Achieving Perspective

Another wonderful thing about living in Southeast Michigan is that you are within reaching distance of the best amusement park on Earth: Cedar Point.

Some would argue that CP has nothing compared to 6 flags, but how can this be possible? Cedar Point has world-record-breaking rides around every turn and it has been voted “Best Amusement Park in the World” by Amusement Today for the past eleven years. CP also has more roller coasters (17) and more rides (75) than any other park.

I was shocked when I entered college and met several people who had never heard of Cedar Point! How is it possible that this amusement park gem is flying under the radar?

My recent trip to the Point was a success. It had been several summers since I went last. The last time I went was with my Physics class my senior year of high school. We were told to enjoy ourselves but keep in mind that it should be a learning experience. About 1/2 an hour in to the day, the entire class, including my teachers, forgot about the assignment and instead focused on playing “Who can scream the loudest on the first drop of the Millennium Force?”. When we arrived in class the next day, we found out that our CP trip was just to study for our week-long game of Jeopardy, where the winners would receive their favorite candy bar. Needless to say, I think I lost all of the brain cells that had previously housed the information I learned in my physics class on my third ride on the Raptor. Education at its finest!

So my recent trip was long overdue. I finally got to experience the new Maverick roller coaster that won the Best New Ride for 2007. It is an amazing ride, but forget about trying to keep your hands up the entire time because if you don’t brace yourself, your head act like a pinball in between your shoulder straps. I also learned a valuable lesson about hair clips: they don’t mix well with roller coasters. I think I have teeth marks permanently engraved in the back on my head.

First ride of the day was Millennium Force which has been and will continue to be my favorite ride. It is so smooth. Plus, it is a very long ride and well worth planning out your picture while you wait in line (the camera is in the 2nd tunnel). Those who have yet to conquer the MF always say they’re scared of the first drop, but honestly, it is amazing and only lasts for a split second. I dare you to get off the ride without a smile on your face. Though I can’t guarantee you won’t have jelly-legs — I know I sure get them every time.

But for those who are still scared of roller coasters, stay far away from Power Tower Down. It isn’t a roller coaster, but Power Tower Down is the only ride in the park that still scares me and my other “Ride Warrior” friends. They slowly lift you up to the top of the tower (which takes waay to long) and then locks you in to place with a huge jolt (my heart stopped). They then leave you there for an unknown amount of time and drop you, free-fall, flying towards the ground. I scream, you scream, we all scream for solid ground.

Raptor is a classic and never disappoints, though I’ve found lately that I’ve been banging my head on the shoulder straps a lot. I must be sitting weirdly. Any advice? They also decided to get rid of pictures and added a video camera to every seat. I don’t know about you, but I would hate to watch myself on a roller coaster — goofy grin mixed in with giggles and “wooo”s. I just hope they don’t add this feature to Power Tower — hyperventilation mixed with pure terror.

We decided to skip over the painful rides — Mean Streak, Corkscrew, Mantis (for the males– my friend who I went with said he blacked out last time he went on the Mantis because the horn in between his legs was a little too high). We also didn’t get to go on the Magnum because when we were waiting in line, it broke down and when we came back later, it was 90 minute wait for a ride that we’ve all been on before. Plus, I think that the Magnum is painful, too. I usually get off the ride with a few more bruises than when I got in to my seat.

I have yet to go on the Top Thrill Dragster because every time I go, there is always a 2-3 hour wait and I just can’t imagine waiting that long for a 17 second ride. I will do it some day, like if I ever open the park and there is a 15 minute wait. I’ve heard mixed reviews about this ride. Some say that it is worth the wait, others think that it’s a pointless ride and a waste of your time. I’ll have to check it out for myself one day.

Gemini is always a fun coaster. You can race your friends, though keep in mind that the car on the right when you walk in gets an advantage out of the gate (in my case, it was the blue car… and I was in the red one). It is a little painful just because it’s old and wooden (especially on the quads where the lap bar goes), but it is a must-ride.

For those who have a stomach made of steel and are tired of waiting in line for roller coasters, try Chaos, located in the front on the park to your right as you walk in. You’re strapped in to a car that rocks back and forth while the car is attached to a spinning wheel that also tilts. My friends and I always compete to see who can do the most flips in the car. This time around, my friend and I won with 3 full flips, while our competition didn’t have any.

And while you’re over near the beach, you should also ride the Wicked Twister. Don’t be scared by the yellow towers swaying in the wind; this ride is a lot of fun. We found that the best seat is in the front row, because you get one extra twirl up the tower. You also get a full view of the meals that people can’t hold in while on this ride. Sounds like a blast, right?

The day was cut a little short because we decided not to spend money in the park (aka, not buy a $5 hot dog) so we were all low on energy and grumpy by the time 7pm rolled around. Speaking of food in the park, Cedar Point has turned corporate. They now have a Subway, a Panda Express and a Chik-fil-a. (Do Chinese Food and roller coasters mix well? I don’t think so!). And the Subway doesn’t even promote their “5 dollar foot long” in the park. Try $13 for a foot long sub. Disgusting!

We decided to hold out for some delicious Max and Erma’s. After not having eaten since 8AM, a burger never tasted so good. FYI, best chocolate chip cookies EVER (better than Mrs. Fields.. and I worked at Mrs. F).

On the way home, I had my first almost-fall-asleep-at-the-wheel experience. Pretty terrifying. Decided that my friend should drive the rest of the way home.

It’s funny that the scariest part of my day was driving home versus flying 90 mph straight towards the ground.