Home
Featured Photos
GateKeeper Entrance - Welcome Coaster Fans

Why Not Get Some Hangtime?

John
Featured Photos

Why not get some hangtime on Cedar Point’s guardian, GateKeeper?  Opened in 2013, GateKeeper claimed several records, including the world’s highest inversion at 170 ft.

Photo by John Patterson
What’s your take?

Have you ridden GateKeeper?  What is your favorite or least favorite aspect of this huge Bolliger & Mabillard Wing Coaster?

Previous CoasterCritics’ Picks: Our 15 Worst Roller Coaster Experiences
Next Defunct Coasters We Wish We Could Have Ridden
John
John is a proud Clevelander, and lifelong fan of roller coasters and amusement parks.

Related Posts

10 Responses

  1. When I rode, unfortunately, it was just a big rattly mess to me. Really need to re-ride it!

    1. I’ve definitely heard lots of different takes from people who’ve ridden GateKeeper. It’s not my favorite but one element I do really like is the giant cork screw. To me it’s almost like the whole planet is just rotating around the coaster.

  2. I usually ride coasters near the back, but this one warrants a ride in the front seat, just to experience the exposure you feel when passing through the “keyhole.” And while you’re at it, make sure to try both sides of the train because the ride is different. I prefer Dollywood’s Wild Eagle to Gatekeeper mainly because of it’s hilltop location high above the midways. However, I think the folks at Cedar Point were wise to place Gatekeeper so that it is highly visible from the parking lot and park entrance. I love to photograph this ride!

    1. This is definitely a really photogenic ride! I’m looking forward to trying out Wild Eagle sometime.

  3. I was underwhelmed by Gatekeeper and not even conscious of the keyhole element. I much preferred X-Flight, which gave me the sensation of a scarifying near miss no matter how many times I rode it. The theming is great and the fact that the ride features an actual control tower rescued from O’Hare is a plus. As to Wild Eagle, it’s by far the least intense of the three but the most beautiful and re-rideable. I have a fascination with coaster wheel assemblies and found myself watching the wheels during the latter part of the ride on Wild Eagle.

    1. Offride POVs really make the headchoppers look great on X-Flight. I’m hoping to get to Six Flags Great America for the first time this spring/summer and looking forward to trying it out. It’s only 6.5 hours away and I feel silly for not having been yet!

  4. It’s weird, I’ve heard mixed things about GateKeeper too…..personally, I thought it was fan-freaking-tastic, like my local X-Flight (which is also awesome) but on steroids. I rode GK twice, once in the front left during the morning, and once in the back right at dusk when the eyes lit up. I voted it the 3rd best coaster at The Point, behind MF and Maverick!

    1. I think it’s a good ride, but that big parabolic hill is underwhelming and a bit of a tease. I do like the nearly-inverting turnaround a lot though, but it loses a lot of steam right after that.

  5. I think the theme/placement of the ride was very smartly done since it coincided with Cedar Point rolling out the new gate/entrance plaza the same year. It’s a beautiful backdrop to the park entrance and heightens expectations for your day in the park. The keyhole elements are fantastic, and you certainly get a different ride experience based on which side of the train you sit.

    That being said, I’ve been on this ride every year since it’s opened and it has aged prematurely. It’s gotten progressively rougher and there is a lot more rattling year by year. It’s still a fun ride but not something that you can ride in succession on slow days or more than 2-3 times if you have ERT.

Comments are closed.