Sandusky Register  SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2012 BELABORING THE POINT

Register photos/TOM SHERER ABOVE: A rolls through an overbanked turn above a dinosaur in the Dinosaurs Alive! exhibit on Adventure Island at . LEFT INSET: Guests swing until their hearts’ content — and their stomachs’ discontent — on maXair. RIGHT INSET: Riders take flight on . Belaboring the Point

tom sherer • Is a graphic designer at the Register and a ride nut at Cedar Point. • tomsherer@ sanduskyregister.com

Another fun summer: ABOVE LEFT: A train is launched at Cedar Point. ABOVE RIGHT: A Maverick train rolls through the ’s twisted horseshoe roll. New dinosaurs roar, BELOW LEFT: A boat heads up the on as parts of Top Thrill Dragster, Millennium Force, and Magnum XL-200 can be seen in the background. BELOW RIGHT: A dinosaur stands ready to give guests a reason to visit the first-aid station near the front of the park. three old rides snore, Cedar Point scores y summer at Cedar Point was similar to the Cleveland MIndians’ season: Lots of promise and action early, then a -like plunge toward the end. Before my two-week layoff for wrist surgery in mid-July, I had been to the park 17 times. Since then, I’ve been there only three times. Similarly, the Indians went from three games above .500 at the All-Star break to 21 games below .500 today. With a move to Dayton fast approaching, my days belaboring the Point are Point takes guest safety very lunchbox, if you’d please.” I have no idea what this New York, , Thrill Dragster trains had dwindling. But at least two seriously. From an apparently unhappy maintenance issue was, , Ontario (Canada), been launched while we more trips to the park await. In fact, despite the fact maintenance worker. but it reminded me of the Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, were waiting. Sometimes it’s Wildcat, that last year I heard the call, n “Public indecency, saying “a little bit of not South Carolina, Tennessee, easy to become lost in your and headed “Skyhawk, lap bar,” over the Maverick photo.” Do I need much is almost nothing.” Texas, Virginia, West Virginia own world waiting in line. for the Ride Graveyard. scanner in the Register’s to explain? n “, subject and Wisconsin. n “He’s got a mild case “Luminosity” took center newsroom more often than I n “Public indecency smoking on the ride.” of gas.” Older man, after stage. would have cared to, I always at Magnum Hot Shots.” Couldn’t wait 2 minutes and Overheard at the Park walking past Dinosaurs took off quickly. felt confident riding it. I wonder how many times 16 seconds, eh? n “I’m not paying 50 bucks.” Alive!’s Dyoplosaurus, Dinosaurs Alive! roared Among this year’s best a year this happens. n “Picked up a found item (And other very similar whose bellow sounded to life. scanner traffic: n “Dragster platform. on Mean Streak?” I assume variants of this quote.) From a lot like the sick Triceratops And GateKeeper’s gait n “Paramedic to They’re advising public it was someone’s spine. The several guests, about the new from “Jurassic Park.” was teased, then released. Dinosaurs Alive! for a panic indecency in the load zone.” ride is mean, that’s for sure. Fast Lane program. It had n “Hey! That’s not It was a busy summer. attack.” They’re not real, It was an overly hot summer, n “Bring me a hacksaw.” some hiccups, but I didn’t necessary!” High-school In this space last year people! you know. The Screamsters are taking think the program had that girl, after a dinosaur roared I wrote what amounted n “Line jumping at n “Subject complaining it seriously this year. OK, it much impact on non-Fast at her and her group of to a tips-and-tricks guide Disaster Transport.” about plumbing issues.” was a maintenance worker. Lane riders’ wait times. friends as they walked past. to Cedar Point. Considering Who line jumps at “What are the plumbing n “I’m so excited, n “They call it the laundry- most things stayed the Disaster Transport? issues?” “They couldn’t Licensed to thrill I might just pee my pants.” maker for a reason.” Man, same this season, instead of Well, no one anymore. explain it anymore than I A handful of times this Younger-teens girl, walking probably in his early 30s, to repeating what I wrote last n “Person hiding in did. I don’t know.” Exchange year I made a point to check toward Millennium Force. others in his group, one of year, what follows are some the bushes near Top Thrill between a dispatcher and vehicle license plates on the n “How long are they whom was not so sure about of the best musings from my Dragster and Magnum.” a maintenance worker at walk from my car to the gate. going to be stuck up there?” riding Top Thrill Dragster. blog at sanduskyregister. This was at 11:26 p.m., on one of the hotels. The following are the “It’s usually only three or four (For the record, I’d never com, with a few new tidbits. a night the park closed at n “Blue Streak, they say different locations I saw days.” Exchange between a heard that term used for Top If you want the tips and 10 p.m. I hope this person one of their mister fans has represented, including young girl and a grown man, Thrill Dragster before this.) tricks, they’re still available didn’t think he or she would gone crazy.” I hate when two plates from Hawaii: while we were sitting in n “‘Austin Powers’ is at sanduskyregister.com/ get to ride some stuff during that happens. n Alabama, Connecticut, Millennium Force’s yellow stupid.” “It is stupid; that’s sandusky/news/2011/ the middle of the night. n “Would you call for a Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, train, unable to unload as why it’s funny.” Exchange oct/11/belaboring-point- n “Charlie Brown cleanup at the maXair exit?” Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, the red train was stuck near between a woman and 45-days-385-rides. shirt and cargo pants.” Ah, yes, the vomit machine Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, the top of the lift hill. a different man in the same Description of a person struts its stuff. Massachusetts, Michigan, n “Is it down?” Woman, Top Thrill Dragster group. Say again? suspected of stealing. n “We’re not going to Minnesota, Missouri, probably in her 20s, about I have no doubt Cedar n “Stay out of my do much for very long.” New Jersey, New Mexico, 20 minutes after no Top n See POINT, Page C3 Sandusky Register BELABORING THE POINT SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2012  n It took less than an hour absolutely terrified while get-off-the-silver-handrails” point in the new season before I driving a car on Antique announcement. Not bad. n From Page C2 saw someone cut in line for Cars. It was kind of funny n It took awhile to get in the first time. It also took and would have been placed my first ride of the year on n “This boy better not less than an hour before I in “The Good” category Space Spiral, for nostalgia’s come up.” High school boy, was stuck behind a group of except she’ll be driving on sake in light of its demise. about his restraint on overly loud teenage girls for the road with the rest of us in It’s an important piece of Power Tower’s drop side. the first time. Coincidence? the not-too-distant future. Cedar Point’s history, but its n “Lord, help me get off n Not even in my many n I never was able to see time had definitely come — this thing! We done!” The trips to Cleveland Browns “Luminosity.” My schedule as had Disaster Transport’s. same high school boy, games in four decades have of working nights and two n I wonder if one of the while the car was descending I smelled the stench of cancellations because of two shot towers on Power at the end of the ride. alcohol on a person more weather on nights I was able Tower could be converted n “You don’t want to walk than I could on a man to be at the park conspired to a , considering away like LeBron did, man.” sitting in front of me on to keep me from the stage. the usual discrepancy Half-Court Hoops game . n My Cedar Point dream between the wait times. host, trying his best to I’d bet a vast majority of is to be on a train that stalls (Not that it’d be financially convince me to play. Register photo/TOM SHERER injuries at amusement parks — not just rolls back — at the viable for the company n “Hi, classmates. Register graphic designer Tom Sherer is stalked by the have alcohol as a factor. apex of Top Thrill Dragster. to pursue this.) I think I’m going to puke.” Tyrannosaurus rex that resides in Cedar Point’s parking lot. But whatever, dude. It still hasn’t happened. n Skyhawk is a very High school girl, after n People who take up underrated ride experience. regrouping with her all the way at the front of the Sports Stadium, next to two parking spots, even on The miscellaneous n Ocean Motion often is classmates. She certainly park, several hundred yards WindSeeker. It’s a really good days when the lot is nowhere n The park’s background forgotten about, tucked away looked like she wasn’t lying. away. Then, as it ended, he show that you quickly can near full, should be ticketed NFL Films music went away, in the side at the front of the n “How do I get out?! saluted. I salute you, sir. see the skill level and for twice the price to park (an but more AC/DC in the park, but it’s not a bad ride. Press it!” High school boy, n The park continues to practice time it must take to extra $12). I can appreciate Millennium Force queue wanting pretty badly to get evolve, in a good way. Some have the performers’ actions wanting to protect your helped make up for it. Thanks for the memories, out of the restraint and off people might be unhappy choreographed together. vehicle, but believe it or not, n It took until 12:45 p.m. Cedar Point. After a few more the drop side of Power Tower about the loss of rides, but n For the first time I can you’re not more important on my third day at the park visits this season, I’ll see you after the ride ended. it’s a necessary evil to be the remember, I literally walked than the rest of us. — albeit none were full days again sometime next year. n “Stop already! I can’t do industry leader. Wildcat, right onto a Top Thrill n A girl in her teens looked — before I heard the “please- , here I come! this!” A different high school Disaster Transport and Dragster train — twice. boy, also unsure about Space Spiral in trade for n A young woman was Power Tower, only about GateKeeper, Dinosaurs Alive! wearing the good old halfway up the drop side. and “Luminosity?” I’ll take it! “I’m with stupid” T-shirt n “I’m not riding that!” n I participated in two with the arrow on it. In her Man, probably in his 40s, video shoots, the payment case, however, the arrow was ETHICAL upon seeing the cooling for which was extra time pointing to nobody next to water drip off under the track on Millennium Force, even her. Who’s the stupid one at the launch area of Top before early-entry guests again? Funny, though. Thrill Dragster. The ride had arrived. I’ll