Latest news with #TopThrill2
Yahoo
12-08-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Did sirens curse Cedar Point? Power Tower cable snaps, roller coasters shut down, evacuated
The Power Tower breakdown at Cedar Point is the latest in a series of malfunctions at the Sandusky, Ohio, theme park. In the most recent incident, one of the ride's cables snapped, leaving riders stranded in the air. The Power Tower rockets riders 240 feet in the air before dropping them back to the ground. And that's not the only instance of ride malfunctions at Cedar Point. Siren's Curse, the park's newest roller coaster, has been evacuated several times when the tilt coaster got stuck. Top Thrill 2 was closed for repairs in June, despite being shut down for nearly all of the 2024 season for modifications. And the Raptor has been closed since Aug. 4. Here's a look at the recent breakdowns. Cable snaps on Power Tower, leaving riders stranded In the Power Tower incident, park spokesman Tony Clark said a single cable detached from the ride vehicle on one of the towers on Aug. 10, the Beacon Journal reported. The ride's safety performed as expected, he said. Cedar Point workers manually lowered riders to the ground, where all safely exited. No injuries were reported. "Safety is a top priority, and the ride will remain closed while we complete a thorough review and inspection of the ride," Clark said. Bryan Levin of the Ohio Department of Agriculture's Division of Amusement Ride Safety & Fairs said the Power Tower will remain closed until the state does a complete reinspection of the ride. Siren's Curse roller coaster strands riders, evacuated at least 5 times At least five times now, Siren's Curse — which has been open since the end of June — has stranded passengers at the top of its 160-foot lift hill, forcing either an evacuation or a delay as the coaster was restarted, the Beacon Journal previously reported. Twice, riders were stranded on tilt portion of the coaster, which tips a piece of track 90 degrees down before continuing the ride. One of those times the riders pointed straight down. Clark said the coaster had been experiencing minor technical issues, which he compared to the check engine light in a car, resulting in the safety system halting the ride. If the safety system can be reset, the ride continues. If not, riders are evacuated. One coaster enthusiast and mechanical engineer, who has written books on the science of coasters, said the safety systems on Siren's Curse are performing as they should. "It's important to understand that thrill rides are over-engineered for fail-safe performance," Nick Weisenberger said. "There are hundreds of sensors and they all have to agree; otherwise, the ride stops out of an abundance of caution." Top Thrill 2, closed for most of 2024 season, shut down for 'mechanical reasons' in June 2025 Top Thrill 2, which made its debut in 2024 but closed after only eight days, reopened this season but still has had a few issues crop up. In June, the roller coaster shut down for unspecified "mechanical reasons," Clark said at the time. According to a Reddit "ask me anything" on June 8, an anonymous Cedar Point ride mechanic, whose identity Reddit moderators verified, said a crack was found on a support. A crane, spotted by an X user, was brought out to repair it. "There was a decent size crack found on a support post on the spike," the Reddit user wrote. "That's the only reason we have a crane on site, for the welders to address the crack found. Once they finish the fix and the state okays it, the ride should be back to operational orders." Another Top Thrill 2 closure happened on the park's opening day, May 3, when the coaster didn't have enough power to get its train over the hill, resulting in an extra rollback. One rollback on Top Thrill 2 is by design. The coaster first launches its trains forward; they run out of momentum on the 420-foot hill and roll back toward the start. Then, the train is launched backward up a vertical track. When that runs out of momentum, the train rolls forward toward the start, where a third launch finally sends it over the tophat hill at 120 mph. According to the statistics at Ride Forces Database, Top Thrill 2 has been operational for 64.3% of the time Cedar Point has been open in 2025. Social media reports Valravn evacuated, Millennium Force stuck Sporadic reports of other coaster closures have popped up on social media. On Reddit, a user posted a photo of people descending the spiral staircase from Valravn on Aug. 7. The website Queue Times, which reports when rides are open or closed as well as the wait times based on user submissions and reports from the theme park itself, shows