Cedar Point to be eclipsed
Cedar Point to be eclipsed
Ohio park to present special viewing event in April
Cedar Point dates back to 1870 and recently celebrated its 150th anniversary. But you’d have to go back even farther–to 1806–to have witnessed a total eclipse of the sun in northern Ohio where the classic park is located. That makes the upcoming eclipse, which will plunge Sandusky, Cleveland, Akron, and the surrounding area into complete darkness smack dab in the middle of the day this spring, kinda special. To celebrate the rare happening, Cedar Point will be opening its gates for a special event. And yes, some of the rides will be open.
Dubbed Total Eclipse of the Point, the event will be held Monday, April 8 from noon to 6 p.m. The park will open The Boardwalk and Kiddy Kingdom lands, which are located near the main entrance, and will make “select rides” in those areas available. Cedar Point didn’t indicate exactly which rides would be operating, but Gatekeeper as well as the new Wild Mouse coaster might be eliciting screams in the daytime darkness. Other attractions in the two lands include the Giant Wheel, the 301-foot-tall WindSeeker swinging chairs ride, a carousel, and spinning rides such as the Matterhorn and the Scrambler.
The new Grand Pavilion, which evokes the park’s 19th century building of the same name, will also be open for the event. Guests will be able to celebrate the eclipse while chowing down on fare from the Grand Pavilion Restaurant and Bar. A DJ will be spinning tunes, and there will be kids’ activities on the agenda as well.
Perhaps the prime viewing spot for Total Eclipse of the Point will be Cedar Point Beach. The reflection on Lake Erie as the sun slowly fades from view could be stunning. The eclipse will start around 2 p.m. and should reach its height a bit after 3 p.m. Cedar Point will be distributing eclipse viewing glasses to all guests (for goodness sakes, don’t be a fool and stare directly into the sun) along with souvenir buttons.
According to park spokesperson Tony Clark, Cedar Point has never opened its gates as early as April 8 throughout its long history. Its official opening day is scheduled for May 4 this season. The plan is for Top Thrill 2, the highly anticipated remake of Top Thrill Dragster, to debut when the park opens. While some online naysayers are slamming the makeover, I believe it has the potential to, er, eclipse the original coaster.
A bizarre spin on merry-go-rounds
Speaking of carousels, PETA, the animal rights organization, issued a strange appeal to Chance Rides that they “end the production and sale of animal-themed carousels that normalize the use of animals as conveyances and amusements.” Say what now?
In a letter the activist group sent to the ride manufacturer, it suggested that cars, tractors, rainbows, brooms, and other figures could replace carousel horses. Animal-themed attractions “unintentionally celebrate the exploitation of sentient beings,” according to PETA.
I’m all for the ethical treatment of animals, but come on. Carousels are a cherished, longstanding tradition at amusement parks. Even the youngest children understand that the steeds going up, down, and around a booming band organ are not alive. In fact, aren’t carousels consistent with PETA’s guiding principle? Instead of using live animals for human enjoyment, the rides feature manufactured facsimiles.
What’s next? Will PETA come after Disney because Mickey, Donald, and the gang exploit sentient mice, ducks, and other creatures? Maybe Rocky Mountain Construction should rethink its new line of Wild Moose coasters, because, you know, folks might mistake them for the lumbering creatures.
Hey PETA: Get a sense of humor and perspective. I’m sure you could focus on more urgent things happening in the world. Like the unconscionable act of putting square pants on a cartoon sponge.
Would you want to celebrate a total eclipse at an amusement park? Do you think the PETA folks have lost their minds?
By coincidence, my family and I happened to be at Cedar Point during the 2017 partial eclipse in Ohio. I believe it was a weekday in August and pretty busy at the park. Valravn's lines were long as it opened just the year prior. It was cloudy all day to begin with, so it was somewhat dark and only got a little bit darker. I also remember using Fast Lane for the first time as I purchased a Black Friday deal from Cedar Fair for a ticket and Fast Lane for around $80 per person. (I miss those days!)
Wow, two very different topics to weigh in on. =)
Re: the eclipse, it really is a magical experience and something everyone should do if they have the opportunity. I traveled down to SC to the path of totality for the 2017 eclipse. I'm not much of an astronomy nerd, but I was even completely blown away by the event. It's a feeling that's hard to put into words when you're sharing that experience with a bunch of other people. You get a glimpse of how terrifying it must have been for those long ago who didn't understand what was happening. I'm not making any plans to make the trip for this one, but I'd highly encourage anyone who is in the vicinity to make the effort.
Re: the PETA thing - I'm a HUGE animal lover. I have a dog, two cats, a cockatiel, and three guinea pigs. I don't hunt, I don't fish. I even have trouble killing insects. But yes, the idea of railing against animals on carousels is beyond ridiculous. I highly doubt a child climbing on a plastic seahorse has ever given them the idea to accost one at an aquarium.
I think the sad part is that by promoting these ridiculous acts of overreach, PETA is harming their own cause. By coming off as "crazy" or "overzealous," they diminish the very important work of real animal rights organizations that do good work. There are enough real cases of animal abuse without wasting time and energy on the welfare of fake animals (even if the poor things do have poles shoved through their backs) :)