Pear Goes to Cedar Point - Part 3: Cedar Point!

[Pear]

Kentucky Kingdom

So after Steel Vengeance was announced I thought it was about time to finally make the trip up to Cedar Point. I decided to do a 3 park trip consisting of Kentucky Kingdom, Kings Island, and Cedar Point. I started by flying into Louisville and meeting my friend and we drove up to Kentucky Kingdom (which is within walking distance of the airport tbh). Anyways here are my ride reviews:

Lightning Run

Started off the day with this small but fun coaster. I knew going in that this thing had some good airtime but it still surprised me. I rode it in the back row and there was really good airtime on all the hills and the ride was pretty much glass smooth. I wish more parks would get these models as its a great family coaster that is also quite thrilling. Good ride but completely overshadowed by Storm Chaser.

Fear Fall

My first Larson/ARM drop tower! It was great and I now see why they're so hyped up. Great airtime and the drop lasts for a pretty long time before coming to a hard stop. Can't wait to try more of these.

T3

Not the best SLC I've ever ridden but not the worst either. Rode it in the back and while it was quite shuffly at least there was no headbanging because of the restraints. The restraints however were quite restrictive and stupid and did press down on my thighs a bit on the brake run, but it didn't hurt as bad as I thought it would. Not a good ride by any means but certainly not as bad as everyone makes it out to be. In all honesty I prefer it to MP Express.

Thunder Run

I got on this expecting it to be as boring as Hurler at Carowinds but I was pleasantly surprised. There was some pretty nice airtime on the hills and the ride was smooth but still had some classic roughness that doesn't detract from the ride but makes it more fun. Really fun wooden that's miles better than its clones.

Roller Skater

It's a credit. I've been on a few of these things and it's just like all the others. It's a good coaster for the kids I guess.

Storm Chaser

This ride was probably the only reason I came here. I remember watching POV's from opening year and laughing at how slow it was, but now this thing speeds so fast through its course it's borderline unsafe. The station was empty which meant 1-2 train waits max for front and back rows which made marathoning it quite easy. The barrel roll drop is fun, but I prefer Twisted Timbers' as it is taken faster and feels more fluid. The airtime hill after the drop is incredible and very sustained in the front. I really enjoyed the big overbank as it was certainly unique. The two twisted hills were very powerful and just whipped you around. The next air hill is quite good as well and the corked roll whips you around as well. Now comes the best part of the ride IMO. The twisted double up and double down have airtime so strong it's actually painful, but the pain is welcome as airtime this strong is something you don't see very often. The flat turn into the brakes is hilariously dumb as it makes it clear that RMC did not intend for this ride to run as fast as it does. It's hard to say but I think my favorite seat is front right as the air is much stronger than in the back and the roll is a bit better in the right. Overall this ride is incredible and claimed my #5 spot. I can't wait to try Twisted Timbers again in a few weeks as I hear it's running much faster as well.

After our 10th Storm Chaser ride we decided it was time to leave as we had to go get food and drive 2 hours up to Kings Island and get all the credits there in like 6 hours, and then drive 3.5 hours up to Sandusky. Needless to say it was a very tiring day but I had a blast!

One thing I will mention about Kentucky Kingdom though is its horrible path layout. I'm pretty sure a young child could design a better path system than what this park has. Thank god they opened up the crosswalk later in the day.

Thanks for reading! Part 2 (Kings Island) coming soon!

 

[Snoo]

Can't wait to see your thoughts on the rest of the parks. Shoulda told me you were rolling in town! May have been able to meet up with ya.

 

[Pear]

Can't wait to see your thoughts on the rest of the parks. Shoulda told me you were rolling in town! May have been able to meet up with ya.

Thanks! I wasn't aware that you lived nearby or else I would have asked if you wanted to meet up. I'll definitely be back sometime soon though.

 

[Snoo]

Thanks! I wasn't aware that you lived nearby or else I would have asked if you wanted to meet up. I'll definitely be back sometime soon though.

