SANDUSKY, Ohio (WWJ) - Top Thrill 2 is officially "on track" for its 2024 debut after Cedar Point officials said the last section of red steel track was fitted into place over the weekend.
"The famous Cedar Point skyline is now changed forever as construction crews have completed Top Thrill 2's all-new, 420-foot-tall vertical spike tower," the park said on Sunday, December 3. "The new structure joins the existing 'top hat' tower, giving the park not one, but two, 420-foot-tall roller coaster towers that touch the clouds over the Cedar Point Peninsula."
Lifting and securing the last part of the record-breaking roller coaster signifies a milestone in the completion of Top Thrill 2, the concept of which was unveiled to the public back in August.
Park officials said Top Thrill 2 will be the world's tallest and fastest triple-launch strata coaster, towering above Lake Erie and reaching top speeds of 120 mph.
Riders can expect the new experience to last 2 minutes -- a vast improvement over the original Top Thrill Dragster where the ride began and ended in less than 20 seconds.
Its first launch reaches 74 mph, while the second 101 mph and the third reaches its top speed of 120 mph.
"Experience true weightlessness as you immerse yourself in three "free-fall" moments, including the coveted, fan-favorite "rollback" after you're first launched forward," the release continued. "Then, launch backward and rise into the sky on a new, cloud-piercing vertical tower, giving you never-before-seen views of America's Roller Coast. A third launch rockets you forward at 120 mph, sending you on a race to the stratosphere before reaching the finish line."
Upon its completion, Top Thrill 2 will be the only dual-tower strata coaster on Earth and is the only "vertical speedway" in the world.
"You'll have commanding views of Cedar Point as you're launched backward and straight up the all-new, 90-degree tower, looking straight down at Iron Dragon, Rougarou, Power Tower and even coaster icon Millennium Force before enjoying even more airtime," officials added.
Top Thrill 2's announcement comes almost two years since a Michigan woman was seriously injured after she was struck in the head by a metal piece that fell off the original Top Thrill Dragster on Aug. 15, 2021.
Officials ended up closing the ride for the 2021 and 2022 season before retiring it from service completely -- the iconic roller coaster opened to the public on May 4, 2003. It spent 19 seasons in operation with 18 million experiencing the world's first strata coaster.
For more information, guests can visit cedarpoint.com or see construction updates on the park's YouTube channel.
