GateKeeper
2013

GateKeeper is Cedar Point’s Wing Coaster, added to the park in 2013. The ride flips riders upside down six times and was the first major project since the early 1960s to dramatically transform the look of Cedar Point’s Front Gate!

In 2000, Cedar Point introduced the popular Millennium Force, a coaster so groundbreaking it set the standard for the park’s future. In 2003, Top Thrill Dragster debuted as the world’s tallest and fastest roller coaster. maXair thrilled riders with its spinning action in 2005, and in 2006, guests soared on Skyhawk, the world’s tallest swing-style ride. Maverick twisted and turned thrill-seekers through dramatic canyons in 2007, followed by the family-friendly Planet Snoopy in 2008. Shoot the Rapids opened in 2010 as Cedar Point’s premier family water ride, though it was removed after the 2015 season. In 2011, WindSeeker would swing guests 301 feet into the sky as the park’s tallest thrill ride, and Dinosaurs Alive in 2012 offered a journey back in time to when these prehistoric creatures ruled the earth.
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After a decade of incredible expansion, Cedar Point was ready to unveil a new attraction that would capture the attention of the world.

A wing coaster is a type of roller coaster where the trains are mounted to the sides of the track, leaving nothing directly above or below the riders. It creates the thrilling sensation of soaring out on the wings of a jet.

The first wing coaster, Raptor, opened on April 1, 2011, at Gardaland in Italy. The Swarm followed at Thorpe Park in the UK on March 15, 2012. Both of these pioneering wing coasters are located in Europe.

On March 24, 2012, Wild Eagle opened at Dollywood in Tennessee, becoming the first wing coaster to debut in the United States.

On May 16, 2012, X-Flight debuted at Six Flags Great America in Illinois, becoming the second wing coaster to open in the United States.

The new wing coasters quickly became popular, delighting guests who had the chance to experience their unique thrills.

Around 2000, rumors began circulating that Disaster Transport might soon be removed. The ride had continued to deteriorate and was not living up to the park’s original expectations—it had become, quite literally, a disaster.

When the park opened in 2012, the area around Disaster Transport was covered in spray paint.

On May 30, 2012, the Sandusky Register  ran an article reporting that they had received information indicating Disaster Transport would be replaced with a wing coaster.

On July 16, 2012, during the Coaster Mania lunch, it was announced that Disaster Transport would close on July 29, 2012. It was also revealed that Space Spiral would be closing at the same time.

After Disaster Transport closed, its removal from the park began immediately. The final piece of the ride was taken down on August 30, 2012.

While Disaster Transport was being dismantled, Cedar Point began placing signs around the park to tease what was coming next.

Speculation ran wild about what the new roller coaster would feature.

On August 13, 2012, Cedar Point announced that GateKeeper would open in 2013 as the tallest and fastest wing coaster in the world!

GateKeeper delivered the elements and stats that everyone had anticipated, becoming the major new attraction the park had been waiting for.

Also, on August 13, 2012, Space Spiral closed for the final time. The following day, August 14, Troika and Space Spiral were cordoned off from the park by a construction fence.

On September 12, 2012, the base of Space Spiral was demolished with dynamite, sending the ride crashing down onto the beach.

Once Space Spiral was removed, construction crews had the space they needed to begin building GateKeeper.

GateKeeper was constructed over the winter, stretching across the beach and along the edge of the park.

GateKeeper became the fifth wing coaster ever built, aiming to break every record possible.

GateKeeper was designed and built by Bolliger & Mabillard, marking the 85th roller coaster by the Swiss company. It joined Raptor (1994) and Mantis (1996) as Cedar Point’s third B&M coaster.

After GateKeeper, Bolliger & Mabillard returned to Cedar Point to convert Mantis into Rougarou in 2015 and to build Valravn in 2016.

The popular GateKeeper roller coaster opened to rave reviews on May 11, 2013, becoming Cedar Point’s 16th roller coaster.

GateKeeper begins at the beach and weaves across the former parking lot on its way to the Front Gate. It serves as a grand welcome, being the first ride guests see when they arrive.

GateKeeper was a major addition to Cedar Point and became an instant hit. While it may not be the most intense coaster in the park, it delivers a thrilling and fun experience for all riders.

GateKeeper flips riders upside down six times. The ride is incredibly smooth and gives the exhilarating sensation of soaring through the track on the wings of a plane.

GateKeeper's World Records!

This is a list of records the ride held when it opened in 2013.

1. Tallest Wing Coaster (170 feet)
2. Biggest drop on a Wing Coaster (164 feet)
3. Fastest Wing Coaster (67 MPH)
4. Longest Wing Coaster (4,164 feet)
5. Most inversions on a Wing Coaster (6)
6. Most roller coasters in one park (72)
7. Highest inversion on a roller coaster (170 feet)

GateKeeper was the first roller coaster to open at Cedar Point since Maverick in 2007.
In 2013, GateKeeper became Cedar Point’s 16th roller coaster. Today, it is the park’s 11th oldest roller coaster.
Since Cedar Point’s first roller coaster opened in 1892, GateKeeper was the 33rd coaster the park would build.

GateKeeper Ride Facts
Opened: May 11, 2013
Location: The Boardwalk
Type: Wing Coaster
Manufacturer: Bolliger & Mabillard
Designer: Ing.-Büro Stengel GmbH
Cost: $30 million
Height: 170 feet
Drop: 164 feet
Length: 4,164 feet
Speed: 67 mph
Hills: 3
Trains: 3
Inversions: 6
Capacity: 1,710
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GateKeeper was Cedar Point’s first Wing Coaster.

