GateKeeper (roller coaster)
| GateKeeper | |
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GateKeeper train in the giant flat spin element
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| Cedar Point | |
| Coordinates | 41°28′50″N 82°40′44″W / 41.480582°N 82.679009°WCoordinates: 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 | US$25–30 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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GateKeeper at RCDB Pictures of GateKeeper at RCDB |
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GateKeeper is a steel roller coaster located at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio. Designed by Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M), it was the fifth Wing Coaster installation in the world. The ride opened on May 11, 2013, on the most successful opening weekend to date in the park's history. GateKeeper features the highest inversion in the world, with its 170-foot (52 m) Wing Over drop. It has broken several Wing Coaster records, including those for height, speed, track length, drop height and number of inversions. The coaster has a 170 ft (52 m), 40-degree inclined lift hill with a 164 ft (50 m) drop and features two support towers with keyhole elements that the trains travel through. Its top speed is approximately 67 mph (108 km/h).
Construction began in September 2012 and took roughly eight months to complete. The park built a new entrance plaza featuring the keyhole towers as the centerpiece. The roller coaster replaced Disaster Transport and Space Spiral, both demolished during the summer of 2012, bringing Cedar Point back to its former total of 16 roller coasters. It was Cedar Point's first new roller coaster since Maverick debuted in 2007, and the third B&M coaster in the park following Raptor (1994) and Mantis (now Rougarou 1996). In 2013, GateKeeper was the most frequently-ridden roller coaster at Cedar Point, and it ranked 28th among steel roller coasters in the annual Golden Ticket Awards poll from Amusement Today.
Discussions about a new roller coaster began under former Cedar Fair CEO Dick Kinzel in 2011, who credits his successor Matt Ouimet with the project. The first concept of GateKeeper was created at the 2011 International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) Expo. On April 24, 2012, Ouimet said at an Erie County Chamber of Commerce meeting that there would be $25 million in capital expenditures for Cedar Point in 2013. On May 30, 2012, the Sandusky Register reported that a memo written by Ouimet to Cedar Fair's board of directors on February 15, 2012, stated that a new Wing Coaster code-named "CP Alt. Winged" would be introduced in 2013. It also mentioned that the new coaster would set Wing Coaster records for drop, speed, and length, and that it would have a "Front Gate Statement" explained as a strong presence at the entrance to the park. In addition to traveling over the front entrance, part of the track would also cross over portions of the parking lot. Details claimed the ride would be 170 feet (52 m) high, and that both Disaster Transport and Space Spiral would need to be removed to accommodate the new attraction.
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