Say goodbye to Mantis.
When it opened at Cedar Point on May 11, 1996, this stand-up roller coaster was the tallest and fastest of its kind in the world.
But owners of the amusement park in Sandusky, Ohio, today announced that guests would have their last ride on Mantis on Oct. 19. It provided more than 22 million rides over 18 years.
The 2-minute, 40-second ride climbs to 145-feet high before diving into a 119-foot giant loop, then a 103-foot tall dive loop, then an inclined loop and a flat spin maneuver; it tops speeds of 60 mph. It is one of 17 roller coasters at the park, but its speed has been far eclipsed by Millennium Force at 93 mph and Top Thrill Dragster at 120 mph.
No Cedar Point official would give a reason why Mantis was ending its run, but spokesman Bryan Edwards today explained it this way: “Our goal is for our guests to have their best day of summer here, with the best collection of rides, best kids area, best shows and restaurants, you name it.”
Jason McClure, vice president and general manager of Cedar Point, said in a statement, “We’re extremely excited about what the future holds here at the Roller Coaster Capital of the World.”
To announce the end of Mantis, Cedar Point posted an eerie black and white video of the grim reaper visiting the Mantis roller coaster.
First Published: September 2, 2014, 6:35 p.m.
