got a hardcover photobook called Machines Above Us, and his current project is Park Day, an awesome-looking print magazine with its first issue just released at the time of recording.  You can follow him on Instagram at mid dot course dot blues.  Thanks for the ride Sam, it was great meeting you!

I met up with Karl and Marcus a few minutes later.  It was 5pm and Top Thrill 2 had finally begun testing.  I asked them what they wanted to do and Karl was pretty adamant.  It had to be Millennium Force.  Who was I to disagree?  Back in 2000, we both had our minds blown on Superman: Ride of Steel at Six Flags New England, and lamented missing the world’s first gigacoaster in our 1999 visit to Cedar Point.  Millie was my first ride back in 2022 when I returned to the park, and it only had a 45 minute wait.  Let’s go!

We entered the queue, and had only a few switchbacks under the shade tents before climbing the ramp to the station.  I turned around marveling at the photo op looking down the ramp towards the final overbank.  I took that picture in 2022 thinking it was great that you could see Millie, PowerTower, Valravn, Rougarou, and Iron Dragon.  Last year, Top Thrill 2 entered the picture, and now it includes Siren’s Curse.  Unfortunately, the line never stopped at the right place for me to snap it again.

We entered the station to the beloved theme, getting ready to ride one of the most iconic roller coasters in the world.  Love it or call it mediocre, it’s a legend, and you can’t beat the soundtrack.  This year, the motor for the cable lift was replaced, increasing the speed back to the original spec.  Apparently a slower one had been used in a pinch the last few years.  Would this give Millennium Force some extra oomph over that 300 foot drop?  Time to find out.

We boarded somewhere closer to the front and as we prepared to dispatch, we got that awesome outro before beginning to roll.

We got our two minutes of pure bliss, and I do think she was running a bit faster.  I absolutely love this ride, and Karl and Marcus did too.  It’s not an intensity-monster, but I’d be hard pressed to find a ride delivering more bugs-in-your teeth joy.

We emerged onto the midway and looked skyward to find Top Thrill 2 was open, so we crossed the peninsula to check it out.  The whole plaza around the coaster breathes new life into this area.  There’s a gift shop across the way from the bleachers that remained from the original Dragster.  An EDM beat pulses with energy as a train rolls out to launch.  Red lights illuminate beside the train and on the tower, counting down to go time, accompanied by an epic bass drop.  It’s an incredible visual, and it got me so hyped.

Cedar Point opened Top Thrill Dragster in 2003 as the world’s first full circuit roller coaster to break the 400-foot barrier, standing 420 feet tall with a top speed of 120 mph.  Dubbed a stratacoaster, this Intamin creation featured a simple layout.  A launch from 0-120 mph in 3.8 seconds, before a pull up into a vertical top hat leading into the final brakes.  It was praised for its insane acceleration, spectacular views, and airtime, but its duration was short and its complex hydraulic launch system was plagued by reliability issues.  It closed in 2021 after a piece fell from the ride striking a guest in the queue causing serious injury.  The ride stood dormant throughout the 2022 season, before Cedar Point announced that fall that the ride would be re-imagined into a new experience.  

Speculation on the refurbishment ran rampant in the coaster community until the official announcement in August 2023.  Italian manufacturer Zamperla would refit the coaster with an LSM swing launch, and a 420 foot vertical spike on the back end of the ride, allowing the new Lightning trains to make multiple passes over the launch track to gain the required speed to crest the top hat.  

Top Thrill 2 opened with Cedar Point in May 2024 to overwhelmingly positive reviews.  Unfortunately, problems with the prototype trains prompted its closure after only four days of passholder previews, and four days of regular operation.  I visited last June hopeful that the ride would reopen, but it ultimately remained closed for the rest of the season while repairs were made.  It’s surreal to finally see trains running this circuit at full speed, knowing that its flop of a first year likely led to me getting on two new roller coasters on this trip.  

