It’s the red and yellow monstrosity that graces the Cedar Point skyline. It stands at 420 feet tall and races at 120 miles per hour. This behemoth of a roller coaster is Top Thrill Dragster. Top Thrill Dragster opened to the public in 2003, and shocked the world smashing both the speed and height records, and definitely lives up to that reputation.

As you enter the park you can see Top Thrill Dragster from virtually anywhere, if you hadn’t already seen it miles down the road. The sheer size of the ride cannot be truly appreciated until you’re standing directly beneath the 420 foot tower. The theme is also very unique to the ride. As one of the few, but best themed rides in the park, Top Thrill Dragster is designed to resemble a real life top fuel dragster. When the ride opened, the trains even featured a wing and large racing tires attached to the back to fit the theme. These were later removed for safety, capacity, and weight issues. The uniquely themed coaster also greets you with a “Sunday! Sunday! Sunday!” spiel giving the queue a race track-like feel. To top it all off, the launch sequence is led by a “Christmas tree” setup on both the tower, and right in front of the train. There are also black and white checkered buildings and a real model dragster out in front of the ride.

I bet everyone’s wondering how the actual ride is? The actual ride itself is truly incredible, an experience everyone should try at least once. As you make your way though the queue, the walls the divide the queue from transfer track area are lined with real stats on actual dragsters, and how those compare to Top Thrill Dragster’s stats. As you get even closer to the station, you have to choose one of two paths, to the first or second train in the station. This decision alone changes the experience. Choosing the second train is a fun way to go. This introduces you to the Christmas tree experience.

As the train in front of you, no more than 5 feet away, gets the countdown from the lights, it feels as if your train is about to take off, a nerve racking experience. Back in the fairly crowded and poorly organized station, you decide where to sit. Any seat is a good seat on this ride. As you sit down, you are stapled into your seat with the “t-bar” lap-bar and a seatbelt. Seconds later, your train begins to roll out to the launch platform, and your heart by now is racing wildly, no matter how avid of a coaster enthusiast you may be. You hear the “Keep arms down, head back, and hold on!” spiel as you roll up.

As you wait a little more, the catch-car attaches to the train, the train rolls backwards slightly, and the copper brake fins along the track drop. This is it. This is what you’ve been waiting for. As you see the first yellow set of lights light up you want to cry, and before you can even see green, you’re racing down the red and white launch track at 120 miles per hour in just four seconds. This is not only one of the most intense launches, but one of the smoothest launches any person may experience. No more than halfway down the launch section, everything becomes a blur. You finally come to the tower, curve up, and you’re looking straight up into the sky. The train banks ninety degrees to the right, and crests the hill at an amazing 420 feet. This is the sight any coaster enthusiast would die for; looking down on the former ten world record breaker, Millennium Force.

You then begin your descent down the 400 foot drop. Looking straight down at the lagoon below you is quite an exhilarating scene, but take it in quick, you suddenly make a quick snap to the right, spiraling down the drop on a 270 degree spiral. The spiral is another thriller with giant steel beams and “head choppers” all around you. Just a quick seventeen seconds after the amazing launch, you hit the brakes, which bring you to a smooth, but quick halt, and you’re left in your seat amazed at the experience you just had.

Top Thrill Dragster is a one-of-a-kind experience. The super-fast, intense launch is worth the wait alone. Not only is the ride excellent, but the entire experience with the theming is excellently well done. As said before, Top Thrill Dragster is an experience, everyone should try at least once in their lifetime, especially for any avid coaster enthusiast.