GateKeeper

Roller coaster in the United States
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GateKeeper
Cedar Point
Location Sandusky, Ohio, USA
Coordinates 41°28′51″N 82°40′45″W / 41.480909°N 82.679177°W / 41.480909; -82.679177
Status Operating since May 11, 2013
Cost $25,000,000
Rider height
  • Minimum: 52 inch
  • Maximum: 78 inch
Replaced Disaster Transport
Space Spiral
Statistics
Manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard
Product Wing Coaster
Type Steel - Winged
Track layout Out and Back
Riders per train 32
Hourly capacity 1710
Propulsion Chain lift hill
Height 170 feet
Drop 164 feet
Top speed 67 mph
Length 4164 feet
Inversions 6
Duration 2:40
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GateKeeper is a steel winged roller coaster located at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, USA. It is one of the largest Wing Coasters built by Bolliger & Mabillard. Both Disaster Transport and Space Spiral (an Observation Tower) were removed from the park in order to make room for the ride. The attraction opened on May 11, 2013.

History

GateKeeper was officially announced on August 13, 2012,[1] shortly after the demolition of Disaster Transport commenced.

The lead car from one of GateKeeper's trains was on show at Bolliger & Mabillard's IAAPA booth in 2013.

Testing of GateKeeper began in April 2013.[2]

The ride opened on May 11, 2013.[3]

Design

Elements

GateKeeper was the fastest and tallest Bolliger & Mabillard Wing Coaster when it opened. The coaster itself is described as a "front gate statement— a roller coaster that flies overhead, rolls and flies back— highly visible above guests entering the park."

There are two "keyhole" elements — narrow slots which the coaster passes through — which form part of the new entrance to Cedar Point.

Color scheme

Blue and cyan track and white supports.

Trains

3 trains with 8 cars per train. In each car, riders are arranged 4 across in a single row, for a total of 32 riders per train.

Ride Experience

The train is hoisted up a 170 foot lift hill at a 40 degree angle. Once riders crest the top of the lift hill, the train will rotate 180 degrees to the right and the train will fall down the 164 foot drop, reaching speeds of 67 mph. The roller coaster then rolls through a 140 foot adjacent immelmann, and then coasts over a 105 foot foot camelback hill.[4] Followed by a "giant flat spin" and through a zero-g roll—which includes two key-hole towers. At the bottom of the zero-g roll, the train coasts through an inclined dive loop, then through an inline roll adjacent to the keyhole towers. The train continues through a mid-course brake-run, a camelback drop, a 360° helix, a small bunny hop and then into the main brakes.

Incident

On June 12, 2021, the lift chain broke causing a train to become stuck on the lift hill. Riders had to be evacuated via the stairs adjacent to the lift hill.[5] GateKeeper is closed to allow the chain to be replaced. It reopened toward the end of July.[6]

Images

References

  1. ↑ "Cedar Point's Record Breaking Winged Roller Coaster, the GateKeeper, for 2013". Blooloop.
  2. ↑ "Scott And Carol Present - GateKeeper Testing!". NewsPlusNotes.
  3. ↑ Koehl, Jim (2013-05-11). "Gatekeeper opens to the public at Cedar Point". Theme Park Insider. Retrieved 2021-06-04.
  4. ↑ "GateKeeper - CP America's Roller Coast".
  5. ↑ "GateKeeper roller coaster breaks down at Cedar Point". Ohio News Time. 2021-06-14. Retrieved 2021-06-15.
  6. ↑ "Cedar Point". Screamscape. Archived from the original on 2021-07-29. Retrieved 2021-08-02.

External links

Highest inversion on a roller coaster
May 11, 2013 – May 3, 2019
Preceded by
Volcano The Blast Coaster 		Highest inversion on a roller coaster
May 11, 2013 – May 3, 2019 		Succeeded by
Yukon Striker


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Present
Former
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