Photo Credit: Coasterman1234 at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
We’re celebrating National Roller Coaster Day with 10 exhilarating facts about Cedar Point, America’s one-and-only Roller Coast!
1. It's the second oldest amusement park in the country, coming in just behind Connecticut’s Lake Compounce. Cedar Point began as a beach destination in 1870 before evolving into today’s iconic thrill park.
2. There are two remaining coasters from the 1960s. The oldest surviving roller coaster is the Blue Streak, built in 1964. The ride’s name came from the local school district’s sports teams, the Sandusky Blue Streaks. The second-oldest roller coaster, Cedar Creek Mine Ride, opened in 1969.
3. The Magnum XL-200, built in 1989, was the first rollercoaster in the world to exceed a height of 200 feet. It was also the fastest rollercoaster at the time with speeds over 70 mph. Including the still-operational Magnum, Cedar Point now has a total of 5 coasters over 200 feet tall: Millennium Force, Valravn, Steel Vengeance, and Top Thrill 2.
4. The Magnum is by no means the only record-breaking ride in the lineup! Millennium Force, the first giga coaster, broke numerous world records on its opening day in 2000: tallest roller coaster at 310 feet, fastest at 93 mph, longest drop, and steepest non-inversion banked turn.
Photo Credit: Coasterman1234, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
5. The Mean Streak was converted into Steel Vengeance in 2018. At its debut, Steel Vengeance became the first hybrid hypercoaster, built from wood and steel with a height of over 200 feet. It shattered records for hybrid coasters: tallest at 205 feet, fastest at 74 mph, steepest and longest drops, and the most inversions.
6. The original Top Thrill Dragster was the world’s fastest and tallest coaster at its premiere, and its reemergence as Top Thrill 2 is equally impressive. TT2 is currently the tallest coaster in the world at 420 feet and one of the fastest at 120 mph.
7. The latest record-breaker, Siren’s Curse, had its grand opening in June of this year as the tallest, longest, and fastest Tilt Coaster in North America. With a maximum height of 160 feet, Siren’s Curse features two inversions, a length of 2,966 feet, and a 90-degree drop that’s accomplished by the “tilt” aspect, meaning a section of the track pivots before the train releases into the drop. The structure of the lift hill on Siren’s Curse was designed to look like a Lake Erie shipping crane tower.
8. Amusement Today bestowed Cedar Point with the Golden Ticket Award of “Best Amusement Park in the World” for 16 consecutive years from 1997 to 2013. In many years since, it has placed in the top 5 best parks and received Golden Ticket Awards for individual rides.
9. Mini ride warriors aren’t excluded from Cedar Point’s fun! Tiny thrill seekers can get their start at the park’s four children’s areas: Planet Snoopy, Kiddy Kingdom, Camp Snoopy, and the Gemini Midway Area.
10. Cedar Point currently has 18 roller coasters, securing a spot in the top 5 amusement parks with the most roller coasters worldwide. In total, the park boasts over 70 attractions across 364 acres.
It’s undeniably cool that daredevils from all around the globe visit the Buckeye State for its world-class, innovative amusement park. Let’s give Cedar Point a hands-up for National Roller Coaster Day! Better yet, be a true ride warrior and plan your next trip. With HalloWeekends just around the corner, there are even more thrills to conquer!