an nearly two-hour closure for Valravn, from 2:10 to 3:50 p.m., that day, and sporadic closures otherwise. Another Reddit user posted a photo stating Millennium Force was stuck at the top of the hill on Aug. 8. However, Queue Times shows only sporadic closures for the ride that day, which opened around 9:15 a.m. and closed shortly after 10 p.m. Reddit users complain about number of coasters that are down Other Reddit posts complain about the number of coasters that were closed on specific days. One claims seven were down on Aug. 3, while another posted a screenshot from Queue Times showing closures and significant delays at the majority of coasters. According to Queue Times, Top Thrill 2 and Rougarou were closed the full day on Aug. 3, with Raptor open briefly. GateKeeper opened late, around 3 p.m. And on Aug. 4, Raptor, Rougarou and Top Thrill 2 were closed the full day. Gemini, Pipe Scream and Wild Mouse opened late that day, with the other coasters opening between 9:30 and 11 a.m. and only closed sporadically throughout the day, per Queue Times. Rougarou was closed from July 31 to Aug. 7, per the website. And, Raptor has been closed since Aug. 4. Cedar Point's spokesman said the park is waiting on a part, and the ride should reopen soon. This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Did sirens curse Cedar Point? Power Tower breaks, coasters evacuated Solve the daily Crossword
NDTV
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- NDTV
Rollercoaster In US Gets Stuck Mid-Air, Riders Left Hanging For 10 Minutes
In a nightmarish incident, guests at an amusement park in Ohio, United States, were left suspended in a vertical position after the park's new Siren's Curse roller coaster experienced a mishap. According to People, the incident took place at Cedar Point amusement park in Ohio on Saturday. It occurred at the ride's pivotal point, where the tracks break off and tilt 45 degrees, before being pulled back up to safety. Thrillseekers were stuck in the air for nearly 10 minutes, and after the riders were safely evacuated, it closed for 25 minutes before resuming normal operations. In a statement to People, Tony Clark, a spokesperson for the Ohio park, said that the ride "experienced a delay that paused the ride's operation". "The coaster's safety system performed as designed, the ride was restarted, and guests continued their ride. Siren's Curse reopened shortly after and all guests exited the ride safely," he added. The outlet reported that the rollercoaster was stuck in the air for nearly 10 minutes. They were evacuated after a maintenance employee tilted the riders back up into a horizontal position. The Siren's Curse closed for 25 minutes before resuming normal operations. Siren's Curse is the "tallest, fastest and longest 'tilt' roller coaster in North America". The ride opened to the public on Saturday. It features 2,966 feet of track; 13 weightless airtime moments; two 360-degree, zero-gravity barrel rolls and a "triple-down" element with twisted and "overbanked" track, all at a top speed of 58 mph. Cedar Point, on the other hand, is referred to as the "roller coaster capital of the world". The amusement park features a lineup of 19 coasters, including Millennium Force, Valravn and Top Thrill 2 - the world's tallest and fastest triple-launch roller coaster. This is not the first time that Cedar Point has made headlines. In 2023, riders aboard the Magnum XL 200 were stuck for 20 to 30 minutes after the ride suffered a mechanical issue mid-air. At the time, the amusement park had given each rider a fast-pass voucher for one ride.
Axios
28-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Axios
Cedar Point debuts record-breaking tilt coaster
Cedar Point's newest roller coaster opens to the public Saturday. Why it matters: Siren's Curse is the 19th roller coaster at the Sandusky theme park and will be the tallest, fastest "tilt coaster" in the country. It features elements unlike any other ride at the park, Cedar Point says. Riders will approach the edge of broken-off track and tilt into a 90-degree angle before the first drop. By the numbers: The two-minute ride covers 3,000 feet of red steel track — modeled in part after Lake Erie shipping cranes — and tops out at 58 miles per hour. Top Thrill 2, which opened last year after a three-year hiatus, is the park's fastest at 120 miles per hour. Yes, but: Siren's Curse includes two 360-degree, zero-gravity barrel rolls and a twisty track with multiple moments of weightlessness. Between the lines: The ride's name and theme is inspired by "the sirens of the lake who lured sailors to their underwater demise with their sweet, seductive songs," Cedar Point says.
