It isn’t every opening day that you get to ride a new roller coaster. And it’s not every opening day where you get to ride a renovated roller coaster. But to do both, -ish, at the same time? That’s something special.
We started our morning with a quick coffee stop in downtown Sandusky, being sure to get to the park ahead of 9 AM for the surprising about-face Cedar Point has conducted for allowing Gold Pass holders in on ERT as part of the new pass holder scheme. Arriving at the park at 8:45 AM, gave us plenty of time to finish breakfast in line, work through metal detectors and early entry ticket stalls (not the regular ticket stalls we accidentally slipped into), and begin our migration towards the back of the park. Our plan: try to nab an ERT, and then head to TT2 to post up in queue for a hopeful 10 AM opening with the rest of the park.
As we completed the Main Midway trek, we were greeted with the first, true sight of TT2 – the new monolith known as the “Back Spike.” Interestingly, this and other new pieces of TT2 are familiar yet foreign as a “new” coaster. It’s the same top hat, dominating the sightlines throughout the park. But then there’s this other thing, also jutting above the skyline, a new object that pops into view as you exit Millennium Force or look across the park from Frontier Town. The back spike is surprisingly omnipresent across so much of Cedar Point, giving a lot of new visuals.
Back to the immediate legwork, while we hoped to hop on a short queue for Millennium Force, it was not immediately opening and had a gradually building queue. So as we pondered what to do, we realized we were standing next to a perfectly open and empty Iron Dragon… and ended up having the first ride of the year on it.
With Iron Dragon nabbed, we stashed our stuff in the Rougarou lockers, with the hope this could allow us to cut portions of TT2 queue (more to come on that), and headed towards the TT2 Midway.
Top Thrill 2: General Ambience and Approach
The Top Thrill 2 midway area has received an overall good deal of TLC. The first thing of note is a lot of paint, was put down on the walkways and over the previous bricklay. While I fear this will: 1. Break and peel under summer heat and winter cold 2. Get slick when rainy; hey at least it looks good! Other subtle touches add to a good sense of place for the coaster, giving it a general F1 do-over from its previous Dragster routes. It’s also worth noting some carefully planted speakers that play quasi-club music, with a very familiar “Baby I’m Ready to Go” audio intersplice from the original Republika theme song. The F1ification of Top Thrill’s Dragster theme is established.
To take us through the general TT2 ride experience, I’ll block out into general themes/categories of discussion.
Queuing and Locker System
Ride Logistics
This was the biggest X-factor and open question in choosing Zamperla. By all accounts, loading logistics would work well: switching from a five-train armada to a three-train set with a +2 rider capacity (up to 20 from 18), ditching seatbelts and t-bar restraints for OTSR, etc. But best-laid plans and theoretic rider-per-hour rates can all too often smack into real-world operation lag time and poor operations.
Only time will tell if TT2 can stand up to high throughputs and long crowd queues – but based on first-day operations, we have a lot to be bullish about.
First, trains were cranking through the station – the three-train set works! Minimum time if at all sitting on the brake run, and quick transition of the train in-station (there are separate load and unload sections) made for a relatively quick loading procedure and dispatch. Our second ride on TT2 even saw us dispatch before the previous train had cleared the top hat/was still going through the third launch, meaning even further expedited logistics and ability to always have the next train ready and rolling into launch position. This remained * relatively constant throughout the day, with the next train usually rolling out the station on a quick clip as the previous completed its cycle (lag time due to riders restraints not fitting, etc. acknowledged).
As for downtime, there did appear to be some longer downtime in the middle of the day, but nothing that was a cascading, multi-hour shortage forcing all park goers to face 3-4 hours waits (there were some reports, but it would appear most on Opening Day saw 2-2.5 hour waits). All in – good upward indicators!
Ride Experience
To first state the obvious, this is a different ride than the original TTD. It is an interesting twist how much of the ride experience is familiar, yet slammed with much new sensation and elemental difference.
