As Cedar Point Announces Top Thrill 2 Won't Reopen This Year, What Does it Mean for the Ride's Future?

Last Friday, Cedar Point confirmed that Top Thrill 2 will not reopen this year. The ride’s manufacturer, Zamperla, is continuing to address ongoing issues with the intention of having the ride back in operation next year.

When I visited Sandusky this April for a preview, I was amazed by the speed and intensity of this Top Thrill Dragster remake. Zamperla, a relatively new name in large-scale coaster construction, had done an impressive job with the overhaul. However, I noted in my review for Scene that the ride's success would depend on its ability to maintain high reliability, a challenge that the original Dragster struggled with.

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On May 12th, just six days after the ride opened to the public, Cedar Point announced a temporary closure. The specifics of the issues were not disclosed, but park officials mentioned problems with the ride's trains that Zamperla needed to address.

The current situation is disheartening for everyone involved. By the time the ride hopefully reopens next year, it will have been nearly four years since the original Dragster closed following the severe injury of a woman due to a dislodged part. Four years is a significant gap in the world of roller coasters.

For Cedar Point, this extends an ongoing PR crisis. Top Thrill 2 was intended to mark a new era for the park, moving past the accident and the frequent reliability problems of the original ride. The closure has also likely impacted the park's revenue, as many fans postponed their visits this summer in hopes of experiencing the ride before the season ends. Additionally, the park’s infrequent communication and continued promotion of the ride on social media for weeks after its May closure added to the frustration.

For Zamperla, the stakes are even higher. Failing to meet Cedar Point's expectations could have serious consequences for the company’s coaster division. Cedar Point’s parent company, now called Six Flags after a recent merger, has a history of taking a hard line with manufacturers that don’t deliver. For example, despite the eventual success of Steel Vengeance, Cedar Fair (Six Flags) stopped purchasing from its creator, Rocky Mountain Construction, following early issues with the ride. Similarly, it has been over a decade since Cedar Fair (Six Flags) contracted Intamin for a new attraction after issues with rides like Shoot the Rapids and Intimidator 305, despite Intamin’s earlier successes with Cedar Fair rides like Millennium Force and Maverick. Now, it's seemingly Zamperla’s turn as it potentially faces the risk of losing a crucial client if they can’t resolve these issues quickly.

Which parties, if any, should be taking responsibility for the situation? Cedar Point seems to be directing frustration at Zamperla, as indicated by their messaging which points out Zamperla's failure to implement necessary changes this year, even as the park apologizes for the situation. However, it's important to remember that Cedar Point selected Zamperla for this high-profile project despite the company’s relatively limited experience with major roller coasters. Therefore, while Zamperla is responsible for the project's execution, Cedar Point should also recognize its role in choosing a company that had yet to prove itself with such a challenging prototype. Communicating this sort of sense of responsibility to the public, beyond just apologizing, would likely go a long way in giving fans a feeling that Cedar Point is not playing the blame game.

Although the current situation is less than ideal, it’s not unusual for a roller coaster to face extended closures early in its operational life. While I won’t delve into specific examples, if Cedar Point and Zamperla manage to get the ride up and running reliably by next spring, it's likely that the frustrations of this year will quickly be forgiven and forgotten. On the other hand, while very rare, there have been cases where roller coasters have opened only briefly before closing permanently for various reasons. As a devoted fan of the ride, I sincerely hope for the first scenario to be the outcome, and if not, that the ride at least avoids permanent closure, even if that means reconsidering options such as reaching out to Intamin, the creator of the original Top Thrill Dragster, for further modifications.

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