I first rode Millennium Force a few years ago when I visited the park for the first time with my family. At that time, Millennium Force fervor was in full swing, and many proclaimed it to be the greatest roller coaster on the planet (some still do, and I can understand some people'.s reasoning for that...others not so much, but I digress). Suffice it to say that my first and only ride on MF in the middle of the train that day left me wanting. Yes, the lift and first drop were crazy. Yes, it went very fast. Yes, there was not much airtime, but that'.s ok, because it'.s fast...right? Was I missing something? Perplexed, I chalked up my experience as genuine, and simply allowed MF to sit well outside my Top 10 for the several years since my visit.
Determined to challenge MF once again, I visited CP for a second time this June. This time, I was at the park independently, and I a mind to kick off my day with a front row trip on the coaster that had left my so underwhelmed on my first trip. I had heard great things about the front row on this coaster, and I also wanted to ride it as a challenge to myself and my acrophobia. After waiting less than an hour, I was on my way up the lift hill with another single-rider seated next to me in the front row. The view as we ascended was even better than I remembered, and the coaster as a whole was very impressive. There was surprisingly good air on all 3 of the main hills/drops, particularly the crest of the 2nd hill going out to the island, and the speed was relentless throughout the entire course. Impressed, I contiued my day at the park, arriving back near MF several hours later for a second ride. However, the ride broke down during my time in line, and I decided to bail after waiting for at least 15 minutes for it to get underway again.
I did not find myself back at MF again until near the end of the day, but I got in line once again, this time with the idea in mind that I would try riding in the back row to see how the airtime was. Not only was I surprised to find that the airtime was less impressive in the back (perhaps the only coaster I have been on where this was the case), but I was also far more apprehensive about my 2nd ride in the back than I was about my 1st ride in the front! (I think this was partly due to the breakdown earlier in the day, for whatever bizarre reason.) Regardless, I decided that this was a less-than-optimal way to end my trip (CP marked the 4th and final park on my June ".coaster road trip".). Almost without consciously thinking about it, I decided that I had to ride once more, again in the front row, and that, if at all possible, I needed to ride solo in the row. I have no idea where all of these ideas came from (well, actually, I do, but that'.s another story for another day), but I am eternally glad that they flooded by body at the time that they did, for my final ride on Millennium Force, at dusk and completely by myself in the front row, was one of the best individual ride experiences that I have ever had on a coaster. As I crested the lift hill, I had a splendid view of the sun as it edged beneath the clowds and show out in all its glory over Lake Erie. As I raced through the course, the speed seemed to double in the gathering darkness. As I crested each hill, the airtime was more impressive than it had been all day. And as they took my final on-ride photo of the trip, I roared in triumph, as my ride, my journey, and all the things that matter to me flashed through my being in explosive fashion.
Instantly, I knew that Millennium Force was no longer going to sit well outside my Top 10. And given my 1 ride at the end of that day, I cannot see it leaving anytime soon.<scr
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