Top Thrill Dragster 2022 Status

F1 nerd checking in as well. The sport has exploded in popularity in the US in recent years (heavily from Drive to Survive on Netflix) as well. COTA this year saw a record 440,000 attendance. Wouldn't surprise me to see Cedar Point capitalize on this. I mean we do have I305 and Intimidator at Carowinds.

Further, the grid starting lights could easily replace the Christmas tree.

Though I do think an Ohio race would have to replace COTA, Miami, or Vegas which I don't think would happen.

Miami, Vegas, or farmland outside of Mansfield, OH. While I would love for Mid-Ohio to get a race I don't think that is going to happen. But I will say that watching a few CART races there in early 90's was a lot of fun.

Sure, dj. Whatever you say. I mean, you're the one hanging you hat on the superlative here. I'm saying it's not the best cup of coffee. You're screaming about it being the best cup of coffee. Weird flex, but ok. Semantics. Either way, no one here still knows nothing more than what year it will open. If it's still a short up and over, it'll get a single ride from me. And then I'll go back to not riding it like I didn't for the last 15+ years. You say one of a kind, I say one trick pony.

Cedar Point: Come ride our "brand new, one of a kind" ride, which you could only experience here, for the last 20+ years!

DJ: Sweet! One of a kind!

You implied that marketing terms have real meaning. I'm just pointing out that that's simply not true, and to draw any conclusions about their cap ex plans based on meaningless marketing terms is absurd. Hell, every ride CP has is "one-of-a-kind" for the simple fact that the park is surrounded by Lake Erie. After all, no other park has rides surrounded by Lake Erie, therefore every single thing at the park, from Magnum all the way down to a churro cart is literally "one-of-a-kind."

While I am not totally convinced that there will be more added to the ride, the recent construction on the site as well as this announcement sure leaves the door open for more than a "simple" LSM conversion. I do put some stock into the fact that the team led by Tony is at least fairly intentional with their language, and I agree that the GP would probably not interpret a launch flip as a "one-of-a-kind" experience.

I'm not sure I will be fully convinced until I see new support columns going up that doesn't match the old layout.

DJ- I feel like your interpretation of events is a little wooden. Marketing terms surely are not "Meaningless. By this logic all rides every where are "One of a kind".

I'll just run back my comment from a month ago. The only difference is that instead of hanging on "reimagined" people are now hanging on "one-of-a-kind."

djDaemon:

No one is saying the marketing is accidental or completely random or whatever, but people are extrapolating literally several tens of millions of cap ex out of simple word choices, which is patently insane. But hey, not their money, right? Much easier to spend someone else's money if you're not accountable for the outcome, like RCT in sandbox mode.

But I'm not hanging on one of a kind. At this point, I'm over it. An LSM conversion, new trains, and a paint job isn't what I would've hoped for. A lot of people will be glad "Top Thrill Dragster is back!" And that is what most people will think. It will be "a one of a kind experience that we've had all along!" I'm way more excited about this boardwalk than the lipstick they're putting on this pig. Also, I look forward to this continuing its legacy as something that holds large amounts of people in line for long periods of time. Hopefully making waiting for other things a little more bearable.

But there has been rumblings of F1 coming to Mid-Ohio for years.

Uhhhhh, no. There never has been in the last decade.

Mid Ohio couldn't even keep IMSA cause the place is absolutely in shambles. The track owners are cheap bastards that refuse to put any money into the place. They'd never spend the millions upon millions to bring the track up to FIA grade 1 standards. F1 would never go to a cornfield for a race either. There's literally no less than a dozen other tracks and dozen cities for street courses that would be considered before Mid Ohio.

vwhoward:

But I'm not hanging on one of a kind.

Lol if you don't want to I will hang on it. Extended layout confirmed!

Hopefully “formula” is just a reference to Formula Rossa’s top speed and/or a change to LSM like Red Force. I love motorsports but a licensed F1 theme is cringe and off-putting to me for some reason.

Some of us figured out in the fall/winter of 2002 that TTD was going to be racing themed but didn't picture the out and back full circuit design. The park should further what started as a great concept 20 years ago but never materialized and make the "re-imagined" 2024 ride into a true Formula 1/ drag race theme. By this, have 2 side by side dueling coaster race cars (with a middle loading station between the tracks) vie for the finish line at the end. As much fun as it was to sit in the grandstands and watch TTD on opening day in May 2003 ( I still have my personal home video from that time), this re-imagining could be a little more interesting and have better potential. Don't know of any other coasters like this currently either. Just my 2c.

Sounds very expensive and while it would be fun to watch the races, how would the park recoup the cost? I don’t see people coming from far and wide to experience this “new” coaster.

Haha, Top Thrill Gemini! Fun idea, but also would never happen. Especially at that speed on a single track.

Someone at Cedar Point got a new drone!

C Hertling:

I know its a lot to base off one sentence... But stating that the new version of TTD is "one-of-a-kind" seems like it would be a LOT more than just reworking the launch/brakes and cars.

Hahaha buckle up!

Regarding the YouTubers... If you spend hours speculating about every possible thing, of course one of them will be right. But it's just a one-sided version of your typical forum thread. Only it's filled with video that they didn't shoot. They aren't making anything new or valuable, but obsessed people eat it up anyway.

::opens coffin::

What I miss?

C'mon guys. No layout change, too expensive, but a tunnel with video/lighting effects. Who doesn't love speeding out of a themed tunnel up into the open sky? Book it. And possibly into another tunnel on brake side.

If CP was smart, they would just enclose the whole thing. Slap a big "420 E" on the side of it. Could be the newest way to get to Alaska.

The video mentioned grey test paint on the supports, the pic on the new webpage is entirely grayscale, coincidence?

A rolling launch out of a short tunnel with lights/theming would be cool IMO, albeit similar to Maverick.

TTD 120mph:

Slap a big "420 E" on the side of it.

Throw a "I'm losing control" audio spiel in there and I'm sold!