Top Thrill Dragster 2022 Status

Unless they moved it since I was there, the fence runs from the north side of the lockers to the bleachers/coke stand. Then from the other end of the stand to behind the ride photo building. There's a gate at the north end of the station.

From what I see, they are blocking off areas to protect the public. The fence is around the work area while the park is open. It will not be needed after Halloweekends are over. It isn't to "hide" anything.

Right. That's why when they built the thing they put up portable queue rails and plastic snow fencing to keep the onlookers separated from the parked cranes.

I suppose by next week they'll have the phrase, "NOTHING TO SEE HERE" stenciled on the fence.

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

I wasn't sure whether to put this here, or in the "hypothetical ride refurbishments" thread...

Last week I was doing some reimagination of my own, and thinking about what kind of an alternative theme would actually work for TCFKATTD. Of course, "space flight" is an obvious option. After all, the tower is taller than either Aretemis I or even the Saturn V. The problem, though, is that the flight plan is clearly sub-orbital. It never even gets to space, so what's the point of that? Simulating a failed space launch? That's certainly sub-optimal!

Wait a minute. Sub-orbital? Why does that remind me of something? What goes up, then immediately comes back down? And is intended to do so?

I'VE GOT IT!!!

First we fix the perceived safety issue by building a climate-controlled (well, air conditioned, anyway) queue house right in the middle of the ride, where the queue is now. Enclose both stations and provide enough entry and exit tunnel to keep the outside...outside. The tricky bit is that the queue house has to be tall enough that it obscures the view of the brake run from the launch track, and vice-versa. More about that in a moment. In any case, that's really all the modification needed to the ride; the rest is decoration, inside and out, and it addresses the show-stopping issues with the ride. Maybe updates to the launch system as well, but really, that wouldn't be necessary to create the reimagined experience.

So what about the story?

Everyone's favorite sub-orbital service is back in business and at it again. Their engineers have been hard at work developing the next generation of unbelievably fast transportation, all centered around the development of a new propellant. RBB-22, providing a bigger bang than ever before. You thought it was great when we could get 10 of you to Alaska in less than five minutes? Come along as we carry 20 of you there in 40 seconds! Departures every couple of minutes from our new state-of-the-art terminal in Sandusky for a sub-orbital space flight you'll never forget!
Remember, at Dispatch Master Express, we get you there in less than a minute, or we don't get you there at all!

To complete the package, the midway side of the queue house is decorated with a life-size mural of Iron Dragon. So you launch out of the tunnel, along the Cedar Point midway, and take to the sky. The lagoon side of the queue house gets decked out to look like a glacier, with a curtain or wall between the fence and the lagoon to match on the other side. So as a result, it actually looks like you went somewhere. The drag rail at the exit can be replaced with the coldest water fountain in the park, and maybe a Sno-Cone stand.

The result is a complete re-theme, eliminates the hazard that closed the ride in the first place, no changes needed to the ride system itself, and even hits that nostalgia thing that seems to be so important to the park these days. Most people I have pitched this to seem to think it's either the stupidest thing they've ever heard, or it's brilliant. Or maybe both. Personally, I think it's a theme that fits the ride much better than the Dragster theme ever did. If a dragster points nose-up, it means something has gone terribly wrong, and dragsters do not ever turn around and come back. A dragster theme would make more sense on David Hamburger's out-but-not-back fitness coaster. Even better, it's also a better fit than the bobsled coaster ever was for the original Dispatch Master Transport concept because it matches the published flight plan by leaving out all the twisty bits.

If they do this, remember you heard it from me first. And somebody let me know if DAVE disappears from the GateKeeper gift shop!

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

So you think when they built the thing, they were trying to hide it? Seems unlikely, since you know, height. But ok. It's not like they're pouring footers like they were with Maverick pre announcement and hiding the construction from the public. This is a much different scenario. And any fence will only be there for a month a half. Do you think people would go sit in the grandstand and watch them grind off parts all day? Ok. Maybe some here would. But that is definitely the exception, not the rule. Meh. I guess if people need to believe there is something to hide, even if it is Disaster Transport callback, then they will believe there is something to hide.

And the only thing I find troublesome with the fantastical idea of a reboot of DT is the fact that the theme was based on an accident and crash of the transport. I would think they wouldn't want to call attention to such a theme considering the real life accident(s). But hey, who knows. Maybe they don't have that kind of foresight.

