oldkicker
<font color=purple>Pay no attention to <img src=ht
- Joined
- Aug 23, 1999
- Messages
- 9,835
My daughter and I attempted to ride Top Thrill this weekend at Cedar Point.
Here's the abridged version of our experience.
Okay, we're up - let's go. Drive to the parking lot. Drop the cooler and the tablecloth. Gather up Sharon and the girls. Get Andrew and Kara, get in the park early (we're staying on the park, so we can get in early). Wait in line. Wow - this ride looks awesome. Wow - this line has gotten huge! I'm glad we got in early! Wow - this ride breaks down a lot. Wow - the car didn't make it over the top! Wow - I wonder if that will happen to us. Hmmmm....that might be fun.
Okay - the line is moving.......YES!!!!
Hey! There are some guys in shirts and ties getting on. Off the go! WOWZA!!!! Does that thing MOVE!!!!!
ARGH!!!! It's broken down again.
Let's start up a conversation. Soon, our little section of the line is chatting away. We're having a good time. Every now and then a car goes by, empty. We strain to see if anybody is getting into the cars on the loading platform. Erin is getting very antsy. We've been waiting for almost two hours. She wants to ride ANYTHING at this point. I feel that we've got a huge investment in time into this already and I'm debating wether or not to bail out. Then a car goes by, loading with passengers. The line roars its approval. Erin and I are psyched!
Then they announce that the ride is broken again.
The pattern repeats over the next 1/2 hour. A car goes by. Then they announce the ride is broken. The announcement includes a warning that if we leave the line, we've lost our place. We've heard that the line stretches ALL THE WAY down the midway.
I tell Erin that we'll give it until 11:45. Then we're out of there.
Another car goes by. Then the announcement.
I'm afraid we're going to have to go. All that time wasted.
I look at my watch. We've got less than 5 minutes left.
Another car. Another announcement.
4 minutes. Another car. We wait for the accouncement. 3 minutes. 2 minutes. 1 minute. 30 seconds. 15....ANOTHER CAR!
A couple of minutes later....ANOTHER CAR!!!
The line is moving! WE'RE GONNA GET ON!!!!
Soon enough, we're on the loading platform and then in the car. I had somehow expected to be strapped in like an astronaut. There's a belt and a lap bar. *YIKES*
We watch the car in front of us go. MAN - THAT THING SCREAMS!!!!
Now we move up into the launch position. I glance over at Erin - she's grinning ear to ear. We both eye the light board intently. The blocks on the track come down. Orange Light. Orange Light, Orange Light. Green Light!
We're off!
Here's what it feels like!
OH MY GOD!!!! This thing is incredible!! I glance to my left....a blur, to my right, a blur. I can feel the movement, but it is so smooth, it's like flying.
Now we're going straight up. I'm staring into the sky!!! We're just flying along, hurtling toward the clouds. We do a gentle roll to get on the outside of the track. We reach the apex and I feel myself rising out of my seat, pressing against the lap bar. I'm flying!!! I'm free!!! I'd like to look over at Erin, but I'm mesmerized by the father and daughter in front of me. I can just see him now, he's got a shocked look on his face. I imagine that I do too! The pause at the top of the tower seems to stretch on much longer than it really lasts. And then we are hurtling back toward the ground. It's coming at us so quickly!!! I am sinking into my seat and I'm laughing!! We turn in a quick corkscrew and seem to level out JUST before we slam into the ground. The car is still screaming along! We're all screaming now, our voices have returned.
We hit the brakes and, from every car, arms are raised and roars of approval erupt! The people waiting their turn on the loading platform are cheering for us! We pump our arms at them, our eyes are as wide as can be and we're screaming, incoherently, our unbridled joy at having survived.
We unbuckle and step from the car. Erin is jumping around, delirious. She motions for, and gets, and very happy high five. We both skip down the ramp and into the midway.
We have to walk through the line waiting to get on the ride.
