thank you for reporting on the rumors of closing, i know yall got a lot of unwarranted hate for it. probably not my wisest financial decision, but i booked a last-minute flight from LA to go visit my little sister in nyc and we went to get our first (and last) rides together on ka the 2nd to last weekend it operated- even got to meet yall while you were filming the vlog! we've been enthusiasts since we were little kids, so its truly a memory i will treasure forever with my sister, thank you both for having a hand in making that memory happen :)))
@@CoasterStudios Thank you both as well. I was able to fly out for the final day, having missed this ride on two previous attempts at this park. I mostly went on Eltororyan's definitive word but your sourcing and videos were also influential on me ever getting to ride this. So thank you. Also, thank you for the Dubai videos. I definitely will be going there soon for Dubai parks and Falcons flight.
As ANGRY as I am - I THANK YOU TWO PEOPLE FOR WARNING ME AND EVERYONE ELSE....I really appreciate your work. I am not angry at you two - Initially I was thinking you were spreading rumors but sadly they were not. I still wonder how you had the crystal ball to see what would happen. Well all I have to say on this now
You are lucky to have Magic Mountain. Not the greatest park ever in terms of operations. They indeed leave alot to be desired. But at least they have far better coasters, a real woodie. Sad what they did to Colossus BUT they WARNED you guys and girls at least. I would trade Great Adventure for Magic Mountain in a minute. Be thankful you guys have t so good with that, Knotts, Disney, Universal, Seaworld, and a good amount of water parks, and little rain, and almost no thunderstorms....Now if you can just get rid of earthquakes and housing issues.
My husband is a newer enthusiast (he just crossed 100 credits this year). I was fortunate enough to ride Ka ten years ago, and had told him about it over and over. When you put out your first video alluding to the closure, he looked at me with the saddest puppy dog eyes. We live in Tennessee, but I knew we had to make it happen. We pulled an all nighter and drove up there on 10/26. We didn't have long in the park, but we got two glorious rides together on the King. It was just magical. Thank you so, so much for the heads up. The grief we feel now is nothing compared to what we would have felt if we had missed our chance to ride it altogether.
I’m so happy they gave us a heads up as well. I luckily had ridden Kingda Ka previously, and I live in Florida now. With the news of it closing I booked a flight and went and got my own final rides. I’m so thankful I was able to ride it 12 last times.
@@NorthEasternMotionProductions We did a "Summer of Coasters" this year! We did King's Island, Carowinds, both Busch Gardens, Six Flags GA, Six Flags America, SeaWorld, King's Dominion, Dorney Park, Holiday World, and Hershey Park. We'd already been to Disney and Universal plenty, alongside Dollywood, which is our home park.
The employee rides party the Friday before closure was something I won’t forget. I was able to ride it 25 times (got my one and only rollback too!). Work won’t be the same next year without seeing that massive top hat in the background no matter what ride I’m working.
I’ll say the same thing I commented to El Toro Ryan - it is unfortunate that Six Flags essentially put you guys on the front line to take the flak for a unpopular decision that was obviously beyond your control. That said, thanks for taking that flak so that those who would listen could get out to the park. My young son will never forget hauling to NJ to experience such a massive hydraulic launch while he still could. That’s some lifelong, formative stuff right there. Thank you.
Definitely, that is what makes me the most upset about the way this went down. I can't blame people for thinking a bunch of youtubers were making click bait or wanting to hold out hope for as long as possible. It's just wild to me how much this was leaked and the very loud response from enthusiasts wouldn't have made the park realize they should have given people a heads up. I know most places don't cater to the enthusiast crowd as much as the general public but those people were probably the ones blindsided the most by the announcement. I would have figured giving people a heads up to make plans to get a major bucket list ride in one last time or for the first time even would have only increased visitors for this season.
Zumanjaro feels like the bigger loss here. They just got permission a couple years ago to run it simultaneously with Kinda Ka and it was a blast to be at the top, waiting for the drop, and then having the coaster car race up toward you. It was easily the best drop ride I've ever been on. It feels like a big loss losing two of the tallest rides ever at the same time.
I remember being so intimidated when I rode Zumanjaro... like any drop tower (or most), the suspense is WAY worse than the actual ride, with everything disappearing below you... The actual drop was very pleasant (like a very fast express elevator lol!) but definitely unforgettable. Sad times for SFGA.
