The Cedar Point Cyclone
Cedar Point, home of the largest collection of coasters in the world, has been lacking something for a great while. It should be noted that of their 17 coasters, only 2 are genuine woodies (Gemini and Cedar Creek Mine Ride do not count). Ever since 1951, a great hole has been left in the park. Cedar Point has tried to patch it with many rides including Disaster Transport, but has failed. Nothing could take the place of the Cyclone.
The Cyclone was a beautiful coaster
We know very little about this ride. We know that it was a collaboration between two of the greatest coaster designers of all time; it was designed by Prior & Church and built by Harry Traver. It opened in 1929 and was demolished in 1951. According to The Walkerville Times, “This monster struck fear in the hearts of many; riding it became a rite of passage for visiting teenagers.” [source]
The 72' drop
We do, however, have the layout of the ride and an excellent NoLimits simulation of it. If you own NoLimits, I suggest that you download this track here. Also check out some of his other sims of classic coasters here and here. If you don’t own NoLimits yet you can find it here. The length of the simulated coaster is 2,680 feet and takes 1:45 total time to ride. The ride appears to have a lot of airtime and a few good lateral g’s (but of course that is all up to the banking of the turns). The ride is about as long as the Blue Streak, though a few feet shorter in height, so it stands to reason that the ride would be about as intense. That means the Cyclone would be an ideal middle of the ground ride which would appeal to all ages.
The simple but great layout of the Cyclone
The ride feels like it would fit perfectly in either Great Coaster’s International (GCI) or Gravity Group’s portfolios, which is why I propose that the project be a collaboration between the two firms. GCI would finalize the design and provide their Millenium Flyer trains, while Gravity Group would actually build the ride. The Millenium Flyer trains are important because they look like classic Prior and Church trains with their open fronts and articulated cars (for negotiation of P&C’s particularly twisted coasters) and because their heavy wood frames and upholstered seats make for a comfortable ride. Gravity Group is important because GCI has quite a few projects that they are working on, they build very high quality rides, and they use steel support structures like the Traver company. The collaboration would also be symbolic because the original Cyclone was designed by Prior & Church and built by Harry Traver.
Millennium Flyer trains by GCI
But where to put it? The answer is simple: about where it used to be. The area currently taken up by Disaster Transport would be perfect. Estimating from the grid in NoLimits editor, the Cyclone is about 160 meters by 40 meters. Taking a rough measure using Google Maps, Disaster Transport is about 160 by 60 meters. But what about Disaster Transport, you say? I say that it is an ultimately forgettable ride housed in a building that is quite an eyesore to that area. Being in this position, the coaster would also be a welcoming addition to the skyline as visible from the parking lot. Would you rather look at a big warehouse or a beautiful beach? This location for the Cyclone would be both beautiful and historically significant.
Disaster Transport is one attractive ride
There are two trends currently that make the rebuilding of this ride realistic now. One is that Cedar Point and the Cedar Fair chain are becoming more devoted to attracting families to the parks. The Cyclone would certainly be a roller coaster that would appeal to multiple age groups. The other is the trend towards constructing new GCI coasters across the Cedar Fair chain. Both California’s Great America and Worlds of Fun are getting new GCI’s for 2009, and Valleyfair got one in 2007.
The Cedar Point Cyclone was a fun and historically significant coaster. Today, it would be an ideal addition to the park’s steel coaster heavy lineup. I’m sure that you can see from these reasons that it would be a great idea to build this ride again. So this goes out to Cedar Point: Please rebuild the Cyclone!
Readers: What do you think? Would you ride the Cyclone? Should Cedar Point rebuild it? Please comment!
Also: Tell Cedar Point what you think by leaving a comment here.
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Yes, I think erecting the Cyclone again would be great. Harry Traver’s creations were wonderful. DT is a mediocre ride at best. (although it is out of the rain and heat).
I think the cyclone wood be a great idea to start up with again, i’ve always wanted to ride it.
I think that would be a goo idea but find somewhere else other than where DT is. It is the only indoor coaster there and i kind of like it. I think they should get rid of cedar creek mine ride, now that is a bad coaster jerky slow and small.
Teenagers are looking for fun, excitement, and energy. In my opinion i think they shouldn’t demolish Disaster Transport, if its a rainy day out i LOVE to go ride Disaster Transport because its indoor. When its halloweekends, i LOVE to go ride Disaster Transport, not just another wooden coaster, get with the future. Be one step ahead of technology and wooden coasters are not in the future, no matter how much people remember the old times.
I think it owuld be great to bring it back my mother usedto talk about it all the time but why take out disater transport on a hotday the air conditoning feels good inside .however i wish someonewould do a ride like TheFlying Turns from Euclid Beach.Thank you.
I would love a new woodie, especially one that replaces the Disaster, but I don’t really care if it has anything to do with the original Cyclone. Since it’s on the beach and made from wood I think something Pirate themed would be really cool. If they do decide to call it Cyclone I hope, like Shoot the Rapids, that its an updated modern version not an exact replica.
i do think that cyclone would make a big impact and it should be remade but to me cedar point wouldn’t be cedar point to me without DT or cedar creek mine ride or eney of the coasters it has now.Yes Cyclone should come back but not at the cost of another rollercoaster.
I have been to Cedar Point quite a few times, but the Cyclone, I havn’t been on, so one day I hope you guys down at Cedar Point will fix the Cyclone that me and lots of other people can or will have a better time on the Cyclone, so Cedar Point, please fix or at least repair the coaster please.
I would ride it =)
My only question though is, Would it in it’s origanl design pass modern safty inspections of g-force’s?
They didn’t test for all that stuff then and also with the safty harness of today, you’ll feel to locked in to it to get the the old reclas feel out of it.
I’m in favor of it being built, but don’t water it down so much that it’s a far cry of what it use to be. If anything, maby add to it a bit.
I think Ceader Point needs to add land mass, if the Japinse can build an airport where there was no land, I’m shure they can build more park space.
Build it now! and they will come.
i think it would be a good thing 4 the park i like DT too ihave rode it so many times but i do thing mine ride needs 2 go.it is old and veryyy slow it good 4 little kids but definly not 4 tall people like me ohh and it hurts.