Blue Streak

Blue Streak
1964

Blue Streak is Cedar Point’s classic wooden roller coaster. Built by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company, it is the oldest operating roller coaster at Cedar Point.

The early 1950s were a difficult time for Cedar Point. During this period, the park had fallen into decline and was still trying to recover from the effects of the Great Depression. In 1956, George Roose and Emile Legros purchased Cedar Point and initially planned to turn the property into a housing development. However, due to strong public outcry, the new owners decided instead to transform Cedar Point into the “Disneyland of the Midwest.”

As a result, the park began adding bigger and better attractions. Cadillac Cars were introduced in 1958 and were so successful that Turnpike Cars were built in 1959. In 1961, Western Cruise used the old lagoon to take guests on a journey through the past. In 1962, Cedar Point added the Sky Ride to the Main Midway. In 1963, the park expanded further with the addition of Mill Race and the Cedar Point and Lake Erie Railroad.

With all of these changes, Cedar Point was finally set on a path toward a bright future.

In 1929, Cedar Point opened its famous Cyclone roller coaster. When it first opened, Cyclone was very popular and became a major attraction for the park, bringing increased attention and success. However, shortly after Cedar Point closed for the 1929 season, the stock market crashed and the Great Depression began.

The Great Depression of the 1930s was a very difficult time for the amusement park industry, and Cedar Point was no exception. Many people could barely afford daily living expenses, let alone vacations. The 1940s were not much better for the park. During World War II, Cedar Point struggled to stay open as buildings and rides fell into disrepair. During this time, several attractions were torn down and not replaced.

After years of neglect, Cyclone was removed from Cedar Point following the 1951 season, leaving the park without a major roller coaster.

In 1956, Cedar Point was purchased by two investors from Cleveland. Their original plan was to close the park and turn the property into a housing development. However, the public strongly opposed this idea. The state of Ohio even considered buying the park and converting it into a state park. After reviewing the park’s operations, the new owners instead decided to transform Cedar Point into the “Disneyland of the Midwest.”

Over the next few years, older attractions were replaced with new and spectacular ones. Many of the rides that opened quickly became family favorites, including Western Cruise, Sky Ride, Rotor, Turnpike Cars, Sky Wheel, and Mill Race. Several of these new attractions were also among the first of their kind.

In 1959 Cedar Point opened Wild Mouse. Wild Mouse was a small all-steel roller coaster that had very low capacity. The ride was very popular, it was just too small for Cedar Point's growing attendance. Wild Mouse was closed in 1962 and replaced with Mill Race in 1963. Cedar Point would need a bigger roller coaster.

During the winter of 1963 through the spring of 1964, Cedar Point built its next roller coaster, Blue Streak. The ride was about the same height as Cyclone and became the first major roller coaster built at Cedar Point since 1929.

Blue Streak opened on May 24, 1964. When it debuted, it was Cedar Point’s fourth roller coaster.

Blue Streak was named after the Sandusky High School football team, the “Blue Streaks.”

Blue Streak sits on a plot of land that is 1,200 feet long and 100 feet wide. The ride occupies approximately 2.75 acres.

During Blue Streak’s first few seasons, the ride featured unpainted wood. By 1967, it had been painted sky blue—a color it still has today.

Blue Streak was built by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company of Pennsylvania. The ride’s footers were designed by John Allen, while the rest of the coaster was designed by Frank Hoover. Frank served as the construction supervisor on 16 roller coasters, including Blue Streak. Blue Streak was the only coaster he designed.

Blue Streak is located on the left side of the park, between the Main Midway and the Cedar Point Marina.

Over the years, the park has grown and changed around Blue Streak.

In 1964 it cost $200,000 to build Blue Streak, That is $1,965,819.35 in 2024. Most modern roller coasters built about the size of Blue Streak today cost 12-17 million.

Blue Streak Ride Facts
Opened: May 23, 1964
Location: Blue Streak Midway
Type: Wooden Coaster
Manufacturer: Philadelphia Toboggan Company of Pennsylvania
Designer: Frank Hoover
Cost: $200,000
Height: 78 feet
Drop: 72 feet
Length: 2,558 feet
Speed: 40 mph
Hills: 9
Trains: 2
Inversions: 0
Capacity: 1,400 riders per hour
Blue Streak was Cedar Point’s fourth roller coaster in operation when it opened in 1964.

