After opening for a month in May, Cedar Point indefinitely closes re-imagined Top Thrill 2 until 2025.

By Noah Festenstein, Sky High Screams

SANDUSKY, OH — Indeed, this was an ambitious makeover for a giant among giants at arguably the country’s best theme park.

For Cedar Point, the project to upgrade Top Thrill Dragster — once the world’s tallest and fastest roller coaster — has proved to be another massive headache for Cedar Fair (and now Six Flags post company merger).

After Cedar Point’s new Top Thrill 2 closed for nearly an entire season, the Sandusky, Ohio theme park announced on Friday its refurbished and new for 2024 record breaker won’t open until next year.

Built as a Intamin hydraulic launch, the original Top Thrill Dragster zipped riders to 120 MPH in four seconds. Due to constant mechanical failures and high maintenance costs, Cedar Point hired Italian manufacturer Zamperla to manufacture add a 420 foot backwards spike, install a magnetic launch, and design the ride’s new, much lighter trains.

It was slated to hold world records for fastest backwards launch and tallest vertical spike.

In Friday’s statement, Cedar Point officials pointed to problems with the trains, but didn’t specify any further.

“We are extremely disappointed that we cannot open the ride this season, but remain committed to delivering a reliable, consistent and unparalleled coaster experience for our guests in 2025,” park officials said.

The announcement isn’t surprising, especially after a rushed opening date, in which parks usually open a new, big roller coaster at a date later in a season.

Top Thrill 2 opened to the public at the start of the 2024 season in May, then operated for only eight days before closing due to issues with the trains, according to a Zamperla news release from the time.

Zamperla has worked on the re-imagined Top Thrill 2 for two years.

Perhaps, it was too good to be true for Top Thrill 2 in 2024.