Cedar Point | "GateKeeper" | B&M Wingrider
- Thread starter Hyde
- Start date
I think it looks great. I love the swoopiness. Swooping motions feel great on a wingrider. The highlight is obviously the keyhole misses and the return misses as it flies by them.
Left side looks marginally more thrilling than right...which often seems the case on wingriders. Hmmm.
Left side looks marginally more thrilling than right...which often seems the case on wingriders. Hmmm.
I'll repost the POV videos in full:
Left
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNTzRJbLlmQ[/youtube]
Right
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IIpmx063fjM[/youtube]
It is all looking good to me! I will be intrigued to see if there are any inadvertent near-misses with the way the supports are set up.
Left
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNTzRJbLlmQ[/youtube]
Right
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IIpmx063fjM[/youtube]
It is all looking good to me! I will be intrigued to see if there are any inadvertent near-misses with the way the supports are set up.
^ Exactly. That looked like the highlight of the right side to me. On that same twist, but on the left, it looks as if you are just about to hit the second keyhole tower which also looks like a great near miss element. So, overall I'd say both seats are going to be equally as thrilling. It's just too hard to pick a side based on POV's alone.
My double secret source reports the back-right seat gives a fantastic pull down sensation.
Also as a heads up, follow CF on Twitter and Facebook throughout the long weekend for Cedar Point and GateKeeper coverage.
Here is how our schedule is shaping up:
Thursday, May 9 - GateKeeper Media Day
Friday, May 10 - OSU Day
Sunday, May 12 - CF-Live
Can you say "Dead iPhone battery?" :razz:
Also as a heads up, follow CF on Twitter and Facebook throughout the long weekend for Cedar Point and GateKeeper coverage.
Here is how our schedule is shaping up:
Thursday, May 9 - GateKeeper Media Day
Friday, May 10 - OSU Day
Sunday, May 12 - CF-Live
Can you say "Dead iPhone battery?" :razz:
Antinos
Slut for Spinners
I personally cannot wait to see some hi-res photos of the ride at night. I've noticed they've put tons of white LEDs at the base of many supports, valleys, the towers, and up the lift hill. The towers also look like they have blue lights on top of them. All this combined with the LEDs on the trains will yield some fantastic nightscapes!
^ Great! We will be doing a CF-Live at CP on Sunday - the more the merrier!
http://www.coasterforce.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=35762&p=853148#p853148
Photos are still be moved from camera to computer, expect them shortly for a GateKeeper Media Day Review.
Impromptu Remarks:
-Reviews seemed reasonably positive at the Media Day, including major coaster clubs and groups. Jerry and I rode GateKeeper twice in rows 2 and 3. Airtime was more minimal upfront, with hangtime in the inversions. However, we did not make it to the back row (I'll be riding there tomorrow for OSU Day), which should give some more forces during the ride.
-The surrounding area is absolutely splendid - Cedar Point did a great job opening up the area, creating a better vision horizon of the Cedar Point Beach. Our interview with Jon Decker goes more in-depth on the design process, essentially: WindSeeker began opening the view towards the beach from the park. GateKeeper continues, creating a verandah that better includes the view of Lake Erie. Huge contrasting difference to the hulking structure of Disaster Transport.
http://www.coasterforce.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=35762&p=853148#p853148
Photos are still be moved from camera to computer, expect them shortly for a GateKeeper Media Day Review.
Impromptu Remarks:
-Reviews seemed reasonably positive at the Media Day, including major coaster clubs and groups. Jerry and I rode GateKeeper twice in rows 2 and 3. Airtime was more minimal upfront, with hangtime in the inversions. However, we did not make it to the back row (I'll be riding there tomorrow for OSU Day), which should give some more forces during the ride.
-The surrounding area is absolutely splendid - Cedar Point did a great job opening up the area, creating a better vision horizon of the Cedar Point Beach. Our interview with Jon Decker goes more in-depth on the design process, essentially: WindSeeker began opening the view towards the beach from the park. GateKeeper continues, creating a verandah that better includes the view of Lake Erie. Huge contrasting difference to the hulking structure of Disaster Transport.
Here is our Media Day Report! You can read the original source at: http://www.coasterforce.com/news/1-late ... day-report
Complete set of photos can be found in the original trip report, or on our Facebook page.
