Top Thrill Dragster 2022 Status

It has been a more chilly autumn this season dipping below freezing this past weekend. Which, may have factored into corkscrew’s failure to complete its circuit. I wish ya’ll would stop riding it though so that it does get retired.

Baynum Solutions posted a video to their Facebook page today that shows them painting coaster track that looks like Intamin box track, very similar in looks to the dragster track that has been removed. Someone asked them if it was dragster track to which they obviously replied that they couldn't disclose that info. They are painting this particular track piece red.

As of last night (Sunday 10/9) all of Dragster's track, including around & inside the station, has been removed except the top hat. The supports leading away from the top hat are still there. Also the middle queue lines have been removed. This was all easily visible from riding on Iron Dragon.

I'm assuming by 'top hat' you mean all of the vertical tower pieces not just the top of the tower

By the way... To check the scale and see if what I was proposing was really that far fetched...

(A compact layout akin to Hershey Parks Fahrenheit.. with a mid course launch up and over the Tophat for a finale)

You can nearly fit Gatekeepers entire layout, outside of the stattion inside Dragsters infield. I think we lose track of just how large that plot of land is.

They can DEFINITELY do a compact layout, going into a mid course launch (like Maverick) up and over the tophat and fit it in that space.

Preferably (IMO) going counterclockwise.. do the spiral going UP the tower.

They could also DEFINITELY build a trebuchet large enough to launch watermelons into low earth orbit.

You can nearly fit Gatekeepers entire layout, outside of the stattion inside Dragsters infield. I think we lose track of just how large that plot of land is.

I don't think this is remotely true

It's pretty close, I copied a crop out at same scale and put it right over the Dragster footprint. I outlined them for you guys.

Only point Im trying to make really is that I think some people underestimate the scale of the space we are talking about here.

The Dragster footprint is actually MASSIVE.

Theres alot of things they can do.

But they won’t. Betcha a dollar.

Im in the camp that thinks there will be some changes coming to the layout, however, I do not think we will see a whole new coaster added after the top hat.

I could also be wrong about my prediction. This could be as simple as putting LSMs on and a repaint. I would temper expectations. They are not going to add a Velocicoaster layout to TTD.

NextGen89:

I think some people underestimate the scale of the space

Yes, it's a large area, but the shape of the area adds a lot of constraints on what can be done. Sure, fitting most of GK in TTD's footprint wouldn't be terribly difficult. But try fitting something like MF's island turnaround in there.

You could probably do a lot more with the layout with the amount of space that is there especially if you added a bunch of stuff before the top hat and ended with the top hat. That way you wouldn't need the bigger foot print elements for the higher speeds. As much as I would like that to happen I don't think they are interested in investing that amount of resources in something like that unless it's already factored into the 2024 capital improvement budget.

Maybe they kept Son of Beast's loop in storage somewhere, and they finally have a place to use it. You never know.......

I am, of course, kidding (or am I?)

You know that loop on Son of Beast was the only part of that coaster that actually worked, right?

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

And my favorite part of SON was the loop. Post neutering, It was never the same.

I’m loving all the speculation and excited to see more site developments. To those wishing for more tack post top hat, do you feel that speed will be trimmed off (like Formula Rossa) or it’ll run full speed (like Xcelerator)?

Man, I wish I could find the drawing of TTD-as-a-giant-Xcelerator that was posted repeatedly a little over (ugh) 20 years ago both before the official announcement and well after the announcement when peeps were still in serious denial about it being L-TH-B.

Though 20 years and with image hosting websites being what they are, even with the Wayback Machine it's almost certainly lost to time. Would be fun to see how that mockup design compares to what folks are proposing now for Dragster XL or TCFKATTD or whatever we're calling it.

Ask and you shall receive. Just one google search away.

IDK if this is real or not. In my opinion it looks fan made to me. This has made the rounds as "concept art."

Huh. Apparently I just wasn't searching for the right buzzwords. Thanks!

The track's got more of a moebius knot illusion than I remember, but it's almost kind of funny how that drawing sort of unintentionally predicted the trend for declined brake runs, which I don't think any manufacturer was doing in 2002.

@Cedar Pointer that is an awesome find!

I was thinking something very similar to that only starting before the tophat instead of after, that way it has more speed going into the LSM launch allowing it to clear easily... And the mockup I made in that coaster program bent that in on itself a little bit keeping it condensed.

To be honest in relative terms, an addition like thay couldn't be that expensive. No more than the normal going rate for a new coaster. The most expensive part is built already.