Luna Park’s Jumbo Jet

Some new video on YouTube has surfaced of Luna Park Amigoland’s Jumbo Jet. First up is GFcoaster’s new video:

Finally a night time video from AS13460:

Retrospect… 1974

I started this little blog back in May of 2009 with 1 picture and a simple statement “Hello World… Welcome to The Lost Coaster… More to come..”

This post was almost 35 years after my first and only ride on Cedar Point’s Jumbo Jet. I’ve posted lots of pictures, videos and links of many Jet Star, Jet Star 2 and Jumbo Jet Roller Coasters and I’ve even told you some of what happened on my first trip to the Point!

I have decided to take you back 39 years to my first ride on the Jumbo Jet. I was finishing up my 8th grade at Butler Elementary School (May/June 1974) and it was tradition that the 8th graders would take a class trip before heading to Clear Fork High School for their freshman year. Our trip started at the Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village and then on the way back home we would make a stop at Cedar Point on Sunday. This would be my first weekend away from the parents and could really be myself. Back in those days I was a bit backwards or even awkward and may have been considered a loner.

We arrived at Cedar Point and all ran like dorky kids to get to our 1st ride. Favorites back then were the ones with the smallest waits like the Cadillac Cars, Cedar Creek Mine Ride, The Pirate Ride, Earthquake, Sky Ride, Log Ride, Shoot the Rapids and who could forget the slide? This part may be sad to you, however needs to be told because it is very important to why I rode the Jumbo Jet at all, let me explain…

I found myself abandoned late in the afternoon and decided to head back to the bus, because it was hotter than heck. As I got on the bus the driver asked me if I had ridden all the rides. I said yes, but that really wasn’t the truth. We were all scared to ride the Blue Streak and the Jumbo Jet because of their size. We told ourselves that why would anyone want to wait that long for just one ride? We were lying to ourselves. The bus driver had asked me earlier in the trip if I was “Lester’s Boy”? Oh great, I thought now if I do anything wrong it will get back to my dad!. The drivers name was Bill and he started to asked me if I had rode the Blue Streak and Jumbo Jet. I had not and it was time to come clean with Bill. I told him that no I had not ridden the Blue Streak or Jumbo Jet because no one wanted to ride those with me. The hard truth is that no one wanted ride with me and I had spent most of the day being a 3rd wheel. It’s hard growing up being that kid. I think that Bill kinda knew that and offered to ride the Blue Streak and Jumbo Jet with me and off we went to ride…

First up was the Blue Streak, Cedar Point’s biggest wood roller coaster. I know that we enjoyed the ride, but I don’t really remember a lot about it. As we got off the ride, Bill asked me if I wanted to ride the Jumbo Jet. Unsure I reluctantly said Yes and we headed off to the Jumbo Jet. I did not take this picture, but this is what I saw:

We got in line and I remember how hot it was and thought that we would never get to ride, I would surly die of thrust. Since I was with Bill, who the ride op thought was my dad, they allowed me to ride even though I did not meet the height requirement. We finally got the chance to ride, as the train went up the spiral lift hill, I remember thinking this is what I waited for all this time in the heat for, a leisurely ride?

Little did I know how scared I would be heading down that first hill. I am sure that I thought “Oh Shit, we are gonna die!” The Jumbo Jet did not have any type of restraints and it really wasn’t needed. As you went into that first banked conner you were planted into the seat. Same thing when you came off the second hill. In the middle of the ride was the area that one might call “Meet Yourself” and you couldn’t have gotten out of your seat even if you wanted too.

I remember how fast and loud the ride was and before I knew it the ride was over. My next trip to Cedar Point would be years later in 1984 and by that time the Jumbo Jet was long gone. I want to thank Bill the Safeway Bus driver (where ever he may be) because with out him I would never have ridden Cedar Point’s Jumbo Jet…and this blog would have never happened!

