Well we went to Cedar Point

[ConGregation]

I sent this in an email to my family and copied it in here. Obviously most of you know about Cedar Point and Millenium Force.

 

Hi all. Hope you enjoyed your Independence Day. We decided we would take the kids to Cedar Point over vacation. We ended up going on the 4th since it was suppose to be one of the less packed days.

 

www.cedarpoint.com

 

Cedar Point is a pretty nice amusement park. Things are colorful and it has a great 'carnival' feel especially after it gets dark. But they are known for their extreme rollercoasters. So I told the kids that we wouldn't take them unless they promised to ride some 'bigger' ones. So we looked through all the rides and they promised they would ride the 'Millenium Force'.

 

http://www.cedarpoint.com/public/park/ride...force/index.cfm

 

We watched the video and both kids said they could do it. Let me just say, that video LIES! It looks kinda big and the first drop is a long ways. But riding it is 100x worse!

 

So we get to the park after about a 2 1/2 hour drive. We get to the gate 10 minutes before it is suppose to open. But the park is open and people are already on the rides. We head back to the MF (Millenium Force) and get in line.

 

I didn't realize that the MF was the fastest and tallest RC (rollercoaster) in the world when it was built in 2000. It goes 310 feet in the air and up to 93 mph. A nice tame ride to break the kids in, eh? Both children love RC's but are scared of them. They have never ridden anything 'big'. So once we get in line and we all get a good look at just how tall that thing is... people start to balk.

 

Now I had promised myself I would NOT be that parent that took their kid kicking and screaming onto a ride. I understand how that COULD be me and I didn't WANT that to be me. So when Ethan said he didn't want to ride, I said ok, but that he would have to ride another big RC.

 

We wait in line and feel the mighty woosh of sound and wind as the thing flies past us. All the while I am making sure Ethan really doesn't want to ride. Pointing out the obvious things like kids his size laughing and smiling at the end. Stuff like that. But I can't get him to budge.

 

Finally we are about to the loading area after about 30 minutes (light crowd as promised, especially earlier in the day) when they have to stop it for something. It's broken down for about 20 - 25 minutes. So I take the opportunity to really work on Ethan. I talk about Courage and how its not absence of fear. I use my famous quote "If you face your fear, it will disappear". I talk about bravery and trust and how overcoming a fear now will help overcome other fears later. I lay it on pretty thick... Finally he gives in under my pressure. Probably more to please me than anything. So the line starts moving again and here we go!

 

Ethan is really nervous but I'm not letting him chicken out. We get in with him protesting a little. "Just get in" I say. He rides behind me with Shannon, my wife, and I ride with my daughter. But once the restraint closes Ethan in he panics! Remember I said I never wanted to be that parent who takes their kid kicking and screaming on a ride.... Ethan was FREAKING OUT! Red in the face yelling to get off! Everyone was looking. I look too, acting like "Who is that terrible woman making her son ride this ride?!"

 

I'm mortified. But they start the ride before we could get any of the staff's help. So here we go.

 

No waiting around but we are immediately going up the hill. The website says the ascent hill is 45 degrees. It feels much steeper. It uses an 'elevator' lift which goes really fast. So your going faster than the old chain lift but even though you are going faster it still takes forever to get to the top. All you can hear is the RC sounds while you feel the 'lake' breeze on your face. I look back at Ethan and he has his fingers gouged in his eyes while on the verge of hyperventilating. I feel terrible!!

 

The ride reaches the top. I had never been that high on a ride. I'm petrified. But its only worse cause I know it has to be 100x worse for my son. It doesn't give you a chance to gather yourself at the top but rather shoots you right over the edge.

 

I really hadn't thought about it but I had never ridden a RC this big before. The drop is HUGE! You know how a good drop will give you that stomach in your chest feeling? Well this drop maxxed that feeling out... at about halfway down. Your thinking... will this drop EVER end! I grit my teeth and clamp down on the hand bar (no hands in the air for me) and pray for the bottom! Obviously I am fighting for my own survival and can't spare a glance back at my son.

 

MY SON!!! I'm thinking that right about now he is scarred for life! When he stands before the judge facing a life sentence he will say "I was a normal kid until one day my Dad made me ride the MF!" I feel like the worse Dad in the world!

 

We finally reach the bottom. This is one INTENSE ride! The G forces change from up to down and we swing through a banked curve. The downward pressure prevents me from being able to turn my head around to look at my son. I can only imagine him reduced to a quivering mass of hysteria.

 

We bank around and progress through the course. You know how you can get good airtime on a RC with hills. This RC had airtime in spades! If you watch the video you will see the RC slow way down for the second hill. That had to be with no weight because we didn't slow down at all! You feel weightless. I try to get a look at my son figuring he would be in a drooling comatose state. But I can't get a good enough look to see how he is doing.

 

We careen through the rest of the ride at 93 mph when we finally get forcefully stopped at the end. At this point I figure its all over. My son must be ready to kill me. If by some odd chance he fails to do that, he will at least hate me for the rest of his life! Only thing I could do was say 'I'm sorry'.... 'I'm sorry' just seems so small after driving my son into the life of a mass murderer!

 

As I contemplate therapist fees, hours of counselling and various 'makeup' purchases I turn around just in time to hear my son say giddily 'Can we ride it again?!!!'

 

WHEW!

