This update is from Mantis’s last day in operation at Cedar Point. The ride is currently being transformed into Rougarou a new floorless coaster experience on the same track that Mantis ran on. It’ll be exciting to see how the experience is different when Cedar Point opens in a few months but for now, let’s take a look back at the last day of Mantis!
Back at America’s Roller Coast!
Right at the front of the park in the former rides graveyard a Mantis front piece sticks out of the ground. As well as a skeleton who apparently was trying to ride.
Where did this guys head go?!?
And there it is! Mantis! Now orange and teal ready for it’s Rougarou transformation.
Some of the facts on the new ride experience that will be debuting soon.
Mantis 1996-2014. Not sure if the new Rougarou sign will be placed here yet or farther back by the ride.
Mantis flies by as we wait in line to get our first ride of the day.
There was actually quite the line for Mantis today, it was about a half hour but definitely much longer than it normally is.
Uh oh looks like they forgot to paint something.
Mantis navigating the inclined loop which was my favorite part of the ride. Definitely excited to see how this feels with floorless trains, plus it will make it the only floorless coaster on earth to have an inclined loop.
One of the two trains had an issue so they transferred it off the track.
There’s still some yellow showing.
Underside of the transfer track area.
The Mantis is not for everyone! Maybe Rougarou will be? 😛
The second train sits and waits, I’m sure it’ll be back in action later in the day.
This station floor is going to look very very different this year.
Woohoo! Here they go!
After our ride we walked away with this very cool button to commemorate the last day.
Returning later in the day as you can tell by the sky, I grabbed a few more pictures of Mantis.
The immelman which I’m sure will be awesome on Rougarou.
Stand up straight!
An empty train starts cycling, maybe it’s that train that was on the transfer track earlier.
Inclined loop from a different angle.
Two coaster trains in one photo!
And finally the final corkscrews of the ride.
I wonder if a Mantis train will be on display like this next year.
As the sun started to set, we walked around waiting to ride Mantis one last time. Couldn’t help but take a picture of Dragster.
Wow that loop looks even more impressive at night!
Anti climatic! Two minutes until closing and there was no line! However we opted for the front row. CP was awesome in that they cycled trains with just people in the front. Normally when it’s closing time they will make people fill the rows, but they let everyone get that last ride in whatever row they wanted.
The lift and loop all lit up for the night.
By the time it was our turn to ride we were the only ones left on the platform.
Take the last stand.
After we get off, the winners of the contest for last riders wait outside with Tony Clark. We didn’t win a last ride but we were on one of the last trains and I’ll still take that any day.
Our group posing with the sign for one last time.
And that’s all she wrote. Can’t wait to ride Rougarou in May!
