Cedar Point History - 1960's

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1960

Attendance for the 1960 season is 1,250,000.

Cedar Point confirms "Disney" project

$16 million of capital improvements announced

Dodge 'Em opens.

Riverboat Cruise opens

Final season for Laff-in-the-Dark

Final season for Krazy Kastle

Saturday, 28 May 1960
Cedar Point opens for 91st season.
Saturday, 15 October 1960
The Sandusky Fire Department supervises a controlled burning of the building once known as the Crystal Rock Palace. The building was removed to make room for construction of what is now the Main Midway.
1961

Cedar Classic Miniature Golf opens

Rotor opens

Sky Wheel, portable 80-foot tall double Ferris wheel, opens

Super Satellite Jets opens

Glide Slide opens

Final season for Wild Mouse

Final season for Frankie Murru's Spaghetti House

New docks built for Riverboat Cruise. Two new boats are added. The number of animated items along the ride are doubled.

Mexican burros are introduced for saddle rides.

Friday, 24 March 1961
The G. A. Boeckling Co. officially changes its name to Cedar Point, Inc.
Saturday, 06 May 1961
Cedar Point opens for 92nd season.
Saturday, 06 May 1961
The new, half-mile long Main Midway debuts.
Monday, 18 September 1961
Cedar Point announces the park will close September 24, instead of the previously scheduled October 1. The chance of adverse weather was given as the reason for advancing the closing date.
Sunday, 24 September 1961
Final day for 1961 operating season
1962

Hotel Breakers adds air conditioners to 100 rooms.

New drinking fountains added to Main Midway.

Two new boats added to Western Cruise. Docks are lengthened for quicker loading and unloading.

New Sky Wheel replaces portable version that operated previous summer.

Jumpin' Jupiter opens.

Saturday, 26 May 1962
Cedar Point opens for 93rd season.
Saturday, 26 May 1962
Polynesian Pavilion opened by United Food Management Services, Inc. on the beach.
Saturday, 26 May 1962
Silver Dollar Cafe opens at former location of Frankie Murru's Spaghetti House. The restaurant, operated by United Food Management Services, a "Gay 90's" decor, sawdust floor, checkered tablecloths, waiters in sailor straw hats and music from an old player piano with tunes of bygone days.
Saturday, 09 June 1962
Sky Ride officially opens. The ride was built at a cost of $300,000.
1963

Cedar Point and Lake Erie Railroad opens with two engines - Maud L. and Albert.

Mill Race opens.

Scamper opens.

Cedar Point taffy is introduced.

Flight to Mars opens. It is also the final season for Flight to Mars.

United Food Management Services, Inc. remodels Coral Dining Room, featuring a gaslight atmosphere and a cocktail terrace.

Main kitchen is modernized.

Saturday, 25 May 1963
Cedar Point opens for 94th season.
Friday, 11 October 1963
Cedar Point announces half million dollars worth of new amusement rides for the 1964 season, including a roller coaster (later named Blue Streak), Calypso, and Broadway Trip.
1964

Final season for original Rotor.

Riverboat Cruise renamed Western Cruise.

Wednesday, 04 March 1964
A later winter storm topples six sections of the Monorail, damages two boats at the Cedar Point Marina, downs trees and electrical lines servicing the animations for Western Cruise, and damages several roofs. Roofing material and telephone booths were reported to be scattered around the grounds. Blue Streak, under construction for the upcoming season, was unscathed.
Saturday, 23 May 1964
Cedar Point opens for 95th season.
Saturday, 23 May 1964
Blue Streak opens.
Saturday, 23 May 1964
Calypso opens.
Saturday, 23 May 1964
Broadway Trip opens on former site of Flight to Mars
Saturday, 06 June 1964
Hotel Breakers officially opens for 1964 season.
Sunday, 13 September 1964
Final day for 1964 operating season
Thursday, 01 October 1964
Eugene Lamont resigns as vice presidet and general manager of Cedar Point to become director of the California State Fair.
1965

Jungle Larry's Safari Island opens

Space Spiral opens

San Francisco Earthquake opens

Calypso relocated to area adjacent to Silver Dollar Cafe

Cedar Point surpasses two million in attendance for the first time

Advertising slogan "New Heights in Fun" is used

Western Cruise adds two new boats and new animation.

