Photo TR: Cedar Point, Waldameer, and Kennywood

I returned to Cedar Point for the first time in ten years and made stops at Waldameer Park and Kennywood afterward. My trip took place from June 3-6, meaning I narrowly dodged the CP water main incident by a couple of days. Weather was good for all but my second day at CP, and near all-day rain on that day ended up being a great thing and allowed me some of the most memorable rides of my life! Maverick and Gatekeeper were new credits for me and Skyhawk, Maxair, and plenty of other flats were built since my last visit as well. This was my first time visiting both Waldameer and Kennywood so lots of new experiences there.

MF is not the most universally acclaimed coaster on this site. It has long been in my top 5 but I was curious if it would still seem as impressive now that I have triple the credits I did when I last rode it. So... was it? At first, no. I definitely saw the limitations to its layout compared to newer Intamins and the airtime was not comparable, as I knew would be the case. But the ride kept growing on me the more I rode it. It sped up nicely throughout the day and the airtime was definitely there. Still not ejector (aside from the first drop) but as strong as floater air gets before nearing ejector territory. It would stay firmly in my top 5 by the end of my two days.

I have long been one of those, "Nah, Mantis ain't that bad, brah," guys. In my mind I still thought it comparable to Riddler's Revenge and not too far behind Georgia Scorcher. But no more. It ran fast and I don't think the drop trim even came on, but it was simply too rough to enjoy. Many elements were jarring. I'm just glad to remember its better days.

I still say it probably has the best layout on paper among B&M standups, but I can see why B&M dialed back the pacing and quick transitions on Riddler's Revenge. But then again, Green Lantern is more drawn-out than Mantis too and it's just as rough, so who knows?

Impulses still do almost nothing for me, but Wicked Twister did kind of scare me for a moment. Normally I have an iron stomach that can take any quantity of food/alcohol and ride with no problem. Drinking in 5+ world showcase countries then riding Mission Space is a favorite pastime of mine. But I almost got sick going up WT's front spike. Then it hit me why - my stomach was totally empty!

I liked my last pic so much I was compelled to recreate it!

Corkscrew. What's there to say? Anyone who's ever been on a vintage Arrow knows what to expect.

Magnum is another coaster plenty of well-traveled enthusiasts like to dump on. I have always loved it and ten years later I still do. It is not rough whatsoever if you know where to ride it. For anyone who finds Magnum painful, remember this: ride in the middle row of ANY CAR. These seats are not over wheels. YOU WILL NOT GET HURT. As for the more recent brand of Magnum critics who claim the airtime into the lapbars is painful: Man up. We are not couch enthusiasts and Magnum is not Skyrush (which still doesn't hurt me, but I understand the complaints better). If a coaster has strong enough air to make your thighs collide with the lap bar, it's doing something right. maybe hit the gym and build up your quads or something. I don't know what else to suggest.

Dragster was closed both days. First allegedly for "wind" and then more legitimately for mechanical issues. Disappointed I did not get to ride it again after waiting ten years, but it couldn't ruin my trip!

There's still a ton of room all around the Mine Ride for future attractions. I know flying coasters aren't in-vogue anymore, but I have long dreamed of a B&M flyer in this spot that crossed over and around the Mine Ride.

The new Gemini midway looks fantastic. I only tried Lake Erie Eagles but all of the new rides help the area.

It looks not unlike the UNLV law building.

There are better mine trains and there are worse. Still enjoyable for something to relax on.

Loved Skyhawk. It was the first full-size S&S swing I've been on and I actually preferred it to Maxair. Also, I'm pretty sure this is the only ride with a Cedar Fair-mandatory "hawk" name at CP.

Take a moment and picture my imaginary B&M flyer with me.

"What IS this? A COASTER FOR ANTS??? How are we supposed to teach kids what types of coasters to enjoy if they can't even fit on the ride? It needs to be at least... THREE TIMES bigger than this!"

I still don't really do water rides.

