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<
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