Rougarou is Cedar Point’s floorless roller coaster — a 145-foot Bolliger & Mabillard machine that sends riders through four inversions at 60 mph with nothing beneath their feet. Located in Sandusky, Ohio, it’s one of the park’s most re-rideable coasters: smooth, intense, and consistently carrying shorter waits than Cedar Point’s record-breaking headliners.
Named after the werewolf of Cajun legend, Rougarou opened May 9, 2015, after Cedar Point converted the beloved-but-brutal Mantis stand-up coaster into a floorless experience. It kept the same 3,900-foot layout while eliminating the head-banging and leg strain that defined Mantis’s final years — and this guide covers every stat, sensation, and planning detail riders search for before getting in line.
Quick Answer
Rougarou is a floorless steel roller coaster at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, built by Bolliger & Mabillard. It stands 145 feet tall, drops 137 feet at a 52-degree angle, and reaches a top speed of 60 mph across four inversions and 3,900 feet of track. Riders must be between 54 and 78 inches tall. It opened May 9, 2015, converted from the 1996 stand-up coaster Mantis, and was the first floorless coaster in the world to include an inclined loop.
Rougarou Stats: Height, Speed & Full Specifications
Height: 145 ft (44 m). First drop: 137 ft (42 m) at a 52-degree angle. Top speed: 60 mph (97 km/h), reached at the bottom of that first drop, right before the first inversion. Track length: 3,900 ft (1,200 m). Ride duration: roughly 2 to 3 minutes. Inversions: 4. Trains: 3 trains with 8 cars each, seating 4 riders across per car for 32 riders per train. Height requirement: 54 to 78 inches. Manufacturer: Bolliger & Mabillard (design by Werner Stengel). Opened: May 9, 2015, converted from Mantis, which opened May 11, 1996.
Those numbers put Rougarou in Cedar Point’s upper-mid tier of intensity. It’s taller and faster than family-friendly rides like Blue Streak, but it doesn’t chase the top speed of Top Thrill 2 or the sustained airtime of Steel Vengeance — instead, its 60-mph speed is packed into a tight, inversion-heavy 3,900-foot layout that feels more compact and relentless than the stats alone suggest.
How Intense Is Rougarou? Is It Scary?
Rougarou is intense but not extreme — it’s a strong entry-level thrill ride for riders who’ve already outgrown family coasters but aren’t ready for Cedar Point’s biggest hypercoasters. The four inversions deliver real positive-G forces, especially at the base of the 119-foot vertical loop, and the floorless design amplifies the sensation of speed because there’s no floor blocking the view of the track rushing by beneath your dangling feet.
What makes it feel scarier than its stats suggest is the exposure: with no floor and only a shoulder harness holding you in, inversions feel more open than on a standard sit-down coaster. That said, there’s no launch, no extreme airtime, and the ride is smooth rather than jarring, so most riders who can clear the height requirement find it thrilling without being overwhelming.
From Mantis to Rougarou: Cedar Point’s Most Successful Conversion
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 to feature both a dive loop and an inclined loop. For nearly two decades Mantis thrilled millions, but the locked standing position transferred G-forces directly through riders’ legs, and the over-the-shoulder harnesses caused headbanging that worsened as the ride aged.
In September 2014, Cedar Point announced Mantis would close — but the structure and track weren’t going anywhere. Over an off-season conversion, the park installed three new floorless train sets, repainted the structure in teal, green, and black, and built a swamp-themed queue with fog effects and atmospheric lighting drawn from Louisiana bayou folklore. Rougarou debuted May 9, 2015, on the exact same 3,900-foot layout, now experienced seated with feet hanging free instead of locked standing — widely regarded as one of the most successful stand-up-to-floorless conversions in theme park history.
The Ride Experience: Every Inversion on Rougarou Explained
The chain lift climbs to 145 feet, with views stretching across Lake Erie on clear days, before the train drops 137 feet at 52 degrees into the inversion sequence. Rougarou’s four inversions, in order, are: a 119-foot vertical loop (the tallest element, generating strong positive Gs at the base); a 103-foot dive loop (a twisting entry into an inverted arc, one of the smoothest transitions on the ride); an 83-foot inclined loop (the coaster’s signature element — Rougarou was the first floorless coaster in the world to feature one, a left-banking inversion unlike a standard loop or corkscrew); and a corkscrew that closes the inversion sequence before the final brakes.