Everybody wants to know how it was.
All I can say is. "You're gonna love it!"
Here's the abridged version of our experience.
Okay, we're up - let's go. Drive to the parking lot. Drop the cooler and the tablecloth. Gather up Sharon and the girls. Get Andrew and Kara, get in the park early (we're staying on the park, so we can get in early). Wait in line. Wow - this ride looks awesome. Wow - this line has gotten huge! I'm glad we got in early! Wow - this ride breaks down a lot. Wow - the car didn't make it over the top! Wow - I wonder if that will happen to us. Hmmmm....that might be fun.
Okay - the line is moving.......YES!!!!
Hey! There are some guys in shirts and ties getting on. Off the go! WOWZA!!!! Does that thing MOVE!!!!!
ARGH!!!! It's broken down again.
Let's start up a conversation. Soon, our little section of the line is chatting away. We're having a good time. Every now and then a car goes by, empty. We strain to see if anybody is getting into the cars on the loading platform. Erin is getting very antsy. We've been waiting for almost two hours. She wants to ride ANYTHING at this point. I feel that we've got a huge investment in time into this already and I'm debating wether or not to bail out. Then a car goes by, loading with passengers. The line roars its approval. Erin and I are psyched!
Then they announce that the ride is broken again.
The pattern repeats over the next 1/2 hour. A car goes by. Then they announce the ride is broken. The announcement includes a warning that if we leave the line, we've lost our place. We've heard that the line stretches ALL THE WAY down the midway.
I tell Erin that we'll give it until 11:45. Then we're out of there.
Another car goes by. Then the announcement.
I'm afraid we're going to have to go. All that time wasted.
I look at my watch. We've got less than 5 minutes left.
Another car. Another announcement.
4 minutes. Another car. We wait for the accouncement. 3 minutes. 2 minutes. 1 minute. 30 seconds. 15....ANOTHER CAR!
A couple of minutes later....ANOTHER CAR!!!
The line is moving! WE'RE GONNA GET ON!!!!
Soon enough, we're on the loading platform and then in the car. I had somehow expected to be strapped in like an astronaut. There's a belt and a lap bar. *YIKES*
We watch the car in front of us go. MAN - THAT THING SCREAMS!!!!
Now we move up into the launch position. I glance over at Erin - she's grinning ear to ear. We both eye the light board intently. The blocks on the track come down. Orange Light. Orange Light, Orange Light. Green Light!
We're off!
Here's what it feels like!
OH MY GOD!!!! This thing is incredible!! I glance to my left....a blur, to my right, a blur. I can feel the movement, but it is so smooth, it's like flying.
Now we're going straight up. I'm staring into the sky!!! We're just flying along, hurtling toward the clouds. We do a gentle roll to get on the outside of the track. We reach the apex and I feel myself rising out of my seat, pressing against the lap bar. I'm flying!!! I'm free!!! I'd like to look over at Erin, but I'm mesmerized by the father and daughter in front of me. I can just see him now, he's got a shocked look on his face. I imagine that I do too! The pause at the top of the tower seems to stretch on much longer than it really lasts. And then we are hurtling back toward the ground. It's coming at us so quickly!!! I am sinking into my seat and I'm laughing!! We turn in a quick corkscrew and seem to level out JUST before we slam into the ground. The car is still screaming along! We're all screaming now, our voices have returned.
We hit the brakes and, from every car, arms are raised and roars of approval erupt! The people waiting their turn on the loading platform are cheering for us! We pump our arms at them, our eyes are as wide as can be and we're screaming, incoherently, our unbridled joy at having survived.
We unbuckle and step from the car. Erin is jumping around, delirious. She motions for, and gets, and very happy high five. We both skip down the ramp and into the midway.
We have to walk through the line waiting to get on the ride.
Everybody wants to know how it was.
All I can say is. "You're gonna love it!"
As soon as it was our turn, it broke down! 
