Rougarou (roller coaster)

Last updated

Rougarou
Previously known as Mantis (1996–2014)
Rougarou (roller coaster) logo.png
Cedar Point Rougarou cars on loop track (2859).jpg
A train coming out of the loop following the first drop
Cedar Point
Location Cedar Point
Park section Millennium Midway
Coordinates 41°28′57″N82°41′14″W / 41.482583°N 82.687353°W / 41.482583; -82.687353
StatusOperating
Opening dateMay 9, 2015 (2015-05-09)
CostUS$12,000,000
ReplacedMantis
General statistics
Type Steel  – Floorless Coaster
Manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard
Designer Werner Stengel
ModelFloorless Coaster
Lift/launch system Chain lift hill
Height145 ft (44 m)
Drop137 ft (42 m)
Length3,900 ft (1,200 m)
Speed60 mph (97 km/h)
Inversions 4
Duration2:40
Max vertical angle52°
Capacity1800 riders per hour
Height restriction54–78 in (137–198 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 availability icon.svg Fast Lane available
Rougarou at RCDB

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.

Contents

In September 2014, Cedar Point announced the pending closure of Mantis, scheduled for the following month. The park later revealed that Mantis would not be removed but would be transformed into a floorless roller coaster design for the 2015 season. It reopened as Rougarou on May 9, 2015.

History

Train at the top of a hill Rougarou by Aaron Burden.jpg
Train at the top of a hill

On September 8, 1995, Cedar Point announced plans to build a new roller coaster, which would open as the tallest, fastest, and longest stand-up roller coaster in the world. [1] The ride was to be named Banshee after the mythical wailing ghost in Irish folklore. [2] In the days following the announcement, there was some negative reaction from the public regarding the term Banshee, which in the dictionary is described as a female spirit that warns of an impending family death. [2] [3] On November 14, 1995, Cedar Fair Entertainment Company filed a trademark for the name Mantis, which later became the ride's official name. [2] [4] As a result of the name change, its logo was also changed to resemble a mantis. [5] The discarded name would later be reused for an inverted roller coaster that opened at Kings Island in 2014. [6]

Construction on the new roller coaster began during the 1995-1996 off-season and was completed on January 9, 1996. [7] More than 20% of the track was built over water. [2] [8] Cedar Point held a "Media Day" for Mantis on May 9, 1996, and the ride officially opened to the public on May 11, 1996.

Over the years, Mantis became known as a rough ride and its popularity began to decline. [9] On September 2, 2014, after weeks of leaking clues that a major announcement was forthcoming, Cedar Point released a statement that Mantis would close on October 19, 2014. According to the park, the roller coaster had given over 22 million rides since its debut. [10] However, Cedar Point revealed on September 18, 2014, that Mantis would not be removed, but instead would be converted into a floorless roller coaster complete with new trains, new colors, and a new theme. [11] It reopened as Rougarou, the name of a legendary creature in French folklore that draws comparisons to the mythical werewolf, on May 9, 2015. [12] [13]

Ride experience

Rougarou's 119-foot-tall (36 m) vertical loop Rougarou 2023.png
Rougarou's 119-foot-tall (36 m) vertical loop

Layout

Rougarou train going through loop

The ride starts with a slight left-turn and then the train begins to climb up the 145-foot (44 m) chain lift hill. Once the train reaches the top and passes through the pre-drop, the track makes a 180-degree right turn, leading into the first drop. Riders then drop 137 feet (42 m) at a 52-degree angle, reaching a top speed of 60 miles per hour (97 km/h) and enter a 119-foot (36 m) vertical loop. This is immediately followed by a 103-foot (31 m) dive loop, a non-inverting overbanked turn directly above the station, and an 83-foot (25 m) left-leaning inclined loop. From here, the track makes an uphill right turn into the mid-course brake run. Off the midcourse brakes, the track drops into a Corkscrew, and finish off with a figure-eight turn. The train then enters the final brake run, and then makes a right turn, passing through the transfer track before returning to the station. [8] [14] [15]

Trains

As Mantis, the ride operated with two steel and fiberglass trains. Each train had eight cars with four seats in a single row supporting a total capacity of 32 riders. [14] Mantis originally operated with three trains but the park later reduced operation to two trains due to the trains "stacking" on the brake run. [16] Riders were secured by an over-the-shoulder harness. [14] Although Mantis was a stand-up roller coaster, there was a small bicycle seat riders could lean on. [17] Following the closure of Mantis, a portion of the trains were retained for parts while the rest were scrapped. [18]

For its transition to Rougarou, the ride received three new floorless trains which allows riders' legs to dangle freely above the track, as there is no floor between rows. [19] Each has the same 32-rider configuration as the previous trains on Mantis. Riders are also secured by an over-the-shoulder harness with an interlocking seatbelt. [14] [19]

