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| Ride Name:
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Magnum XL-200 |
| Park:
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Cedar Point |
| Type:
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Steel Out-and-Back Hyper Roller Coaster |
| Height:
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205 feet |
| Length:
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5106 feet |
| Duration:
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1:45
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| Speed:
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72 mph
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| Builder:
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Arrow Dynamics, Clearfield UT (Ron Toomer Designer) |
| Status:
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Operating since 1989 |
| Rating (1 to 10):
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10
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| Review and Description:
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Cedar Point fired off the first shot in the wars for the tallest, fastest, and most thrilling coaster by building the Magnum XL-200 in 1989. Others tried to duplicate Magnum's success, with such rides as Pepsi Max: The Big One in England, Steel Force at Dorney Park, and Goliath at Six Flags Magic Mountain. In 2000, Cedar Point out-did itself by building the 310 foot tall Millennium Force.
Despite the fact that Magnum is by far no longer the tallest coaster (especially since Cedar Point is now building Top Thrill Dragster, which being over twice the height of Magnum at 420 feet), Magnum still packs a punch in its ride and gives you a breathtaking view of Lake Erie (where on some clear days you can see Canada).
I first rode this ride in 1998 on my Senior trip to Cedar Point. It was fun then, and it still is fun now. I dramatically increased my ride count on Magnum in 2002, and got extremely lucky to be part of the crew for the ride (considering I was hoping for this ride when I applied to work at Cedar Point after my time was done at Michigan's Adventure). I wanted this ride more than I wanted Millennium Force, Raptor, or Wicked Twister, and I wanted it for its capacity (over 1900 riders per hour with three trains at 36 passengers per train, which is only eclipsed by Gemini and the CP&LE railroad), for its ease of operation, and for its challenge. I will never forget the memories I had working on that ride, and some of the side benefits that came along with it. I can even say its spiel yet (which I won't go into in this).
Now, for the ride review...
Over the years, it has gotten a little rough, but this doesn't stop you from riding it, and it makes a great stepping stone to ride Millennium Force. It's out-and-back configuration provides plenty of airtime, especially if you sit in the "ejector seat" (car 1, row 3 of any train). It's also cool to ride in the back, but I'll warn you it's the roughest there. After ascending the lift hill, which takes about 40 seconds, you plunge down at up to 72 miles an hour then rise up a 158 foot hill. You think you might stall and roll back when you clear and go down again making a left banked turn into the first tunnel.
As you exit the tunnel, you go up another hill, then back down, level out, and hit the only set of trim brakes along the line (which may or may not be on due to wind or the lack of enough people in the train). After the trims, you enter a left-banked pretzel turn for your turnaround. You are about 45 feet up at this point. After completing the turn, you go down, go up and into another tunnel, and down, and make a right banked turn into a series of bunny hills.
You will find the on-ride photo tower just before the 3rd tunnel, and the safety brakes just after that tunnel. Rarely will you ever make a complete stop at those brakes, but if you do, just be prepared to brace yourself as they do stop you very quickly in the event that they need to (usually in the case of a set-up--where they dispatch too late or they hold a train in the station). If you stop there, plan on being there for a few minutes until they get the ride going again. After the safetys, you bank and zigzag over the midway to the Breakers entrance gate and then you hit the ready breaks, where you may sit there for about 30 seconds before you reach the station.
Once you leave the ride (make sure you do it carefully), go check out your photo at the Magnum photo booth and share it with your friends, family, or other loved ones. It even makes a great Christmas or family photo (our "selling point" in our spiels).
That concludes my review of the Magnum XL-200, go check it out. Oh yeah, it is not sinking. That was a prank a couple of DJs in Ohio started, and apparently it hasn't died since. I can say for myself it isn't sinking because when I did track walks for trash and lost items, I did not see any evidence of it sinking at all. |
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