What is replacing Top Thrill Dragster?

The Top Thrill 2 will make its debut during the summer season in 2024, replacing the Top Thrill Dragster which closed in August 2021. SANDUSKY, Ohio — Cedar Point on Tuesday unveiled its newest version of a fan-favorite ride — one that is said to be the world's tallest and fastest triple-launch “strata coaster.”



Top Thrill 2 is the attraction that replaced the original Top Thrill Dragster at Cedar Point. Following a prolonged closure of the original ride in 2021, the park partnered with the manufacturer Zamperla to completely reimagine the experience. Top Thrill 2 officially opened in May 2024 as the world’s tallest and fastest triple-launch strata coaster. Unlike the original, which used a single hydraulic launch, the new version features a sophisticated Linear Synchronous Motor (LSM) system that propels the train three times: first forward at 74 mph, then backward up a new 420-foot "vertical spike" at 101 mph, and finally forward again at a blistering 120 mph to clear the iconic 420-foot "top hat" tower. This redesign preserved the record-breaking height of the original structure while providing a significantly longer and more dynamic ride experience for park guests in 2026.

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SANDUSKY, Ohio — Cedar Point on Tuesday unveiled its newest version of a fan-favorite ride — one that is said to be the world's tallest and fastest triple-launch “strata coaster.” The Top Thrill 2 will make its debut during the summer season in 2024, replacing the Top Thrill Dragster which closed in August 2021.

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Drive an entire season of unlimited adrenaline with the all-new Top Thrill 2 in 2024 with a Gold Pass. Have a need for speed? Get revvved up in 2024 and buckle in as Cedar Point introduces Top Thrill 2, the world's TALLEST and FASTEST triple-launch strata coaster.

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In August 2023, the speculation was confirmed after Cedar Point announced plans to transform Top Thrill Dragster into a triple-launched roller coaster using linear synchronous motors. The modified coaster is scheduled to reopen in 2024 as Top Thrill 2.

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The decision by Cedar Point comes a year after a small metal object flew off the 420-foot (128-meter) tall Top Thrill Dragster coaster and struck a woman in the head at the park in Sandusky. A state investigation found no evidence that the park acted illegally or had reason to believe the ride was unsafe.

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“Rachel suffered permanent and life-altering injuries as a result of being struck in the head by a dislodged flag plate while simply standing in line,” said Attorney James Murray, who represents Rachel Hawes, her husband and her father.

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A new video released by Cedar Point this week teases what's ahead for the amusement park's popular Top Thrill Dragster, three years after it was shut down after a park patron was severely injured by a piece of metal that fell from the ride.

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SANDUSKY, Ohio -- After more than a year of speculation, Cedar Point has made it official. Top Thrill Dragster, at least in its current form, is closing permanently.

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Top Thrill 2, formerly known as Top Thrill Dragster, is an upcoming launched roller coaster at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, United States.

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Rachel Hawes is suing Cedar Point after suffering a traumatic brain injury from being struck by a metal plate that detached from a roller coaster.

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Over the years, Mantis became known as a rough ride and its popularity began to decline. On September 2, 2014, after weeks of leaking clues that a major announcement was forthcoming, Cedar Point released a statement that Mantis would close on October 19, 2014.

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In 2024, Kings Island's new Camp Snoopy will feature the park's newest roller coaster, Snoopy's Soap Box Racers.

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Officials for the Sandusky, Ohio-based amusement park announced the closure Tuesday on Twitter. After 19 seasons in operation with 18 million riders experiencing the world's first strata coaster, Top Thrill Dragster, as you know it, is being retired, the tweet said.

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