So Long, Mean Streak! Cedar Point To Retire Aging Wooden Roller Coaster
DETROIT (CBS Detroit) - The Mean Streak at Cedar Point will soon be no more.
The Sandusky, Ohio amusement park on Monday officially announced the retirement of the large, wooden roller coaster which has plummeted in popularity over the years as taller, faster and smoother rides moved in.
The official Cedar Point Twitter account said "Goodbye, pard'ner" in a 10 a.m. tweet — along with a short video depicting a cartoonish, ax-wielding bearded old man laughing maniacally as he's chopping it down.
There will still be 17 roller coasters left at Cedar Point after then Mean Streak — which opened to the public on May 11, 1991 — gets the ax the night of Friday, Sept. 16.
Love it or hate it, the polarizing monstrosity deserves some respect as it was once the tallest, fastest, and longest wooden coaster in the world.
Made of what the park touted as "quite possibly the most wood you'll ever see in one place," the Mean Streak features a 155-foot drop and travels up to 65 miles per hours during a 2 minute, 45 second bumpy, rattling ride.
It's unclear at this time what CP will do with the 1.7 million board feet of southern yellow pine (bonfire, anyone?) or what will replace the coaster when it's at long last removed.
Park management says they're clearing the way for "future development in FrontierTown" but provided no further details.
"Mean Streak has, and always will be a significant part of our roller coaster legacy at Cedar Point," said Jason McClure, vice president and general manager for Cedar Point. "But we have our sights set on the future of FrontierTown, and unfortunately, that means Mean Streak has to leave our lineup of world-class attractions."
Reaction to the news on social media has been decidedly mixed.
Kaileigh Brammer posted on Facebook, "This was always my favorite ride at Cedar Point. It was the longest riding coaster and just classic pure fun. Sitting in the back you would lift off the rails and fly sometimes. I have so many memories from his ride. Very sad it its leaving the park. This was a gem of Cedar Point."
Marty Bliven said, "It was a fun ride until it jarred my lower back. I was in pain the rest of the day," with Ryan Irwin adding, "Good riddance. I blame this ride for my now chronic migraines."
Stephen Starrett weighed in: "I feel like I'm the only one who loved this ride."
Cedar Point says guests and fans who want to pay their last respects can ride the coaster while the park is open daily through Sept. 5. Then, the park reopens for special hours during a bonus weekend, Sat. and Sunday, Sept. 10 and 11.
Finally, on Sept. 16, the opening night of Cedar Point's 20th HalloWeekends, the "last rites" will be given to the coaster with one final public riding session from 6-7 p.m. A special memorial ceremony and procession from FrontierTown to the park's "Dead Rides Cemetery" will then take place at 7:30 p.m.
Cedar Point was also expected to soon announce upgrades to its aging Soak City water park.
[For park hours, tickets and more information, visit this link].
