Before There Was GateKeeper

In the various media day interviews I have watched, Matt Ouimet mentions that Gatekeeper is less than 2 years in the making. He even mentions that there was another coaster on the papers and that it was going into a completely different part of the park. While I am confident that GateKeeper is a home run for the park, it's often interesting to discuss what might have been. I love researching and looking at the various concept artwork for Disney attractions that were planned for the parks.

What are your thoughts on this attraction that almost was? Where do you think it was going to be located?

Also- it was mentioned by Matt that theming will never be a huge focus, but placement will be. Providing areas such as Celebration Plaza, The New Main Gate, Gatekeeper plaza, etc is a trend that will continue. Personally, my eyes are on the existing Cedars Dorms area. Connecting the Blue Streak midway to Celebration Plaza could offer many different possibilities in the future.

Also- I am so thrilled that this is a focus going forward. I am one of those enthusiasts that doesn't really get into the action shot photos of rides, but how they have been incorporated into existing areas.

All I have to say is that I have noticed a pattern in the past years. In 2007 Maverick was meant to draw people toward the back of the park and it succeeded. 2011-2013 goal was to modernize the front of the park and open up the lake. It seems as if every section of the park has some new attraction, except the Blue Streak area. I definitely see this being CP's next focal point but as to how to fit it, there have been threads in the past on this topic.

EDIT- I now notice I read the question wrong but this is food for thought anyway.

I think it was always going to be a wing coaster. In the interview I saw, Matt mentioned that they had planned on getting a wing coaster, just that it would have originally been in a different location and have a different layout, obviously.

As for where the original layout was? I would say in the Turnpike Cars area. I remember there being a lot of speculation for that area and even heard some reports of orange markers and what not.

What interview did you watch that said they were originally getting a different type of coaster? I would like to watch that one.

Around the 2:40 mark http://youtu.be/BSLs8_lKiYs

Certainly is interesting, but I pretty much guarantee that the people who know what and where it would have been.... they AREN'T TALKING.

I'd be willing to bet my pinkie toe that Cedars days are numbered though.

SSL488 said:
As for where the original layout was? I would say in the Turnpike Cars area. I remember there being a lot of speculation for that area and even heard some reports of orange markers and what not

I also remember hearing speculation of this area, and heard somewhere that there were marks on several trees. I'd be willing to bet this area is still being looked at for future projects.

Why would Cedar Downs days be numbered when they just spent most of the winter and most likely a large amount of money refurbishing it?

I would love to see a new ride near Calypso. Take out one the the many car rides and a little configuration and you have a nice area. Still need a wood and a dark ride.

Gatekeeper2013 said:
Why would Cedar Downs days be numbered

They are talking about the Cedars Dorms (employee housing), not Cedar Downs.

Matt Ouimet mentions that Gatekeeper is less than 2 years in the making. He even mentions that there was another coaster on the papers and that it was going into a completely different part of the park.

I'll explain the mystery to you. The ride was on paper to go elsewhere, and Matt took his first tour of Cedar Point. Once he saw Disaster Transport, he essentially said, "what in the %$#& is this piece of #$@! doing at this park?"

Honestly. Anyone who allowed that hunk of garbage to loom over the beach for that long is too out of touch to even sit on the board, let alone run the place. Oh wait...

:)

But seriously, I'm actually about 89% confident that is exactly how it went down.

yes^^ I agree

Tilt-a-Whirl said:
Around the 2:40 mark http://youtu.be/BSLs8_lKiYs

I dont think he was implying that it there were plans for another TYPE of coaster, I believe he is saying that it was definitely going to be a wing coaster (since that seems to be the hot thing right now) but it was just going to originally be placed somewhere else.

^ It wouldn't surprise me at all if Ouimet had a moment like that. Plus the entrance to CP was very boring and did not make a great first impression. Compare how it was to any Disney park or even Kings Island. An entrance doesn't make or break a visit to a park, but its still nice to have that good first impression, or that final image to leave with. So I think he saw an opportunity to kill two birds with one stone.

I believe this isn't related to GK but I remember hearing about a coaster that eventually became Maverick. If what I heard was true, what ended up being Maverick started as a coaster that traveled near Soak City and went back toward Caper Village, and would have resulted in a section of Camper Village being removed to make room for the ride.

I love speculation both about the future and about what could have been previous rides. It's so fun and interesting.

As for the location of GK, I really do believe the intended area was over by Calypso/Turnpike Cars. But like someone mentioned, I think once Ouimet saw DT and the condition of the front gate, he bumped that area of the park to the top of his list. I still think the Blue Streak area is on his list and will be the next area to be changed, but that the beach and entrance were ranked higher. I completely agree, and once (I'm being hopeful) the area near Blue Streak gets an overhaul, there really won't be any "needy" sections of the park.

My understanding is not that a ride was intended for a different location in the park, but a different park entirely. That was the gossip I heard when learned about the GateKeeper, which didn't yet have a name at that point.

And the plot thickens

^^Wasn't that the same speculation about Leviathan? I recall hearing that that ride wasn't intended for Canada's Wonderland.

^Wasn't it intended for Knotts? I heard there still might be plans for Knotts to get a large coaster like this in the future, but instead this particular project was sent to a park that needs more high capacity, thrilling coasters. If this is true, then kudos to Ouimet for being able to accurately assess what each park needs/doesn't need and changes plans accordingly.

So if my thinking is correct, we should be getting a dark ride and new family rides within the next few years.

One can only hope.

Family dark coaster. Then every one gets what they want.

The rumor about a new coaster in the old Pirate Ride/BS/Calypso area started a few years ago when markings showed up on the cement, like they usually do when they measure for new attractions -- I don't recall CP saying anything about it at all -- it took on a life of its own in the forums...Though to be fair, markings appeared for both Windseeker and Gatekeeper months before CP announced anything, so it was a fair speculation....