@@modsandendsGG-3883 dude, I had planned on going to Great Adventure next year too. It was going to be my first ride on Zoomanjaro while Ka was running. That really sucks.
I’m sssoooo soo grateful I was able to experience that. Great Adventure will NEVRERRRR be the same without it…. I don’t care WHAT they’re putting in its place. Both rides will be deeply missed 🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺
Zumanjaro MIGHT have been a huge reason for the closing. I was told this past May KIngda Ka was hit by lightning and that while the coaster continued to run fine, Zum was having a ton of glitches that were impossible to fix right. I was told that was why that remained closed all summer and fall long. They did fix it briefly but it still malfunctioned. I was told a "check engine light was coming on" Whatever happened Zum was having some issues that prevented it from running regularly and that played a role in this whole thing I am sure.
I'm sooo gutted I wasn't able to ride Kingda Ka all the time it's been open. I didn't know I can go through grief over a roller coaster lol. But even though I wasn't able to ride Kingda Ka, this ride will ALWAYS be why I love roller coasters in general. King of Coasters, you will be missed but never forgotten.
I am not enough of a thrill seeker to have wanted to ride this, so it never crossed my mind. Unfortunate for those who truly enjoy that kind of intensity...
I was there on Ka’s closing night. The atmosphere around the ride was unlike anything I have ever seen. It was a sad day, but it will definitely go down in enthusiast history as a special one.
I am so thankful for you guys and the community as a whole for allowing us to get a heads up. It allowed my brother and I to get up to Six Flags Great adventure for the first time and get our first and last rides. I speak for many in saying that Ka was one of the first coasters I learned about ever. I’m so happy that I was able to ride it on its second to last weekend. Not only meeting you guys but also so many other enthusiasts. So thank you guys for the speculation. I’m so thankful I was able to get over 25 rides on Ka before it is removed.
The Last day of Kingda Ka was incredibly special from what I saw. The energy was insane especially when they sent the last train ever. The Six Flags Great Adventure Era has fallen and has come to in end. Now will see how Cedar Fair does in 2026 with the replacement. The new regime.
Got my last rides back in October, I’m gonna miss this ride a ton, it brings a lot of sentimental value to me being my first roller coaster I’ve ever ridden. Thank You Taylor, Sarah, and everyone else that warned us ahead of time Long Live The King.
I'm absolutely devastated by this news. This ride is the one that broke me out of my coaster fears at 15 years old. It's the ride I measured all other coasters against when I experience them for the first time. There is absolutely no good reason they couldn't have given this a proper send off and a heads up to guests. Can you imagine the crowds it would've drawn in 2025? Its 20th anniversary and final farewell season. If insurance was the issue, do it this past summer. I will never forgive this company!
I remember reading about KK in a special edition of Readers Digest from 2006 and was obsessed with it that time. In some way, it was the start of my coaster fanaticism. I never got to ride it sadly.
I REALLY hope Ka’s replacement breaks REAL records and not the cheap ones the park makes up. Like “Tallest blue coaster in Jersey” , or “The only triple launch coaster in jersey that isn’t in a mall”
Best record(and probably the only acceptable record in terms of GP)to break would be the tallest fastest and longest roller coaster in all of Western hemisphere, period(to the point of only falcon flight is the more grand coaster), along with some other smaller records that would be nice to be broken
@lsp6032 agreed. A spinner with some insignificant record isn't good enough, esp since they're focusing so many resources on Falcon's Flight. It could have the tallest element in the world.. 500+ feet. The 600 foot drop record won't be broken which is understandable, but largest element should be broken at this park after Ka.
@lsp6032 That's not realistic, sadly. Tallest (252'), fastest (88 mph), and longest (6072') coaster with inversions are feasible records, but it would be the biggest single investment in the park's history. Great Adventure likely wouldn't get another big thrill coaster in a while. Maybe a Gravitykraft woodie or Vekoma SFC / launched family coaster, but that would be it. If an Intamin giga is to come to the Northeast, it's likely going to Hershey.
I got to ride it on October 11 Thursday and twice on Halloween - So at least I got to say goodbye. On the 11th it was to remain for another season - by the 31 it was to close very soon - and by then I knew it was possible. I was worried. Now I am just upset
Thank you for giving so many people a heads-up. It's sad that some people were skeptical to a hostile level. But in the end who cares about them: they didn't wanna believe you and now got screwed because they will not be able to give Ka a last ride.
