Episode 22 - Top Thrill Dragster - Racing to the Finish. Or is it?

The recent announcement by Cedar Point of the retirement of Top Thrill Dragster was a tough pill to swallow for coaster enthusiasts across the world. Being the first full circuit roller coaster in the world to break the 400 foot tall barrier made this coaster legendary in many coaster enthusiasts eyes. So to have this coaster shuttered for good after 19 short seasons was a bit of a surprise. You could also say it was a bit predictable considering the rides history of having consistent mechanical issues causing larges amounts of downtime. The final nail in the coffin, a freak accident in 2021 where a small piece of metal from the ride became dislodged and struck a guest waiting the ride queue, causing serious injury. The coaster has not operated since this incident.

However, some of the wording that Cedar Point chose to use in their released statement concerning the fate of Top Thrill Dragster, has left us with a little spark of hope. Particularly the phrases “Top Thrill Dragster, as you know it, is being retired” and “Our team is hard at work, creating a new and innovative ride experience.” What does this mean exactly? Nobody is certain. BUT, it does leave open the possibility that Top Thrill Dragster won’t be leaving the park completely, which is a very intriguing thought.

In this episode we discuss the history of Top Thrill Dragster and what our best guesses are for the future of this towering behemoth. Let us know what you think the future holds for Top Thrill Dragster in the comment section below.

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