Check Out the New Webcams!

Cedar Point recently updated their Webcams page on their website. Now all three of the webcams are up and running. The current line up is the PagodaCam, DragsterCam, and the new TrailCam. The TrailCam provides an image of the Frontier Trail, from above the Candle Shop facing Millennium Force's over banked curve. It will provide a nice view of the Starlight Experience at night. It also appears as if each of the webcams were slightly moved, and it looks like you get a better view than before on all of the webcams.

There is also a new webcam viewer, which allows you to change the size of the image.

Thanks!

Brad

Cedar Central Update

Okay, so it's been a while since I last updated what's been going on here at Cedar Central. Well, things are going well, and the complete network should be completed soon. At the blog, there has been a lack of posts due to a lot of travel and school throughout May. I think I am back on track now. The website is getting pretty far, and could be uploaded to the server anytime soon, so I'll notify you on the blog. The widget is still being reviewed, and so I don't know when I'll release it. Pretty soon though. If you would like the widget, Version 1.0 is still available. I will have a post outlining the new features pretty soon.

So, May was a slow month, but with a lot of time opening up in June, next month should be pretty big.

Thanks!

Brad

Dragster Stuck... Again!

As of 2008, this event only had a 1:53,000 chance of occurring. What's the only thing better than a roll back on Top Thrill Dragster? A complete halt on the top! Yes, if the ride launches just right, the train can remain perfectly balanced at the top of the hill. So, a maintenance worker heads up the tower and pushes the train back to Earth. While I wouldn't want to be the one pushing it, I would love to have a complete stall! Well, my dream may never come true, as I have yet to even get a roll back.

The last time this happened was October, 2008.

Thanks!

Brad

Cedar Central's Weekly Cedar Point Tip

I have been going to Cedar Point for a long time now, and over the years, I have discovered the best ways to get through the park in one day. Every week, I will be posting a tip, and by following these tips, it will be much easier to get in an "all 17" day.

Tip #1) Rides don't quite close at 10.

Or closing time, that is. A common thing I hear at Cedar Point a half hour before closing is "No, the line's over an hour long, and the park closes soon, so there's no point in waiting and being kicked out of line. We had better just head back to the hotel room." Well, if you have the time, and won't fall asleep, this isn't true. If you get in line for a ride and the park closes, they can not kick you out of line. The ride will keep running, all night if they have to! Just get in line before closing, and your day will be greatly extended!

Thanks!

Brad

Millennium Force

Unfortunately, Millennium Force has been facing mechanical issues since this morning. There are problems with the cable lift, but there haven't been any details from the park. I am expecting the ride to be down for a few days after today, but I'm sure the park will get it fixed up and ready to go as soon as possible. As seen on the PagodaCam, there is already a crane on site.

Tonight's Platinum Passholder ERT on Millennium Force will be moved to a different day. Tonight, the ERT is now Magnum XL-200 and Dragster.

Thanks!

Brad

Do You Remember...?

Do you remember... Top Thrill Dragster's Old Trains?

Yes, this is an odd "Do you remember...", but I was thinking about this the other day. Top Thrill Dragster used to have a spoiler and large tires on every train. These special parts made the trains look like real dragster cars. Unfortunately, due to a not very serious incident where a tire became loose on one of the trains, this scenery was completely removed. Today, you can tell it was there because of the round, black part on the back of the train.

Thanks!

Brad

Poll Reminder

Remember, there are only 10 days left to vote in the May poll! This month's question is, "What is your favorite thrill ride at Cedar Point?" It looks like our reader seem to be S&S fans, because right now, the only two rides that have votes are Skyhawk and Power Tower! Well, I am a huge Skyhawk fan too! But remember, if you want your ride to win the poll, make sure you get out and vote!

There will also be a new feature beginning next week!

Thanks!

Brad

Cedar Point 2009

I visited Cedar Point for Opening Day 2009, and I made a few observations, some of which have already been noted of and some that haven't. Here are some interesting things I saw at the park. (My trip report will be coming soon as well.)

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New Causeway Sign

This has been talked about a lot by Cedar Point fans over the winter, and I have to say it looks great, especially at night. It is nice and colorful and the LED is bright and crystal clear. Very attractive!

New Entrance LED Signs

This too was very popular discussion in the Cedar Point community. Cedar Point now has many LED displays in the main entrance. Once again, they are very bright and colorful, and look great.

New Garbage Cans

I know that we all love Cedar Point's famous garbage cans, so it was cool to see a new style of garbage cans in the park! There are a few new bins around the park that are grey and have a much thicker looking plastic. They are very similar to the old ones, but the top part with the four openings sticks out and is wider than before. It's hard to explain, but I like them!

New Hand Dryers

One of the coolest things I saw in the park was actually in the bathrooms! Cedar Point got new Dyson AirBlade hand dryers. You put your hands in this area, and then a stream of fast moving air moves across the opening. When you pull your hands out, the water gets pushed off and drained. They called them the "Fastest, most hygienic hand dryers available.", and I must agree with that statement. These dryers are fast. Even faster than the Xelerator dryers that pushed your skin away from your hand! Well, luckily, these aren't as powerful, but they still perform better. Unfortunately, I didn't see these at every restroom yet though.