Cedar Point unveiled their new 170 ft. tall B&M wing rider to the media and coaster clubs on Thursday, May 9. With the media day slated to start at 4 AM, coaster clubs were up waiting even earlier into the morning for a chance to ride GateKeeper first.
At 9:30 AM, a press briefing was held for comments from Cedar Fair and Cedar Point executives, including: John Hildebrandt, Cedar Point President; Kim Gent, B&M Representative; Rob Decker, Corporate Vice President of Planning and Design for Cedar Fair Entertainment Company; and Matt Ouimet, Cedar Fair CEO. CoasterForce had the opportunity to interview Decker and Ouimet on their involvement with GateKeeper, and what is next for Cedar Point's future. We were also able to record an on-board rider camera (shown below).
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEq7e60tV4g&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]
As for a review on how GateKeeper rides, one word: MASSIVE! Large sweeping turns and inversions give a sense of sweeping speed and large force. Transitions were very smooth, with fun hangtime in the front of the train. The back of the train however gives large positive and negative g-force at the top and bottom of drops. We tried polling enthusiasts and riders on what seat was their favorite - back left or back right - and it honestly came to a draw! This will be the first wing rider for many visiting guests, and should offer a great ride for all.
The layout itself is very complementing for the given area, offering a great view of the neighboring lakeshore and entrance. We believed the pacing of the ride was very well done, with some particularly good forces through inversions. The lift hill is very swift, getting you to the top quickly while offering a great view. The dive drop is a very fun experience, that can feel different from the front to the back of the train. The train really gains speed at the end of the dropping, setting up what could be the best immelmann in the world. Often, good inversions have high positive g-force at the bottom, and just-a-touch of negative g-force at the top. There is definitely a surprise pop of airtime at the top of the immelmann (notice how Hyde wiggles his feet with glee!), which gives a great sensation. The following airtime hill gives some great forces, leading to a LARGE corkscrew inversion. This sets up for the major center piece of the ride, the keyhole inversion. This inversion features dueling towers that dominates the new entrance, with the track performing a barrel roll as it passes through. This is a great inversion, especially sitting on the far-end seats, giving great lateral forces with a close-call pass through each tower. At this point, the ride performs a 180 degree turn via a dive loop with rather strong forces. This loop sits snug next to the picnic pavilion, and should offer a great viewing for resting guests. The returning zero-g roll gives a different sensation than the original barrel roll, taken at a slower pace to offer a bit more hangtime. There is also a surprising "chopper effect" in how close you pass the backside of the towers. The ride concludes with a MCBR and finale helix, leading to a final brake run.
The surrounding area has also been transformed with the addition of GateKeeper. As Rob Decker put it, WindSeeker introduced the idea of creating an open area with emphasis on panoramic lakeshore views. GateKeeper allowed for Cedar Point's creative team to capitalize further on the notion, and expand the lake erie view across the entire Wicked Twister midway. The area has radically changed from a cramped barrage of rides to open panoramas of thrill rides and lakeshore. GateKeeper however still looms over not only the queue area, but across the entire front of the park. By skirting the perimeter, it is best seen from the main midway and parking area.
Overall, GateKeeper is indeed a roller coaster for the masses. While it has very thrilling statistics, GateKeeper can be a more docile ride if you sit towards the front of the train, that gives a greater sensation of flight/soaring. However, the ride can come alive at the back of the train, offering greater g-force through inversions. Every rider should have a seat to match their preference, which can be encouraging for riders who normally shy away from large thrill rides. While there are some roller coasters that look good but ride poor, GateKeeper is not on of those rides. Cedar Point and B&M have a final product to be proud of, that is as thrilling to ride as it is to watch.
Complete set of photos can be found in the original trip report, or on our Facebook page.
Cedar Point unveiled their new 170 ft. tall B&M wing rider to the media and coaster clubs on Thursday, May 9. With the media day slated to start at 4 AM, coaster clubs were up waiting even earlier into the morning for a chance to ride GateKeeper first.