Records

Mantis set several records among stand-up roller coasters when it opened in 1996. It set the world record for height at 145 feet (44 m), speed at 60 miles per hour (97 km/h), and length at 3,900 feet (1,200 m). [1] It was also the first stand-up roller coaster to feature a dive loop and an inclined loop. [1] [20] [21]

Related Research Articles

A steel roller coaster is a type of roller coaster classified by its steel track, which consists of long steel tubes that are run in pairs, supported by larger steel columns or beams. Trains running along the track typically rely on wheels made of polyurethane or nylon to keep each train car anchored to the track. The introduction of tubular steel drastically changed roller coaster innovation, allowing for greater speeds, higher drops, and more intense elements such as inversions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bolliger & Mabillard</span> Swiss roller coaster manufacturer

Bolliger & Mabillard, officially Bolliger & Mabillard Consulting Engineers, Inc. and often abbreviated B&M, is a roller coaster design consultancy based in Monthey, Switzerland. The company was founded in 1988 by engineers Walter Bolliger and Claude Mabillard, both of whom had worked for Giovanola.

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

A Floorless Coaster, commonly known as a Floorless Roller Coaster, is a type of steel roller coaster manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard where riders sit with no floor underneath them, allowing their feet to swing freely just above the track. Development of the Floorless Coaster model began between 1995 and 1996 with Medusa at Six Flags Great Adventure opening on April 2, 1999, making it the world's first Floorless Roller Coaster. Floorless Roller Coasters also tend to have 3 to 7 inversions incorporated in the layout of the coaster.

<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">Steel Force</span> Steel roller coaster at Dorney Park

Steel Force is a steel roller coaster located at Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom in Allentown, Pennsylvania. At 5,600 feet (1,700 m) in length, Steel Force is the eighth-longest steel coaster in the world as of 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Green Lantern (Six Flags Great Adventure)</span> Steel roller coaster

Green Lantern, formerly known as Chang, is a stand-up roller coaster located at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson Township, New Jersey. Green Lantern stands 155 feet (47 m) tall and features a top speed of 63 miles per hour (101 km/h). The 4,155-foot-long (1,266 m) ride features five inversions and a duration of approximately 21⁄2 minutes. This steel coaster was designed and built by Swiss manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Riddler's Revenge</span> Stand-up roller coaster

The Riddler's Revenge is a steel stand-up roller coaster located at Six Flags Magic Mountain. Manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard, the ride opened as the park's eleventh roller coaster on April 4, 1998, setting multiple world records among stand-up coasters. Originally located in the Movie District section of the park, which later became Metropolis in 2017, The Riddler's Revenge was also the park's single biggest investment at a cost of $14 million. It features a height of 156 feet (48 m), a maximum speed of 65 mph (105 km/h), six inversions, and a track length of 4,370 feet (1,330 m).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Superman: Krypton Coaster</span> Roller coaster in Texas, U.S.

Superman: Krypton Coaster is a steel roller coaster located at Six Flags Fiesta Texas amusement park in San Antonio. Manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard, the Floorless Coaster model opened to the public in 2000 as one of the first of its kind in the world. The well-received ride held the title for the world's tallest vertical loop from its opening until 2013. Superman: Krypton Coaster stands 168 feet (51 m) tall and reaches a maximum speed of 70 mph (110 km/h).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Firebird (roller coaster)</span> Steel coaster at Six Flags America

Firebird is a floorless roller coaster located at Six Flags America in Prince George's County, Maryland. The roller coaster had originally debuted in 1990 as a stand-up roller coaster named Iron Wolf at Six Flags Great America. It was later relocated to Six Flags America in 2012 and renamed Apocalypse, under which it operated until 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Medusa (Six Flags Great Adventure)</span> Steel floorless roller coaster

Medusa, formerly known as Bizarro, is a steel roller coaster located at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson Township, New Jersey. Manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard, the ride debuted as the world's first floorless roller coaster on April 2, 1999. It was repainted and rethemed to Bizarro in 2009. In 2022, it was repainted and renamed back to Medusa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iron Dragon (roller coaster)</span> Suspended coaster at Cedar Point

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

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dominator (roller coaster)</span> Floorless roller coaster

Dominator is a floorless roller coaster located at Kings Dominion amusement park in Doswell, Virginia. Built by Bolliger & Mabillard, it originally opened in 2000 as Batman: Knight Flight at Six Flags Ohio, in Aurora, Ohio. It was given its current name when Cedar Fair purchased the Ohio park in 2004. However, following Six Flags Ohio ’s eventual permanent closure in 2007, the coaster was relocated to Kings Dominion, where it reopened on May 24, 2008. Dominator is located fairly close to the park’s main entry plaza, in the area known as International Street.

