Cedar Point

Michael Jackson rented out the entire park for the day in 2001.

No, absolutely not.

R2 how unfortunate

The reward for being in school choir was a day at Cedar Point. A few years we went to Great America in Illinois, but Cedar Point was a million times better.

Yes back in 2000 or 2001. Myself and a couple of people I worked with in Philly took a road trip together. My coworker was hyped up to ride the millennium force when it just opened. It was a fun trip, I'm glad I went at the time. I can't imagine Ill ever be back in Sandusky Ohio ever again.

Went every summer with my cousins. We'd get their when it opened and stay all day, with a break at the beach.

my brother and sister both worked there in the 70's.

Yes. I also went to Cedar Point's poor cousin, Geauga Lake (now abandoned)

Visited just once as a young adult. I really don't care for the rides that much because they make me want to vomit, only rode one ride that one time I was there. A ride that you stand up on and it spins you around so that centrifugal force pins you to the outside wall and the floor drops away from you. Got off and vomited so that was it for me, I should have known better. I won't even consider roller coasters.

R8 I date all the way back to Euclid Beach!

R7 did you live in the park housing?

R11 "they" did, yes

Maverick POV

Once in late elementary school with family and then in high school with friends.

R9 THE ROTOR!!! I puked on that once. Sprayed my sister and mom.

Cedar Point was magical when I was growing up. Mom packed a cooler that we put on the picnic tables near the entrance. Left it there for hours, then our family would meet up to have lunch. The leave the cooler until we left at the park's closing. Can you imagine doing that now?

We never went to the beach, or stayed in the hotels/motels around there. It was a 90 minute drive from home. As I got older, I went a few times per summer. All told, I have been to Cedar Point about 40-50 times.

A day at Cedar Point meant long, long drives but we went a bunch of times when I was a kid. Our After Prom festivities included a day at the park, That was the last time I was there, summer of 1990.

I loved Demon Drop. I thought that I was a roller coaster fan until I rode Magnum 200. That ride traumatized me.

I lived 15 minutes from Geauga Lake R8 and have many fond memories. We used to smoke joints on the roller coasters, including the Double Loop, which I believe was the first coaster in the world to feature two consecutive loops.

I loved the giant old wood coaster at the far end of the park. When I heard they tore it down I knew there was no reason for me to go back again.

R15 I had completely forgotten about The Rotor. It was like being in a nightmare come to life.

R19 I remember that Rotor from Euclid Bleach . My mother's heavy purse was dragging her down so that when the floor came up she was practically squatting. Scary

My Catholic school 8th grade "graduating class" (1986) went to Cedar Point at the end of the school year. It was about a three hour drive from my hometown in western PA.

I was forced to go there with my older redneck cousin and his friend when I was maybe 12. It was the worst experience of my life. They live closeby and had season passes, so instead of riding any of the rides, they decided to hang out at the resort and pick-pocket guests the whole day. They thought they were sooo funny. I eventually got sick of tagging along and ended up riding everything by myself. I later learned the park caught them on security footage and revoked their season passes. Hardcore Trumpers now.

It will be interesting to see how Cedar Fair weathers COVID-19. They say they will be continuously sanitizing and offering hand sanitizing, but no face mask requirements like Disney will be enforcing.

I worked at Geauga Lake for a summer. It was fun but the paycheck didn’t justify the long commute so I only did it one year.

Former Coasters of Cedar Point

Six Flags now requiring advance reservations to visit their theme parks

8th grade graduation trip and 12th grade church trip. So much fun.

Florida kids went to the Disney parks or Universal. For exciting roller coasters, we had to drive up to Six Flags Over Georgia. I have heard great things about Cedar Point from a great rides standpoint.

R17 I used to live in Aurora and the traffic through town in the summertime was legendary. Sea World, Geauga Lake, and “the auction “.

Then the economy went to hell, anyone that could moved away, and the deplorables were left.