@@therussianyetishow1238 Initially the rumor was that the coaster was staying with us until 2025. When I was still an Florida at Disney the day before the hurricane I was still hearing end of 2025. I was back the night before the Hurricane and went to Fright fest that Thrusday and that was indeed the rumor. Then days before Halloween rumors heated up that it might not make it through the summer of 25 in fact it might not make it till the end of 24. Which sadly ended up happening
Hello Coaster Studios, I got my 16 year old son out of school early last Thursday, took him home and gave him an hour to pack a bag and told him we're driving 9 hours to Jersey from NC to ride Kingda Ka on Friday. It was only Easter Sunday this year when I got my first rides ever on Kingda Ka, so I couldn't let it go without several more rides for myself and also for my son to get his one and only day ever with this fantastic piece of bent, molded, and bolted steel. His face after the first ride was priceless and I'll never forget it. I grew up in New Jersey so even though Carowinds is my home park now, Great Adventure is my original home park. I remember going when I was small enough to watch my mom & aunt go on Rolling Thunder and Lightnin Loops without me. I can remember the Ultra-Twister, the Bobsled ride, and that absolutely horrible coaster Viper. I got to be at Great Adventure in the summer of 89 and did the running of the bulls with my mom to the Great American Scream Machine. But even though I had long ago moved to NC, I was so proud to know that my original home park was getting Kingda Ka. I just hate that it took 19 years to get to ride it. I have less than 20 total rides on it but it's something I will absolutely, positively never ever forget. Love the content. Love the coaster community. And even though it's check-mate....LONG LIVE THE KING!!!
So disrespectful of the park and ownership to do this without a proper send off for all of these great rides. Thank you guys for doing what you could to warn everyone!
@@VeeTHis It was the park's fault - They could have said FBOMB YOU corporate - They could have had a mutiny. They could have refused and sent this to court and arbitration.
If Great Adventure replaces Ka with a shuttle or spinning coaster I will never return to that park again. That would be a complete insult to the legacy of Ka
@@austinsoza1907 IF GREAT ADVENTURE REPLACES KA WITH A SHUTTLE OR SPINNING COASTER I WILL NEVER RETURN TO THAT PARK AGAIN, BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE A COMPLETE INSULT TO THE LEGACY OF KA!!!!!
The Mack spinners are pretty cool coasters for what they are. I actually think one would fit the park quite well, but absolutely not as a replacement for Ka.
I'm one of those people that made the trip up to get my last rides in. I only live about a three hours' drive away, but I hadn't been to the park in like 10 years or so. I got like 5-6 rides in, most in the front and most at night. I was normally going to wait for Flash to make the trip up, but thanks for reporting on this so I wouldn't miss out on some rides I won't forget for a long time.
Wildest ride I have ever been on. Family went on an empty day. My son and I rode it untill i had a headache. They just let us move seats in the platform. Front back a few middles. I think my eyelid flipped inside out.
So I'm a new enthusiast, got down to Great Adventure in May and got five rides on KA with my partner and my 9 year old daughter. After hearing all the rumors we got down Friday the last weekend it was open and got 15 rides on it. If it wasn't for channels like this we never would of had the chance to get our final rides. Thank you for all the awesome content and news!!
It’s been said many times here, but thank you both so much for sounding the alarm and reporting on the rumors with conviction. I made a last minute trip from Toronto to get my first and last rides on Ka during its final 2 days of operation, and the experience was priceless. The king may not have gotten the send off it deserves, but I’m forever grateful y’all showed out for the coaster community as a result.
Never got to ride it. It was one of the first coasters that I discovered about on the Internet when I became an enthusiast. Also, I wish it was open for the 2025 season, since that would've been the 20th anniversary of Kingda Ka
I have been going to Six flags since the days of Batman: The ride being brand new. I was about 21 when Kingda Ka opened. Me and my roommate took the treck down opening week. The wait was over 3 hours, which was insane for Six flags or really anywhere outside of Disney World and those caliber of Theme Parks. The line was blistering hot, but the vibe was amazing. Every time a train launched, there was a collective gasp and a cheering when the next train pulled up to launch. It was wild to observe, from the moment it came into view driving into the park. As a union carpenter, I was used to seeing buildings that tall...but a rollercoaster that tall was mind blowing. And, we took the extra wait for the front row to get the full experience. My eyes were streaming from the wind. The acceleration was insanity. And at the end, I couldn't believe how intense those 20 seconds were. Game changer, a favorite for practically anyone who rode it and a sad loss for Great Adventure.
