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by Kyle McCarthy

Parents inevitably reach a stage in their lives when they ask themselves: why are we planning a trip to a theme park?  Is it for us, for the kids, for the grandparents, to tell the neighbors?  Finding the correct answer is the only way to ensure either -- you'll never have to do it again, or -- you'll go every year!  Follow along to sort out the major destination theme parks, with special attention given to Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio.

Theme Park FAQs

If your youngsters are yearning to breakfast with Disney pals, stay at Orlando's Disney World Resort (407/939-6244).  If they want to get behind-the-scenes of an action movie, spend a day at Universal Studios Hollywood (800/UNIVERSAL). How about befriending Shamu and other creatures of the deep? Visit one of America's five educational and entertaining SeaWorld (800/SEA-WORLD) marine parks.

Are Marvel comics characters their idea of the perfect theme? Universal Orlando's Islands of Adventure has integrated favorite superheroes into imaginative and exciting rides. Is it the combination of carousels, log flume rides, wild animals, costumed entertainers, cotton candy and souvenir stalls? The Busch Gardens (800/343-7946) in Williamsburg, Virginia and Tampa, Florida offer European and African themes respectively, both carefully integrated into authentic architecture, beautiful landscaping and wild rides.

Are little ones more comfortable surrounded by familiar characters? Plan a weekend with Elmo at Pennsylvania's Sesame Place (215/752-7070) or New Jersey's Dorney Park (610/395-3724), home of Camp Snoopy.  Are big kids looking for the fastest, steepest, most head-spinning thrill rides in the world? Try one of the 37 Six Flags parks in Belgium, France, Germany, Netherlands, Spain and the United States.  Does everyone in the family want something different from your theme park vacation? There's only one place that has it all, and more: Cedar Point (419/627-2350), in Sandusky, Ohio.

Theme Park for Mild Tastes

Cedar Point, a 364-acre peninsula in Lake Erie which opened in 1870 as a bathing beach, today is "the world's largest roller coaster park" by virtue of its collection of rides (69) and roller coasters (17). Each year, from its mid-May opening until its Labor Day closing, plus7 weekends through Halloween, Cedar Point welcomes over 3 million guests. For the past eight years, Cedar Point was rated "Best Amusement Park in the World" by Amusement Today, an industry publication. Critics love it, roller coaster enthusiasts love it, and families will find it the best park for those who want to sample the full range of theme park amusements.

Besides the park, the Cedar Point peninsula hosts Soak City (an okay water park requiring separate admission) and Challenge Park (pay as you go for thrill rides, speedway and minigolf), a marina, an RV campground, and the luxury Lighthouse Point campground.  Cedar Point's old-fashioned layout encourages visitors to stroll by the enormous variety of amusing activities on hand, pick a meeting point should anyone get lost, then plan their attack. Movie buffs will love the Good Time Theatre indoor ice rink, the Frontier Trail Zone with Wild West-themed rides and crafts demonstrations, and a high-dive show. Animal lovers will find a petting zoo; comic aficionados and pre-schoolers will adore the Peanuts-inspired Camp Snoopy playland, and culture-lovers will be delighted with the three antique carousels and classic midway design.

Extreme Thrills

Thrill ride seekers can lust after Magnum XL-200, rated the 'Best Steel Roller Coaster in the World,' and the first coaster to exceed the 200-foot height barrier. Then there's the $25 million Millennium Force, the world's tallest (310-feet, 95-meter) and fastest (93mph, 148 kph) roller coaster, which earned eight other world records for Cedar Point at its May 2000 premiere. This elegant steel coaster, which can fly 108 passengers, harnessed side by side in tiered seats, along 6,595 feet (2 kms) of track elevated above 13 acres, was built by Switzerland's Intamin AG.

It dares to use a new elevator cable lift system to pull the squealing-passenger-laden metal cars up a 45-degree, 310-foot incline (and recycles the pulley system in just 6 seconds) then drops them 300 feet at full speed, at an almost inverted, 80-degree angle. Rather than falling out, the intense inertial force pushes riders against their seat backs and away from the heavily-padded torso restraint. Within 2 minutes 20 seconds, passengers experience a 169-foot-tall turn approached at an overbanked, 122-degree angle, a 182-foot plunge onto a small wooden island, some dark tunnels and a few moments of off-your-seat airtime, before the brightly painted train screeches to a halt using a magnetic braking system at the station. Sound great? My family of three coaster novices (we are nauseous on playground swings and seasick on ferries) felt stunned, exhilarated, weightless, liberated, breathless, excited, brave, very cool. Millennium Force is one of life's must-do's for anyone over 48 inches.