This is what I was most looking forward to. Maverick has been around for a while but it was built three years after my last visit to CP so it has always been that great "lost" coaster for me.

Only problem was that may expectations were so high, if Maverick became anything less than my #2 steel coaster it would have felt like a disappointment.

So did it live up to my expectations?

YESSSSSSS!!!

I waited until the second day to ride that one in the background. I believe it is called "WoodHawk."

Maverick was every bit the out-of-control intensity monster I hoped it would be. It only took me a couple of rides to learn how to lean forward and into the turns to avoid the neck-chopping.

Immense negative g's going over this and the second cammelback. It's a challenge to keep the restraint up to give yourself float room though.

I loved the snappiness of these two rolls. Are they officially termed corkscrews? What do we all call maverick's inversions anyway?

Glad WWL's station survived. Still the best station/queue in the park.

I didn't ride Shoot the Rapids but the presentation looks excellent.

Water rides are usually a "only with a group" thing for me.

"Say Bill, that plaque doesn't still say, "Intamin Giga Roller Coaster" on it, does it?"

"Sure does, Bob. Better change it out. Corporate says it must say "Hawk" on it somewhere."

More CP pics plus Waldameer and Kennywood soon to come!

Park lookin good! Bummer that you missed out on dragster though...but glad you had fun!

Great TR, Glad you loved Maverick, It's my #1 Steel! Oh, and the "official" term for Mavericks inversions are Twisted Horseshoe Rolls. I believe only one other coaster has them.

Loved the photos! Glad you enjoyed your visit! And glad you liked Maverick! It is an amazing coaster!! Sad that you didn't get to enjoy Dragster though!

Great TR, Glad you loved Maverick, It's my #1 Steel! Oh, and the "official" term for Mavericks inversions are Twisted Horseshoe Rolls. I believe only one other coaster has them.

Blue Fire has them as well... I wish more rides had them though, they are great!

I completely agree with your B&M flyer points. That would fit great at the point! Then they could market they have the flying trio with Raptor, Gatekeeper, and whatever they call the flyer haha One can dream huh? Either that or a nice woodie like a GCI or RMC for their next coaster and I would be one happy camper. Great report by the way looking forward to the rest of it.

I completely agree with your B&M flyer points. That would fit great at the point! Then they could market they have the flying trio with Raptor, Gatekeeper, and whatever they call the flyer haha One can dream huh?

And because of the characteristics of the current tallest and fastest flyer it wouldn't be that hard to beat those records too, I guess.

"What IS this? A COASTER FOR ANTS??? How are we supposed to teach kids what types of coasters to enjoy if they can't even fit on the ride? It needs to be at least... THREE TIMES bigger than this!"

I really enjoyed this... awful movie though.

Maverick is definitely the star at Cedar Point, with Millennium Force in second place (it is a damn good ride, though). I'm rather fond of Magnum, as well, even if it is a bit clunky. Maybe its the insane ejector air in a few spots combined with trains, which sort of look like the Battlestar Galactica, that appeals to me.

Day 2 of Cedar Point plus Waldameer Park. Including Rainbow-Gatekeeper!

Raptor has been my favorite B&M for a long time but CP's infamous wind policies kept it closed for all but the first couple of hours both days I was there. I've seen B&Ms operate in much worse and Gatekeeper and Mantis both reopened in the same conditions but Raptor never did.

I only got four rides on it, all early morning before opening with nearly empty trains so it didn't feel like the Raptor I remembered. Hopefully I'll have the opportunity to give it another chance soon.

Unlike Maverick, I had low expectations for Gatekeeper. But that turned out to be a good thing because I was completely unprepared for how much I actually liked it! I wouldn't call it intense, but it was far from the pushover I expected it to be. The first drop was fantastic and I could feel a little air over the cammelback. It still finishes weak though. It's irritating how B&M seems to just stop caring after the mid-course on many of their recent coasters.

I knew Maxair would deliver. Love the giant frisbees. But can we please get some shade over the queue? There are still a handful of rides at CP with lines that warrant a few canvas awnings or something.

