GateKeeper (roller coaster)

GateKeeper
GateKeeper's flat spin element
Cedar Point
LocationCedar Point
Park sectionThe Boardwalk
Coordinates41°28′50″N 82°40′44″W / 41.480582°N 82.679009°W / 41.480582; -82.679009
StatusOperating
Soft opening dateMay 9, 2013 (2013-05-09)
Opening dateMay 11, 2013 (2013-05-11)
Cost$30 million
ReplacedDisaster Transport
Space Spiral
General statistics
TypeSteel – Wing Coaster
ManufacturerBolliger & Mabillard
ModelWing Coaster
Track layoutOut and back
Lift/launch systemChain lift hill
Height170 ft (52 m)
Drop164 ft (50 m)
Length4,164 ft (1,269 m)
Speed67 mph (108 km/h)
Inversions6
Duration2:40
Capacity1,710 riders per hour
G-force4[1]
Height restriction52–78 in (132–198 cm)
Trains3 trains with 8 cars. Riders are arranged 4 across in a single row for a total of 32 riders per train.
Fast Lane available
Disabled access Wheelchair accessible
GateKeeper at RCDB

GateKeeper is a steel roller coaster located at Cedar Point amusement park 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 featured the highest inversion in the world when it opened, with its 170-foot (52 m) Wing Over drop. It also broke 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 maximum speed is approximately 67 mph (108 km/h).

Construction began in September 2012 and took roughly eight months to complete. Cedar Point built a new entrance plaza featuring the keyhole towers as the centerpiece. The roller coaster replaced Disaster Transport and Space Spiral, both demolished during mid-2012. 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 (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.

  1. ^ Dyer, Nicole (April 16, 2013). "Wing and A Scare". Popular Science. Bonnier Corporation. Retrieved April 20, 2013.