Before entering the queue, you have to empty your pockets into free lockers, then pass through metal detectors.  We did this, and entered the switchbacks at the ride’s infield, and while Cedar Fair did a great job with the area surrounding Top Thrill 2, the queue leaves much to be desired.  It’s covered, which is good for shade, but you can’t see the ride operating.  And the walls are pretty bare with nothing to look at.  I’d hate to be stuck here for hours without my phone on a busy day, yet somehow, we walked straight to the stairs leading to the station.  Total wait time?  Ten minutes!  We must have timed this perfectly, and my bad luck on this day just may be turning around.

We were assigned rows 6 and 7, so closer to the back.  Operations were swift, and there was barely time to take it in, but as that silver Lightning train rolled into the station, I was in awe.  It’s so sleek with an elongated Formula One nose and chairs sitting high off the floor.  The wheels are massive, ready to spin us up to a buck twenty without overheating.  The gates opened, and we rushed aboard.  The ride ops treated every dispatch like a pit stop leaving no second to spare.

The seats are comfy, and there’s no seatbelt.  Just a simple lap bar that lowers from over the shoulder.  It’s every bit as free as similar restraints from Intamin or Mach Rides.  The crew checked us, and we were out the door.  

The train ahead of us marauded past as we entered the S-bend to the launch track.

I had my hands up as the train began its take-off roll towards the top hat.  It’s got nothing on a hydraulic launch, but you build speed continuously before beginning the pitch up.  You’re moving at a decent clip, 74 mph to be exact.  Looking straight up, the train loses momentum and begins the roll back.  One of the gimmicks on this ride is that everybody gets one, unlike the rare instance where a train lacked the momentum to clear Dragster’s tower.

The LSM’s screech back to life propelling us backwards to 101 mph.  The acceleration is gradual, but the speed is visceral as the train begins to shake and the wind noise takes over.  Without warning, you pass beneath the station overhang, and Top Thrill 2 is sending you up……WAY up that backwards spike.  You’re looking straight at the ground.  The 300-foot Power Tower is below you.  Yet you’re still climbing.  It’s an eternal float as the train slows, stops, and begins plunging downwards.  It’s a stellar moment.  

You level out, narrowly missing that overhang in a world class hand chopper.  Then it’s sensory overload.  The train shimmies as it reaches maximum velocity with deafening wind as Top Thrill 2 pulls up to bring me a higher love.  

You slam 90 degrees left after the vertical pull, and from here, this roller coaster goes completely berserk.  The ejector airtime  comes on hard as soon as you crest the top hat.  It happens so there’s zero opportunity to enjoy the view.  You’re jammed violently into the lap bar and in the blink of an eye, you’re simultaneously whipping down a 270 degree spiral drop with insane laterals without ever returning to your seat.  Only in the pull out does your rump reunite with the bucket, and you careen by the finish line with nothing short of pure adrenaline.  You slow to a crawl, and the train seems to unnaturally wobble and grind around its final turnaround to a separate exit platform before it rolls into the station to repeat.

Top Thrill 2 combines altitude with attitude, and I loved it!  I never rode the original Dragster, but I did ride its slightly larger sibling, Kingda Ka at Six Flags Great Adventure.  I pretty much agree with the general consensus.  Absolutely nothing can compare with the ferocity of a hydraulic launch, but this coaster is more of a full experience.  You build anticipation as the swing launch progresses, the spike is an incredible moment, and I’m glad it’s just straight vertical fun.  You get the chance to truly appreciate the sheer height, and the unending floater airtime is magnificent.  The final launch is gradual, but you’re at top speed for so long, it barely matters.  Then the extra height on these trains versus the originals provides wild laterals on the top hat’s twists, and the precision of the LSM’s guarantee that you power over the top hat with max force every time.  Top Thrill 2 was absolutely worth the wait, and a great addition to Cedar Point’s line-up.  I will say there’s a serious shimmy on straight launch tracks, but I think that just comes with the territory of riding rails with this kind of speed.