This was the story with Raptor and Gatekeeper for most of my trip. I knew to expect it, but it still dumbfounds me.

I took a few TGI Fridays beer breaks to escape the rain on my second day. I think this one was a Sam Adams Rebel IPA. I like Sam as a brewery, but their IPAs have been consistently awful. This was the first one I can recommend.

Raptor can teach Gatekeeper a thing or two about a strong finish. With the helix it ends as strong as it starts, one of the reasons it has always been one of my favorites.

Iron Dragon is just a family ride at this point, but a good one. Hopefully CP keeps it for a long time.

Aww man both dragsters are closed (though I think it actually was open in this shot)! Soak City has come a long way from what I remember.

Gemini disappointed me a little. I remember having these crazy marathon sessions on it when I was younger where I would ride it ten times straight and the airtime felt almost Magnum-like. Not anymore. It's still fun if the ride ops manage to race it, though the air seems to have disappeared. This one might just be a case of having different standards from ten+ years and 100+ credits ago.

They took MF down to one train once the rain really started coming down. I understand going from three down to two for spacing purposes when the track is wet, but why go all the way to one and strand riders in line out in the rain so much longer? Windy B&Ms and rainy MF aside, CP's operations still were great all-around. And can I say how blisteringly AWESOME Millennium Force is in the rain? I rode it five times like that until my clothes were soaked through and I was shivering. The raindrops hurt like rubber bullets but it amplifies the experience so much! I'm so glad I finally got to do this.

I finally made up my mind to do Mean Streak after the rain. The track work has helped and it wasn't uncomfortable at all. Not that that means it's a good coaster or anything. It still needs to go.

The best part about the rain? RAINBOW GATEKEEPER!!!

Keyholing and inverting under this rainbow was one of the most unique coaster experiences I've ever had. It lasted long enough to get three rides in before it disappeared. You can even see the double rainbow in a few of the pics.

Loved the lighting conditions afterward.

The next day was my first visit to Waldameer Park. Instead of running straight to Ravine Flyer II I had to make a detour to Comet first. Credit #199...

... and #200!

I originally wanted to make Maverick my two-hundredth, but Ravine Flyer did nicely and I enjoyed it just as much.

I love Gravity Group. My favorite wood coaster firm over even RMC and Intamin. Yeah, their rides take a lot of effort to maintain in peak condition, but when they do there's almost nothing better to me.

My second ARM/Larson Super Shot. Still the best drop rides out there.

"Look! To the right... A coaster enthusiast!"

Steel Dragon is the prefect steel coaster for Waldameer. It was also probably the best out of my limited list of spinning coasters. That accolade lasted all of one day.

Can Knott's please trade Silver Bullet for one of these?

Comet was a fun family woodie. Anything with buzz bars is okay by me even if there isn't much air.

The tree grove setting is what really makes it.

RFII wins best airtime of the trip. Every foot of track on this thing counts. Nothing is wasted.

The drop has sustained ejector air all the way plus my favorite lift hill view of any coaster. Nothing like flying out of your seat, gazing out on Lake Erie on the way down. I guess you could say Magnum or MF do the same thing, but something about the hillside and greenery around RFII makes it better.

As much as I liked Ravine Flyer it doesn't crack my wooden top 5. I place it 6th after Boulder Dash, Voyage, El Toro, Phoenix, and Outlaw Run. They're all so close though.

Looking across the river at downtown Pittsburgh the night before Kennywood.

Great pictures from Cedar Point... too bad you didn't get to ride Raptor once it got warmed up and had full trains. Also I agree with you about the Maxair line. That and the Gatekeeper line really need more shade. Gatekeeper has canopies in the parts of the line that only fill up in the morning but in the part of the line that's almost always full there's no shade at all.

Great photos! Great reviews! Disagree about Magnum though. I hit the gym, rode in the middle...still destroys my thighs. Too uncomfortable! Maybe after another year of gym it will be less painful.

