At the end of last week, the rumored closure of Kingda Ka had theme park enthusiasts wondering if Six Flags Great Adventure was truly shuttering one of its star attractions. A former record holder for the fastest and tallest steel rollercoaster in the world, I was one of the people who thought its fate wouldn’t be sealed as quickly and quietly as it seemed to be progressing.
Well, I hate to say it, but I was wrong my friends. It's now time to say goodbye to a global, and local legend. That's right: Kingda Ka is officially dead, consigned to resting in amusement park Valhalla with other departed attractions we wish would come back.
Kingda Ka Is Dead, Long Live…A Mystery Coaster
An official statement finally came from Six Flags Great Adventure’s park president Brian Bacica (via NJ.com), and it confirmed several rumored closures that accompanied reports of the former record-breaking steel coaster’s demise.
The portion of Bacica’s statement shared to break the news was as follows:
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.
Brian Bacica, Park President, Six Flags Great Adventure
As the president of the Jackson, NJ amusement destination since July 2023, Brian Bacica has been in place for some time before 2024’s Six Flags/Cedar Fair merger shook things up. Now that shake up is starting to be felt a bit more locally, as it wasn’t only Kingda Ka’s fate that was confirmed in this sweeping round of change.
Those of you wondering about the reported closures of Zumanjaro: Drop of Doom, Green Lantern and Twister, as well as the demolition of the Parachute Training Center: Edwards AFB Jump Tower and the old school Sky Way, wonder no more. Those are all on the docket, as part of a huge plan to refresh the park. That’s a lot to lose, which leads to my rather mixed feelings about what’s to come.
I Totally Understand Why Six Flags Is Closing Kingda Ka
Let’s start out with the positives, which is the fact that a new “multi-world-record-breaking launch roller coaster” is what’s being teased for that big summer 2025 reveal, teased by Brian Bacica. Now that's a vague promise for the future, but I see it as an opportunity for one of our one Tom Cruise theme park ride ideas to finally take shape.
That concept is kinda helped along by the fact that Six Flags now owns the theme parks that used to be in the defunct Paramount Parks family. So a Mission: Impossible coaster shouldn't be too alien of a concept. Whatever this new ride is, it serves the corporate mandate that the overseer of Six Flags Great Adventure is a part of, which is further reinforced by this remark:
With our dedication to creating unforgettable experiences, the park’s multi-year expansion plans will bring major investments, including record-breaking thrill rides, revitalized family experiences, elevated dining, expanded events, and continuous enhancements across the property.
Brian Bacica, Park President, Six Flags Great Adventure
Next May, Kindga Ka would have been turning 20 - and that milestone may still be met, depending on how you measure it. While the Intamin designed hydraulic launch coaster won’t be operating ever again, the structure may still stand until either May 19th or 21st, respectively the soft launch and proper opening dates for the Golden Kingdom’s crown jewel.
After that 20th anniversary date is celebrated, you can probably bet on dismantling to start soon after, if it hasn't already. The 2026 season’s mystery attraction will need to start going up pretty quickly after, which leads to the sadder half of this equation.
I Wish I Could Have Rode Kingda Ka One Last Time
I get that there was a huge whisper campaign that slated Kingda Ka was closing, but there was no official statement. It’s not like when Walt Disney World announced Test Track 2.0’s closure, which gave fans several months to say their goodbyes.
I’m sure I’m not the only person to say this, but if I had known it was the truth, I’d have made a larger effort to get over to Six Flags Great Adventure and take one last ride. That regret is what bums me out about all of this, as it still feels like a sudden move to make without much official fanfare.
I know time waits for no coaster enthusiast, and in all fairness I didn’t even get to ride Test Track 2.0 one last time with ample notice. But it doesn’t change that I fondly remember Kingda Ka, and how it took something as promising as the Batman side of Batman & Robin: The Chiller, turning it into a thrilling experience that didn’t have to compete with an inferior head banging cousin attached to it.
The future of Six Flags Great Adventure looks bright, and there’s plenty of other things to look forward to and catch up with in the park. 2025 will finally see The Flash: Vertical Velocity, after delaying its intended 2024 opening. But for the moment, I shall hold a brief vigil in the memory of the era where Kingda Ka reigned. Oh, how I would have loved to have had one VelociCoaster style rollback before it left this mortal coil.
We're obviously going to have to wait and see what Kingda Ka's replacement will entail, but I'm willing to bet we should keep those red letter days in May 2025 clear on our calendars. In the meantime, I'm going to go continue to dream up just what could be taking the place of the rides we've now seen pull into the station house for the last time.
