GateKeeper (roller coaster)

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GateKeeper
GateKeeper (roller coaster) logo.png
GateKeeper 004 (9547691513).jpg
GateKeeper's flat spin element
Cedar Point
Location Cedar Point
Park section The Boardwalk
Coordinates 41°28′50″N82°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
Replaced Disaster Transport
Space Spiral
General statistics
Type Steel  – Wing Coaster
Manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard
Model Wing Coaster
Track layout Out and back
Lift/launch system Chain lift hill
Height170 ft (52 m)
Drop164 ft (50 m)
Length4,164 ft (1,269 m)
Speed67 mph (108 km/h)
Inversions 6
Duration2:40
Capacity1,710 riders per hour
G-force 4 [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.
Cedar Fair Fast Lane availibility.svg Fast Lane available
Wheelchair symbol.svg 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).

Contents

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.

History

Planning

Initial planning for a new roller coaster began under former Cedar Fair CEO Dick Kinzel in 2011, who credits his successor Matt Ouimet with the project. [2] The first concept of GateKeeper was showcased at the 2011 International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) Expo. [3] [4] On April 24, 2012, Ouimet said at an Erie County Chamber of Commerce meeting that there would be $25 million in capital expenditures for Cedar Point in 2013. [5] [6] On May 30, 2012, the Sandusky Register reported that a memo written by Ouimet to Cedar Fair's board of directors on February 15, 2012, stated that a new Wing Coaster code-named "CP Alt. Winged" would be introduced in 2013. It also mentioned that the new coaster would set Wing Coaster records for drop, speed, and length and that it would have a "Front Gate Statement" explained as a strong presence at the entrance to the park. In addition to traveling over the front entrance, part of the track would also cross over portions of the parking lot. Details claimed the ride would be 170 feet (52 m) high, and that both Disaster Transport and Space Spiral would need to be removed to accommodate the new attraction. [7]

As part of GateKeeper's marketing campaign, Cedar Point released several teasers on their "OnPoint" blog. [8] Posters scattered throughout the park and on Cedar Point's website included taglines such as, "How do you recover from a Disaster?", "WildCat is no match for this creature" and "Not even a Jumbo Jet soars like this!" Each poster had a black background with five blue wings, hinting at the ride's logo. [9] [10] [11] Annie Zelm, a marketing representative for the park, stated that some of the clues on the website were intended to mislead readers. [12] On August 3, 2012, Cedar Point launched a countdown clock on their Facebook page, letting the public know when the next major announcement was scheduled. The page said, "We can't keep it locked away much longer... Join us outside the Main Gate at 3:30 pm on August 13, where all we've kept hidden will be set free!" [13]

On August 13, 2012, Cedar Point made an official announcement introducing GateKeeper with specifications that confirmed the report leaked previously by Sandusky Register—a 170-foot-tall (52 m) Wing Coaster that would be manufactured by B&M. [14] The announcement included a Halloween Haunt-like creature speaking to guests atop the main gate at the park's main entrance. [15] [16] A trademark application was filed for the name GateKeeper the same day. [17] Rob Decker said, "GateKeeper is truly an innovation in thrills. Every twist, turn and near-miss element was created exclusively for Cedar Point." [18] Following its completion, the total investment in the new coaster was $30 million. [18] [19]

Construction and opening

Banner announcing the August 13, 2012, reveal date for GateKeeper GateKeeper announcement banner.jpg
Banner announcing the August 13, 2012, reveal date for GateKeeper

Cedar Point announced in early July 2012 that the Disaster Transport and Space Spiral attractions were scheduled for removal. [20] Disaster Transport closed on July 29, 2012, with dismantling beginning a week later in the back of the building. [21] Space Spiral closed on August 14, 2012, and was demolished a month later by a controlled explosion that imploded the base and caused the tower to fall toward the beach. [22] Construction of GateKeeper started in mid-September and the first footings were poured on October 2. [23] Approximately 200 footings were dug, each approximately 6 feet (1.8 m) deep. [24] The first pieces of track were delivered on October 23 [24] and the installation of the track and supports, starting with the station, began on November 5. [25] [26] The lift hill was topped off on November 30. [27] A construction update on January 7, 2013, said that approximately 40% of the ride's structure, including the Wing Over Drop, Immelmann and Camelback elements, had been completed. [26] The first pieces of the two keyhole towers arrived on January 23, [28] and the first keyhole tower was erected on January 29. [29] On February 27, 2013, at approximately 2 pm, the final piece of GateKeeper was put in place about two weeks ahead of schedule. [18] [30] [31]