 

I have to say it was an awesome ride! I can get sick riding rollercoasters. In fact the smaller wooden ones made me queasy. But the MF is smooth as silk. All the turns are banked just right so it didn't make me sick at all. And the intensity and airtime was bigger than anything I had ridden before. You look at all the riders as they come in and they are all laughing and smiling... maybe just because they survived, I don't know. But after most of the rides at CP the operatora sks "So did you enjoy the <insert ride here>" Everytime after the MF everyone cheers wildly. My wifeand I determined that the MF alone was worth the price of admission.

 

It was a great day and a great ride. CP looks great after dark and the fireworks were awesome!

[Chief]

haha that's awesome, my ears started ringing with excitement just imagine being on the ride! Did you get a chance to do it again? Hands up? lol

[mrX]

Think I waited 2 hours to ride that thing back in 2000. Well worth it. That hill climb is the worst part as I've got a bit of a fear of heights. But the ride itself was phenomenal. Very smooth.

[meherdmann]

Think I waited 2 hours to ride that thing back in 2000. Well worth it. That hill climb is the worst part as I've got a bit of a fear of heights. But the ride itself was phenomenal. Very smooth.

 

You only had to wait 2 hours for it in 2000!? I had to wait for 4! Even with the 4 hour wait it was well worth it. IMO, it's the best roller coaster in the park. The Dragster is taller and faster, but it's over too quickly.

[Shazz]

Great Post!! That ride is one of the best rides in the world.

[Assassinator]

Excellent post indeed, this makes me really want to go to Cedar Point or at least Magic Mountain.

[Chimmpp]

Yeah... Ohio is where its at! Last time I was at cedar point, I was going to go on it, but they closed the ride because of a slight mist. I guess water drops hurt when you go 93 mph

[meherdmann]

Millenium Force usually runs through rain. The only ride that closes just because it's raining is Top Thrill Dragster. There must have been lightning.

[Chimmpp]

OOOO, lol totally missed the Millenium Force part of that Thought you guys were talking about Top Thrill Dragster. My bad. Millenium force is a sweet ride, went on there 5 times in a row with only 15 mins of wait time in between. It was a nice day too, dont know why the lines were so short.

[Wolfsblood]

I love Cedar Point. I'm a coaster nut. (some would say that I'm just a nut, but anyway ) My wife and I waited in line for 2/12 hours back in about 2001, not once, but 3 times the same day. Well, some of the wait times weren't quite that long. Once you get off, the entire wait has completely dissapeared from your mind. The adreneline rush, and exhileration you feel after riding it is enormous.

 

One thing to remember: don't ride in the front row at dusk. You will know what a windshield feels like. Nothing like gnats imbedded into your skin and clothing.

 

Amazingly we had enough time to also ride all the other 11 or so coasters we wanted to ride. Get there early, and stay late is my motto.

[ConGregation]

We stayed for 12 hours :ack: Plus the two and half hours there and two and half hours back. I could hardly stay awake for the drive back.

 

The crowd wasn't bad for the 4th. Pretty much could have rode anything we wanted. It got crowded toward the late afternoon. It's funny but the smaller wooden coaster made me queasy. As a kid I could ride them all day long but not now. But the MF is so smooth it hardly affects me.

 

We did ride it again, Chief, with my hands firmly attached to the hand bar.

[Fatty]

Are you talking about Gemini as the wooden one (two different cars) ?

 

It's rough, yes, but I still like it. Been a while since we've been there, we're due for a trip.

 

Maybe the reverse psychology on the 4th is the way to go! Everyone thinks that everyone else will be there so they stay away?

 

PS. CP is only about 60 minutes from FF!

[EbilDustBunny]

Are you talking about Gemini as the wooden one (two different cars) ?

 

It's rough, yes, but I still like it. Been a while since we've been there, we're due for a trip.

 

Maybe the reverse psychology on the 4th is the way to go! Everyone thinks that everyone else will be there so they stay away?

 

PS. CP is only about 60 minutes from FF!

 

I smell a pre-pre-pre event for FF07

[Wolfsblood]

Are you talking about Gemini as the wooden one (two different cars) ?

 

It's rough, yes, but I still like it. Been a while since we've been there, we're due for a trip.

 

Maybe the reverse psychology on the 4th is the way to go! Everyone thinks that everyone else will be there so they stay away?

 

PS. CP is only about 60 minutes from FF!

Prolly the mine ride was the "little rough wooden" one The Gemini is a twin racing coaster that actually run on tubular steel rails, much like the rest of the metal coasters, it's just encased in wood so it looks more like a traditional wooden coaster.

 

The other rough wooden coaster is the Timber Wolf (I think). Yeah, I love that park, don't get to go very often though.

[ConGregation]

We rode all the wooden ones in a row, pretty much.

 

1. Mine ride

2. Mean Streak

3. Gemini

4. Blue Streak (I think this is wooden) I didn't ride this one, Caught a nap on a bench in front of the sports bar thingy.

 

All of the wooden made me queasy. Not bad but just a little off in the head. (no wiseacre comments). I tell you I'm a wuss anymore. Its like I have to ration my thrill rides. So I'm just going to skip any small ones from now on. I remember Gemini from 10 years ago being a much smoother ride.

 

Another funny thing that happened was on the Gemini. On all the big roller coasters they made me take my hat off. They didn't say anything so I figured it would be alright. On the first hill there goes my hat. Figured it lost for good but the guy behind me caught it! He had his hands up. Hope it didn't hit him in the face :0