World’s tallest and fastest triple launch rollercoaster forced to close — just days after opening
This ride was too cool to function.
The world’s tallest and fastest triple-launch rollercoaster was forced to shut down indefinitely just days after its grand opening.
The Top Thrill 2 takes guests along three high-speed launches between two 420-foot tall towers, with top speeds reaching 120 mph.
Cedar Point Amusement Park in Sandusky, Ohio opened on Saturday, May 4 for the 2024 season welcoming guests on the highly-anticipated coaster for the first time until it shut down on Sunday, May 12.
Top Thrill 2 coaster is “experiencing an extended closure” as the ride’s manufacturer “completes a mechanical modification,” the park announced on social media.
“Once the modification is complete, Zamperla, the Cedar Point maintenance & operations teams and our third-party ride inspection partner will conduct a thorough review before approving both the modification and the reopening of the ride.”
Cedar Point said it “cannot confirm” when the ride will reopen but it will provide updates to thrill seekers.
The brand-new ride replaced the original Top Thrill Dragster — the world’s second-tallest rollercoaster — which has been closed since 2021 after a piece came off the ride and seriously injured a 44-year-old woman.
The 420-foot high roller coaster, which reached speeds of 120 mph, closed on Aug. 15, 2021 — when Rachel Hawes, 45, of Swartz Creek, Mich., sustained severe brain injuries caused by a flying L-shaped piece of metal about the size of a human hand that dislodged from one of the trains.
Hawes was waiting in line to board the roller coaster. She was rushed to a hospital in Toledo for treatment and later filed a lawsuit.
Adrenaline junkies who were not deterred by the incident have been anxiously awaiting the reopening of the Top Thrill 2, but will now have to wait even longer to feel the rush.
“We know our guests are excited to experience this incredible roller coaster, and we share your disappointment that we are not able to operate it this weekend,” the park’s statement read.
“We will do everything possible to reopen Top Thrill 2 as soon as we are confident we can deliver the ride experience that our guests deserve.”
