Locked Out: Paying the Price for Thrills at Cedar Point's Top Thrill 2

Are you eager to experience the excitement of Cedar Point’s reimagined Top Thrill 2 roller coaster? Hold onto your wallet—because riding this thrill machine comes with an unexpected cost. Unlike many rides at the Sandusky, Ohio park, boarding Top Thrill 2 may require more than just park admission.

In a recent blog post, Cedar Point unveiled new safety protocols that could leave guests feeling more than a little frustrated. Loose articles are strictly prohibited on the ride and in the queue, with all riders subjected to metal detectors upon entry. If you arrive with any loose items—like phones, car keys, wallet, fanny pack or cameras—your only option is to stow them in a locker.

Here’s the catch: while another Cedar Point attraction, Steel Vengeance, offers complimentary in-queue lockers, Top Thrill 2 riders will need to use paid lockers located outside the queue. This means shelling out extra cash on top of admission or leaving your personal items with a non-rider.

But wait, there’s more. Cedar Point’s policy on footwear is equally stringent. Loose-fitting shoes, such as flip-flops or sandals, are forbidden beyond the entrance. Forget slipping off your sandals and leaving them aside; you’ll need properly secured footwear to even join the queue.

And the policies don’t stop there. Want to keep your glasses on during the ride? Make sure they’re firmly strapped. Cedar Point’s aim is clear: safety first, even if it means inconveniencing guests.

Top Thrill 2 marks the revamped version of Top Thrill Dragster, which closed after an accident in 2021. The updated ride boasts new features, including a second 420-foot tower, courtesy of Italian amusement experts Zamperla.

While the thrills promise to be incredible, Cedar Point’s latest policies may leave some visitors feeling locked out of the excitement—both physically and financially. As the coaster opens to the public, the true test will be whether the ride’s excitement outweighs the added costs and inconveniences for eager thrill-seekers.

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33 responses to “Locked Out: Paying the Price for Thrills at Cedar Point’s Top Thrill 2”

curly3k

April 22, 2024

While having zero loose articles on any ride is a hassle, it has been the norm for most rides across parks in Tokyo (and most of Japan) for many years. During a 17-day trip to Japan in 2018, I got used to their zero loose articles policy by the 3rd day and adapted. I do expect this to be an industry standard around the world for major parks within the next 10 years. What I do have a problem with is charging for the lockers when they are mandatory to ride the attraction. All of the many parks I visited in Japan, Universal Orlando, and many others in the U.S. offer the lockers at no extra charge. If a park is really serious about safety being the top priority, they will offer the lockers at no extra cost.

plaslaiko

April 23, 2024

“locked out financially”? Seriously?

Don’t get me wrong, it’s super shady that they’re making people (US) use pay lockers just to ride the Top Thrill 2. But, given the exuberant price of admission, plus Fast Lane (if you pay for it), I hardly think whatever the charge is for the lockers will keep people from riding, let alone not doing so because they “didn’t have the money for a locker”, like this article suggests.

SO…MUCH… AWFUL… WRITING!!!!

Jason

April 23, 2024

Buying all day lockers is like $20 for the day. Plus you can move lockers throughout the park. Been season pass holders for years. All day lockers and all season drinks are completely worth the extra money

Nicole

April 23, 2024

I’ve been saying this s*** for years on how shady it is to have to pay for a locker for loose articles. They are getting incredibly anal with this stuff. They seriously won’t even let you have a credit card in your pocket Even if it’s a zipper claiming that the zipper will fly open. And Fanny packs used to be the Best means of securement, I remember riding all the rides in the ’90s with a fanny pack not having a single problem. But oh no, they want to rip off people more like Disney. But in the end I guess I can’t blame them. You always have that damn dim Witted idiot that has to have a selfie mid-loop to ruin it for everyone.

Bloom Peters

April 23, 2024

The ride costed 25 million. I don’t feel bad about them charging for lockers to get that money back.

