At the start of the summer, America's Roller Coast was at the center of attention in the amusement industry, premiering a new roller coaster that reimagined a previous record-breaking attraction.
Dubbed "Top Thrill 2," the new roller coaster at Cedar Point that provides a twist to previous coaster "Top Thrill Dragster," will not reopen in 2024 after operating for just eight days before encountering mechanical issues that required its closure.
The park said that the coaster's manufacturer, Zamperla, is still working on "mechanical modification" to the attraction's vehicles.
Zamperla was tagged earlier this decade to revamp what was Top Thrill Dragster, a record-breaking roller coaster manufactured by Intamin that set records upon its 2003 opening as the fastest and tallest roller coaster, boasting a height and speed of 420 feet and 120 miles per hour, respectively.
Intamin is a major roller coaster manufacturer, also known for being behind popular Cedar Point roller coasters Millennium Force and Maverick.
Long regarded as one of the park's more unreliable rides, the ride as it was known permanently closed following an incident on Aug. 15, 2021, when a guest waiting in line was struck in the head by a piece of metal that broke free from a train near the end of its run, according to The Sandusky Register.
Local
The ride ceased operations for the rest of the 2021 season, with plans for Top Thrill 2 officially unveiled in August 2023.
Despite the closure of Top Thrill 2, Cedar Point's impressive roller coaster collection has still driven significant crowds, with the park accumulating over four million visitors in 2023, more than any American theme park outside of Florida and California.
Feeling out of the loop? We'll catch you up on the Chicago news you need to know. Sign up for the weekly> Chicago Catch-Up newsletter.