Final season for Monorail

New animations added to CP&LE Railroad.

Parking lot expanded to accommodate 2,500 additional vehicles.

New building complex opens to house 25 games and 10 food/merchandise booths.

Saturday, 22 May 1965
Cedar Point opens for 96th season.
1966

Live Show Department is established.

Parking lot expanded to 10,000 car capacity. Trams are purchased from New York Worlds Fair to transport visitors from the parking to to the main entrance.

Final season for Eden Musee

Saturday, 28 May 1966
Cedar Point opens for 97th season.
Saturday, 28 May 1966
Cedar Point celebrates opening day with 5,000 high school bandsmen parade at noon and 75 bands playing the National Anthem at 1:00 p.m. Other highlights included the NASA Centaur Moon Rocket display, the quick-draw Bandshee Bandits, and fireworks.
Saturday, 28 May 1966
New Silver Dollar Restaurant opens. The old restaurant was removed to make room for Pirate Ride. The new building will seat 300, double the previous capacity.
Saturday, 28 May 1966
Pirate Ride opens.
Saturday, 28 May 1966
Fun House opens.
Saturday, 28 May 1966
Trabant opens.
Saturday, 28 May 1966
Zugspitze opens.
Saturday, 28 May 1966
Two new rides open in Kiddieland.
Saturday, 28 May 1966
New animations debut on Western Cruise and CP&LE Railroad, including the Loch Ness monster
1967

Original Shoot-the-Rapids opens.

Saturday, 27 May 1967
Cedar Point opens for 98th season.
Saturday, 27 May 1967
Frontiertown opens.
Saturday, 27 May 1967
Cedar Downs opens.
Saturday, 27 May 1967
Sealand opens.
Saturday, 27 May 1967
Hollywood Wax Museum opens.
Saturday, 27 May 1967
New Rotor opens.
1968

Golden Palace Theatre opens

Last Chance Saloon opens

Frontier Lift opens.

Sky Slide opens.

Kiddieland Carousel opens.

Calypso relocated to area adjacent to Sealand.

Planning and Design building is constructed.

Saturday, 25 May 1968
Cedar Point opens for 99th season.
Tuesday, 18 June 1968
Twelve people were injured, one seriously, on a stage coach ride after the horses bolted and the stage overturned.
Saturday, 20 July 1968
Leslyn Hiple crowned 1968 Miss Ohio in ceremonies held in the Cedar Point Ballroom
1969

Cedar Creek Mine Ride opens

Final season for Hollywood Wax Museum

Final season for Scamper

Automatic fire protection project is completed at Hotel Breakers

Section B of Hotel Breakers is refurbished.

Sealand is remodeled

Causeway toll is rolled into price of all-day ticket book.

Friday, 28 February 1969
Cedar Point, Inc announces purchase of Miss Teenage America Pageant.
Saturday, 24 May 1969
Antique Cars opens.
Saturday, 24 May 1969
Hippodrome Theatre opens on main midway.
Saturday, 24 May 1969
Fire Hall opens
Saturday, 24 May 1969
Town Hall opens
Saturday, 24 May 1969
Chicken Plantation opens
Sunday, 25 May 1969
Cedar Point opens for 100th season.
Saturday, 14 June 1969
First day of Cedar Point's Craft and Arts Show, held at Town Hall. The event, featuring more the 50 exhibits, runs through June 29.
Wednesday, 25 June 1969
The Tahiti Nui Revue performs at Cedar Point's Hippodrome Stage through August 5.
Friday, 04 July 1969
Severe thunderstorms move across northern Ohio from Lake Erie. A Toledo man was killed at Cedar Point by a falling tree. The park suffered minor damage and reopened the next day.
Saturday, 12 July 1969
Kathy Bauman crowned 1969 Miss Ohio in ceremonies held in the Cedar Point Ballroom.
Monday, 22 September 1969
Junle Larry announces three 'tiglions' were born at Cedar Point over the weekend, two late Saturday and one early Sunday. The mother was a lioness and the father a tiger. The rare births were only the second recorded in the United States and is unique because the two animals are natural enemies.