On August 1, 2023 Cedar Point announced the permanent closure of the original Top Thrill Dragster and will instead relaunch the roller coaster as a brand-new experience in 2024.
Thrillseekers: this one's for you! Cedar Point amazed scream machine buffs the world over with the debut of Top Thrill Dragster in 2003, and at the time the tallest and fastest roller coaster on Earth. This 420-foot tall, 120-mph steel roller coaster is Cedar Point's 16th scream machine. Top Thrill Dragster is an Intamin "Rocket Coaster" featuring a hydraulic launch that shoots the trains from zero to 120 miles-per-hour in just 4 seconds. The 16-passenger trains then "reach for the sky" as they climb up a 420-foot tall tower, twisting 90 degrees while ascending. Cresting the apex atop 42 stories the train starts a 400-foot vertical drop with a 270-degree spiral twist. While in descent the coaster once again reaches speeds in excess of 100 miles-per-hour!
| Year | Track | Type | Designer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Steel | Launched Out and Back | Intamin AG |
Features: Magnetic braking system; 90-degree twist on ascent; 270-degree spiral on descent
Launch: 0 to 120 mph in 4 seconds
August 15, 2021 – Ride is shut down indefinitely after an incident with the launch mechanism. Top Thrill Dragster remained shuttered for the 2022 and 2023 seasons, but will reopen as a new roller coaster in 2024.
The last car of each train was modified by removing the fin and adding a second row, increasing train capacity from 16 to 18 passengers.
Opening date: May 4, 2003
Estimated cost: $25 million
Train has five cars with two rows each, seating two abreast per row, except the first car has only one row.
Height requirement: Riders must be at least 52 inches tall
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