Cindy L

April 23, 2024

I’ve been paying for lockers for years at varies amusement parks, including the water parks. While it’s great when lockers are free, it’s almost to be expected that the lockers just might cost. Do I like paying for lockers? Nope, I do not. But if I have to pay, I will and I’ll plan to ride multiple rides in the area or that ride more than once if possible. Or if I know I have to pay for lockers at multiple rides, I’ll get an all day locker if possible. I do feel that the cost of parks are high enough, that we shouldn’t have to pay extra once in the park. Parks already over charged on admission cost and then there’s the parking fee that should be included in admission, but isn’t so why should we be surprised that theres an extra cost for mandatory lockers? Then there’s the outrageous prices of the fast pass tickets, that don’t guarantee the wait to be fast. By the time you pay for a day a fun, you’ll be stressed out on how expensive a day of fun is. Lol, now you need a vacation so you can unwind from your day of fun! But we sure do all love that day of fun don’t we?

Jon

April 23, 2024

It used to be common practice for rides to have a big box for each train to drop your loose items before you board, but times have changed. People just lack any respect for one another. Sad honestly. And parks need revenue. So now we pay a ton. Because we have to.

Mary Parks

April 23, 2024

I think. Lockers. Is good idea because people loose there. Phone and stuff on a ride at silver dollar city all the time I have family that works there people be trying make pictures on wildfire and time travel and phone goes flying out of hand that could hurt someone if they got hit in head are little kid proper shoes should be a must proper clothes for those who don’t wear proper under garment. So when you get photo take on. Ride. You don’t flash people your. Goodies you got let know what you are girl are boy rules are to protect you and others but of course since I am past 70 I am just old person

Robert ECuster

April 23, 2024

This isn’t a new concept. Being a yearly season pass holder and having been a Cedar Point employee, I can tell you how nice it is to have lockers. If they were free, there wouldn’t be any lockers for anyone to use.

The free lockers at Steel Vengeance were flooded last year and remained out of service the rest of the season. They may not bring them back is what I heard.

This is poorly written, highly negative and completely unnecessary article.

dmlcsy517

April 23, 2024

I am really saddened by you jumping on this bandwagon. We lived with the rules like this for Banshee for years.

Cheryl Spaeth

April 23, 2024

And maybe all of the hassles would be fine if their customer Service was on point. But it’s not. They will continue to get locals and the occasional traveler for the big coasters but until they learn how to actually care about their customers, people aren’t going to make it a destination.

Harry douglass

April 23, 2024

Gotta make up for that lawsuit somehow

Tony

April 23, 2024

There going to make a big bag of money on those lockers and they know it that’s why there doing it

JoAnna Harman

April 23, 2024

Nothing new here. We have had to do that at Six Flags and Busch gardens. And I believe I read that six flags acquired cedar point and kings island, so new policies will follow

Sunday24Skyler

April 23, 2024

I agree with the idea of having items properly secured and emphasizing lockers for safety, but if a rider has their items zipped in a cargo pocket, that should be permitted. What about the riders that are nearsighted and have glasses that are too loose while using a strap? With this policy, putting my glasses in a locker on the midway isn’t exactly feasible when it’s hard to see where you’re going to get to the line.

James Brown

April 23, 2024

Okay having to pay for a locker, while not ideal or expensive, is not that big a deal. To make it sound people won’t be able to ride because of the extra cost is click bait and not that big a deal. It’s unfortunate that a previous guest was hurt seriously by a broken piece of the ride and CF wants to protect their guests from flying objects.

Jash

April 23, 2024

So dumb this article is. It is a travesty this article exists and someone gets paid to author it and edit this webpage. Everywhere you turn now, phonies.

Speedy

April 23, 2024

I think 🤔 it’s very stupid because you never had to do that even with the top thrill 1 there control freaks they just want to make money 💰 🤑 💸 that’s all I ride it with my stuff in pockets or I never ride it period. They should at least let you have wallet & phone & keys as long as there in a deep pocket. I ride with all my stuff or never ride it there choice

Paul R Arlauskas

April 23, 2024

Cedar Point is like no other. The original “Dragster” was amazing! Reminded me of a TransAm an old high school buddy of mine had. I could not stretch and reach the front dash to grab to $20 taped to it during acceleration.
The best is when the dragster smoothly yet quickly launches up the tower, rollbacks were fun.
Guess the new one has built-in rollbacks?
Nothin like a good amount of Gs.