Gatekeeper took approximately eight months to construct, and nearly 100 workers from four engineering companies participated on the project. [27] Sherrod Brown, a United States senator from Ohio, praised Cedar Point for hiring local companies for the job. [32] [33] A.A. Boos & Sons did the groundwork, including the footers and cement pouring. Tony Ravagnani Architects designed, engineered and installed the two keyhole towers. The electrical work, including the lighting, was done by Firelands Electric. The station and gift shop were built by Bert Witte Contractors, S.A. Comunal installed the plumbing and air systems and Lew’s Construction built the park's new entrance plaza. [34] [35] About 12 million pounds (5,400,000 kilograms) of concrete was used for the ride. [24]

Hundreds of tests were conducted prior to inspection and operational approval. The roller coaster completed its first full-circuit ride during testing on April 4, 2013. [36] Less than a week later, Cedar Point hosted an online auction for the first 64 seats on GateKeeper's opening day. The Cleveland Clinic Children's Hospital and United Way of Erie County each had 32 seats available in separate auctions, and proceeds were shared between the organizations. [37] A soft opening media day for GateKeeper was held on May 9, 2013, and the ride opened to the public two days later on May 11. [27] [38]

Ride experience

Entrance and queue

GateKeeper 096 (9550417458).jpg
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GateKeeper's station, gift shop and lift hill (left), and train going through the inclined dive loop element (right)

GateKeeper's entrance plaza is located along the beach near Giant Wheel. A sculpture with the GateKeeper logo is in the center of the plaza. The queue runs parallel to the beach, under the lift hill and station. Once under the station, riders can choose which side of the train they would like to ride. [39] GateKeeper uses the Fast Lane queuing system; visitors can buy a wristband that allows them to wait in a shorter line. [40]

Layout

After leaving the station, the train turns a big 180 degrees to the right and begins to climb the chain lift hill at a 40-degree angle. At the top of the 170-foot (52 m) lift, it immediately enters the first element, an inversion that B&M calls the "Wing Over Drop". The train rotates 180 degrees before descending 164 feet (50 m) in a half loop. During this drop, the ride attains its maximum speed of 67 mph (108 km/h), and riders experience approximately 4 Gs. After exiting the first drop, the train enters an Immelmann loop situated underneath the lift hill. After the loop, the train turns right into its only camelback hill, where riders experience a feeling of weightlessness. Next, the train goes through an oversized corkscrew element that B&M calls a giant flat spin, followed by two keyhole elements slotted through a pair of 100-foot-tall (30 m) towers near the park's entrance. Both keyholes are connected by a zero-g roll inversion. The train then dips low to the ground and enters an inclined dive loop, where the track reaches its turnaround point. Next, the train rotates 360 degrees in an inline twist and passes by the two keyhole towers. The track veers slightly left as the train enters the mid-course brake run. This is followed by another hill that dips low to the ground and a 360-degree downward helix. The train then traverses a small hill before turning left into the final brake run, which leads back into the station. [1] [13] [41] [42]

Characteristics

Location

GateKeeper (right) viewed from the Sky Ride Cedar Point beach view from Sky Ride 2013.jpg
GateKeeper (right) viewed from the Sky Ride

GateKeeper's entrance and station are located near Giant Wheel, Troika and maXair. The ride covers 3.5 acres (1.4 ha); it initially runs parallel to Lake Erie then travels through the parking lot, over the main entrance then turns around in front of Blue Streak. [26] [41] As it passes through the main entrance plaza, it passes through two 100-foot (30 m)-tall towers that form Cedar Point's entrance gates. [43]

Manufacturer

GateKeeper is a Wing Coaster model manufactured by Swiss roller coaster firm Bolliger & Mabillard. It is the third roller coaster at Cedar Point to be manufactured by B&M, after Raptor, an inverted roller coaster, and Rougarou, a floorless roller coaster. [5] GateKeeper was the fifth Wing Coaster in the world and the third one in the United States following X-Flight at Six Flags Great America and Wild Eagle at Dollywood. [15] [44]

Trains

One of GateKeeper's trains exiting the Keyhole element GateKeeper 020 (9547680779).jpg
One of GateKeeper's trains exiting the Keyhole element

