(NA) Amusement Park

saracelica

saracelica

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saracelica
I'm in Ohio and so going to Cedar Point (www.cedarpoint.com) is a day trip. I haven't been in about 18 years. Between not knowing anyone that will go with me and not a big fan of waiting in lines by myself. Last year I was thinking about going, my instructor said "Why? When you can go flying?" I said it wasn't the same and then he proceeded to throw the airplane up and down as if on a rollar coaster in the sky.:) Now I'm back to "I kind of want to go" I know it's a free country and I should do what I want to do. Question is - will I be disappointed by roller coasters? Are there pilots that still enjoy the thrill of a roller coaster? The cost between getting there, getting into the park and parking is about an hour of flight time.
 
If you equate your flying to a roller coaster....


Just sayin'
 
Flying is great,but occasionally a good roller coaster ride is also a lot of fun.
 
Cedar Point and Magic Mountain (Six Flags CA) have an ongoing rivalry over the biggest, fastest, and highest roller coasters in the world.

If any roller coaster is going to light your fire, you'll find it there.

Why not fly to Cedar Point? There is an airport in Sandusky, isn't there?
 
MAKG1 said:
Why not fly to Cedar Point? There is an airport in Sandusky, isn't there?
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Yes there is. I want to do that trip! Sara, go and have a blast. Cedar Point is my dream park, Ive never been, but I watch all the vidoes on youtube for the roller coasters. It will be a blast. Like Makg said, fly there, have fun, and fly back home. Cant beat a day of flying and coasters!!
 
MAKG1 said:
Why not fly to Cedar Point? There is an airport in Sandusky, isn't there?
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The airport (SKY) was supposed to close this past year. The family who owned it shut it down and moved all their operations to Port Clinton (PCW). It may still be open, but for sure call before you go. This is a destination of it's own with the diner and museum they have on field now. I grew up a few miles from Cedar Point, I could see the cars going over the tracks from the end of my street. My cousin usually gets a contract every year to do concrete and paver work. The new entrance and the area of Camp Snoopy is his work. He won't tell me what is new this year, "it's secret", but he is probably just being a goof about it. I am always down for going to Cedar Point. You can now buy a speed pass that gets you up to the platform on most rides, skipping the long lines. It's an extra $50, but it is worth it!
 
I really need to make a day of this. I'm about as far from the park as you are (but the other direction).

Maybe we should have a PoA day at the park.
 
Chris let me know if you want to go with me! They open first week of May...
 
May is good just not opening day =)

I already roped my wife in (as long as we don't fly - she is scared to death of airplanes).
 
I love going to amusement parks and riding roller coasters. I went to Cedar point last summer, had a great time. We always pay for the fast pass, just because we don't like waiting in lines and the extra money is worth it. About half of the coasters at Cedar point are worth multiple rides, the others are a one and done.
 
So this fast pass? Isn't it $50 per coaster? I thought you chose which one you want to by pass the line.
 
I live in So Cal but my grandparents live in Cleveland. When I visited them as a kid they took me to Cedarpoint, I will never forget that place. That was the first time I went on a upside down roller coaster. Now I can't wait until my girls get bigger so I can take them to Magic Mountain.
 
Does anyone know more about the status of KSKY? I've been wanting to fly there with some friends but haven't gotten the chance yet. I keep hearing that it's going to close, but it never seems to. For some reason the NOTAMs website isn't working for me right now, but the other day it was NOTAMd closed over a window of a few days but apparently open otherwise. Oddly enough, the Wikipedia article seems to indicate that it's closed, saying "...was an airport..." and having the various codes crossed out. Sooooo anyone have more official information?
 
saracelica said:
Are there pilots that still enjoy the thrill of a roller coaster?
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Heck yeah! We went to Dollywood last fall on a low crowd mid-week day, my 11yr old daughter was really into the coasters, we rode each one at least 5 times, some even more. She wore me out, but it was a fun day!
 
I went to Cedar Point a couple years ago, in the fall, toward the end of the season. Forecast had called for rain, but it never happened. Between the forecast and the late date, crowds were thin, so it was easy to ride what we wanted, when we wanted.