For years, I anticipated finally riding Kingda Ka one day. I got my one and (little did I know at the time) only ride this past June. It was my best friend‘s 35th birthday so it was definitely already a special day. But now it has even more meaning! I love the stunning outro guys!
I’m just so upset cause I went to six flags for the first time last year, and I decided to leave kingda ka for last, and just before we were about to leave, we went to the ride and they told us it was temporarily closed (what sucky timing), so I never got to go on. I was like, it’s okay cause I can always try again in the future since six flags isn’t that far from me. And now, finding out I’ll never get to have that chance is kinda heartbreaking. I’ll never get to say “oh yeah I’ve been on the tallest roller coaster” ever…but like seriously, imagine having your amusement park known for having the WORLDS tallest rollercoaster, and just demolishing it. I know maintenance problems were growing over the years but still, it’s a shame.
I’m so thankful I had the opportunity to experience Ka for the first time August 2023 with 4 rides total 2 in the front. Got the last ride of the night and once we got back to the station we were cheering for the ops to send us 1 more time. Truly an incredible ride RIP.
I remember riding Kingda Ka in 2013 on my senior trip. It was closed almost the whole day & we saw it testing and we ran to it so we could see if it was opened. After riding it , I had to buy a shirt saying I rode it. Best coaster ever !!! Going to miss it so much.
I was planning a trip to Great Adventure literally just for Kingda Ka. And now I will never get to ride it. Storm Runner at Hersheypark is one of my favorite rides ever, and I was very excited to try a similar but way more extreme coaster.
I only rode Kingda Ka once, years ago. I may be in the minority, but I think Storm Runner is the superior ride. I’d argue Storm Runner has the better launch (I didn’t think Ka’s launch felt very smooth), and the flying snake dive is better than either top hat. To me Red Force looks better with the drop that only turns 90 instead of the 270 degree spiral, but not sure I’ll get over to Spain any time soon, if ever. In either case, it doesn’t excuse the way SFGAd handled it, which I think is inexcusable and indefensible. There is no reason they couldn’t have at least confirmed it when Coaster Studios and El Toro Ryan started talking about it. Really it should have been a farewell season. I almost certainly would have tried to go. Now? Meh.
I’m so happy I got to experience it last year. For anybody that got to ride it it’s not just the ride itself The structure alone was so alluring and massively impressive. There was nothing like watching that thing launch and it’s all mighty glory. It is ridiculously tall and daunting in person and watching it was just as thrilling as getting to ride it. The fact that this is going away forever is absolutely devastating. Unless you got to experience it only a select few of us will know what it was like going up the side of that thing on the drop tower while it launched. It was truly a sight to behold
This is exactly why I ride Invertigo every time I visit KI. It's one of my all time favorites and I have a feeling it's going to be the next to go (whenever that may be). I'm glad I got a last visit to KI before they announced the closure of my all time favorite coaster, Vortex.
In the past, I was assistant regional rep for ACE NJ, filmed several shoots on Ka ( including Insane Coaster Wars, and the commercial for Zumanjaro)... I've been in touch with the head mechanic of Ka and a former park president (who's wife was the head of PR for SFGA, and has recently been hired of head of PR for CF, east coast)... It's agreed all around that the ball was massively dropped here. If you were there for the send off for Rolling Thunder, it was an amazing example of respect for the ride, its fans, and above all, it's legacy. Ka getting literally no celebration as a legacy coaster is a shame.
I was hoping really bad you all were somehow wrong, but I never doubted yall. Glad I got to ride Dragster growing up but never got to compare with Ka! Thank you all, been watching you since I was in high school! I'm 27 as well, thank yall for the content
We got to SFGA on the last day, our first trip there ever, thanks to your video. Other creators reported on the closing of course, but your video was the only one I saw that made it clear we needed to get there by 11/10. Props to the Kingda Ka ops who cycled through riders incredibly fast. Too bad El Toro wasn't open, I'll have to go back for it sometime.