GateKeeper operates with three open-air steel and fiberglass trains, each with eight cars of four seats each, with two on each side of the track. Each train holds 32 riders and the ride has a capacity of about 1,710 riders per hour. Riders are restrained by flexible over-the-shoulder restraints and interlocking seat belts and riders are required to be between 52 inches (130 cm) and 78 inches (200 cm) to ride. [1] [36] Because the seats are on the side of the track, a cantilevered steel arm is used to support the wings. [1] The trains are painted Sunset Gold with Zenith, Meteor, and Orion Gold accents. [41] The fourth row of each train has extendable harnesses enabling large passengers to ride. The front of each train is shaped to resemble the head of a griffin. The griffin's eyes and the outside seats of each row incorporate LED lighting, a first for a roller coaster at Cedar Point. [45] [46] The LED lights on the trains recharge while the trains are in the station. [47]

Track

GateKeeper's tubular steel track is 4,164 feet (1,269 m) long and the lift is approximately 170 feet (52 m) high. The track is Azure Blue (dark blue) and Strata Blue (light blue), and the supports are white. [41] There are 102 track pieces, each weighing approximately 7,500 pounds (3,400 kg). [27] [30] Unlike Raptor and Rougarou, the track and supports are filled with sand to reduce the noise as the ride traverses the main entrance. [16] [27] The track and supports were manufactured by Clermont Steel Fabricators in Batavia in southwest Ohio. [48]

Clermont also manufactured the two keyhole towers. Each tower is 100 feet (30 m) tall; 25 feet (7.6 m) is the concrete foundation and 75 feet (23 m) is steel. [28] At the Great Ohio Coaster Club holiday tour, Ed Dangler—Cedar Point’s Director of Maintenance and New Construction—stated the original plan was to have the towers' supports encased by an outer shell; however, Cedar Point went back to B&M, and decided to build a steel structure to serve as the keyhole element and the supports. [49] Each half of the tower weighs about 65,000 pounds (29,000 kg). [28]

Records

The 170-foot (52 m) lift hill of GateKeeper, lit up at night GateKeeper lift hill at night.jpg
The 170-foot (52 m) lift hill of GateKeeper, lit up at night

GateKeeper broke several world records. [34] Among Wing Coasters, it became the longest and fastest, featured the longest drop, and contained the most inversions. [28] [50] It also set a record for the world's highest roller coaster inversion, surpassing the defunct Volcano, The Blast Coaster at Cedar Point's sister park, Kings Dominion. [51] [52] The highest-inversion record was broken by Steel Curtain in 2019. [53]

Reception

GateKeeper has received mostly positive reviews from the media and public. Some riders complained about the shoulder restraints becoming too tight while sitting in the brake run at the end of the ride. [54] Others praised the near-miss elements; one woman said, "It feels like you're going to get your knees chopped off and your head chopped off." [55] Many guests also praised the smoothness of the ride and how the renovated main entrance is very appealing. [56] [57] On GateKeeper's opening weekend, Cedar Point achieved its most successful opening weekend in the history of the park, due to the popularity of GateKeeper. [58] [59]

On July 17, 2013, GateKeeper's millionth rider received $500 to spend at the park, a VIP tour of the park and exclusive access to GateKeeper for the rest of the 2013 season. [60] The park's spokesman Bryan Edwards said, "We are giving approximately 1,600 rides per hour. It has definitely been a huge success for the park. Our guests love GateKeeper." [60] [61] It finished the season with just over 2.1 million riders, the most of any ride in 2013. [62] GateKeeper also helped Cedar Fair to achieve record revenue, record attendance, record distribution and record stock pricing in 2013. [63]

Awards

In 2013, GateKeeper ranked third in Amusement Today 's Golden Ticket Award for Best New Ride behind Outlaw Run at Silver Dollar City and Iron Rattler at Six Flags Fiesta Texas. It also debuted 28th on the list for Top Steel Roller Coasters, making it the first time ever that Cedar Point had six steel roller coasters in the top 50. [64]

Golden Ticket Awards: Top steel Roller Coasters
Year201320142016
Ranking28 [64] 32 [65] 49 [66]