Between inversions, the track weaves through banked turns and a non-inverting overbanked turn directly above the loading station, giving riders on the midway a close-up look at full-speed trains. The floorless trains amplify every element — during low-to-ground sections the track rushes past inches below dangling feet, and inversions feel more open and exposed than on a standard sit-down coaster.
Best Seat on Rougarou
Front row delivers the clearest view of every element as it approaches and the most vivid dangling-feet sensation during ground-hugging sections — the 119-foot vertical loop looks enormous from the lead car. Back row provides a stronger pull over the first drop, since the trailing cars get yanked over the crest with more urgency. Middle rows are the smoothest option and typically carry the shortest individual-row queues, making them ideal for re-rides.
For first-timers, front row is the definitive Rougarou experience; for coaster regulars chasing extra intensity, back row rewards the wait.
Wait Times, Fast Lane & Best Time to Ride
Rougarou is one of Cedar Point’s most re-rideable coasters because it typically posts shorter lines than headliners like Steel Vengeance, Maverick, or Top Thrill 2. Waits still build through late morning and early afternoon on peak summer days and during Halloweekends, so the first hour after opening and the last hour or two before close are the most reliable windows for a short line or a walk-on.
Rougarou is included on Cedar Point’s base Fast Lane pass — you don’t need the more expensive Fast Lane Plus tier to skip its regular line, unlike marquee coasters such as Steel Vengeance or Millennium Force. Cedar Point does not offer a dedicated single-rider line for any of its coasters, but if you’re riding alone, ride operators often pull solo riders and pairs out of the regular line to fill empty seats, which can shave a few minutes off the wait.
Planning Your Visit
Rougarou operates during Cedar Point’s regular operating season, generally spring through fall with extended hours in summer and a Halloweekends schedule in autumn; exact hours shift by day and season, so check the calendar before you go. Admission works on the same tiered system as the rest of the park — single-day tickets, multi-day tickets, and season passes all include Rougarou, with Fast Lane sold separately as an add-on for shorter waits.
For current hours, ticket prices, and any seasonal closures, use the official Cedar Point site as the up-to-date source — Cedar Point is now part of the Six Flags family of parks, and ride and ticketing information is maintained there.
The Legend Behind the Name
The rougarou (also spelled loup-garou) is the werewolf of French Cajun folklore, rooted in the bayous of Louisiana, where the creature is said to prowl at night, shapeshifting and preying on those who wander too far into the swamp. Cedar Point leaned fully into the mythology: the queue features fog machines, dim swamp lighting, and bayou-inspired theming designed to unsettle riders before they board.
The name fits the coaster’s character — lurking on Cedar Point’s Millennium Midway, easy to underestimate, and ready to deliver.
rougarou cedar point ride guide FAQs
How tall is Rougarou at Cedar Point?
Rougarou stands 145 feet tall and drops 137 feet at a 52-degree angle before hitting its top speed of 60 mph.
What is the height requirement for Rougarou?
Riders must be between 54 and 78 inches tall to ride Rougarou.
How many inversions does Rougarou have?
Rougarou has four inversions: a 119-foot vertical loop, a 103-foot dive loop, an 83-foot inclined loop (the first ever on a floorless coaster), and a corkscrew.
Was Rougarou always called Rougarou?
No. It opened in 1996 as Mantis, a stand-up coaster, and was converted into the floorless Rougarou for the 2015 season using the same track layout.
Is Rougarou scarier than a normal roller coaster?
It can feel more intense than its stats suggest because the floorless trains leave your feet dangling with no floor in sight, but it doesn’t have the extreme speed or airtime of Cedar Point’s biggest hypercoasters.
Does Rougarou have long wait times?
Rougarou usually has shorter waits than Cedar Point’s headliner coasters, with the shortest lines typically right after opening or in the final hour or two before close.
Can you use Fast Lane on Rougarou?
Yes, Rougarou is included on Cedar Point’s base Fast Lane pass, so you don’t need the higher-tier Fast Lane Plus to skip its line.
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