Cedar Point (Sandusky, OH)
Located on a narrow peninsula jutting into Lake Erie, Cedar Point is one of the world's largest amusement parks with 69 rides, including a record breaking 17 roller coasters.
The park opened in 1870, making it the second oldest amusement park in the US (Lake Compounce in Connecticut holds the title, albeit barely). During its 130+ years of operation, Cedar Point has been home to multiple record-breaking attractions. Corkscrew was the first coaster in the world to have three inversions, Gemini opened as the tallest, fastest coaster on earth, Magnum XL-200 was hailed as the tallest, fastest coaster on the planet. You can see where this is going, right?
In addition to the amusement park, the Cedar Point peninsula is home to several resorts, a water park, and Challenge Park (featuring miniature golf courses, go-karts, and a Skycoaster). There's also a mile long stretch of beach along Lake Erie. More recently, Cedar Fair LLC opened an indoor waterpark resort that's open year round, even in the dead of winter when temperatures average at around 24 degrees.
If you're a roller coaster fanatic, a trip to Cedar Point
is a requirement.
As mentioned above, the majority of Cedar Point's coasters
were
record breakers when they first opened. Most of these records have since
been broken, mind you, but that doesn't make the lineup any less impressive.
However, yesterday's "latest and greatest" attractions tend to wind up being
tomorrow's "has-beens." I personally think that the park's quest to have
the record breaking coasters may have overshadowed their interest in having fun
coasters. Some of the prior record holders are still quite enjoyable,
while others are decidedly lacking. My personal ruler for judging coasters
has a lot to do with how much I want to get right back into line for it when
it's over. Many of Cedar Point's 17 coasters failed that marker.
For the casual parkgoer, the overall atmosphere is very similar to that of a carnival. Most of the flat rides, in fact, resemble attractions you'd find on the midway of your state fair. This isn't a criticism, mind you. I think this is exactly the type of atmosphere the park's management wants you to experience (it is Cedar Fair, after all). Heck, the park identifies three separate areas as midways. Only the Frontierland section of the park really does anything thematic and it does stick out like a sore thumb. Unsurprisingly, this was my favorite area of the park and I'm pleased that the park's newest coaster, Maverick, seems to be plugged into that theming.
I would be terribly rude if I didn't take a moment to talk about the staff at Cedar Point. They are, bar none, the best crew not wearing a Disney tag. There's no question that the staff here enjoys their jobs, and some of that happiness does rub off to the guests. But alas, it didn't rub off on me enough to make me really enjoy myself.
Suffice it to say Cedar Point is a must-visit attraction. It is not, however, the greatest park in the world as scores of fanboys would tell you. It may indeed be the greatest amusement park in the world, but you're not at AmusementParkSushi.com, are you?
A view of the Cedar Point peninsula from the Space Spiral.
There are 14 roller coasters
in this picture, although a few of them are really awfully good at not
being seen.
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