Incidents

See also

Related Research Articles

Cedar Point is a 364-acre (147 ha) amusement park located on a Lake Erie peninsula in Sandusky, Ohio, United States, owned and operated by Six Flags. It opened in 1870 and is considered the second-oldest operating amusement park in the US behind Lake Compounce. Prior to the merger with Six Flags in 2024, Cedar Point served as the "flagship park" of the Cedar Fair amusement park chain and hosted the corporate headquarters. Known as "America's Roller Coast", the park features 17 roller coasters, which ranks third among amusement parks in North America behind sister parks Canada's Wonderland (18) and Six Flags Magic Mountain (20).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Top Thrill 2</span> Launched roller coaster at Cedar Point

Top Thrill 2 is a launched roller coaster located at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, United States. The ride originally opened as Top Thrill Dragster in 2003, becoming the tallest and fastest roller coaster in the world, as well as the first ever strata coaster – a height classification of 400 feet (120 m) or more. Designed by Werner Stengel, the Accelerator Coaster model from Intamin debuted with a height of 420 feet (130 m) and could accelerate from 0 to 120 mph (190 km/h) in 3.8 seconds. It was themed to Top Fuel drag racing, with the launch track designed to resemble a dragstrip, and it consistently ranked as one of the world's top steel coasters in Amusement Today's annual Golden Ticket Awards publication. Top Thrill Dragster's records were surpassed in 2005 by Kingda Ka at Six Flags Great Adventure.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Millennium Force</span> Steel roller coaster at Cedar Point

Millennium Force is a steel roller coaster located at Cedar Point amusement park in Sandusky, Ohio, United States. Manufactured by Intamin, it was the park's fourteenth roller coaster when it opened in 2000, dating back to the opening of Blue Streak in 1964. Upon completion, Millennium Force broke five world records and was the world's first giga coaster, a term coined by Intamin and Cedar Point to represent a roller coaster that exceeds 300 feet (91 m) in height. It was briefly the tallest and fastest in the world until Steel Dragon 2000 opened later the same year. The ride is also the third-longest roller coaster in North America following The Beast at Kings Island and Fury 325 at Carowinds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Magnum XL-200</span> Steel roller coaster at Cedar Point

Magnum XL-200, colloquially known as simply Magnum, is a steel roller coaster built by Arrow Dynamics at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio. When it opened in 1989, it was the tallest, fastest, and steepest complete-circuit roller coaster in the world as well as the first hypercoaster – a roller coaster that exceeds 200 feet (61 m) in height. Some have credited Magnum with starting a period in the industry known as the roller coaster wars, in which amusement parks competed with one another at a rapid pace to build the next tallest and fastest roller coaster. More than 40 million people had ridden Magnum by 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wicked Twister</span> Defunct roller coaster

Wicked Twister was an inverted roller coaster located at Cedar Point amusement park in Sandusky, Ohio, United States. Designed by Werner Stengel, it was a second-generation, double-twisting Impulse model manufactured by Intamin. Wicked Twister opened as the tallest and fastest inverted coaster in the world on May 5, 2002. It was retired by the park on September 6, 2021, closed on September 7, and gave over 16 million rides during its lifetime.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rougarou (roller coaster)</span> Steel roller coaster at Cedar Point

Rougarou, formerly known as Mantis, is a floorless roller coaster located at Cedar Point amusement park in Sandusky, Ohio. Designed and built by Bolliger & Mabillard, the roller coaster originally opened in 1996 as a stand-up roller coaster called Mantis, which at the time was the tallest, fastest, and longest of its kind in the world. Cedar Point had planned to name the ride Banshee, but due to negative publicity following the announcement, the name was later changed to Mantis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Raptor (Cedar Point)</span> Inverted roller coaster

Raptor is a steel inverted roller coaster designed by Bolliger & Mabillard at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, United States. The coaster, which broke many records upon its opening in 1994, differs from previous inverted coasters. Instead of having a short layout designed to fit into a compact area like Batman: The Ride, Raptor was designed with a larger, 3,790-foot (1,160 m) layout, making it the tallest, fastest and longest inverted roller coaster in the world when it opened. It features six inversions, including a cobra roll, a first for inverted roller coasters. The ride is themed as a bird of prey.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Disaster Transport</span> Defunct roller coaster at Cedar Point

Disaster Transport was an enclosed steel bobsled roller coaster built by Intamin at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, United States. It was notable as being the only indoor roller coaster at Cedar Point, the only bobsled roller coaster in the Midwestern United States, and the only enclosed bobsled roller coaster in the world at its debut. The name of the ride stems from a rearrangement of the letters "Dispatch MasterTransport", which could still be seen in the ride's logo in its later years. Before the ride was enclosed, the supports and outer sides of the track were painted blue.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steel Vengeance</span> Roller coaster at Cedar Point

