Magnum XL-200 Hyper Coaster: A Terror-Serving Historical Landmark Even After 33 Years

The year is 1989, and one of America's oldest amusement parks, Cedar Point, debuts its Magnum XL-200 ride. Until that point, the words hyper coaster didn't even exist in the design books, so it was coined the "World's First Hyper Coaster," which is basically any rollercoaster that tops the scales with a height of more than 200 feet (61 meters). And it wasn't just the tallest either: it was also the fastest and steepest at the time, with the Guinness Book of World Records serving up these titles.

However, that was then, and this is now, but the fact of the matter is that this coaster is still going strong, built like a friggin brick, and still yanking screams of delight from the bellies of its riders. Naturally, it deserves a closer look. Since $85 (€87 at current exchange rates) is all you need to enter Cedar Point, you might as well get to know what you can enjoy while you're out there.

Now, I started this article by talking about how this baby is considered the first of its kind, and while that's true, there's so much more going on. For example, from 1998 to 2000, this sucker held first place as the "Top Steel Roller Coaster" in the world (Golden Ticket Awards) and was later designated as a "Roller Coaster Landmark."

Considering this bugger celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2019, you can understand why the titles. Heck, I've covered hyper coasters before, and none have had the same prestige as the XL-200.

However, I can fully understand that sitting here reading an article about this amusement park ride isn't the best way to appreciate all that the XL-200 has to offer, and it seems that the folks at Cedar point know this.

So, through the magic of YouTube, you're able to take a journey through all 2 minutes and 45 seconds of this record-setting ride. There's just one downside: the lift chain will be pulling you up that first hill for around a minute.

Nonetheless, climbing a hill for one minute, overlooking the park and Lake Erie, and suddenly seeing just what 205 feet (62 meters) off the ground looks like before being dropped into a gut-wrenching first hill. With speeds up to 72 mph (116 kph), you will seemingly traverse the entire width of the park in a matter of seconds before being whipped back around through a G-inducing "pretzel turnaround." The rest is about a few ups and down, what I like to call a false finish as the coaster nearly stops, and finally reaching the starting point of it all.

The result? Over 30 years of operation with only one minor incident in all that time. A train rammed another train at speeds of up to 10 mph (16 kph), incurring an asthma attack in one person and another two, with little medical attention required. The cause? Something about moisture on the track due to a storm earlier that day. I think it's safe to say that you, too, can take a shot on this bugger. I feel that a new title can be given to the Magnum XL-200, "World's Safest Hyper Coaster." Enjoy the adrenaline!