Looking forward to the new one.
Who cares if you pay for a little locker, you already paid to get in and the gas to get there.
One less chocolate covered butter stick for your fat ass! LoL
Plus one less dead body from a flying object

Rob

April 23, 2024

Nah. No loose objects I totally agree with. If I need a locker then I’ll get one. But if I have my stuff in a secured pocket, that should be good enough. No wallet? No way. My wallet and keys stay with me at ALL times. I didn’t plan to go back to Cedar Point anyway – it’s just too expensive. This just makes the decision easier.

Rick

April 24, 2024

I think cedar point is just trying to be safe the money they’re going to take in from the lockers is so small to them that I think it’s ridiculous to even think they’re out to make money on lockers. Let’s get serious people price of everything’s going up, but we are all making more money than we did just a few years ago. Let’s all go to cedar point and have a fun day and a safe day thanks to cedar point watching out for us. If we didn’t have all of these frivolous lawsuits everything would be a lot cheaper pretty soon the only ones that will be able to go to cedar point or buy food or anything will be the lawyers. Remember what goes around comes around.

April 24, 2024

Oh no! I was just able to plan one of my typical budget friendly trips to Cedar Point, but not after this! A couple dollars that I already had to pay anyways for the original Top Thrill, because that also had rules about loose articles and lockers right outside the queue? How dare!! Why do you choose to sensationalize this? Not a single real person is upset about this or even thinking about it, and every person who is actually frustrated about this is the type of person you’d hate to meet, so why pander to them?

Mary

April 27, 2024

As an avid amusement park attentendee at our own cedar point sister park Carowinds in North/South Carolina this is nothing new. Our biggest coaster Fury 325 and our newest attraction Copperhead strike, also have these same rules. Lockers are located outside of the ride at both locations. It’s like 4 dollars for 2 hours. We don’t mind paying for the lockers. Or if we bring someone who isn’t a coaster fan, they hold the stuff while we ride. We don’t mind paying for it because the rides are worth it. My bf decided to stuff his new raybans in his shirt rather then get a locker the first time and low and behold his glasses fell and were never seen again. Lol lesson learned.

Mike

April 27, 2024

I think you’re making too big of a deal about this. It’s not like it costs a kidney to get a locker. Nobody is “locked out”. A bit of an exaggeration, don’t you think? If people can afford to enter the park, whats a little more for a locker?

Ritchie

April 30, 2024

Wild thought. The wrist bands at Cedar Point can have drinks and meals added to them. Maybe leave everything in the locker for the day and just…. enjoy the park.

I know, I know. If you can’t post it to Insta, did it even happen? 😂

Richard Paul Pipe

May 1, 2024

They’re following the recommendation of manufacturer and it was at last moment. They’ll probably install free lockers like steel vengeance eventually.

DEAN G SHULLICK

June 8, 2024

Do the lockers have s LOOSE key to hold after using them?????

Rachelle M. Akers

June 9, 2024

Maybe the should set up pay lockers for the pieces that fall off the rides, maintenance should be the topic

Mike

June 10, 2024

DEAN: No it is most likely a reciept with a code to open it.

This is the norm at 6 flags or you can rent a locker code for the day at 6 flags. If people cant understand a park trying to get back some of its 25 million dollar investment then dont ride it. If they were charging 5 or 10 dollars for a locker then I would get it. They are just trying to keep ppl safe even a quarter in someones hand at 120 an hour smacking someone in the face can cause orbital damage.

Clelia Wurgler

July 21, 2024

This doesn’t matter at the moment because the ride is closed until further notice. It was only open for about 3 weeks before shutting it down.

Will

July 23, 2024

They should make a building to protect riders standing in line from a coaster that is doing high speed around them.

Dawn Cotter

July 24, 2024

So….now I have to carry two sets of shoes…if you ride water rides in the main park, you don’t really want to wear tennis shoes and socks, so we’d wear sandals or flip flops, now for TTD2 , we can’t wear loose shoes and would have to wear tennis shoes. IDK if this ride is worth the hassle of paying for lockers, changing assorted clothing, I miss the good old days we could just run to try to beat everybody to the queue.

Patty

August 15, 2024

I will never go to this park again. We just went, a lot of the rides weren’t even running. Then 2 of the bigger coesters broke down after standing in line for an hour. We left early because the kids couldn’t ride a lot of the rides. Will stick with Kings Island

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