Demon Drop was a pioneering freefall tower that stood at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, from 1983 to 2009. Built by Swiss manufacturer Intamin as one of its first-generation Freefall models, the ride sent four-rider cabs climbing 131 feet into the air before releasing them into a genuine 60-foot vertical drop, a sensation that felt closer to a controlled fall than a typical amusement ride of its era.
Positioned near the front of the park, Demon Drop quickly became one of Cedar Point’s signature attractions and a rite-of-passage ride for a generation of guests. After the 2009 season, Cedar Point retired the ride and it was relocated to Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom in Allentown, Pennsylvania, reopening there on July 8, 2010, where it continues operating as one of the oldest rides of its kind still running anywhere.
Stats at a Glance
- Park: Cedar Point (1983–2009)
- Manufacturer: Intamin
- Ride type: 1st Generation Freefall tower
- Opened: 1983
- Closed at Cedar Point: November 1, 2009
- Height: About 131 feet (40 m)
- Drop distance: About 60 feet (18 m)
- Top speed: About 55 mph (89 km/h)
The Ride Experience
Riders boarded one of six enclosed cabs, each holding four people secured with over-the-shoulder harnesses, and were hoisted up a steel tower to a height of about 131 feet. At the top, the cab paused briefly before being released into a near-vertical 60-foot drop, generating a burst of weightlessness before the track curved the cab into a smooth deceleration at the base.
The ride’s minimum height requirement was 48 inches, and its compact footprint near the park’s front gate made it an easy, high-turnover thrill that guests often rode multiple times in a single visit.
Legacy and Relocation
On May 22, 1984, Cedar Point briefly shut down Demon Drop as a precaution after an incident on a similar Intamin freefall ride at another park, reopening it two days later once the ride was cleared. Aside from that short pause, Demon Drop operated at Cedar Point for over two decades.
After its 2009 retirement, Cedar Point announced Demon Drop would move to Knott’s Berry Farm, but those plans changed and the ride instead went to sister park Dorney Park, where it debuted in July 2010. Its long service history has made it one of the longest-running examples of Intamin’s original Freefall design still in operation today.
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Demon Drop FAQs
Is Demon Drop still at Cedar Point?
No. Demon Drop operated at Cedar Point from 1983 to 2009 before being relocated to Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom in Allentown, Pennsylvania, where it reopened in July 2010.
How tall was Demon Drop and how far did it drop?
The tower stood about 131 feet tall, and riders experienced a vertical drop of roughly 60 feet, reaching speeds around 55 mph.
Who manufactured Demon Drop?
Demon Drop was built by Intamin as one of the company’s first-generation Freefall tower models.
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Photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/rollercoasterphilosophy/ / CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.