Rougarou

Roller coaster in the United States
Watch the on-ride POV
Rougarou
Cedar Point
Location Sandusky, Ohio, USA
Coordinates 41°28′58″N 82°41′12″W / 41.482758°N 82.686774°W / 41.482758; -82.686774
Park section Millennium Midway
Status Operating since May 11, 1996
Cost $12,000,000 USD
Rider height
  • Minimum: 54 inch
  • Maximum: 78 inch
Statistics
Manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard
Product Stand-Up Coaster
Designer / calculations Ing.-Büro Stengel GmbH
Type Steel - Floorless
Hourly capacity 1,800
Propulsion Chain lift hill
Height 145 feet
Drop 137 feet
Top speed 60 mph
Length 3900 feet
Inversions 4
Drop angle 52°
Duration 2:30
Rolling stock
Manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard
(replaced 2013)
Riders per train 32
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Rougarou is a steel Floorless Coaster located at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, USA. Formerly known as Mantis, it was a Stand-up model originally, built by Bolliger & Mabillard. When it first opened in 1996, it set several stand-up roller coaster records, including height, speed, length, and inversions. All of those records were later beaten by Chang at Kentucky Kingdom, which were then surpassed by Riddler's Revenge at Six Flags Magic Mountain. The ride also includes the world's first inclined loop.

History

Mantis was officially announced on September 8, 1995, when stand-up coasters were quite popular. The ride was originally to be named Banshee, but this was changed quickly when the park realized the negative connotations of the word.[1] The name Banshee was used for the 2014 inverted coaster Banshee at Kings Island, however.[2]

A media day was held on May 9, 1996 with Mantis opening to the public on the first day of the season, May 11.[3] It became the world's tallest, fastest, and longest stand-up coaster, and featured the most inversions. The first ride to feature an inclined loop, it was the second Bolliger & Mabillard coaster at Cedar Point, following Raptor. All of the coaster's records were later taken by Kentucky Kingdom's Chang (now Green Lantern).

In 1997, trim brakes were added to the first drop.

On September 2, 2014, it was announced that Mantis would be "squashed" on October 19.[4] The ride was considered by some to be rough and uncomfortable.[5] Later that month on September 18, it was announced that the ride would be converted into a floorless coaster and renamed Rougarou.[6]

As part of its transformation, Mantis was repainted by Baynum Solutions. The color scheme was changed from red and yellow track with blue supports to orange with turquoise supports.[7] The ride reopened on May 9, 2015.[8]

Design

Elements

Color scheme

Red track and blue supports, used to be orange track and turquoise 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. As part of its transformation into Rougarou, the roller coaster received new trains. The front section of a former train was donated to the National Roller Coaster Museum. Portions of the trains were retained for spare parts while the rest was scrapped.[9]

Etymology

A Rougarou is a French werewolf-type monster from myth that lurks in swamps.

Images

References

  1. "Cedar Point plans most costly coaster ever". News Herald. September 9, 1995. p. 1. Retrieved January 20, 2022.
  2. "Kings Island unveils plans for world record-breaking coaster Banshee". USA Today.
  3. "'Mantis' debuts at Cedar Point". The News-Messenger. May 10, 1996. p. 1. Retrieved January 24, 2021.
  4. "Cedar Point to 'squash' Mantis roller coaster - News-Herald".
  5. Clarke, Alex. "Squashing the Mantis". The Observer.
  6. "145-foot-high Rougarou will replace the Mantis, the company announces".
  7. Coaster painters have close brush with ‘Rougarou’ - The Blade
  8. "Cedar Point's new roller coaster Rougarou rises in place of Mantis".
  9. Cedar Point removes Mantis coaster trains from attraction - Ohio.com

External links

The categories Rougarou and Mantis contain additional media.

 Mantis

  • Rougarou on the Roller Coaster DataBase.
Tallest vertical loop
1996 - April 4, 1997
Preceded by
Dragon Khan
Tallest vertical loop
1996 - April 4, 1997
Succeeded by
Chang


Articles on Cedar Point