Top Thrill Dragster Opens at Cedar Point
Cedar Point: The Ohio theme park opens for the season, along with its new "highest and fastest" launch coaster.
The new record-breaker opened today.
Cedar Point has put a very good video of the coaster in action, including a POV ride, up on its Web site.
Video can be found right here:
http://www.topthrilldragster.com/public/inside_park/rides/thrill/ttd/video/animation.cfm
[Feel free to rate and review on the Top Thrill Dragster TPI page.--Robert]
[trembling]
This coaster is par-excellence, 120 mph, 420ft, great theming (not as good as Europa Park or Busch) and a stunning array of coasters surrounding the beast, such as Millenium Force. WOW. Words cannot describe this monster of the sky! Definitely themepark of the year, rollercoaster of the year and choice of the enthusiasts!
Cheers Cedar Point and look forward to riding Top Thrill Dragster...phew....phew...
The all important question now is how will Six Flags MM respond to the building of TTD next season. I think that the construction of this outright, stupendous record breaker came as a suprise to the Californian park who in order to keep up thier claim as the best park in the world had to get planning permission and build something quick - which is where Scream! came in. Now I'm not puting down the Floorless coaster but I don't think it will have the same impact on the American and worldwide public as TTD. With Cedar Point already said to be thinking of building another coaster next year, possibly a custom B&M flying coaster, Magic Mountain must put up something amazing or else CP easily claims awards for the best park, best coaster, and best everything for that matter.
No doubt Cedar Point is the best park with the best coaster, just sooo glad to live nearby!
So, I went to opening day and waited a nice 4 hours to ride the 22 second TTD. Damn well worth the wait. Holy ----!! My only suggestion is bring yourself a change of pants! AWESOME!
Coaster master.
I can't wait to ride this. I'm going to try to go to Cedar Point this summer and TTD will be the first thing I ride.
From Ben Mills
Posted May 24, 2003 at 3:26 PM
I'm sorry this is old, but I completely forgot about it. You might like to read how a British journalist describes the Dragster.
http://www.observer.co.uk/international/story/0,6903,949111,00.html
I just rode the Dragster this past weekend for the first time and here are my thoughts.
Although I stayed "on property" to gain early entrance to the park and was only the 5th car in the whole parking lot, I still had to wait 1.5 hours for (after running to) the TTD. Apparently guests from the diffent Cedar Point resorts can enter from different locations. Later that day waits were up to close to five hours.
Well, the front car was worth the wait but felt like a suicide mission...in a good way. It is honestly so fast, that your senses can't absorb your surroundings after take-off. It's not until half-way down the 420 ft. hill that you get your senses back. Therefore, you don't really feel like you're as high as you really are (no time for sight-seeing).
The next day was a different story. The TTD only opened for about five hours at around 3pm and broke down intermittanly throughout that duration. No one in the park was able to say when or IF the ride would open at all. That day, I waited for 3.5 hours, which included two breakdowns (each lasting at least 20 minutes) and a delay of bringing another train onto the track. For my second time I rode the last seat and enjoyed that unbelievable rush again!
Overall this ride is incredible. It is simply one huge mega shot of adreneline. As soon as you sit down, buckle your seat belt and lower your lap bar (that's right~no shoulder harnass) your brain tells you that you are in for the ride of your life...and you are!
YES, my first trip on TTD was WELL WORTH my 90 minute wait!! No words could describe that first flight. The closest is, "SURREAL". Partly, because I took my first trip at night-- nothing but blackness-- contrasted with a brightly lit red/white blur of a track flying by at over 100 mph.
You DO feel the speed-- and on my first ride I had such a rush of adrenaline that I saw nothing until I was 90 degrees and almost at the top of that monster. The view coming over the top (from ANY seat) is just beyond description! Take my word for it, you will NEVER forget your first ride...
There is lots of talk about 3 hour lines, breakdowns and rollbacks. I was there June 1,2,3 and only experienced break downs on the terribly cold and windy night of 6/3. I saw no fully loaded cars rollback. I only saw empty cars rollback. Perhaps, that problem has been fixed.
The lines were worse in the daytime. Riding in the evenings I was able to get on there 7 times (even waiting for front/last rows) with my longest wait being 90 minutes-- the other waits were 30 to 70 minutes.
Here are my tips:
1. If you can not tolerate a wait longer than an hour, get to the line at just a few minutes before the park closes. They let you into the line until park closing and they will run the ride past closing-- until everyone gets on. (NOTE: You will NOT be able to wait for front row if you enter the cue at this time.) My longest wait at just before closing was 45 minutes.
