Mantis, one of the bumpiest coasters around, still holds a top-ten rank for me, just because it is a stand-up and I've never ridden any other standup coasters before. When it first opened in 1996, it was a lot smoother, and unlike most rides that get better with age, this ride has really deteriorated. The track has yet to receive a new paint coat (it's really faded) and I'm surprised this park could let a Bolliger and Mabillard coaster break down like this. When I went to Cedar Point this past month, the wait was the longest at the park because the ride operators took forever to go through the seat and harness check, unlike it used to be with the old ride operators. I really miss its old days when it was the best coaster at the park and people would cram the lines trying to ride it before the park closed. I had almost forgotten how banged-up you feel after you ride it until the ride finished the other day. Alright, I'm done with ratting on it. Now for a play-by-play of how it used to be . . .
Mantis was built as the tallest and steepest standup coaster in the world and was the twelfth of Cedar Point's coaster installations. It features four inversions, a number now rather outdated, one of which, the bank loop, was the first of its kind to be built into any coaster. Of the optional names of this coaster, the Cedar Point at one time considered calling it Banshee, but because of the negative connotation of that name, the name and the sign were scrapped (the sign now stands before the queue of Steel Force at Dorney Park).
From the queue, oncoming riders can see all parts of the ride, and in the station, the trains appear pretty downright gorgeous. As they used to be, they were cushioned like love-seats and the harnesses were plush, and the seat itself was very supportive (if you're a guy you know what I mean). Upon leaving the station, the train does a slight curve directly into the lift, which is actually pretty comfortable. The best place to fully enjoy the first drop is near, not in, the back of the train on one of the far ends of the car. There is a slight swoop before the first drop, which leads the train down a 55° slope at over 60 mph into the gigantic first loop. Bolliger and Mabillard are known for this feature, and this loop is no exception.
After leaving the loop, the train high-banks into a dive loop which drops the train into a half-loop and switches the train's direction. The ride from then on is nothing but intensity. The train begins the high-bank high helix that is another characteristic of a B+M coaster, which leads to the bank loop and a short upward snap helix into the slight brakes. From the brakes is a quick corkscrew (really head-banging here!) and then a complete maze of track that lasts about thirty seconds and when the ride finally brakes to a stop, you're completely dis-oriented and confused!
That's a quick summary (yes, it's very concise) and to feel it for yourself, you're probably catching on with my other ride reviews, yeah . . . ride it for yourself . . . and hope they've greased and oiled everything!
