Pirate Ride
1966-1996

Pirate Ride was one of Cedar Point's famous dark rides. 

Pirate Ride was added to Cedar Point during a time when the park was adding more spectacular rides to its line up. 

The 1950's were a really bad time for Cedar Point. The park was in a failing state due to a lack of business. In 1956 the park was bought and there were plans to close the park and redevelop it as a housing development. After public outcry, and studying the operations for two years, the owners decided to keep the park. Plans were made to turn Cedar Point into "The Disneyland of the Midwest". More spectacular rides would open. In 1961 Satellite Jets, Rotor, and Sky Wheel opened. The Sky Ride would start to take riders 92 feet over the Cedar Point midway in 1962. Western Cruise would also open in 1962. In 1963 Cedar Point would open a very unique ride when Mill Race opened as well as the Cedar Point and Lake Erie Railroad. Blue Streak opened in 1964 as Cedar Point's tallest roller coaster. In 1965 Cedar Point opened the Earthquake and Space Spiral. Space Spiral was the tallest amusement park ride in the world. All these rides were great, but there would be much more to come over the years. 

The big new ride for the 1966 season would be the Pirate Ride. It would be moved to Cedar Point from Freedomland U.S.A. in New York. The ride opened as Buccaneers in 1960. It closed in 1964.

Pirate Ride was a very popular ride at Cedar Point. It was a great ride the entire family could go on together. 

Pirate Ride was located on the Blue Streak midway between Blue Streak and the Turnpike Cars. 

Pirate Ride was built and designed by Arrow Development. Over the years would build several ground breaking rides for Cedar Point including: Cadillac Cars (1958), Turnpike Cars (1959-2014), Mill Race (1963-1993), Shoot-the-rapids (1967-1981), Antique Cars (1969-2021), Cedar Creek Mine Ride (1969), Corkscrew (1976), Gemini (1978), White Water Landing (1982-2005), Iron Dragon (1987), Magnum XL-200 (1989), and Snake River Falls (1993). Arrow would build some of Cedar Point's most popular rides. 

Pirate Ride Facts:
Built: 1960
Opened at Cedar Point: 1966
Type: dark ride
​Manufacturer: Arrow Development
Location: Blue Streak Midway
​Closed: 1996

Ride Experience

Pirate Ride had a huge fake ship outside the ride that guests could explore. It was in a pond to have added effects that you were on the sea. 

Riders would get in line for Pirate Ride in front of the boarding station for the ride. The line consisted of a few short switchbacks. The line would always move pretty fast. 

Riders were loaded into small 4 passenger mini pirate ships to explore the high seas. 

Rides were taken on a journey to see what it was like to live as a pirate! The ride featured sore really cool animatronics for its day. 

The ride featured several different scenes and was just a cool little ride. Pirate Ride was the closest thing to a Disney style dark ride Cedar Point has ever had. 

Once riders arrived at the exit area they would exit the ride. 

Pirate Ride's Legacy

Pirate Ride was a beloved family ride for 30 years at Cedar Point. They ride was one of the few rides that Cedar Point guests would be taken on a journey into a different world. 

Earthquake was removed from Cedar Point at the end of the 1984 season and was replaced with Berenstain Bear Country. This would leave Pirate Ride as Cedar Point's only true dark ride. 

Pirate ride was an extremely popular and beloved ride at Cedar Point. It was a true family ride that the entire family could ride together. 

After Pirate Ride opened in 1966 Cedar Point would add more rides that would round out its collection. It would add: Frontier Town (1967), Shoot-the-rapids (1967-1981), Sky Slide (1968-1991), Cedar Creek Mine Ride (1969), Million Dollar Midway (1970-1984), Frontier Trail (1971), Giant Wheel (1972), Cedar Point Cinema (1975-2001), Corkscrew (1976), Troika (1976), Witches' Wheel (1977-2018), Gemini (1978), Gemini Children's Area (1979-2013), WildCat (1979-2011), Oceana (1980-1997), Ocean Motion(1981), White Water Landing (1982-2005), Demon Drop (1983-2009), Avalanche Run (1985-1989), 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), Raptor (1994), Cedar Point's 125th Anniversary Celebration (1995), and Mantis (1996-2014). All of theses attractions would give Cedar Point something it didn't offer before. 

In the 1990's rumors started to swirl that Pirate Ride would be leaving Cedar Point. 

By the late 1990's Pirate Ride had become extremely outdated. The ride no longer fit in with Cedar Point's vision to become a modern day amusement park with the latest and greatest technology available. Pirate Ride closed at the end of the 1996 season and was removed from Cedar Point. 

The loading station for Pirate Ride was turned into an arcade. It was called Quarter Deck Arcade and it operated for several years. 

The back half of the building that housed the ride became the Park Services Warhorse. To this day you can still look on the floor and see where the ride tracks were. 

Starting in 2008 Cedar Point would use the front of the building as a haunted house for kids. Magical House on Boo Hill is a favorite for kids! 

Last Updated: 02/17/2023

Photos by: David Chapman, Cedar Point, Russ Haudan, Ron Hintze, Jake Hamons, and Bradley Kilgore.