To go through step-by-step, the initial launch has a fun, quick audio, and light-tree sequence. While that felt “such a big deal” on TTD with rumbling engine audio and build-up, for TT2 it’s a quick hit-clip that quickly sends you into the first 0-76 MPH launch. Is it slow? Sure. Does it still get you to a noticeable height on the top hat? Absolutely.
The second launch (0 – 100 MPH) seems to pack more of an upfront punch on acceleration, meaning your train is spending significantly more time at speed than not, hurtling backward towards the station. While POV and videos may look like “train rattle”, do not be perturbed – there is a little jostling, but nothing you can’t handle as your body is being battered with ever-increasing wind resistance.
Cresting into the back spike is pretty interesting, in that: 1. You are going quite fast 2. The transition is far more gradual than other coasters (e.g. Intamin Impulses), meaning positive g-force isn’t as significant, giving way to a realization that you have quickly ascended ~300 ft. in the air for some great negative-g floater. It is a phenomenal element that blends well into the ride layout, with a smoother transition than I ever imagined.
This then takes us into the third launch – we are only increasing ~20 MPH in speed, but a quick punch of speed upfront means you are traveling at a sustained 100+ MPH for the entire launch length. It is an interesting experience I’d like more chance to ride – not necessarily the “best” launch as you don’t have as much acceleration experience, but it’s still remarkable at how much sustained, high speed you endure!
Finally the top hat – this is the greatest benefactor of the new launch system and train design, as the train enters consistently crests with higher speed, and a higher center of gravity (e.g. riders sit higher on the train), meaning you can have consistent, sustained airtime at the top. This was only a once-in-a-blue-moon sensation on the original TTD, with the usual ride experience being more of a crawl over the top. Instant upgrade in this department.
The drop back down in turn is mostly the same. While I’ve seen a POV clip of the spiral exit transition circulate on social media – again this is due to riders sitting higher on the train, which will mean a little more jostling at exit, but overall a still-excellent drop.
TT2 Summary: Is it better than TTD?
Is TT2 better than TTD? I believe yes, as what we gave up in higher acceleration for TTD we gained in longer ride time, more sustained speed and airtime, and an overall more reliable experience. Other quality-of-life improvements in the queue and station logistics give further icing to the cake.
I honestly didn’t know what to expect when walking up to TT2 for the first time – a wave of emotional nostalgia for a roller coaster experience lost? Excitement for a new roller coaster reborn? Honestly just relief – the fact that a coaster closed 4 years ago could reopen, and reopen well.
Other PTR of Note
To round out other PTR travels throughout the day:
All in one of the best opening days in recent memory, especially considering a rather reliable TT2 operation. Hopefull upwards from here!
We started our morning with a quick coffee stop in downtown Sandusky, being sure to get to the park ahead of 9 AM for the surprising about-face Cedar Point has conducted for allowing Gold Pass holders in on ERT as part of the new pass holder scheme. Arriving at the park at 8:45 AM, gave us plenty of time to finish breakfast in line, work through metal detectors and early entry ticket stalls (not the regular ticket stalls we accidentally slipped into), and begin our migration towards the back of the park. Our plan: try to nab an ERT, and then head to TT2 to post up in queue for a hopeful 10 AM opening with the rest of the park.
As we completed the Main Midway trek, we were greeted with the first, true sight of TT2 – the new monolith known as the “Back Spike.” Interestingly, this and other new pieces of TT2 are familiar yet foreign as a “new” coaster. It’s the same top hat, dominating the sightlines throughout the park. But then there’s this other thing, also jutting above the skyline, a new object that pops into view as you exit Millennium Force or look across the park from Frontier Town. The back spike is surprisingly omnipresent across so much of Cedar Point, giving a lot of new visuals.
Back to the immediate legwork, while we hoped to hop on a short queue for Millennium Force, it was not immediately opening and had a gradually building queue. So as we pondered what to do, we realized we were standing next to a perfectly open and empty Iron Dragon… and ended up having the first ride of the year on it.
