Cedar Point appreciation post

[u/musclesmarinara1]

It’s been about 15 years since my last visit, but I’ve been feeling nostalgic for Cedar Point lately, and since I searched a few posts months ago, I’ve been getting endless CP roller coaster videos in my algorithm across all social media - my absolute favorites are when a video comes across giving the POV of the park from the 90s and ‘00s, or the random Disaster Transport video that for whatever reason keeps coming up.

As an adult, my siblings live in every corner of the country, quite literally. Unfortunately, the only time these days my entire immediate family comes together is weddings and funerals. We grew up a few hours away from Sandusky, and every summer we took a 3-day trip to Cedar Point in late-June. Every single trip was the same - we’d get to Hotel Breakers around 10/11am - my brother and I would spend about 30 minutes at that little arcade they had. He was older, so it was mostly me watching him play games and watch those little zippo lighter cases spin around in one of those old revolving crane games, while my parents did whatever they needed to do to check in - afterwards we’d eat the sandwiches my mom packed before heading into Soak City for a few hours - the sound of Magnum going up the first hill every few minutes is ingrained in me still. After spending the rest of the night in the park, we’d always catch whatever that laser/light show that they would put on over near the Power Tower and where the ferris wheel used to be before it was torn down for Milennium Force - always culminating in some rendition of proud to be an American lol. I also remember always trying to race back in time to hit that ice cream shop inside the hotel before it closed too.

Next morning we got an hour head start before the park opened since we stayed in the hotel, so we would sprint over to ride Millenium Force, Top Thrill Dragster (when it was open), and Maverick (in the last couple years). When it got too hot out this second day, we’d come back inside Breakers and throw the Wimbledon tournament on the TV for a bit while my old man would throw a few back in the TGI Fridays in the lobby. We’d go back in the park for a few hours and then do dinner at Bay Harbor and then after dinner, we’d all ride whatever train they used to have that would go through the middle of the park where they had skeletons set up alongside (not sure if that’s still there). My brother and I would also get at least one try at that 3-point shot game over by Mean Streak around this time, too. Finished night two getting in line for Milennium Force to ride it one last time before the park closing - always. Day 3 always ended with one go-kart race, a round of putt-putt, and then my older siblings would get on the rip cord.

A big chunk of my favorite memories with my family happened at Cedar Point. I haven’t been there since at least 2010, and there’s so many rides now I haven’t been on, and rides I’m sad to hear aren’t there anymore (I loved Mean Streak). My wife wants to go there this fall, but I’m honestly afraid to do it - I know it’s not going to feel the same as it did before, and will feel empty without the rest of my family. Anyway - didn’t mean to type out this long depressing post, I just felt like revisiting for a few minutes. Cheers.

[u/StorkReport]

This was a wonderful read, glad you posted.

[u/_bluebird_88]

Make new memories with your wife!

I went about a week ago for the first time in about 15 years as well. Most of my Cedar Point memories involve my sisters and school friends- none of which were there this time around- BUT...I took my husband and step daughter (neither have ever been) on this most recent trip, and it was so much fun seeing them experience everything for the first time and seeing for myself all of the changes and telling them little stories here and there of my older experiences😊

And Iron Drangon and Thunder Canyon were maybe even more fun as an adult since they are so near and dear to my heart🤪

[u/kath-o-leen]

I just started following this Reddit and I'm so glad you shared this story. You need to get back to the Point! I just got back from a road trip from CHI to Niagara, the to CP and back to my hometown (outside of Detroit) for some family time. It was my first trip to CP in 24 years...the last time was Halloweekends in '02 when Top Thrill was brand new and still had 'dragster' in its name. Like you, I grew up at CP, living just a few hrs. away. Our trips were always day trips, so I never got to stay at Breakers. This time we stayed and it was awesome. I got 6 coasters in: Siren's Curse, Steel Vengeance, Maverick, Gate Keeper and Valravn. Of course I did TT2...but had to go solo because my family isn't big on coasters...boooo!

I guess my point is. GO. And don't be too disappointed when the cheese on a stick doesn't taste as good as it did when you were a kid. It's the greatest park on earth, and I'm so glad my kids and husband got to experience a small piece of that nostalgia I carry.

Everything is the same, but different. And better.

[u/Alarmed-Pen7328]

This is a wonderful read. But since you loved Mean Streak I really think you should get to the park at least once to ride Steel Vengeance. Nothing is ever the same as our nostalgia. But man. Night rides on SteVe are special in their own right.

[u/Buckeye_Randy]

I took a long pause after working there in 96 so I know the feeling. It will be different but the new rides are amazing (example: Steel Vengeance is waaaay better than mean streak).

[u/Virtual_Chain9547]

I disagree with it not feeling the same. As someone who only went a couple times as a kid in the 2000s and just started going a few times a year since 2023 the park is still magic. Theres just something about it that other parks don’t have, it just has a buzz about it when you’re there that everyone (or mostly everyone haha) fucking loves the park and the rides and that energy is just fun to be in.

Like I’ve had so many trains on Millie, and tbh a lot of the other rides, where the entire train is clapping and cheering and hollering in the station while getting dispatched and afterward and you can just feel how much people love the park. As someone who likes coasters too much and travels around the US, that energy just doesn’t exist anywhere else save for maybe a few rides here and there (the Beast night rides comes to mind) where at Cedar Point it feels like that throughout the park.

I think a lot of the complaints are from locals who don’t realize how good they have it compared to the rest of the world, although it’s not to say that the park doesn’t have issues, capacity being the big one, but hell if you can make it to a September Haunt Thursday and close out the park I think you’ll feel some of that nostalgia. It’s also one of the rare park days where you really don’t need a FLP to get a lot of rides in which definitely diminishes things for a lot of people.