Ocean Motion
1981
​45th Anniversary Edition

Ocean Motion is a swinging pirate ship ride located at the front of Cedar Point.

In 1971, Cedar Point transported guests back to the days of pioneers with the introduction of the Frontier Trail. In 1972, three new rides debuted: Giant Wheel, Jumbo Jet, and Matterhorn. Cedar Point Cinema became the world’s largest IMAX theater when it opened in 1975. Corkscrew was the first roller coaster in the world to flip riders upside down three times when it opened in 1976. In 1977, Cedar Point added Witches’ Wheel. Gemini opened in 1978 as the world’s tallest and fastest racing roller coaster. The Gemini Children’s Area was added in 1979. In 1980, Oceana became Cedar Point’s marine life complex.

On May 16, 1981, Cedar Point opened Ocean Motion. It was located next to the Oceana Stadium. 

Ocean Motion was tucked into a corner near the Beach Gate. The ride was often closed due to strong winds off the lake.

Rumors that the ride would be removed surfaced during the 2007 season. In 2009, the ride was listed for sale.

The Beach Midway changed many times throughout the 2000s. By the late 2000s, Ocean Motion seemed out of place.

When Cedar Point announced its new WindSeeker for the 2010 season, it was also announced that Ocean Motion would be removed from the park.

Ocean Motion closed on Sunday, October 31, 2010.

When Cedar Point closed for the 2010 season, it began dismantling Ocean Motion.

The ride was quickly removed from the site so construction could begin on WindSeeker, Cedar Point’s new 301-foot-tall swing ride.

On November 8, 2010, Cedar Point announced that Ocean Motion would be sailing from a new location in 2011. The ride was relocated to the former Demon Drop site, which had been empty in 2010.

When the park opened for the 2011 season, Ocean Motion was not yet ready to open. Scenery and theming still needed to be completed.

Ocean Motion opened before Memorial Day in 2011 and quickly became extremely popular. Fans of the ride were very happy that it had been relocated and beautifully rethemed.

Ocean Motion looks very nice in its new location. The boat even swings out over an artificial pond.

Ocean Motion is a classic pirate ship ride. Over the years, dozens of these rides have been installed at amusement parks and carnivals around the world.

Ocean Motion is a great starter ride for people who want to begin riding larger attractions but are not yet ready for rides like Power Tower or WindSeeker.

Guests love Ocean Motion! It is a great family ride that offers a wonderful view of Cedar Point’s entrance and the parking lot.

Ocean Motion Ride Facts:
Opened: May 16, 1981
Manufacturer: HUSS Park Attractions
Type: Pirate Ship
Location:
    Next to Oceana Stadium (1981–2010)
     Next to Point Plaza (2011–present)

Ocean Motion is located just inside the front gate of the park, between GateKeeper and Point Plaza.

Ocean Motion was built by HUSS Park Attractions of Germany. Over the years, HUSS has built several other rides for Cedar Point, including Troika (1976), Witches’ Wheel (1977–2018), and maXair (2005).

Ocean Motion is a great ride for the entire family to enjoy together.

Theming

Ocean Motion is a pirate ship ride set in a beautifully landscaped area. The attraction is placed in a truly unique setting.

Ocean Motion is surrounded by flowers that help bring the ride to life.

Ocean Motion swings riders over a pond that was added when the ride was relocated, making the attraction more unique.

Ocean Motion features beautiful landscaping that enhances the overall look and feel of the ride.

Ocean Potion

Starting in 2017, Cedar Point turns Ocean Motion into Ocean Potion for Halloweekends. 

To add a unique twist to the ride, the park changes the color of the water and adds sound effects to create the feeling that Ocean Motion has been possessed.

Ocean Potion is a truly unique experience that no other park offers.

Ride Experience 

The Ocean Motion ride experience begins as guests enter the queue for the attraction.

The average wait time for Ocean Motion is 5–10 minutes. However, because it is one of the first rides at the front of the park, the line can sometimes extend to as long as 30 minutes.

The queue leads to a wooden deck that serves as the ride’s loading platform.

Ocean Motion can accommodate up to 54 riders at a time.

The ride features a simple lap bar that locks in place, and there is no seat belt.

Ocean Motion begins by swinging back and forth. At the start, the motion is gentle, with low height and a slower pace.

Ocean Motion creates a refreshing breeze as the ride moves.

As the ride swings faster, it rises higher and higher.

Ocean Motion gives guests some airtime while the ride is in motion.

Ocean Motion swings riders up to 65 feet into the air, offering great views of the Main Midway.

Ocean Motion works like a giant pendulum. As the ride slows down, it doesn’t swing as high.

Ocean Motion is a 2-minute-and-15-second ride.

Riders exit Ocean Motion on the same side they entered, then proceed down a ramp that leads to the Main Midway.

Ocean Motion is a great ride for the entire family to enjoy together.

After Ocean Motion opened in 1981, Cedar Point continued adding attractions that offered something for the entire family to enjoy. Over the years, the following attractions have opened at the park:Kid Arthur’s Court (1982-2005), White Water Landing (1982-2005), Demon Drop (1983-2009), Avalanche Run (1985-1989), Berenstain Bear Country (1985-1998), Thunder Canyon (1986), Iron Dragon (1987), Soak City Water Park (1988-2016), Magnum XL-200 (1989), Disaster Transport (1990-2012), Mean Streak (1991-2016), Challenge Park (1992-2016), Snake River Falls (1993-2024), Kiddy Kingdom (1993), Raptor (1994), Cedar Point’s 125th Anniversary Celebration (1995), RipCord (1996-2016), Mantis (1996-2014), Chaos (1997-2011), Swan Boats (1997-2003), Power Tower (1998), Camp Snoopy (1999), Millennium Force (2000), Lighthouse Point (2001), Wicked Twister (2002-2021), Good Time Theatre (2002-2014), Top Thrill Dragster (2003-2021), Castaway Bay Resort (2004), maXair (2005), Skyhawk (2006), Maverick (2007), Planet Snoopy (2008), Shoot the Rapids (2010-2015), WindSeeker (2011), Dinosaurs Alive! On Adventure Island (2012-2018), GateKeeper (2013), New Gemini Midway (2014), Rougarou (2015), Valravn (2016), Cedar Point Shores Waterpark (2017), Steel Vengeance (2018), Forbidden Frontier on Adventure Island (2019-2022), Cedar Point’s 150th Anniversary Celebration (2021), Snake River Expedition (2021-2023), The Boardwalk (2023), Top Thrill 2 (2024), and Siren’s Curse (2025)

All of these new attractions have given Cedar Point something fresh for guests to experience.

Over the past 45 years, Ocean Motion has been a very popular ride at Cedar Point. Guests love this ride!

Riders between 39" and 48" tall must be seated in the center two rows of the ship and sit toward the middle of the row with their supervising companion.

Photos by: Jake Hamons, Andrew Borgen, Russ, Haudan, and Cedar Point.

Last Updated: 05/01/2025