R17 I used to live in Aurora and the traffic through town in the summertime was legendary. Sea World, Geauga Lake, and “the auction “.

Then the economy went to hell, anyone that could moved away, and the deplorables were left.

R27 again we rode a bus from Michigan but it was fun because you were with your friends and halfway there they would stop at McDonalds which was a treat back then in the late 80’s

We went to Cedar Point once when I was in high school. I don’t remember much about it, other than that it was a really nice amusement park. Cedar Point and Geauga Lake used run commercials in the Pittsburgh TV market, and I can still remember the Geauga Lake jingle they used at the time. Kennywood in West Mifflin, PA was where we went often, so I have more fond memories of that little park.

Cedar Point and Magic Mountain were in direct competition during the 90s and into the 2000s for the largest, fastest, tallest roller coasters, which is why they both had major promotional campaigns debuting a new ride every year trying to outdo each other.

(R21) Why didn't you and your class go to Kennywood, which is a charming amusement park near Pittsburgh that has been lovingly maintained since way back when. Back in the day, if the fly of your pants was open, everyone and anyone would say "Kennywood's Open". That said it all. I never went to Cedar Point. These older and charming turn of the century parks cannot be replicated. I hope that they live on and are kept in all their glory.

The Amazement Park

We grew up superpoor and supertrashy on the west side of Cleveland. My sister and I both got scholarships to college and became successful in different ways. Two years we decided a Memorial Day family get together (we both live far away now, me overseas) in the Presidential Suite at the classic on-the-park Hotel Breakers would be a nice celebration.

This was the Presidential Suite. Yes, I know. 😞

I had never even heard of Cedar Point until I saw this movie. Also, the fact that it’s located in SANDUSKY is kinda creepy . . .

Oh. Cedar Point.

Long, long time ago. More than four decades

1977 I was teenager and sent to my uncle in Columbus Ohio. Normally in my age this time you were sent to the UK during summer school break. I decided to visit my uncle (German) who was living there.

And we went to Cedar Point. My younger cousin lined up for one hour to ride the Corkscrew roller coaster. In the 70s it was the most spectacular rolling coaster in the world!

***sent to the UK for learning English in a native country.

It’s amazing how many people reference visiting for school trips. Those aren’t even a thing anymore. Schools are too broke, teachers are too lazy, and kids are too undisciplined. You all were quite lucky.

I grew up in California so we only went to Santa Cruz (boardwalk), Disneyland, Knott's, Marineland, Busch Gardens-LA (a long time ago!). But when I moved to DC, I checked out Kings Dominion, Busch Gardens (Williamsburg), and Hersheypark. But never made it to Ohio.

I was raped by several young men under one of the roller coasters. It was awful.

I love Cedar Point. I live closer to Kings Island though and they just built a new giga coaster (300+ feet high) that Ill be upset if I'm not able to ride this summer.

I grew-up in Akron, so it was one of the places we went at some point every summer. We took a couple of school field trips there also. It was fun...not sure what it's become, but the fact that its still there says something, i guess.

R34, most folks aren’t drawn to parks with penny candy jar stores and out-dated rides. I was a kidin the Detroit area in the 1970s. Bob-Lo Island in the Detroit River was an older amusement park, and you actually had to take an hour long paddle wheel ferry to get there, which was part of the charm. That said, it sucked in comparison to Cedar Point. Most kids didn’t want old-timey at amusement parks, they want cool and exciting rides. I went to both Bob-Lo and Cedar Point and they were completely different experiences. Cedar Point had the best roller coasters. Too far to go regularly but a lot of fun (for the Midwest).

Madonna in Bob-Lo T-shirt

R46!! Of course with her tongue out. I imagine while others did the polka on the ferry she was off blowing teen boys.

[quote] Back in the day, if the fly of your pants was open, everyone and anyone would say "Kennywood's Open".

Does... does that mean... what I think it means?

