If there is a ride that shows the innovation and creativity of Cedar Point, it is the infamous Raptor roller coaster. It was built in 1994 and still remains one of the most popular rides at the park and is an annual winner of the Golden Ticket Award for best steel coaster.
It set many records when it was opened and is probably my second favorite ride in the park.
Jump to:
History of The Raptor
On August 19, 1993, Cedar Fair Entertainment Company filed a trademark for the name Raptor. Raptor was then announced on September 1, 1993, during a press conference. Regarding the design of the attraction, Cedar Point management said:
Raptor will be the most exciting and ambitious project ever ... a project that will challenge the boundaries of imagination and change the Sandusky, Ohio, amusement park/resort like nothing before it.
Construction started after the 1993 season with the site clearing of the Mill Race log flume water ride. The Midway Carousel and Calypso were relocated in October to other areas of the park to make room for Raptor. Footers also began to be poured that month.
The lift hill was topped off in December, with track construction continuing through January 1994. The first trains were tested about two months later, in March. Final preparations were made in March, with the entrance plaza being built and 85,000 square feet of midway replaced.
Media day was held on May 6 before the ride opened to the public the next day for the first time. The ride was originally painted with dark green supports, bright green tracks, and unpainted rails. It was repainted for the 2002 season, and the rails were painted dark green, matching the supports.
It was repainted again before the start of the 2016 season
Overview
The ride begins with a left-hand turn out of the station to the lift hill that ascends 137 feet. Riders are pulled up by a 9,000-pound chain lift. At the top, the train dips slightly into the pre-drop before turning 90 degrees to the left as it drops 119 feet down the first hill. From the bottom, the train immediately enters a 100 feet vertical loop.
The train then enters a zero-g roll followed by the cobra roll, which inverts riders twice. The cobra roll was a first for inverted roller coasters.
After the cobra roll, the train climbs through an upward spiral and enters the mid-course brake run. Next, the train dives down to the right, transitioning into a brief straight section of track. Riders then enter the first of two corkscrews, which rotate the train 360 degrees to the left.
The track straightens briefly again before turning to the right and entering a short dip before taking riders into the second corkscrew.
The ride finishes with a 1.5-revolution flat helix where riders encounter strong positive G-forces before making one last left turn into the final brake run. One cycle of the ride lasts about 2 minutes and 16 seconds.
Conclusion
I have so many great memories on this ride, but my favorite came after the turn of the century when I worked for a local television station.
While shooting a television show at that point, the marketing director asked if we wanted to take a quick ride on the Raptor roller coaster.
We were a bunch of 20-year-olds, so of course, we said yes, and he made a phone call, and we went to the front of the line. We did not have to wait 3 hours for the ride and were given VIP service. Awesome ride.
The Raptor is still one of the most popular rides at the park, so expect to wait. The ride itself allows for quicker lines because the train holds so many. Beauty can still expect close to 2 hours.