Top Thrill Dragster 2022 Status

Paywall...boo. Do you actually pay for that?

Kevinj:

I would contend that for the vast majority of the public, simply making it look, feel, and sound different (with a new name) is all their brains would need to think of it as new

I'm not sure I agree. Most people I know still call "Disney's Hollywood Studios" "MGM Studios". I think the general public would still ask/think of it as "dragster" if it gets a retheme and new launch. (or at least they would for a while.)

vwhoward:

Paywall...

Weird, that wasn't there earlier. Lame.

vwhoward:

We definitely see things differently from our perspective.

Which is cool.

Does anyone still call Rougarou by its original name Mantis?

Did anyone call Disaster Transport by its original name Avalanche Run?

Besides Henry, does anyone call Steel Vengeance Mean Streak?

Of course they don't. Ever. Because they were all "reimagined".

Do people at Disney still call the new Frozen ride Maelstrom? (actually, they might, because Disney fanatics are a very special kind of weird, which explains why some would call Hollywood Studios MGM).

Dragster is Dead.

There's a good chance for some co-branding with Wal-Mart and their rollback program. Call it the Wal-Mart Rollback, paint it blue and yellow, and then announce prices being rolled back at Wal-Marts nationwide.

Do they still do that program?

I don't know about the Walmart program. I prefer to shop at Cloud Nine.

The crane was still there at the end of this weekend. I'm 90% sure it was in a different configuration today than it was on Thurs. I didn't notice any big changes over the weekend. I'm excited to see whats visible next Thursday.

Now we have lots of track coming off.

My theory is that there will be no changes made to the tower (aside possibly for paint and lighting), and I suspect that the launch track is staying. Because if it isn't, then why did they remove the brake, drive, and sensor hardware from the launch track? If that track were being replaced, why not remove the track sections, then pull the hardware off once the track sections are on the ground and easier to work on?

I'm trying to remember...the track that is being removed, is it all the flat track, as opposed to the square box stuff used for the launch?

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

Dave,

Yes. You can see in this shot where the flat track starts.

I thought part of the launch was already removed as well.

Crane boom is extended this morning on camera 2.

pictures of Chunks of track missing coming out from this past weekend. This really may end up being more drastic then a simple launch redux.

RideMan:

and I suspect that the launch track is staying. Because if it isn't, then why did they remove the brake, drive, and sensor hardware from the launch track? If that track were being replaced, why not remove the track sections, then pull the hardware off once the track sections are on the ground and easier to work on?

Didn’t they remove the hardware from WT before removing the track for spare parts for Possessed and Steel Venom? I would assume they could use the hardware from Dragster as spare parts for Xcelerator.

Also, from the pictures I saw circulating online, the launch track is gone from the station to the launch area by the drag racing tree lights. The supports that held that track up are now covered with plywood.

Not that it means much, but it appears that the transfer track is also gone, with only the supports remaining.

Shades:

Crane boom is extended this morning on camera 2.

Now the camera's on magnum/shores. Wonder what they're removing now that they don't want us to see.

I'd assume the new setup will require mounting brackets & other peripherals that are far different from what the existing launch track provides.

Not to mention...we've already concluded the brake run was, err..."defective", so it makes sense to scrap that as well in favor of a modernized system.

The transfer track is a little mysterious -- part of me thinks that is part of the updated control system that includes a new transfer table. If I remember correctly, Mantis (Rougarou) also got a new table during the refresh (hardware, at least).

I am not really seeing how the brake run was "defective." It was a bunch of static copper fins and magnets mounted on the bottom of the trains. I'm not really sure how you could modernize or make that any more safe. It does seem from the maintenance reports that there were some issues with bolts working themselves lose over there, probably due to constant vibration. Maybe they could have used the triangular or box track instead of the flat stuff and it would have reduced some of that although maybe not so much for the stuff mounted on top of it. It seems to me that the issue that occurred with the train could have just as easily happened on the launch side and possibly hit someone on the midway, on the bleachers, etc. That's why I don't really get all this talk about moving/covering the queue unless you're also going to do the same with the midway.

The launch on the other hand and everything to do with the blocks/movement of trains around the unload and load station were always problematic and overcomplicated. The trains never moved together like they were supposed to despite hundreds of proximity switches in place to allow for it, meaning it was more efficient to run with 5 trains vs 6. The hydraulic launch was a beast, but really hard to keep operating. The cable and catch car had several incidents over the years that they probably got lucky with. I would guess that they might simplify the control system, run 4 trains instead of 5 or 6, eliminate the separate unload station, thus reducing staffing requirements, and hopefully get close to the same capacity.

Now that we know the original launch and parking systems are gone, if we assume a conversion to an LSM system, I don’t think it’s too much of a stretch to consider…

A) The braking system is also gone. The magnet configuration may be different, may require different fins, may require fins of a different composition.

B) The tire-drive systems are also gone. Those tires can’t do anything that a couple of LSMs and a friction brake can do, probably better.

I can imagine that both of those changes might make the park more comfortable using a stiffer track, something with some kind of a backbone, if only to have something to attach the hardware to.

Again, I suspect that the old 4-rail launch track is probably going to stay. I could obviously be wrong, but from a project management perspective (particularly after I saw how they built those Lakeside picnic pavilions) I still think if they were removing that track it would make more sense to get the sections on the ground *and then* strip the switches and other hardware. That, and while it would make great sense to pull all the actuators and switches, why bother removing the brake fin mountings if you’re going to scrap the whole piece.

Another thought, in order to extend the launch just a little bit, might we see a conversion from a sliding transfer table to a switch track? Doing that would require reconfiguring the storage tracks but would allow the launch to be maybe 30’ longer. I don’t think the launch extension necessarily makes sense, especially if they retain the pre-launch staging location. On that note, though, one thing to note is that with a magnetic launch, there is potentially no recovery time for the launch system. There is no need to stop and hook up to the launch system; just roll out and go. When the train clears the safety brake, the next one can go, and that laughable 45-second interval the ride was supposed to have actually becomes possible! Now if only the loading process can be simplified enough to get the train loaded and checked that fast. They could turn the ride into a capacity monster to rival Magnum!

—Dave Althoff, Jr.

45 seconds doesn’t seem that far of a stretch!

:Insert launching bass sound:

when both crew and Dragster were running optimally, I always marveled at their cycle times and found it quite impressive. equally impressive was not only the down time, but the people who would camp at the ride entrance when repeatedly told the attraction would NOT open today!

Still holding out for a new track layout that then rolls into an LSM launch up the tower, like how Maverick has its launch mid ride.

This swing launch / back spike rumor is the most laughable idea I've seen to date. Just for comparison sake, Power Tower (adjacent to this mythical spike) is only 300 ft tall, and the latest "rumors" I've seen propose the back spike is 400+ ft. The aesthetics of that alone is enough to disqualify it, lol...