I travelled from the UK by myself alone over 10 years ago to get on this beast and so glad I did. I'm devastated for coaster enthusiasts around who didn't get to do KK. I wish there was a proper send off for this ride, it deserved one.
I’m really gonna miss Kingda Ka. I’ll never forget my first time riding it in 2010. I never could’ve imagined that my previous ride on Ka in 2022 would end up being my last. I really hope that this new launch coaster they’re planning will be just as iconic as Ka was.
We all know it's going to end up being replaced with the world's longest family launch coaster, with all the launches set at 25mph, so it can run 4 trains
So glad I got to take my first and only ride on this beast back in June. It was by pure coincidence as me and my buddies planned a Hershey park trip and happened to say why not hit up great adventure too. I’m so happy we decided to do it this year! Would’ve never gotten to ride it otherwise
Was there on the final night and it was absolutely incredible. The atmosphere... between the music blaring, operations on-point (maintenance was camped out in the booth), and the chants of "Long live the King!"... so amazing. But.... wouldn't have made the trip if not for folks like you, El Toro Ryan, and Themepark Brandon giving the heads-up
I think I speak for a lot of others when I say I can’t thank the two of you enough for letting the public know in advance about Kingda Ka’s final days. I hadn’t been on it in a decade/since I was a kid, but I drove up 3 hours from DC to Great Adventure this past Sunday just to get on it during its final day of operation. Made so many friends that day as well. My heart is full ❤
I’m very sad about this news. I live in California, and I finally had the chance to visit Great Adventure on a business trip. I was able to ride the legendary Kingda Ka at least 30 times. I’m so glad I made it there in time before the announcement of its closure. Rest in peace, Ka. You have brought both fear and joy to the hearts of coaster enthusiasts around the world.Youl will be greatly missed.cry😢❤ 🎢
I don't think it would've been an insurance issue. This is the same park that had 2 El Toro accidents. Crazy thought: Fury 325 is now the tallest full circuit coaster in North America.
Thank you two for not believing the comments on you two “lying” and sticking to your beliefs. ❤ The truth always comes to light. This ride is something else for everyone. It is so sad hearing this go. Hoping something worthy for its replacement.
They were the most truthful - We just did not know it yet - I admire these two for at least telling us. They are almost like God - They knew the future. That is a special gift to be able to see the future like that. Sadly I do not have that gift. But hey they used their unique gift to let us know what was happening. However they did it I thank them still. Though green with jealousy at their talent.
@CoasterStudios both of you caught some unforgettable moments at Ka station on 11/2 that were AWESOME! Are you planning on releasing all that raw footage ? That chant of “I say Kinda - You Say Ka” was electric and loud!! You probably have some of your followers last rides on KA. I am grateful to have made it into some of the final edits. It was also nice to meet Sarah by El Toro that day and chat for a bit. RIP KA !!!
As a coaster enthusiast I literally shed a couple tears over not getting around to riding this majestic beast. Last time I was at Great Adventure was the year before Kingda Ka debuted… Damn damn damn…
I think what happened to top thrill dragster completely led to this. It just makes too much sense, they tried refurbishing the same type of ride as Kingda Ka. The merger happened and top thrill 2 failed. Just an unfortunate slippery slope.
Perhaps they will go after Xcelerator one day, but for now it still has the parts from Dragster and Kingda Ka to run on, so it might still have at least a decade more left in it
@@hellacia8151 get ready to say goodbye dude. The only thing saving it is gonna be that it's smaller, so it's probably not as hard on it's components. If it has another lengthy break down though, it seems that Richard Zimmerman hates everything Intamin for some reason though. I'd get as many rides as you can next year.
Xcelerator is one of my favourite coasters, unfortunately though I just don't see it lasting. I'm from the UK so we have stealth which I think is gonna be safe for a while but Xcelerator is the better ride so will be very sad when it goes
I understand the problems with the cost of operating Ka but also taking it out in a mass exodus of rides with no warning is just poor management. I hope the way they announced all the coaster closures across the chain is not the norm going forward.
Richard Zimmerman has no soul. He's not and enthusiast by any means. Just a corporate clone CEO with no feelings. The only thing he has feelings towards is shareholders.
