Park Profile
parkworld-online.com
The coaster swoops over the main gate “ Park mascot Captain Gaga B&M knew
we wanted a signature ride. They delivered. The keyhole
element is a great visual for guests entering the park
John Hildebrandt ” Play Plinko, win a front of line pass! 24
A view from inside the park
station. A 360° in-line roll, camelback drop and spiral complete the ride.
Surprisingly fast
“I was on the first ride back in mid-April,” recalls Hildebrandt. “I rode first row, outside seat. I rode with Jerry Niederhelman, our VP of operations. The first ride is always special. From the ground, the ride does not appear to be particularly fast, unlike some other coasters, but it’s like greased lightning when you’re on it. The speed definitely surprised me. Also, the amount of airtime. The transitions are very smooth – a B&M hallmark – and the elements flow naturally. The keyhole is a sudden surprise. I pulled up my legs and tried to duck at the same time. My favourite element is the Immelmann curve right off the top of the first hill. Wow. I kept looking for the track below me but it‘s way to the left (or right, if you’re on the other side of the train). It looks and feels unnatural not to be over the track. It’s a great experience.”
Riders on the first drop
In spite of a cold and windy winter, construction went smoothly. A lot of local contractors were used on site, and Hildebrandt praises project manager, Augie Lococo, for the excellent job they did on the ride. GateKeeper has already changed the traffic patterns in the park. At opening, guests head down the midway and then make a sharp right turn to get to the ride, making GateKeeper Plaza the new nerve centre of the park. The new coaster has also opened new vistas onto Lake Erie and the beach. The site in fact has some rollercoaster history. Cedar Point’s Cyclone, a Harry Traver-designed woody, stood on this spot in the 1930s and 1940s.
The addition of a major rollercoaster
always is sure to impact a park, and GateKeeper is no exception. “We’re certainly hopeful GateKeeper will give the park an attendance boost,” admits Hildebrandt. “Great coasters do that. It’s why we build them.”
cedarpoint.com
GateKeeper sits right alongside the Lake Erie shore – what a view! AUGUST 2013
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