Sep 7, 2022 - News

So long, Top Thrill

Tyler Buchanan

Top Thrill Dragster roller coaster at Cedar Point. — Tyler snapped this picture of Top Thrill Dragster's hill while standing in line two weeks before it closed in August 2021. Photo: Tyler Buchanan/Axios

Record-breaking Top Thrill Dragster is being retired a year after the roller coaster seriously injured a woman waiting in line, Cedar Point announced yesterday.

Why it matters: The announcement ends a year of speculation over the fate of Ohio's tallest and fastest ride.

State of play: Standing 420 feet tall, Top Thrill Dragster was the largest coaster in the world when it opened in 2003.

The 120 mph launch system proved popular, but the ride also suffered from years of costly mechanical issues.

Yes, but: The park has plans to revive the iconic coaster in a "reimagined way," perhaps as it did with earlier coasters like Mean Streak and Mantis — now Steel Vengeance and Rougarou.

What they're saying: "Cedar Point's legacy of ride innovation continues," the park said in a statement. "Our team is hard at work, creating a new and reimagined ride experience."

👋 Alissa here. I remember when Dragster rumors were the talk of my hometown. "There's no way they can build one that high," Sanduskians scoffed.

So let's get to the wild speculation.

📬 What should take the Dragster's place? A 500-foot coaster? Email [email protected].

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So long, Top Thrill

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