**Note this is my 212th post. Through out the years this number shows up in my life and I consider the numbers 212 as lucky**

One final look…

Things are not looking good for the Jet Star 2 at the amusement park Lithuania o Vaikų Pasaulis Elektrenai. One of our favorite Facebook friends Gordonas left us a post with pictures and video of a recent trip to see his favorite Jet Star 2. Seems that the park will be demolished by years end. Hopes are that Gerstlauer would save the ride. (Perhaps an email to info@gerstlauer-rides.de is in order?) Gerstlauer is the company that refurbished ALton Tower’s “Dark Hole” that was renamed the Rocket (see post The Rocket Up Close!) and is currently at a park called Furuvik. Let’s Join Gordonas for one final look of his lost coaster…

**Update** 7:10am 08/03/2013
I cannot stand by and do nothing, so I’ve done my little part by writing Gerstlauer and asking if there is anything that they can do.. What will you do?

From: thelostcoaster@remove.com
To: info@gerstlauer-rides.de
Subject: Soon to be a lost coaster? / Bald ein verlorener Achterbahn sein?
Date: Sat, 3 Aug 2013 07:03:39 -0400

Greetings Gerstlauer,
I am writing your company because of the work you did refurbishing a Jet Star 2 roller coaster that original was at Alton Towers and is now in Furuvik called the “Rocket”. There is a grave situation for another Jet Star 2 that is SBNO in Lithuania o Vaikų Pasaulis Elektrenai. The news is that this Jet Star 2 and the entire park will be demolished by years end. I think that you will agree with me that this original Jet Star 2 needs to be saved. Is there anything that your company can do? Thanks so much for your time and consideration.

Kind Regards,

Jerry

German Translation: / Deutsch Übersetzung:
Grüße Gerstlauer,
Ich schreibe Ihr Unternehmen wegen der Arbeit, die Sie Instandsetzen eines Jet Star 2 Achterbahn kam das Original in Alton Towers war und ist nun in Furuvik namens “Rakete”. Es ist eine schwere Situation für einen anderen Jet Star 2, die SBNO ist in Litauen o Vaikų Pasaulis Elektrenai. Die Nachricht ist, dass diese Jet Star 2 und der gesamte Park nach Jahren Ende abgerissen werden. Ich denke, dass Sie mir zustimmen, dass diese ursprüngliche Jet Star 2 gespeichert werden muss. Gibt es etwas, dass Ihr Unternehmen tun kann? Vielen Dank für Ihre Zeit und Überlegung.

Mit freundlichen Grüßen,

Jerry

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Jumbo Jet – Let’s Ride!
thelostcoaster@remove
Cell: remove
Blog:
https://thelostcoaster.wordpress.com/
The Lost Coaster:
Jumbo Jet (Jet Star 3)
1972 – 1978 at Cedar Point
1979 – 0000 at Palace PlayLand, Orchard Beach Maine
0000 – 0000 at ???? Touring Europe
0000 – 0000 at Malmö Folkets Park, Sweden
0000 – 0000 at ????, Prague
0000 – 0000 at Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
0000 – 0000 at Minsk, Belarus
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Retrospect…

I got a chance to go to Cedar Point last Wednesday (July, 24th 2013) and the drive to the Point was exciting as ever, I felt as if I was 21 again. I was wondering how I would feel seeing Gatekeeper in this famous corner. Gone was Disaster Transport and the Cedar Point Needle changing the skyline forever. Would I be sick to my stomach thinking how old I had become since the 1st time I rode the Jumbo Jet in 1974? I thought about standing in line to ride the brand new Avalanche Run and waiting for hours for that ride. As I turned left onto the causeway the excitement really started to build. I caught glimpse of the Gatekeeper and then the entire ride with the 2 majestic keyholes. I could not wait to park the car and get in line. Cedar Point did a really nice job with the new entrance to the park. I felt as if I wanted to run, perhaps to beat the others that arrived at the same time, so I could get inline ahead of them. Did I just transform back into that geeky kid from 1974? Our line wait started next to Max Air and continued toward Gatekeeper, then a sharp left toward Wicked Twister and then a sharp turn to the right back towards Gatekeeper. Finally I reached cue lines next to the Gatekeeper. At one point I got this eerie feeling as if I was standing dead center where Jumbo Jet once stood. It took forever to reach the platform, but once we did I knew I must ride the front seat. It took about 1 hour and 10 minutes and finally I was strapping myself in for my 1st ride on Gatekeeper. I must have felt the same way back in 1974 taking my seat on the Jumbo Jet. As we started up the lift hill I thought hang on tight, before I knew it we were heading towards the keyholes. I knew we would make it through the keyholes as riders before me had, none the less the ride was exciting. It was almost over before it started and we arrived back to the platform and I thought Cedar Point had done a good job with Gatekeeper. As I walked away I thought of all of those coasters that came before the Gatekeeper. I saw Jumbo Jet, Wildcat, Avalanche Run and finally Disaster Transport as they stood in this corner made famous, at least in my mind, by the Jumbo Jet. Could todays memory of Gatekeeper be that of some other geeky 14 year old kid who looks back at 50 thinking this is the ride that made them love roller coasters, like the Jumbo Jet did for me?

