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Cedar Point — decades of sun, fun and exciting new thrill rides

By Marilyn Loeser

It’s summertime in the Buckeye State: hot afternoons and cool evenings, picnic food and weekend getaways, family, friends, laughter and conversation!

What better place to experience it all in the span of a day, a weekend or a week than on the Lake Erie shore and Cedar Point Amusement Park and Resort.

What’s new for 2006?

Cedar Point’s latest thrill ride, Skyhawk, is located in Frontiertown between Cedar Creek Mine Ride and Snake River Falls. Skyhawk is the tallest ride of its kind in the world and features two giant swinging arms, each 86 feet in length, with 20 seats on each arm.

Each set of 20 seats consists of two rows of 10 seats, positioned back to back, providing each rider front-row views. Riders are launched forward and backward, swinging higher and faster each time. At the peak of the arc, riders are more than 125 feet in the air and traveling at speeds of more than 60 mph in both directions.

As any seasoned Cedar Point visitor knows, the park offers 68 rides, including 16 roller coasters — more than any other park in the world.

Veteran riders will also notice admission prices have been lowered. One-day admission tickets valid for guests ages 3-61 who are 48 inches or taller are now $39.95, reduced $5 from 2005. A junior ticket, valid for guests ages 3-61 who are under 48 inches tall are $9.95 and senior tickets valid for guests ages 62 and older also are $9.95. Children age 2 and under are free. 

Cedar Point also has rolled back prices on a variety of food items and beverages including cotton candy, now only 25 cents.

Getting to know Cedar Point

Cedar Point covers a 364-acre peninsula, nestled between the city of Sandusky, Ohio and Lake Erie. In addition to the amusement park, the resort features Soak City, a large water park; four resort hotels; an RV campground including cottages and cabins; two marinas; Challenge Park, an entertainment complex; live shows; gift shops; restaurants and several areas specifically designed for pre-school children.

Dating back to 1870, Cedar Point is the second oldest amusement park in North America, surpassed only by 157-year-old Lake Compounce in Bristol, Connecticut.

The history of thrill rides at Cedar Point began in 1892 with the introduction of the first roller coaster, the Switchback Railway. It stood an incredible 25 feet tall and reached a top speed of 10 mph.

The oldest building in the park is the Convention Center, built in 1888 as the Grand Pavilion. A museum in Frontierland is an excellent place to get additional information about the park and its long history.

More than 3 million guests visit Cedar Point during the park’s warm-weather season and, according to park officials, even though the park is located on a peninsula jutting out into the lake, it’ll never run out of room for expansion and its ability to offer new, better, faster and more exciting attractions to bring visitors back again and again.

When Millennium Force was added in 2000 and Top Thrill Dragster in 2003, for example, designers creatively found the space by rearranging existing rides.

Ready to go?

Cedar Point will be open daily through Labor Day, September 4. The park will reopen for Bonus Weekends on Friday nights, Saturdays and Sundays, September 8-10 and 15-7. 

The park’s 10th annual HalloWeekends event will take place on Friday nights, Saturdays and Sundays, Sept. 22-24, 29-30, Oct. 1, 6-8, 13-15, 20-22 and 27-29.

For more information check the website at www.cedarpoint.com or call the park’s general information line at 419.627.2350.

For information about Sandusky, additional accommodations and attractions, contact the Sandusky/Erie County Visitors and Convention Bureau at www.sanduskyohiocedarpoint.com  or call 800.255.ERIE.

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