The coasters in that park are terrific. I don't know how to categorize it--it's certainly not "highest" or "fastest"...in fact, the specs look a little wimpy if you go by those gauges--but the Maverick coaster packs a whole lot of movement into a relatively small footprint. This was my surprise favorite ride in the park, and the only coaster that has ever made me cry "Uncle!" We rode it several times back-to-back, and after the last ride I was feeling a little woozy and had to take a short break to recover. Have never gotten that from a coaster before.
 
MAKG1 said:
Why not fly to Cedar Point? There is an airport in Sandusky, isn't there?
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Aren't they closing the one close to the park and moving it substantially farther away?
 
I was just talking to some friends the other day, we're planning a big kids vacation to an adventure park (in the Bo of course) and Cedar Point is/was on the top of the list. I'm interested to hear about places to stay and how the transfer at which ever airport is open goes.
 
KSKY only looks sorta closed, though I bet it is covered in snow until tomorrow:

5aga7e3e.jpg


Wikipedia said it was closed at the end of 2013, but the newspapers said it was closing imminently a couple of years ago. At this point I'll believe it is closed when I see the notam.
 
Roller coasters really aren't about G-forces, they're about being terrified because something looks like its going to hit you or you are about to fall off a cliff. The experience is completely different from that in an aircraft. I haven't been in years only because I can't afford it do to the aircraft.
 
steingar said:
Roller coasters really aren't about G-forces
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???

You've never gone over a sharp rise in a car and had that feeling in your stomach? Roller coasters are all about G-forces, about getting slammed into the side of the car, of hitting the restraint bar when it tops a hill, getting pinned to the seat at the bottom, etc...
 
Bill Jennings said:
???

You've never gone over a sharp rise in a car and had that feeling in your stomach? Roller coasters are all about G-forces, about getting slammed into the side of the car, of hitting the restraint bar when it tops a hill, getting pinned to the seat at the bottom, etc...
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There is that, but roller coasters are way more. And it always look scarier doing these things a few hundred feet off the ground versus a few thousand.

Put another way, take your airplane up to 300 feet, put it in a nose dive and pull out at 30 feet and you will have duplicated part of the roller coaster experience. Just don't do it with me in the airplane if you please.
 
steingar said:
There is that, but roller coasters are way more. And it always look scarier doing these things a few hundred feet off the ground versus a few thousand.
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That is true. I don't like heights,for me the most scary part of riding a coaster is that long slow pull up that first hill. Creeps me out. Likewise, I used to ski all the time, but riding a tall chairlift was very hard to do.

Funny, though, riding in and piloting small planes doesn't bother me in the least. This summer I want to try a tandem hang glide ride, it will be interesting to see if my fear of heights bothers me then.
 
PPC1052 said:
Aren't they closing the one close to the park and moving it substantially farther away?
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Port Clinton (KPCW) is 12 miles west of KSKY, flying. Driving, it might add and extra 15-20 minutes to get to Cedar Point. Whatever you do do not take Route 2 to Route 250 and try to drive to the park from there. It will take forever. But if you make a long weekend of it, you are closer to Put-in-Bay at Port Clinton.
 
JB1842 said:
Port Clinton (KPCW) is 12 miles west of KSKY, flying. Driving, it might add and extra 15-20 minutes to get to Cedar Point. Whatever you do do not take Route 2 to Route 250 and try to drive to the park from there. It will take forever. But if you make a long weekend of it, you are closer to Put-in-Bay at Port Clinton.
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So, how would you get there, and how long would it take door to door (KPCW to Cedar Point)?
 
I like the super-smooth steel coasters like at Busch Gardens Tampa. I went there once on a Thanksgiving Day and it was no lines - walk up and get on. Loved it!!
 
ChrisK said:
KSKY only looks sorta closed, though I bet it is covered in snow until tomorrow:

5aga7e3e.jpg


Wikipedia said it was closed at the end of 2013, but the newspapers said it was closing imminently a couple of years ago. At this point I'll believe it is closed when I see the notam.
Click to expand...

