Higher. Faster. Cheaper?

Wednesday, 03 May 2006

By John Benson
jbenson@funcoast.com

Higher. Faster. Cheaper?

That's exactly what's happening at Cedar Point for the 2006 season, where the "Amazement Park" has a new skyscraping ride, Skyhawk, and reduced admission prices, thus giving everyone from parents to kids unexpected thrills this summer.

"The big news besides Skyhawk is the regular one-day admission price has gone down $5 to $39.95," said Public Relations Representative Tony Clark "It's a response to the people that visit us every year. The economy is not so hot in the Midwest. We're trying to make the park more affordable for families to take a vacation. In an age where all of the parks are increasing their prices, we're still trying to keep our park affordable."

Just like a rollercoaster with unsuspecting drops, this move is somewhat unprecedented in the amusement park industry. Then again, pleasant surprises are what Cedar Point has been about for decades. That leads us to Skyhawk, the tallest swing ride in the world, which should be quite the attraction in 2006.

"It's like a backyard swing on steroids," Clark said. "It's 103 feet tall and swings back and forth at more than 60 miles an hour, and at the peak of the swinging arc, riders will be 125 ft. in the air."

Cedar Point aficionados may be thinking the new ride is similar to two other Cedar Point favorites, Power Tower and maXair, with the former making its debut last season. Truth be told, they'd be right.

"Power Tower and this ride are made by the same manufacturer and both of them use pneumatic air technology, which is the use of forced air to move the ride," Clark said. "And the maXair is a similar ride in that it swings back and forth, but maXair's motion is more of a slow swinging pendulum. When we're talking about Skyhawk, it's more of a launched swing, so you're going to get more speed swinging back and forth, providing a completely different experience."

Even cooler for Skyhawk, which is located in Frontiertown, is the fact its height requirement is only 48 inches, meaning more people can enjoy the thrill ride.

And thrill is the operative word at Cedar Point, which offers the most rides (68) and roller coasters (16) in the world. It's also the only park with four rides over 200 feet tall -- Magnum XL-200, Wicked Twister, Millennium Force and Top Thrill Dragster.

At 364 acres, Cedar Point, located on the scenic shores of Lake Erie and roughly a two-hour drive from Youngstown, remains the park to attend in the Midwest. This makes its decision to reduce gate costs unique. Clark said Cedar Point's 2005's attendance of 3.1 million visitors was down from 2004's 3.2 million mark but the deciding factor in a decreased ticket price was creating a more economical family experience.

And ticket prices aren't the only thing cheaper at Cedar Point this year.

"We're offering 25-cent cotton candy," Clark said. "So, you can have that old fashioned feeling of carrying that stick of cotton candy down the Midway. Making fun more affordable is one of the main goals here."

Oh, parents are going to love you.

Laughed Clark, "Well, dentists might like us."

TICKETS: The general admission prices to Cedar Point are as follows: Funday, $39.95 (ages 3-61, 48 inches and taller); Junior, $9.95 (ages 3-61, under 48 inches); Senior, $9.95 (age 62 and older); Ride & Slide, $64.95; Junior & Senior Ride & Slide, $25.00; and Starlight, $24.95 (after 5 p.m. daily; after 4 p.m. when the park closes at 8 p.m.). Cedar Point will open for its 137th season on May 6, and will be open daily until Labor Day, Sept. 4. The park will reopen for Bonus Weekends and HalloWeekends on Friday nights, Saturdays and Sundays, Sept. 8-10, 15-17, 22-24, 29, 30, Oct. 1, 6-8, 13-15, 20-22, and 27-29.

FunCoast.com is your online guide to summer fun for Cedar Point, the LakeErie Islands and Sandusky area. Our site offers up-to-date information on area attractions, restaurants, hotels, gasoline prices, ferry schedules, swimming, birding and fishing, along with a complete listing of events happening in the Sandusky/Cedar Point area. To use our Webcam and zoom in on Cedar Point's rollercoasters, go to http://funcam.funcoast.com

Copyright 2006 the Sandusky Register. All rights reserved.

All materials contained on this site are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of the Sandusky Register or FunCoast.com. You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content.