Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio has announced Top Thrill 2, a reimagining of their famous Top Thrill Dragster roller coaster, which is set to open in 2024.
What’s Happening:
- Top Thrill Dragster, a strata coaster over 400 feet tall, originally opened at Cedar Point in 2003.
- Following a recent accident, the attraction has been closed since 2021, and will now be reimagined into Top Thrill 2.
- Cedar Point is set to build on the legacy of the original attraction with not one, but two, 420-foot-tall track towers, putting riders in the driver’s seat for one of the greatest races of all time.
- Riders will immerse themselves as they join the CP Racing Team and climb into one of three, sleek high-performance racing vehicles. Each of Top Thrill 2’s trains will feature open-air seating, providing heart-pounding views on the world’s first and only dual-tower vertical speedway.
- On the start, using an all-new linear synchronous motor (LSM) launch system, riders will peel out down the straightaway reaching speeds of 74 mph, racing toward the sky on Top Thrill 2’s original 420-foot-tall “top hat” tower. After experiencing weightlessness during the “rollback” – the coveted fan-favorite moment when the train’s momentum isn’t great enough to make it up and over the tower – the train shifts into reverse and into its second launch, reaching speeds of 101 mph.
- Riders will then see Cedar Point unlike ever before as they speed into a backward climb at a 90-degree angle on a new, 420-foot-tall track tower. After a second moment of weightlessness, the train shifts into drive and races forward into its third launch, clocking in at the ride’s top speed of 120 mph.
- Crossing over the top hat tower, the train decelerates momentarily before diving into a 270-degree spiral and crossing the finish line.
- Partnering with Cedar Point and utilizing the ride’s original and iconic top hat tower, Zamperla Rides and its Roller Coaster Business Unit engineered and designed a completely new experience. Top Thrill 2 is one of the first roller coasters in the world to utilize Zamperla’s “Lightning” trains, capable of high-speed aerodynamics, performance and rider comfort. The ride’s new high-tech LSM launch system delivers smooth and quiet acceleration while giving riders the chance to feel the rush of motorsport racing.
What They’re Saying:
- Carrie Boldman, vice president and general manager of Cedar Point: “Top Thrill 2 will be the boldest and most advanced roller coaster Cedar Point has ever introduced. It’s another one-of-a-kind that could only be built at Cedar Point. Our stamp on the industry is in roller coaster innovation, and today, that’s solidified as we redefine the strata coaster into a mega-thrill that our guests will come from far and wide to experience.”
- Antonio Zamperla, president and CEO of Zamperla: “My sincere congratulations to Cedar Point on the announcement of this incredible project. Today, with pride and excitement, we embark on this collaborative journey together. It is an honor for Zamperla to add our signature on ‘The Roller Coaster Capital of the World.’ I cannot wait until next year when we see this record-breaking scream machine come to life.”