Ever since I started getting properly 'into' coasters and parks in the early 2000's, all I've ever heard is "YOU MUST GO TO CEDAR POINT NOOOOOOW!!" and usually that aggressively too. There is something about the place that has clearly captured the hearts of a lot of enthusiasts, but I just don't see the draw, there are so many other places I'd spend that kind of money to visit.
So let's go through a bunch of reasons why Cedar Point isn't on my bucket list and is just a park I'll get to at some point later.
1. There are 17 coasters, and 4, maybe 5 of them catch my interest, but it's nothing I can't get somewhere else. (Blue Streak, Corkscrew, Gemini, Valravn - Maybe and Magnum XL-200 - Maybe)
2. The flat rides don't seem to be up to much either. Past Skyhawk, I'd really not be bothered by the rest ( I do love a good S&S Screamin Swing!).
3. I just can't see anything worth putting it above other parks, yes it looks like a nice looked after park, but so do so many others.
4. There are a lot of parks in Europe that are higher on my 'To-Do' list, these also happen to be cheaper and quicker to get to!
5. Nothing in particular inspires me to visit the park, nothing jumps out and grabs my attention.
6. When I do go, there are so many smaller parks with fantastic old wooden coasters that I'd want to do at the same time, it would be quite an epic trip, there is no chance of me going that distance and only doing Cedar Point. I'll show you what a trip might look like below...
7. The hype puts me off. Looking at other parks that enthusiasts hype and how disappointed I have been really puts me off running out to these places (Phantasialand, PortAventura, Efteling).
8. No one ever talks about atmosphere. Some of the best parks always have people talk about the atmosphere and it worries me that no one picks up on it enough to rave about that.
So, when I do get to visiting The Point, it would be in a trip similar to the one outlined below.
Fly into Cleveland (Depending on arrival time either straight up to park 1 or stop over)
Drive up to Six Flags Darien Lake (3hrs 40 min drive)
Worth the backwards start and the drive for Predator alone by the look of it!
Stay over near SFDL
Drive to Waldameer (2hrs 20 min drive)
Two fantastic looking wooden coasters
Afternoon drive to Conneaut Lake Park (50 min drive)
1930's woodie, has to be done!
Drive to hotel near Kennywood (1hrs 50mins drive)
Day at Kennywood
3 wooden coasters, Phantom's Revenge, it just has to be done!
Drive to Cedar Point, stay over here (3hrs 10 min drive)
2 days at CP purely to give rest time with no driving and a chance to do the water park
We've discussed this place already
Morning drive to Columbus Zoo (2hrs 10 mins drive)
1950's wooden coaster conveniently placed en-route to the next location!
Drive to hotel near Kings Island (1hrs 40 mins drive)
Day at Kings Island
4 Woodies!
Need to try the beast! Whats in the shed? Racer looks fantastic too!
Diamondback looks good, but cautious about it
Vekoma Inverted Boomerang, what else could you want!
Stay at same hotel
Morning drive to Indiana Beach (3 hrs 20 min drive)
We nearly lost this place, be great to get to go and support it
2 woodies and an interesting looking hybrid
Stay nearby
Morning drive to Michigan's Adventure (3hrs 30 min drive)
3 Woodies, Shivering Timbers especially
Stay nearby
Afternoon drive to hotel nearby Canada's Wonderland
17 more coasters, including another boomerang
Behemoth and Leviathan - I do enjoy those B&M drops!
Another Arrow Looper, a few other dodgy looking coasters, but the woodies look good.
Fly home from Toronto
A total of 84 available coaster 'credits' at the time of writing.
What do you think of that trip? Would you go all that way to just visit Cedar Point or would you include a few more parks? If so, what would they be? Let me know in the comments what you think.
Becca