Opening Day at Cedar Point - 5/9/2026
Today Sarah and I made the long drive to Cedar Point for Opening Day 2026.
We arrived at the main gates shortly before opening. The park opened the turnstiles a few minutes early and we headed directly to
Siren's Curse. Since we got in line quickly it wasn't as long as it would have been if we tried to ride this later in the day. While
we were in line, the coaster closed several times due to maintenance issues. Sarah and I checked the phone app for wait times of other
rides in the park and saw that many of the other coasters had very long wait times and several rides were closed entirely. So, we choose
to stay in line for Siren's Curse. After two hours we finally got our turn. I enjoyed the ride as expected and also noticed that
the on-ride sound track has been changed from last year.
At this point the crowd in the park has grown quite large. We made our way to Millennium Force which turned out to be a three hour
wait. I think this is the longest time I have ever had to endure for a coaster ride.
While waiting in the queue for Millennium Force, we saw a train engine moved onto the line for its day of operations. Several years
ago Cedar Point sent off the engine named G.A. Boeckling for a complete rebuild by an outside company that specializes in that type of
work. For 2026, the engine has returned. Now with a new paid scheme and a new name. This past fall, Randy Catri, the
beloved, long-time superintendent of the Cedar Point & Lake Erie Railroad passed away. In his honor, the engine was renamed to the
"Randol D." The name honors both Randy and his wife "Dee".
With many ride closures and on top of that, the temporary closures on many of the other rides that were open, plus the large opening day
crowd, the prospect of getting many more rides had evaporated. Even the lines for restaurants and drink stands were exceedingly
long. There was also a threat of rain later in the day. So, Sarah and I decided to cut our losses and leave the park.
The next order of business was to find something to eat. Over the years I had often read on the roller coaster blogs about a pizza
place in Sandusky that was exceptional. I searched the maps on my phone and found Chet & Matt's Pizza on Strub Road. A short
drive from the park and we had arrived. Sarah and I both enjoyed some really good pizza.
Next, Sarah suggested that we head over to the nearby town of Huron to check out the lighthouse.
Huron Harbor Lighthouse.
Somewhere in the distance you can see Cedar Point. And beyond that, in the distance to the west is the dark clouds of the approaching
storms.
After a leisurely walk along the harbor and taking in the picturesque views, Sarah and I were on our way home.
The visit to Cedar Point had turned out to be a total bust, but Sarah and I made the best of it with a great meal at the newly discovered
pizza restaurant and a brief side trip to Huron.
Previous | Blog list | Next
|
