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 Review of Maverick @ Cedar Point
6 Rating Posted by: PhantomNik on 7/6/2007 5:08:00 PM
Well, what in tarnation? Looks like one of them thar Cedar Point "fanboys" is writing a review for that thar new cowpoke on the block. You know, that sidewindin’ untamed critter they call Maverick! Shoot, I reckon thar be many a folk who wonder if that fella gives a wild, rootin’-tootin’ ride through them thar canyons and such. That gallopin’ stallion looks like it goes runnin’ rough-shot through them thar Frontier plains we knew so well. It ain’t no mild and tame lookin’ pony, that’s for dang sure! What say we pull up a stump and take a listen to what this here coaster "enthusiast" has to say ‘bout this critter!

Joking aside, Maverick was the one new coaster for 2007 that intrigued me more than any other. We all know about Cedar Point and its rabid following, and although many may tend to christen anything they build as flawless, I like to think that I don’t quite fall into that category. I love the park and feel it’s a mecca for coaster aficionados, yet I’m not so blinded by my fanaticism that I simply felt this was great because it was being built there. No, no, as it turns out, what intrigued me about this coaster the most is that it was almost anti-Cedar Point by design. For years, and I give them credit for it, Cedar Point has prided itself in being the place to go to usually find the tallest and fastest coaster in the world. They’ve accomplished the feat many times, so it was to be expected that many thought "500 Footer!!" when support fillings showed up last year. But as the signs at the construction site foretold, they were indeed going in a whole new direction. Hallelujah! A unique, themed, multi-dimensional coaster at Cedar Point that actually wasn’t hell-bent on rewriting the record books?!? Yeeeee-haw!

To be perfectly honest, the coaster itself looks stunning. When we drove around Perimeter Road to head back to Hotel Breakers and first saw it, everyone in the car was impressed. For a park that doesn’t usually focus or concentrate on theming a ride, the folks at Cedar Point did an amazing job with the ride and its whole surrounding area. This thing literally looks like it has been there for years, as it fits in perfectly with the Frontier Town atmosphere. I ended up with only 2 rides on this wild steed while I was there, once in the second row and once in the back. (EDIT - I have now added a front row ride to the resume, and let me say now that a front row ride on this bronco is heavenly!) As is typical with Cedar Point and their ride crews, the line moved very quickly, and they were cycling 6 trains while I was there. The whole queue area is gorgeously done, and the use of the old WWL station is a neat touch. It’s also nice that so much of the ride’s line is in the shade. Lines were long, no mistake about it, but they moved at a brisk pace and in a little over an hour each time we were walking up to the station to hop aboard. Once you board the compact train and saddle up, then it’s time to experience a coaster that fits its name oh so well! Giddy-up!!

As Maverick’s train left the station and then surged towards the hill, I was startled how quickly it galloped up the LSM lift hill! If you think Millennium’s lift hill is fast, then you ain’t seen nothing yet! The first drop is nothing short of incredible. For such a modest drop, this horse really punctuates the beginning in style! The airtime felt is amazing, and in the back it is unreal! The 95 degree plummet, though brief, is a unique sensation that is really amplified the further towards the front you sit. (EDIT - In the front seat, the visuals through this initial drop, and throughout the entire ride for that matter, are spectacular!) After the initial drop, Maverick is wild and untamed as it tears through the first half of the ride. I found this to be my favorite half of the coaster. The directional changes are sharp and crisp as the train whizzes through the canyon walls, and the speed feels a lot faster than the posted 57<
 

Review Comments

sowinski on 7/7/2007 10:57:16 PM said:
Another truly fantastic review PhantomNik. Keep up the good work.
PhantomNik on 7/11/2007 2:38:04 PM said:
Thanks a lot sowinski! This was a fun one to review for me, and it brought back some really great memories from my rides on this truly fantastic coaster. And the opening paragraph, well, I guess I was in a rare (and western) mood that day!
ginzo on 7/11/2007 3:54:56 PM said:
Yeah, this is a great, albeit corny, review of one of the best coasters out there right now. Maverick is so insane. Id ride it all day if I could.
PhantomNik on 7/11/2007 4:40:21 PM said:
Ginzo, it sounds like you have had the chance to experience this amazing coaster already, so I will inquire to you - did you receive a sizable jolt exiting the launch tunnel? If so, do you know of a simple way to brace for it? Just curious. I can handle the one jolt just fine, but if there were a way to eliminate/diminish that, this coaster would be pure perfection! (And my girlfriend would like it even better too! )
ginzo on 7/11/2007 6:34:17 PM said:
Yeah, my wife doesnt like Maverick because of the head banging. But, what do girls know about coasters anyway?

I got a few minor jolts, but nothing drastic. I just sat forward with my head kinda away from the OTSRs, leaned into all the curves (very hard b/c Maverick changes direction so much), and, most importantly I grabbed the OTSRs with my hands curled in a little bit under my chin.
PhantomNik on 7/12/2007 5:39:56 PM said:
Well, my girlfriend absolutely loved the first half of the ride, but that one jolt out of the tunnel kinda soured her for the second half. However, she did say she would ride again, especially if there was some way to minimize the jolt. I have to give her a lot of credit, cause she hopped on every coaster up there except TTD. She took a few looks at that in action and said "Ha ha ha.....um, nope" LOL


Those tips make sense, and I will give them a go when we likely return for Halloweekends in October. I do know the leaning helps a lot, especially in those wicked cool curves after the first drop. I leaned into the curves on my second ride and it helped tremendously!

shag9004 on 7/20/2007 5:21:01 PM said:
As I said in my review, if you grab the restraints with both hands, put your elbows against the back of the train, and push forward at about 60 percent of max effore (a little more when you see those intense elements coming up) it causes the restraints to lay a little flatter around on your shoulders and eliminates the neck banging. I got four rides in an hour during ERT and did not take one single jolt.
PhantomNik on 5/28/2008 10:10:04 AM said:
Freshly updated my review after my Memorial Day weekend trip to Cedar Point. Added some "EDIT" markers and rewrote some other areas, as this ride has now bumped up to a full 10 from me. Shag, those tips you had worked to perfection, as I did not get one single jolt, even in the one spot that had nailed me during both rides last year. Thanks so much for the tips! The increased comfort along with experiencing this puppy in the front seat was all that was needed to bump this ride up for me. I absolutely recommend this coaster to everyone, as it simply must be experienced. This is an incredible coaster, and I am so glad that CP decided to go a different way and deliver such a winner that doesnt need records as its calling card.
shag9004 on 5/29/2008 10:53:24 AM said:
Glad I could help.....Ill be back at the point the 3rd weekend in June and again during our summer coaster trip (28 parks and almost 200 coasters) around July 5th. Let the coaster riding season begin!!!!
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