How was your ride?

Well it sounds easy and convenient but it's not. I mean think, the ride's restraint system, PLC (ride computer), ride safety inspection & certification, ride SOP & training, all gets redone. That's alot of money and time to invest into this...I am assuming just based on other rides changing systems require a recert & inspection from the state dept. of agriculture. This alone is 950.00 for a coaster, plus the 150.00 permit. This also doesn't include insurance changes, ect. This also doesn't count the retrofit of the ride, training, PLC work needing changed in the system by an electrical controls tech, ect...Those costs add up...

Trust me I'd love to see em change, but only time will tell. It depends on what the park is willing and able to do, and how successful this change will be versus leaving it be

Since none of the other parks with wing coasters seem to be investing time and money into a redesigned vest, I wouldn't even hold my breath that they are going to change them. The deciding factor is if it's directly affecting the well being of guests. And since the opinions are varied among enthusiasts, it's hard to tell just how big a deal it is with the GP at this point. Though they COULD be keeping an eye on guest reactions to them for all we know. But, like I said, if it's only affecting a small group of people, then it's not something I could see them spending money on.

I equate this to Maverick's restraints and the buzz around them. Some people don't like them as they can cause serious stapling and discomfort. At least that was one of the things being nitpicked on when it opened. Well, here we are 6 years later, and, despite the minimal public cry for change, the restraints have not changed. The necessity to spend a LOT of money on redesigned restraints just is not there.

SO, I could see this being the exact scenario with Gatekeeper. There will most definitely be people with varying physiologic structures that will have a problem with how the vest tightens. I, personally, found minimal discomfort with the vests. To the point that they barely took away from the ride experience. But that's MY personal experience. We just wait and see if the public outcry is great enough to warrant a redesign or they find that there is a direct danger to the public.

Can't wait to tell you all about it tomorrow night. It's "opening Monday" at the Point, and we'll be getting our first rides tomorrow.

We made it up tonight for a few hours, but mainly watched our girls play on some rides, as nearly every major ride aside from Maverick was down. And I mean everything. (wind)

MaverickLaunch said:
Lack of trees and close objects to give you perspective or a sense of really moving fast. GK has a good lakeview off to the left while climbing the lifthill, but after that you're mostly looking at parking lot, or the midfield beneath it which is just seeded dirt. It's not exciting, and it's boring scenery.

Some of you pick on the weirdest things. Are you really contemplating the parking lot when you're being hurled through the keyholes over the front gate on a roller coaster with six inversions?

Quit now, coasting isn't fun for you anymore.

^ I agree with MaverickLaunch. Scenery can enhance or detract from the ride experience.

Agree w/ Jeff...Tbh the view yes it's towards the parking lot at the crest, however after the parking lot and the lake to the left is quite pleasant, and the right is a good shot at the entrance, what is to come, ect...

I say, people do nitpick weird things...I kinda get what he's saying..but still...

Look down some girls shirts or something going over the gate or look ahead at the "near misses" and enjoy the ride haha

+1, the only thing I really notice is the very pretty view of the beach and lake on the way up the lift and then the two keyholes. I've never noticed the ground, the horizon on the ride is spectacular sitting on the wing and the inversions are too much fun to notice anything directly below you.

^^ + like 15.

Gatekeeper was amazing!! It was very smooth, and the harness was very comfortable. I would say that it was as smooth or smoother than Millennium Force.

It seems like some of you didn't know we were going to be looking towards the parking lot as you crest the top of the hill. All off season you've known which way the lift hill was built and facing towards, so I don't understand this sudden "shock". Did all of a sudden you think the view was going to be of something more stunning than what the lift hill points to? Come on now. The ride is amazing so why bitch about the view and "lack of scenery". Next time we should just let the park know not to open their newest ride because the damn grass hasn't sprouted yet.