New in 2006 were Skyhawk and Top Thrill Dragster rides. Take part in history as you ride the world-record-breaking thrill ride -- Skyhawk. This is the tallest ride of its kind in the world, standing at 103 feet above ground. It features two giant swinging arms that each hold twenty people in two rows back-to-back. Riders are pushed toward the sky at 60 mph, traveling 125 feet into the air.  Cedar Point is once again able to reclaim the title of owning the tallest and fastest roller coaster in the world. With Magnum XL-200 and Millennium Force roller coasters making unheard of records, Top Thrill Dragster made its debut as No. 7 in the 2005 Golden Ticket awards for the "Best Steel Roller Coaster in the World." Riders are fastened into a train resembling a top fuel dragster. After the train positions into launch mode, you are sent off at 120 mph in four seconds. Riders zoom up a 420-foot-tall hill and rotate at 90 degrees at the coaster's apex before plummeting back to earth. 

Weekends In Sandusky

Ottawa County has many other attractions going for it as well, making it a long-cherished summer destination for Midwest families. It's easy to spend a week touring Sandusky and Port Clinton, visiting the surprisingly fascinating Merry-Go-Round Museum (419/626-6111), the dusty African Safari Wildlife Park ( 419/732-3606), small-town dinosaur displays at Prehistoric Forest (419/798-5230), and electric trains at Train-O-Rama (419/734-5856) as well as the many lakefront beaches at local parks. After the thrills of Cedar Point, the fishing and canoeing available along the coasts of Lake Erie's Put-in-Bay and Kelleys Islands, where you'll find several small family inns, also appeals.

At Cedar Point, the top hotel is the classic, ca. 1905 lakefront Breakers ( 419/627-2106), whose two additions have expanded it to 650 comfortable, modern rooms (from $150-$245/room sleeping four.)  Gone are the days when presidents and Hollywood moguls came a'calling; today, the place is jammed with bus tours and family reunions. The three swimming pools, thrill ride views, Tiffany stained-glass rotunda lobby, 50's-style ice cream shop, and the brief boardwalk stroll into the park make it very appealing to families. The Sandcastle Suites Hotel (419/627-2109) is another good choice, with 187 two-room suites (from $235-$265/room sleeping six) and a tennis court located along the lakefront 'beach' within a five-minute's walk of the park.

New at Cedar Point and a way to extend their season is Castaway Bay (419/627-2106), a waterpark resort. The hotel has 237 bright, comfortable rooms and suites with balconies, a minifridge, coffeemaker and microwave, and Internet access but you'll want to check in so you can enjoy a second day of fun in 38,000-square-foot tropical-themed indoor waterpark, open daily 9am-10pm. The hotel also has a game room and large arcade, fitness center for ages 16+ and a more ordinary pool and Jacuzzi. Other family-friendly touches include soda machines, an ATM, guest laundry, luggage storage and day lockers for check-out day. Supervised kids' programs include Camp Castaway, open daily, with drop-in crafts and other activities by day, and games, dance parties and movies in the evenings.

For day visitors, general admission at Cedar Point is democratically priced according to height (ie: how many of the rides you're tall enough to try -- no heels or lifts allowed!)  For 2008, prices are $42.95 for ages 3 and older, 48" and up; $15.95 for ages 3+, under 48" and Seniors over 62; $25.95 evenings and post-season weekends, and children 2 and under are free.

FTF's TIPS FOR AVOIDING AMUSEMENT PARK AGGRAVATION As native New Yorkers, who wait in lines daily, we found Cedar Point's "No Line Jumping" policy pretty severe. Line jumping is defined as: cutting in front of other guests already waiting in line; leaving the line, then trying to re-enter at the same point; or saving a place for someone.  This includes using restrooms and purchasing food and drink, so make all stops before entering a line. Line jumping, regardless of the reason, may lead to dismissal from the park. This rule is strictly enforced, with no refunds. In addition, some rides can accommodate backpacks, some rides have storage bins on the load platform and others do not allow any kind of bag in the lines. Employees at most ride entrances (all roller coasters) will inform you of what you can and cannot take in line with you. In short, think like an ACER (American Coaster Enthusiast) and come prepared! We could have avoided the 2-hour, 40-minute wait to experience the incredible Millennium Force if we had only known then what we know now. *Avoid the crowds by visiting Tuesday through Thursday, or in May, June or the week before Labor Day, when locals go back to school. * Inquire about Freeway, a reservation service for favorite rides which reduces the wait time. * Enter or return to the park after sundown, when the crowds lessen. K.M.

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