“When looking for stuff to do this weekend for a Halloween thrill, you can pick from some obvious choices like haunted houses, parties and Kent. But one might not be so obvious: an amusement park. Northeast Ohioans are blessed to have Cedar Point nearby. Cedar Point can definitely provide some thrills, if you’re looking for them.”
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When looking for stuff to do this weekend for a Halloween thrill, you can pick from some obvious choices like haunted houses, parties and Kent.

But one might not be so obvious: an amusement park.

Northeast Ohioans are blessed to have Cedar Point nearby. Cedar Point can definitely provide some thrills, if you’re looking for them.

It counts 17 roller coasters among its rides, making it the top roller-coaster amusement park in the world.

Of those, some are insanely exciting. The Magnum XL-200, considered the best steel roller coaster in the world, features hills that top 200 feet and a speed of 72 mph.

You wouldn’t want to ignore the wooden Mean Streak, which hits 65 mph and reaches a height of 161 feet.

Then there’s Millenium Force, a coaster that will have riders screaming for a long time. It moves 92 mph along a track that totals more than 6,500 feet.

Of course, there is the Top Thrill Dragster, which was the fastest roller coaster in the world.

It was, that is, until it was bumped out of first place by … the Kingda Ka.

The Kingda Ka might not be around the corner, but it’s not a million miles away, either.

However, for those seeking a thrill that neither of those two could provide, strap in and drive about 500 miles to Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey.

That amusement park boasts the biggest and fastest roller coaster in the world.

In the world.

The Kingda Ka propels riders 456 feet into the air. And that’s after going 128 mph.

After being strapped in, the car moves forward out of the docking station. You sit there for about a minute, anticipating what’s to come.

The car rolls back ever so slightly. It’s hard to explain what happens next.

But as the Six Flags Web site explains, you are propelled up to 128 mph in under four seconds and ripped up a 45-story hill (think four polymer science buildings or three Bulger Halls atop each other) before screaming down the other side, in a 270-degree spiral.

They say that you experience weightlessness.

Of course, the ride is over in less than a minute so it is difficult to explain the experience in great detail to people who have not been on the most amazing thrill ride in the world.

Six Flags Great Adventure might not be close by, but it is less than 500 miles away, which easily makes it road trip-worthy.

You’ve made it through mid-terms so maybe you should reward yourself. But you probably shouldn’t drive straight home from the park. You will be whooped by the end of the day, which could potentially last 13 hours.

One problem, though. After riding the Kingda Ka, nothing else is good enough. The rest of the rides, as scream-inducing as they might be, will seem like child’s play after this thrill.

Kingda Ka has the largest drop of all roller coasters, 18 feet more than Cedar Point’s Top Thrill Dragster. Its 456-foot height is 36 feet taller than the Dragster, too. Kingda Ka is also eight miles per hour faster than the Dragster.

Of course, if 500 miles is too long of a road trip, try Kings Island, which is but a 200-mile jaunt to the south. There, you can ride The Beast, the world’s longest wooden coaster. It only goes a mild 60 mph, but it does go for a mile and a half. It is widely considered the best wooden roller coaster in the world.

The Beast’s progeny, Son of Beast, is the tallest and fastest wooden coaster on the planet.

No matter what, you’ll have a screaming good time.

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” #1.1361615:3225294022.jpg:20071025_millenium.jpg:The Millenium Force at Cedar Point is a long, fast ride through the park.:MCT”