I don't think we will ever see it open again. :(
 
PPC1052 said:
So, how would you get there, and how long would it take door to door (KPCW to Cedar Point)?
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Door to door? Not sure, but my guess would be 30 minutes, depending on traffic. Using my local knowledge of the area, if coming from the west on Route 2 (which is right next to Port Clintion) you have 2 options. Get off on the Routes 101/6 exit (Tiffin Ave). Take that into Sandusky until you hit Monroe St. take a right on Monroe. Stay on Monroe, it turns into First (stop at East Side Cafe if open for a perch sandwich). Follow First until you hit Cedar Point Dr. Turn left and your in. Option 2. Take the Route 4 (Hayes Ave) exit-the one after 101, follow it into town. Take a right on Perkins Ave. Follow that a few miles to a small street named Remington. Take a left, go to Cleveland Rd, tiurn left. If you take a right, KSKY will be a mile down the road. Follow Cleveland Rd until you get to Cedar Point Drive, and take a right. Both of these options do take you through the city, but so does Route 250, but they won't be packed with CP traffic.

If coming from the East on Route 2, get off at the Rye Beach Rd exit in Huron (my hometown), take a right. At the intersection take a left on Cleveland Rd. Good breakfast at a place at the intersection called Lemmy's if you take a right. Follow Cleveland Rd until you see Cedar Point Rd. Take a right, and follow it all the way to the park. Keep on Cleveland Rd, go past KSKY, and hit Cedar Point Dr. and take a right. Or you can follow Cleveland Rd all the way to Cedar Point Dr. (passing KSKY), and turn right.

Again, avoid Route 250 if at all possible, unless you come in really early or late afternoon.

Griffing Flying Service (the owners of KSKY) used to charge for a shuttle to take you there and pick you up, but not sure if they will still do that now that they are based at Port Clinton.
 
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PPC1052 said:
Don't you mean left on Monroe?
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101/6 will cross Monroe twice. You cross it once and it keeps going into downtown Sandusky, then turn back out to Monroe (not sure what all the streets are named, but if you follow the Route 6 sign you will be fine). The first time you cross it, you take a right. The second time you cross it, you would take a left. Somewhere in there it changes from W. Monroe to E. Monroe. But even if you miss the First St. turn-off, Route 6 turns into Cleveland Rd and will take you to Cedar Point Dr. anyways. But the Route 250 traffic dumps right in that area, so I would take First to avoid it.
 
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jpower said:
Does anyone know more about the status of KSKY? I've been wanting to fly there with some friends but haven't gotten the chance yet. I keep hearing that it's going to close, but it never seems to. For some reason the NOTAMs website isn't working for me right now, but the other day it was NOTAMd closed over a window of a few days but apparently open otherwise. Oddly enough, the Wikipedia article seems to indicate that it's closed, saying "...was an airport..." and having the various codes crossed out. Sooooo anyone have more official information?
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AirNav reports it's still open but no services. FAA notams doesn't list it closed either.
 
So, it seems the FBO is gone. Who is taking care of it now, if anyone? If you did land there, can you get a cab to pick you up and take you to the park?
 
I would just drive if we do get a group together. It takes just as long to drive to the plane and preflight and then get to the park as it would to drive the whole way. That and after a day in an amusement park I'm tired and not sure flying after being in the sun all day would be wise.
 
MAKG1 said:
Cedar Point and Magic Mountain (Six Flags CA) have an ongoing rivalry over the biggest, fastest, and highest roller coasters in the world.

If any roller coaster is going to light your fire, you'll find it there.

Why not fly to Cedar Point? There is an airport in Sandusky, isn't there?
Click to expand...

Isn't it Six Flags Great Adventure in NJ instead of the one in CA?. That's the one that topped the Top Thrill Dragster when it built the Kingda Ka. Kingda Ka is still the tallest, but it lost the fastest recently to some roller coaster built in Abu Dhabi.
 
Johann said:
Isn't it Six Flags Great Adventure in NJ instead of the one in CA?. That's the one that topped the Top Thrill Dragster when it built the Kingda Ka. Kingda Ka is still the tallest, but it lost the fastest recently to some roller coaster built in Abu Dhabi.
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Six flags NJ ranks in with some of the best coasters, El toro is the top wooden coaster. We go every summer, and plan on it for years to come.
 
KSKY's still listed in the AF/D, for whatever that's worth. There's also a number for the airport manager: 419-626-5161. If anyone answers the phone, they could probably answer whether the airport's open or not.
 
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