The New Front Gate

With the new roller coaster came a redesigned Front Gate—the Front Entrance Plaza. The new entrance is visually stunning and makes entering the park much easier and more welcoming.

Ride Experience

GateKeeper features a striking entrance plaza that welcomes guests eager to experience the ride.

The line for GateKeeper runs along the beach, offering a refreshing breeze and stunning views of the shoreline for guests waiting to ride.

While in line, riders must choose which side of the train they want to sit on.

Riders are then loaded into state-of-the-art wing coaster trains. Each train holds up to 32 guests, all ready for the ride of their lives!

GateKeeper begins with a 90-degree turn out of the station. When it opened in 2013, it was Cedar Point’s fifth roller coaster to start with a turn out of the station!

The turnaround leads directly to the ride’s massive lift hill.

GateKeeper climbs 170 feet to the top of its lift hill, offering riders fantastic views of the beach and the Front Gate along the way. It held the title of the tallest wing coaster in the world until 2019.

At the top of the lift hill, GateKeeper twists riders into its first inversion—a thrilling flip! This inversion occurs while the train is moving at a relatively slow speed, making it all the more exciting.

The rollover inversion is incredible! Riders feel themselves fall into the vest restraints during this element. This inversion is currently the third highest in the world and held the record as the highest from 2013 to 2018.

GateKeeper then propels riders into its first drop, which plunges directly toward the coaster’s lift hill.

GateKeeper drops 164 feet and reaches speeds of 67 mph, making it the fastest wing coaster in the world!

The drop on GateKeeper is both thrilling and unique, a feature found on only 10 other roller coasters worldwide. It gives riders the exhilarating sensation of flying on the wings of a jet!

After the drop, GateKeeper launches riders into an Immelmann loop. An Immelmann is an inversion in which riders are flipped upside down, then twisted and sent back in the direction they came from.

The 140-foot Immelmann loop is thrilling and brought a unique experience to the park, as this element was not featured on any other Cedar Point roller coaster!

Riders are then sent 105 feet over the parking lot on an airtime hill, giving them a thrilling pop out of their seats!

GateKeeper is a high-energy, thrilling roller coaster that’s also incredibly smooth. While it may look slow from the ground, riders experience it as fast and exhilarating!

Riders are then rapidly flipped into an oversized corkscrew loop, delivering an exhilarating sensation of being upside down.

The oversized loop aligns the coaster with the Front Gate and highlights the ride’s signature element.

The ride then twists into a zero-g roll directly above the park’s redesigned Front Gate, adding an incredible sense of excitement. As the train navigates this inversion, it passes through the iconic keyhole towers, a defining feature of GateKeeper.

The keyholes are very narrow, creating the thrilling illusion that riders might actually collide with the towers. This near-miss effect intensifies the sensation of speed and height, making the element one of the most memorable parts of the ride. The combination of the zero-g roll and the keyhole towers perfectly showcases GateKeeper’s unique design and adds a spectacular visual moment for both riders and onlookers below.

The keyhole towers create an impressive first impression for guests as they approach the Roller Coaster Capital of the World. They’re not only visually striking but also add an extra layer of excitement, making GateKeeper both thrilling and unforgettable!

After soaring over the Front Entrance, riders are flipped upside down for the fifth time on a thrilling dive loop.

The dive loop twists the roller coaster around, redirecting it back toward the Front Gate.

GateKeeper then flips riders upside down for the sixth and final time, soaring over the Front Gate! The ride holds the record for the most inversions on a wing coaster.

The keyholes create an exciting near-miss effect, making GateKeeper a truly unique and memorable roller coaster.

After passing through the second keyhole, riders are lifted into the block brake. This block brake allows the ride to safely operate with three trains at once!

After dropping from the block brake, riders spiral into a downward helix. The helix on GateKeeper is both thrilling and forceful, delivering an intense and exciting ride experience.

After completing the helix, the coaster glides toward the final brake run.

The GateKeeper ride experience concludes as the train rolls into the final brake run.

GateKeeper is an excellent ride with a decent ride length, offering both thrilling moments and a visually stunning experience.

GateKeeper's Impact On The Roller Coaster Capital Of The World!

GateKeeper is a smooth, thrilling ride that has quickly become very popular. It has helped set the next pace in roller coaster history.

GateKeeper transformed the look and feel of Cedar Point, elevating the park to a whole new level and enhancing its overall appearance.
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It has quickly become a favorite among park guests.

Since GateKeeper opened in 2013, Cedar Point has continued adding attractions that help balance and diversify its collection. The park would go on to add: New Gemini Midway (2014), Rougarou (2015), Valravn (2016), Cedar Point Shores Waterpark (2017), Steel Vengeance (2018), Forbidden Frontier on Adventure Island (2019-2022), Cedar Point’s 150th Anniversary Celebration (2021), Snake River Expedition (2021-2023), The Boardwalk (2023), Top Thrill 2 (2024), and Siren’s Curse (2025). All of these attractions have contributed to making Cedar Point the park it is today.

GateKeeper was an incredible addition to Cedar Point!

GateKeeper continues to greet guests as they enter Cedar Point’s Front Gate! It’s a fantastic ride that is sure to thrill visitors for decades to come. Riders must be at least 52 inches tall to experience GateKeeper.

Photos by Jake Hamons, COASTER-net, and Cedar Point.

Last Updated: 05/01/2026