2. On your first ride do **NOT** wait for the front row. As the ride is set up now, there is no countdown and you do not know exactly when it is going to launch. The "not-knowing" is half the THRILL. Front row riders will see things that signal the launch-- not ~cool~ for your first ride! Additionally, most first-time riders will have so much adrenaline at take-off that they will miss half the view they waited for. Save the Front Row for a later ride.
3. When you DO decide to wait for front row, choose the RIGHT lane of the loading ramp. Your car will launch second and you will get a perfect view of all their events, plus your own!
4. Last row is great for a feeling of "floating" over the peak.
5. If you KNOW you are going to want to buy that terrified picture of yourself on your first trip-- load FIRST into the car. Some left-side-middle seats get cut out of the photographs. Frankly, I am amazed that they can get a picture of ANY seats at that speed!
6. If there is a break down while you are line, do not bail. They are getting MUCH faster at fixing these glitches.
7. Forget all my previous tips-- just get into any line-- wait as long as it takes-- buckle yourself into any seat and ENJOY the ride!!!
You will NOT be disappointed.
From Anonymous
Posted June 8, 2003 at 8:41 PM
Top thrill dragster, I was an employee on that ride I have operated that ride before it opened and I have seen some things, I hear now that it is down for the hydrolics which I have the story on that problems and I can tell you things that happened on that ride before opening to the public, if you want the story, if I get enough response to this I will tell all.
To Anonymous,
Why wouldn't we want to know? If you have valid info
then let's hear it. Also why aren't you operating the ride anymore?
From Anonymous
Posted June 11, 2003 at 6:48 AM
Please tell us
Rode it last week: It was A RUSH! A TOTAL F**KEN RUSH! I WAS SO SCARED I COULDN'T SCREAM!
I think I finally let out that scream: thanks guys.
It really is fun, but scary like HELL!
Truly Yours (And Mine),
Jeff
From Anonymous
Posted June 12, 2003 at 5:47 PM
Yeah man I was at the park today and it was down. What are the things you have heard?
we were told that TTD would hopefully be up and running next week sometime. Techs from Intamins are here and having to remove the engines to re-make some parts (they made no spares for it, so everything has to be machined as needed), and also to work on the hydraulics. All ads are being pulled for the time being until they get it fixed. Hang in there everybody!
I am very impressed with the way Cedar Point is handling this. There is a letter on the front page of the cedar point website that explains the problems that dragster is having, and that they are working hard to get it up and running. Bottom line is that Cedar Point may have their premier ride down right now, but at least their letting people know what's going on, unlike some other large park chain I know(SF???), and reminding guests that there are 15 other coasters to ride(all operational, also unlike some other large park chain I know). Cedar Point could just pretend that Dragster doesn't exist until it is fixed, much like some other large park chain. There is even a hotline that you can call to find out the current status of dragster. Cedar Fair guest relations gets a huge thumbs up in my book.
I agree...The Point, for the first time in a long time, has run into problems with their new ride. While its too bad that this ride has been plagued thus far with problems, I also applaud them for handling this with grace and for keeping the customer in mind when it comes to this issue. I sure hope that they get this ride up soon so that we can be thrilled again. Thanks CP for not being Six Flags.
I called Cedar Point last week about TTD and the person I spoke with was polite and provided the info she had and advised me to call and check the website before I made the trip. Hats off to Cedar Point for keeping the information flowing. Have you ever tried to call a SF park and speak to a real person? Ha Ha Ha Ha
I have; it's like worse than disaster!
From Anonymous
Posted June 23, 2003 at 6:00 AM
I was just there on saturday and the ride is still down that was enough to piss someone off aperently it was open on thursday and friday it was all over the news that is was up and running for the first time in two weeks.
I've talked to a few different people, and called Cedar Point and here is what I was told about the ride breaking down:
a coworker went last week and it was down. My brother went it was down, friends brother and sister both went at different times.........down. I called CP and the lady told me the ride keeps blowing its hydraulics which shoots the train out of the station so they have a team from Switzerland from the company who designed/built the ride there right now working on it. They hope to have it up before July 4th.
Actually the ride won't be open at least until July 4th. So if you have plans to go before then, don't plan on it running. CP made it pretty clear on the website that they will do what they can, but want to leave it down until July 4th, and yes the problem is hydrolic now, and no longer the cable which was the original source of the first breakdown. There are also rumors that if CP cannot get the ride operational, they may have to take an X approach and shut the ride down for the season until they can get the launch operation consistant and reliable, however, that is rumored to be a last resort. You think with the trouble Xcellerator had at KBF, they would not have rushed to get this coaster online, especially considering the climate in Sandusky is much more variable than Southern California.
