GateKeeper (roller coaster) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids GateKeeper |
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GateKeeper train in the giant flat spin element.
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| Cedar Point | |
| Location | Cedar Point |
| Coordinates | 41°28′50″N 82°40′44″W / 41.480582°N 82.679009°W |
| Status | Operating |
| Soft opening date | May 9, 2013 |
| Opening date | May 11, 2013 |
| Cost | $30 million |
| Replaced | Disaster Transport Space Spiral |
| General statistics | |
| Type | Steel – Wing Coaster |
| Manufacturer | Bolliger & Mabillard |
| Model | Wing Coaster |
| Track layout | Out and back |
| Lift/launch system | Chain lift hill |
| Height | 170 ft (52 m) |
| Drop | 164 ft (50 m) |
| Length | 4,164 ft (1,269 m) |
| Speed | 67 mph (108 km/h) |
| Inversions | 6 |
| Duration | 2:40 |
| Capacity | 1,710 riders per hour |
| G-force | 4 |
| Height restriction | 52–78 in (132–198 cm) |
| Trains | 3 trains with 8 cars. Riders are arranged 4 across in a single row for a total of 32 riders per train. |
 Fast Lane Plus only available |
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 Wheelchair accessible |
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| GateKeeper at RCDB | |
GateKeeper is a thrilling steel roller coaster found at Cedar Point amusement park in Sandusky, Ohio. It was designed by a famous company called Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M). GateKeeper was the fifth "Wing Coaster" ever built in the world.
The ride first opened on May 11, 2013. It had the most successful opening weekend in Cedar Point's history! When it opened, GateKeeper had the highest inversion in the world. This was its 170-foot (52 m) "Wing Over Drop." It also broke many records for Wing Coasters, like being the tallest, fastest, and having the longest track and most inversions.
The coaster features a 170-foot (52 m) tall lift hill that goes up at a 40-degree angle. It has a 164-foot (50 m) drop. You'll also go through two special towers with "keyhole elements." The trains pass right through these openings! GateKeeper can reach a top speed of about 67 miles per hour (108 km/h).
Building GateKeeper started in September 2012 and took about eight months. Cedar Point also built a new entrance plaza with the keyhole towers as a main feature. This roller coaster replaced two older rides, Disaster Transport and Space Spiral, which were taken down in 2012. GateKeeper was Cedar Point's first new roller coaster since Maverick opened in 2007. It was also the third B&M coaster at the park, after Raptor (1994) and Mantis (1996). In 2013, GateKeeper was the most popular roller coaster at Cedar Point. It was also ranked 28th among steel roller coasters in a big poll called the Golden Ticket Awards.
Contents
History of GateKeeper
Discussions about building a new roller coaster at Cedar Point began in 2011. The first idea for GateKeeper came up at a big amusement park expo in 2011. On April 24, 2012, the park's CEO, Matt Ouimet, announced that Cedar Point would spend $25 million on new attractions in 2013.
On May 30, 2012, a local newspaper reported that a new Wing Coaster was planned for 2013. This coaster was code-named "CP Alt. Winged." The report said it would set new records for Wing Coasters in drop height, speed, and length. It also mentioned that the ride would have a "Front Gate Statement." This meant it would be a big, impressive feature right at the park's entrance. The plan was for the ride to be 170 feet (52 m) tall. To make space for it, both Disaster Transport and Space Spiral would need to be removed.
As part of the marketing, Cedar Point released clues on their blog. Posters around the park had hints like, "How do you recover from a Disaster?" and "Not even a Jumbo Jet soars like this!" Each poster had a black background with five blue wings, hinting at the ride's logo. On August 3, 2012, Cedar Point started a countdown clock on their Facebook page. It told everyone when the big announcement would happen.
On August 13, 2012, Cedar Point officially announced GateKeeper. The details confirmed the earlier reports. It would be a 170-foot (52 m) tall Wing Coaster made by B&M. At the announcement, a special creature spoke to guests at the park's main entrance. The name GateKeeper was officially registered that same day. Rob Decker, a park official, said, "GateKeeper is truly an innovation in thrills. Every twist, turn and near-miss element was created exclusively for Cedar Point." The total cost for the new coaster was $30 million.
GateKeeper completed its first full test ride on April 4, 2013. Many tests were done before the ride was approved to open. On April 10, Cedar Point held an online auction. People could bid to be among the first 64 riders on GateKeeper. The money raised went to the Cleveland Clinic Children’s Hospital and United Way of Erie County. The media got to ride GateKeeper on May 9, and it opened to the public on May 11.
Building GateKeeper
On July 13, 2012, Cedar Point announced that Disaster Transport and Space Spiral would close. Disaster Transport closed on July 29, 2012, and its demolition began on August 6. Space Spiral closed on August 14, 2012. It was taken down on September 12 by imploding its base.
Construction of GateKeeper started in mid-September. The first concrete foundations, called "footers," were poured on October 2. About 200 footers were dug, each about 6 feet (1.8 m) deep. The first pieces of the track arrived on October 23. Installation of the track and supports began on November 5, starting with the station. The highest point of the lift hill was completed on November 30. By January 7, 2013, about 40% of the ride was built. This included the Wing Over Drop, Immelmann, and Camelback elements.
