Midwest
'Top Thrill 2' roller coaster at Cedar Point will not reopen this season
Top Thrill 2, the long-awaited re-imagining of Cedar Point’s Top Thrill Dragster roller coaster, will not reopen this operating season, the Sandusky, Ohio-based park announced on August 23.
In the statement, Cedar Point said that work was ongoing to modify the ride’s vehicles, and laid most of the blame on the ride’s manufacturer, Zamperla.
Zamperla, an Italian-based manufacturer, was announced as the manufacturer of Top Thrill 2 in 2023. Top Thrill Dragster, the original coaster, was manufactured by Intamin.
‘TOP THRILL 2’ ROLLER COASTER AT CEDAR POINT CLOSES INDEFINITELY JUST DAYS AFTER LONG-AWAITED OPENING
“We sincerely appreciate your patience while Top Thrill 2’s manufacturer, Zamperla, has been working diligently to complete a mechanical modification to the coaster vehicles,” Cedar Point said in a statement posted to its social media platforms and website.
“Unfortunately, the manufacturer will not be able to complete the modifications needed in time to reopen the coaster in 2024,” they said.
Top Thrill 2 will not reopen during the 2024 season, Cedar Point announced on August 23. The ride was open for just days before it was closed for an “extended closure.” (Artist concept rendering. Courtesy of Cedar Point.)
“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,” said Cedar Point, adding a “sincere apology.”
Cedar Point is open daily until Labor Day, and then operates during select weekends until November 2.
Top Thrill 2 opened on May 4, 2024, following several days of previews prior to its official opening. Just over a week later, the park announced that the ride would have an “extended closure” due to an issue with the ride’s vehicles.
Since its closure, the X account @TopThrillStatus has been documenting the work that has been done on the coaster, including the testing of the modified trains.
CEDAR POINT ANNOUNCES ‘TOP THRILL 2,’ A RECORD-SETTING ROLLER COASTER: ‘BOLDEST AND MOST ADVANCED’
Cedar Point is in Sandusky, Ohio. The park announced that its highly anticipated roller coaster Top Thrill 2 would remain closed through 2024. (iStock)
“If you didn’t catch it, [Top Thrill 2] was testing again last night. This increase in testing is exactly what I’d hope to see, as the more it tests, the closer to an opening we are,” said @TopThrillStatus on August 22.
Top Thrill 2 was described by Cedar Point as “the world’s tallest and fastest triple-launch strata roller coaster.”
A “strata roller coaster” refers to any roller coaster over 400 feet tall. Top Thrill 2’s predecessor, Top Thrill Dragster, was the first-ever “strata” coaster.
Top Thrill Dragster, which previously held the record for tallest roller coaster, closed permanently after a 2021 incident in which a woman was struck by a “small metal object” that had come off the ride. In 2022, Cedar Point announced that the ride would be “re-imagined.”
The park constructed a 420-foot “spike” behind Top Thrill Dragster’s original 420-foot “top hat” feature.
Top Thrill 2 features two 420-foot drops. A “spike” was constructed to complement the original “Top Hat” feature of Top Thrill Dragster. (Artist concept rendering. Courtesy of Cedar Point.)
The new ride has riders going forward and backward on the spike before cresting the top hat.
Prior to its sudden closure, Top Thrill 2 received rave reviews from roller coaster enthusiasts.
Taylor Bybee and Sarah Anderson, the two Virginia-based roller coaster enthusiasts behind the popular YouTube channel “Coaster Studios,” were able to ride Top Thrill 2 on its opening day.
In a May email to Fox News Digital, Bybee and Anderson said they had “an amazing experience with Top Thrill 2,” noting that they “at no time felt unsafe.”
On X, users who were able to ride Top Thrill 2 during its brief operational period reflected on their experiences.
“I was fortunate to ride Top Thrill 2 three times at a charity event at the end of April. Who knew that I would be in such an exclusive club,” posted X user Anthony DiPiero on August 23.
I was fortunate to ride Top Thrill 2 three times at a charity event at the end of April. Who knew that I would be in such an exclusive club?
Self-described “Coaster enthusiast” Andrew Lineweaver posted on X calling Top Thrill 2’s opening “probably the worst debut season we’ve ever seen from a coaster that’s opened with riders, even worse than the OG Top Thrill Dragster.”
Lineweaver continued, adding “I’m still so thankful to have gotten 2 rides because the ride experience is PHENOMENAL. Excited to get many more rides next year!”
For more Lifestyle articles, visit www.foxnews.com/lifestyle
The Cedar Fair, parent company of Cedar Point, operates 17 amusement and water park locations across the United States and Canada.
The company merged with competing amusement park chain Six Flags in July 2024.
Fox News Digital reached out to Cedar Point for additional comment.
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MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) – An inflatable replica of the future USS Wisconsin submarine was on display Friday at the Duck Pond, giving families and children a look at the vessel set to carry the state’s name.
The inflatable model is approximately one-eleventh the size of the actual submarine, which will measure more than 550 feet in length. The USSBN 827 Wisconsin is a Columbia-class submarine that began construction in 2025.
Jeff Davis, a board member of the USSBN 827 Wisconsin Submarine association, said the group is working to raise awareness about the submarine and build a connection between Wisconsin residents and the crew.
“We are currently promoting the building of the USS Wisconsin, the next SSBN in the District of Columbia class,” Davis said. “This is the latest technology; it started being built last year. The point of us is to build the awareness that we have this submarine named after the state of Wisconsin. And build a relationship between the citizens of Wisconsin and the crew that’s going to operate this submarine.”
Davis said the effort extends beyond awareness.
“It’s a great way to get excited about engineering. It’s a great way to get excited about being part of the Navy or any of the armed forces,” Davis said. “And basically, being a part of supporting our nation.”
Construction on the submarine is expected to be completed around 2028. Following completion, the vessel will undergo a christening — when it is placed in the water — followed by approximately two years of testing before being commissioned into service.
Once commissioned, the submarine is expected to remain in service for roughly 42 years. The association said it plans to remain involved with the vessel through its eventual decommissioning.
The inflatable replica is scheduled to make additional stops at parades and outreach events throughout the summer. For more information on where to see the inflatable sub, check out their website USSWisconsinsub.org.
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After being selected No. 53 overall in the 2026 NBA Draft, Ugonna Onyenso signed a two-way deal with the Detroit Pistons.
Amid speculation of a possible Jalen Duren departure, the Detroit Pistons signed recent No. 53 overall pick Ugonna Onyenso to a two-way contract following the 2026 NBA Draft. Considering Detroit finished atop the Eastern Conference last year, playing time may be tough to come by for Onyenso; however, that doesn’t change his status as an intriguing prospect.
Despite nearly falling out of the draft entirely, the Virginia product was viewed as one of the top shot-blocking prospects, standing at 7’0″ with a 7’5″ wingspan. Last season in the ACC, Onyenso had a block percentage of 17.4 and averaged 2.9 blocks in less than 20 minutes per game. In the ACC Tournament, Onyenso gained notariety for his defensive prowess, averaging seven blocks per game in a three-game span, including nine blocks against Cameron Boozer and Duke.
For these reasons, Onyenso has potential to carve out a solid career as a defensive specialist if given the opportunity.
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