UNITED STATES—I absolutely love this place. I have been to a ton of amusement parks during my lifetime, but nothing and I mean nothing tops Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio for me. This place has the best thrill rides that I can imagine and if you forced me to pick any amusement park to go to, without a doubt, this park wins every single time.
With that said, I had a recent trip to the park, the family plans an annual visit every year. If I’m going to go to any park, it has to be this one because I get the biggest bang for my buck and there is great food and fun for everyone.
Rollercoasters, I know this might sound crazy, but I love them. There are at least 15 to 16 rollercoasters at this park, maybe more, but none of them are dull, except maybe one, the Cedar Creek Mine, which is not all that thrilling. The last time we went people were screaming and I couldn’t understand why America. I mean even the Iron Dragon, which I don’t love has more thrills than that one, and the Blue Streak, Gemini and Corkscrew all still deliver butterflies in the stomach.
However, nothing beats the classic, Magnum. It is a must ride for me each time I go to Cedar Point, for starters you have over a 200 foot drop that you feel absolutely every second of it. Then you have these jolts that jump you in and out of your seat that can be brutal. They are exhilarating at the same time though. I love the ride and the wait always seems to impress me to the tune of like 15 to 30 minutes tops to get on. I can’t say that for all of them. I remember nearly 20 years ago, the wait times used to be three to four hours to get on certain rides. Yes, America I was one of those idiots who waited in line three hours to get on the Raptor, to have 90 minutes of an adrenaline rush. Sounds crazy, but it is what it is.
Another favorite of mine has to be the Millenium Force. It has a 300 plus foot drop and reaches up to 90 mph and it overlooks that massive body of water known as Lake Erie. It terrified me the first time I got on the ride. Making things worst was that my older sister forced me to sit in the first car. I hate large areas of water and the notion of dropping 318 feet terrified me to the core, but it moves so fast, you feel the jitters right away and they disappear. It is another rollercoaster that is a top choice for me. It never disappoints me.
Now, if we’re talking about free flying coasters, you have the Raptor, the Gatekeeper and the Rougaru which have your feet dangling. Those drops are not that rough especially for the Raptor and Rougaru, but the Gatekeeper it clocks in a little over 215 feet, but nothing compares to the Valravn. That baby tilts you at a 90-degree angle and teases you for several seconds before you drop and when I tell you it is a gut punch that hurts, I mean just that it hits that stomach and it hits hard as hell.
That is the new one that scares me, but I love the exhilaration each time, the same for the momentous beast the Steel Vengeance that I have ridden twice. I thought I was going to fall off that coaster and the fact that you don’t have a bar to hold onto is just as scary. When you drop, it is like a free fall and it’s a ride that clocks in over two minutes and 30 seconds with more twists and turns than I can break down into words.
Still waiting to get back on the Maverick which is always closed or has massive wait times each time we visit. Not to mention the new Top Thrill Two which has a 400 plus foot drop and now it goes backwards too. Yes, it is daunting, but I got on the original which scared me senseless, but I loved every minute of it.
The rides are not just for the adults, the kiddie rides are fun to. My niece just loves this clown twirling ride that spins you super-fast, so much to the point that you cannot help but laugh along the way. As for the ‘monster,’ or as my niece calls it the ‘octopus,’ that ride is another hilarious ones that spins you pretty fast while in the air. You have so much fun at this park I don’t see why more people don’t talk about it.
There is also the food, I mean the corn dogs, the French Fries, the burgers, pretzels, popcorn, cotton candy, fudge, Funnel cake, pizza, you name it, this park has it and plenty more for the entire family. I didn’t even mention the root beer floats, the alcoholic beverages for adults now, and ice cream treats. Piece of advice, purchase the all-day dining pass for only $40 bucks. It is worth it and you get to eat every 90 minutes (its includes an entrée and a side).
You’ll easily spend $25 on a single meal and that is NOT including the drink. Trust me it is worth it, and you will utilize it, yeah, Disney Land and Disney World are the places everyone flocks to, but place Cedar Point on your list, trust me, way more affordable and a lot more exciting than what you may think.
Written By Jason Jones