New Midway Fountain

This was really nice. The area looked nice around the fountain, and the water was very refreshing. It actually squirts out at anytime or in patterns, so you never really know when you'll get wet if you're running through. It's pretty fun to watch, too.

Brick Pavers

Throughout the front of the park, there are a lot of new brick paver midways. These are around the fountain, along the main midway, and at the entrance. They look really nice and durable, and it's a nice alternative to concrete.

Train Crossing Areas

The areas where the CP&LE Railroad passes through the midways just got a little facelift. Instead of concrete, there is now asphalt around the tracks.

Family Dryer

A more recent announcement from the park was that there was going to be a new "family dryer" near Snake River Falls. This dryer, also called a Haystack Dryer, can dry a total of five people for five dollars. It's going to be nice not having to walk around wet all day after riding Snake River Falls or Thunder Canyon! I didn't get to try it out yet, but I will soon!

Maverick Screen Gone

The LCD screen in Maverick's queue line is now gone. I am not quite sure why it was removed, but it was probably prone to vandalism.

Park Banners

The new banners hanging around the park look great. This year, there are "Magnum XL-200 20th Anniversary", "Ride On", "Ride Warriors", and several banners with just rides on them. Also, there are some banners with Cedar Point logos on them near the midway fountain, and they look really nice.

Magnum Sign

There is a new sign right outside of the entrance to Magnum XL-200's queue. It looks really cool, and fits the ride really well.

Magnum's Tunnels

I'm not sure if this is true, but in the tunnel on Magnum, I thought I could smell fog, an effect that hasn't been used on the ride permanently for a while now. This could mean that it might be restored.

New Energy Drink Stand

There is now an Energy Station near Gemini. It sells energy drinks and soft drinks.

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If I forgot anything, I will make sure that I post it in this post later on. I saw a lot of new stuff at the park, and the park looks great. It looks like 2009 will be a great season.

Thanks!

Brad

Updates Coming Soon

Sorry everyone! I'm sure many of our readers want some updates on the park this year, especially for those who weren't able to go yet. Unfortunately, I just had to get my pupils dilated, and I can't see a thing (Yes, laugh all you want...). I am having a lot of trouble typing, and I cant read my screen (I have my Mac's text size turned up all the way... Wow!), so I can't post anything until my eyes are a little better. So look for some updates on opening weekend tonight!

Thanks!

Brad

Isn't it Beautiful...

Well, tonight Cedar Point has turned on the lights on many of their rides (Notably Dragster and Mantis). I noticed Raptor's lights were on about a month ago for one night, but it looks like with only around 10 hours left until opening, Cedar Point's ready to go with lighting. And even though it's nothing spectacular since only a few are even on, all I have to say is beautiful...

I can't wait to see the park tomorrow.

Thanks!

Brad

Ride Testing

Well, I've long been yearning to see some rides testing at the Point, but up until today, I had yet to see any action (other than the Sky Ride). Yes, I know the park opens in less than a day, but I am happy to say that I finally saw some stuff going on over near the PagodaCam. I guess you just have to be in the right place at the right time. Here's the shot that I saw, which is pretty good if you ask me. You can see Millennium Force on the lift hill, Power Tower, Sky Ride, and Mantis testing. Wow, I guess today I got lucky!

Thanks!

Brad

New Magnum Sign

This year will be Magnum XL-200's 20th anniversary season. Just one of the ways Cedar Point is celebrating this special event is by giving the classic hypercoaster a brand new sign. We knew about the sign for a while now, but nobody quite knew what it looked like until today. Check the sign out in this post made by the official Cedar Point blog.

Looks snazzy!

Thanks!
Brad

Saturday, May 16

This Saturday, as many of our readers probably expected, I will be visiting Cedar Point for opening weekend. I will have a full trip report when I get back, and I will make sure to tell you about everything, but please take note that there will be no new updates on Saturday or Sunday.

Thanks!
Brad

Cedar Point Fact of the Day

Cedar Point is now the coaster capitol of the world, but it took a while to get up there! Cedar Point's first roller coaster opened in 1892, a whopping 117 years ago! This ride, named Switchback Railway, was a huge 25 feet tall, and was the scariest roller coaster around at the time. The ride no longer exists, but who knows, Cedar Point might not be known for having the tallest, fastest roller coasters is the Switchback Railway hadn't started it all!

Thanks!
Brad

I'll Be Back Shortly!

Sorry for the lack of updates, but a lot has been going on over the past few days and my blog downtime has been extended a little bit. But remember, I will not be here tomorrow through Sunday, so there will not be any updates over this time. But I will keep you posted on the last five days before opening weekend when I return!