We pulled up the app, and found that Maverick was posted at 30 minutes.  I’d been hyping this coaster up to Karl so much since I first rode that he couldn’t wait to try it for himself.  I’ve always called it a mix between VelociCoaster at Islands of Adventure and Pantherian at Kings Dominion, two rides he really likes.  So with that, we headed to Frontier Town.  

Maverick’s queue was about as long as earlier, but with all six trains running, the line was the predictable 45 minutes.  We were seated in the back two rows, my favorite for the pull over the first drop, and once again, this ride was killer.  The snaps in the direction changes are a little less intense in the back, and I actually prefer that.  This coaster is still one heck of a Swiss Army Knife, providing a little bit of everything in an experience that’s unlike anything else out there.

With just over an hour before park close, we headed next door to Steel Vengeance, only to find it was down for the moment.  We took the Frontier Trail towards the middle of the park, resolving to finish the night on Siren’s Curse.  We were all hungry, but decided that the posted 45 minute wait was bearable.  As we queued, the sun set, and we were treated to the full nighttime experience of this coaster.  The water around the ride was illuminated, and the trains have an impressive light package.  

LED strips are lit green as the train climbs the lift, and they change to red as the track begins to tilt.  Before the release, they flash front to back.  Throughout the layout they switch between green and red, animated to match the layout.  Details like this are completely unnecessary, but just create so much energy around the ride.

As we meandered through the switchbacks, it seemed that our 45 minute posted time was underestimated.  It was well over an hour before we reached the lockers, secured our belongings, and climbed up to the station.

So while I was super excited about the whole tilt coaster concept, I was more intrigued about the rest of the layout on Siren’s Curse.  Vekoma has been building roller coasters for decades, but most of their U.S. installations are rough cloned Boomerangs and SLC’s.  They’ve built many of Disney’s latest coasters, and I haven’t ridden those, but I have seen videos of some awesome looking thrill coasters in Europe, especially Lech Coaster at Legendia in Poland and Fonix at Farup Sommerland in Denmark.  I rode three of their new family coasters last summer, Big Bear Mountain at Dollywood, Good Gravy! at Holiday World and Snoopy’s Soapbox Racers at Kings Island, and they were wonderfully smooth attractions with a bit of punch.  Siren’s Curse would be my first new school Vekoma thrill coaster, and I couldn’t wait to feel how it would ride.

We ascended the stairs into the station, and were assigned in the middle of the train.  These new Vekoma seats are very comfortable, as are the restraints.  They’re over the shoulder lap bars with a vest, but they’re far more freeing than similar restraints from B&M.  With the all clear, and a yo ho, we begin the climb up 130 feet and the onboard audio comes to life.

At the top, the redundant safety measures go to work, ensuring you’ll stay in place, then the track begins to tilt, the back reaching 160 feet up.

The brakes release, and you’re stomach’s in your throat as the train rockets down the vertical plunge, and an aggressive metal soundtrack pulses through the speakers.  You whip left before the pull out and rapidly rise up into an airtime hill that twists right into a turning drop.  You soar through a corkscrew left with wonderful laterals and float before banking up and to the right to enter the triple down.  At the top of the turnaround, you roll out to the left and drop simultaneously, then do the same to the right, before a third straight drop into a tunnel.  All are righteous moments flush with flojector.  

You dive beneath the queue path and rise up, banking left into a kind of non-inverting loop turnaround where you quickly break right at the apex with another strong airtime pop.  You sink low to the ground turning almost 360 degrees and rise up for a strong airtime hill looking right at the station before diving down and to the left into a right handed roll, this one giving some hangtime.  

You exit, and charge over the queue again with a mini wave turn to the right providing another airtime pop before rolling out into a pair of twisting bunny hills, first to the left then to the right, before a final pop into the brakes.  

