| Top Thrill Dragster | |
|---|---|
| |
| Park | Cedar Point |
| Park section | Unknown |
| Opening date | May 4, 2003 |
| Closing date | Unknown |
| Height | 420ft |
| Drop | 400ft |
| Speed | 120mph |
| Replaced | Chaos
Troika |
| Replaced by | Unknown |
Top Thrill Dragster is a high-speed roller coaster at Cedar Point. The attraction is one of the tallest roller coasters in the world.
Ride history[]
After Millennium Force opened in 2000, planning for Top Thrill Dragster immediately began. From the winter of 2001-2002, footers began being placed, and were then covered up at the start of the 2002 season. Top Thrill Dragster's vertical construction commenced in fall 2002, months before the ride's announcement. By October, Top Thrill Dragster had reached a height of 200 feet. Then, Top Thrill Dragster was announced on January 9, 2003, with the ride's structure finished shortly after. Top Thrill Dragster's announcement revealed the park's goal to make the world's tallest and fastest roller coaster, reaching heights of 420 feet and speeds of 120mph in just 4 seconds. On March 10, 2003, Cedar Point filed a trademark for the name Top Thrill Dragster.
Top Thrill Dragster held its media day on May 1, with the public opening three days later. It became the tallest and fastest roller coaster on Earth, overtaking both records farom Steel Dragon 2000 at Nagashima Spa Land. Top Thrill Dragster held the title for two years, until Kingda Ka at Six Flags Great Adventure opened on May 21, 2005.
In the first few operation seasons of Top Thrill Dragster, the ride experienced temporary downtime. The ride's hydraulic cable and launch system had several problems that needed to be fixed. Also, several months after Top Thrill Dragster opened, the attraction closed during Cedar Point's festival, CoasterMania.
Ride synopsis[]
After guests board their vehicle and are given the clear for dispatch, the train slowly pulls out of the station and comes to a short stop. A brief message reviewing safety instructions is quickly played. After the instruction message is played, a motor revving sound is played to mimic racers ready to start racing. Then, the ride reaches 120mph in just 4 seconds. The train then speeds up the 420-foot hill, turns left, reaches the crest of the lift, and then twists back down the 400-foot drop. The vehicle then speeds on a straight piece of track, until stopping at the final brake system.
Rollbacks[]
Occasionally, the launch system does not function all the way and the vehicle does not fully ascend up the 420-foot hill, much like Top Thrill Dragster's sister coaster, Kingda Ka. Rollbacks can take some time to reboot the ride, thus delaying the ride for 5-10 minutes occasionally.
Trivia[]
Records[]
- When the attraction opened, it was the tallest and fastest complete circuit roller coaster.
- The ride also had the tallest drop on a roller coaster.
- Top Thrill Dragster is one of two coasters that has a height of over 400 feet, the other being Kingda Ka.
- Top Thrill Dragster was the fourth coaster to have a speed over 100mph, after Dreamworld's Tower of Terror, Fuji-Q Highland's Dodonpa, and Six Flags Magic Mountain's Superman: The Escape.
Statistics[]
- Top Thrill Dragster is one of two coasters at Cedar Point that utilizes the Fast Lane Plus system, the other being the recently opened GateKeeper.
- In 2011, Bert Kreishcer from Bert the Conqueror rode Top Thrill Dragster, in which he was a passenger that experienced a rollback.
Awards[]
Golden Ticket Awards[]
| Year | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ranking | 11 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 13 |
Mitch Hawker's Best Roller Coaster Poll[]
| Year | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ranking | 8 | 6 | 22 | 26 | 23 | 25 | 31 | 33 |
Photo Gallery[]