Steel Vengeance, formerly known as Mean Streak, is a steel roller coaster at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio. The roller coaster, originally constructed by Dinn Corporation as a wooden roller coaster, was rebuilt by Rocky Mountain Construction (RMC) and opened to the public on May 5, 2018. It is a hybrid coaster, using RMC's steel I-Box track and a significant portion of Mean Streak's former support structure. Upon completion, Steel Vengeance set 10 world records, including those for the tallest, fastest, and longest hybrid roller coaster.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gemini (roller coaster)</span> Racing coaster at Cedar Point

Gemini is a racing roller coaster with a wooden structure and steel track located at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, United States. Built in 1978 by Arrow Dynamics and designed by Ron Toomer, it is one of the oldest roller coasters still operating at the park, with only Blue Streak, Cedar Creek Mine Ride, and Corkscrew being older. Cedar Point marketed the ride as the tallest, fastest, and steepest roller coaster in the world, despite taller and faster coasters that had opened earlier.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maverick (roller coaster)</span> Launched roller coaster at Cedar Point

Maverick is a steel roller coaster located at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio. Manufactured by Intamin at a cost of $21 million, it was the 500th roller coaster designed by German engineer Werner Stengel and the first to feature a twisted horseshoe roll element. There are two launch points along the 4,450-foot (1,360 m) track that utilize linear synchronous motors (LSM). Maverick features a beyond-vertical drop of 95 degrees and reaches a maximum speed of 70 mph (110 km/h).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Firehawk (roller coaster)</span> Former roller coaster at Kings Island

Firehawk was a flying roller coaster located at Kings Island in Mason, Ohio. Manufactured by Vekoma, it originally opened as X-Flight at Six Flags Worlds of Adventure on May 26, 2001, billed as the Midwest's first and only flying roller coaster. Cedar Fair purchased Worlds of Adventure in 2004 and began efforts to downsize the park. X-Flight was relocated to Kings Island following the 2006 season, where it reopened as Firehawk on May 26, 2007.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wing Coaster</span> Type of roller coaster

Wing Coaster is engineering firm Bolliger & Mabillard’s designation for its winged roller coaster designs. Winged roller coasters are a type of steel roller coaster where pairs of riders sit on either side of a roller coaster track in which nothing is above or below the riders. B&M began development on the first Wing Coaster between 2007 and 2008 leading to the opening of Raptor at Gardaland on 1 April 2011. There were eighteen B&M-designed Wing Coasters either under construction or operating worldwide as of 2024, with one more standing but not operating.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">X-Flight (Six Flags Great America)</span> Roller coaster in Gurnee, Illinois

X-Flight is a steel roller coaster located at Six Flags Great America in Gurnee, Illinois. Designed and built by Bolliger & Mabillard, the ride opened as the fourth Wing Coaster in the world and the second in the United States on May 16, 2012. It replaced both the Splashwater Falls and Great American Raceway attractions. The 3,000-foot-long (910 m) roller coaster features barrel rolls, high-speed drops, and a signature fly-through element, where the train narrowly misses a relocated air traffic control tower as it passes through an opening known as a keyhole element.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Banshee (roller coaster)</span> Inverted roller coaster at Kings Island

Banshee is an inverted roller coaster located at Kings Island amusement park in Mason, Ohio, United States. Designed and manufactured by Swiss company Bolliger & Mabillard, the ride opened to the public on April 18, 2014, and is the longest inverted coaster in the world, featuring a track length of 4,124 feet (1,257 m). Banshee was also the most expensive project in Kings Island's history at the time, costing the park $24 million to construct. The ride includes seven inversions and travels up to a maximum speed of 68 mph (109 km/h). It operates with three trains, each with eight cars, producing an hourly capacity of 1,650 riders.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thunderbird (Holiday World)</span> Steel wing roller coaster

Thunderbird is a steel roller coaster located in the Thanksgiving section of Holiday World & Splashin' Safari amusement park in Santa Claus, Indiana. Designed by Bolliger & Mabillard, the ride opened to the public on April 25, 2015, as the eighth Wing Coaster in the world and the fourth in the United States. Thunderbird reaches a maximum speed of 60 mph (97 km/h) in 3.5 seconds and features a 125-foot-tall (38 m) vertical loop.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Valravn (roller coaster)</span> Roller coaster at Cedar Point

