Maverick
2007
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Maverick opened in 2007 as the world's first Blitz Roller Coaster. Blitz Coasters are known for staying close to the ground. Maverick was a different ride for Cedar Point because it stayed close to the ground and didn't break any world records.
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The roller coaster wars of the 1990's brought bigger and better things to Cedar Point. In 1997 Cedar Point expanded the water park to include more slides and attractions. Riders were launched or dropped 240 feet in 1998 with Power Tower. In 1999 Camp Snoopy opened with a new roller coaster for families. The world's tallest and fastest roller coaster came in 2000 in the form of Millennium Force. A one of a kind attraction, Wicked Twister became the tallest and fastest inverted roller coaster in the world. In 2003, riders were launched 420 feet into the air on Top Thrill Dragster, the tallest and fastest roller coaster Cedar Point ever built. Riders were spun 140 feet in the air with maXair in 2005 and swung 125 feet in the air with Skyhawk in 2006. With all these changes over 10 years, a big new attraction was due in 2007.
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In 1997 Cedar Point added the Swan Boats. They floated around in Frontier Town for a few years. Swan Boats was a simple boat ride in which riders pedaled around in a small pond. The ride closed forever on September 1, 2003. The ride was relocated to Michigan's Adventure for the 2004 season. The ride is still in operation at Michigan's Adventure.
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In October 2005, Cedar Point closed its log flume, White Water Landing. The ride was built by Arrow in 1982. White Water Landing was a very popular ride and guest really missed the ride after it was removed.
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With White Water Landing and Swan Boats out of the way, Cedar Point would have room for a huge new attraction. Cedar Point would have a 5.5 acre site to work with.
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When Cedar Point opened for the 2006 season they had a massive ride site for construction. The park was working on pouring footers for their new 2007 ride.
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In early summer the park begin vertical construction on their new ride.
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The park was keeping what they were building quiet. Construction would happen more rapidly as the summer continued.
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Rumors were running wild on what the new ride would be. It was only guaranteed that Cedar Point was building somthing really special for the 2007 season.
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Cedar Point was able to keep their new roller coaster a secret all summer long.
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On September 7, 2006, Cedar Point announced Maverick would be the parks 17th roller coaster.
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When the park closed for the 2006 season almost all of the ride track and supports were up.
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Through the winter the park continued to build the roller coaster to get it ready for the summer.
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In the spring the park worked really hard to get the new roller coaster ready.
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Before the park opened Maverick began to be tested. The initial test runs didn't go exactly as planned. It was soon determined that the heart line roll was causing too much stress on the trains.
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On May 8, 2007, Cedar Point announced the opening of Maverick would be delayed. The heart-line roll needed to be replaced with an s curve because the heart-line roll was causing too much stress on the ride.
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Testing resumed after the heartline roll was replaced.
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Maverick opened on May 26, 2007. Maverick was the first roller coaster to open at Cedar Point since Top Thrill Dragster in 2003.
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Maverick was one of the most popuar roller coasters when it opened. It was instantly compared to Millennium Force. Maverick was an instant hit!
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Maverick Ride Facts
Height: 105 feet Drop: 100 feet Speed: 70 MPH Inversions: 2 Type: Launched Blitz Coaster Designer: Werner Stengel Company: Intamin AG of Switzerland Capacity: 1,200/HR Opened: May 26,2007 Number of Coaster at that time: 17 Cost: 21 Million |
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Maverick was very different for Cedar Point. It wasn't the tallest and fastest, it was just a great ride. Maverick only broke 1 record when it opened. It was the steepest roller coaster in the world.
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Ride Experience
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Maverick riders enter 1 of 2 trains that has 12 riders in a train. Maverick uses a duel loading system where trains are dispatched 2 at a time.
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After being dispatched from the station, riders enter the pre-lift section of the ride. The train then rolls thru this area and onto the lift hill.
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Riders are then launched up the 105 foot tall lift hill. When riders go up the hill, they get great views of the lake and Frontier Town.
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The lift hill is very fast. Riders get to the top really quick because their is no chain lift.
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Maverick drops its riders down 100 feet at an amazing 95 degree angle! 95 degrees isn't just straight down, its beyond straight down. Maverick's drop is really cool and riders experience an amazing amount of airtime!
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After dropping riders are quickly whipped on their sides to the right. Mavericks whipping is really cool and gives you an out of control feeling. It feels like you are riding on the back of a wild bull.
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Maverick then twists and turns its riders thru canyons in a quick, wild, and unruly fashion.
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Riders are then popped out of their seats as they go over a 74 foot tall air time hill.
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Maverick then enters its double twisted horseshoe roll. a double twisted horseshoe roll is 2 corkscrew inversions that are side by side connected by curves.
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The double twisted horseshoe is a very rare element. It can only be found on 2 roller coasters. Maverick and Blue Fire at Europa Park in Germany. The inversions are very cool and riders pop out of their seats as the ride inverts.
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Maverick then slows down its riders down before the train enters a dark tunnel.
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Maverick then launches riders 400 feet at speeds of 70 MPH through the dark tunnel. The tunnel is located under the station and lift hill.
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After being launched through the tunnel riders quickly turn to the left and enter a turn.
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Going up, the train slides through a few break sections. From the top of this hill, riders get a great epic view of Cedar Point!
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Maverick then drops its riders into the lagoon. When the train reaches the bottom of the hill, water bombs are sent off.
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Riders then twist and tun in an ''s'' fashion and are sent under the rides lift hill.
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While in the canyon, riders have their picture taken.
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Riders then twist under the lift hill. This twist is really cool because riders are turned on to their sides. It feels like you are going into a really tight space and that you are going to hit something!
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Then Maverick sends riders thru an extremely over banked turn. This turn is really cool and gives a cool floating sensation!
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The last element on Maverick is a small airtime hill. This small amount of airtime is great! You get more airtime on this hill then what you expect!
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Maverick ends when the train arrives in the break run.
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Some Of The Past Is Saved
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Maverick reuses White Water Landing's station. It is used for Maverick's line and gift shop!
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Maverick's Impact On The Roller Coaster Capital Of The World!
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When Maverick was announced, people thought Maverick would be a family style ride like Iron Dragon.
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Maverick's first riders were blown away! Maverick is a wonderful ride. It was immediately ranked as one of the top coasters in the park.
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Maverick was so good that in 2007 it was ranked the best new ride of the year by Amusement Today.
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Maverick remains a top coaster in the world. Over the years it has placed in the top 50 roller coasters in the Golden Ticket awards every year.
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Since Maverick, Cedar Point has had 7 roller coaster projects including building 3 new roller coasters and converting 3 others. Over the years Cedar Point would add: Planet Snoopy (2008), Shoot The Rapids (2010-2015), WindSeeker (2011), GateKeeper (2013), New Gemini Midway (2014), Rougarou (2015), Valravn (2016), Cedar Point Shores Water Park (2017), Steel Vengeance (2018), Forbidden Frontier on Adventure Island (2019), Cedar Point's 150th Anniversary (2021), and The Boardwalk (2023) All these new attractions helped make Cedar Point the place it is today.
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Maverick is a very good ride that really helps round out Cedar Point's roller coaster collection. Riders must be 52 inches tall to experience Maverick.
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Photos by: Cedar Point, Coaster-net, Russ Hudden and Jake Hamons
Last Updated: 09/20/2023