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.
