Top Thrill Dragster 2022 Status

Went to the Google.
Formula Rossa is still the fastest coaster in the world at 240 km/h or or 149.1 mph.
It’s an Intamin Accelerator Coaster with the launch listed as hydraulic.

"Cedar Point’s legacy of roller coaster innovation continues with a one-of-a-kind addition to the park’s world-renowned ride lineup, coming in 2024."

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. TTD wasn't one of a kind anymore anyways... and most of the general public wouldn't equate a simple launch system change (yes, I know it isn't simple) or retheme with something other than the old ride. Up till now, I was in the "the launch system is changing, but that's it" camp.... but now I'm not so sure.

I'm starting to agree after reading this. This has to be more than just updating the launch, queue and theme. Otherwise you are just doing a bigger version of Red Force which is not one-of-a-kind.

Welp, now we have more questions than answers.

Time for some crazy, wacky speculation that holds absolutely no water.

"A new formula" > Formula 1 > Andretti and Cadillac want to team up to create a new American F1 team > Cedar Point, Andretti, and Cadillac collaboration of the re-imagined TTD that involves dueling, launched coasters

C Hertling:

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. TTD wasn't one of a kind anymore anyways...

TTD was one of a kind, in that it was the only 420' tall hydraulic launch coaster in the world. And if retrofitted with LSM, it still will be one of a kind, since it will be the only 420' tall LSM launch coaster in the world.

Meh...I wouldn't call it one of a kind. It's one of three like it. Varying heights and speed. And it wasn't at the top of either. The third, and shortest, is already an LSM version. While it is 50' or so shorter, it is only 8mph slower. Is it an experience you can get anywhere? Definitely not. Is it one of a kind? Nah.

But the general public could care less about “LSM” launches which leads me to believe that this might be a bit more of an involved project than I previously thought. Only time will tell.

Wasn't it on this day 20 years ago that Top Thrill Dragster was officially announced?

It is so adorable how hung up on word choices you all get.

Not hung up. Just not one of a kind. I mean, by your logic, my Silverado is one of a kind because it has 18,482 miles on it, two car seats, and 12 pieces of oak in the bed. I get the fact that these are all marketing g terms. But they still have real meaning.

@djDaemon - In a technical sense, yes. Kingda Ka is 456 feet, instead of 420 feet.. So I guess that made TTD the only 420 foot tall, hydraulically launched, red-tracked roller coaster in the world. But if you buy that argument you could also conclude that there are some minor differences that would make each individual Verkoma Boomerang a one of a kind ride. "This one's a blue boomerang... its one of a kind!" To the General Public, it takes more than a small difference to see something as truly one of a kind. If it truly is just a revamp of the launch and a retheme, today's video and language on the CP website vastly exaggerates the change. Yes, the enthusiast community would get that it is a significant change, but when the General Public sees the ride in 2024, their response will be "Wait, I thought this was supposed to be new?"

CoasterLine:

My guess is that the re-envisioned ride concept will be announced on January 9th, 2023, the 20th anniversary of the original announcement / press kit send out.

I couldn't imagine a better date to put the details out, since they seem to be following the "you can see it but you don't know" scheme that they did originally with TTD.

Eh, I was kinda right.

Can't wait for 8 or so more months of baseless speculation.

Are y’all serious? C’mon.
All they have to do is change the style of trains and they suddenly have “one of a kind”.
Remember. It’s all show business and there’s a sucker born every minute, lol.

vwhoward:

But they still have real meaning.

LOL

Ever see that scene in Elf, where Buddy runs into the dingy diner to congratulate them on having the "world's best cup of coffee?" That's you (and C Hertling, maverickDude, etc.).

(Queue me reading way too far into the wording. This is incredibly far fetched but….) Don’t know if any of y’all are F1 nerds. But there has been rumblings of F1 coming to Mid-Ohio for years. If CP gets the license to brand this officially as an F1 ride I could totally see them using the presser in conjunction to announce a 2024-2025 Ohio Grand Prix at Mid-Ohio or even a Cleveland Grand Prix at Burke Lakefront like Indy/KART used to do!

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".