And Caleb's getting some practice in, too...
Then there's Grace, who would rather swing at the park than on the field, and that's alright, as well...
Ian has been busy, too, but he's been painting, rather than swinging. That first art project is always so much fun!
We took trip # 2 to Cedar Point this past weekend, and it was great, per normal. I love having season tickets, because you don't feel like you have to "do it all" every time you're there. It makes the trip more relaxing, and believe me, going to an amusement park with me is not relaxing! But it is lots of fun!
I was thinking about how my amusement park theory has changed over time, and I am going to share it with you. If you know me very well, at all, you have probably heard some of this before, because I talk about it a lot... particularly in the summer. That is because I am a planner. And let me take this moment to point out that my five year old little clone is worse than me... making lists of all sorts in the living room and pretending to ride the rides all over again... hehehe...
When I was a kid, I would sit down with my cousins, sometime in the spring, and we would plan out everything that we wanted to ride at CP. In the end, the list always included things like the wave swinger, the trabant, and the mill race (the latter two are now lost rides). At some point, Amy and Julie would tire of the endless planning, and we would just say that we were going to ride everything except for the Demon Drop and the Gemini (at the time, the world's tallest coaster). When we actually got to the park, we didn't ride any of the coasters, at all, because we all chickened out... until the Iron Dragon went in. I rode that one in it's first season, with my dad, and my cousins watched in awe (well, maybe that's just how I remember it), because they still had chickened out... hehehe... I hope they're reading...
As time went on, I continued to go to CP with family, friends, school groups, and youth groups, and eventually, I was no longer the "brave one". The Iron Dragon just didn't cut it anymore for major thrills. I remember being basically forced to ride things like the Mine Ride and Disaster Transport, and I really didn't think it could get any worse than that! I never rode anything that went upside down! But I loved spinning rides, and I found that all of the coaster riders were a real drag to go to CP with, and I ruined their trips, as well.
The turning point of my amusement park thinking happened on a trip in 1996. I was with my youth group, and several friends talked me into (OK... pressured me mercilessly into) waiting in a two hour line for the Raptor. I waited in the line, but when I got to the ride, I couldn't quite make myself get on. I walked through and exited... followed by Phil, who I still think (to this day) should have just ridden the thing. He loved coasters, and he was very irritated that he had waited so long and then I wouldn't ride... It was on this particular night that I actually realized how miserable I was making everyone. And I'm really a very nice girl, so that bothered me.
The next time we went to CP, which was later that same summer, I got up the nerve to ride the Raptor, and it has been one of my two all time favorite coasters, ever since. I also rode the Gemini on that trip... my other favorite. But really... why stop there?
I know quite a few people who claim to have ridden everything at CP. Most of them are liars... hehehe... When someone claims to have ridden everything, what they usually mean is that they have ridden all of the roller coasters and the most extreme thrill rides. I don't like to do anything halfway, so I decided that I was going to "conquer the park"... riding absolutely everything that I was able (there are a few children's rides that do not accomodate adults, even if they are with children). I made a list, and I started keeping track of what I had ridden and when. By 1998, I had ridden everything in the park except for the Mean Streak. I wanted to ride the Mean Streak, but most everyone I knew had already ridden it, and no one wanted to ride it again. I was not yet at a point where I was willing to ride solo...
In 1999 we didn't have the chance to travel to CP, and then something happened... I took a few years off from my amusement park adventure to have a family. The next time I set foot on CP ground was in 2005, with three very little people in tow. And I had to change my thinking on what makes amusement parks fun, again. Of course, by that time, Magnum no longer held bragging rights as the tallest coaster in the world, and the CP skyline had changed dramatically, adding four new major attractions and Camp Snoopy. And... there have been two more additions since then.
To be completely honest, our trip in 2005 was one of the best days I have ever experienced, but I had to go into it with "low" expectations. I had to go into it thinking, "this is for my kids". Amazingly enough, when they had fun, I had fun... tons of it. And as an added bonus, I was able to knock a few more rides off of my list, because there are certain attractions that you can only ride if you are with a child!
At some point, I even stopped and thought, "Maybe I don't need to conquer the park anymore. Maybe I am getting old for this". At the time, I am sure I thought that was very mature...
But this year, I'm not so sure. Now, don't misunderstand. I LOVE spending time with my kids at CP. There's really nothing like it. And, yes, I am going to give some highlights from our latest trip when I finish this essay... hehehe... Hang in there. But I think I've been bitten by the "coaster bug" again. And I found myself really wanting to ride this time around.
