Rougarou (roller coaster)

History

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. The ride was to be named Banshee after the mythical wailing ghost in Irish folklore. 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. On November 14, 1995, Cedar Fair Entertainment Company filed a trademark for the name Mantis, which later became the ride's official name. As a result of the name change, its logo was also changed to a resemble a mantis. The discarded name would later be reused for Banshee at Kings Island which opened in 2014.

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

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. However, Cedar Point revealed on September 18, 2014, that Mantis wouldn't be removed, but instead would be converted into a floorless roller coaster complete with new trains, new colors, and a new theme. It reopened as Rougarou, the name of a legendary creature in French folklore that draws comparisons to the mythical werewolf, on May 9, 2015.

Layout

The ride starts when the train makes its way up the 145-foot (44 m) lift hill. Once the train reaches the top, a small "pre-drop" (as described by manufacturer Bolliger and Mabillard) is followed by a 180 degree 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). Coming out of the first drop, the train travels into the first inversion, a 119-foot (36 m) vertical loop. Next, the train rises into a 103-foot (31 m) dive loop. Following this, the train enters a non-inverting, highly banked 360 degree turn. Following the 360 degree turn, riders enter a 83-foot (25 m) inclined loop - a standard loop tilted at a 45 degree angle. From here, the ride makes an up-hand right turn into the mid-course brake run. At this point, the track drops into a Corkscrew, and finish off with a figure-eight turn. The train then enters the final brake run, and heads back into the station.

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. Mantis originally operated with three trains but the park later reduced operation to two trains due to the trains "stacking" on the brake run. Riders were secured by an over-the-shoulder harness. Although Mantis was a stand-up roller coaster, there was a small bicycle seat riders could lean on.

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. 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.

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). It was also the first stand-up roller coaster to feature a dive loop and an inclined loop.