Top Eight Cedar Point Rollercoasters
- Mantis
- Gemini
- Wicked Twister
- Raptor
- Magnum XL 200
- Macerick
- Top Thrill Dragster
- Millenium Force
A rollercoaster standing 145 feet tall with a 53 degree drop, a 119 foot tall first loop, an 83 foot tall incline loop, and speeds of 60 mph would normally be enough to stand out on its own but Mantis has one more trick up its exoskeletal sleeve: its a stand-up coaster. That means that the trains are set up so that guests are restrained in place in a standing position rather than a sitting position providing for a unique experience. The ride may be rough at some points which is the only reason it could not have been higher up on the list, but if the line is short and you don't mind a rough coaster, then Mantis is a must-ride.
This unique racing rollercoaster is one of the only existing wooden-steel hybrids in the world. The track itself is made of steel allowing for a smooth ride while the supports are made of wood to give the ride a classic wooden racer feel and to make riders feel like they are going to be running into the wooden supports of their own ride. This 125 foot tall racing coaster is not too intense for the more timid guests but is not too tame for the adrenaline junkies making it a ride that almost everybody should enjoy.
This U-shaped rollercoaster launches riders straight out of the station at 50 miles per hour up one 90 degree tower before sending them backwards through the station up an opposite vertical tower. The second time the train passes through the station it reaches its stop speed of 63 mph and nearly reaches the top of the 206 foot tower. After passing through the station 5 times in either direction, the ride comes to an end. As the name implies, the track does twist along both towers, and the ride is quite wicked. As only one train can be on the track at a time, expect wait times to be longer than for most rides.
What seems to be an everyday inverted coaster at first glance is so much more. Raptor opened in 1994, featuring the first cobra roll on an inverted coaster, but is still critically acclaimed today. It was ranked the 5th best steel coaster in the world in 2000. Although throughout the years the rating has dropped down to 24th, it is still a ride that should not be missed. Located just by the entrance on the midway, there is no excuse to not go on this great inverted rollercoaster.
Magnum was the world's first rollercoaster to break the 200 foot barrier, and although built in the 1980s and eclipsed by the newer giants such as Top Thrill Dragster and Millenium Force, Magnum is still a great ride for lovers of some classic airtime. The 196 foot drop sends riders to a max speed of just above 70 mph. The ride doesn't have the unique maneuvers or hidden launches of Maverick but it does have hills - a lot of hills. Except for the prezel shaped U-turn at the end of the track, the rest of the ride is hill after hill which include three tunnels and more air time than you most likely bargained for.
Appearances can be deceiving and Maverick, a ride that never goes higher than 105 feet, is proof of this. With 2 launches including one mid-ride that catches most first-times by surprise, the ride hits speeds of 70 miles per hour. The highlight of the ride is the 95 degree (5 degrees past vertical for those of you who struggled in elementary school math) first drop which, although short, does not only give riders airtime but thrusts them out of their seats. Be warned though that the train has many unique features including sharp banks unlike those seen anywhere else. Riders are be flung relentlessly back and forth. When you strap in for this ride, know that for the next couple minutes, you have forfeited yourself to the Maverick. Being Cedar Point's most recent rollercoaster addition, lines can be long but the unique experience makes it worth it.
Height, speed, and simplicity. These are the only 3 words needed to describe the world's first strata-coaster. Once secured only be a seat belt and unobtrusive lap bar, the train is sent forward to the launch pad. The train sits there just long enough to make a few riders regret their decision to get on the ride before they are launched from 0 to 120 mph in less than 4 seconds. They are then sent up 90 degrees to a height of 420 feet, the highest point in the park. The train slows near the top of the lone hill, occasionally even rolling back to the station (don't worry, they have breaks and are prepared for this), but quickly regains momentum as it goes straight back down, turning 3 times along the way. Although it no longer holds the title of tallest, fastest rollercoaster in the world, it's still the second tallest and fastest in the US (behind Six Flags Great Adventure's Kingda Ka), and for that, although the ride is often over before the riders even realize it began, it deserves its position on the list.
Widely considered one of the best rollercoasters in the world, Millenium Force sends riders up to a height of 310 feet, claiming the title of the first rollercoaster to break the 300 foot barrier, via the world's first elevator lift which sends riders up the steep incline at nearly 3 times the speed of the average chain lift. With Lake Erie to the left and the park patrons who look more like ants than people to the right, the view from the top is awesome but short lived. The train hurtles down an 80 degree, 300 foot hill reaching speeds of 93 miles per hour. Not a single one of those miles per hour is put to waste, featuring 3 overbanked turned, 2 tunnels, and a second hill with a height of 182 feet. Featuring only a simple seat belt and a comfortable lap bar, riders can enjoy the ride to its full potential. Millenium Force may not be the newest ride to the park, but it is hard to deny that its the best.
List by: Nicholas Munarriz
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