I'll take bare ground with grass seen over a ride that was built over a parking lot. At least there will be grass there in a couple of weeks.

i Rode the ride 10 times on Thursday. Im much bigger then most. im 6"6' 215 pounds. So the restraints rest right on my bone. But im ok with it. its a great ride the gp will eat the ride up. the drop is a crazy feeling flipping over and looking right down on the ground.. it has some crazy pos g's. I see this ride having to stop a few time a day for people throwing up. i know for 3 people threw up on media day and most the people were coaster people. something to think about.

Love my Monday.

35 minute wait for a front row seat, and Gatekeeper delivered.

How's this for contrast? Rode first in the back on the right side, and second in front on the left side. Smooth and fast, but the front row seat was my personal favorite. Going through the keyhole inversions was quite a sensation from there, but as others have noted, there was something about the slower-paced second pass along the keyhole towers that I really enjoyed more. From the front, the leg/head/body chopper illusion was great from that second pass as well.

I was a bit underwhelmed with the station, but that's only if I'm forced to nit-pick. Just...plain, with not even a hint of any theme (I guess I was secretly hoping for something a bit gothic in nature tossed in here and there). Perhaps a little theme music (like MF, WT...although MF's music has also disappeared).

But like I said, with everything the park delivered on this ride and the front-gate, that's me finding the one thing they could have improved on.

Plinko-man let my 5 year old play for free, and she won a games coupon we'll use tomorrow :) (thanks!).

Just a beautiful addition to the park in every aspect, and I'm thrilled to see this looming by the beach...especially after over two decades of staring at DT.

edit: Couple more quick thoughts as we tuck the kids in: 1) the restraints; I feel for those of you who for whatever reason do not like them, but I find them extremely comfortable. Exactly like Wild Eagle's, which I loved. 2) No stacking...and this is day number 4 of operating this thing? The crew was running 3 trains all day, and the only time it stacked at all was if there was some kind of rider-issue. Impressive. Most impressive.

One question, though. I noticed from the line that every 7 - 8 trains or so, a worker would run out to the brake run and have to push a button (or something) on a box of some kind, and sprint back to the station.

What is that?

I don't get why people complain about a lack of scenery. A beach-side ride with a great view of the lake is beautiful. Just because the ride isn't built on a massive theme project does not mean it is a non-themed ride. Natural beauty is just as magical as faux beauty, and a peninsula with a beautiful lake and beach is natural beauty at its finest.

Let alone the keyholes, choppers, fly-bys, etc...

Kevinj said:
(...although MF's music has also disappeared).

WHAT. boo. Love that song. :(

WHAT! MF has no music?! That just ruined my night.

Well it was not in action today. I'm not sure opening Monday speaks for the whole season.

I'm hopeful someone has an answer to my question above ^^. Just seemed odd.

I rode about 15 times on media day, and thought the restraints were pretty comfy. Nobody else in my group had a problem with them either.

The ride itself is great. With the exception of the very back row, it's not super intense like some of the other coasters, but I think that'll work in its favor as a crowd pleaser. What it lacks in intensity it makes up for in fun and aesthetics. It's easily the best looking ride at the park, and makes the whole front of the park look fantastic.

Well I rode twice on Saturday and I am 6'3" 250, I had no issues with the vest, I took the advice of someone on here, can't remember, to hold the vest out from your body up the lift hill and neither time I rode it did it get too tight, just a little, it did not make me sore at all. Overall I thought the ride was great, the drop being my favorite part, my first ride I rode in the front right and thought that that could not be beat, it was extremely smooth and the drop was fun, but then I rode back left and I thought the drop was even better, and you seem to feel a few more forces on the ride but it was a bit shakier I felt. Good ride!

I noticed that too on Saturday and while waiting in line. Not sure exactly but it could be something like with Millenium where that have to reset it every day but in this case every 5-10 minutes. It is also by the transfer track controls (I think) so the system may have thought that the train was about to be transferred so it kept the breaks locked. And my last idea is that it is an override start button for the ride for example if they had to unlock a row to let an overweight person out and put someone else in the system may see this as a safety issue and not start unless the buttn/switching is pushed.