While driving up to Sandusky, Ohio to visit Cedar Point, I did not envision myself getting stuck on the top of the Ferris wheel in the midst of a lightning storm. The day had started out relatively normal, or at least as normal a day can be in Ohio. My friends and I took the trek, driving up two hours or so, accompanied by the picturesque views of the Midwest.
As a self-coined avid rollercoaster fan, I was excited to visit the roller-coaster theme park. However that was not it’s only attraction; it was full of carnival games, and other small distractions to keep us entertained throughout the day. But the fun only increased as the sun went down. With Halloweekend, the park comes alive crawling with haunting, spooky and adrenaline-inducing activities. They have various haunted houses, a frightening corn maze, and a plethora of talented, in-character scare actors.
Food wise, the park definitely left something to be desired. Unsurprisingly, it was overpriced, mediocre at times, and lacking options. However, I will admit the expensive froyo was definitely what my heart needed, but not what my wallet needed, unfortunately. Yet, the scariest experience of all was unplanned. Stuck in a metal contraption, a hundred and forty-five feet in the air, my friends and I could only watch in appropriate fear as a lightning storm began to roll in ominously on both sides. Spoiler alert, we were fine, but looking back it only added to the lasting experience.
After winning an invigorating game of bumper cars, which some may wrongly disagree with, my friends and I did not end up riding our next rollercoaster till nearly three hours later. Αs a result of the storm, there was a weather delay, as metal machinery and lightning do not mix favorably.
So we boringly sat and watched nature wreak it’s havoc, music humming in the background, and scare actors milling about, frighteningly but lacking purpose. It was a nice intermission to catch up with my friends away from campus and the stress of academia. Finally, as we waited for the storm to clear, we visited a haunted house. (My friend wants me to applaud her for braveness, and I will do so.) As far as haunted houses go, it was adequate, probably definitely geared towards a younger, more gullible audience but we had fun nonetheless.
In a twist of fate, in the last thirty minutes before the park closed, my friend’s favorite ride, The Valraven, opened up. We sprinted through the park, and it was really a bonding experience, as I have never seen some of my friends run before. This last hurrah to be momentarily entertained for less than two minutes, was the best possible way to end the night. Clicking our seatbelts, anxiously tugging the safety-fastens, we plunged 75 mph to the ground, and celebrated my friend’s rapidly approaching birthday and the end to a very long day.
Overall, Halloweekend at Cedar Point was a memorable and fun experience. Although in the future, I would advise you to check the weather forecast before hand, and maybe avoid the trials and tribulations of IHOP at 2am after spending 13 hours at an amusement park.