I have the "privelege" to work at Cedar Point, and when you work there, our opinions of the park are less than wonderful. First though, (before I get into my personal beef!), i'm going to answer Russell Meyer. Yup, chances are if it doesn't open July 4th, it won't open this season. Despite the trouble with the Xcellerator, CP wanted to rush the project despite the climate. There are many different reasons, the first of which being that Cedar Point has a par now, it has to beat Six Flags Magic Mountain to keep its title of having the most rollercoasters of any park. If they did not open TTD, they wouldn't have the title. Secondly, Cedar Point rollercoasters always have a tumultuous first year because they have to break new ground. Without record breakers and offering something different, nobody would come. Many of the visitors come from quite a ways, if there is no hook like TTD attendance would be much worse then the already dismal figures we're seeing this year. Third, CP does not care about making sure a ride "works" before unleashing it. They wait until far after other rollercaosters have been planned and built in other parks to plan and build theirs late in the season so nobody knows what they are building.
When you work for Cedar Point you know that they are greedy without a doubt. If you knew the conditions employees work and live in here you would be surprised. The executives don't care about anything but money, that's why they were desperate enough for more to spend 25 mil on this new coaster. But, the employees recommendations and underpaid work has made CP the respectable park it is today. The entire reason CP employees are so nice is not the company, but the character of each person. Don't get me wrong, Cedar Point is a great park.... but they could treat their employees a little better.
Right on, Ryan! I, too, work at CP and everything you said is true. I wish they cared half as much about us as they do their bonuses! All my co-workers and bosses are great, but the company itself sucks!
From Anonymous
Posted June 28, 2003 at 9:30 PM
get another job than peoples. and until ttd is fixed, ride the force, next best thing in this nation for real
peace
From Anonymous
Posted June 30, 2003 at 1:50 PM
hey guys.maybe cedar point IS greedy;what park isn't tho?u know what really would be nice though? we all know whenever a park increases their ticket rate it's usually due to a new ride coming in...well,we are paying how much now for a cedar point ticket(44 bucks?)?! and the new ride isn't even running! if those jokesters REALLY,truly,cared for their guests,they could very easily drop that price down to last year's rate,cuz we should only have to pay for what's running now! i know if i were the owner,skip it,i'd do it.i'm already rich,what's a few bucks less gonna do,u know?!! so, to sum it up,(mr.cedar point ceo,if u are reading)if that thang ain't running by july 4 weekend,drop your ridiculous rate down(yeah,i have coupons but so what)to around last year's rate,since there isn't a new ride to pay for,ok!!!
Ridiculous Rate????? $44 is very reasonable for even 15 world class coasters(6 being in the top 50 in the world). Anonymous needs to learn economics and how to type!
From Anonymous
Posted July 23, 2003 at 7:47 AM
I wenton the top thrill dragster it was the funnest god dang ride in the world
From Anonymous
Posted July 23, 2003 at 7:54 AM
hello it is me again well not agian but hey i went there and i saw two ppl in a coma.
From Anonymous
Posted August 10, 2003 at 8:32 PM
Very thrilling ride, even just to watch. The only time I was on it I was ready to freak out just because of the anxiety before launching. The occasional loaded rollback or even an empty rollback just adds to the thrill of seeing it *barely* make it over the top!
I also worked at Cedar Point this past season, and I had the time of my life. It makes for some very long and hard days (17-18 hours) several times this season. It's a great company to work for, and I would recommend the experience to anyone. I worked on the Go-Karts underneath the magnum and left work everyday with no voice from saying the spiels 100's of times a day. The benefits are awesome. You get into the park for free. You get housing very cheap, anywhere from $60-120 a month, that includes utilities, (except laundry). With 70+ hours a week of work, you could be making $900 bucks every two weeks. Not bad for someone still in college. The only downside is the way you are treated by your superiors. You are made to feel stupid, if you make one small screw-up, and you are threatened with your job, if you show up for work 2 minutes late. All I have to say, is Louie's is the place to hang out at CP. So, give it a shot, and work at Cedar Point in 2004, Hope to see you there!
I hope to work at Cedar Point thos 04' summer. I'm not worried about low pay, As I'm used to it with this job. And as for showing up to work a hair late, I get my boss staring at his wrist watch as I walk in (giving me a sudden urge to punch him) as he starts blabbing about taking my hours away. Then Ive gotten b*tched out at etc, so I'm not to worried about any less than perfect treatment.