I also realized something about myself. It should be evident based on what I just wrote, but it came in one coherant thought... "I am really fun to take to Cedar Point!" I love riding everything, and I don't feel like I have to ride everything, every time! I can have a good time with coaster riders, kids, those who love to spin until they can't walk straight, and yes, even show watchers... in my old age... hehehe.
I guess the only type of person with whom I wouldn't have an enjoyable time at CP is the game player. I do not like to spend lots of money playing games that I never win... oh well.
I think the moral of this story is: Ride Everything! It makes it more fun for other people, and you might even like it...
And now for the highlights from our second trip of the 2007 season:
*We visited Soak City. I had never been there before and found it to be very fun. I am a waterpark freak, so this should come as no surprise. The only problem was that the height limitations were a little strict, so Grace was pretty much stuck on the "baby" slides. There were several nice children's areas, but we didn't make it to all of them... perhaps next time. I took Ian on the lazy river, which I think nearly gave the CP life guards heart attacks. It's not like I was going to drop him! At any rate, he didn't like it so well, so we won't be doing that again. There is a pretty good family raft ride (of course Ian was too little, but Caleb was, too... bummer). I don't have pics. to post, because I used a water camera and actually have to have them developed...
*I ditched my family and left them to take pics. of Mommy riding MaxAir... OK, so actually I think that Phil started to feel a little sorry for me and told me to go ride it. Here I am, getting ready to launch and thinking that I am a little on the stupid side for actually strapping myself in to this one. I am not wearing my glasses, so clearly I can't see anything, but I made a pretty good guess at where Phil was standing so I could smile for the camera. It was a great ride...
I was thinking about how my amusement park theory has changed over time, and I am going to share it with you. If you know me very well, at all, you have probably heard some of this before, because I talk about it a lot... particularly in the summer. That is because I am a planner. And let me take this moment to point out that my five year old little clone is worse than me... making lists of all sorts in the living room and pretending to ride the rides all over again... hehehe...
When I was a kid, I would sit down with my cousins, sometime in the spring, and we would plan out everything that we wanted to ride at CP. In the end, the list always included things like the wave swinger, the trabant, and the mill race (the latter two are now lost rides). At some point, Amy and Julie would tire of the endless planning, and we would just say that we were going to ride everything except for the Demon Drop and the Gemini (at the time, the world's tallest coaster). When we actually got to the park, we didn't ride any of the coasters, at all, because we all chickened out... until the Iron Dragon went in. I rode that one in it's first season, with my dad, and my cousins watched in awe (well, maybe that's just how I remember it), because they still had chickened out... hehehe... I hope they're reading...
As time went on, I continued to go to CP with family, friends, school groups, and youth groups, and eventually, I was no longer the "brave one". The Iron Dragon just didn't cut it anymore for major thrills. I remember being basically forced to ride things like the Mine Ride and Disaster Transport, and I really didn't think it could get any worse than that! I never rode anything that went upside down! But I loved spinning rides, and I found that all of the coaster riders were a real drag to go to CP with, and I ruined their trips, as well.
The turning point of my amusement park thinking happened on a trip in 1996. I was with my youth group, and several friends talked me into (OK... pressured me mercilessly into) waiting in a two hour line for the Raptor. I waited in the line, but when I got to the ride, I couldn't quite make myself get on. I walked through and exited... followed by Phil, who I still think (to this day) should have just ridden the thing. He loved coasters, and he was very irritated that he had waited so long and then I wouldn't ride... It was on this particular night that I actually realized how miserable I was making everyone. And I'm really a very nice girl, so that bothered me.
The next time we went to CP, which was later that same summer, I got up the nerve to ride the Raptor, and it has been one of my two all time favorite coasters, ever since. I also rode the Gemini on that trip... my other favorite. But really... why stop there?
I know quite a few people who claim to have ridden everything at CP. Most of them are liars... hehehe... When someone claims to have ridden everything, what they usually mean is that they have ridden all of the roller coasters and the most extreme thrill rides. I don't like to do anything halfway, so I decided that I was going to "conquer the park"... riding absolutely everything that I was able (there are a few children's rides that do not accomodate adults, even if they are with children). I made a list, and I started keeping track of what I had ridden and when. By 1998, I had ridden everything in the park except for the Mean Streak. I wanted to ride the Mean Streak, but most everyone I knew had already ridden it, and no one wanted to ride it again. I was not yet at a point where I was willing to ride solo...
In 1999 we didn't have the chance to travel to CP, and then something happened... I took a few years off from my amusement park adventure to have a family. The next time I set foot on CP ground was in 2005, with three very little people in tow. And I had to change my thinking on what makes amusement parks fun, again. Of course, by that time, Magnum no longer held bragging rights as the tallest coaster in the world, and the CP skyline had changed dramatically, adding four new major attractions and Camp Snoopy. And... there have been two more additions since then.
