Cedar Point with light crowds for once, 9/2/2021

[DoomPlague]

Earlier this year I made my first trip to CP since GateKeepers opening year. Was pretty disappoint in the experience because of the crowds, the traffic, etc. But I decided to go during the last week of weekday operation and did quite well. Getting in the park in the morning was way easier (basically no traffic around 9:45) and getting out just as easy. Everything but SV and Maverick was at most 5 minutes, with many being walk-ons. SV was at one point around 15 minutes but stayed closer to 30.

3 rides on Steel Vengeance

3 rides on Millenium Force

1 ride on Maverick (had the longest wait of the day and was down when we came back later).

2 rides each on Raptor, Valravn, Magnum, GateKeeper, Gemini (wanted both sides)

1 ride each on Iron Dragon, Rugarou, Corkscrew, CCMR, Blue Streak, Wicked Twister

Also had rides on Snake River Expedition, Super Himalaya and Skyhawk.

We aimed to hit every coaster other than TTD and the kid coasters but I also tried to do repeats on the better rides.

 

Some observations:

After getting a few rides on SV this year, I can now judge it fairly and honestly, its not even may favorite ride in the park let alone my favorite overall. The ejector moments on the thing are just too painful to me. The ride obviously has a lot going for it. It's just plain wild and I understand why many consider it the best ride in the world but...I guess I just don't like ejector unless its with really comfortable restraints like B&M clamshells or even (and I know this is blasphemy) comfort collars. My best ride on it was when I decided to hold my legs in a way to keep them from stapling me too bad but they have that monitor that tells them when a restraint is far enough. The attendant had to push it a couple times (against my attempts to keep it more loose) for it to go green. That surprised me because there are way bigger people than I (I'm 5'11 and 210) who get on the thing and I didn't hold it up *that much.* Also, the locker thing does make a the experience a tad more stressful imo.

I was never that big of a fan of Magnum either but I decided to try "magic seat" (which I had never heard of until recently) and both my brother and I found it to be excruciating. He said he straight up hates that ride.

Rugarou is the first time I've experience significant headbanging on a B&M. It caught me by surprise. I don't remember it being that bad as a stand-up.

My first ride on Raptor was somewhat rough. People act like that thing is buttery smooth and complain about the rattle on Banshee but Raptor was definitely rougher than Banshee on this trip. Even banged my head on the restraints.

GateKeeper is better than I remember but still a fairly typical B&M looper. Same with Valravn.

Corkscrew I felt I had to ride since Vortex is gone but then after riding it I felt like I insulted Vortex

A crew member on Gemini saw my Vortex shirt and said it was the first big coaster he rode. Then he repeated the rumor that it was sinking.

Snake River Expedition is not a ride I would expect to see at CP in 2021. The crew/actors are pretty good. The animatronics are not exactly impressive but do the job.

Apparently on light days a lot of the food places close around 6, which cost us some time trying to find supper. Also it seems like CP is stingier with what you get on the dining plan than KI is.

Lastly, Super Himalaya is the best ride at the park.

 

[King Ding Dong]

I like to make the argument Cedar Downs is the best ride in the park because you actually have to actively ride it, not just be along for the ride like everything else.   I boggles my mind that it is still allowed to operate given everything else has you so strapped in one can barely move.  
 

CP has been odd this season with food portions, mostly it has stayed on the traditional leaner side but a few places have been serving absolutely ridiculously large portions like Crystal Rock (Island Smokehouse) and Hugo’s.  
 

Still have not been able to ride SNE despite 8 day trips this season and spending 4 nights at Breakers last week it is never up when we pass by.   It has taken over the Rivertown freestyle and WindSeeker curse for us.