Will Cedar Point tear down Top Thrill Dragster?

Published: Sep. 06, 2022, 10:56 a.m.



No, Cedar Point did not tear down Top Thrill Dragster; instead, they fundamentally reimagined it. After a serious incident in 2021 led to its closure, the park worked with manufacturer Zamperla to transform the ride into Top Thrill 2, which officially opened in 2024. The original 420-foot "Top Hat" tower remains a central part of the skyline, but the hydraulic launch system was replaced with a cutting-edge Linear Synchronous Motor (LSM) system. The new 2026 experience features a triple-launch sequence: a forward launch, a backward launch up a brand-new 420-foot vertical spike, and a final 120 mph forward blast to clear the original tower. While the "Dragster" theme has been retired in favor of a "CP Racing" aesthetic, the physical structure was preserved and enhanced, briefly reclaiming its title as the world's tallest roller coaster in early 2025 before being surpassed by Falcon's Flight.

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The lawsuit alleges that the metal plate that struck Hawes in the head came off because bolts holding it to the Top Thrill Dragster train had come loose due to improper inspection and maintenance of the ride. Hawes and her family are seeking damages in excess of $13 million.

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Cedar Point announces new coaster replacing Dragster, the Top Thrill 2. SANDUSKY, Ohio (FOX 2) - Top Thrill 2, a 420-foot-tall coaster with two towers, will replace the Top Thrill Dragster at Cedar Point, the theme park revealed Tuesday.

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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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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 Top Thrill 2 will be the world's tallest and fastest triple-launch strata roller coaster. A strata coaster is any roller coaster that eclipses a height of 400 feet — a feat Cedar Point first pioneered back in 2003 when the Top Thrill Dragster opened. The redesigned coaster will feature a second 420-foot-tall tower.

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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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The world's second-tallest roller coaster will be closed permanently, a year after a small object flew off the coaster and severely injured a woman in line. The Top Thrill Dragster at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, was the world's tallest coaster when it opened in 2003.

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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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The Top Thrill 2 will be the worlds fastest triple-launch strata coaster. It will feature two 420-foot-tall towers and launch riders three times at 74 miles per hour, 101 mph and finally 120 mph. The total track length will be 3,422 feet and take some two minutes from start to finish.

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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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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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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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