Cedar Point reopens Millennium Force after bracket fell into guest area

Cedar Point's Millennium Force roller coaster has reopened after a small metal bracket came loose from a ride vehicle and landed in an area guests can reach, according to the park and news reports. Because ride status can change day to day, check Cedar Point's official channels before you plan around this ride. CashIn Adventure has not independently confirmed today's status.

What the park said

Cedar Point confirmed on Friday, Oct. 16, that a small bracket became dislodged from a Millennium Force ride vehicle and landed in a guest area, Attractions Magazine reported. In a statement sent to 3News, a park spokesperson said no guests or team members were struck and no injuries were reported.

Attractions Magazine, citing Cleveland 19 News, said Six Flags spokesperson Sara Gordon confirmed the same account. WLWT reported that additional details about what caused the bracket to detach were not immediately clear, according to Hoodline.

Closure and reopening

The park previously said the ride would stay closed until an internal review and an additional state inspection were completed, Attractions Magazine reported. That outlet said Millennium Force resumed operations Saturday night, Oct. 17, and that Cedar Point spokespersons confirmed both the closure and the reopening.

Fox 8 reported that a park spokesperson confirmed on Monday that the ride had resumed operations after maintenance inspections and all required safety checks were successfully completed.

Sources are not fully consistent. Hoodline noted that one report, from mynbc15.com, said the ride would remain closed for review and state inspection, while other accounts described it as already running. Hoodline said it could not reconcile the difference. A Yahoo headline dated Oct. 21 describes the shutdown, and a SuaraGarut.ID headline dated Oct. 20 reports the reopening. We took no other details from either headline.

What bystanders said

Two men from Michigan told Fox 8 they were in the VIP lounge near the coaster on Friday when the part fell. They said it bounced off the ground and landed in a chair beside them. Matt Bickley said "there's no catch net there" to stop a falling part. The two said they hope the incident leads to safety changes in the areas around the ride.

Earlier incident

Yahoo reported that Friday's incident brought back memories of a 2021 episode in which a bracket piece fell from Cedar Point's Top Thrill Dragster and struck a guest. According to Yahoo, the guest later sued, and the two sides reached a confidential settlement in 2024.

Before you go

The park says no one was hurt on Oct. 16 and that the ride resumed after inspections and safety checks. Ride availability can change, so check Cedar Point's official website or app on the day you visit.