At 9:30 AM, a press briefing was held for comments from Cedar Fair and Cedar Point executives, including: John Hildebrandt, Cedar Point President; Kim Gent, B&M Representative; Rob Decker, Corporate Vice President of Planning and Design for Cedar Fair Entertainment Company; and Matt Ouimet, Cedar Fair CEO. CoasterForce had the opportunity to interview Decker and Ouimet on their involvement with GateKeeper, and what is next for Cedar Point's future. We were also able to record an on-board rider camera (shown below).
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEq7e60tV4g&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]
As for a review on how GateKeeper rides, one word: MASSIVE! Large sweeping turns and inversions give a sense of sweeping speed and large force. Transitions were very smooth, with fun hangtime in the front of the train. The back of the train however gives large positive and negative g-force at the top and bottom of drops. We tried polling enthusiasts and riders on what seat was their favorite - back left or back right - and it honestly came to a draw! This will be the first wing rider for many visiting guests, and should offer a great ride for all.
The layout itself is very complementing for the given area, offering a great view of the neighboring lakeshore and entrance. We believed the pacing of the ride was very well done, with some particularly good forces through inversions. The lift hill is very swift, getting you to the top quickly while offering a great view. The dive drop is a very fun experience, that can feel different from the front to the back of the train. The train really gains speed at the end of the dropping, setting up what could be the best immelmann in the world. Often, good inversions have high positive g-force at the bottom, and just-a-touch of negative g-force at the top. There is definitely a surprise pop of airtime at the top of the immelmann (notice how Hyde wiggles his feet with glee!), which gives a great sensation. The following airtime hill gives some great forces, leading to a LARGE corkscrew inversion. This sets up for the major center piece of the ride, the keyhole inversion. This inversion features dueling towers that dominates the new entrance, with the track performing a barrel roll as it passes through. This is a great inversion, especially sitting on the far-end seats, giving great lateral forces with a close-call pass through each tower. At this point, the ride performs a 180 degree turn via a dive loop with rather strong forces. This loop sits snug next to the picnic pavilion, and should offer a great viewing for resting guests. The returning zero-g roll gives a different sensation than the original barrel roll, taken at a slower pace to offer a bit more hangtime. There is also a surprising "chopper effect" in how close you pass the backside of the towers. The ride concludes with a MCBR and finale helix, leading to a final brake run.
The surrounding area has also been transformed with the addition of GateKeeper. As Rob Decker put it, WindSeeker introduced the idea of creating an open area with emphasis on panoramic lakeshore views. GateKeeper allowed for Cedar Point's creative team to capitalize further on the notion, and expand the lake erie view across the entire Wicked Twister midway. The area has radically changed from a cramped barrage of rides to open panoramas of thrill rides and lakeshore. GateKeeper however still looms over not only the queue area, but across the entire front of the park. By skirting the perimeter, it is best seen from the main midway and parking area.
Overall, GateKeeper is indeed a roller coaster for the masses. While it has very thrilling statistics, GateKeeper can be a more docile ride if you sit towards the front of the train, that gives a greater sensation of flight/soaring. However, the ride can come alive at the back of the train, offering greater g-force through inversions. Every rider should have a seat to match their preference, which can be encouraging for riders who normally shy away from large thrill rides. While there are some roller coasters that look good but ride poor, GateKeeper is not on of those rides. Cedar Point and B&M have a final product to be proud of, that is as thrilling to ride as it is to watch.
CookieCoasters
Giga Poster
Great review! really happy that it is such an amazing ride, sounds like it is more intense then the other wing coasters (or at least at the back). Quick question, when i rode raptor at gardaland i noticed that at the back of the train the restraints tightened which made the rest of the ride quite uncomfotrbale, but i never notice it on swarm, did you notice it on gatekeeper?
Intricks
Strata Poster
Re: Cedar Point | "GateKeeper" | B&M Wingrider
Its legit Snoo. I stuck to row 4 (sucks being fat, but still fit), and there are some awesome positive and a few surprise pops of floater.
The second Zero-G just felt weird to me. Halfway through it, there is a feeling of trim, but nothing is there. The ride made me all happy and giggly.
It was awesome to FINALLY meet two of you from here.
Its legit Snoo. I stuck to row 4 (sucks being fat, but still fit), and there are some awesome positive and a few surprise pops of floater.
The second Zero-G just felt weird to me. Halfway through it, there is a feeling of trim, but nothing is there. The ride made me all happy and giggly.
It was awesome to FINALLY meet two of you from here.