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Cedar Point

Sandusky, Ohio, USA

“The planet’s most iconic roller coaster destination”

When Europeans travel to the United States, they usually visit the west coast, Las Vegas, New York or sun-drenched Florida. Ohio is rarely chosen as the ideal vacation destination, except by roller coaster enthusiasts. With 46 operational credits, Ohio is a surprisingly interesting destination for people that are searching for thrills. And the thing that’s particularly fascinating: you only need to visit two amusement parks to experience 75 percent of those roller coasters. Kings Island near Cincinnati is a true coaster paradise thanks to its 16 credits. However, the state’s most iconic thrill haven is located in the north, at the shores of Lake Erie. Millions of visitors travel to the town of Sandusky every year to experience America’s Roller Coast. Welcome to Cedar Point.

TALLER AND FASTER

Cedar Point is characterized by its breathtaking skyline, with multiple rides towering higher than 200 feet (60 metres). The tallest structure in the park is Top Thrill 2, a reimagined version of Top Thrill Dragster. Intamin’s original strata coaster was beloved because of its intense hydraulic launch, but it was also unreliable and it often suffered from hour-long delays. That’s why it was modified by Zamperla to feature a triple LSM launch in 2024. And although I’m sure that many people won’t agree, I actually prefer the current ride experience over the previous one. The acceleration is still quite intense and the backward spike gives riders an extra opportunity to enjoy an incredible view of the Cedar Point peninsula. Besides, Top Thrill 2 ran without downtime during our visit and operations were very efficient, resulting in a fast-moving queue.

With a lift hill as tall as the Statue of Liberty, Millennium Force isn’t any less impressive than Top Thrill 2. This ride obviously opened in the year 2000 and it amazed the world with its height (310 feet or 94 metres), length (1.25 miles or 2 kilometres) and top speed (93 mph or 150 km/h). And even a quarter of a century after its premiere, Millennium Force still manages to deliver pure coaster awesomeness. The first drop turns out to be one of the best I’ve ever experienced and the first over-banked curve is actually so intense that my vision goes grey for a moment. Millennium Force definitely is an elite roller coaster, but please don’t expect it to be an airtime machine. Riders get some floater airtime on the first drop, but the focus is clearly on speed during other parts of the ride.

Over the past few decades, Cedar Point has always tried to promote itself as the coaster capital of the world. In 1989, long before Top Thrill 2 or Millennium Force existed, they unveiled Magnum XL-200. At the time, it was the tallest and fastest roller coaster on the planet. Even by today’s standards, Magnum is pretty spectacular. The layout is just under a mile long and those recognizable white trains reach a maximum height of 205 feet (62 metres). The ride boasts several tunnels and a beautiful location along the beach, but I’m sure that not everybody is able to enjoy a ride on Magnum XL-200. Some transitions are rough, the airtime is brutal, and the heart-shaped turnaround features some of the weirdest banking I’ve ever seen. Hold on tight if you’d like to add this coaster to your counter.

Cedar Point is the proud owner of a hyper hybrid coaster manufactured by Rocky Mountain Construction. Steel Vengeance was partly built on the supports of former wooden coaster Mean Streak and it has received rave reviews since its opening in 2018. Steel Vengeance features a vertical first drop, four inversions and an extraordinarily long layout measuring over 5.700 feet (1.7 kilometres). I wish I was able to tell you how much I enjoyed this legendary attraction, but unfortunately it was struck by lightning one day prior to our visit. As a result, Steel Vengeance remained closed during our entire stay at Cedar Point. I guess I’ll have to return to Sandusky soon.

THE B&Ms

No fewer than four roller coasters were manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard. The oldest one is Raptor. This bright green inverted coaster opened in 1994, making it one of the earliest installations of its kind. But even after 30 years of operations, Raptor remains an excellent ride. Trains still run incredibly smoothly and riders are treated to a varied layout with six inversions and some very intense g-forces. Especially Raptor’s tightly-designed cobra roll makes me grey-out every single time.

