Cedar Point History - 2000's

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2000

Giant Wheel is relocated to accommodate Millennium Force

Early Petting Farm renovated and moved to accommodate Millennium Force.

Entrance to Mantis is relocated to opposite side of CP&LE tracks

Climbing wall opens next to Dodgem I

The IMAX movie "Alien Adventure" is shown in the Cedar Point Cinema.

Thursday, 11 May 2000
Millennium Force media day.
Saturday, 13 May 2000
Cedar Point opens for 131st season.
Saturday, 13 May 2000
Millennium Force opens.
Saturday, 13 May 2000
Beagle Bay Outfitters opens, replacing Edison Learning Company.
Saturday, 13 May 2000
C. J.'s Provisions and Toot Sweets open, replacing Candy Factory.
Saturday, 13 May 2000
Joe Cool's Corner Store opens, replacing Gemini Gifts.
Saturday, 13 May 2000
Coyote Cody's and Dastardly Dan's open, replacing Aunt Em's Kitchen.
Tuesday, 23 May 2000
Walt Schmidt launches Virtual Midway.
Friday, 23 June 2000
Ticket to Ride virtual queue is introduced on Millennium Force.
Wednesday, 06 September 2000
Millennium Mania coaster enthusiast event is held.
Friday, 22 September 2000
4th annual HalloWeekends event begins.
Friday, 22 September 2000
Pharaoh's Secret opens, replacing Cedar Point Cemetery.
Sunday, 15 October 2000
Final operating day of 2000 season.
Sunday, 15 October 2000
Final day for Fascination.
2001

Lighthouse Point opens.

Final season for Dodgem I.

The IMAX movie "Michael Jordan To The MAX" is shown in the Cedar Point Cinema.

Sunday, 06 May 2001
Cedar Point opens for 132nd season.
Sunday, 06 May 2001
Johnny Rockets opens, replacing Fascination.
Sunday, 06 May 2001
Stuffed Shirt is renamed Lotsapalooza.
Friday, 01 June 2001
13th annual CoasterMania is held.
Wednesday, 06 June 2001
Hotel Breakers is removed from the National Register of Historic Places.
Tuesday, 07 August 2001
The National Historic Landmark designation of Hotel Breakers is withdrawn by the Secretary of the Interior.
Saturday, 11 August 2001
VertiGo opens.
Sunday, 02 September 2001
Millennium Force lift cable snaps, shutting the ride down for several days.
Friday, 21 September 2001
5th annual HalloWeekends event begins.
Friday, 21 September 2001
Fright Zone opens.
Friday, 21 September 2001
Untertaker U. opens.
Monday, 15 October 2001
Stadium Games is razed.
Monday, 15 October 2001
Construction begins on Wicked Twister.
Sunday, 28 October 2001
Final operating day of 2001 season.
Tuesday, 20 November 2001
Cedar Point announces Wicked Twister and Good Time Theatre new for 2002.
2002

