Gatekeeper Media Day.

I have been invited to the Gatekeeper media day at Cedar Point.

My friend is a member of the Ohio coaster club, and has asked me to attend. I guess this will only be open to members of coaster clubs, and only Gatekeeper will be operating for riders, and the media. Has anyone ever been to one of these events? He seems to think that the park will be packed for the event, and that not everyone who attends will be able to ride the coaster. Seems an aweful long way to drive for a coaster, with the chance that you may only be able to ride it once.

But, if I do go, I plan to stay through to openning day, so I can ride the other rides in the park that I have not been on. Just wondering if they might open some other attractions on media day if crowds are more than expected. He seems to doubt that that would happen. But, it would be nice.

So two questions. Are media days really that busy? And, what should I expect openning day at Cedar Point to be like. Crowd wise?

You have to be a member of a club, from what I understand. You will have to sign up before the event and show your CoasterBuzz or other card when you show up. People will not be allowed to bring guests.

This is the first time I have ever heard of a park asking enthusiast club members to attend media day for an amusement ride. The entire purpose for this event is to create hype and get some free advertising. Public interest is high for these kinds of things.

I have never been to a media day directly, but from what little I know about media events, you would probably be pretty bored. You will more than likely get to ride at least a few times, but you will do more standing around while the ride is being filmed and photos are being taken more than anything else. Media day is more intended for reporters to get an early scoop on the new ride to create hype.

I don't expect it to be really busy. I'm sure that they will keep their employees away for this event, and the public is not invited.

My best guess as to the enthusiasts "job" during this event will be to provide bodies on the train for the media to take photos of. Well, that and going back to their online hangouts to talk about their experience of the ride.

My advice to anyone wishing to ride a lot throughout the day is to wear a brightly colored shirt and make sure you are clean cut, clean shaven and don't have excessive visible piercings. In other words, be pretty that day. People in charge might pick you out of a crowd to be on the ride during photo shoots and videos. This is simply from my experiences and not something I really know anything about in a professional way.

I doubt they will pick me for a photo op. I'm certainly not pretty. But, if they want to fill the train, and just show it full of riders, I'll be happy to take any seat that isn't camera ready! LOL!!

But, if they want to video tape a screamer. I'm good at that!! LOL!!

I've been to two media days and a Top Thrill Dragster photo shoot, but I don't think it was my incredible handsomeness that made it happen. The media days were for a couple of websites and the TTD photo shoot was an employee event.

As for Travis's description, he's spot on in his assessment. It sometimes takes forever to cycle the ride through as they move people around, send distinguished guests for laps, etc. One of the media days I attended was the New Texas Giant event, and I only rode twice despite being there for what felt like forever. The other was SheiKra's when it debuted its floorless trains, and the only reason that day was awesome was because the rest of the park was open and I got to ride Kumba and Montu a lot.

With that said, it is cool getting to ride the rides before they open to the public.

Oh, you don't have to be pretty. They just don't want any punks visible in the photo shoot, probably. Don't expect them to select you for a shoot if you are sporting your red three-foot-tall Mohawk and giant hole earlobe piercings with a pentaheart tattoo on your forehead... Not that there is anything wrong with that.

You don't have to "BE" pretty. I suspect as long as you look like an average goody-two-shoes, you'll be just fine. :)

Most people on a train aren't easily seen anyways. In my experience, you are just a body. They may get models to sit up front in plain view of the cameras.

The only media type event I went to was also the employee appreciation day at Hershey for Great Bear. People from B&M did a speech, a radio guy from a local station went on the first train and they broadcast it through the ride station (hilarity right there...I don't think the guy wanted to ride at ALL), and then they opened the ride for the employees. The rest of the park was dead, the games and food were free, and I even rode Great Bear about 10 times (try that on a normal day at Hershey). Really I couldn't give you much help with this except Travis is probably right, but you might get a pleasant surprise. Good luck!!

T-R, go over to PointBuzz where there's a lengthy thread about media day. You'll find everything you need to know there including a link to the sign up form and, most important, words from CP's Tony about what qualifies you to attend, what to expect, and how to act at a media day event.

Timber-Rider said:

My friend is a member of the Ohio coaster club, and has asked me to attend. I guess this will only be open to members of coaster clubs...

Just to repeat what others have said (and that you've not indicated an understanding of), you must be a member of a club. Your friend being a member won't get you through the gate, and you'll have a very boring day in the parking lot.

I'm not sure I'd want to stay in the parking lot all day, but I imagine a little GateKeeper viewing wouldn't be the worst way to spend an hour. :)

Sounds like someone is going to have a great day hanging out in mid-Gatekeeper.

I'd rather earn my way to getting on Gatekeeper first by riding it on early entry May 11.*

*Look at my signature.

You misspelled "strageties."

Damn rich people and their coaster club memberships. Its so unfair.

rollergator said:

You misspelled "strageties."

No I didn't. Look it up.

Hey Tyler?

Don't question Tyler's "stageties." Apparently, they involve checking this website between each class in high school, devoting 85% of his time to roller coasters, and rejecting opportunities to socialize with his peers.

Clearly, this man gets something that we don't.

So, Timber-Rider, are you going to claim it a moral travesty when the media gets to ride before you? They'll be cutting in line all day.

Oh, I had one of my mini strokes when i read that post. What nerve to sit here with us and bash Cedar Point and their policies for over a year now, then turn around and take advantage of their good nature by signing up for a freebie. Oh, then wonder if they'll open other rides too because the event will be so packed. Seriously. Oh, then wonder if opening day will be busy because he'll want to stay to get more rides in, after somewhere back there promising to never darken their door again. Puh-leeze.

We should all know by now that the day will be for and about the media, with Cedar Point solely going about the business of promoting their product. The reason we're invited is that an enthusiastic response to the new ride will be a nice promotion, not so they can spend the day entertaining enthusiasts. There's another "event" for that and we should all sign up for that one if we're expecting a big, full day of fun. Some media days are plenty of rides for everyone, some are no rides whatsoever. This sounds like it promises to be a good time, but we take our chances with lovely invitations like this and so be it.

How do I just know that someone or something is gonna come along and spoil opportunities like this for everyone in the future?

RCMAC said it much better than I did. That's what I was trying to say when I fumbled though my reply to this topic.

Hey Timber-Rider. Do you have a club membership, like CoasterBuzz Club or Ace or something? I'm just wondering. You still haven't replied that you do or not, and by the looks of it, it seems like you think that you just need to be invited by a friend to attend this event. You are a big boy, and probably don't need my help. I'm just looking out for ya. :)

From the schedule that has been posted, the coaster will be open for 11 hours on media day. Now I know that there will be some extra time needed for the working media, but 11 hours should allow for plenty of rides for everyone.