Valravn is a steel roller coaster at Cedar Point amusement park in Sandusky, Ohio. Built and designed by Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M), it was the first Dive Coaster model in the Cedar Fair chain of parks and opened on May 7, 2016, as the tallest, fastest, and longest of its kind in the world. It remains the tallest, sharing its height record with Yukon Striker at Canada's Wonderland. Valravn is also the first Dive Coaster to use B&M's vest-style, over-the-shoulder restraints and the third Dive Coaster overall to open in the United States. The installation marked the hundredth roller coaster from B&M, dating back to the company's founding in 1988.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Siren's Curse</span> Roller coaster at Cedar Point

Siren's Curse is an upcoming steel roller coaster at Cedar Point amusement park in Sandusky, Ohio. Manufactured by Vekoma, it is a Tilt Coaster model with an opening set for early summer 2025. The ride will have a length of 2,966 feet (904 m) with a maximum height of 160 feet (49 m), a 90-degree drop, and two inversions, making it North America’s tallest, longest and fastest Tilt Coaster. The ride will be Cedar Point's third roller coaster installation in as many years, after Wild Mouse (2023) and Top Thrill 2 (2024).

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Dyer, Nicole (April 16, 2013). "Wing and A Scare". Popular Science . Bonnier Corporation . Retrieved April 20, 2013.
  2. ↑ Topey, Melissa. "Opening the Gate". Sandusky Register. Archived from the original on April 1, 2013. Retrieved December 28, 2012.
  3. ↑ Decker, Rob (January 2013). "Where The Roller Coasters Come From" (Interview). Interviewed by Jeff Putz. Batavia, Ohio.
  4. ↑ Decker, Rob. "GateKeeper at Cedar Point Documentary – From Dreams to Screams" (Interview). Interviewed by Devin Olson. Sandusky, Ohio.
  5. 1 2 "Cedar Point will roll out new winged coaster in May 2013". Crain's Detroit Business. Crain Communications. August 13, 2012. Archived from the original on August 17, 2012. Retrieved February 4, 2013.
  6. ↑ "Cedar Point 2013". PointBuzz. Archived from the original on August 18, 2013. Retrieved June 11, 2012.
  7. ↑ Topey, Melissa (May 31, 2012). "Memo: Cedar Point to build coaster in 2013". Sandusky Register. Archived from the original on April 1, 2013. Retrieved January 12, 2013.
  8. ↑ Haidet, Ryan (July 17, 2012). "Cedar Point teases about new 2013 attraction". Cleveland, Ohio: WKYC-TV. Archived from the original on February 9, 2013. Retrieved January 11, 2013.
  9. ↑ Becca (August 7, 2012). "8.13.12". Cedar Point. Archived from the original on August 11, 2012. Retrieved January 12, 2012.
  10. ↑ Michael Rearick (August 8, 2013). Jumbo Jet teaser poster. Cedar Point. Archived from the original on September 1, 2013. Retrieved August 6, 2013.
  11. ↑ Steven Linn (August 8, 2013). WildCat teaser poster. Cedar Point. Archived from the original on September 1, 2013. Retrieved August 6, 2013.
  12. ↑ Haidet, Ryan (August 15, 2012). "Cedar Point addresses Gatekeeper's leaked information". Cleveland, Ohio: WKYC-TV. Archived from the original on February 17, 2013. Retrieved January 12, 2013.
  13. 1 2 "Gatekeeper roller coaster coming to Cedar Point amusement park". St. Louis, Missouri: KSDK-TV. August 14, 2012. Archived from the original on January 27, 2013. Retrieved August 14, 2012.
  14. ↑ Kauffman, Tina (August 13, 2012). "Cedar Point announces 'GateKeeper' coming in 2013, world's longest winged roller coaster". Cleveland, Ohio: WEWS-TV. Archived from the original on August 16, 2012. Retrieved December 28, 2012.
  15. 1 2 "Recap of Cedar Point's GateKeeper announcement". Sandusky Register . August 14, 2012. Archived from the original on August 2, 2014. Retrieved August 14, 2012.
  16. 1 2 "Cedar Point GateKeeper announcement and Q&A". PointBuzz. August 13, 2012. Retrieved August 18, 2012.