Cedar Point invited a couple high school marching bands to perform at a parade at 9AM each day during summers. Afterward the (short) parade, band members got free rein of the park. My small school band was one such band in 1976. My brother was two years older than I and also in the band.

A group of us were waiting in line for something and a lispy guy passing by stopped and poked his finger into my brother's chest and said, you're cute. He and his friends flitted away cackling. Of course, our friends teased my brother about it incessantly for a while. A while later, across the park waiting in another line, same group of queeny guys passes by. The lispy guy approached my brother and asked him what his name was. Before he could say anything, he told him he looked like a "Gary" (Gaaaaaa-ry) and flounced away. We saw the guy several more times throughout the day.

My brother henceforth was known as Gary.

Kennywood added some kick-ass rides the last few years. Like Knott's, their challenge is space.

r46 The original Miley Cyrus...

Which was better? Cedar point or Kings Island?

The Brady Bunch at Kings Island

r52, Cedar Point is superior, but Kings Island is outstanding in its own right. The Beast at the latter is an absolutely magnificent wooden coaster. CP tried to copy it with their Mean Streak, but it was always a rather weak imitation (finally replaced by Steel Vengeance in 2018).

I worked at Kings Island when both The Brady Bunch and The Partridge Family were filming. David Cassidy was tiny and afraid to ride the roller coaster for one scene. They used a young girl as his body double. Ann B. Davis was extremely unfriendly to everyone, refusing to speak to anyone or sign autographs.

I grew up in Ohio, and it surprises me to read how far people would drive to come to Cedar Point. Schools, families, church groups, and friend groups in my area would go either to Cedar Point or Kings Island often.

I know that local middle schools have physics units where kids design roller coasters for marbles using household items like floating pool tubes. The projects conclude with a trip to Cedar Point.

My most unusual CP memory involved the ferry boat you could take from the port in Sandusky over to the park. My parents preferred this over driving up the causeway. When I was 8 or 9 (and just after the Titanic was discovered), we were on the ferry when a very unexpected storm came up. There were huge waves and winds for Lake Erie, and we were tossed about and soaked. The boat was fairly open on the sides. The boat captain was screaming. I was hysterically crying, sure we would sink like the people on the Titanic, and heartsick worrying that our cats and dog were home and would have no one to care for them. Obviously, we made it safely, but I was in dread the whole day knowing that we had to take the boat back to get to our car.

I’ve been to the park since then, but have never been back on the boat, if they even still do that.

I was caught on the skyride during one of those infamous summer storms that came very quickly, drenched everyone for a few minutes, then stopped.

R57, there was a water spout while I was on the ferry.

Growing up in the Detroit area, a trip to Cedar Point was a treat! I remember how fun The Rotor was. But you did not want to go on that ride just after the log ride, because if you were wet you would not stick to the sides of the rotor that well and start to slide down. That was terrifying!

But getting there from where I lived could take 2 1/2 hours. So it was a long day trip. So for us, it was much more convenient to go to Bob-Lo! I could be at the boat in 30 minutes from my house and riding that giant ferry was fun! The fairy had a giant dance floor, video games, and a snack bar. The rides were a lot tamer but it was still a nice fun time. It’s closed now but I have a lot of fond memories of Bob-Lo!

Didn't they turn Bob-Lo island into a bunch of yuppie condos? Sad.

The Hotel Breakers from r36 has no elevators. They still employ teams of bellhops to carry guests luggage upstairs.

No elevators? That’s crazy!

Sorry to say but that hotel looks like a dump. That presidential suite is a joke!

Anyone from Ohio remember Idora Park?

I went to Cedar Point about 10 years ago only because I had heard so much about it and that it is the home to most amount of big roller coasters in the US (if not the world).

It's widely ranked as the best for roller coasters, which I love. I was very impressed - it's more of a resort than just an amusement park, which makes it already a different experience than most thrill-ride parks.