I didn't believe the rumors. It just made no sense to me that the park wouldn't announce the closure before the season ended. I'm sure you and Ryan thought the same thing. Even though you knew people like me wouldn't believe you, you still made videos to raise awareness and encourage people to get on the ride before it was too late. This comment section clearly shows that you made a difference. Thank you. Long live the king.
I work at great adventure. I was at the rides night, I got my first rollback that night. That was my sendoff for Ka. I couldn’t of asked for a better 10 rides on Ka. Long live the king!!
2:00 I also remember RCE Town making a similar statement about speed, since Formula Rossa closed too. Seems like after two decades, it has finally been put in perspective how bonkers these rides were
It's a shame but ka was allegedly very expensive to maintain and needed round the clock care so it makes sense but is sad because now i have yet another ride that has closed before I got to ride
From rolling thunder to great American scream machine to king da Kah these rides will always have a special place in my heart. To be honest as a resident of nj the park has lost a lot of luster due to the overall crowd sizes, wait time and lack of staffing.
If it wasn’t for you guys and Ryan stating the rumors on Ka I never would’ve ridden this amazing ride. Drove four hours to jersey from VA on Kingda Ka’s last day of operation. Final ride was a front row night ride. Thank you for sharing the rumors with us !!!
Thank you for your reporting on Ka’s closure. I was able to get a front row ride on the 10th. I really hope they put something great in its place. The spinning shuttle coaster would be a waste (in my opinion). So we’ll have to see. Thank you again for telling us.
Whatever the new roller coaster replacing Ka is better be epic. Its getting a pretty big footprint with the removal of Green Lantern, Parachute drop, and Twister.
17 years ago someone uploaded a Kingda Ka K'nex Roller Coaster recreation that was 20 feet tall. I watched that as a kid and that was the entire reason I started building knex roller coasters and how I found my love for theme parks. its sad that I will never get to ride this being from the uk. if they announced early 2024 saying it would be its final year I would have saved up to come ride it this year. kingda ka will never be forgotten.
I never got to ride this, but I did get to ride Top Thrill Dragster in its original form, so I'm not super disappointed i missed out on it. It is sad though that a lot of the record breaking big rides from the mid 2000s are closing.
I remember riding Kingda ka for the first time in 2014 the year zuminjaro opened, that ride was awesome, the most insane ride I’ve riding, I’ll miss it
Awesome coverage over the past few weeks! Really enjoyed the videos and the emotional roller coaster. I don’t feel as bummed as I thought I would about this ride since I didn’t enjoy it as much as Dragster and found it pretty rough. But, it always got a courtesy ride or two every visit since that view at the top was breathtaking. No doubt that it was awesome to see in the skyline and it was an icon. It felt like the aura around it changed when Zumanjaro opened and they had to permanently change how the ride operated and wasn’t sure if something would give as a result. It felt hugely disrespectful to the King, if that makes sense. My Great Adventure destination ride will always be El Toro. If they retired that ride I’d change everything in my life around to marathon that one up until the last train 😅
I'm sad and frustrated because for YEARS I have always been telling my parents of how much I wanted to ride Kingda Ka, and we were talking about booking a trip to visit to ride it (I'm in Illinois) for a Christmas present and now don't want to go knowing that one of my bucket list coasters wont be there forever. I just wish they let people come in and had it open longer... I understand that it must have been a pain to keep ka running, but they just suddenly threw this information and gave us a weekend to have last rides. I keep tearing up as I think about it, because as you said, this was great engineering history, and I never got the chance to ride it, I mean, there is Top Thrill 2 (which is closed) but its not the same feeling with the three launches. I love the feeling of high speed acceleration, and ka gave me that excitement looking at that launch. Well, I hope Intimin finds a way to fix this for this type of coaster so another one can be made, but it will never be the same... And I will always think of ka... I just wish they gave us more time...
I’ve never had the chance to ride Kingda Ka… But, I was absolutely shocked by the announcement. I was speechless… That’s really sad.. Long live the King
I was lucky enough to ride kingda ka, green lantern, and the parachute ride in 2021. I remember really liking all 3 of them, sad to see them go. especially kingda ka since it's so iconic. when we were driving to the park you could see the top of it from like a mile away, it was so intimidating and made me so excited to ride it
this was my park growing up 10 mins away, season passes every year as a kid and a teen. this makes me so SAD even though i’ve moved and haven’t been to a SF in close to a decade. going back to the area and not seeing kingda ka in the skyline diving miles away is going to be such a bummer. RIP Kingda Ka!