To be completely honest, our trip in 2005 was one of the best days I have ever experienced, but I had to go into it with "low" expectations. I had to go into it thinking, "this is for my kids". Amazingly enough, when they had fun, I had fun... tons of it. And as an added bonus, I was able to knock a few more rides off of my list, because there are certain attractions that you can only ride if you are with a child!
At some point, I even stopped and thought, "Maybe I don't need to conquer the park anymore. Maybe I am getting old for this". At the time, I am sure I thought that was very mature...
But this year, I'm not so sure. Now, don't misunderstand. I LOVE spending time with my kids at CP. There's really nothing like it. And, yes, I am going to give some highlights from our latest trip when I finish this essay... hehehe... Hang in there. But I think I've been bitten by the "coaster bug" again. And I found myself really wanting to ride this time around.
I also realized something about myself. It should be evident based on what I just wrote, but it came in one coherant thought... "I am really fun to take to Cedar Point!" I love riding everything, and I don't feel like I have to ride everything, every time! I can have a good time with coaster riders, kids, those who love to spin until they can't walk straight, and yes, even show watchers... in my old age... hehehe.
I guess the only type of person with whom I wouldn't have an enjoyable time at CP is the game player. I do not like to spend lots of money playing games that I never win... oh well.I think the moral of this story is: Ride Everything! It makes it more fun for other people, and you might even like it...
And now for the highlights from our second trip of the 2007 season:
*We visited Soak City. I had never been there before and found it to be very fun. I am a waterpark freak, so this should come as no surprise. The only problem was that the height limitations were a little strict, so Grace was pretty much stuck on the "baby" slides. There were several nice children's areas, but we didn't make it to all of them... perhaps next time. I took Ian on the lazy river, which I think nearly gave the CP life guards heart attacks. It's not like I was going to drop him! At any rate, he didn't like it so well, so we won't be doing that again. There is a pretty good family raft ride (of course Ian was too little, but Caleb was, too... bummer). I don't have pics. to post, because I used a water camera and actually have to have them developed...
*I ditched my family and left them to take pics. of Mommy riding MaxAir... OK, so actually I think that Phil started to feel a little sorry for me and told me to go ride it. Here I am, getting ready to launch and thinking that I am a little on the stupid side for actually strapping myself in to this one. I am not wearing my glasses, so clearly I can't see anything, but I made a pretty good guess at where Phil was standing so I could smile for the camera. It was a great ride...
*Later, I took all of the kids and Phil got to take a solo ride on Gemini... as in completely solo. He was the only one on the train! We went to Camp Snoopy, so didn't get pictures, but he said it was an awesome experience!
*Sent Seth and Grace on Sky Hawk by themselves...
*Sent Seth and Grace on Sky Hawk by themselves...
OK... so I lie... But we had fun taking pictures in the test seats... 
*All of us (minus Ian) took another spin on Woodstock Express. I got some pretty good pics. of Phil, Seth, and Grace. Getting a good pic. of me and Caleb on the ride continues to be elusive...
*Of course, we rode some classic favorites. Following are pics. of Me and Seth on the Cedar Downs Racing Derby, Phil and Caleb on the Antique Cars, and Me and Grace on the Troika:
*In the evening, Phil took off running with Ian and the stroller while the rest of us pulled out of the train station. He beat the train to Frontiertown, which I found rather impressive, especially considering he had to carry Ian part of the way since he was tired of his stroller!
*Ian spent the day just being super cute...
*Ian spent the day just being super cute...
*And, by the way... Caleb thinks that CP needs a zoo, so here he is posing as an elephant. His trunk is, of course, his sock. I don't know exactly why, but his socks and shoes just didn't want to stay on...
*At the end of our day, we got a great view of the sunset over Lake Erie, while riding the Giant Wheel... It was beautiful, but we took video instead of pics, so we can't share it here...
Hope you've enjoyed this post about Cedar Point, America's Rockin' Roller Coast... Ride On...
Lisa
Hope you've enjoyed this post about Cedar Point, America's Rockin' Roller Coast... Ride On...
Lisa
1 comment:
Hey Lisa! I actually read that whole thing! I also have season ticket this year... We should go together sometime! The pictures are really cute! Love ya~Shandi
Extremely delightful! I LOVE theme parks! I'll ride ANYTHING. Maybe I will have the opportunity to go with you and your family someday :)
Kim
Post a Comment