Thursday, September 2, 2010

A Blast From The Past - Millennium Force, The Rest Of The Story...So Far!



So, here we are a decade later and Millennium Force still attracts a crowd. Although. early entry for passholders and resort guests have lessened the fury of the"running of the bulls," it's not uncommon to still wait an hour to experience the ride.


And, it's still favorite of park guests of all ages, even though it not the tallest or fastest coaster in the world, or in the park anymore.




Millennium force still provides a fast trip up the lift hill, and an even faster trip down the other side. And,it's still very smooth and very re-ridable. And, it will always be the 1st "giga" coaster on the planet!




A coaster of Millennium Force's magnitude deserves a special celebration, so on August 21, 2010 Cedar Point hosted a gathering to celebrate ten years of the Force. Luke Skywalker couldn't make and neither was Obi Wan Kenobi. But Brian Edwards was and he emceed the ceremonies. He talked about the records that were broken with the new ride. Cookies were passed out during his remarks.




He introduced John Hildebrandt, Vice President and General Manager of Cedar Point. John said that over 17 million guests had "felt the force" during its first ten years. He said people still cheer on the brake run, and he wanted to especially thank the maintenance crews and ride operators for the excellent decade.




Brian then introduced Dick Kinzel, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Cedar Fair, LP. He expressed appreciation for the enthusiasts who voted for Millennium Force in all the polls. The coaster has been ranked 1st, 2nd, or 3rd in every year of its existence.


Dick then thanked all the guests, saying, "Without your support this wouldn't have been possible."




Brian then concluded the event by reiterating, "It's a great coaster from start to finish," and he brought a rousing cheer when he said "It's time to ride."




The crowd swarmed the entrance but we took a different path. Robin Innes, Director of Public Relations offered News Plus Notes readers a behind the scenes tour of the world's first 300 foot coaster.




The rain held off long enough for us to complete the tour. Thanks again Robin, both for the opportunity, and holding off the rain.



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