It sucks to loose a coaster which means so much and one that is near and dear to you. Such is the life with being a regular to SFGAdv. This is the 3rd icon coaster to leave the park and the 6th icon overall.
Couldnt believe the news when i saw it. I'm so happy i had to chance to ride it ONE single time a couple years ago... I really hope they will replace it by something spectacular.
It was about time they actually do something about this absolute mess of this side of the park. Hopefully we will eventually get some news about doing something with El Toro (RMC, GCI/Gravity Group re-track, Titan track) but that would be A LOT with the whole area by Green Lantern going lights out FINALLY! Kingda Ka is like always broken, I wouldn't have minded a makeover but if all this is truly coming down than make way! My only issue is is there going to be a big hole/gap without some new rides in all that? Is a new coaster going to take up that much room? I really think not? I could definitely see a great long B&M wing coaster stretching out looking great as a replacement. But we aren't going to get that and a green lantern replacement at once. Then again, as much as I'd really like to see a B&M dive in the front as some real eye candy that's been missing since Great American Scream Machine came down in 2009. Well, at least put in some new rides like a Zamperla Endeavour and/or Chance Freestyle! Both would fit the "boardwalk" area even if Superman is kinda outta place, but owell. I truly hope they can add in a few rides, a new coaster, and a future second entrance too cause scrapping the skyride it's ridicoulous to have to walk all the way to the back areas from the main gate trying to enjoy a day out there without killing your legs. Even Universal put that train ride in between the parks!
Also, I understand that it blows when your favorite coaster (or ride) is removed. I lost major respect for this park when they tore out great american scream machine whose biggest issue was headbanging...to replace it with redundant styled (already have Medusa/Bizzaro) B&M stand-up...with headbanging and way more uncomfortable seating. I hope it can go somewhere, be made floorless, and be good for another park in the chain (I vote Darien lake, close, no B&M's). It also ruined how entering the park looked beautiful. I hope however they handle this (taking up lots of land, it'll look real ugly to have a big gap in the front til like 2018 if they use Kingda Ka and that side land they left to rot) it actually makes the front look good. Also build a second entrance ffs, seriously. We had one, guess what ruined that? Kingda Ka did! Bring it back now!
This reminds me of when Son of Beast closed. Both were such huge icons for their parks. Both were also not the greatest rides but definitely something to conquer your fears & have bragging rights after riding them. Part of the reason I'm so sad at this point is so many things are leaving but also it feels like the end of an era. I remember things just kept getting bigger, loopier, crazier, new ideas being built every year growing up - now I don't see that kind of innovation in a hobby I've been in love with since I was a kid. It almost feels like my childhood obsession with theme parks is fading, and it's really sad. There's just not a lot of exciting things happening in this world anymore. So, yeah, the nostalgia is real guys. Take me back to the 90s, when I was first blown away by Batman the Ride. 😅
Extremely sad about this. Sometimes I would just stare and marvel over how huge this thing truly is. I was afraid of everything as a kid growing up; rides being one of them, and I would dream about going on Kingda Ka. The day I went on it, I was in LOVE with the ride and the thrill. As a resident of NJ, I am so sad to see a loss of a staple coaster and structural attraction. This ride SHOULD have gotten a proper send off, and I am so upset that it didnt.
