Top Thrill Dragster 2022 Status

The Boardwalk is open as of tomorrow. The marketing on that, media coverage wise, will hit then die off rather quickly.

The shift to dropping subtle 2024 hints will happen immediately, in an extremely slow trickle. Any small bits of information, progress, new part deliveries, etc. will keep media coverage coming.

Marketing 101.

I don't think you've actually taken that class.

SpeedDemon:

Because some in this forum were talking about how Tony and CP have a track record of not lying when the “lagoon maintenance” remark was made.

Because he does. And it still holds true that he doesn't outright lie given that he's not directly quoted as saying the "lagoon maintenance" is unrelated to TTD. If I recall correctly it was pointed out at the time that the "unrelated" comment may have been an inference on the part of the author.

Soooo… someone at CP today is claiming on Twitter they saw a container that appeared to have the Zamperla logo on it in the area of tTTD. I mean huge grain of salt (could be fake or could be a container from them doing Wild Mouse that they hid back there)

Pics or it didn’t happen.

If I were in charge I’d park a zamperla truck right on the infield of dragster and sit back and watch

“As a coaster enthusiast — but not a totally crazy coaster enthusiast.."

This is the greatest Tony Clark quote ever. It's the kind of stuff that ends up on your tombstone.

This is like a contest to see who can deny a new height record the longest.

I think it’s interesting to note that Dragster still shows up on the 2023 park map

^^ I mean I think denying a new height record is more realistic than thinking they will break it. Would I love to see it? Hell yes. But I don’t see them adding to the top hat. And I don’t see them breaking the record with the/a spike.

I dont think there's any way the tophat height is increased. And I'd be very, very surprised if the tophat track is replaced with new as per ElToroRyan. But I wouldn't be surprised at all if they break the height record with the spike. Not saying it's gonna happen. I just don't think it's far-fetched.

^ That wouldn't surprise me. Just got back from the park today and noticed something very interesting that nobody has pointed out..... Looking from the drone shots posted on the LEL youtube site, you can't verify this from the air only from the ground and being at the park. Our group just noticed (standing by the side gate off the midway where you can view the old TTD finish line sign right in front of you and over to the left) that the grey vertical track supports that came down toward the former brake run are definitely new and not the old supports. These new supports are about 4-5' taller are to the left of the existing red track coming down from the tophat, where it is cut off. The old grey supports with the red track underneath (as viewed to the right from THIS angle) are definitely shorter than the newer ones to the left and the tops of the newer ones (where they bolt on to the track) are more square shaped as opposed to the old round shape of the former TTD ones. When you go to the park (and stand in the above location) compare the heights of the 2 different supports (very similar looking) in this foreground area coming down from the top hat (red coaster track where it is cut) toward the old brake run. The heights are a noticeable difference but you wouldn't notice if it wasn't pointed out. Very interesting. Yes, that tophat track does appear it will eventually be replaced.

Lots of rampant speculation but after seeing the footers that lie in the lagoon today -- I'm more convinced than ever that this thing is going to be huge.

Why?

The circular raised footers with rebar are HUGE. The pattern of footers is in the shape of triangle. Because I was curious, I checked out the footers for the current tower and the pattern matches almost exactly in shape and size to the lagoon.

Wild.

Add: a photo from ground-level --

Multi-story queue structure with bullet proof glass enclosure just to be sure that no debris is comes flying at queuers, confirmed!

For real though, those footers are much more massive than they looked in the drone footage.

^^ Yep, saw those footers also behind the tree. Thanks for posting the pic, was going to do so tomorrow. Seen it from the same vantage point also (from the Power Tower midway). If anyone's going to the park next week, check out that vantage point I was telling you about 4 posts above. Those grey vertical track supports throughout the former brake run (leading toward the right, up to the red cut off track coming down from the tophat) are definitely new.

What are you talking about? Right where the track ends now went from the box-style track to the flat track.

Yeah I'm pretty sure they havent removed or replaced any supports as of now. Those have been there the entire time

CPfan1976:

These new supports are about 4-5' taller are to the left of the existing red track coming down from the tophat, where it is cut off. The old grey supports with the red track underneath (as viewed to the right from THIS angle) are definitely shorter than the newer ones to the left and the tops of the newer ones (where they bolt on to the track) are more square shaped as opposed to the old round shape of the former TTD ones.

As stated above, pics or it didn't happen. Not necessarily because I don't believe that's what you believe you saw, but more because I'm having trouble following what you're describing, and there may be other more likely explanations than "top hat track is getting replaced".

Are you saying there are new supports mounted to foundations that are not aligned with the existing track? That is, these new supports are either closer to the lagoon or further infield of the existing track, and they are mounted to foundations/footers, indicating they are in their final location?

Or, are you saying these supports are taller than the existing track supports? Because as Beanie correctly points out, there is a transition from box track to flat track, and the supports for the flat track are noticeably taller than those for the box track. It's something that wasn't obvious when the track was installed, but sticks out like a sore thumb now.

In any case, there are an awful lot of other, far more likely explanations for why there might be new, different supports on the brake run. For example, a modified brake run could facilitate a larger radius pullout from vertical (reduced wear on trains/wheels), etc., etc.

^Or a Ka-style airtime hill.