American Coaster Enthusiasts just made Corkscrew a planning target for mid-September at Cedar Point. The club recognized the 1976 Arrow steel coaster as an ACE Roller Coaster Landmark and set the Landmark plaque presentation for September 12, 2026 during Coasterpalooza.
If Corkscrew is already on your Sandusky list, that date is the clean window to ride the newly designated landmark while the plaque ceremony and ACE event traffic reshape the midday queue.
- Designation: Corkscrew named an ACE Roller Coaster Landmark.
- Plaque date: September 12, 2026 at Cedar Point.
- Host event: ACE Eastern Great Lakes Coasterpalooza.
- Park peers: Magnum XL-200 and Blue Streak already hold ACE Landmark status.
- Ride status: Corkscrew remains a regular operating coaster on open park days.
What ACE actually announced
On August 10, 2026, the official American Coaster Enthusiasts account stated that ACE is proud to recognize Corkscrew at Cedar Point as an ACE Roller Coaster Landmark. The same post fixed the plaque presentation for September 12 during the ACE Eastern Great Lakes Coasterpalooza event and tagged Cedar Point.
That is the primary traveler fact. The designation is real, the ceremony date is fixed, and the host event is named. ACE did not announce a temporary closure of Corkscrew for the plaque, a rebuild, or a new ticket product tied only to Landmark status.
ACE created the Roller Coaster Landmark program in 2000 to mark rides of historical significance and present a permanent historical marker parks can display near the coaster. The club’s public ACE Coaster Landmarks directory still shows Magnum XL-200 and Blue Streak for Cedar Point among the designated list, so Corkscrew is the new third park landmark in this announcement stream rather than a restatement of those older plaques.
Why Corkscrew earned the attention
Cedar Point’s own Corkscrew attraction page still sells the ride as a midway icon with blue track, white supports, and red trains that echo the U.S. Bicentennial year it opened. The park credits Corkscrew as the first coaster in the world to feature three inversions when it debuted in 1976, built by Arrow Development.
That history is why ACE’s Landmark language lands with enthusiasts and casual riders in different ways. Enthusiasts hear preservation and historical recognition. Families walking the midway hear a reason to stop under the double corkscrew instead of treating the ride as only the short, old coaster between bigger steel.
Do not confuse this Corkscrew with the separately listed ACE Landmark Corkscrew at Silverwood Theme Park in Idaho. Same Arrow family, different park, different plaque stream. Cedar Point’s announcement is about the Sandusky coaster only.
How to plan a September 12 visit around the plaque
Treat September 12 as a normal Cedar Point operating day first, then layer the ACE event on top. Corkscrew should still board park guests on open days unless Cedar Point posts a separate temporary hold for the ceremony itself. Watch park alerts that morning for any short ride stop tied to the plaque presentation.
ACE Coasterpalooza is an enthusiast day program, not a public ticket that every guest must buy. Registered ACE attendees get the scheduled club experiences. Ordinary ticketed guests still enter with a valid park ticket, pass, or promo and can ride Corkscrew if the coaster is open and they meet the posted height rule.
Deep Arrival’s Cedar Point planning guide remains the base layer for Fast Lane math, midday routing, and which coasters cluster near the Corkscrew block of the park. Pair that with the live Cedar Point height requirements list before you promise the ride to a child under the posted minimum.
Corkscrew’s listed minimum on the park page is 48 inches. That is high enough that some grade-school riders clear Magnum-adjacent thrills elsewhere in the park but still need a recheck here. Confirm the child against the official board at the entrance, not only a memory of last year’s height stick.
How the third landmark changes a Sandusky day plan
Cedar Point already carried two ACE Landmarks in the public directory: Magnum XL-200 and Blue Streak. Adding Corkscrew creates a three-stop historical circuit for guests who care about the plaques and the rides that earned them.
A practical loop is Blue Streak early for wooden-coaster capacity, Magnum when the beachside line is shorter, and Corkscrew when you are already on the central midway and want the inversions without a long walk to the back of the park. The Landmark label does not change dispatch speed, but it does change how many people may detour for a photo at the marker after September 12.
If you are building a HalloWeekends trip later in September or October, this plaque day is an earlier reason to visit while the park is still in late-summer operating shape. Deep Arrival already covered the new Diablo haunt packaging for HalloWeekends 2026, which is a separate ticketed-night stream and should not be merged with the ACE ceremony.
What this designation is not
Landmark status is not a guarantee that Corkscrew will operate forever, and it is not a Six Flags rebuild announcement. ACE’s program recognizes historical significance and installs a marker. Parks still control maintenance calendars, seasonal closures, and capital plans.
It is also not a free-admission event for the whole park. Coasterpalooza registration, park tickets, and any temporary queue holds are separate decisions. Do not assume the plaque ceremony includes public seating, a meet-and-greet, or extended night hours beyond whatever Cedar Point already posts for that Saturday.
Passholders shopping mid-September value should still compare current Bring-a-Friend and season-pass promotions on their own terms. Deep Arrival’s recent Bring-a-Friend two-for-50 coverage is a pricing stream with a different deadline and should not be read as part of the ACE Landmark announcement.
| If you… | What to do |
|---|---|
| Want the plaque day atmosphere | Plan a Cedar Point visit for Saturday, September 12, 2026 and ride Corkscrew that day. |
| Only care about riding Corkscrew once | Any open park day works; Landmark status does not require the ceremony. |
| Travel with children near 48 inches | Recheck the official height board at Corkscrew before promising the ride. |
| Are an ACE member chasing club extras | Register for Coasterpalooza through ACE; park admission is still separate. |
| Already booked HalloWeekends only | Keep the haunt nights; add Sept 12 only if you want the Landmark ceremony window. |
- Calendar: Mark September 12, 2026 if the plaque presentation is part of your reason to go.
- Routing: Add Corkscrew to the Magnum and Blue Streak historical circuit after the marker is up.
- Expectations: Treat ACE designation as recognition, not a rebuild or permanent-operation promise.
- Tickets: Buy a normal park ticket or use a pass; Coasterpalooza is a separate club program.
- Morning check: Confirm Corkscrew is listed open before you walk mid-park for the ceremony crowd.
The practical move is simple. If September 12 already fits a Lake Erie weekend, make Corkscrew a deliberate stop and give yourself time for a plaque photo after the presentation window. If your only goal is one last Arrow inversion before HalloWeekends, any open day still works, and the Landmark label is bonus context rather than a deadline.
When is the Corkscrew ACE Landmark plaque presented?
American Coaster Enthusiasts set the plaque presentation for September 12, 2026 during Coasterpalooza at Cedar Point.
Is Corkscrew closing for the ceremony?
ACE’s announcement designates the coaster and schedules the plaque. It does not announce a multi-day closure. Check Cedar Point’s day-of operating list for any short temporary hold.
Which other Cedar Point coasters already have ACE Landmarks?
ACE’s public landmarks directory already lists Magnum XL-200 and Blue Streak for Cedar Point. Corkscrew is the newly announced third designation in this stream.
Do I need an ACE membership to ride Corkscrew on September 12?
No. Park guests with valid admission can ride when the coaster is open. ACE registration is for Coasterpalooza club programming, not for ordinary ride access.
What is Corkscrew’s height requirement?
Cedar Point lists a 48-inch minimum on the official Corkscrew attraction page. Confirm at the ride entrance on the day you visit.
