How was your ride?

^Yeah, I was at the park yesterday and was disappointed that already the lights were having issues. Well, I guess all along they were having issues. Even when it opened some of the lights didn't work.

Had another awesome ride on GK yesterday, but for the first time I felt the outer seat vibration like others have mentioned. I didn't think it was too bad, but it was definitely noticable and did detract a little from the experience.

Got my first and second ride in yesterday on Fathers day. My partner and I checked it out first but met a 90 minute wait in the morning so we skipped it knowing it would die down. We ended up waiting about 20 mins for the left side and then tried the right later in the day and only had to wait about 10 minutes with the line basically right at the stairs. I was a LITTLE dissapointed in the vibration in the train but was amazed at how large and swooping all of the drops and turns were. I have to admit I thought I would like the left side better based on the POV but enjoyed the right side much more. I was very suprised at how much of a difference the "sand-proof" :) makes. I enjoyed it very much but nothig can top my Millenium/Maverick #1 tie/war in my head. I wish there could be a way to retrofit Raptor and especially Mantis to be cut open and have sand blasted into the rails and rewelded on the next paintjob/refubishment if that has ever been attempted before. I really did enjoy Gatekeeper but I think with all of the internets instant gratification and me watching the POV's over and over I may have overhyped it for myself. Oh I also did notice the vest tightening on both rides, a little uncomfortable yes. Hopefully it can be worked out since I would hate to be stuck on the track for just a few minutes in sweltering heat and having my breath slightly restricted like it was yesterday on the brake run.

I agree on the noise. I don't think I ever really thought that much about how insanely loud Raptor is, in a negative way, until we had GateKeeper and I attempted to hear my 3-year-old anywhere on the main midway.

Exactly. I had a slight headache after the sun and some rides and walking past Raptors first loop with a train going by did not help at all.

Clevelander, the restraints are like that on all 3 Wing coasters in the U.S. I wouldn't "hold my breath" on those changing. :)

I rode left outside seat first and think that is my favorite. It was front row as well. Second lap was right side inside and it was ok. Like the outside seats better.

Was anyone ever able (if possible) to decode any of the numbers in the teasers from the blogs leading up to Gatekeeper announcement. Forgive me if theres already a thread on this.

4 rides over 2 days (June 17 and 18), could have ridden more if my oldest was into it. Wait was 20 minutes at 5 Pm the 18, incredible!

I liked the left side more, just a personal preference, simply an incredible ride!

Yeah, it was pretty incredible how short the line was on the 18th. I think we waited 5 min at like 7:30

I got in line at 9pm last Saturday and only waited 20-25mins. Not bad at all for a Saturday night. The lines get quite short in the late evening as others have mentioned. Raptor was only 10mins as well.

I've been on the Gatekeeper a couple handfuls of times so far, and I've really enjoyed it. I've ridden all four outside corners; front right and back left are my favorite spots, but I've enjoyed the ride everywhere I've sat. I'd include Gatekeeper in my five favorite Cedar Point rides.

I've found the seats/restraints very comfortable, but I've talked to several people who were bothered by the straps.

6/19/13

Around 9PM, the wife and I rode front row twice within 20 minutes. Early evening on is definitely the best time to ride.

Props to the station crew also.. Very well done!

It's a great ride. Nice and slow and supposed to be like actual flight. I loved it! We went on the L side but I don't know how much difference that makes after the lift hill ;) I hate hearing people say it's boring, not thrilling etc. it's SUPPOSED to be that way and sometimes it's nice for a change of pace don't get me wrong I love all the coasters at CP! It's very smooth too! Definitely a must every time!

Good but not great, met my expectations but did not exceed them—this is how I would sum up my first (and second) Gatekeeper ride(s).

Of my two GK rides last Thursday, one was in the back left, and the other was in the front right. Though I had anticipated, after watching the POV videos, the left side providing a more enjoyable and thrilling ride experience, I actually much preferred my ride on the right side.

Zooming out for a moment, I'd give the ride a near perfect score for aesthetics. GK looks stunning and helps creates a truly impressive entrance area. I had no idea how much more beach-like the front end of the park would feel like without the Disaster Transport monstrosity.

The ride experience itself, however, wasn't quite as impressive. The lift is brisk, but everything to follow felt slow and forceless. The lack of force I didn't mind so much, but the slowness mitigated much of the ride's potential excitement for me. And I suppose "slowness" isn't even really to blame. At 67 MPH, GK travels faster than does Raptor-even though, in my mind, it should be the other way around.

The SheiKra comparison seems especially relevant here. GK is built to such a large, sweeping scale (with very gradual entrances and pullouts to all of the elements), the speed feels less than it really is—much like how 80 MPH in a car feels faster on a curvy road than it does on a straight highway.

It seemed that the right side of the train better capitalized on this slowness than did the left side. The right side falls down and into many of the big elements (e.g. the wing over drop, the outbound and return keyhole passes, etc.), which, when taken relatively slowly, leads to some awesome hang time. Of course, the initial keyhole pass was great from either side, and was likely the best element of the ride. Conversely, I thought the inclined dive loop and final helix were fairly forgettable no matter the side.

While I didn't find the restraints particularly tight (especially in light of Maverick), they did rest awkwardly and somewhat painfully on my collarbone.

For its brisker pacing, Raptor is still my preferred B&M in the park. Having said that, GK provides a fun, even if not overly exhilarating, ride experience—one totally unlike any other in the park. This, combined with the attraction's picturesque nature, makes it a solid addition to the park.

Raptor is still my preferred B&M as well (although to me it seems to be getting a little jerky), and I agree on almost all points. I can safely say that Gatekeeper isn't my cup of tea. I like speed and nimbleness (and Blue Streak....lol)--I guess that's why I like MF, WT, Mav, TTD, Raptor, and Magnum so much (I couldn't even rank those coasters in order of my favorites). Gatekeeper is more of a visual experience for me. I like the views of flying around the front of the park at a leisurely speed as well as the view of never seeing Disaster Transport again.

Id say the only thing missing from this ride is station music.

...and that Griffon statue from Iron Dragon.

Or, has that surfaced, yet?

I rode Gatekeeper for the first time a couple weeks ago. I sat on the right outside, I think it might have been one of the "big boy" seat that was talked about because it felt roomy. It was enjoyable, especially that first turn down off the hill, lifting me up in the seat and the whole ride seemed glass smooth. It was somewhat underwhelming overall compared to Raptor but still a pleasant, flying, whirly ride.

I rode it twice yesterday, in the regular seats, again on the right and then on the left. The first time yesterday on the right one of the station employees pushed my lap bar in too tight, I could only take shallow breaths so was scared the whole time the restraints would tighten more during the ride so spent most of the time concentrating on pushing the restraints out. It didn't tighten any more but I was glad to get off. The second time on the left side I pushed my stomach out when the person came to tighten down my restraints, but the restraints did tighten on me during the ride, about halfway through but I managed to make it okay again, but only being able to take shallow breaths.

So now I'm a little frightened about not being able to breath on this ride. I can't imagine how I'd feel if we'd be stuck at the top for a while with too tight restraints. The tightness also kind of made me feel claustrophobic as someone else described. I might just try the "big boy" seats again and see how it is. I think my boys would be better in the regular seats because of their smaller size, however my oldest was complaining also yesterday about not being able to take a breath.

I also noticed quite a big of vibration yesterday, too, especially around the first keyhole, not as smooth as our first ride.

Can't believe I've been to the park once this year and have yet to ride GK. :( damn weather and mechanical issues.

The only difference in the big boy seats is about an extra inch of belt. The seats are the same, as well as the restraint.