The Cyclone
1929-1951

Cedar Point has always been an innovator in the amusement park industry. Cedar Point is currently the second oldest amusement park in the United States. It started as a small resort and has grown over the years. 

In 1910 Cedar Point opened The Racer on the Beach. The ride was a small 46-foot-tall racing roller coaster. Riders would race around its track. 

The ride really wasn't anything special but, in 1910 The Racer was the most thrilling roller coaster at Cedar Point. The Racer closed at the end of the 1928 season and was removed from Cedar Point. 

The Racer was replaced by the Cyclone in 1928! The Cyclone was the biggest roller coaster Cedar Point had built at that time. The ride was scientifically built for speed. It truly was a special roller coaster. 

Cyclone Ride Facts:
Opened: 1929
Closed: 1951
Height: 72 feet
Drop: 76 feet
Speed: 60 MPH
Inversions: 0
Type: Wooden roller coaster
Designer: Harry G. Traver 
Number of Coaster in 1929: 3

The Cyclone had a twister layout. In 1929 the roller coaster was considered to be massive. By todays standards the ride would seam tame. 

Shortly after The Cyclone opened the Great Depression would happen. The depression was a very hard time for Cedar Point. Over the years the park didn't have the money for the general maintenance it desperately needed. 

The Cyclone was a very popular roller coaster for Cedar Point. It was well liked, but it sure was know to be rough. Due to the depression, the ride wold fall into disrepair.  In 1946 the ride was completely renovated by Andy Vettel. The renovation was considered a failure because it was still rough and the ride wasn't profitable. 

In May of 1950 Cedar Point put the ride up for sale. It was never sold and closed in 1951. The ride was torn down in the Spiring of 1952 and wouldn't be replaced for a long time. 

The Cyclone ride site would remain empty until Jumbo Jet would open on the location in 1972. Jumbo Jet was an unique roller coaster because it featured a spiral lift hill. The ride was know to have lots of maintenance issues and was sold at the end of the 1978 season. 

In 1979 Cedar Point's new WildCat roller coaster would open on the site. It would remain there until it was relocated to the Million Dollar Midway in 1985. 

In 1985 Avalanche Run opened on the site of the Cyclone. The ride was the first Bobsled roller coaster in the midwest. It was the tallest, longest, and fastest ride of its kind in the world. It was considered boring so it was transformed into Disaster Transport in 1990. Disaster Transport was an indoor roller coaster that took riders on a space adventure. It closed in 2012. 

In 2013 GateKeeper opened. GateKeeper is Cedar Point's massive Wing Coaster! 

Gatekeeper's lift, station, break run, and first 2 inversions are located on the site that once was home to the Cyclone. 

The Cyclone was a very cool roller coaster for Cedar Point. It would launch Cedar Point on the road to become The Roller Coaster Capital of the Wold! The Cyclone was a great ride that was missed when it was taken down. For reference, Blue Streak is 6 feet taller than The Cyclone. 

Photo Credit: Cedar Point, The Lost Coaster, and Jake Hamons

Last Updated: 05/01/2024