With Iron Dragon nabbed, we stashed our stuff in the Rougarou lockers, with the hope this could allow us to cut portions of TT2 queue (more to come on that), and headed towards the TT2 Midway.
Top Thrill 2: General Ambience and Approach
The Top Thrill 2 midway area has received an overall good deal of TLC. The first thing of note is a lot of paint, was put down on the walkways and over the previous bricklay. While I fear this will: 1. Break and peel under summer heat and winter cold 2. Get slick when rainy; hey at least it looks good! Other subtle touches add to a good sense of place for the coaster, giving it a general F1 do-over from its previous Dragster routes. It’s also worth noting some carefully planted speakers that play quasi-club music, with a very familiar “Baby I’m Ready to Go” audio intersplice from the original Republika theme song. The F1ification of Top Thrill’s Dragster theme is established.
To take us through the general TT2 ride experience, I’ll block out into general themes/categories of discussion.
Queuing and Locker System
- Yes, the queue is a smidge exacerbated by the locker requirement – there is a temporary queue fence set up outside the TT2 entry marque that all general riders (non-Fast Lane) are to wait in as a shared queue, with ride ops letting those who do not need a locker to break for the main queue once at the end of this pre-stage queue. The good news is the wait wasn’t too long per say – my friend and I used a strategy of ditching our stuff at a different locker within the park, which did allow us to skip a bit of queue once at the split point of either renting a locker or going through metal detectors for the main queue.
- Queue design has major quality-of-life upgrades – the previous queues were a great example of proper bullpen design. Maximized switchbacks for maximized queue capacity, with some shade cover and periodic mister fans. It was fine and serviceable, but many older enthusiasts will remember too much life energy exhausted, waiting in that scorching sun.
The new queue design has some significant changes, which build on one core theory – throughput. There is only one section of switchback, a small double back at the front of the queue, which then leads to a direct, straightaway shot of the queue to the station. This is great as it allows for easier quick judgment of where you are in the queue and distance to the station. The other big x factor is perpetual shade through a new corrugated steel roof and solar shade put on the fence line. Joke about the bunker as you will – it will be a saving grace in hotter summer temps. - Fast Lane queue has a jump on loading, which hopefully smooths out over time – It was noticeable how frenetic loading logistics could be at the station (more to come on logistics), mostly driven by the need of queue speed to quickly ascend the station stairs, communicate number of riders in party, and make it to queue gates within roughly 1 minute. This led to some empty rows on dispatch, as the trains ran a tight turnaround running as a three-set.
Ride Logistics
This was the biggest X-factor and open question in choosing Zamperla. By all accounts, loading logistics would work well: switching from a five-train armada to a three-train set with a +2 rider capacity (up to 20 from 18), ditching seatbelts and t-bar restraints for OTSR, etc. But best-laid plans and theoretic rider-per-hour rates can all too often smack into real-world operation lag time and poor operations.
Only time will tell if TT2 can stand up to high throughputs and long crowd queues – but based on first-day operations, we have a lot to be bullish about.
First, trains were cranking through the station – the three-train set works! Minimum time if at all sitting on the brake run, and quick transition of the train in-station (there are separate load and unload sections) made for a relatively quick loading procedure and dispatch. Our second ride on TT2 even saw us dispatch before the previous train had cleared the top hat/was still going through the third launch, meaning even further expedited logistics and ability to always have the next train ready and rolling into launch position. This remained * relatively constant throughout the day, with the next train usually rolling out the station on a quick clip as the previous completed its cycle (lag time due to riders restraints not fitting, etc. acknowledged).
As for downtime, there did appear to be some longer downtime in the middle of the day, but nothing that was a cascading, multi-hour shortage forcing all park goers to face 3-4 hours waits (there were some reports, but it would appear most on Opening Day saw 2-2.5 hour waits). All in – good upward indicators!
