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**

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!

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.

Jumbo Jet at Výstaviště Praha in 1991?

So, I was snooping around this morning on the interweb looking for something new to post to thelostcoaster blog and came up with a big fat ZERO (not a thing, not anything, nil, naught/nought; zilch, zip, nada, diddly-squat, squat)!! Do you know how hard it is to find new information when this blog seems to be the authority on Jumbo Jet Roller Coasters? So as much as I try, “I” seem to get in my way. Anywho! Returning to thelostcoaster blog to do some general house keeping, I found 2 very cryptic comments under the post “What WE Know“. The 1st post was simply “Praha 1991 Vystaviste” and the second “Prague Praha 20.05.1991 Vystaviste Holesovice 28.10.1991”. After some time on Google Translation and WikipediA I came up with an interesting conclusion… Let me share… Výstaviště in Praha (Prague) in the suburb of Holešovice is an exhibition ground which is used for exhibitions, concerts and other cultural events.

These photos of Vystaviste, Prague Exhibition Grounds are courtesy of TripAdvisor

The second comment “Prague Praha 20.05.1991 Vystaviste Holesovice 28.10.1991”. Could this mean that Cedar Point’s Jumbo Jet was in Výstaviště Holešovice Prague from May 20th 1991 to October 28th 1991? Let’s not forget what Andre Blunck revealed to us back in 2009 “…it (Jumbo Jet) stood in Sweden in a citypark. After this season Wieland bought the ride and rented it to Prague for a Expo Fair. After the Fair the ride was destroyed in Prague by some kids” (See post “MORE Bits and Pieces Revealed“). More to come…

Cedar Point’s “New World of Fun!”

Our FaceBook friend Jim Hammer is at it again. Jake posted these cool pictures on our FaceBook stream. Here is the cover of the 1972 Cedar Point Pleasure Company Annual Report:

Inside the front cover describes both new attractions for 1972:

A BIG thank-you out to Jake Hammer!

Cedar Point’s Roller Coaster Challenge

The questions is “Can you ride all 5 in one day?”

This newspaper add is from 1977 and challenges you to ride Cedar Point’s big five coasters, Cork Screw, Jumbo Jet, Mine Ride, Wildcat (original) and Blue Streak in one day. If you were one of the first 1,000 to do so each day you would receive a special bonus… A beautiful “High Rollers” sew-on patch if you completed the task.

On June 14, 1977 our facebook friend Jim Hammer completed the roller coaster challenge. Jim said “It wasn’t easy…the lines for the Corkscrew were 1 to 2 hours back in 1977!”. I wish today I could do this challenge, but sadly the Jumbo Jet is no more at Cedar Point. A big thank-you to Jake for posting these pictures on our FaceBook page!

GateKeeper in Jumbo Jet’s spot!

My oh my, how the landscape at Cedar Point has changed since Jumbo Jet left at the end of season in 1978. Now the Space Needle and Disaster Transport are gone and GateKeeper is rising for opening day 2013. I headed over to Cedar Point’s site to see how construction is going. Here is GateKeeper in Jumbo Jet’s spot:

You can see the construction yourself, just head over to Cedar Point and click the link to webcams.

Friend us on FaceBook

You might not know we have a FaceBook page. If you are on FaceBook we want to be one of your FaceBook friends, https://www.facebook.com/thelostcoaster is thelostcoaster’s FaceBook page. Jim Hammer one of our FaceBook friends provided a picture of our beloved Jumbo Jet:
Jim writes “Back in the old days they didn’t tell you not to take pictures on the ride…this is from 1978” Hang on tight Jim, that first hill is a steep one! As we all know 1978 was the last season for the Jumbo Jet at Cedar Point. If you have any pictures of Jumbo Jet, let us know we would love to post em… Let’s Ride!