Top Thrill Dragster 2022 Status

Anyone heard or are there any updates on Top Thrill Dragster status for the 2022 season? Just wondering if there is anything new on that situation!

There is no real specific update, but the current (and updated) listing for Fast Lane for the upcoming season does not list it as an option. Wicked Twister removed, MaxAir placed back on.

Of course that list could be updated in a heartbeat.

Realistically, it's only been about 5 months since the incident. I know that "seems" like a long time, but considering the seriousness and freakish nature of the incident, the in-depth investigation (is that even done?), not to mention the potential legalities that need to be worked out, that's probably not such a large amount of time.

I remain very pessimistic that they'll never operate it again. The ability to avoid any further regional media scrutiny (which was extremely fierce last summer after the tragic incident) and save a lot of operational costs will be too tempting to ignore. The park will still be packed either way, just with an even larger reduction to the guest experience, with the loss of an irreplaceable flagship attraction. Especially with Xcelerator getting a new lease on life with a fresh paint job at Knotts, certainly they could re open Dragster if they wanted to.

I know when Kingda Ka went down in 2005 they did a major modification to the queue line so it didn't go under the launch track i wonder if that is under consideration if Top Thrill re opens in 2022!

DragsterD said:

I know when Kingda Ka went down in 2005 they did a major modification to the queue line so it didn't go under the launch track i wonder if that is under consideration if Top Thrill re opens in 2022!

I wonder how that would work though - Dragster has a major difference than Kingda Ka in that it's in the middle of the park. Ka had the extra room to shift the queue, but dragster doesn't have that benefit.

In an article from the Akron Beacon Journal dated Jan 10th, a spokesperson for the Ohio Department of Agriculture says the Investigation is still ongoing.

https://www.beaconjournal.com/story/news/2022/01/10/cedar-point-rai...158309002/

I feel like Dragster staying SBNO or closing completely would be a far worse look for the park than eventually reopening it whenever the investigation is sufficient and whatever changes that are recommended have been made.

Other than that, depending on where exactly the part came down on the queue I'd expect a permanent cover/roof to be built over some or all of the queue long before I'd expect the queue to be relocated completely. Mostly since I'm frankly not sure where else you could put it, you're pretty boxed in between the midway on one side and the lagoon on the other.

Can they take the Roller Coaster Tycoon approach, and build a BRAND NEW ride (the exact same ride) in its place that's totally safe and none will be the wiser?

Trivia: Can you identify an occasion where Cedar Point did *exactly* that thing? Replaced a ride in the lineup with a new version of the same ride?

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

RideMan, I suppose I'm thinking too broadly when I say the change from the original Shoot the Rapids to Whitewater Landing? And the Western Cruise to Paddlewheel Excursions wouldn't count, right?

What about the old Wildcat to the new Wildcat?

Feel like when it comes to a 1:1 direct replacement, it would have to be the Wildcat(s), though I can't remember if there was a gap between the two or if it was literally just changed out between seasons.

I don't know if it is the correct answer, but doesn't Disaster Transport meet this criteria? I don't know enough about the history of the Wildcat rides to say for sure (I guess I need that coffee-table book), but Disaster Transport is (was) Avalanche Run with a box over it.

Wilderness Run ;)

There could be others, but the Wildcat swap was the one I had in mind. In 1979, the original Wildcat was sent to Valleyfair! and a new unit was installed at Cedar Point. If I remember correctly the original Wildcat was right about where the Oceana stadium was built ; the new Wildcat was placed about where the Jumbo Jet had been, and at a right angle to the Jumbo Jet orientation which had the effect of altering the direction of the beach-side midway.

—Dave Althoff, Jr.

Didn't they have two Rotors?

Two Calypsos, one stock version, the other in the optional Tiki Twirl flash

I am no engineer but I wonder if there is a way they could close Dragster but make use of the tower for another ride. Am I dreaming this or didn't someone add a drop ride to a similar tower after the initial ride was built (not that there is a need for another drop ride)?

Off the topic of my head, Kingda Ka at SFGAM and Superman the Escape at SFMM both had drop rides added to existing tower structures, and then there was Tower of Terror at Dreamworld where I think the coaster and the drop tower were built at the same time. The latter's the only one I can think of where the drop ride outlived the coaster component. Can't think of any where a new ride was added after the closure of the coaster.

It's coming down. I don't know if it will be open this year. I was talking with a person, and she works for cedar fair. There will be 2 Coasters 2023 & 2024. I don't know what type they are.