We have ample supply of CFers in the area actually. Most of my enthusiast group, current or former CFers, are within 4 hours of the park. Hell, most of them will be at the Live in 11 days.

 

[Pear]

Well that's good to know for when I eventually make my way back up there! I loved Cedar Point so much I'm considering going back during my break in October.

 

[Hutch]

I basically did this trip a couple years ago but added Holiday World as well, any reason that park wasn't included? I'm gonna assume you had limited days, considering you squeezed in Kings Island and Kentucky Kingdom on the same day. Kings Island is more of a full day park imo so it's interesting that you did that in minimal time.

Looking forward to the rest of your thoughts.

 

[Pear]

I wanted to go to Holiday World but it added extra time to my trip and my friend who lives in Kentucky did not want to do too much driving. I will try to get there next year for HWN as I've always wanted to go!

Kings Island is more of a full day park imo so it's interesting that you did that in minimal time.

Fast Lane Plus is a godsend. Between Coasterstock and Music in the Parks happening on that same day the lines were very long.

 

[LiveForTheLaunch]

Nice review! Kings Island is not usually a full day park at this time of year, in fact we've usually been able to do it all in 4-5 hours without the Fast Lane. I'm not a massive fan of it so I like to spend as little time there as possible. When Flight of Fear is your favourite coaster at a park, it says something about their selection!

I agree 100% with the path layout at Kentucky Kingdom. Too bad you didn't get to enjoy the water park, as it's actually one of the better ones.

 

[Pear]

I'm not a big water park fans I find them kinda gross and would much rather ride coasters. The drop slides looked massive though!

 

[LiveForTheLaunch]

I'm not a big water park fans I find them kinda gross and would much rather ride coasters. The drop slides looked massive though!

I don't dig them either, in fact I rarely even do the slides. We did spend ages in their lazy river though!

 

[GuyWithAStick]

I despise waterparks, but I decided to do both HW and KK's. I enjoyed both, but preferred KK's. That drop slide was one of the few things I was legitimately terrified of.

I'm looking forward to reading part 2!

Sent from my VS501 using Tapatalk

 

[Coaster Hipster]

Nice read! I'm really intrigued by the many reports of SC's outrageously violent airtime. That's the kind of pain I actually want to experience at least once

 

[Pear]

Kings Island

Going into this park I wasn't expecting much from it but it pleasantly surprised me. It's one of the better Cedar Fair parks and has a very good variety of rides! Only thing I didn't like was the operations. They were quite slow and this led to long dispatches and lots of stacking. However, this wasn't a major drawback as I was still able to get all the credits in 5 hours with Fast Lane Plus! I'll definitely be going back when they get their giga!

And here come the reviews:

Adventure Express

It was okay I guess. I liked the terrain interaction but the ride was quite bumpy and the final lift was almost as stupid as the shed (more on that later). No mine train will ever come close to Thunderation or Colorado Adventure though.

Backlot Stunt Coaster

Probably my favorite of the Backlots (I've ridden all 3) but that's not saying much really. Launch was pretty good and good forces in the helix as usual but the rest was just kinda dull.

Banshee

This was the most surprising ride in the park for me. I went in expecting it to be boring and forceless and rattly but it was quite the opposite. I rode in the front 3 times and the forces were actually pretty good, especially in the pretzel loop. I really enjoyed the last roll as it was really fun and was a very unique feeling as well. The ride felt really fast and graceful which I liked and the tops of the elements were really floaty which I liked. Overall, it's tied for my favorite invert with Alpengeist as I just can't decide what I like more. They're really similar in a way with the sense of height and speed but are different as Alpengeist is much more snappier but Banshee has more varied forces. People who say Banshee is forceless are lying so don't trust them.

Bat

Very fun ride and my 2nd favorite suspended behind Vortex. We swung quite a bit and flying through the trees was quite fun. The only thing I didn't like is the half mile walk to its station.

Diamondback

I must have caught this on a bad day as there was absolutely no airtime besides the drop. I found the ride to be very lacking and its my 2nd least favorite hyper only above Nitro. Also why make a splashdown if you aren't gonna put a path near it for people to get wet?