Final season for Corkscrew Refreshments

Final season for Quarterdeck Arcade

Monday, 14 January 2002
200-foot section of one of VertiGo’s three towers collapses
Wednesday, 06 March 2002
Cedar Point announces that VertiGo will be removed
Thursday, 02 May 2002
Wicked Twister Media Day
Sunday, 05 May 2002
Lusty Lil's Golden Palace is renamed Palace Theatre
Sunday, 05 May 2002
IMAX Refreshments is renamed Good Time Refreshments
Sunday, 05 May 2002
Wicked Twister opens as the world’s tallest and fastest impulse roller coaster
Sunday, 05 May 2002
Cedar Point opens for 133rd season
Friday, 07 June 2002
14th annual CoasterMania is held.
Saturday, 22 June 2002
Good Time Theatre opens featuring “Snoopy Rocks! On Ice”
Wednesday, 21 August 2002
Track for Top Thrill Dragster is spotted on Perimeter Road near Mean Streak
Monday, 26 August 2002
Amusement Today’s Golden Ticket Awards announces Cedar Point as “Best Amusement Park” for 5th consecutive year.
Monday, 26 August 2002
Amusement Today’s Golden Ticket Awards announces Millennium Force as “Best Steel Coaster.”
Friday, 20 September 2002
6th annual HalloWeekends event begins.
Sunday, 27 October 2002
Final operating day for Schwabinchen.
Sunday, 27 October 2002
Final operating day of the 2002 season.
Thursday, 09 January 2003
Cedar Point announces Top Thrill Dragster.
Thursday, 01 May 2003
Top Thrill Dragster media day
Sunday, 04 May 2003
Cedar Point opens for 134th season
Sunday, 04 May 2003
Top Thrill Dragster opens.
Sunday, 04 May 2003
Speed Zone opens, replacing Power Station.
Sunday, 04 May 2003
Speed Freaks opens, replacing Hats n' Such.
Sunday, 04 May 2003
Grandstand Refreshments opens.
Sunday, 04 May 2003
Dragster Photos opens.
Sunday, 04 May 2003
Relocated Chaos opens in new location behind Coliseum.
Sunday, 04 May 2003
Relocated Troika open in new location near Wicked Twister
Sunday, 04 May 2003
Relocated Guessing Game opens near Top Thrill Dragster tower.
Friday, 06 June 2003
Cedar Point hosts 15th annual CoasterMania event
Tuesday, 17 June 2003
Cedar Point celebrates Gemini's 25 anniversary.
Tuesday, 15 July 2003
Cedar Fair, L.P. announces that the company is considering an indoor waterpark at the Radisson Harbor Inn.
Thursday, 14 August 2003
Northeast Blackout of 2003 forces Cedar Point to close early. Power was lost at 4:10 p.m. and was restored a few hours later. It was the first time the park has ever been forced to close early due to a power outage.
Saturday, 23 August 2003
Cedar Point voted best amusement park for the sixth consecutive year in Amusement Today's Golden Ticket Awards.
Friday, 19 September 2003
7th annual HalloWeekends event begins
Wednesday, 15 October 2003
Cedar Point announces $10 million 2004 capital improvement plan which includes the expansion of Lighthouse Point and the addition of Splash Zone at Soak City.
Sunday, 26 October 2003
Final operating day of the 2003 season.
Sunday, 26 October 2003
Final operating day for Swan Boats.
Sunday, 26 October 2003
Final operating day for Boathouse.
Sunday, 26 October 2003
Final operating day for Silver Dollar Cafe.
Sunday, 26 October 2003
Final operating day for Senior Citizens Craft Bazaar.
Sunday, 26 October 2003
Final operating day for Games of Skill.
Thursday, 13 November 2003
Cedar Point announces Castaway Bay.
2004

Final season for Rock Climb.

Final season for Hofbrau.

Final season for Snoopy's Summer Spectacular.

