Top Thrill Dragster 2022 Status

SpeedDemon, I don’t think they can claim fastest backwards launch because Superman Escape From Krypton is advertised at 104 mph even though as someone mentioned above probably only hits 87-88 mph. Same for the first spike over 200/300/400. Superman would qualify as first.

Do they consider Superman a “spike”? I guess you’re technically correct though. But we know Cedar Point ignored SEFK 20 years ago too when marketing Top Thrill 1.0 so we will have to see!

@SpeedDemon, 420 squared, is 176,400, not 840. It wouldn't make sense.

SpeedDemon:

First coaster to break 400 ft TWICE

I hope they don’t claim this unless some portion of the train surpasses 400’.

Superman at SFMM is 400’ tall and 100MPH. Below is how high the train actually gets. Is a 420’ spike necessary for 101MPH?

Im not a physicist, but I know stuff.. 🤣

The trains being lighter would have a greater impact on the acceleration than the top speed.

Lighter trains would reduce the amount of energy needed to accelerate them to top speed.

That being said another user above mentioned lighter trains having less momentum. While thats true, that also doesnt effect top speed.

The reduced weight and thus reduced momentum would make it so the trains don't hold their velocity for as long.

One thing that has a big impact on all of this is the location of the LSMs on the track and how many/how long the launch is.

On the original Dragster eith the hydraulic launch, the launch actually ended a good deal before the incline and there was a good amount of straight track where the train actually lost speed.

The lack of momentum using lighter trains can easily be counteracted by 1- using bigger trains (they already added a car) 2-increasing the length of the launch. If the trains are still receiving energy closer to the hill, its possible that the top end speed is actually held for longer than the old dragster. Time will tell.

SpeedDemon:

Top Thrill 2 has to be a place holder name. Also. If they can get this to dispatch every 60 seconds, which seems plausible to me, it would be 1200 an hour. TTD1.0 had a peak capacity of 1000. So we could be looking at a 20% peak capacity increase even with 3 trains

I reviewed the capacity /maintenance logs from the season of the accident (they were released as part of the Ohio safety report) and the capacity during that time period for TTD 1.0 was often in the 500-600 range, partly due to continual downtimes.....

If this version hits 1,200 it would be amazing. Far outdoing Steel Vengeance.

1000 is what the park and Intamin advertised as “peak” capacity. I doubt 2.0 ever hits the 1200 I’m suggesting either. Just I think that will be what is advertised as “peak” for this iteration

Several questions-

Anyone think it will use the onboard audio and lighting effect package Zamperla advertises is optional on these trains?

How does the CP Racing Team phrase fit into the ride/layout?

Does Cedar Point normally wait until opening year before they start selling new ride apparel?

Tony clarke said it'll be something no one else has ever done

Except this is the same as wicked twister pretty much

Briella:

Outside of this place that Cedar Point can do no wrong, yeah it’s a disappointment.

It is completely nonsensical to imply CP/CF doesn't receive criticism around here when they regularly do. Operations, pricing, season pass strategy, and a host of other complaints and critiques are frequently discussed. Just because these discussions don't reach hyperbolic histrionics doesn't mean they're not criticisms.

MillieMichael:
Are they not allowed to have their own opinions and expectations? If the ride doesn't appeal to them , why are some people crucifying them because it's not their taste or style?

First of all, no one, to my knowledge, has been or is schedule to be crucified, unless I missed this month's PointBuzz Punishments Newsletter.

Secondly, it would be one thing to levy the criticism that someone wasn't looking forward to riding the newest attraction because it isn't their cup of tea. I will personally never set foot on Wild Mouse because I don't do spinny rides, but I wasn't disappointed in an attraction that I'll never enjoy. Wild Mouse isn't my style, but for a park that caters to many thousands of varying preferences that's bound to happen.

I think what's most troubling about the anticipointment posts is that they're completely avoidable. There was never any indication that the top hat was going to be extended, or that they were going to break the 500' mark, or that there would be an airtime hill added, or that track would go above the station, and so on. And until they installed those footers, there was never any indication the layout would be altered. Anything anyone expected beyond what was supported by observation of the work site was fantastical. At some point for some people their expectations became untethered to reality to the point that they're disappointed in what looks like an amazing attraction.

Or, as Glorymaker accurately observed:

Glorymaker:
Some people created the most insane expectations in their head from the extended period of speculation.

Avljkb22:
Zamperla can’t seem to make a reliable Wild Mouse for Cedar Point…I’m not sure I’d call Top Thrill 2 “reliable” or even “more reliable” just yet. With how unreliable Wild Mouse has been...