Firehawk

After riding Nighthawk I didn't have much hope that this would be that good but boy was I wrong. The ride was smooth and very forceful! The loop had a lot of forces and the inline twists were really good as well. Overall it's my 2nd favorite flyer behind Tatsu and above Superman clones and Nighthawk. Can't wait to try out Batwing in a few weeks!

Flight of Fear

Worse than the Kings Dominion version by far. It was much slower and also rougher somehow. I'm not the biggest fans of the Flight of Fears, but they have a good launch and first half, but the 2nd half is killed by the MCBR. Hopefully Joker's Jinx is better!

Invertigo

Another surprise of the trip! I expected it to be rough and painful but it was quite the opposite. The ride was very smooth and extremely intense. It reminded me of how good Goliath at SFNE was in its opening season with the old trains. I really loved this ride and it's my 2nd favorite boomerang behind Goliath in its opening year.

Mystic Timbers

Another great ride! Full of good floater and fun transitions and at night it was very fun as you were being thrown around in a bunch of different directions. It was also very reridable and I had a blast every time. This became my favorite GCI just edging out Thunderhead.

Now let's talk about the theming masterpiece that is the shed. I'm sure when the first POV's of the ride came out and the shed was revealed it left Disney and Phantasialand quaking because finally Cedar Fair has surpassed their theming quality. The 80's music and mediocre CGI really turns this ride from a normal GCI into a thematic experience that everyone should experience in their lifetime.

Just kidding the shed is garbage.

Racer

Fun, but I prefer Racer 75 at Kings Dominion as it's a bit smoother.

Vortex

I've always liked Arrow loopers and never found any of them bad. I love Viper at SFMM and I enjoyed Anaconda at KD a lot as well. This ride is no exception to that! The drop had great airtime in the back and the odd order of inversions was actually quite nice. Good forces in the loops, nice hangtime in the corkscrews, and nice forces again in the batwing. Really good ride and I honestly can't decide if I like this or Viper more.

Drop Tower

One of the better drop towers in the CF chain. Not as good as KD's but better than Carowinds' and Canada's Wonderland's. Great drop with some okay positives when braking.

Delirium

Stupid ride. It swung high and spun but was essentially forceless. It's the only giant frisbee I've done, but I hope the Zamperla ones are a bit better.

Beast

Ah yes the Beast. The ride that so many claim to be one of the best in the world at night. My friend recommended we do it once in the day just to see the difference so we did and boy was that a stupid idea. The ride during the day was so boring. Nothing happened and I just sat there waiting for it to end. I did not have fun at all and was frankly bored out of my mind, but I was willing to give it another chance once the sun set.

We came back at around 9:45 that night but because of the fireworks we only got on around 10:30 which was fine as now it was pitch black outside. We rushed to the front seat and I was ready to experience what so many describe as one of the best coaster experiences in the world.

And it was all for nothing because even at night this ride is crap. Definitely the most overrated thing I've ever done. While most rides at least offer something in terms of forces, airtime, etc. this ride offers NOTHING. Once again I sat in my seat bored but this time it was dark outside. I don't understand how people can call other rides boring but hold this on some sort of grand pedestal. I wouldn't be mad if this was destroyed honestly what a waste of space and time.

So after everything the Beast is my least favorite coaster I've ever ridden. Yep it's below even the ranks of MP Express because at least MP Express does something. Never did I think a ride could be more boring than Star Trek but I've been proven wrong.

Now I'll prepare for the hate.

Anyways thanks for reading! Next up is Cedar Point. Sorry for the lack of pictures and the mediocre quality. I was in too much of a rush to take time and try to take good photos, plus I'm not a very good photographer either lol.

 

[Hutch]

Seems like we have some differing opinions on some of the rides. I thought Invertigo was gross and wasn't a fan of Vortex, so it's interesting to see you enjoyed them. I'm also not a huge fan of Banshee, that seems to be a very divisive coaster. And of course I loved Beast and Diamondback and you didn't!

