GateKeeper

So I know its not a book but, because we were able to attend Media Day I feel the need to review. Please check out some of the facts then watch the video below we had an awesome time, and I hope to be doing more reviews of this sort soon as well as more book reviews of course!

GateKeeper is my new favorite roller coaster, I found it to be a perfect amount of intensity and it really is a different ride in every seat as I can say officially since I was able to ride it 10 times in a different seat every time. It is manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard (B & M), Monthey, Switzerland who also is the manufacturer of several other great rides such as Raptor and Mantis also at Cedar Point, Kumba at Busch Gardens Tampa, Hydra at Dorney, X-Flight at Six Flags Great America, Behemoth at Canada's Wonderland, Incredible Hulk at Universal Studios Islands of Adventure, as well as several others.

Located at the front of the park, GateKeeper, forever changes the landscape of the Cedar Point Peninsula.
Cedar Point’s first wing roller coaster reaches new heights in many ways. The ride sets three world records for the tallest drop, longest track and most inversions of any wing coaster on the planet. A state-of-the-art control center is at the heart of operations, and energy-efficient LED lighting illuminates the trains. Aside from the screams of excitement, it is one of the quietest roller coasters ever built because the track is filled with sand. Using all the latest technology, GateKeeper has set new standards in the amusement industry.

The ride layout is specially designed for Cedar Point, featuring a track that dramatically flies above the main entrance of the park, passing over arriving guests with rolling flyover maneuvers – twice, sliding by buildings and narrowly slotting through keyhole towers for near-miss excitement.  Elements of the ride include:

• Wing Over Drop – Once riders crest the top of the lift hill, the coaster train rotates 180 degrees to the right, turning riders upside down before plummeting toward the ground at speeds of more than 65 mph!  
• Immelmann – a maneuver through which riders enter a half loop, go through a half twist and curve out in the opposite direction from which they came
• Camelback – riders fly over a giant, 105-foot-tall camelback hill filled with “airtime!”
• Giant Flat Spin – a hair-raising 360-degree flip that provides two different ride experiences for guests on each side of the train
• Zero-G-Roll – a flying element that takes riders through two support towers that now dominate Cedar Point’s new Main Entrance
• Inclined Dive Loop – a tight, 180-degree turnaround that pushes riders through an overbanked turn and rockets them back towards the station
• 360° In-Line-Roll – an element that takes riders extremely close to two massive keyhole towers while flying over guests entering the park below
• Camelback Drop – a quick drop that propels the train and its guests through the rides final thrilling element, the spiral
• Spiral – GateKeeper’s track rotates a wicked 360 degrees before bringing the coasters train back to the ride station

Statistics:

•  Length: 4,164 feet 
•  Lift Height: 170 feet
•  Vertical Drop: 164 feet
•  Max Speed: 67 mph
•  Approximate Capacity: 1710 riders/hour 
•  Vehicles: 3 Trains with 32 seats each 

Here is what some of the Executives at Cedar Point had to say about it:
            “Gatekeeper is the next in the line of scream machines and was created to dial up the fear factor by placing seats out onto an outrigger support, leaving your feet to dangle with nothing above you or nothing below you. This is a liberating moment for the hard core rider to not have the track in the way of your view, but a frightening and vulnerable appearing position for many.
One of the tricks of the trade is in knowing your audience and using their innate fear to generate excitement for the roller coaster rider. Fear is a very powerful emotion. Many guests come to our park to ride attractions as a form of escapism by challenging their fears while riding our super machines and record breaking roller coasters.”

-Rob Decker, corporate vice president of planning and

 design for Cedar Fair, chief architect for the ride

          “GateKeeper is unlike anything our guests have experienced before.  It’s innovative thrills, like those our visitors will experience on GateKeeper, that keep them coming back year after year, earning us the honor of ‘Best Amusement Park in the World.’”

-John Hildebrandt, vice president and

 general manager for Cedar Point

          “This coaster is amazing and will give our guests so many thrills, on many different levels. From the amazing view of Lake Erie to the twists and turns of going through the keyholes, it has something for every thrillseeker!”

-Colleen Murphy, director of park 

attractions, Cedar Point

-Finally here is the video of our ride.

Hope you all love it! 

-Cris