SANDUSKY, Ohio — It’s one of the most anticipated roller coaster debuts of 2024. Cedar Point is finally ready to open Top Thrill 2, a re-imagined version of their former Top Thrill Dragster ride.
Top Thrill 2 features three launches and two 420-foot climbs. The first launch takes riders 74mph straight ahead, where you will climb about halfway up a 420-foot top hat. Then you will fall backwards and hit the same launch in reverse, hitting a top speed of 101mph. The train then travel backwards up a new 420-foot vertical spike. Riders will hang there until coming back down to Earth, hitting the launch again with a top speed of 120mph, climbing all the way up and over the 420-foot tall top hat.
I was invited to be among the first to ride the new attraction and to do it live on WGN Morning News. You will be able to watch video of my experience in the player above.
Here are some things to know about Top Thrill 2 and Cedar Point:
When does Top Thrill 2 open?
Cedar Point says Top Thrill 2 will be opening to the public when the park opens on May 3rd. They are also holding previews for certain Cedar Point passholders. You can find more details about those dates here.
Where is Cedar Point?
Cedar Point is located in Sandusky, Ohio. The park is on a peninsula, surrounded by Lake Erie. It’s about a five hour drive from the Chicagoland area. The park is known for having a large number of roller coasters of all types and sizes. They currently have 17 roller coasters.
What is the locker situation with Top Thrill 2?
If you’ve been on social media over the last few days, you may have come across Cedar Point’s policy for the ride. There will be metal detectors at the entrance and no loose objects, including phones, will be allowed in line or on the ride. The park is also prohibiting shoes “without any strap or back, such as flip flops or sandals.” Cedar Point says integrating lockers into the ride’s queue was not possible due to a “later revision” in the construction process. They say there will be lockers “near the entrance for a nominal fee.” As of this writing I don’t know exactly where the lockers are or how much they will cost, but I will update the post when I find out. Many fans are not happy that lockers were not anticipated by the park when constructing the new ride and that a fee will be charged to store everyday items nearly every rider brings to the park.
How is the ride different from the original Top Thrill Dragster?
The original Top Thrill Dragster was designed by a company called Intamin and opened in 2003. It featured a hydraulic launch system that fired coaster trains from 0-120mph in about four seconds. Riders would then travel 420 feet into the air over a giant top hat, before spiraling 420 feet straight down back to Earth. If you got really lucky, the ride wouldn’t quite make it over the top, and you’d experience a rollback. That happened to me twice back in 2017. You can find video of that here.
Top Thrill 2 features the same top speed as the original Dragster but not the same acceleration. It also features two more launches than the original ride and an entire new backwards vertical spike. Top Thrill 2 is manufactured by Zamperla and features all new coaster trains.
I hear Six Flags and Cedar Fair are merging – can I use my Six Flags season pass at Cedar Point?
Last year Cedar Fair and Six Flags announced plans to merge the two companies, creating one of the largest amusement brands in the world. The merger is not yet complete and awaiting regulatory approval. So as of now, you cannot use Six Flags season passes at any Cedar Fair park. If the merger is approved, I suspect it will take some time for the companies to integrate and offer a joint pass that would be good for all of the parks. I’ll keep you posted when any of that news breaks.
If you have any other questions relating to Top Thrill 2, make sure to reach out on social media! You can find me on Facebook, X and Instagram.