Beast is an interesting one. I understand why some might not be a fan of it because it honestly doesn't try to do much and the layout isn't the best but it somehow just works for me? I think it does really well with the speed though, making some of the sections absolutely ridiculous, particularly the long underground tunnel and section after that, and the big ass helix. I think it's solid during the day but it really became alive for me at night. It's hard to describe but I found it a really funny ride and loved it.

 

[Pear]

Yeah I can see why some like the Beast but I absolutely despise it. It did have a nice sense of speed but I rode Millennium Force the next day and it did speed so much better IMO.

 

[Snoo]

The thing about Beast is that I don't think anyone ever once said it was a GOOD ride. Even those who are a fan of the night ride, like myself, never said it made the ride better but it's is a very interesting experience. There aren't many rides you can go off into the woods in the complete darkness of the night and have an experience. That being said, the FAR FAR superior night ride is The Voyage, especially on a New Moon where it is legitimately blackness. THAT is something everyone with an enthusiast heart should experience.

 

[Pear]

Cedar Point

So after years of waiting I finally got to Cedar Point. I knew when Steel Vengeance was announced that 2018 would be the perfect year to go. This park is beautiful and I love the location on the lake. We stayed in a hotel about 5 minutes away and driving up and down the causeway everyday was so cool. The first day we skipped early entry since we got to the hotel around 3 am after KI and needed the sleep. We arrived to a 3 hour wait on Steel Vengeance and with 1 train we decided to do other rides first and come back later. Onto the reviews!

Blue Streak
This is a fun little wooden! Got some good pops of air and is very smooth as well. I'll definitely do this again next time I go as it's fun and never seemed to have a wait.

Cedar Creek Mine Ride
Not the best mine train but not the worst either. I don't think I'd do it again unless I was with a group that wanted to. It's good for families though and it's cool going over the creek.

Corkscrew
This ride surprised me quite a bit! It had a great airtime hill and was not as rough as I was expecting. It looked really good going over the path and I much prefer this to the standard loop screw models that are everywhere.

GateKeeper
As of now this is my favorite wing above Wild Eagle and Flug der Daemonen. I prefer the front for how open it is but the drop is great in the back left as well. The inversions were graceful and the big air hill actually had some decent floater. The ride dies after the MCBR though and I wish it had a small corkscrew or something to make it more interesting. Overall, really fun coaster!

Gemini
Another really fun ride that had some okay pops of air in the back. It was very smooth and fun but also a little boring as it doesn't do very much besides drop and turn. This ride will be fun with groups as the racing is fun!

Iron Dragon
This is the last Arrow suspended in North America for me and my 2nd to least favorite. It has a great 2nd half but it ends just as it gets good and the first half really doesn't do anything at all. I still prefer it to Ninja though.

Magnum XL-200
Wow! This ride absolutely blew me away! I rode in the magic seat (car 1 row 3 on red train) and the airtime was crazy and a little painful, but I didn't mind. The ride starts with a good first half but after the turnaround it really picks up and you are just thrown violently out of your seat. I also rode in the back and it was great as well! This is definitely one of the best rides in the park.

You can see what the airtime did to my jacket hood here!

Maverick
I'm going to get some hate for this, but this ride really didn't blow me away. The first half was very reminiscent of I305 for me but it wasn't as intense as that ride. The 2nd half was pretty powerful, but I was left underwhelmed by the 2 stengel dives probably because they've been hyped up so much. The ride is a lot of fun and definitely top 20 worthy, but it is definitely overrated in my opinion. I also much prefer Taron.

Millennium Force

Another really fun ride! It's obviously not the best steel coaster in the world as many make it out to be but the pure sense of speed is incredible. I love the view from the top of this ride and all the wind in my face was amazing. Out of the 4 giga's I've ridden I'd rank it as the lowest, but it's still a good ride that I'd definitely do again on my next visit!

Raptor

This ride disappointed me quite a bit. The forces are great but the whole ride felt a bit generic and the elements sort of melded into each other. The ride is good but it doesn't do anything to really set it apart. I currently have it as my least favorite invert but it's by no means a bad ride.

