Rougarou is a floorless roller coaster at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, built by Bolliger & Mabillard. The ride occupies the same steel structure that originally opened in 1996 as Mantis, a stand-up coaster that set world records for its type before earning a reputation as an uncomfortable, rattly ride in its later years.
In September 2014, Cedar Point announced Mantis would close, but rather than tearing it down, the park fitted the structure with three new floorless trains and reopened it on May 9, 2015 as Rougarou, named after a werewolf-like creature from French folklore common in Louisiana legend. The redesign let riders’ legs hang free through the same layout, changing the ride’s feel dramatically while keeping its four inversions intact.
Stats at a Glance
- Park: Cedar Point, Sandusky, Ohio
- Manufacturer: Bolliger & Mabillard
- Originally opened: May 11, 1996 (as Mantis)
- Reopened: May 9, 2015 (as Rougarou)
- Height: 145 feet
- Top speed: 60 mph
- Length: 3,900 feet
- Inversions: 4
The Ride Experience
Rougarou’s course starts with a 145-foot lift hill and a 137-foot first drop, then strings together four inversions in sequence: a 119-foot vertical loop, a 103-foot dive loop, an 83-foot inclined loop, and a 360-degree flat spin. With riders’ legs dangling free in the floorless trains, the sensation through each inversion is noticeably different from the stand-up era, when riders were locked upright in restrictive harnesses.
From Mantis to Rougarou
When it opened in 1996, Mantis was the tallest, fastest, and longest stand-up coaster in the world, and it held that distinction for years. By the mid-2010s, though, the tight stand-up restraints had earned it a reputation as a rough, uncomfortable ride, and Cedar Point opted to convert it rather than remove it. Swapping in floorless trains for the 2015 season let the park reuse the original track and supports while giving the ride a new identity as Rougarou.
Cedar Point opened Mantis on May 11, 1996, as the world’s tallest, fastest, and longest stand-up roller coaster, and the first stand-up coaster with both a dive loop and an inclined loop. For nearly two decades it thrilled millions, but the locked standing position sent G-forces straight through riders’ legs, and the over-the-shoulder harnesses caused headbanging that got worse as the ride aged.
In September 2014 the park announced Mantis would close, but the structure and track stayed. Over one off-season Cedar Point installed three new floorless trains, repainted the structure in teal, green, and black, and built a swamp-themed queue with fog and dim bayou lighting drawn from the Louisiana folklore behind the name. Rougarou opened May 9, 2015, on the exact same 3,900-foot layout, now ridden seated with feet hanging free, and it is widely regarded as one of the most successful stand-up-to-floorless conversions anywhere. The rougarou itself is the werewolf of French Cajun legend, said to prowl the bayous at night.
Wondering how it rides today? Read Is Rougarou Scary? Intensity, Best Seat, Wait Times and Fast Lane.
Did you know? The Banshee name that bounced around Cedar Fair
Before it was Mantis, and long before it was Rougarou, this coaster was announced as Banshee in September 1995. Complaints about the name’s meaning, a wailing spirit that foretells a death, had Cedar Point trademarking Mantis within two months and recalling the Banshee merchandise it had already released. The orphaned Banshee logo didn’t go to waste: it became the Steel Force logo at Dorney Park in 1997. The Banshee name finally opened for real at Kings Island in 2014.
Explore more: Explore more roller coasters.
Rougarou Photo Archive: 2023 & 2026
These are original ThrillZing photos of Rougarou taken at Cedar Point on September 13, 2026, the first HalloWeekends weekend of the year. Rougarou’s vertical loop from the midway below, with Top Thrill 2’s top hat and the Cedar Point sign lined up behind it. Plus one from 2023, the floorless train banking through a turn. All photos are free to reuse under a CC BY 4.0 license with credit to ThrillZing and a link to this page.
Rougarou FAQs
Is Rougarou the same coaster as Mantis?
Yes. Rougarou uses the same steel structure and layout that opened in 1996 as Mantis, a stand-up coaster. Cedar Point converted it to a floorless design with new trains for the 2015 season and renamed it Rougarou.
How many inversions does Rougarou have?
Rougarou has four inversions: a vertical loop, a dive loop, an inclined loop, and a flat spin.
How fast does Rougarou go?
Rougarou reaches a top speed of about 60 mph.
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Photo: Bobby Proffer / CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.