Holy crap Vekoma, this ride is awesome, and I’m not even talking about the tilt.  Sure, it’s an awesome moment.  It’s seriously freaky putting your complete trust in the ride to hold you in place while the track separates.  Those vest restraints are absolutely necessary while you’re paused looking down, and the release feels more like a drop tower.  The ride that follows is a dynamic series of creative elements taken more fluidly than any roller coaster I’ve experienced.  It’s so smooth, like ridiculously smooth.  Glass smooth is rough compared to Siren’s Curse.  Maybe call it diamond smooth?  I don’t know.  It’s got awesome airtime, and whip, outstanding transitions, and that soundtrack?  What a bonus.  Siren’s Curse checks all the boxes in a compact package.  It’s a coaster I’d happily marathon all day.  Bravo Vekoma.  Bravo.

Karl and Marcus were equally impressed as we exited the ride and headed towards the parking lot.  The signature B&M roar of Raptor running empty bid us farewell.  It had been closed all day, and we hoped it would be open tomorrow. What started as a miserable day for me ended up being one of the best I’ve ever had in a park.  I got to hang out with Sam, and got Karl and Marcus on four of Cedar Point’s top five coasters, including both new ones.  We had a full day tomorrow, with Steel Vengeance being the morning’s priority.  

With that, we left the park and returned to our vehicles intent on caravanning to dinner in Sandusky at the LongHorn Steakhouse just across the street from the Fairfield.  The food was good, the beer was cold, and we retired for the evening, ready for a second day at America’s Rockin’ Roller Coast.

A second morning of grey skies greeted me as I met Karl for a Marriott breakfast.  For some reason, I ate Fruit Loops with a banana.  I rarely eat cereal, but this nod to childhood felt right this morning.  After getting cleaned up, we elected to drive separately, as I had a feeling I’d want more time in the park than Karl and Marcus.  

We arrived shortly after rope drop, and mission number one was to ride Steel Vengeance.  That would ensure that, if nothing else, Karl and Marcus will have ridden all of the best coasters at Cedar Point at least once.  We entered the park and hightailed it to Frontier Town.  We had a 45 minute wait for SteVe with the line stretching well into the coaster’s infield.  At least there’s plenty of action to watch as the trains zip past on all sides.  

We put our belongings in the obligatory locker and headed upstairs to the station. We rode in the middle closer to the front, and settled in for the veritable airtime marathon, and after 5,740 feet of track, my thighs were cooked.  It’s a raucous assault of negative G’s, by far my favorite roller coaster sensation.  But on this day, it was just too much of a good thing.  The first half is absolutely perfect, with sustained airtime, disorienting inversions with wild near-misses within the structure.  The second half is where SteVe loses me.  Too many short choppy bumps throwing me into the lap bar.  

We left Steel Vengeance hoping for another lap on Maverick but it was down.  Millie was the next coaster we wanted to ride, but after a walk down the Frontier Trail, we also arrived to find it closed for maintenance.  Siren’s Curse and Top Thrill 2 were at two hours plus, so we crossed the park heading to Magnum.  Karl was psyched to get back on his former favorite, and this time we grabbed a ride in the back.  

I laughed my way through the ride with my hands up.  The back isn’t as intense as the magic seat, but there’s still no shortage of pure nostalgia, spectacular views, and strong air.  By this time, Millennium Force back open, and with no grouper in place, we decided to wait for the back row.  I let Karl and Marcus ride a cycle ahead of me so we’d all get that stellar whip over the first drop from the last row.  It was awesome, and we reconvened at the exit intent on grabbing lunch.

We reversed course all the way back by Magnum to Back Beat Que.  I opted for the pulled pork, with mac and cheese which was on point, but Marcus’ brisket looked even better!  Maybe next time.  It was about 2 pm as we finished lunch.    

