As the train creeps forward and the track beneath us begins to slowly tip, I find myself hanging face-first over what feels like open air. There’s a moment of silence. No music, no wind, just a calming stillness before the plunge. It’s unsettling, and time seems to stop. Then, without warning, we drop.
The long-awaited Siren's Curse is finally here, and it brings something no other ride in North America has: a vertical tilt track. This steel coaster by Vekoma is the first of its kind operating in the U.S., and only the second tilt coaster in the world to be in service, alongside Gravity Max in Taiwan.
Siren's Curse hits a top height of 160 feet and speeds of up to 58 mph over its 2,966 feet of track. It features 13 airtime moments, two full 360-degree barrel rolls and a thrilling high-speed triple-down section, all within a compact, winding track. It brings a whole new kind of exhilaration to the park’s legendary lineup.
From the outside, the ride doesn’t immediately draw attention and is somewhat tucked away in the shadows of its neighboring coasters. Flanked by giants like Valravn (223 feet) and Millennium Force (310 feet), Siren’s Curse appears modest in comparison. But what it lacks in scale, it makes up for in psychological tension.
“What we did with the tilt element was to really enhance the thrilling element of the ride, so you have that unexpected moment,” says Ricardo Etges, Vekoma’s vice president of sales and marketing for the Americas.
On a media preview morning on June 25, I enter a queue that winds beneath and around the ride’s steel structure. The theme becomes clear with abandoned shipping freights, toxic waste containers and purple water, giving off an eerie, weathered dockyard vibe, like something pulled from the depths of Lake Erie. Lockers are available near the entrance for larger belongings, while smaller items must be stored in additional lockers just before the metal detectors, similar to the setup at Steel Vengeance.
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Each green and black train consists of 12 rows and seats 24 riders. The seats use shoulder harness restraints, and riders must keep their hands down and in front at all times. I chose a seat in the front row for the ultimate hair-raising experience, hoping to get the full effect of the coaster. Once on board, the train ascends a chain lift hill and edges toward the end of what appears to be a broken track. That’s when things get interesting.
The entire section of track tilts forward until our car is suspended at a full 90 degrees, staring straight down. It feels like I’m hanging off a cliff, and the suspense lingers for what feels like forever, though in reality, it’s around 15–20 seconds. My body presses against the constraint of the seat’s harness, and I grip the handlebar at my lap with all my strength. Then, without warning, the train plunges forward, kicking off a surprisingly smooth and quick ride packed with dynamic turns, LED lighting and a tunnel element that goes underneath the queue.
Siren’s Curse ranks as the seventh-tallest roller coaster at Cedar Point. While it doesn't compete with skyline-dominating giants like Top Thrill 2 (420 ft), Siren’s Curse carves out a unique place in the park’s legendary lineup. It’s also a significant upgrade in ride tech, with modern engineering, smoother transitions and more dynamic elements as part of Vekoma’s second generation of coasters.
The ride is located along the Millennium Midway, directly across from Iron Dragon.
“We're surrounded by monsters here, very tall rides, so I think the position of Siren’s Curse within the park, right from the Midway with the visual of that tilt is unique,” says Etges.
While it may look like you're dangling over the edge of a broken track, Siren’s Curse is built with layered safety mechanisms that keep riders secure at all times. When the train stops at the edge of the tilt track, a primary locking hook holds the train in place while the track tilts forward.
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These systems are designed to “fail safe,” meaning any malfunction defaults to a secure state. Vekoma’s upgraded tilt technology ensures that the ride feels terrifying, but remains completely controlled.
The ride was not as frightening as I had anticipated, but the time suspended in the tilt did cause some mental discomfort. Compared to my other favorites at Cedar Point like the Maverick, Steel Vengeance and Valravn, I would rank Siren’s Curse mid-tier. The rarity of the coaster and its significance are most impressive. The unique storytelling aspect of the ride is a great feature, and by embedding the queue within the ride’s path, the wait is more engaging than most.
Siren’s Curse may not break height or speed records, but it brings an entirely new ride experience to Cedar Point and the continent. With an impressive blend of suspense, smooth inversions and a one-of-a-kind tilt drop, it’s an inventive addition worth checking off your thrill list.
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