Some awesome photos, these two are really great!

Nice report and good photos.

I will always have a soft spot for Magnum. It's up there with Colossus as rides that were "awe inspiring" when they opened because they seemed larger than life compared to what was around at the time. I remember that first drop on Magnum feeling some epic and steep. Funny how the intamin drops on their hypers now make the magnum drop seem fairly tame. And it rides poorly in comparison.

That said, I still love it, and the air time on the bunny hills is still great, and a fun way to end the ride.

Fantastic timing with the Gatekeeper rainbow photos. Makes an already awesome-to-photograph coaster even better.

What day were you at CP?

We were there when they had a double rainbow back in May, but we were over in Famous Dave's chowing down on bbq and drinks when we saw it.

I was there June 3-4. Maybe the rainbow is more common there than I thought!

^That was weird...right after I posted my last post, there was a rainbow in the sky after a rainstorm!

Yes, it's pretty common this time of the year for the Great Lakes area to get lot's of unexpected rain and t-storms. In fact, we have had that every day this week going back to last Sunday, but this was the first rainbow I have seen!

Last day of the trip: Kennywood.

Kennywood and Phantom's Revenge have been at the top of my "to do" list for years. Weather was perfect with only one-train op on Phantom and the necessity of meeting a riding partner for Thunderbolt hanging over my day.

I was trying not to set my expectations too high, but I was secretly hoping Phantom had what it took to make my steel top 5, which was still a bit lacking compared to my wooden. The purple train was still out of commission, so with seemingly every high school student in Western Pennsylvania at the park that day, I knew long lines were coming. I rode it three times right away at opening and figured I'd return to it later that evening.

Phantom delivered but I wasn't so sure it was top-5-worthy. It was glassy-smooth and absolutely hauls ass through the entire course, but at the time I thought it fell just short of that "elite" category.

Arrow. I watch that show. Did you see the one when Oliver told Felicity he loved her, but then said he didn't really mean it even though he did really mean it? So good...

I'll get to my Thunderbolt story later, but first a question: Isn't this thing supposed to have airtime? I always thought it was known to have at least moderate air on a few of the drops into the ravine. I rode back seat with a full train yet I stayed planted in my seat the whole time. I appreciated the one-of-a-kind layout and loved the strong laterals in the Andy Vettel-designed section, but even the two big drops underwhelmed me.

Even Phantom's signature drop had the same effect. I lifted just a little out of my seat as the train crested the pull-over, then settled back down through the remainder. Still a rush to fly downward over the terrain, but not quite the out-of-my-seat experience I expected. But then again this originated in the pre-parabolic drop days of the early 1990s when drops were straight and seldom exceeded 60 degrees.

Oddly enough, I really enjoyed this little straight section between the first and second drops. It builds anticipation for the second one and gives you a brief moment to process what's happening and what is about to. We don't see a lot of it for obvious reasons, but well-placed straight track can still be used quite effectively.

The airtime in the second half did not disappoint! It's Intamin-like. I wasn't prepared for how strong it was.

"I am the Phantom... I will eat all of the high school children of Pittsburgh one green train at a time until my purple train is restored to glory! Do not test me, mortals...."

Black Widow was closed for the first few hours and had hour-long waits thereafter so I decided not to ride. Too bad as I was looking forward to trying the Zamperla version after recently riding the Huss model at CP.

So... Thunderbolt. I knew about the no single riders policy due to the NAD trains, but I figured I could simply wait it out in the station and eventually be paired with another single. Well I either didn't do my research or caught the crew on a bad day because I was promptly sent back out of line when they saw I did not have a partner. Is this typical?

One reason I don't mind taking these coaster trips by myself is that I always meet people in the parks (belated shout-out to TPR member Carlos who I hung out with at CP!). So after getting rejected from Thunderbolt, I got in line for Jack Rabbit and began scoping for someone to talk to. No sooner had I got in line, then I SNEEZED. A girl several people behind "blessed me," so I walked up to her and said, "Hey, thanks. Want to ride Thunderbolt with me?" We stayed in line for the Rabbit, rode that, then headed back over to T-bolt.

