Photo courtesy of Flickr. Kingda Ka coaster sitting high in the sky.
Michael Keehan
Staff Writer
On Nov. 14, 2024, the Six Flags Entertainment Corporation released a statement on the future of their 51 properties, including those recently acquired following the merger of Six Flags and Cedar Fair. The company unveiled a more than $1 billion capital investment for the 2025 and 2026 operating seasons, which will see the installation of record-breaking attractions and the removal of others.
Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson Township, New Jersey is no different. Located two hours from Millersville, the park was announced to be removing one of its star attractions, the record-breaking roller coaster Kingda Ka, along with four other attractions.
Park President Brian Briaca said, “We understand that saying goodbye to beloved rides can be difficult, and we appreciate our guests’ passion. These changes are an important part of our growth and dedication to delivering exceptional new experiences. We look forward to sharing more details next summer.”
Opened on May 25, 2005, the launch coaster became the world’s tallest and fastest roller coaster, still holding the record for tallest as of 2024. It took the record from Cedar Point’s 2003 coaster Top Thrill Dragster, both of which are “Accelerator” coasters designed by Lichtenstein manufacturer Intamin. Both coasters were plagued with technical issues for years, including an incident on Top Thrill Dragster in 2021 that prompted Cedar Point to redesign the ride. Top Thrill 2 opened in 2024 courtesy of Italian manufacturer Zamperla, but closed a few days later due to an issue with the trains, and will not reopen until 2025 following sporadic testing.
The issues with Top Thrill 2 fueled uncertainty regarding the future of Kingda Ka in the coaster enthusiast community. Rumors swirled during the last few weeks of Great Adventure’s operating season, with markers being identified that signaled the ride’s demolition. Days after the season ended, Great Adventure announced the removal of Kingda Ka, along with four other attractions. This includes the trio of drop towers on Kingda Ka, known as Zumanjaro: Drop of Doom, the Bolliger & Mabillard stand-up coaster Green Lantern, relocated from Kentucky Kingdom in 2011, the HUSS Top Spin Twister, located decently close to Green Lantern, and the second arm of the gondola lift, the first closing in 2023.
In place of Green Lantern and Kingda Ka, Six Flags revealed in their press release that Great Adventure will be installing a “record-breaking launch coaster” for the 2026 season. No other information was revealed, the coaster enthusiasts believe the coaster will provide competition for Falcon’s Fight, an Intamin “Exa Coaster” set to open in 2025 at Six Flags Quiddaya. After years of being seen as the budget theme park chain, this along with other additions to the chain, is expected to reignite unique large-scale attractions in the Six Flags chain.
Six Flags President & CEO Richard Zimmerman spoke on the new additions in the press release saying, “The new Six Flags has a unique opportunity to refresh and renew the guest experience, one so compelling that a visit to one of our parks will be viewed as an indispensable choice in family entertainment.”
Construction on Great Adventure’s new coaster is expected to begin next year, with the park expected to bring teasers during August and September as the details of the coaster become more clear.