The neighbouring Valravn seems to be one of Cedar Point’s more popular coasters, as it has a lengthy line all day long. Does that automatically mean that Valravn is an incredibly awesome ride? Unfortunately, it doesn’t. The first drop is fantastic, but the rest of the ride doesn’t impress me that much. Don’t get me wrong: B&M dive machines always provide great fun and I like the fact that this version lasts longer than its competitors, but I don’t think I enjoy it more than its European siblings. Every dive machine starts with such an amazing element that every other part of the ride just feels somewhat unnecessary. That’s why Valravn is probably my least favourite big coaster here at Cedar Point.

Did I mention that Cedar Point likes to break records? When they designed GateKeeper, they opted for the tallest, longest and fastest wing coaster, while also giving it the most inversions. And if you ask me, it’s also one of the most photogenic rides in the entire park. But looks aren’t everything. Wing coasters usually aren’t the smoothest B&Ms and that isn’t any different here at Cedar Point. I wouldn’t describe GateKeeper as a rough experience, but the general flow just doesn’t feel completely natural. My advice: choose one of the seats on the inside, since the ride is a lot more enjoyable there.

Rougarou is one of the few roller coasters at Cedar Point that hardly ever has a line. This used to be a stand-up B&M called Mantis, but it was completely revamped in 2015. The original trains were replaced by floorless vehicles and the colour scheme was changed. Unfortunately, these efforts didn’t make the ride more popular, but that doesn’t mean that it’s a bad roller coaster. It’s actually bizarre… Rougarou would be a highlight at any European theme park, but it feels like an infill attraction here at Cedar Point. That’s the strange consequence of having this many great coasters in one single amusement park.

ARROW DYNAMICS GALORE

Cedar Point could be described as some kind of Arrow Dynamics Capital. Gemini is one of the manufacturer’s biggest accomplishments: it’s a double hybrid roller coaster that opened in 1978. Gemini may seem a little bizarre at first and there are a few uncomfortable transitions, but this ride actually surprised me in a good way. I always have a thing for racing roller coasters and the experience was a lot smoother than I expected. I really enjoyed our rides on this gigantic coaster, which is packed with airtime.

In 1976, Corkscrew became the world’s first roller coaster with three inversions, as it includes a vertical loop and two corkscrews. The photogenic way in which the corkscrews were built over a busy midway remains the most iconic characteristic of the ride to this day. Unfortunately, the actual coaster experience is anything but fun, as passengers are confronted with several brutal transitions and cramped trains. Iron Dragon offers a considerably more comfortable ride and it’s always nice to experience an old-fashioned suspended coaster. However, you shouldn’t expect any extraordinary thrills, as Iron Dragon is less intense than the versions at Kings Island or Canada’s Wonderland.

Arrow Dynamics was Cedar Point’s favourite roller coaster manufacturer during the 70’s and 80’s. That partnership led to the construction of Gemini, Magnum XL-200, Corkscrew and Iron Dragon, but it all started with the construction of Cedar Creek Mine Ride in 1969. This coaster was given a magnificent location near Cedar Point Lake and contains all the elements you’d expect from a classic Arrow Mine Train. There are two lift hills and the banking of the curves can sometimes be described as ‘unusual’, to say the least. By the way… Cedar Creek Mine Ride is part of Frontier Town, a western-themed area that is undoubtedly the nicest zone of the park when it comes to atmosphere and design.

IT’S NOT ALL ABOUT STATS

Also located in Frontier Town – but a lot more thrilling – is Maverick. If you only take a look at the numbers, Maverick may not seem overly extreme. The ride is 105 feet (32 metres) tall, it has two inversions and a top speed of 70 mph (100 km/h). It’s not a record-breaker like Millennium Force or Top Thrill 2, but that doesn’t tell the whole story. In terms of intensity, this ride is definitely on par with the big coasters I described earlier in this article. Maverick is characterized by a unique layout full of lightning-fast transitions, bursts of airtime and intense over-banked turns. We also experience a beyond-vertical drop and the second part of the ride is initiated by a powerful launch. Maverick is a roller coaster that just keeps going without giving its riders a break, and that’s exactly what I find so brilliant about it. Best ride in the park, if you ask me.

