Cedar Point introduces Mantis' replacement: Rougarou

September 18, 2014, 3:24 PM · Cedar Point has announced the name of its replacement for Mantis, the Bolliger & Mabillard stand-up coaster that will close at the Ohio park next month.

Rougarou will replace Mantis' stand-up trains with new floorless cars. Themed to a werewolf-like creature from French folklore, the refurbished coaster will have a top speed of 60 miles per hour.

Rougarou
Concept image courtesy Cedar Point

"Rougarou is going to be a fantastic addition to our coaster lineup and our guests are going to love it," Cedar Point vice president and general manager Jason McClure said in a statement. "With the swampy waters below, the vibrant colors of the supports and track, lighting and other effects, it will be a ride like no other at the park."

The track stats? A 145-foot-tall first hill, a 180-degree turn to the right, then a 137-foot drop toward the water at a 52-degree angle. Then a 119-foot-tall vertical loop, a 103-foot-tall dive loop, a highly-banked 360-degree turn and the world's first inclined loop on a floorless coaster, angled at 45 degrees. The ride wraps up with a 360-degree flat spin, several turns, and a figure-eight finale. Here's the concept POV:

Rougarou will open next spring.

Replies (13)

September 18, 2014 at 3:52 PM · I'm impressed with a drop that tall, the lift hill at the start is only going to be 45 feet. :)
September 18, 2014 at 4:13 PM · I actually liked Mantis as a stand up coaster, but I believe the decision to modify it to a floorless ride is a good one (another floorless coaster, SeaWorld's Kraken, is one of my all-time favorites). The layout is solid, the colors look good, and the mention of a special lighting package sounds interesting. Is this change compelling enough on its own to prompt the Rao Family to take another trip to CP? No, it's not. But I definitely look forward to taking a spin on Rougarou (not crazy about the name) some day.

Question for the Coaster Boys and Girls out there: if you've already ridden Mantis does a ride on Rougarou count as a coaster credit?

Other news with this announcement was that the re-styled, re-imagined, and re-freshed Hotel Breakers will finally be complete for next season. During my visit this past summer, I was very impressed with what Cedar Fair was attempting to accomplish with this hotel in making it the destination for guests visiting this grand old amusement park. When and if the Rao Family makes another trek to The Point, I am almost positive a stop at Hotel Breakers will be in the cards.

September 18, 2014 at 6:24 PM · Lift hill height fixed. My CMD-C aim is off yet again. :^(
September 18, 2014 at 6:47 PM · Well now we all know Robert uses a Mac. :)

This announcement was not exactly a surprise. A floorless coaster was something that Cedar Point was lacking and refurbishing Mantis fits the bill. I even like the paint job. Name...not as much. I guess it will fit in with Halloweekends but thats about all I can think of.

Next up...tear out the Corkscrew. I doubt it will ever happen just because of nostalgia but the thing is looooong past its prime and ready to be replaced.

September 18, 2014 at 7:23 PM · ^Seems like the Iron Horse Treatment for Mean Streak might be a better "next" project.... then a dark ride or two would be most welcomed!
September 18, 2014 at 8:27 PM · I can see that happening too. They used to have an indoor bobsled coaster that got torn down for Gatekeeper. They need dark rides and more indoor activities in general for when the weather turns bad.
September 18, 2014 at 10:27 PM · It may be a great coaster, but I loathe that name. It desperately needs to be changed.
September 19, 2014 at 12:53 AM · I admit that the name isn't the best, but this coaster has a history of name-changing. Actually, I can kind of understand it, considering that the loading station and part of it goes over the old inland lagoons of Cedar Point, and that at times the water does look a bit malarial. Perhaps some major waterscaping will be done to add to the theme. Also, one of the main outdoor haunts, "Blood on the Bayou" is held under the coaster during HalloWeekends. I know it's stretching a bit, but it's the best I can do.
September 19, 2014 at 1:32 AM · So other than the floorless train, are any of the other stats new?
September 19, 2014 at 2:46 AM · That's a good solid investment. Not a terrible amount of money to bring new life to what is already a good track. It was always the standup trains that kept this one from getting the kind of attention that many other coasters in the park did. I dig the fact that they are investing in some visuals too. However, the name...yikes. They might have been better off going through with the Lebron stunt instead.

I gotta think it's only a matter of time before the Corkscrew hits the pile. Yes the visual of it looping over the midway is neat, but how long can you really hang on to a 1st generation Arrow before the operating costs become not worth it? I suppose if you weren't paying too much for parts to keep it going and decked the loops out in lights, it might be worth it.

Hoping also to see that iron horse treatment for Mean Streak. Also a good move to do a dark ride, although I would submit that it's better to do one right than to do one just because. Case in point, the now defunct Disaster Transport, featuring mannequins and cardboard boxes with blacklight paint. They would have been better off leaving it a bobsled.

September 19, 2014 at 6:11 AM · My guess is that the "lighting effects" are nothing more than what Kings Island did with Banshee, which has an array of modern LED theatrical lights that alternate between the coaster's three primary colors at night. To me, this is a cheap investment, but sound move to extend the life of a coaster that was waning in popularity. Hopefully the money being saved here will be put towards the rumored dark ride that has been promised for Cedar Point for the past 2 years.
September 19, 2014 at 6:24 AM · Hey I've ridden Mantis standing up, so I think it still counts as riding the coaster even if they change the trains. I would like to go back and try the sit down version. I am not a fan of stand up coasters.

As a coaster, Corkscrew doesn't have a lot going for it, but I was amazed that the track went over an area where people could walk underneath it. Normally the track areas are completely closed off from pedestrian traffic. Corkscrew was neat because you felt you could almost give someone a high five as they passed by on the track (if you're tall).

"Rougagrou" sounds like something Scooby Doo would say. I don't know what it would mean though.

September 19, 2014 at 8:49 PM · I think they should have moved the mantis to kings island and brought back a new king cobra that would have been awesome since they brought back the bat

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