How things have changed

I noticed an interesting photo in an old Hotel Breakers brochure. The brochure is from 1987, so the photo was probably taken circa 1986.

http://www.virtualmidway.com/hotel.jpg

Besides the usual stuff (more trees, no pool, the Polynesian Hut), anyone notice anything that stands out as being different from 2002?

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Virtual Midway
http://www.virtualmidway.com

*** This post was edited by Gemini 8/6/2002 10:37:17 AM ***

Yeah, there were about three or four more original wings to the Breakers :) Now there's just the Rotunda and Bon Aire.

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Scott W. Short, Rail Junkie
mailto:scott@midwestcoastercentral.com
http://www.midwestcoastercentral.com

The section you are looking at still exists. The section to the far right was B-wing, torn down to make way for the Tower.

The ferris wheel, of course, has been relocated. The fencing along the boardwalk has been upgraded and the building has been painted.

The top two floors in the picture (the Rotunda area) are used for employee dorm rooms.
*** This post was edited by Chief Wahoo 8/6/2002 10:49:42 AM ***
*** This post was edited by Chief Wahoo 8/6/2002 10:50:47 AM ***

What I noticed is a little more subtle. I bet Pete or Old Timer Tim will see it.

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Virtual Midway
http://www.virtualmidway.com

What stood out the most for me at first glance, is how close the water is to the hotel. I mean, now you have a good walk til you actually step foot in water.

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When you visit CP, visit my Mill, est. 1835

Yes, I can see it...the water is much higher.

That's exactly what I noticed. You can see the current lake level on the park's web cam. It's amazing how much the level has changed over the last couple of decades. It's pretty cool, too, to see how much else has changed in just that little area covered by the photo.

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Virtual Midway
http://www.virtualmidway.com

I noticed one thing at the Breakers this year that bugged me. On the back side of the rotunda, where the pool is, there are a set of stairs that leads up to the balcony. Until this year there used to be lounge chairs so that you could go up there and relax a little (away from the masses of people down below).

Anyway, this year there was a sign that is actually DUCT TAPED to the stairs that says "Employees Only"

Was this done as a safety concern or were they actually trying to make a place where the employees can gather that is away from the guests?
*** This post was edited by Rotunda_Chillin 8/6/2002 11:39:33 AM ***

I would bet that an employee put that up and it is not the "offical policy" of Breakers. Next time you are there, check again. If it is still up, ask to speak to the manager because he/she may not be aware of it.

As for the water level, that changes from week to week, month to month, and year to year. If there is a nor'easter blowing then the water level on the south side of the lake increases significantly.

I noticed the Wheel where it no longer is...

lol

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Rider
RIDE IT OUT!

MF: 5
WT: 0
MAG: Phh... After about 10 at once I stop counting. So take that as it is.

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Chief Wahoo said:

As for the water level, that changes from week to week, month to month, and year to year. If there is a nor'easter blowing then the water level on the south side of the lake increases significantly.

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The level does change based on wind direction and tides, but not as significantly as shown in the photo. Water levels on the Great Lakes have been falling since 1997.

http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/data/now/wlevels/lowlevels/
http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/pubs/brochures/lakelevels/lakelevels.pdf

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Virtual Midway
http://www.virtualmidway.com

*** This post was edited by Gemini 8/6/2002 12:59:44 PM ***

The outside of the buiding has also been redone. Look at the webcam. The outside is white and sand colored. In the old photo, it is all white. Furthermore, some of the windows now have those blue shades on them.

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Andrew L. of Waterville, OH
So what's better; skydiving or riding in Raptor's front seat?

Neat picture. Seems like it should be older than 1987ish. Check out the PEOPLE on the beach. I don't recall ever seeing that many people on the beach before.

There were always more people on the beach before the pools came. It looks like 1987 to me. The multimillion $$ renovation a few years ago drove people away from the beach to the pools. That also of course ruined the charm of that side of the hotel. It's too bad. I am one to really complain about how Cedar Point likes to modernize the present and neglect the past. I miss the old breakers, however how can one not love the new towers? Why couldn't they have built the towers somewhere else? It doen't take a big footprint to build a towering hotel.

The other day when I was there, there were tons of people on the beach. It was in the 90's, and there were a lot of privately owned boats anchored close to the beach too. I was surprised at the amount of swimmers, but maybe they didn't want to pay for Soak City...

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June 28th: LocoBazooka Tour (Sevendust headlining)
July 11th: Korn, Puddle of Mudd, and Deadsy

Actually, I noticed the same picture in a 1984 Hotel Breakers brochure, so it's probably sometime in the early 80's.

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Virtual Midway
http://www.virtualmidway.com

You know, I mentioned the higher water levels in the mid-late 80's on a thread on Coasterbuzz and had several people doubting me on it, even after I provided proof with a couple of websites.

I noticed it in a picture of Avalanche Run. The water level was at it's highest in 1985 or 86.

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I'd rather die living than live like I'm dead

Indeed... In my mom's picture archives she has a picture of me and her standing on the ice in our canal along Lake St. Clair. The picture was somewhere around 86-87. The ice/water level in the picture is remarkably high, especially when you compare it to the water level today.

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Tommy Penner - Variable X
Cedar Point FanBoy since 2001.