Summer is officially here!

Saturday, 30 April 2005

Cedar Point set to open for its 136th season; fireworks display to celebrate opening day

Cedar Point Press Release

SANDUSKY, Ohio, April 27, 2005 – Thrill-seekers rejoice!  The day you have been waiting for is finally here.  Cedar Point amusement park/resort, home of the new maXair thrill ride and the legendary Millennium Force, the “Best Steel Roller Coaster in the World,” is set to open its gates for the 2005 season on Saturday, May 7. 


Top Thrill Dragster, the world’s first “strata-coaster,” will launch riders 420 feet into the air at 120 mph when Cedar Point amusement park/resort opens for its 136th season on Saturday, May 7. The Sandusky, Ohio, amusement park/resort will be open daily Saturday, May 7 through Labor Day, September 5, plus Bonus Weekends and HalloWeekends on Friday evenings, Saturdays and Sundays through Oct. 30. Photo provided by Cedar Point.

To help celebrate Opening Day, a special fireworks display will be presented on Saturday night at approximately 10 p.m.  (In case of inclement weather, the fireworks will be postponed until Saturday, May 14.)  In addition to the fireworks, The Ohio State University Spring Athletic Band will also be performing at the park.  Under the direction of Assistant Director Jonathan Waters, the 225-member band will perform near the park’s main gate (8:45 a.m.) and across from the Iron Dragon (1 p.m.).

New this summer at Cedar Point is maXair, the park’s 68th ride.  With 68 rides, including 16 roller coasters, Cedar Point has more rides and more roller coasters than any park in the world.

Riders on maXair will sit in outward-facing suspended seats that form a giant circle of 50 passengers; their legs will dangle freely, and each seat will have an individual shoulder restraint and restraining belt.  maXair will swing riders back and forth in a seemingly out-of-control pendulum motion while rotating counterclockwise.  At the peak of the pendulum movement that reaches a maximum speed of 70 mph, riders will be nearly upside down 140 feet above the ground and will experience “airtime” – that coveted feeling of weightlessness that is popular for thrill-seekers on roller coasters.  The dynamic return drop will generate a variety of sensations on riders depending on their specific position in the counterclockwise rotation, creating a different ride experience each time.  (Guests must be at least 52 inches tall to ride maXair.)

A section of Cedar Point’s games have been relocated to make room for maXair, creating a new plaza of games on the Main Midway.  In addition, the park’s existing games area on Main Midway has been renovated with new pageantry and a significant marquee and lighting package.

Also new for 2005 will be a brand new ice-skating show, “Snoopy’s Summer Vacation.”  Presented in the Good Time Theatre, this high-energy extravaganza will feature world-class skaters, along with Snoopy, Charlie Brown, Lucy and the other PEANUTS characters, as they enjoy a summer of fun visiting the beach, camping and celebrating Independence Day!  “Snoopy’s Summer Vacation” will debut on Saturday, June 25 and will be presented through Labor Day, Sept. 5.
 
Three other new shows will also be performed this summer:  “Livin’ in America” in the Centennial Theatre, “Rockin’ the Garter – LIVE!” in the Red Garter Saloon and “Camp Snoopy Days” in Camp Snoopy.  The “Extreme Splash 2005” high-dive show will open on Saturday, May 28 in the Cedar Point Aquatic Center and “Snoopy’s Summer Spectacular” laser light and sound show will begin on Friday, June 3.  Also returning will be is “Twistin’ to the 60’s,” a 2004-recipient of a “Big E” award for outstanding entertainment in the amusement industry.

Cedar Point will also commemorate the 100-year anniversary of the Hotel Breakers.  Located along the Cedar Point Beach, the 650-room Hotel Breakers first opened in the summer of 1905.  Beginning May 6, packages are available at the Hotel Breakers, Lighthouse Point, Camper Village, Breakers Express and the Castaway Bay indoor waterpark resort.  Opening Weekend specials are also available at the Hotel Breakers.  For more information, please call 419.627.2106.

Cedar Point will open for the 2005 season on Saturday, May 7 and will be open daily through Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 5.  The park reopens for Bonus Weekends and HalloWeekends on Friday nights, Saturdays and Sundays, Sept. 9-11, 16-18, 23-25, 30, Oct. 1-2, 7-9, 14-16, 21-23 and 28-30.

For more information, guests can call 419.627.2350 or log on to cedarpoint.com.