Well, as long as we're on space themes, what about theming the ride to Spaceballs? Now, hear me out on this. When you get into the station, there's a big flashing sign reading "BUCKLE UP!" to inform you to fasten your restraint. Then you pull out into the launch portion where you sit for a moment. Then Rick Moranis, as Dark Helmet, proclaims "LUDICROUS SPEED ... GO!!!!" and whoosh you're off. At the end of the break run, you see a man's legs sticking out of the control panel.

I actually liked the Top Fuel Dragster theme. The sounds, the music, the burnout, the commotion, the speed, the insanity. With Summit Motorsports park and Dragway 42 just down the road, it also seemed an acceptable fit. It’s a tough act to follow, really.

@RideMan, your imagination is incredible!

@Jeff, the track shimmy between the motor building and the tower has never seemed right to me and I could actually feel the train shimmy when riding back seat.

Space theme, well kinda anyway.

(Brochure credit: http://www.rollercoasterfreak.com/Brochures.html)

RideMan:

If they do this, remember you heard it from me first.

Not exactly, but cool idea ;)

Then again, you're taking the idea seriously, where I saw it as a easy attempt at a laugh.

Your ability to turn it into a somewhat reasoned idea of a theme is commendable, but I hope and pray Cedar Point's connection to that ****-show is 6-feet under from now to eternity.

RideMan:

Right. That's why when they built the thing they put up portable queue rails and plastic snow fencing to keep the onlookers separated from the parked cranes.

I didn't follow construction closely at the time, but it's been my understanding or assumption that visibility-obscuring fencing is a relatively new thing they do, that wasn't the norm at the time TTD was under construction. I mean, they put up visibility-obscuring fencing for the restaurant they're building, so I don't think they're "hiding" anything other than the unsightly mess inherent to construction of any kind.

It is a small (and also major) detail, but I would love to be in the room when they had the conversation about what color the "revamped" tower will be. Any conversation regarding any coaster's paint may be interesting, but with the significant exposure the tower receives, they may have put further thought into this. Or not. But interesting to think about either way when it anchors your skyline.

It'll surely play into the theme, but I'd love to see orange structure with gray track. Given what DJ said above, I do tend to think we will see paint sooner rather than later.

Hey Chuck Wagon, I have that Midway Banner from a Meijer promotion in my house!!!

RideMan:

After all, the tower is taller than either Aretemis I...

I mean, no re-theme necessary there. It already never launches.

I just had a Eureka moment in my internal uneducated speculation.

In regards to extending the ride...

A few have noted LSMs needing more track to get up to speed and not having the same acceleration properties (which isnt neccesarily true, you can certainly design an LSM system with the same launch properties as dragsters hydraulics, you just need to manage the heat generated somehow).

Some suggested having a spike in the back to help launch (which would be horrible for capacity tbh).

Another person mentioned how many trims would need to be added if they extended the ride after the launch..

What if the launch was the finale?

What if they created a smalle condensed layout with inversions, twists and turns... And ended the experience with an LSM launch up the tower?

Kinda like how Maverick has the mid layout launch.

It actually makes a TON of sense to do tbh.

My pipe dream would be to enclose the whole first half Disaster Transport style and have the final launch be outside.

Make it space themed.

It actually makes 0 sense to do, but OK.

Steel is expensive these days, very expensive. They aren't going to plunk a Copperhead Strike or whatever down in the infield, let alone tie it in to the old launch and tower - and even if something like that were to happen, it would need a lot more than just a few months to a year to even start to happen.

Jeff, that might be funnier than my entire post!

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

@NextGen I really love your idea as a blue sky concept. It would be awesome to have more on the front end of the attraction. But I do agree with exit English that I think this add-on might be unlikely. More than just the cost I think there are issues with the needed space to see this idea come to fruition.

I'll be adding your idea to my "Gosh it would be awesome if this happens" list!

NextGen89:

It actually makes a TON of sense to do tbh.

I think it actually makes less sense than grafting on track between the LTH and brake run, since the latter wouldn't require a new station, which I would imagine is one of the most expensive "parts" of most coasters.

The #1 thing on my "Gosh it would be awesome if this happens" list is a 300' airtime hill. Like the speed hill Kinda Ka has, except 300'. Yes, I realize this is a pipe dream, as it would be extremely expensive, and I doubt that could fit in the existing space without exerting g-forces that are at best very uncomfortable for the average rider.

My pipe dream is having a 200'+ loop in it. It would be the world's tallest, and given the name for 200 foot coasters, it would be the first ever--

Elon Musk: "You wanna get sued?"