Rougarou

This ride surprised me! I thought it would be rough and boring but it was actually very forceful and good. There were some rough moments near the end but they weren't that bad and overall I found the ride to be one of the better floorlesses I've ridden. There's some good airtime on the hill into the MCBR and the loop and diveloop pull some great positives. I really don't understand the hate for this ride as it's great!

Top Thrill Dragster

After riding Kingda Ka I immediately wanted to go ride this as Ka is honestly not very good at all. I made sure to wait for front row on this and boy was the wait worth it. This ride is probably one of the only rides out there that consistently scare me because of the anticipation. I love the lights on the launch because by the time it hits green and your body registers it, you're already halfway down the launch! The launch is incredibly powerful and forceful and so is the pullin to the top hat. The view from the top is really good, but you're not up there long enough to enjoy it! Overall this is my new favorite hydraulic launch coaster and I can't wait to get on it again sometime.

Valravn
I was looking forward to this ride as I loved Griffon and Krake and I always have a lot of fun on dive machines. I was expecting the vests to kill the ride experience but they honestly didn't feel any different to me than Griffon's restraints. The ride has a great drop and first inversion, but my favorite part of the ride has to be the 270 roll in the back as the hangtime is incredible. I love dive machines and this is certainly no exception! It's now my favorite dive machine and it makes me really excited to see what Canada's Wonderland gets next year.

Wicked Twister
I wasn't expecting much out of this ride and it also surprised me! The launches were pretty mediocre but the backwards spike was so good in the back seat! The ride is a lot of fun but is easily outshined by the other attractions at the park.

Wilderness Run

Shame

Woodstock Express
Your classic roller skater model

Skyhawk
Oh my god this ride is insane! I love the other S&S swings I've done but this one is just 100x better. I got a lot of room with the restraints and the airtime on the high swings was incredible! This is one of my favorite flat rides I've ever done!

and now for the review you've been waiting for

Steel Vengeance

As if there wasn't enough praise for this ride already I'll just add in mine to the pile as well. I rode this 10 times in many seats and there really is no bad seat on this ride. The airtime on this ride isn't the most intense I've ever done but there is just so much of it and it never ends! As soon as I got off this ride for the first time I knew it was my number 1 by a long shot. The prelift has some surprising airtime, though not strong at all, and the drop is incredible! The first half is full of sustained ejector and I adore the first 2 big hills as the airtime gets stronger as you go through them. The first inversion is incredible and you get great airtime at the start and good whip going up. The stall is also really good especially in the back as you get some hangtime and then whipped through it. The double up into the mid course has very strong air and the double up and the twisted hill have probably the strongest air on the entire ride. The third inversion throws you and I love the way it feels. The wave turn had good air and was cool being in the structure. The fourth inversion also throws you out and the exit has some weird lats. The final overbank has some good floater and the final hills are just pure ejector bliss. This ride is so good at night as well and I just love it so much. This ride deserves all the praise it's gotten and there is no doubt in my mind that it is the best coaster on earth. We also got stuck on the brake run on the last ride and the maintenance guys had to push us into the station!

Overall I really love Cedar Point and it's my favorite park in America (2nd favorite overall behind Phantasialand). The ride selection is great and I can't wait to go back in 2020 or 2021!

Sorry for the long delay between the reports I was busy with work and Coaster Con and did not have much time to write it. Hope you enjoyed reading this!

 

[SilverArrow]

You say the beast has no inversions or airtime or whatever but that's kind of what I like about it. It's so different to everything else and feels like it's running away with you. It's certainly another divisive one like banshee though. A marmite coaster if you will.

 

[Pear]

I can definitely see why people like the Beast but for me it's just boring and I'd rather go ride Mystic Timbers instead.

 

[Snoo]

I can definitely see why people like the Beast but for me it's just boring and I'd rather go ride Mystic Timbers instead.

If you're looking for thrills, sure. If you're looking for an experience, Beast easily.