Blue Streak has operated at Cedar Point longer than any other roller coaster in the park’s history.

Ride Experience

The Blue Streak ride experience begins as guests enter the queue for the attraction. The entrance to the roller coaster is located under the brake run.

Riders usually wait about 5–10 minutes to ride Blue Streak. However, the wait time can reach up to an hour when the park is busy.

Once in the station, riders are loaded onto the train. Blue Streak features simple, compact trains equipped with a lap bar, a seat belt, and a seat divider.

Once the ride begins, the train leaves the boarding area, passes through the ride’s transfer track, and exits the station.

Blue Streak then turns left into a U-turn and heads toward the lift hill.

Blue Streak then lifts its riders 78 feet into the air. As the train climbs the lift hill, riders get great views of the front of the park, with the Cedar Point Marina visible on the right.

It takes about 35 seconds for the train to reach the top of the hill. Once the train arrives at the top, riders are treated to a great view.

Blue Streak then drops riders 72 feet at a 45-degree angle. As the train descends from the lift hill, riders are briefly lifted out of their seats.

Blue Streak gives riders two small airtime hills where they are briefly lifted out of their seats as the train speeds over them.

Blue Streak is an airtime machine! Riders experience an amazing amount of airtime on each hill.

Riders then go over an amazing floater airtime hill. This is the second-tallest hill on the ride. The train climbs up, gently floats over the top, and then heads back down.

Blue Streak then goes through its turnaround.

Blue Streak’s turnaround gives riders a fantastic view of Cedar Point and the parking lot. The turnaround also aligns the coaster for its return trip back to the station.

Blue Streak then takes guests over a small ejector airtime hill. This hill sends riders flying out of their seats.

Blue Streak then goes over a floater airtime hill. Riders gently float out of their seats as the train travels over the hill.

Riders are then treated to another ejector airtime hill that sends them flying out of their seats once again.

Blue Streak then goes over its final airtime hill, where riders are once again lifted out of their seats.

Blue Streak then bounces up into the brake run.

Riders come to a complete stop in the brake run. Once the station is clear, the train returns riders to the platform where they originally boarded.

Boo Streak

For Halloweekends in 2018, Blue Streak received a temporary makeover as “Boo Streak.” The ride featured a special sign, a few decorations, and music in the station. Boo Streak was a fun and creative idea.

Changes

Blue Streak has seen many changes over the years that have altered the look and feel of the ride.

When Blue Streak opened, the ride featured unpainted wood. By 1967, it had been painted the sky blue color it still has today. Blue Streak was last repainted in 2012.

When Blue Streak first opened, the trains were very open. They had simple buzz bars that were unlocked and did not include seat belts. A few years later, the bars were modified to lock.

In the 1990s, the trains were updated with individual seat dividers and new lap bars with seat belts. In 2008, the ride received retractable seat belts.

For decades, Blue Streak was a manually controlled ride. The ride operator had to use a hand brake to operate the coaster. In the 1990s, the hand brake was removed and the ride received new controls.

The station was modified so that all loading and unloading took place on a single platform. The ride also received a new entrance with a designated waiting area, instead of guests standing on the midway. The entrance was moved to an alleyway that led underneath the ride’s brake run.

Withstanding The Test Of Time!

Over the last 62 years, Blue Streak has remained a very popular ride at Cedar Point. Today, it is considered a classic and has gone down in history as a great roller coaster. Blue Streak helped launch Cedar Point’s legacy as the Roller Coaster Capital of the World.

In 1964, Blue Streak was Cedar Point’s major thrill ride. It had been so long since the park had a coaster this large that it seemed like a monster to many guests. Blue Streak was still considered a big ride when it opened, especially since the tallest roller coaster in 1964 was only about 100 feet tall.

Today, roller coasters are much larger than they were in 1964. Even so, Blue Streak remains just as thrilling as it was when it opened. While standards have changed over the years, Blue Streak is now considered a great starter coaster for first-time riders.

Blue Streak is still a very popular ride at Cedar Point. While it does not usually have the longest lines in the park, it can still develop a queue when the park is busy. The average wait time for Blue Streak is typically between 5 and 20 minutes.

Many roller coasters have come and gone over the years. Blue Streak is the oldest existing roller coaster at Cedar Point and the third-oldest operating roller coaster in the state of Ohio.