Industry Announcements: Cedar Point Announces maXair

Posted at 11:56 AM EST (1656 GMT)

Dec. 1st, 2004 -- SANDUSKY, Ohio, – Cedar Point today announced plans to swing and spin into its 2005 season when the famed amusement park/resort debuts a massive high-energy, high-capacity thrill ride. Named maXair, this new mega-thriller will give Cedar Point a total of 68 rides – which is more than any other place on the planet – and will be the centerpiece of a $10 million capital investment project for the park’s upcoming season.

Riders on the super-sized maXair will sit in outward-facing suspended seats that form a giant circle of 50 passengers; their legs will dangle freely, and each seat will have an individual shoulder restraint and restraining belt. maXair will let loose by swinging riders back and forth in a seemingly out of control pendulum motion while spinning in a clockwise rotation and reaching a maximum speed of 70 mph. When the pendulum movement reaches its peak, riders will be 140 feet high and experience that coveted feeling of “airtime” – similar to the sensation of weightlessness that is popular for thrill-seekers on roller coasters. The dynamic return drop will generate varying forces on riders depending on their specific position through the clockwise rotation, creating a different ride experience each time.

“Cedar Point has a global reputation for providing the best amusement rides the world has to offer, and maXair will give our guests yet another choice when it comes to the ultimate in thrill-riding,” says Daniel Keller, vice president and general manager of Cedar Point. “maXair will be a sensory overload machine packed with plenty of action. One moment riders will be upside down and the next moment they will be diving face-first toward the ground. It will be as much fun to watch as it will be to ride.”

Located off Cedar Point’s Main Midway near Kiddy Kingdom and the Space Spiral, maXair will have a “retro” color scheme of orange, blue, yellow and red.

maXair will have a capacity of 1,000 riders per hour and a ride time of 2 minutes and 30 seconds. Designed and manufactured by the prominent amusement ride firm, Huss of Bremen, Germany, this type of thrill ride is a rare concept in the amusement industry with only a handful in existence in the world. Guests must be at least 52 inches tall to ride maXair.

A section of Cedar Point’s games will be relocated to make room for maXair’s impressive 84-foot-tall structure creating a new plaza of games on the Main Midway stretching from the Ice Cream Parlor to Johnny Rockets. In addition, the park’s existing games area on the Main Midway will receive a major renovation with new pageantry and a significant marquee and lighting package.

“We have made a concentrated effort to revitalize this area of the park in recent years with the addition of rides and attractions,” says Keller. “maXair and the refurbished games midway will be key elements to the overall appeal of this portion of the park – providing even more excitement and entertainment for our guests.”

Site clearing and construction for maXair is currently under way. Thrill-seekers can strap in for their first maXair ride on Cedar Point’s Opening Day of the 2005 season, Saturday, May 7. In the meantime, guests can log on to cedarpoint.com for frequent updates on this new brand of thrill ride coming to Cedar Point.

For more information about Cedar Point, log on to cedarpoint.com.