Thanks!
Brad

Souvenir Spotlight

This is a cool item from Cedar Point that I thought readers might enjoy. This was a medallion from the inaugural rider auction for Top Thrill Dragster. Now, this was a scanned photo, so it looks a lot better in person, but it's still very cool.

Thanks!

Brad

Cedar Point Opening Day 2009

This year's opening day at Cedar Point will be a very exciting experience that will be fun for the whole family! There will be numerous events that you should definitely check out this May 16!

First, open up the 2009 season to your favorite amusement park with an amazing display that is sure to amaze the entire audience! A professional skydiver will fall back down to Earth holding the American flag, right into Cedar Point! A 100 x 100 foot area will be cleared in the Cedar Point parking lot to make a safe landing for the sky diver, and it will be a very cool sight, and a great way to start up the season.

After the sky diver lands at the park, it will be time for the National Anthem, to salute the United States of America.

Next, the highest bidders for the first train for Magnum XL-200's 20th anniversary will take their ride at 9:00 AM. If you would like to be on this train, make sure you bid on a seat at the official auction page. And remember, all proceeds from the auction will go to the American Red Cross: Firelands Chapter.

After the first rides, Cedar Point will be officially open for the season! But then the first riders of Magnum will get to enjoy a banquet, where they will eat lunch in the Breakers East Conference Room, get commemorative T-shirts, receive a group photo, and a bronze medallion. Check it out:

Image Courtesy American Red Cross: Firelands Chapter

They look pretty cool! Make sure you check out the auction page for a lot more info.

So there will be a lot going on May 16th at Cedar Point, so make sure that you go check it out! And at the end of the day, make sure you don't miss the annual opening day fireworks that will light up the sky over the Point. It will be a very fun day for everyone, and a great way to kick off another great season at the park.

Thanks!

Brad

Blog Downtime

As I recently mentioned in our May outlook, there will be a period of blog downtime next week. Blog downtime means that you will still be able to access the blog, but I will be unable to make any posts during this time period. I will be away from Thursday, May 7 to Sunday, May 10, 2009. I will be heading down to Tennessee, but after I return, I will make sure that I catch up on all of the news and features that I missed while I was gone.

Thanks!

Brad

An Outlook on May

Like I've already said, I am very organized, and I like to lay out what will be happening for the rest of the month on the blog. This is what May 2009 will look like for us:

Friday, May 1, 2009

May Poll Begins

Thursday, May 7 - Sunday, May 10, 2009

Blog Downtime*

Saturday, May 16, 2009

Cedar Point Opening Day 2009!

Blog Downtime*

Thursday, May 21, 2009

"20 Years of Magnum" Will Begin

Saturday, May 30, 2009

Website Opening**

Widget V 1.2 Release***

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*There will be several days of blog downtime this month. This doesn't man that you will not be able to access the blog; it just means that there will not be any posts made during these few days. All news and features will be made up for whenever I return. I will be making note of these dates in later posts, too.

**May 30, 2009 is a hopeful day to open the website. I have been testing out parts of the website on my server, but there are still a lot of pages to get done. As of now, May 30 is when I am expecting it to open. I will keep you up-to-date though.

***The widget is almost ready to go, but I plan on releasing it with the website. Our last widget did not ever get on Apple's website, so V 1.2 will be our second update, but we will release it as soon as Apple approves it. I actually plan on submitting it today, so it will be about two weeks hopefully. Once again, I'll keep you updated though!

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Even though it doesn't seem like a lot will be going on in May, I think that this will be a very busy month on the blog, so stay tuned!

Thanks!

Brad

Garbage Cans

Until recently, I've noticed that Cedar Point's famous garbage cans have been neatly put into areas waiting to be placed throughout the park. Over the past few days though, the garbage cans have finally been spaced out and placed around the park. It looks like this will probably be one of our last off-season preparations updates, with only 15 days left until the park opens for the season! Now, I'm just looking for roller coaster testing...

Thanks!

Brad

Cedar Point Introduces New "Point Poll"

We've been talking a lot about our polls here at Cedar Central since our May poll just opened up, and coincidentally, Cedar Point just unveiled a new feature on their website called Point Poll. This page, located in the Online Fun section of their website, features polls relating to Cedar Point. Check it out here.

Thanks!

Brad

May Poll Finally Up!

We finally have our May poll up and running. As already stated, the topic this month will be "What is your favorite thrill ride at Cedar Point?". All entries are listed in alphabetical order, and you are now able to vote. And make sure that you cast your opinion, because it only takes a second!

Happy voting!

Brad

New Poll!

The May poll will be up and running later today, around 6:00 PM EST. The topic for this poll will be "What is your favorite thrill ride at Cedar Point?" I am excited to hear the results for this poll! The poll will end May 31, 2009.

Thanks!

Brad

March/April Poll Results

Our first poll results are finally in! Maverick swept the polls with a whopping 42% of the votes, making it our readers' favorite roller coaster at Cedar Point. Thanks to anyone that voted, and congrats Maverick!

Thanks!

Brad