Power Tower

Power Tower
1998

Power Tower opened in 1998 as the world’s tallest drop tower. Standing 300 feet tall, it remains one of the tallest rides in the park. When it debuted, it was the park’s second-tallest attraction.

The 1990s saw Cedar Point take an aggressive approach to adding new thrill rides and roller coasters. In 1990, Avalanche Run was enclosed and transformed into Disaster Transport. The mighty Mean Streak began towering over Frontier Town in 1991. Challenge Park opened in 1992 between Cedar Point and Soak City.

Snake River Falls debuted in 1993, and Raptor began inverting riders in 1994. That same year marked the final season of Jungle Larry’s African Safari at the park. In 1995, Cedar Point celebrated its 125th anniversary. Riders began standing to their fear on Mantis in 1996, and in 1997 Soak City expanded while Chaos and Swan Boats opened inside the park.

During the summer of 1997, Cedar Point began clearing land near Corkscrew that had previously been home to Jungle Larry’s Safari Island. The area had remained empty and unused since the attraction closed in 1994.

As the summer progressed, vertical construction on the towers began. The structures steadily rose higher and higher as work continued.

On August 20, 1997, Cedar Point announced the construction of Power Tower. The attraction was set to be the tallest and fastest drop ride ever built. While other combo tower rides had been built before, Power Tower would be the only one to feature four sides. As of 2026, it remains the only tower of its kind built with four sides.

Power Tower quickly became an icon at Cedar Point. Towering above the park, it stood as the second-tallest ride at the time. The attraction also added a much-needed new thrill experience to Cedar Point’s lineup.

Power Tower is located on the Corkscrew Midway, between Corkscrew and Top Thrill 2.

After weeks of testing, Power Tower finally opened to the public on May 9, 1998.

Power Tower Facts

Opened: May 9, 1998
Manufacturer: S&S Power (Logan, Utah)
Ride Height: 240 feet
Tower Height: 300 feet
Special Features: Power Tower is a combo tower ride featuring four towers—two Turbo (launch up) towers and two Drop towers.
Seating: 12 riders per tower.

Power Tower was a major addition to Cedar Point. It brought an intense thrill ride to the park while also offering riders a great view of the midway and surrounding area.

Ride Experience

The Power Tower ride experience begins when riders enter the queue. At this point, you choose whether you want to ride the Shot Tower or the Drop Tower.

The Shot Tower usually has the shortest line. Riders may wait anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes.

The Drop Tower side usually has a longer wait. Riders can expect to wait anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour to ride this side.

Power Tower is an air-powered drop tower that uses S&S Power's air launch technology. The ride is essentially two attractions in one, featuring two sides: the Turbo side and the Drop side.

Turbo Side

The Turbo side is the red side of Power Tower.

The Turbo side begins by lifting riders a few feet into the air and pausing for a few seconds while the ride system measures the riders’ weight to determine how much air pressure will be needed for the launch.

Without warning, riders are launched 240 feet into the air at speeds of up to 50 mph.

Riders are then bounced up and down the tower several times. The Turbo side features strong airtime and provides an exciting ride experience.

Drop Side

The Drop side begins by lifting riders a few feet into the air and pausing for a few seconds while the ride system measures the riders’ weight to determine how much air pressure will be needed.

Power Tower then slowly lifts its riders 240 feet into the sky.

When riders reach the top of the tower, they wait briefly before suddenly being dropped.

Riders are suddenly dropped 240 feet at speeds of up to 50 mph. The drop on Power Tower is faster than free fall. Riders are then bounced up and down the tower a few times.

A great addition to Cedar Point

Power Tower gave Cedar Point a major thrill attraction that the park had never had before.

When Power Tower opened in 1998, it was the tallest and fastest ride of its kind. The ride was very popular and became the second-tallest ride in the park. Today, Power Tower is the fourth-tallest ride at the park.

Power Tower is a great thrill ride. When it opened, it attracted huge lines of guests. It was placed in the middle of the park so it could be seen from almost everywhere.

“I have been riding rides since I was really little. I’ve been going to Cedar Point every year of my life. When I first started riding Cedar Point’s bigger rides, I was really scared of them, and it took me a long time to get on them. By August 2013, I had ridden all of Cedar Point’s rides except the Drop side of Power Tower. It wouldn’t be until October 2017 that my best friend finally talked me into riding it. While it wasn’t all that bad, it was still terrifying. As of 2026, I still haven’t ridden it again.”
— Jake Hamons, Founder of Insiders of the Point.

Power Tower features a nice entrance plaza. When riders enter the ride, they can choose to ride either the Turbo side or the Drop side.

Power Tower features a striking lighting package. The entire ride is illuminated with LED lights, helping it stand out at night. The new LED lighting system was added in 2012.