Tuuurtle... Tuuuurtle...

Sky Rocket was fun and reminded me of Powder Keg in spirit if not in layout. Both have legitimate thrills but are just mild enough to be fit for familes who might shy away from Phantom/Outlaw Run, etc.

These bunny hops could have amazing airtime if Kennywood dialed back on the trims just a tad.

And speaking of trim brakes, what in the world is up with that one at the crest of the top hat? The train still reaches the peak at full speed, so it isn't used to lessen the negative g's there. What it does is kill any airtime on the way down. Has Sky Rocket always operated with it?

I checked Black Widow a few times, but I was not about to wait a full hour for it.

Phantom's line was a consistent 75 minutes all afternoon.

I can't believe Kennywood. The park has no right to shut down this small business owner's extermination service. What if I saw a rat while at the park? Who's going to help me then? The Phantom himself? I think not. Kennywood should do a better job of staying within its bounds - like the federal government.

You know that girl I recruited from Jack Rabbit to ride Thunderbolt with me? Well she had a friend with her who had to sit outside the station for forty minutes while the first girl rode with me. I felt like a dick. I also didn't care. I came out from California for this and I was not about to be denied my classic woodie credit!

Before my trip I would never have guessed that Racer would become my favorite of the three Kennywoodies! Thunderbolt is the largest and Jack Rabbit has the double-dip, so Racer is usually reduced to just a footnote. I actually found it to be the most consistently, all-around enjoyable of the three.

It's of an entirely different era, but it reminded me somewhat of Screamin' Eagle at SFStl in that neither has a ton of air or is particularly thrilling, but both are comfortable, extremely re-rideable, and a lot of fun for what they are. I noticed the green train won almost every time too. Does it always run faster?

Loved the Rabbit and the double-dip! May it never change!

So remember what I said about Phantom being good, but not great, earlier? Well take all that and throw it down into the ravine, because I came back to Phantom at night and it had transformed! It was faster, stronger, airtime-ier, and blew my previous rides away! On most of the coasters I ranked above it, I had at some point acquired a truly memorable experience on. Be it in the rain, at an enthusiast event, or a simple marathon at night, they had all cemented their place in my mind somehow. Phantom joins that club now. Three rides in the dark on a warm night can do that. The drop felt longer, I spent more time out of my seat, and tears were streaming out of the corners of my eyes as I dived out of and back into the ravine. I just wish I had more time left. My watch had become waterlogged in the rain at CP two days prior and finally stopped working some time that night at Kennywood, so I thought it was only 9:00, plenty of time for another 1-2 rides, right? Well, no, it was actually 10:20, which I was made frustratingly aware of when I saw the Phantom line was closed and it occurred to me to check my phone. Three night rides will have to do it. Welcome to my steel top 5, Phantom.

I'm really surprised kennywood hasn't done more to address the issues with thunderbolt. It seems kind of discreminatory towards single riders or groups with odd numbers. A single rider line would be an ideal and easy fix that would solve all those issues. Anyone know why that hasn't been worked in?

Great Report Condor! Sad I couldnt make it especially after seeing your, shall we say... Theme park reviews, but I look forward to the trip in September!

Great photos! I really wanted to go there but when I made my trip to a few parks (including CP) it was the last week of August and it was closed (I was kind of surprised).

Oh, and Sky Rocket always had the trims. I thin they're supposed to provide a "hanging" feeling.

Awesome trip report!!! Amazing photos!!! This one is by far my favorite though! Thanks for sharing!!

So awesome!

Someone other than me watches Arrow? Good report, love the pics.

The Gatekeeper pictures with the rainbow are absolutely amazing! I can honestly say that those are my favorite pictures of that ride.

I also agree with your opinion on the lake view on Ravine Flyer II, I've rode Millennium & Magnum dozens of times but the view going up on Ravine Flyer II is easily the best.