The Wicked Twister roller coaster opened in 2002 as the tallest and fastest-inserted roller coaster in the world, which is a title that it still holds to this day.
Crazy to think that the Wicked Twister is taller than the Magnum.
History of the Wicked Twister
Construction on Wicked Twister began on October 15, 2001, shortly after Stadium Games, formerly known as the Aquarium, was razed. The new coaster was officially announced the following month, and its media day was held on May 2, 2002.
Billed as the tallest and fastest double-twisting impulse coaster ever built, Wicked Twister actually opened as the tallest and fastest inverted coaster in the world on May 5, 2002.
It held both records until the opening of Legendary Twin Dragon at Chongqing Sunac Land in China in 2021. Additional supports were added to the ride's structure for the 2003 season.
Two yellow supports were added to each spike to connect the track to the top of the main support structure.
In May 2021, park official Tony Clark implied in a series of tweets that Wicked Twister was going to be retired. This was confirmed on August 6, 2021, when Cedar Point officially announced the closure of Wicked Twister, scheduled for September 6, 2021.
On its last day of operation, park employees handed out "last launch" buttons to riders, sold limited-edition commemorative t-shirts, and gave away 16 "golden tickets," granting winners a spot on the last public train.
Wicked Twister had accumulated over 16 million rides in 20 seasons of operation.
Overview
At the beginning of the ride, the linear induction motors propel the train forward out of the station during its first launch at 50 mph, which carries the train approximately halfway up the front tower.
After coming to a stop, the train falls and enters the LIM section again, where the train is accelerated during its second launch to 63 mph in the backward direction so that the train climbs halfway up the rear tower.
The train then stops and drops forward before re-entering the LIM section, where additional thrust is added as the train gains to 69 mph during its third launch, causing the train to reach its highest point on the front tower.
Stopping and reversing, the train drops and re-enters the LIM section, where the LIM launches the train for the fourth time, making the train reach a maximum speed of 72 mph to travel a maximum of 206 ft up the rear tower.
With one more final pass forward through the LIM section, the train goes up the front spike once more before the train reverses. As it travels back toward the station, the brakes are applied, and it stops within the station platform.
Unlike other Inverted roller coasters, there is no floor in the loading station that drops out underneath the train. Riders must climb into their seats when loading.
Conclusion
I’ve seen the Wicked Twister roller coaster do a number on some of the best coaster enthusiasts. I remember when it took my cousin out of commission for the day after he puked after the ride was over.
I’ve seen a similar result happen to many others, so be careful not to eat before this ride; otherwise, there is a good chance of tossing your lunch.
The first time I rode this baby was when I was in my early 20s and recording a program for a local television show in Sandusky Ohio. I referenced that day in my overview of the Raptor.
It was a great ride to start my day at Cedar Point.
On November 3, 2021, Cedar Point announced that the Wicked Twister would be demolished. What will be put into its place is still to be announced.