I can remember my first trip to our local amusement park as a child and being deathly afraid of roller coasters. That quickly changed thanks to my cousin Sarah. She is a lover of roller coasters, and thinks nothing of traveling hours to go on the newest, fastest, and most thrilling rides. She is the one who introduced me to Cedar Point (which I think is her favorite place on earth).
I can remember waking up very early and driving the 4-5 hours from Buffalo to Sandusky, Ohio along I-90 and the shores of Lake Erie. My first trip to Cedar Point it was Sarah, her friend Kelly, my friend Michelle and me. I really didn't know what to expect, but quickly realized this was no Darien Lake. The amazing thing about the park is it's location on a penninusla that juts out into Lake Erie. You can see the roller coasters from the shore, and they are by no means small. In fact they are the only park in the world that has four coasters over 200 feet.
The park is 364 acres and boasts 75 rides (the most of any park in the world). Along with the 17 roller coasters, they have a number of thrill rides and a water park. They have been voted "Best Amusement Park of the Year" for the past 13 years by Amusement Today. It's hard to disagree with that vote.
The top three coasters are the Millenium Force, Maverick, and Top Thrill Dragster, at least according to me.
Millenium Force was opened in 2000, imagine that! It broke 10 world records when it opened; including tallest and fastest. Standing at 310 feet the coaster reaches speeds of 93 MPH, and includes an 80 degree drop to start your two minute ride. I would have to say this may be my favorite coaster of all time and I could ride it over, and over.
Maverick is the newest roller coaster in Cedar Point's repretoir. Opening in 2007 this roller coaster was voted "Best New Attraction" by Amusement Today. While the coaster is only 105 feet, the concept was a new one with riders being launched from the house, up the first drop at 70 MPH. The first drop then allows riders to go past vertical at 95 degrees. It's a fun ride, but beware it's jerky.
Now, Top Thrill Dragster is a ride that I do not mind standing in an hour or two hour line for, which I have done several times. The ride opened as the tallest and fastest coaster in 2003. Although it no longer holds that title, it is still up there in the ranks, and is definitely impressive. The 420 foot coaster starts riders off with a launch that sends them straight up the 420 feet. The riders go from 0-120 MPH in 4 seconds. Impressive! Once they reach the top they experience a twist, and a straight drop down 420 feet. The ride is only 17 seconds, but well worth it.
Cedar Point is a must for any roller coaster enthusiast. There are a number of hotels within minutes of the park's grounds, and I would definitely recommend staying the night as this is not a park you can do in just one day. I've been back several times, and look forward to the next time as there is always a new ride to enjoy.
For more information on the park including videos for all the coasters, stats, and more visit their site at http://www.cedarpoint.com/.
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