Retrospect…
I got a chance to go to Cedar Point last Wednesday (July, 24th 2013) and the drive to the Point was exciting as ever, I felt as if I was 21 again. I was wondering how I would feel seeing Gatekeeper in this famous corner. Gone was Disaster Transport and the Cedar Point Needle changing the skyline forever. Would I be sick to my stomach thinking how old I had become since the 1st time I rode the Jumbo Jet in 1974? I thought about standing in line to ride the brand new Avalanche Run and waiting for hours for that ride. As I turned left onto the causeway the excitement really started to build. I caught glimpse of the Gatekeeper and then the entire ride with the 2 majestic keyholes. I could not wait to park the car and get in line. Cedar Point did a really nice job with the new entrance to the park. I felt as if I wanted to run, perhaps to beat the others that arrived at the same time, so I could get inline ahead of them. Did I just transform back into that geeky kid from 1974? Our line wait started next to Max Air and continued toward Gatekeeper, then a sharp left toward Wicked Twister and then a sharp turn to the right back towards Gatekeeper. Finally I reached cue lines next to the Gatekeeper. At one point I got this eerie feeling as if I was standing dead center where Jumbo Jet once stood. It took forever to reach the platform, but once we did I knew I must ride the front seat. It took about 1 hour and 10 minutes and finally I was strapping myself in for my 1st ride on Gatekeeper. I must have felt the same way back in 1974 taking my seat on the Jumbo Jet. As we started up the lift hill I thought hang on tight, before I knew it we were heading towards the keyholes. I knew we would make it through the keyholes as riders before me had, none the less the ride was exciting. It was almost over before it started and we arrived back to the platform and I thought Cedar Point had done a good job with Gatekeeper. As I walked away I thought of all of those coasters that came before the Gatekeeper. I saw Jumbo Jet, Wildcat, Avalanche Run and finally Disaster Transport as they stood in this corner made famous, at least in my mind, by the Jumbo Jet. Could todays memory of Gatekeeper be that of some other geeky 14 year old kid who looks back at 50 thinking this is the ride that made them love roller coasters, like the Jumbo Jet did for me?
The Lost Coaster 
Somehow I found your blog about the Jumbo Jet! I read your first entry and you state how you always compare coasters to this. I have never forgotten it either and I never got to ride it! It was gone the year I was finally tall enough. But all I ever heard before that from my older brothers and cousins was how great of a ride it was and how it whipped you around. Through the years I have looked online, too, but I did hear from one of my cousins years ago pre-internet that it was in Russia. I wish I could just ride it once to know what it was like but it was great finally seeing a POV video. I don’t know if it’s on your blog but I would love to read a description of your ride experience.
Hi Kay! Welcome to thelostcoaster… My 1st time riding Cedar Point’s Jumbo Jet was in May/June of 1974. I’ve never blogged about my first trip to Cedar Point and this site has been up and running since my first post “Hello World” back in May 31st 2009. It’s about time that I did so… Give me some time to think about it and that will be my next post… Kind Regards TLC
Great, thank you! I’ll be looking forward to reading about your experience. My brothers and cousins always said it was a great coaster and I was quite envious and regret I never had a chance to ride it. Thanks, again!
Hello, again. I am going to correct myself. I think I heard about it being in Russia somewhat recently. When I read your posts about it being in Maine, that’s where it struck me and I remembered my cousin had said it had gone. He had some relatives that lived in Sandusky that found out about things with Cedar Point. Anyway, thanks for the welcome, you have a great site and I’m enjoying looking at all the old photos. I was also wondering, in your searches, have you seen any videos of the Upside Down Fun House or Earthquake on the inside or even photos? I have seen one about Pirate Ride which brought back a lot of memories, too.