Lost Jet Star 2?

It’ll be a sad day if this is true… I got some bad news on thelostcoaster Facebook page… regarding this Jet Star 2
Gordonas Kruminas writes “Another one bites the dust. Jet Star 2, a Schwarzkopf coaster at Vaiku Pasaulis is SBNO and will be demolished soon.” Gordonas went on to say “I asked the park owner if they would sell the coaster or demolish it? They said they would demolish the ride as its unlikely someone would want to buy it in this state. If someone is interested then maybe they should talk to the owners as there is a good chance they may consider giving it away.” I hope someone can save this Jet Star 2 from being a lost coaster… A very sad day…

Tornado Jet Star 3 Front Seat POV

This video was posted on 04/08/2013 by ThemeParkReviewTPR on YouTube and is one of the best video’s of a Jumbo Jet / Jet Star 3. It’s been many years since I rode Cedar Point’s Jumbo Jet and I forgot how fast this coaster is…

I just wish a Jumbo Jet was closer… The more I see videos like this, makes me want to go to Minsk Belarus to ride the Jumbo Jet! Let’s ride!

Proof… Jumbo Jet at Palace Playland!

I received a comment on one of my many post from a reader named Pete… “I actually ran the Jumbo Jet in Old Orchard Beach from 1981 through 1984. I don’t think it was there in 1985 as it was replaced with other rides such as go carts. I know I have a photo that I can round up but it consists of 3 photos that when pieced together make up the Jumbo Jet. I remember that in the control booth, there were references written on the wall for cedar Point.” Perhaps MikeG can shed some light… Pete went on to say “The cars were motor driven to the top so if anything failed, we would have to climb a ladder built into the coaster to the car and with a break release bar we would bring it down in reverse 6 inches at a time” So I asked Pete if he could send me these pictures… Look what we have… Proof that Jumbo Jet was in Palace Playland and that it is the one from Cedar Point… Here is the picture all pieced together…

Thanks a bunch Pete…

МТС 10 лет, Дримленд, корпоратив, отдыхаемс. :)

I’ve found another great video of our beloved Jumbo Jet in Minsk Belarus. It’s kind of a point of view, but from the back of the car. A really neat prospective…

Time to start planning a trip to Minsk Belarus… Let’s Ride!

WildCat in Jumbo Jet’s Corner!

I was thinking how I did not get to ride the WildCat my last visit in 2011, then by 2012 the WildCat was removed from the park. I guess that would have been the same feeling someone had when they came back in 1979 and not being able to ride the Jumbo Jet. I came across this great photo of the WildCat from 1980:

Here is the park map from 1980:

You can also catch the WildCat in action from the Space Needle at the end of this video:

I keep wondering if the WildCat was in fact sold for scrap? (See Sold for Scrap) A point to ponder!

Cedar Point Souvenir Plate

Every once in a while I will head over to eBay just to see what Cedar Point collectables are available that feature the Jumbo Jet. Today I found this Cedar Point Plate 1960s Era Sandusky,Ohio Cedar Point amusement park roller coaster plate-VINTAGE!:

Here is a close up:

If you are interested in adding this to your collection, just head over to eBay 1960s Era Sandusky,Ohio Cedar Point amusement park roller coaster plate-VINTAGE!.

I know what your thinking… Really? A dinner plate? Yep, I really like this “pop” art from the 70’s. This is the second time we have featured a plate. Check out the post “Thankful for the Jumbo Jet” from November 27th 2011 that features a “Blue Willow” Jumbo Jet.