Yahoo
27-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Terrifying ‘Tilt' Coaster That Breaks Off Track Mid-Air Opens This Weekend — See First POV Video
A record-breaking thrill ride opens this weekend at Cedar Point amusement park in Ohio Siren's Curse features a terrifying tilt at 160 feet in the air The rest of the ride includes 2,966 feet of track and 13 weightless airtime moments at a top speed of 58 mphCoaster fans, rejoice: North America's tallest, fastest and longest tilt coaster is here!The record-breaking thrill ride, Siren's Curse, opens to the public on Saturday, June 28, at the Cedar Point amusement park in Ohio. The ride's backstory takes inspiration from the park's neighboring body of water and the 'mysterious creatures living beneath the surface of Lake Erie; often spoken of – but never spotted,' a press release details. 'The sirens of the lake who lured sailors to their underwater demise with their sweet, seductive songs are finally rising to land to entrap guests in a sinister two-minute fate of non-stop roller coaster innovation.'Riders can expect to ascend a 160-foot-tall crane tower before encountering a 'dead stop on a 'broken off' section of track.' Slowly, the track begins to tilt the entire train into a 90-degree vertical position. Those brave enough to keep their eyes open will stare down the rest of the track in anticipation of the train's release. 'As the track locks into place, riders flee from the beckoning call of the siren and plunge into the abyss,' according to the park. The entire ride promises 2,966 feet of track; 13 weightless airtime moments; two 360-degree, zero-gravity barrel rolls and a 'triple-down' element with twisted and overbanked track, all at an impressive top speed of 58 mph. Cedar Point never misses an opportunity to feature the latest in coaster technology, as is the case with Siren's Curse. Two brand-new 24-passenger trains are outfitted with high-fidelity integrated audio and LED lighting. 'Record-breaking thrills have always been at the heart of Cedar Point's roller coaster lineup, and Siren's Curse lives up to that standard,' Carrie Boldman, vice president and general manager of Cedar Point, said in a statement when the coaster was announced on Sept. 19, 2024. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Siren's Curse is a worthy addition to the Sandusky, Ohio, park's lineup of 19 roller coasters. Other notable attractions include Millennium Force, Valravn and Top Thrill 2 — the world's tallest and fastest triple-launch roller coaster. Last July, Cedar Point's parent company, Cedar Fair, merged with Six Flags to form a theme park giant, Six Flags Entertainment Corporation. Read the original article on People
Telegraph
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Get set, go: exciting new theme park experiences await in the US
After a tension-building climb, Valravn prepares to drop. And not just any drop – this behemoth of a rollercoaster plummets 223ft at a staggering 90-degree angle. It's just one of the highlights at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio. For thrill-seekers, the self-styled rollercoaster capital of the world is a compulsory stop on a road trip from New York to Chicago – but for theme park-lovers heading elsewhere in the US, there are scores of incredible options to choose from. Some are about the adrenalin rushes, some major in nostalgia and old-time atmospherics and others provide immersive storytelling. Crucially, the US's theme parks are always evolving to bring something new, different and exciting. This year's new openings and anniversary celebrations, however, offer a bumper crop for those ready to ride… High octane thrills In Ohio, Cedar Point's newest test of nerve is the innovative tilt coaster Siren's Curse. After climbing a 160ft-tall lift hill, Siren's Curse comes to a halt at a dead end, then tilts directly downwards to connect to the rest of the track. Cedar Point is also unleashing Top Thrill 2 – the world's highest rollercoaster, which shoots up a 420ft-high tower, then descends at a whopping 120mph. New thrill coasters elsewhere include the Wrath of Rakshasa at Six Flags Great America between Chicago and Milwaukee. This starts with a climb to 180ft, then a few seconds of white-knuckle suspense, hanging over a precipice. Once released, the Wrath of Rakshasa drops at high speed before launching into five upside-down inversions. At the Kings Dominion theme park just north of Richmond, Virginia, wing coaster Rapterra is the new lure. This one is all about the sensation of dangling legs as the ride swoops, dives and twists at speeds of up to 65mph and reaches heights of up to 145ft. In New Jersey, meanwhile, Six Flags Great Adventure has unveiled The Flash: Vertical Velocity. The point of difference here is that you're sent one way through the loops and turns, then climb a dead-end track and drop down to do it all again, only this time backwards. Movie magic The Flash: Vertical Velocity is a tie-in to the DC Extended Universe movies, which shouldn't come as much of a surprise given that the US's theme parks are a magnet for film fans. Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, is the best-known of the movie-linked parks. Its new offerings for 2025 include the light-adorned floats of the Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away after-dark parade. There are also two new shows in the Hollywood Studios section of the complex. The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure provides the wholesome fun, while Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After indulges the darker side with Cruella de Vil and Maleficent et al. But the biggest big screen boost in 2025 comes courtesy of nearby Universal Orlando, in the shape of the newly opened Universal Epic Universe. Experiences here include magical time-travelling adventures in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic, as well as Dark Universe, an area dedicated to scary movie characters such as Dracula and Frankenstein's monster. The spooky Curse of the Werewolf rollercoaster is a highlight not to be missed. The park also appeals to gamers, with family-friendly rides at Super Nintendo World based around Mario, Yoshi and other Nintendo favourites. The classics reimagined The great American theme park experience isn't all about the new, however. Several long-standing parks brim with pedigree, charm and tangible heritage. Of these, the original Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California, set the template for the modern theme park. It celebrates its 70th anniversary this year with a series of new launches. These include the Tapestry of Happiness show that takes a journey through that 70-year history and the animated projections, lights and fireworks of the Paint the Night parade. In Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, another classic theme park is celebrating a birthday too. Dollywood – founded by country music legend Dolly Parton – is hosting a series of festivals and live music concerts for its 40th anniversary, while the new Dolly Parton Experience offers a warm look at the Jolene singer's life and hits.