Ride Experience
To first state the obvious, this is a different ride than the original TTD. It is an interesting twist how much of the ride experience is familiar, yet slammed with much new sensation and elemental difference.
To go through step-by-step, the initial launch has a fun, quick audio, and light-tree sequence. While that felt “such a big deal” on TTD with rumbling engine audio and build-up, for TT2 it’s a quick hit-clip that quickly sends you into the first 0-76 MPH launch. Is it slow? Sure. Does it still get you to a noticeable height on the top hat? Absolutely.
The second launch (0 – 100 MPH) seems to pack more of an upfront punch on acceleration, meaning your train is spending significantly more time at speed than not, hurtling backward towards the station. While POV and videos may look like “train rattle”, do not be perturbed – there is a little jostling, but nothing you can’t handle as your body is being battered with ever-increasing wind resistance.
Cresting into the back spike is pretty interesting, in that: 1. You are going quite fast 2. The transition is far more gradual than other coasters (e.g. Intamin Impulses), meaning positive g-force isn’t as significant, giving way to a realization that you have quickly ascended ~300 ft. in the air for some great negative-g floater. It is a phenomenal element that blends well into the ride layout, with a smoother transition than I ever imagined.
This then takes us into the third launch – we are only increasing ~20 MPH in speed, but a quick punch of speed upfront means you are traveling at a sustained 100+ MPH for the entire launch length. It is an interesting experience I’d like more chance to ride – not necessarily the “best” launch as you don’t have as much acceleration experience, but it’s still remarkable at how much sustained, high speed you endure!
Finally the top hat – this is the greatest benefactor of the new launch system and train design, as the train enters consistently crests with higher speed, and a higher center of gravity (e.g. riders sit higher on the train), meaning you can have consistent, sustained airtime at the top. This was only a once-in-a-blue-moon sensation on the original TTD, with the usual ride experience being more of a crawl over the top. Instant upgrade in this department.
The drop back down in turn is mostly the same. While I’ve seen a POV clip of the spiral exit transition circulate on social media – again this is due to riders sitting higher on the train, which will mean a little more jostling at exit, but overall a still-excellent drop.
TT2 Summary: Is it better than TTD?
Is TT2 better than TTD? I believe yes, as what we gave up in higher acceleration for TTD we gained in longer ride time, more sustained speed and airtime, and an overall more reliable experience. Other quality-of-life improvements in the queue and station logistics give further icing to the cake.
I honestly didn’t know what to expect when walking up to TT2 for the first time – a wave of emotional nostalgia for a roller coaster experience lost? Excitement for a new roller coaster reborn? Honestly just relief – the fact that a coaster closed 4 years ago could reopen, and reopen well.
Other PTR of Note
To round out other PTR travels throughout the day:
- Millennium Force and Maverick were running a little rough throughout the day – Millennium faced weirdly slow loading and dispatch, despite having two trains. It felt there were some general ride-op issues in quickly getting the exit station train to the load station, and hopefully not a more fundamental, underlying hardware issue. Maverick had some significant downtime that led to a 2-hour queue. Oh, the amount of my life I’ve spent in that queue shed. <3
- Frontier Farm remains a great place to grab a bite to eat. Despite my protest on removing a beloved attraction (Antique Cars) for overpriced food – men are the entrees and sides pretty good eating. And of course – throw the desert in there too! I am the problem.
- No Steel Vengeance rides on this trip, as we prioritized TT2 and the park closed at 8 AM. Another day for the #1.
- Magnum and Raptor rides (including a fun encounter with Allison and friends!) were absolute magic. Always respect the classics. <3
- The weather was weird in a very cool way – the very cold lake water was meeting higher ambient air temps to create haze and low-hanging clouds, giving a sensation of someone forgetting to turn off a fog machine from Halloweekends. This made for a gorgeous sunset and twilight.
All in one of the best opening days in recent memory, especially considering a rather reliable TT2 operation. Hopefull upwards from here!
