Cedar Point
 Inside Cedar Point with Corkscrew in view. | |
| Location | Sandusky, Ohio |
|---|---|
| Opened | 1870 |
| Owner | Cedar Fair, L.P. |
| Slogan | The Roller Coaster Capital of the World; America's Roller Coast |
| Operating season | May – October |
| Area | 364 acres (1.47 km²) |
| Attractions | |
| Total | 68 |
| Roller coasters | 16 |
| Water rides | 2 |
| Website | www.cedarpoint.com/ |
Cedar Point is a 364 acre (1.5 km²) amusement park located in Sandusky, Ohio, USA on a peninsula jutting into Lake Erie. It is the world's largest amusement park (by ride count) with 68 rides including 16 rollercoasters and has the world's second tallest and second fastest roller coaster, Top Thrill Dragster. The park also has a mile-long beach, two water parks (Castaway Bay and Soak City), a marina, several hotels, and a "Challenge Park" featuring attractions such as go-karts and miniature golf.
The park opened in 1870 and is the second oldest amusement park in North America after Lake Compounce. Cedar Point and Valleyfair! were the original operating partners of the Cedar Fair, L.P. amusement park company. Cedar Point began its 2006 season on May 6.
History
In the 1860s, during the American Civil War, an earthwork housing a battery of four field artillery pieces was constructed at the tip of the peninsula to guard access to the Confederate prisoner of war camp on nearby Johnson's Island. When the war ended, Cedar Point resumed its role as a summer picnic area, and the initial park was constructed in 1870.
Boeckling era
Around the turn of the twentieth century, businessman George Arthur Boeckling spent several decades expanding the park by planting flower gardens, adding a boardwalk and rides, constructing lagoons, and opening several hotels including The Breakers Hotel, which opened on June 12, 1905, and still operates today. Cedar Point continued to expand over the course of the century, adding a series of new rides and roller coasters. In 1929, The Cedar Point Cyclone was built by legendary designer Harry Traver. The Great Depression had an adverse effect on Cedar Point, and it did not fully recover until the 1950s when businessmen George Roose and Emile Legros bought the park. When they first bought Cedar Point, Roose and Legros planned on tearing down the existing park and turning it into a residential area. With this in mind, they built a marina and constructed a causeway leading from the amusement area to Sandusky. Once the citizens of Sandusky found out about Roose and Legros' plans, they wrote letters to the governor of Ohio urging him to intervene. With the uproar occurring and the sudden popularity of Disneyland in California, Roose and Legros decided to end their plans to tear down Cedar Point and instead announced their plans to turn Cedar Point into the Disneyland of the Midwest.
Modern era
The park continued to expand rapidly through the next 50 years. Many of its roller coasters were record setters when they opened. The Cedar Creek Mine Ride opened in 1969 as one of the very first run-away mine train style roller coasters, and one of the first steel coasters. In 1976, Corkscrew was the first roller coaster to turn its riders upside down three times. In 1978 Gemini debuted as the tallest, fastest, and steepest roller coaster on earth. In 1989 Magnum XL 200, designed by the now defunct Arrow Dynamics, opened as the tallest, fastest, and steepest roller coaster in existence, as well as being the first full-circuit roller coaster to be taller than 200 feet (60 m). In 1991, Mean Streak opened as the tallest and fastest wooden coaster.
Raptor, designed by Bolliger and Mabillard, opened in 1994 as the tallest, fastest, and longest inverted roller coaster with the most inverting elements. Mantis, also designed by Bolliger and Mabillard, opened in 1996 as the tallest, fastest, and longest stand-up roller coaster with the most loops. In 2000, Cedar Point and Intamin AG unleashed Millennium Force, which at the time was the world's tallest and fastest roller coaster and the first coaster to top 300 feet (90 m) in height. Millennium Force is still consistently voted the top coaster in the world. In 2002, Cedar Point announced Wicked Twister, the world's tallest, fastest and first double-spiraling impulse coaster. Cedar Point continued its record breaking tradition in 2003 with Top Thrill Dragster, also designed by Intamin AG, which features a four-second launch to 120 mph (190 km/h) and a 420 foot (128 m) hill with a 90 degree spiral vertical ascent and a 270 degree spiral on the vertical descent. To date, Cedar Point has more roller coasters over 200 feet (4) than any other park in the world.
Fun facts
- Hotel Breakers Trivia: Built in 1905, Hotel Breakers owned by Cedar Fair and located at the rear of the park, features original Tiffany stained-glass windows in its lobby. Its Presidential Suite is one of the most expensive hotel rooms in Sandusky, demanding $1000 per night during the peak season. The Hotel Breakers has hosted six American Presidents in its history, Taft, Coolidge, Wilson, Harding, Roosevelt and Eisenhower. Another interesting aspect of the Breakers is that the map of the hotel's layout given to guest upon check-in to help them find their rooms 'hides' several areas of the complex, including an entire hallway on the second floor devoted to employee housing. The Hotel is also the de facto headquarters for several Cedar Point departments including Central Reservations (Department 402), Park Operator / PBX and Housekeeping.
- The original proposed name for the Mantis was The Banshee and the proposed coaster would be painted black and silver. The name was quickly changed when the marketing department realized the full negative connotations of the word 'banshee' and all 'The Banshee' stickers, pins and other promotional materials that had been given to employees were recalled. Many of the original souvenirs and materials were burned or destroyed.
- In 2005, Cedar Point built a new ride called maXair. This Giant Frisbee, manufactured by HUSS Maschinenfabrik, swings riders at 70 mph (110 km/h) while spinning them.
