2011 in review

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2011 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

The concert hall at the Syndey Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 20,000 times in 2011. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 7 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.

Click here to see the complete report.

Soon to be a Lost… Jet Star 2?

I’ve just received and update on the Jet Star 2 that is located in Lithuania. A friend of thelostcoaster blog by the name of Ignas is telling me that this Jet Star 2 is in disrepair and is in need of being refurbished. Only one of the cars are being used and that the other 2 are being used for parts. Here are some the pictures that Ignas has sent me…
This is just part of the pictures that Ignas sent me, I’ve got lots more to post… Makes you want go to Lithuania to see if you can catch a ride on the Jet Star 2… Let’s Ride!!!!

Silent Cedar Point 1973

I can’t tell you how much I love YouTube… This silent Super 8mm video was posted at the end of January 2011. This has some great footage of what Cedar Point looked like when I visited for the first time in 1974. See the original Shoot the Rapids, log ride, big slide and the Frontier Lift. Be on the look out for the Jumbo Jet at :50 and 12:53:

By the looks of the parking lot it was a busy day at Cedar Point… I kinda wish that Cedar Point was not as famous as it is now. It would be nice to go back to the was Cedar Point was back in the 70′s! Let’s Ride!

Thankful for the Jumbo Jet

I hope your Thanksgiving day was GREAT and you ate to your hearts content…

Years ago my mother had a complete set of plates with a “Blue Willow” pattern on them and we used them a couple of times for Thanksgivings Day. I came across this picture of a Blue Willow Cedar Point plate featuring my favorite ride the Jumbo Jet and thought how thankful I was to have ridden it… Of course there is lots more that I am thankful for, but I will not bore you with the details… Happy Thanksgivings Day, even if I am a little late do to all the food I ate! Lets Ride!

The incredible voice of Paul Frees

I’ve always wondered who voiced those early to mid 80′s commercials for Demon Drop and Gemini and I’ve found the answer Paul Frees, who has done many voices including the narrator for Disney’s Haunted Mansion:

We all know him from the Demon Drop and Gemini commercials that aired on TV and Radio:

Kinda makes you wonder if there were any commercials for Jumbo Jet? I don’t really recall….

Walibi’s Jumbo Jet!

So someone sent me these pictures of Walibi’s Jumbo Jet and I just found them on my hard drive. How’s that? Lost pictures of a lost coaster on my computer? Some may say poetic justice… I just say OOPS and here are the lost pictures:

This Jumbo Jet was at Walibi’s from 1975 to 1991 and I believe that this Jumbo Jet is at Luna Park. Let’s Ride!

Test Drive Jet Star 2 1/2

I found this interesting clip and thought I would post it of this Jet Star 2 (A.K.A. Jet Star 2 1/2) in Furuvik, Sweden. This it the same Jet Star 2 that was at Alton Towers and was called the “Black Hole” and Gerstlauer refurbished and sent to Sweden. Notice how new and clean it looks and also sounds like a brand new coaster.

Now I want to go to Sweden just to ride this Jet Star 2 1/2. I even love the colors. Real close to the color of Cedar Point’s Jumbo Jet and WildCat. Let’s Ride!!!

Unique view of the WildCat!

We all know the story, that Jumbo Jet left Cedar Point at the end of season in 1978. Taking Jumbo Jet’s place was the new WildCat, which we posted some great pictures of back August of 2010. (See “WildCat in Jumbo Jet’s spot!”). In my travels around the web, I found this unique view of WildCat:To give you a point of reference the beach and lake is at the top of the photo. Is summer here YET? Let’s Ride!

Jumbo Jet, You must be this tall to ride!

My first time riding the Jumbo Jet was back in 1974 and I was just tall enough to ride the Jumbo Jet (think dorky lanky kid and that’s me!) Over at PointBuzz there is a discussion going on about ride height signs. (See “CP ride height sign from the 70′s”). In the discussion, Walt has taken one of the pictures that Mike G sent me and has pointed out the “You must be this tall to ride sign” that was in front of the Jumbo Jet queue:
Thanks to Walt over at PointBuzz

Jet Star 2 Elektrėnų atrakcionų parke

Another great video of this Jet Star 2 in Lithuania. I found this clip on YouTube and you may recognize the rider at the very end. Looks to be the same person that sent me all the great photos a few post back. (See Jet Star 2 in Lithuania!)

Here is the second video that Gordonas let me know about; Jet Star 2 Elektrėnų atrakcionų parke test ride before the real ride!

I think that I need to head over and meet Gordonas for a ride… Let’s Ride!