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

The Suspended Looping Coaster is a model of steel inverted roller coaster built by Dutch manufacturer Vekoma. There are at least 39 different installations across the world. The minimum rider height requirement is 130 centimetres. Vekoma is now marketing a Suspended Thrill Coaster as a successor to the Suspended Looping Coaster. The Odyssey is the largest, fastest and tallest SLC ever built at Fantasy Island in the UK.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scream (roller coaster)</span> Steel roller coaster

Scream is a steel roller coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain. Manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard, the Floorless Coaster model was the park's sixteenth roller coaster and is located in the Screampunk District area of the park. The 150-foot-tall (46 m) ride consists of a series of roller coaster elements including seven inversions ranging from a zero-g roll to interlocking corkscrews. The ride is a mirror image of Medusa at Six Flags Great Adventure.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Patriot (California's Great America)</span> Floorless roller coaster

Patriot is a floorless roller coaster located in Hometown Square at the California's Great America amusement park in Santa Clara, California, United States. The roller coaster originally opened as Vortex on March 9, 1991. It was a stand-up roller coaster designed by Werner Stengel and manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dive Coaster</span> Roller coaster model

The Dive Coaster is a steel roller coaster model developed and engineered by Bolliger & Mabillard. The design features one or more near-vertical drops that are approximately 90 degrees, which provide a moment of free-falling for passengers. The experience is enhanced by unique trains that seat up to ten riders per row, spanning only two or three rows total. Unlike traditional train design, this distinguishing aspect gives all passengers virtually the same experience throughout the course of the ride. Another defining characteristic of Dive Coasters is the holding brake at the top of the lift hill that holds the train momentarily right as it enters the first drop, suspending some passengers with a view looking straight down and releasing suddenly moments later.

<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">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 is 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.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Mantis at Coaster-Net". Coaster-Net. Retrieved October 20, 2012.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Cedar Point finds new name for roller coaster". Sunday Times-Sentinel. November 19, 1995. Retrieved October 19, 2012.
  3. ↑ "Cedar Point changes coaster's name". The Bryan Times. September 14, 1995. Retrieved October 19, 2012.
  4. ↑ "Mantis Trademark". Legal Force. Retrieved October 21, 2012.
  5. ↑ "Mantis photo gallery at Ultimate Roller Coaster". Ultimate Roller Coaster. Retrieved December 27, 2012.
  6. ↑ "Largest Amusement & Waterpark in the Midwest | Kings Island". www.visitkingsisland.com. Archived from the original on August 9, 2013. Retrieved June 1, 2016.
  7. ↑ "Cedar Point Mantis Roller Coaster Top Off January 9, 1996". Cedar Point. September 10, 2012. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021. Retrieved October 19, 2012.
  8. 1 2 "Mantis POV". Cedar Point. August 2, 2012. Retrieved October 20, 2012.[ dead YouTube link ]
  9. ↑ "Squashing the Mantis – The Observer".
  10. ↑ Glaser, Susan (September 2, 2014). "Cedar Point to close stand-up roller coaster Mantis; additional plans for 2015 will come later". The Plain Dealer. Retrieved September 3, 2014.
  11. ↑ Haidet, Ryan (October 20, 2014). "Cedar Point closes Mantis roller coaster forever". WKYC. Retrieved October 23, 2014.
  12. ↑ Glaser, Susan (September 18, 2014). "Rougarou floorless roller coaster will replace stand-up Mantis at Cedar Point in spring 2015". The Plain Dealer. Retrieved October 20, 2014.
  13. ↑ Creager, Ellen (April 26, 2015). "Extreme ride: New Cedar Point coaster is floorless". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved August 4, 2015.
  14. 1 2 3 4 Marden, Duane. "Mantis  (Cedar Point)". Roller Coaster DataBase.
  15. ↑ "Mantis ACN review". American Coasters. Retrieved October 20, 2012.
  16. ↑ "Mantis at Top Coasters". Top Coasters. Archived from the original on November 19, 2015. Retrieved June 6, 2014.
  17. ↑ "What is a stand-up roller coaster?". The Coaster Critic. August 25, 2008. Retrieved October 20, 2012.
  18. ↑ "Cedar Point removes Mantis coaster trains from attraction - Ohio.com".
  19. 1 2 Glaser, Susan (September 19, 2014). "The same Mantis track with new trains: Is Cedar Point's Rougarou roller coaster really new?". The Plain Dealer. Retrieved November 23, 2015.
  20. ↑ Marden, Duane. "Roller coasters with a Dive Loop". Roller Coaster DataBase . Retrieved October 20, 2012.
  21. ↑ Marden, Duane. "Roller coasters with an Incline Loop". Roller Coaster DataBase . Retrieved October 20, 2012.
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