But anyway, In late May is when I went to CP, and Top Thrill was closed till the afternoon. Then it was closed again, and tell me if this is normal: "I saw people beating the ride with 2x4's". hmmm. Then it wasnt open for the rest of the day. It looked to appear that the cable had snapped. It was hanging under the track on the ground. If you look at it, its kind of a creepy sight, something so powerful, idle in a warm breeze.
As for Cedar Point in comparison to other parks on safety, Cedar Point is one of the best. Disney and Six Flags are the worst. Ohh don't get me started on what disney. Don't you love seeing a little very young child being caught in a kiddy ride being dragged before the employee stopped the ride? The little boy ended up with broken bones, ripped bodily organs, etc. Now I know you have to be skeptical on whos fault it was, but when Disney starts hiding over 600 accident reports and the court has to force them to hand them over, I think thats pushing it. I get my information from accurate sources, and Six Flags now doesn't suprise me when someone gets injured or even killed.
Hopefully you'll be an improvement on the current employees they've got there.
Yes, right now I work at a Rollerskating rink, and was spot help at the carnival for a week during the summer. I would be glad to be an improvement. I can deal with the biggest jerk at a boss and still be working at my job of almost 4 years.
All of you people that responded to the Dragster are stupid. 95 percent of the people that visit Cedar Point have no idea what they are talking about. It takes a Cedar Point LOVER to know the real deal. I bet you guys don't even no about the secret entrance near the magnum. It takes to a few minutes to get to the Dragster from there just to let you know. About Dragster-YOU HAVE YOUR SENSES FULLY!!!! (whoever it was that said you don't) Also, the ride isn't scary--it's exciting! It's a thrill ride! I've been on it 17 times and counting. The first time was a blast and it keeps getting better. I own a season pass! I KNOW WHAT I"M SAYING! I hear people saying, "OH MY GOD! I heard somebody fell out of the Dragster! IT'S CALLED A RUMOR PEOPLE!" Nobody has EVER died at Cedar Point! Also, whats this crap about tearing TTD down! I'm telling you people that it's not coming down! I can assure you! It cost Cedar Point around 25 million to build that ride so...they aren't buliding a different ride in it's place that would cost even more(that comment was directed to the idiot who said they should tear it down bulid a coaster with a 420 foot hill and a 200 foot loop) So in conclusion, you stupid people(I'm being nice) should shut your faces cuz you don't know what you're talking about! It's a fun ride and I think everyone needs to go on it in their lifetimes-after all it is the fastest and tallest, not to mention the only stratacoaster in the world~~Look it up~Stratacoaster
From John K
Posted July 14, 2004 at 4:41 PM
It doesn't matter if you own an annual pass, the talk and rumors fly around the staff most of the time
Okay, you(you know who you are) obviously do NOT know what you are talking about. I have 3 cousins who work there every summer...I know the rumors, and I know the truth. You have a great point, it doesn't matter that I own a season pass but don't go making assumptions that I'm the stupid and crazy one. We all have are opinions-I mean what was that supposed to mean anyway?
From John K
Posted July 15, 2004 at 7:37 PM
oh ok now you say that you have 3 cousins working there, are you telling the truth or just saying it to back yourself up. Because obviously you would of mentioned that in the first message you posted
"you stupid people(>I'm being nice<) should shut your faces cuz you don't know what you're talking about!"
>>>>you sure are being nice.....OH PLEASE!!!
From V Pickard
Posted July 16, 2004 at 10:59 AM
I would consider myself a true fan of CP, actully my husband and I spent our honeymoon there two years ago (when all the issues were focused on the Wicked Twister) The thrill and excitement is part of the package of any amusement park (hence the name Thrill Ride). However, in many other posts on this site, it all relates back to Park Safety. Cedar Fair needs to take a good look at having a title of having a "Stratacoaster" in one of their parks verses how many people would sue because they have been injured on the running only once/week if your lucky stratacoaster, who can predict if that belt will break again. What kind of measures do they take to test the tensile strength? (little different than a belt/chain breaking on an incline hill). Things like this are expected when we try to defy the laws of physics.
From John K
Posted July 17, 2004 at 10:24 PM
I bet you would like to know what Stratacoaster means, obviously I looked it up in Merriam Webster online dictionary and it doesn't exists. Obviously, you would like to know what it means, so would I, so would M-W dictionary, so would everyone else. But we'll never find out...why? Because the word doesn't exists
Stratacoaster it would have to be obvious because it goes so high it obviously means stratasphere I'd make suggestion for CP replace the cable every month
This discussion has been archived, and is not accepting additional responses.