- In 2005, Kingda Ka in Six Flags Great Adventure surpassed Top Thrill Dragster as the world's tallest and fastest roller coaster (see Notable roller coasters).
- It is said that if one has the courage, he or she can see all the way out to Canada from the top of the hill on Millennium Force, Magnum XL 200, or Top Thrill Dragster. While it is not possible to see mainland Canada, a good eye might be able to spot Pelee Island, a Canadian island in the middle of Lake Erie, 34 km or 21 miles to the north.
- In contrast to many parks that have completely modernized, Cedar Point has retained some older rides as well. It has three antique carousels which retain their original wooden animals, many smaller carnival-type rides, as well as county-fair style booths and games and a variety of musical shows, which are considered second only to Disney. The Great American Racing Derby, a ride from Euclid Beach Park which simulated a horse race, still runs today at Cedar Point, who acquired it in 1967, renamed Cedar Downs.
- Cedar Point has five arcades on the peninsula. Coliseum is the largest and includes the arcade maintenance office. The same building also holds Cedar Point Police, Park Operations and the Ballroom. Coliseum features over 30 lanes of Skeeball and over 100 video and redemption games. Gemini arcade is located across from the Gemini roller coaster and features Skeeball and boomball. Jitney is located in the rear of the park and has Skeeball. The two other arcades are technically outside of the park. Challenge Park arcade is located in a building that also houses a food stand. Hotel Breakers arcade is located at the base of Breakers Tower.
- The beach on Lake Erie is wide, and both it and the shore have a generally gradual slope. The sand is the right texture for making sand castles.
- Cedar Point has been voted "Best Amusement Park in the World" for 8 years running by Amusement Today newspaper (1999 - 2006).
- Cedar Point currently retains 2 of the top 3 tallest operating complete-circuit Roller Coasters in the world.
- Cedar Point also retains 2 of the top 10 longest Roller Coasters in North America.
- Cedar Point has 68 different amusement rides, the most world-wide.
- Some past employees who have gone on to fame include Sam Warner, Arsenio Hall, and Knute Rockne who worked as a lifeguard at Cedar Point in 1913 and invented the forward pass with teammate Gus Dorais on the beach during their off-time. Others that have visited the park include Montel Williams, Yasmine Bleeth, Drew Carey, Joey Fatone, Monica Lewinsky, Rob Lowe, LeBron James, Randy Moss, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, Ken Griffey, Jr., the members of Simple Plan, as well as Cleveland Indians and Cleveland Browns team members.
- Cedar Point is operated by Cedar Fair, L.P., a consortium that also owns Knott's Berry Farm in California, Worlds of Fun in Missouri, Cedar Point and Geauga Lake in Ohio, Michigan's Adventure in Michigan, Dorney Park in Pennsylvania, Valleyfair in Minnesota, and several waterparks. Cedar Fair also once operated Camp Snoopy (now The Park at MOA) at the Mall of America. It will soon be operating some more parks that were the Paramount parks.
- Both Cedar Point and sister park (and onetime competitor) Geauga Lake are often referred to by western Pennsylvanians as the "Ohio parks", due to their proximity and their competition with Pittsburgh's own Kennywood.
- The Running of the Bulls nickname has been given to the opening of the gates each year. Often serious tourists and/or fans (many of them season ticket holders) will eagerly line up at the entrance to the park, and upon opening, flood the grounds in a scramble to the newest and greatest rides.
- New for 2006 is a "screaming swing" known as Skyhawk. Built by S&S Power and Associates, Skyhawk reaches speeds of 60 mph and heights of 125 feet in the air.
- Cedar Point is currently constructing its new attraction for 2007. Not much is known at this time, but the construction area is located on the site of the recently removed White Water Landing. At this time, the only fact known is that the manufacturer of the ride will be Intamin AG, with a possible name of Maverick. Track Arrival Story
- As noted in a May 22, 2006 press release, Cedar Fair, L.P. (NYSE: FUN), the parent company of Cedar Point, announced that it has signed a definitive agreement for the acquisition of the Paramount Parks. Cedar Fair, L.P. will acquire the stock of Paramount Parks, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of CBS Corporation (NYSE: CBS) (NYSE: CBSA) for a cash purchase price of $1.24 billion.
The five Paramount Parks consist of Canada’s Wonderland near Toronto, Canada; King’s Island near Cincinnati, Ohio; King’s Dominion near Richmond, Virginia; Carowinds near Charlotte, North Carolina; and Great America located in Santa Clara, California.
Thrill rides
- Chaos
- Demon Drop
- Dodgem
- maXair - a Giant Frisbee
- Ocean Motion
- Power Tower
- Skyhawk
- Troika
- Witches' Wheel
Children's rides
- 4x4's
- Balloon Race
- Bumper Boats
- Camp Bus
- Dune Buggies
- Frog Hopper
- Helicopters
- Hot Rods
- Krazy Kars
- Lolli Swing
- Motorcycles
- Mustangs
- Old Timers
- Peanuts 500
- Peanuts Express
- Police Cars
- Red Baron
- Rock Spin & Turn
- Roto Whip
- Sir Rub-a-Dub's Tubs
- Sky Fighters
- Space Age
- Tilt a Whirl
Other rides
- Antique Cars
- Cadillac Cars
- Calypso
- Cedar Downs Racing Derby
- Cedar Point & Lake Erie Railroad
- Giant Wheel
- Kiddy Kingdom Carousel
- Matterhorn
- Midway Carousel
- Monster (Thrill Ride)
- Paddlewheel Excursions
- Scrambler
- Sky Ride
- Snake River Falls
- Space Spiral
- Super Himalaya
- Thunder Canyon
- Turnpike Cars
- Wave Swinger