WindSeeker

WindSeeker
2011
15th Anniversary Edition

WindSeeker, Cedar Point’s giant swing ride located on the beach. The attraction opened in 2011.

In 2000, Cedar Point opened Millennium Force, the first roller coaster in the world to exceed 300 feet when it debuted in May of that year. In 2002, the park added Wicked Twister along the beach. The following year, Top Thrill Dragster became the first roller coaster in the world to top 400 feet.

Cedar Point continued to expand with the addition of maXair in 2005 near Kiddy Kingdom, marking the park’s first new thrill ride in several years. In 2006, Skyhawk began swinging guests in Frontier Town. The next year, Maverick became the first new roller coaster added to the park since 2003.

In 2008, Planet Snoopy debuted as the park’s newest children’s area, followed by the opening of Shoot the Rapids in 2010 as Cedar Point’s latest attraction. With all of these additions, 2011 would bring yet another great ride to the park.

On August 24, 2010, Cedar Point announced that it would build WindSeeker for the 2011 season.

WindSeeker was planned for the beach in the former location of Ocean Motion and the Beach Gate.

On October 31, 2010, Cedar Point closed for the season. Ocean Motion also closed with the park that day.

After Cedar Point closed for the 2010 season on October 31, 2010, the park began dismantling Ocean Motion. The ride was carefully taken apart so it could be refurbished and relocated.

On November 8, 2010, Cedar Point announced that Ocean Motion would receive additional theming and be relocated to the former Demon Drop site near the front of the park.

After Ocean Motion was removed from the site, Cedar Point began preparing the area by installing the foundation and electrical infrastructure for the new ride’s massive tower.

As winter progressed, the nine sections that make up WindSeeker’s massive tower arrived and were staged for assembly.

Once the base section of WindSeeker was installed, the tower quickly began rising into the sky.

When Cedar Point opened in May 2011, WindSeeker was not yet ready for operation. As a prototype ride, it faced technical challenges, and its beachfront location often forced closures due to strong winds.

After a month of delays, WindSeeker officially opened to the public on June 14, 2011.

WindSeeker was manufactured by Mondial of the Netherlands and remains the only ride at Cedar Point built by the company.

WindSeeker is one of seven rides in Cedar Point’s history to carry riders 300 feet or higher. The others are: Space Spiral(1965–2012), Power Tower (1998), Millennium Force (2000), Top Thrill Dragster (2003–2021), SlingShot (2014), and Top Thrill 2.

WindSeeker received mixed opinions. While the ride had its fans, many guests were not fully enthusiastic about it.

WindSeeker is located just inside Cedar Point’s Beach Gate.

WindSeeker Ride Facts:

Opened: Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Location: The Boardwalk, beside the Beach Gate
Manufacturer: Mondial (Netherlands)
Type: WindSeeker
Height: 301 feet
Speed: 30 mph
Ride Time: 3 minutes
Seats: 32

Ride Experience

The WindSeeker experience begins as guests enter the ride’s queue. The line, located directly to the right of the ride, features shade structures for comfort.

The average wait time for WindSeeker is 5–10 minutes, and the ride rarely has a line longer than 20 minutes.

WindSeeker begins by loading riders at ground level. The ride has 32 seats, each accommodating 2 riders, for a total capacity of 64 guests.

Each seat is equipped with a lap bar and a seatbelt that secures to the lap bar. The seats on WindSeeker are floorless, allowing riders’ legs to dangle freely.

The floorless seats enhance the ride experience by giving riders a true flying sensation.

The ride begins by ascending the tower. As it rises, the ride starts spinning in a counterclockwise circle.

WindSeeker then carries riders to the top of the tower, spinning faster and faster as it ascends. The ride reaches speeds of up to 30 mph!

As the ride accelerates, it swings riders outward at a 45-degree angle around the tower.

WindSeeker lifts riders to a height of 301 feet, offering stunning views of Cedar Point and Lake Erie. From the top, visibility extends up to about 30 miles on a clear day!

After spinning at the top of the tower for about one minute, WindSeeker gently lowers its passengers back to the ground.

The ride slowly lowers riders back to the platform, where they safely exit.

WindSeeker is an exciting thrill ride that also offers incredible panoramic views!

WindSeeker add to the best collection of rides!

WindSeeker is an exhilarating thrill ride, giving guests another attraction that soars high into the sky!

In 2011, Cedar Fair added WindSeeker rides at Cedar Point, Kings Island, Knott's Berry Farm, and Canada's Wonderland. Each installation is the same ride and cost approximately $5 million.

In 2012, WindSeeker was added to Kings Dominion and Carowinds. These installations are identical to the first four rides but cost approximately $6.5 million each.

In November 2013, Knott's Berry Farm closed its WindSeeker. The ride was dismantled, transported to Worlds of Fun, and there it was repainted, renamed, and rethemed as Steel Hawk.

After WindSeeker, Cedar Point continued expanding its lineup to balance its attractions. The park added: Dinosaurs Alive! On Adventure Island (2012-2018), GateKeeper (2013), 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 new additions have helped enhance and diversify Cedar Point’s attraction lineup.