The first pieces of the two keyhole towers arrived on January 23. The first keyhole tower was put up on January 29. On February 27, 2013, the final piece of GateKeeper was put in place. This was about two weeks ahead of schedule!
Building the coaster took about eight months. Nearly 100 workers from four engineering companies worked on the project. A.A. Boos & Sons did the groundwork, including the footers and concrete. Tony Ravagnani Architects designed and installed the two keyhole towers. Firelands Electric did the electrical work and lighting. The station and gift shop were built by Bert Witte Contractors. S.A. Comunal installed the plumbing and air systems. Lew’s Construction built the park's new entrance plaza. About 12 million pounds (5.4 million kg) of concrete were used for the ride.
Riding GateKeeper
The Entrance and Line
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GateKeeper's entrance area is next to the beach, near one of Wicked Twister's towers. A sculpture with the GateKeeper logo is in the middle of the entrance plaza. The line for the ride runs along the beach, going under the lift hill and the station. Once you are under the station, you can choose which side of the train you want to ride on. GateKeeper also uses the Fast Lane system. This lets visitors buy a wristband to wait in a shorter line.
The Ride Layout
After leaving the station, the train turns 180 degrees to the right. Then, it starts to climb the chain lift hill at a 40-degree angle. When the train reaches the top of the 170-foot (52 m) lift, it enters the first element, called the "Wing Over Drop." The train rotates 180 degrees before dropping 164 feet (50 m) in a half loop. During this drop, the train reaches its top speed of 67 mph (108 km/h). Riders feel about 4 Gs (a measure of force).
After the first drop, the train immediately goes into an Immelmann loop. This loop is almost directly under the lift hill. After the loop, the train turns right into its only camelback hill. Here, riders feel a moment of weightlessness. Next, the train goes through a giant flat spin. This is followed by a "Spiraling Camelback" (zero-g roll). This part features two keyhole points as it passes through two 100-foot (30 m) tall towers.
The train then returns to the ground and goes through an inclined dive loop. This is the point where the roller coaster turns around. Next, the train rotates 360 degrees in an inline twist. This twist also passes the two towers. The train then turns slightly left before entering the mid-course brake run. The train drops to the ground before going up again. It then enters a 360-degree downward helix. Finally, the train goes over a small hill before turning left into the final brake run, which leads back to the station.
GateKeeper's Features
Location in the Park
GateKeeper's entrance and station are located near Wicked Twister, Troika, and maXair. The ride covers about 3.5 acres (1.4 ha) of land. It first runs parallel to Lake Erie. Then, it travels through the parking lot and over the main entrance. It turns around in front of Blue Streak. As it passes through the main entrance plaza, it goes through two 100-foot (30 m) tall towers. These towers form Cedar Point's main entrance gates.
Who Built It?
GateKeeper is a Wing Coaster model made by the Swiss company Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M). It is Cedar Point's third B&M roller coaster. The park also has Raptor, which is an inverted roller coaster, and Rougarou, a floorless roller coaster. GateKeeper was the fifth Wing Coaster in the world. It was the third one built in the United States. The other two were X-Flight at Six Flags Great America and Wild Eagle at Dollywood.
The Trains
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GateKeeper uses three open-air trains. Each train has eight cars, and each car has four seats. Two seats are on each side of the track. Each train can hold 32 riders. The ride can carry about 1,710 riders per hour. Riders are held in place by flexible over-the-shoulder restraints and seat belts. Riders must be between 52 inches (132 cm) and 78 inches (198 cm) tall to ride.
Because the seats are on the side of the track, a special steel arm supports the "wings" where riders sit. The trains are painted in shades of gold. The fourth row of each train has special harnesses for larger passengers. The front of each train looks like the head of a griffin. The griffin's eyes and the outside seats of each row have LED lights. This was a new feature for a Cedar Point roller coaster. The LED lights on the trains recharge while the trains are in the station. Unlike other B&M coasters at Cedar Point, the station floor does not drop. Riders simply climb into their seats.
The Track
GateKeeper's steel track is 4,164 feet (1,269 m) long. The lift hill is about 170 feet (52 m) high. The track is dark blue and light blue, and the supports are white. There are 102 track pieces, and each one weighs about 7,500 pounds (3,400 kg). To make the ride quieter, especially as it passes over the main entrance, the track and supports are filled with sand. The track and supports were made by Clermont Steel Fabricators in Ohio.
Clermont also made the two keyhole towers. Each tower is 100 feet (30 m) tall. The bottom 25 feet (7.6 m) are concrete, and the top 75 feet (23 m) are steel. The original plan was to cover the towers' supports with an outer shell. However, Cedar Point decided to build a steel structure for the keyhole element and supports instead. Each half of the tower weighs about 65,000 pounds (29,000 kg).
GateKeeper's Records
GateKeeper broke several world records when it opened. Among Wing Coasters, it became the longest and fastest. It also had the longest drop and the most inversions. GateKeeper also set a new record for having the highest inversion of any roller coaster in the world. It beat Volcano, The Blast Coaster at Cedar Point's sister park, Kings Dominion. However, the record for the highest inversion was later broken by Steel Curtain in 2019.