Thursday, 05 February 2004
Cedar Point announces Donut Time, Game Day Grille, and Famous Dave's Bar-B-Que.
Saturday, 08 May 2004
Cedar Point opens for 135th season.
Saturday, 08 May 2004
Donut Time opens.
Saturday, 08 May 2004
Game Day Grille opens, replacing Silver Dollar Cafe.
Saturday, 08 May 2004
Famous Dave's Bar-B-Que opens, replacing Boathouse.
Wednesday, 12 May 2004
Jeff Putz (Guide to the Point) and Walt Schmidt (Virtual Midway) merge websites and launch PointBuzz.com.
Monday, 14 June 2004
Scenes for the movie "Close Encounters of the Fourth Kind: Infestation from Mars" are filmed at Cedar Point.
Wednesday, 16 June 2004
Cedar Point introduces Print-at-Home tickets on its website.
Saturday, 18 September 2004
16th annual CoasterMania is held.
Friday, 24 September 2004
8th annual HalloWeekends event begins.
Friday, 24 September 2004
Lair of the Vampire haunt opens.
Friday, 24 September 2004
CarnEvil haunt opens.
Sunday, 31 October 2004
Final operating day of 2004 season.
Friday, 05 November 2004
Castaway Bay opens.
Wednesday, 01 December 2004
Cedar Point announces maXair.
Wednesday, 16 February 2005
Vertical construction begins on maXair.
Thursday, 24 February 2005
John Hildebrandt named Cedar Point vice president and general manager, effective March 11, 2005.
Friday, 11 March 2005
Dan Keller retires as Cedar Point vice president and general manager.
Thursday, 05 May 2005
maXair Media Day
Saturday, 07 May 2005
Cedar Point opens for 136th season.
Saturday, 07 May 2005
maXair opens.
Saturday, 07 May 2005
Discount Depot opens, replace Emporium.
Saturday, 07 May 2005
maXair VIP rider auction held, benefitting Firelands Chapter of the American Red Cross.
Friday, 03 June 2005
17th annual CoasterMania is held.
Friday, 24 June 2005
Debut of "OnPoint!," Cedar Point's official blog
Friday, 23 September 2005
9th annual HalloWeekends event begins.
Friday, 23 September 2005
Creepy, Kooky, Castle Cafe opens.
Monday, 10 October 2005
Persistent mechanical problems force Cedar Point to close Top Thrill Dragster for remainder of 2005 season.
Thursday, 13 October 2005
Cedar Point announces White Water Landing will close at the end of the 2005 season.
Sunday, 30 October 2005
Final operating day of 2005 season.
Sunday, 30 October 2005
Final operating day for White Water Landing.
Monday, 31 October 2005
Cedar Point announces Skyhawk, new for 2006.
Monday, 31 October 2005
Cedar Point announces reduction in one-day admission for 2006 season, the first reduction since implementing the pay-one-price admission in 1970.
Tuesday, 20 December 2005
Vertical construction begins on Skyhawk.
Friday, 03 March 2006
Cedar Point blog teases photo of footer for what would become Maverick.
Saturday, 06 May 2006
Cedar Point opens for 137th season.
Saturday, 06 May 2006
Skyhawk opens.
Saturday, 06 May 2006
Skyhawk VIP rider auction held, benefitting Firelands Chapter of the American Red Cross
Saturday, 06 May 2006
Hurricane Hannah's opens, replacing Hofbrau.
Saturday, 06 May 2006
Pizza Hut Express opens at Hotel Breakers and Breakwater Cafe.
Wednesday, 10 May 2006
Track pieces for Maverick begin to arrive at staging area next to Breakers Express.
Friday, 02 June 2006
18th annual CoasterMania is held.
Thursday, 07 September 2006
Cedar Point announces Maverick, new for 2007.
Friday, 22 September 2006
10th annual HalloWeekends event begins.
Friday, 22 September 2006
Fear Faire haunt opens.
Sunday, 29 October 2006
Final operating day of 2006 season.
Friday, 17 November 2006
Cedar Fair CEO Dick Kinzel is inducted into IAAPA Hall of Fame.
Saturday, 12 May 2007
Cedar Point opens for 138th season.
Friday, 15 June 2007
Cedar Point hosts 19th annual CoasterMania event
Friday, 14 September 2007
11th annual HalloWeekends event begins.
Saturday, 15 September 2007
Monster Midway Invasion Celebration parade debuts.
Sunday, 28 October 2007
Final operating day of 2007 season.
Saturday, 10 May 2008
Cedar Point opens for 139th season.
Friday, 12 September 2008
12th annual HalloWeekends event begins.
Sunday, 02 November 2008
Final operating day of 2008 season. It is the first time the Cedar Point operating season has been extended into November.
Tuesday, 07 April 2009
Cedar Point announces it will introduce Starlight Experience, a new themed lighted walkway on Frontier Trail, for the 2009 season.
Saturday, 16 May 2009
Cedar Point celebrates 20th anniversary of Magnum XL-200.
Saturday, 16 May 2009
Cedar Point opens for 140th season.
Friday, 05 June 2009
Annual CoasterMania event is held. Legendary roller coaster designer Ron Toomer was the featured speaker.
Sunday, 21 June 2009
Cedar Point confirms it has put Chaos up for sale.
Thursday, 03 September 2009
Cedar Point announces it will introduce Shoot the Rapids, a 2,100-foot-long water ride, for the 2010 season.
Friday, 18 September 2009
13th annual HalloWeekends event begins
Sunday, 01 November 2009
Final day of operation for 2009 season.
Sunday, 01 November 2009
Final day of operation for Demon Drop.
Wednesday, 16 December 2009
Cedar Fair agrees to be acquired by affiliate of Apollo Global Management. Under the terms of the agreement, Cedar Fair unitholders will receive $11.50 in cash for each Cedar Fair limited partnership unit that they hold.