  17. ↑ "GateKeeper". United States Patent and Trademark Office . Retrieved August 6, 2013.
  18. 1 2 3 Cedar Point (February 27, 2013). "Cedar Point Completes Track For New Wing Coaster" (Press release). PR Newswire. Archived from the original on April 19, 2013. Retrieved February 27, 2013.
  19. ↑ "Rob Decker, Cedar Fair Corporate VP of Planning & Design - From Dreams to Screams Uncut". COASTER-net.com. August 25, 2013. Retrieved May 14, 2017.
  20. ↑ Gimel, Cristy (July 13, 2012). "Cedar Point makes special announcement". Toledo, Ohio: WTOL. Archived from the original on April 20, 2013. Retrieved July 13, 2012.
  21. ↑ Haidet, Ryan (July 30, 2012). "Fans say goodbye to Disaster Transport". Cleveland, Ohio: WKYC. Archived from the original on January 5, 2013. Retrieved July 30, 2012.
  22. ↑ Haidet, Ryan (September 13, 2012). "Space Spiral demolished". Cleveland, Ohio: WKYC-TV. Archived from the original on December 8, 2012. Retrieved September 15, 2012.
  23. ↑ Schmidt, Walt (October 2, 2012). "October 2, 2012 construction update". PointBuzz. Archived from the original on January 17, 2013. Retrieved October 7, 2012.
  24. 1 2 3 Haidet, Ryan (October 23, 2012). "First track pieces for GateKeeper coaster arrive". Cleveland, Ohio: WKYC-TV. Archived from the original on December 28, 2013. Retrieved December 28, 2013.
  25. ↑ "Construction has gone vertical!". Cedar Point. November 5, 2012. Retrieved November 5, 2012.
  26. 1 2 3 Haidet, Ryan (January 7, 2013). "GateKeeper coaster construction 'on schedule'". Cleveland, Ohio: WKYC-TV. Archived from the original on December 28, 2013. Retrieved January 7, 2013.
  27. 1 2 3 4 5 Haidet, Ryan (November 30, 2012). "Crews top off GateKeeper's lift hill". Cleveland, Ohio: WKYC-TV. Archived from the original on February 9, 2013. Retrieved December 28, 2012.
  28. 1 2 3 4 Steer, Jen (January 23, 2013). "65,000-pound steel beam makes cross-state trip to Cedar Point for new coaster". Cleveland, Ohio: WEWS-TV. Archived from the original on December 31, 2013. Retrieved December 28, 2013.
  29. ↑ Werling, Jason (January 29, 2013). "Entrance keyhole constructed for Cedar Point's GateKeeper". Sandusky Register. Archived from the original on November 12, 2013. Retrieved January 30, 2013.
  30. 1 2 Haidet, Ryan (February 28, 2013). "Cedar Point finishes GateKeeper's track ahead of schedule". Cleveland, Ohio: WKYC-TV. Archived from the original on April 12, 2013. Retrieved March 2, 2013.
  31. ↑ "GateKeeper Final Track Piece". Cedar Point. YouTube. February 27, 2013. Retrieved February 27, 2013.
  32. ↑ "Inside look at new Cedar Point coaster with Sherrod Brown". Coshocton Tribune . Gannett Company. March 27, 2013. Archived from the original on September 30, 2013. Retrieved April 1, 2013.
  33. ↑ Topey, Melissa (March 27, 2013). "Made in Ohio". Sandusky Register. Retrieved July 23, 2013.
  34. 1 2 "GateKeeper Construction Spurs Ohio Economy". Yahoo!. January 31, 2013. Archived from the original on September 25, 2013. Retrieved June 10, 2014.
  35. ↑ Cedar Point (March 26, 2013). "Sen. Sherrod Brown to hold press conference at Cedar Point" (Press release). PointBuzz. Archived from the original on September 25, 2013. Retrieved April 1, 2013.
  36. 1 2 Chavez, Jon (April 4, 2013). "New roller coaster on fast track for Sandusky-bound thrill seekers". The Blade . Toledo, Ohio. Archived from the original on April 19, 2013. Retrieved April 6, 2013.
  37. ↑ Cedar Point (April 10, 2013). "Cedar Point announces GateKeeper auction for charity" (Press release). PRNewswire. Retrieved December 28, 2013.
  38. ↑ "Upcoming Events". Cedar Point. Archived from the original on April 19, 2013. Retrieved March 11, 2013.
  39. ↑ "First Impressions". Cedar Point. March 16, 2013. Archived from the original on March 19, 2013. Retrieved March 16, 2013.
  40. ↑ "Fast Lane & Fast Lane Plus". Cedar Point. Retrieved March 13, 2014.