Unfortunately, I went during Halloween season and it was unbelievably crowded. I think we were there for 8-9 hours and we went on 7 rides total? Great coasters, but like any popular amusement park, the wait lines can be intolerable.

Too bad they don't have more room to expand, being right on the lake. (Which is another defining and unique feature about the park)

There are elevators now r61. My family are all on mobility scooters and walkers and I would have DEFINITELY remembered if they had to take stairs.

Yes, R62, it was. And filthy too...I had to clean the windows myself. $1000 a night for Motel 6.

Never heard of it!

My parents took me there every year for my August birthday. Also my first boyfriend in college worked there over several summers, lived in the dorms, lots of homosexual activity going on in those dorms. Yet I was still the first guy to get to fuck him...... Yay me!!

The Skyride ends up being the scariest ride of all as you hang above everybody

[quote] Anyone from Ohio remember Idora Park?

Oh yeah! The Jackrabbit was the most horrifying roller coaster ever built. I loved the trash cans that talked to you.

[quote]Yet I was still the first guy to get to fuck him...... Yay me!!

Oh, honey --I'm sure he told everyone they were the first,

It's impressive that Kings Island had the Hollywood savvy to pull in the Bradys and the Partridges considering Cedar Point has been around much longer.

I kissed a guy for the first time on the beach behind Magnum XL-200. It changed my life forever.

Cedar Point in 1910:

R73, I remember the water was cold that day.

R71, Kings Island had a tie-in with Hanna Barbera. Maybe there were some Hollywood connections.

I was at Idora Park during its last gasp in the mid 80’s. To get cheap attention, they ran the Jackrabbit roller coaster backward and referred to it the “back rabbit”

It was more fun than it sounds.

Let me know when they get a bareback roller coaster

r71 Kings Island and Kings Dominion were owned by Paramount (which also later had what used to be Marriott's Great America parks); Paramount produced "The Brady Bunch."

mmm, Kings Dominion.

R71, It’s probably easier to get to Kings Island from an airport rather than Sandusky.

Yeah, I've been. Quite fun.

"Kings Island and Kings Dominion were owned by Paramount (which also later had what used to be Marriott's Great America parks); Paramount produced "The Brady Bunch."

The Partridge Family and Brady Bunch were filmed before Kings Dominion was built. Kings Island was owned by the Taft Broadcasting Company and later sold to Paramount.

"The Brady Bunch was produced by Paramount Television, a large Taft Broadcasting shareholder."

Peter's Oint ment

Idora Park had the best fries with malt vinegar! One ride that terrified me was The Lost River! There was also the Wildcat coaster that was vicious!

I broke my leg on the King Cobra (Kings Island) in 1998!

I lived about 30 miles from Cedar Point, so we visited a few times a year when I was a kid. One of the last times I was there (2002) was for a senior trip on the last day of school. Two classmates and I gave each other head in one of the restrooms, and nearly got caught by a guy taking his young son to the bathroom. Lol.

R86 wtf? How did that happen?

Oops. It was actually 1988. We were at the front of King Cobra and in a twist, my foot moved up the panel. We hit some G forces and I felt it snap.

I still went to see Depeche Mode at Riverbend Amphitheater afterward then drove back to Columbus.

The next morning, I went to the hospital. I was in a cast until August.

Some CP moments in the summer of 2017 =

Having grown up just 30 minutes from Kings Island, I only got to Cedar Point once. I had never had motion sickness before in my life, but for whatever reason my physiology changed at some point in my life, sometime before my visit to Cedar Point. I was determined to ride what I could, but spent the day sicker than a damn dog. I've had terrible motion sickness ever since.

r91 you’re getting old, my friend. it happened to me around 30.

After age 30 I could not ride roller coasters. I would have such back & neck pain the next few days after that it’s just not worth it.

