The long-awaited re-imagining of Cedar Point’s Top Thrill Dragster roller coaster known as Top Thrill 2 closed indefinitely just days after it officially opened to the public.
“Top Thrill 2 is currently experiencing an extended closure as Zamperla (the ride’s manufacturer) completes a mechanical modification to the ride’s vehicles,” said Cedar Point in a May 12 press release that was shared with Fox News Digital.
The park continued, “Once the modification is complete, Zamperla, the Cedar Point maintenance & operations teams and our third-party ride inspection partner will conduct a thorough review before approving both the modification and the reopening of the ride.”
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The Sandusky, Ohio-based park said it “cannot yet confirm a reopening date.” Instead, it will be providing updates about the roller coaster’s progress, it said.
“We know our guests are excited to experience this incredible roller coaster, and we share your disappointment that we are not able to operate it this weekend,” the company said.
Cedar Point announced that “Top Thrill 2” would be closed for repairs just a week after it opened to the public. (Artist concept rendering; courtesy Cedar Point)
“We will do everything possible to reopen Top Thrill 2 as soon as we are confident we can deliver the ride experience that our guests deserve.”
Cedar Point, and Top Thrill 2, opened for the season on May 4, 2024.
In an official announcement, Cedar Point described Top Thrill 2 on Aug. 1, 2023 as “the world’s tallest and fastest triple-launch strata roller coaster.”
A “strata roller coaster” refers to any roller coaster over 400 feet tall.
Top Thrill Dragster, which previously held the record for tallest roller coaster, closed after a 2021 incident in which a woman was struck by a “small metal object” that had come off the ride.
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Cedar Point announced in 2022 that Top Thrill Dragster would not reopen and would instead be re-imagined into a different attraction: Top Thrill 2.
The 420-foot “top hat” on Top Thrill Dragster, the previous iteration of “Top Thrill 2.” The roller coaster at one point was the world’s tallest before being dethroned by Six Flags Great Adventure’s “Kingda Ka.” (AP Photo/Paul M. Walsh, File)
The park constructed a 420-foot “spike” behind Top Thrill Dragster’s original 420-foot “top hat” feature.
The new ride has riders going forward and backward on the spike before cresting the top hat.
Taylor Bybee and Sarah Anderson, the two Virginia-based roller coaster enthusiasts behind the popular YouTube channel “Coaster Studios,” were able to ride Top Thrill 2 on its opening day.
In an email to Fox News Digital, Bybee and Anderson expressed sadness at the ride’s sudden closure, but said they were optimistic the ride would re-open without problems.
“We are sad to hear the ride is closed, potentially for an extended period of time, and feel for all those who were planning a trip to Cedar Point to experience the new ride,” Bybee and Anderson said.
The two had “an amazing experience with Top Thrill 2,” noting that they “at no time felt unsafe.”
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“We have nothing but trust in the ride’s manufacturer, Zamperla, to get the issue solved,” they said, adding that as Top Thrill 2 is “a prototype ride with brand-new trains and a modification like we’ve never seen before,” sometimes issues may arise.
“There’s a lot of unknowns and a lot of variables,” the pair said.
Top Thrill 2 kept the same “top hat” structure as its predecessor, Top Thrill Dragster. But it is a considerably longer ride. (Artist concept rendering; courtesy Cedar Point.)
“It is better that they caught a problem now and work to fix it if it means longevity of the attraction in the future.”
They continued, “We are confident the teams at Zamperla are working around the clock to find a solution so the ride can be back open for guests as soon as possible.”
The Cedar Fair, parent company of Cedar Point, operates 17 amusement and water park locations across the United States and Canada.
The company announced a planned merger with competing amusement park chain Six Flags in Nov. 2023.
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Christine Rousselle is a lifestyle reporter with Fox News Digital.