What has been the uptime of Wild Mouse so far this season? What's the 3-week moving average of uptime been? How has Wild Mouse performed relative to CF's expectations?

Yeah I think Wild Mouse really got it together. Early season it had some hiccups (as most new rides do) but I haven't heard anyone mentioning down time in quite a while now. Every time I've been there recently it's been running full tilt, and that line actually moves pretty good.

Regarding the ride itself, I am impressed and more excited than I anticipated I would be.

Even if they had "only" replaced the launch with LSM, that would have been welcome, as that would have improved reliability and potentially capacity. And even if they had also "only" added a small spike with a backward-first swing launch, that would have been an improvement since it would also have increased the duration a ride for which duration was a common, and earned, criticism. And even if they had also "only" added a forward-first launch, thereby Oprah-ing rollbacks, that would have been a welcome improvement because who doesn't love a rollback?

That they did all that, and made that rear spike so damned tall? *chef's kiss* We're going to have a significantly longer, more reliable, higher-capacity ride, and a pseudo-reincarnation of WT. We're going to be looking down at the top of Power Tower from this thing! What's not to love about that?

And as others have mentioned, that's just the boring, technical stuff. I am very much looking forward to the new name and theme, and what, if any, changes are coming to the area.

djDaemon:

I think what's most troubling about the anticipointment posts is that they're completely avoidable. There was never any indication that the top hat was going to be extended, or that they were going to break the 500' mark, or that there would be an airtime hill added, or that track would go above the station, and so on. And until they installed those footers, there was never any indication the layout would be altered. Anything anyone expected beyond what was supported by observation of the work site was fantastical. At some point for some people their expectations became untethered to reality to the point that they're disappointed in what looks like an amazing attraction.

Agreed! They were the ones that manifested all of these elements onto the ride, when all signs pointed to just a spike and a LSM replacement. But that's coaster enthusiasts for ya....let's dream up an imaginary layout, then be upset at the park because it didn't manifest into reality.

djDaemon:

unless I missed this month's PointBuzz Punishments Newsletter

Damn it dj, I told you I would look into that glitch. It should be sending sometime later today. Sorry for the delay.

A New Point of View:

To me, the "disappointment" comes from these things:

1. The height won't get any higher, which means Kingda Ka still holds the tallest title (until Falcon's Flight at SFQ).

First of all, this ride will hold the title of tallest and fastest multi-launch coaster in the world. And second of all no one cares because, breaking records doesn't move the needle in terms of attendance.

1. Does this really "smoke the competition" as the sign says?

You've mistakenly assumed that this marketing phrase meant that CF would stupidly try to break a record for the sake of breaking a record, which they wouldn't because see point two above.

1. The possibility that Kingda Ka copies this in a few years.

So... you're disappointed in the ride because someone else may build one in the future? I cannot possibly imagine being this negative and jaded about anything in life. It's too short.

A New Point of View:

which means Kingda Ka still holds the tallest title

Honestly does anyone care about this for real? Coaster Wars are long dead. And everyone knows TTD was and will continue to be a better version of the ride that Ka ever was or will be.

Does this really "smoke the competition"

Ka is no longer the competition. Pantheon is. And yes it smokes the competition in every conceivable way on paper.

Ka copies this in a few years.

So it lives up to its legacy of being a cheap knock off because Six Flags can’t be original in their competition? Everyone I’ve ever talked to about KDK acknowledges it was a lazy way for Six Flags and Intamin to top competition/themselves

We live in a place where folks treat politics like a meaningless sports rivalry, so I imagine someone cares about otherwise meaningless things.

Those of us who travel and ride things and see places probably don't care.

djDaemon:

Anything anyone expected beyond what was supported by observation of the work site was fantastical

I humbly submit that my claim of Lagoon Maintenance was fantastical.

If it is in fact legit, I think it will be pretty cool. Always wanted a rollback, have come close a couple times, never had one.

Yeah would love a 500 foot coaster or just even a world record breaking height/speed record, but just to have another awesome ride is great. From what I see, again if true, seems like another home run for CP.

We will all know tomorrow!

jimmyburke:

I humbly submit that my claim of Lagoon Maintenance was fantastical.

To be fair, they were doing lagoon maintenance, it seems. That gravel placed around the perimeter is likely for erosion control, and if so was needed regardless of anything else going on there. It's just that they weren't only doing lagoon maintenance, and the crack reporting team didn't ask the correct question in a way that would have forced an answer, or more accurately a telling non-answer from PR. So we ended up with the vague, inconclusive, "they're doing lagoon maintenance" blurb in the piece. Which was accurate, but not the whole story, and became quite evident very quickly.