  41. 1 2 3 4 "GateKeeper Fact Sheet" (PDF). Cedar Point. August 13, 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 22, 2013. Retrieved August 13, 2012.
  42. ↑ "GateKeeper Official POV". Cedar Point. YouTube. 2013. Retrieved December 28, 2013.
  43. ↑ "Main gate being demolished; GateKeeper elements completed". Norwalk Reflector. January 7, 2013. Archived from the original on January 10, 2013. Retrieved February 4, 2013.
  44. ↑ Jones, Chris (April 24, 2012). "Dollywood roller coaster lets you soar like an eagle". Chicago Tribune . Tribune Company . Retrieved February 4, 2013.
  45. ↑ Henry, Jason (March 3, 2013). "GateKeeper test phase to start soon at Cedar Point". The Morning Journal . Lorain, Ohio. Archived from the original on December 30, 2013. Retrieved December 28, 2013.
  46. ↑ "First look at new GateKeeper trains". Cedar Point. February 25, 2013. Archived from the original on February 28, 2013. Retrieved February 25, 2013.
  47. ↑ Payerchin, Richard (March 17, 2013). "Firelands Electric helps power northern Ohio". The Morning Journal. Lorain, Ohio. Archived from the original on December 30, 2013. Retrieved December 28, 2013.
  48. ↑ Cornwell, Lisa (January 9, 2013). "Ohio theme parks CEO: Staycations here to stay". Yahoo!. Archived from the original on April 20, 2013. Retrieved February 27, 2013.
  49. ↑ "GateKeeper GOCC holiday tour". YouTube. December 8, 2012. Retrieved January 9, 2013.
  50. ↑ Bacani, Alice (April 30, 2013). "Ohio State Day at Cedar Point gives alumni a head-start on amusement park season". The Lantern . The Ohio State University. Retrieved December 28, 2013.
  51. ↑ MacDonald, Brady (December 26, 2012). "32 best new theme park additions for 2013". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved December 28, 2012.
  52. ↑ "GateKeeper is breaking more records". Cedar Point. August 21, 2012. Archived from the original on December 31, 2013. Retrieved December 28, 2012.
  53. ↑ Chester, Simon (July 22, 2018). "An inside look at Kennywood Park's plans for their Steelers-themed roller coaster". SB Nation . Vox Media . Retrieved December 30, 2019.
  54. ↑ Stoddart, S.L. (May 11, 2013). "Cedar Point's GateKeeper Is A Real Crowd Pleaser". Detroit, Michigan: WWJ-TV . Retrieved May 11, 2013.
  55. ↑ Stone, Matt (May 9, 2013). "Cedar Point unveils the GateKeeper roller coaster". Youngstown, Ohio: WFMJ-TV . Retrieved May 11, 2013.
  56. ↑ Steitz, Scott (May 9, 2013). "Review: GateKeeper nice addition to Cedar Point, but it's not as good as Millennium Force". Norwalk Reflector. Retrieved July 21, 2013.
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  58. ↑ "Cedar Fair CEO: Best Opening Weekend Ever". Mad Money . CNBC. May 15, 2013. Retrieved July 27, 2013.
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  62. ↑ Clark, Tony (November 11, 2013). "The Numbers". Cedar Point. Archived from the original on December 30, 2013. Retrieved December 28, 2013.
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  64. 1 2 "2013 Top 50 steel Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today . 17 (6.2): 34–35. September 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013.
  65. ↑ "2014 Top 50 steel Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today . 18 (6.2): 46–47. September 2014.
  66. ↑ "2016 Top 50 Steel Coasters". Golden Ticket Awards . Amusement Today. September 2016.
  67. ↑ "EMTs respond to Cedar Point incidents". Sandusky Register . July 16, 2014. Archived from the original on August 7, 2013. Retrieved July 18, 2013.
  68. ↑ Benjamin Peters (June 13, 2019). "Riders stuck on Cedar Point's Gatekeeper roller coaster - cleveland.com". cleveland.com.
  69. ↑ "What happened to Cedar Point's GateKeeper roller coaster? Attraction closed after weekend malfunction, riders escorted off". June 14, 2021.
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