Cedar Point’s latest showpiece is Siren’s Curse, which opened in June 2025. This is the first operational version of Vekoma’s next-gen Tilt Coaster. Needless to say, it is extremely popular and we saw a posted two-hour wait during the afternoon. Fortunately, we were able to ride it a lot quicker early in the morning, right after it opened. First of all, I’d like to compliment the attraction’s crew, as they were dispatching trains at an extremely rapid pace. The second train was usually already climbing the lift hill before the first train even reached the final brake run, which is truly amazing. And guess what? The ride itself turned out to be just as impressive as the operations. The highlight of Siren’s Curse is obviously the moment when you are tilted forward, but the rest of the experience is also fantastic. This coaster is as smooth as other modern-day Vekomas and the layout offers multiple surprising twists and turns. Despite the fact that Cedar Point has several faster and taller roller coasters in its portfolio, Siren’s Curse undoubtedly deserves its place on the peninsula of thrills.

Visiting Cedar Point can feel like time travelling through the history of roller coasters. Just a few minutes after riding that brand-new Tilt Coaster, you’re able to enter the queue of the park’s oldest roller coaster. That’s Blue Streak, an authentic out-and-back wooden coaster that opened in 1964. Despite this age, Blue Streak remains an enjoyable ride. This classic treats us to quite a few good airtime moments and it isn’t overly rough. And if you’re still not satisfied after riding all of the coasters mentioned above, then head to one of the Snoopy-themed kiddie coasters or take a spin on the surprisingly intense Wild Mouse.

OTHER EXPERIENCES

Cedar Point is one of those very few parks which doesn’t need any non-coaster-related attractions. People visit this park to ride legendary roller coasters, so they know what to expect. Cedar Point has a fair amount of flat rides, though. My favourite attraction in this segment is Skyhawk. I’m usually not that fond of swinging attractions, but I gladly make an exception for this type. It’s called a Screaming Swing and it provides more airtime than some of Cedar Point’s famous coasters. The fact that there’s hardly any queue, makes it even better.

We visited Cedar Point on two scorching hot days in July. The best ways to beat the heat can probably be found at Cedar Point Shores, an adjacent water park with multiple slides and pools. However, I was a bit disappointed by the water ride offerings inside Cedar Point. Since the demolition of Snake River Falls in 2024, there is only one real water attraction left and that’s Thunder Canyon. Although you’re guaranteed to get soaked on this rapid river, I believe there’s room for an additional water attraction at Cedar Point. Mack Rides seems the perfect partner to make this happen. I’d love to see a classic water roller coaster or the world’s largest PowerSplash coming to Cedar Point at some point in the future.

WORTH A VISIT?

This will probably won’t come as a surprise, but… yes, Cedar Point is a must-do destination for everyone who loves roller coasters. I could complain about mediocre food, the lack of dark rides and lackluster theming, but those aren’t the things we came for. If you travel to Cedar Point, you’re there for the coasters. And the park definitely lives up to its name as the world’s coaster capital. Visitors will encounter a wide array of world-class thrill rides in a well-kept park. One particular thing that positively amazed me was the overall atmosphere and the kindness of staff members. However, we noticed one imperfection: operations. Or to be more precise… the inconsistency of operations. We encountered incredibly fast dispatches on rides like Siren’s Curse and Top Thrill 2, but several other coasters ran far below their theoretical capacity. This was especially noticeable at Millennium Force, Valravn and GateKeeper, where trains often stacked on the final brake run. This obviously led to some slow-moving queues. And while it wasn’t a huge deal-breaker during our multi-day visit, this may cause frustration if you have only one day to ride everything. I’d suggest planning at least two days if you want to fully experience Cedar Point, though.

What is your favourite Cedar Point coaster? And what could be the next big addition to the park? Share your opinion in the comments section at the bottom of this page.

This article reflects my personal experience at Cedar Point during a visit in July 2025.