Top Thrill Dragster Construction Tour - March 2003 (Extended 60fps Version)

On March 4th, 2003, my friend Neil Rupp and I were invited to get an up close and personal look at the construction status of Top Thrill Dragster, the new-for-2003 Intamin Strata/Rocket coaster. Special thanks to Janice Witherow for the tour and Neil Rupp for being the one that recorded most of this footage.
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#cedarpoint
#topthrilldragster
#rollercoaster
#amusementpark
#themeparks
#intamin
#stratacoaster
#hydrauliclaunch
#recordbreaker
#outofthisworld
#intospaceperhaps
#i2z

[@adamdragster]

This melts my heart. Thank you, Cedar Point for building the greatest coaster of all time in the same year I was born❤️🔥🏁

[@aerickmccullough350]

I'm really gonna miss this version of Dragster. The one with the hydraulic launch will always be the best version.

[@StamfordBridge]

Can we say that for sure without knowing what’s coming? Whatever it is will have to be insanely powerful to make it over the top. I’m secretly hoping the new version might somehow be even better, like Dodonpa becoming Do-Dodonpa. Well, I can hope.

[@SeanFlaharty]

Jeeeze. I can't imagine this thing with a launch like Dodonpa. Easily the most insane launch I have ever ridden. While I do love those hydraulic launches, they just can't compare to the intensity felt with an air-launch.

[@brandonbaker7468]

​@@SeanFlaharty I haven't been lucky enough to ride doopa but my first launch coaster was hypersonic xlc its older brother soo I was spoiled at a young age. Every launch after was just weak lmao.

[@StamfordBridge]

Nice throwback vid. Certain coasters when they came out blew away all previous standards and this was one of them. The height is still amazing today, but when I first saw it it seemed hard to believe. The first reaction of most people was to stand and watch to see if a train really could somehow make it over the top. After I rode this, I showed pictures of the ride to friends on the East and West Coasts, and they weren’t just staggered that I’d ridden it; they usually had a hard time accepting that such a ride really existed and actually was what it looked like. “That can NOT be real!” was the common reaction. 😂

[@SeanFlaharty]

I was told about TTD coming to the park in early 2002, while at Knott's Berry Farm out of all places. All I was told was it was going to be 120mph and be the much larger sibling of what Knott's was eventually putting in Windjammer's place. Blueprints for Xcelerator were shown and when I made a comment that it looked like it was going to be a straight to the point ride, I was also told that time wise, Xcelerator would be the longer of the two rides. I couldn't believe it.

[@UberBeavis]

This brings back a lot of fun memories. Thanks for sharing.

[@SeanFlaharty]

You are welcome, Matt!

[@Shockzone1495]

On this day March 4th as I'm typing this it's hard to believe 2003 was 20 years ago. Time really flies 😔

[@StamfordBridge]

Seriously. Whose idea was that, to have time go by so quickly?

[@randomdefender1532]

The things I'd do for a time machine to go back to that time or at least during the times it was opened!

[@SeanFlaharty]

I had this one read to go (no pun attended.....if you know it's theme song) for quite a few months but decided to release it on its 20th anniversary. It's super difficult for me to grasp it's been 20 years now.

[@Coasterkitty7]

That was pretty much my first impression, too. I am surprised I didn't drive right into Lake Erie after seeing it for the first time! I remember all the hype that went on from the time it was announced. I was there on opening day and took my very first ride in the front row! Good times! I will miss the old Dragster but I am curious to see what they do to it. Great video! Thanks for sharing!

[@SeanFlaharty]

Thanks, Tina. I am very curious to see what will happen as well.

[@testtrack321]

The oakleys and regis tie really set the time period

[@SeanFlaharty]

Ha ha. Yep, that was the style back then.

[@bigblueamusementproductions]

Crazy to think I was less than a year old at the time and I'm going to be 21 in JUNE!

[@SeanFlaharty]

Well, that certainly didn't make me feel old. Ha ha.

[@MarcusDET]

Glad you were there to capture this. Any thoughts on the new construction?

[@SeanFlaharty]

I haven't followed a lot of it other than I know it's being changed to something, hopefully more reliable.

[@CoasterTalkDE]

Hey Sean, can we use some snippets from this video in our video about TTD with giving sufficient video credits?

[@SeanFlaharty]

Yes. you can use the footage. Thanks for asking.

[@ClothoidLooper]

It really tripped me out seeing Iron Dragon with white supports. They've been orange/yellow for so long I forgot they were white at first lol.

[@SeanFlaharty]

Yep, they were painted soon after this video, if I remember correctly. They were so bright. I remember people calling them school bus supports because of the color.

[@csxisaiahjonesproductions2290]

@Sean Flaharty Is Top Thrill Dragster Coming Back Next Year ?

[@alecscheerer_run]

In 2024 with a reimagined ride experience. Will be a little different

[@DerekWhite-yx2ce]

This coaster got the coaster community pumped, l remember people paying attention to Black Beach. Then it was said they weren't getting a coaster and everyone remembered the huge footers and it went super Nova.

[@SeanFlaharty]

There is footage I recorded a year prior as we were driving by that area. They were already prepping the ground for the large footings. We were told it could have been for a restaurant. Lol.

[@SnoopyMan6000vids]

And now in 2024 we will have a new 420ft tall spike called Top Thrill 2

[@DerekWhite-yx2ce]

It looks amazing and huge

[@ThyPandora]

This does not, this can not... but it is, this really was twenty years ago. I'm not getting any younger either. I was twelve when this opened in 2003, and I'm now headed to 33 in September. Shhhhhhhhhhheeeeesh!

[@SeanFlaharty]

Yep, twenty years indeed. Things have changed so much.

[@DerekWhite-yx2ce]

Listening to people who have traveled and rode a bunch of coasters get this excited tell you how special this was. The people in the community that thought Cedar Point wouldn't be affected by this ride leaving are goofy...

[@skydecay1540]

and now top trill dragster remains untouched since a accident in 2021 that left a woman with severe injuries

[@SeanFlaharty]

Most of the ride has been removed with only the top hat standing. The new version will be quite different, but I am sure it will gain many fans once it opens.