Karl and Marcus really wanted another ride on Maverick, but none of us could stomach the hour plus wait, so we sprung for a single use Fast Lane.  $15 well spent as we walked almost straight onboard, and lucked out with another back seat ride.

We returned to Siren’s Curse for what would be their last ride of the day.  We were close to the back this time, and the drop hits much better back there.  Nearing 4:30, they decided to head for the hotel, but I wasn’t quite finished.  I wanted another ride on Top Thrill 2, and I still needed to get video for Instagram.  We resolved to meet up for dinner, and they headed for the exit.

I took some time to slow down and take video of Top Thrill 2, marveling at its size and speed and the myriad vantage points to capture the action.  Then it was time for my second ride, and I endured the world’s blandest queue for 45 minutes before boarding the black train, this time in row 2.

The feeling of speed is unmatched, and crazy as it sounds, you don’t notice the difference in height on the vertical spike.  The airtime going over the top hat comes on harder than the back, but I’m convinced that there’s no bad seat on this coaster.  The trains are relatively short compared to its sheer size and speed.  My seat mate summed it up perfectly.  Short but sweet.  It’s everything you could want in this type of ride.

I walked back to Siren’s Curse to capture the last few shots I wanted for my reel.  The queue was about half full.  Still over an hour, and I wasn’t prepared to wait that long with dinner time approaching.  As I nerded out getting the perfect angle for the first inversion, an employee walked past sweeping the empty pathway.  I finished filming and began to leave when he stopped me.  

“Are you a single rider?” he asked.  I replied yes, and he handed me a card.  “Don’t tell anybody I gave you this,” he said, as he went back to work.  I thanked him, and looked down.  It was an exit pass for Siren’s Curse.  Not a Fast Lane which would still have been a bit of a wait.  It was a golden ticket to immediate boarding.  

I booked it back to the entrance and showed it to the employees, and was directed up the exit stairs to the platform, and ushered directly into the second row.  I relaxed as the sun set and I got a third completely unanticipated ride on the park’s newest roller coaster.  Like Top Thrill 2, I think I preferred the back for the additional height on the tilt, but that view looking down before the drop was awesome, and the subsequent ride is incredible regardless of the row.

Overjoyed, I left Cedar Point feeling overwhelmingly positive.  My second day in the park was better than expected given the rocky start to yesterday.  Weather happens, but I was pleased that Top Thrill 2 had run with very little if any downtime through the whole second day.  Raptor never opened, so I missed that.  But I’d ridden it my last two visits, and I felt like I achieved my mission.  I got multiple rides on the two new coasters, as well as my other favorites in the park.

I returned to the hotel and joined Karl and Marcus for dinner.  Just up Milan Road from the Lone Star, we found a local gem that I can’t recommend enough.  Casa Real is a classic Mexican restaurant with over-the-top southwest decor and spectacular food and dirt cheap prices.  We gorged ourselves with chips and salsa, and my jumbo 20 ounce margarita was one of the best I’ve ever had at only eight bucks.  And my dinner was two chimichangas, one chicken and one beef served with lettuce, cheese, guac, and refried beans.  It was outstanding and only 14 dollars.  If you’re like me and love stick-to-your-bones Mexican food, Casa Real is a must when you visit Sandusky.  I’ll be back.

We returned to our hotel to spend the night before heading home the following morning.  It was wonderful getting back to this landmark park and riding two new mind-blowing roller coasters.  But I want to give you my brother’s perspective on our two days, so he’s going to join us now.

INTERVIEW                                                                                                        

I had two full days in the car returning to South Florida, and it would only be a few weeks before I hit the road again, this time bound for the Boston area to spend a week back home with family and friends, with two park visits on the ride home.

Join me for the next episode, when I spend an evening at a New England staple that I last visited in middle school, this time with my friend Eric and his daughter who is now that same age.  I can’t wait to get back on the Yankee Cannonball, and try out the park’s latest addition, Untamed.  Canobie Lake Park is my next stop on Coaster Redux.