I worked there in the summers of ‘78 and ‘79. I was a ride host. I stayed in the dorms they provided. I met many gay men from all over the Midwest who worked there. Such great memories.

Weren’t the dorms really dumpy and awful R94? A friend of mine worked there in the 80s and hated it!

Also worked there during the 80s. Best summers of my life.

Yes, the dorms weren't up-to-date, but between working and partying, who was spending waking hours in the dorms? We were also surrounded by a beach and a fucking amusement park There were no reasons to spend much time in dorms.

Were there many drugs or did they do drug testing?

Cedar Point relies largely on college students to run during the summer. The first summer that they start drug testing would be the first summer that they couldn't open.

True dat R98. I used to supervise the Wildcat back in the day. We had a guy come into work every day stoned out of his mind. I caught him sleeping at the control panel more than once. That was the one ride you could easily kill someone if you weren't doing what you were supposed to (well, the Blue Streak too before hydraulic brakes/computers were installed). We all were real tight so I didn't get him fired but I did scream at him.

Gosh, r99. I adored the WildCat as a kid. (And the Blue Streak!) We had something similar at Bob-Lo Island called the Original Mad Mouse. I got knocked out on it for under a minute when I was about 8 y/o. Live in Denver nowadays and am not too far from an old-school amusement park called Lakeside. They have a WildCat-type coaster called the Wild Chipmunk.

As a kid, I loved the Wildcat. I had to beg my mom to ride it with me. She always relented, but complained for days about the rough ride and whiplash the Wildcat caused. Haha.

One summer in 87

Gemini Jr is so cute

I had no idea Cedar Point was open way back in the 1800s! How the hell did they operate an amusement park without electricity!?

Likely from the same way that they make a lot of their money these days, r104 Carnival games that deplorables think they can win and fattening foods. Throw in a few stage shows and a beach and you've got a profitable business that can run during the summer without electricity

R105 you think only Republicans go to Cedar Point?

Before electricity, they used manpower to pull coaster trains to the top of the hills.

Like this.

Cedar Point really is one of the best things about Ohio. Columbus is ok too I guess. Cedar Point is super clean, Disney-fied for the most part (for a seasonal amusement park) and has thrill rides like no other. Ride Millenium Force, Maverick and Sky Hawk. It's sad to imagine how these parks are going to suffer.

Hopefully the parks can find more innovations due to this. A digital app appointment to ride a coaster would be huge improvement over standing in a line a hours. Standing in long lines to ride a coaster is so 1899

The long lines are where you flirt with the cute boys

If you like white Republicans, Columbus is your town!

We docked our yacht at the Cedar Point marina a few years ago. The location was close to Put-In-Bay (a poor-man's Key West for straights). Plus, we got 2 season passes that summer. All-in-all, it was a memorable boating season.

R113 must be Betsy DeVos.

R112 If you like white Republicans, you'll also find them in every city in New York and California.

White Republican youth in Columbus

For all of you Geauga Lake fans this is some pretty cool drone footage of what's left of it. Very sad.

Canadian narrates report on Geauga Lake today.

Memories of Euclid Beach

I grew up in a small Ohio town southeast of Youngstown, right on the PA border. My mom, sister and I had little interest in amusement parks, but my dad was convinced that that's what families did for fun back in the late 70s/early 80s. He took us to Geauga Lake, Cedar Point and Kings Island numerous times. He also made sure we went to Disneyworld, Disneyland and Knotts Berry Farm. Oddly, he never took us to the two closest venues: Idora Park or Kennywood. I think dad just liked to go on road trips and needed a reason to justify the long drives. He also probably loved amusement parks but always claimed he was doing it for us. Mom, Sis and I made the most of the non-threatening rides and entertainment, so no harm was done.

[quote]I had no idea Cedar Point was open way back in the 1800s! How the hell did they operate an amusement park without electricity!?

It was a stop on the Underground Roller Coaster.

Cedar Point Cemetery