take that, too! n It’s not officially part WILLS been down for a while, and n Saw a man wearing a of Cedar Point’s main park — for someone who is new to “Blue Streak Crew 1995” and it has a separate cost to the ride, a liquid dripping shirt. The design was a do — but I could easily make down might not be the most blast from the past. an argument Skyscraper confidence-boosting thing n When I rode Maverick in Challenge Park is the Hosted By you could see. the first time during early best ride on the peninsula. n “Is this heaven?” Boy, entry one day early in the n I grew to like and Parkvue Place about 10, during a Top Thrill season, there was nobody appreciate Dragster Ride Night. riding next to me, nor in more this season. Too bad it n “It must’ve run out of the two seats in front of doesn’t last longer, but with and gas.” Man, probably in his or behind me. I did take a only one train holding up 20s, watching Millennium shower before going to the capacity, it’s a necessary evil. Presented By Force’s blue train being park. This is why the early n WindSeeker, when taken off the main track. minutes of early entry can it’s running, still offers one From further discussion he be awesome. of the best views in the park, Katherine Hall had with his friends, I think n Top Thrill Dragster went especially when circling he might have legitimately down one day at about over the beach and lake. thought that was the case. 12:45 p.m., causing 100 or n I wandered the park for In conjunction He’s wrong. Very wrong. so people to get out of line. about 90 minutes with sweep n “I don’t want to do this By 1 p.m. it was running Kayley Sas. Even though with anymore!” Heard, verbatim, again. While occasionally I wasn’t on a ride, or eating from two different women you’ll be burned by this or taking in a show, it was in their 30s or 40s — the first advice, this goes back to one one of the most worthwhile Stein while riding up to the top of of my rules: Unless you see experiences of the season. a Power Tower drop tower pieces flying, DON’T get n Guests literally went Hospice and the second after the first out of line for the big rides. with the flow after a storm couple of swings on Skyhawk n One of the new pieces of flooded the main midway — about 30 minutes apart. music used on WindSeeker June 18, playing in the water n “This one’s a little this year was “Ride of the while the park’s drainage more intimidating.” From a Valkyries.” So, in addition system quickly discharged it. Season Pass Office employee to the uplifting scores from n Even though I won’t who retook my pass photo “Apollo 13” and “E.T.,” be at the park as often next to more accurately reflect the you could feel like you’re season, I’m more excited nonsmiling, head-shaven assaulting a Vietnamese about GateKeeper than I’ve self I am when I walk through village during the Vietnam ever been for an upcoming Tuesday, September 4th at 6:00 pm the park’s turnstiles, thus War, a la “Apocalypse Now.” attraction at Cedar Point. helping to avoid anymore n The second-best feeling Refreshments will be provided. identity holdups. in the park — after the drop The Bad n “You’ve ridden it, right?” on Power Tower — is when n Got in line at the Please RSVP 419-621-1900. Monty Jasper, ’s you look to the sides during marina entrance at about corporate vice president of the backswing on Skyhawk. 8:30 a.m. opening day. engineering and safety, after n The cold bursts from Didn’t get in the park until a woman in the VIP/media the air conditioning walking 9:06. Six minutes wasted. pavilion asked how difficult past Snoopy Boutique and n Upon reaching of a decision it was to get rid Red Garter Saloon feel Millennium Force at around of Disaster Transport. awesome on really hot days. 9:10 a.m. opening day, the n “What’s it called?” n Finally got around to “This Ride Is Currently 3800 Boardwalk Blvd. • Sandusky, OH 44870 Heard twice within five watching the “All Wheels Closed” sign was out. minutes — once from a boy Extreme” show at Extreme Right off the bat? D’oh! around 8 years old and once from a girl in her young teens — while people were looking at the board promoting GateKeeper. It should be noted that on the board is a several-feet-wide logo that says “GateKeeper.” The Good n I still fit in Millennium Force’s trains. Always a plus. n Ended up on the second Millennium Force train of the year and the first Power Tower ride of the year. n Riding with no hair is an interestingly different way to experience a ride. (Shaved my head since last season.) n The Ohio State University Athletic Band on opening day. n Dinosaurs Alive! was worth the much-criticized $5 — at least to do once. The exhibit offers a nice change-of-pace option between rides. n Dinosaur sounds from Dinosaurs Alive! can be heard in the Top Thrill Dragster queue. It took me a few moments to realize what the sounds were, because I knew they couldn’t really be from a dying cow, as I first thought they sounded like. n The “Luminosity” stage reminds me of something out of “This is Spinal Tap.” Too bad there wasn’t a miniature Stonehenge dropped during the season. n A somewhat younger man who I assumed was a sweep was standing next to the men’s restroom across from Panda Express, next to Millennium Force, while the national anthem was playing at the beginning of a day. While guests walked past, which in a free country they’re allowed to do, he stood at attention, facing our flag, which can’t even be seen from there because it’s