Thanks for doing what you do covering this feat of engineering. My heart is devastated, reeling, and at the same time understanding of what had to be done insurance and maintenance wise. It would have been better if they refurbished the launch with a far simpler LSM launch, but what happened at Dragster is understandable financially speaking. Based on how much goes into maintaining it, it is EXHAUSTING. I do not blame the park or corporate for eventually deciding to Old Yeller it, but to do it unceremoniously based on the legacy it made for itself is so sad. As you said Ka is a marquee attraction that for the park's benefit put it on the global stage for coasters and parks. Even I, a person who lives in a dead logger town known as Forks, Washington was aware of how majestic and titanic it was. It was one of the first coasters I remade in Roller Coaster Tycoon 3 where I got to appreciate the technology used through trial and error and partly what made me a coaster enthusiast. It was one of my childhood dreams of visiting Great Adventure and riding this thing with hopefully all you guys, but to see it being Thanos-snapped out of existence is truly gut-wrenching. It was a core, formative memory for many and for myself vicariously watching POV's online and seeing pamphlets for the park featuring the coaster in hotel lobbies as a kid, naively thinking that it was too big to tear down. But alas, not everything made by human hands can live on forever. Thanks for reading, Taylor, CS, and all like-minded thussies out there. Long Live the King. 😢
Without the community and communication of enthusiasts I would have missed this. Managed to drive 9.5 hours from Toronto, Canada to ride it second last day of operation and the vibes were spectacular. The community showed up from everywhere, I met people who flew in from Belgium, Switzerland and Germany just to experience Ka. It was a moment and I am saddened by this devastating loss but also so full from the joy I know it brought to those who showed up for her and the millions more she entertained over the years. Rest in peace Ka
Got my last rides in right after I started hearing rumors of closure possibly at the end of next year (before that quickly changed to now). And I was able to pick up a shirt too! At the time when I went people didn’t know about or didn’t believe the rumors so there was still good selection at the time
When looking at the survey for the legacy SF parks,SFOT wasn’t the only legacy SF who had one on it. Both SFOG and SFMM had it listed on there as well. It’s possible that parks could be next in line to receive a dive coaster at some point in the future probably around in 2027 and 2028 based on assuming when could it happen.
Rode once in 2021. Admittedly not my favorite, but holy crap nothing beats an Intamin launch. I just finally rode VC today, and we need more rides just like it.
I'm so so sad about this. I said on a previous video, but I live in the UK. I grew up dreaming to fly over to the USA to ride Kingda Ka. I had so many dreams over the years, arriving at the park, seeing it, standing near it, hearing the launch 'heads back, arms down, hold on'. Due to being a child when it opened, I couldn't wait for my 18th birthday to fly there, but things changed and life changed for me. Finally in this last year, now in my 30s, I was getting into the position to finally make that dream happen. 2026 was going to be the year I would finally come over and now that simply isn't going to happen. Kingda Ka had a big pull, a global one. People around the world dreamed of visiting this park just for this ride. I'd be stood in the school playground in 2007 raving to my friends about this huge new ride that had opened in the USA. That ride single handedly got me on RUclips and I joined this platform in 2006 (on this account) just to watch and favourite rollercoaster videos. It's wild to me those dreams will never happen now and it's like sand slipping between my fingers. I'm so so glad you managed to get an early warning out to all the enthusiasts that could make it to the final few days. I'm so disappointed, but it'll forever have amazing memories attached for many people around the world.
I feel the exact same way I fortunately got to experience it it was an amazing experience I’m so sorry you never got to experience this ride I’m hoping in 2026 there be something awesome just as kingda ka was
same here, uk too and was planning a trip in 2025 for my first trip out there, sadly these hydraulic launch coasters from the coaster wars are all being removed (TTD) plus formula rossa, not sure what ill be doing now but don't think going to any six flags or even cedar fair for now,
@@That_sd1_vitesse It makes Stealth even more special. Amusingly back in 2007, when people raved about Stealth I'd like 'Yeah, but LOOK AT KINGDA KA!' - now I can really appreciate that Merlin are keeping Stealth running with the hydraulic launch. They are a very rare breed of rollercoasters now. I still would like to go to Cedar Point for Millennium Force as that's a bucket list, just to even see it in real life seems surreal!
@ after more thinking I guess I’ll be heading to a six flags sooner than originally thought actually as I wouldn’t be surprised if x2 is on the cutting board as I bet that’s expensive to maintain too. Definitely all this old but impressive ride are coming to the end of there lives or financial worth
The one I was really upset with was rolling thunder that was one of my favorite rides. Been on it over 100 times before they closed it one day years and years ago before fright Fest was a thing in October. I wrote it 30 times without getting off, but that was back in the day when I was a teenager.
thank you for reporting on the rumors of closing, i know yall got a lot of unwarranted hate for it. probably not my wisest financial decision, but i booked a last-minute flight from LA to go visit my little sister in nyc and we went to get our first (and last) rides together on ka the 2nd to last weekend it operated- even got to meet yall while you were filming the vlog! we've been enthusiasts since we were little kids, so its truly a memory i will treasure forever with my sister, thank you both for having a hand in making that memory happen :)))
so glad you guys got to experience it!
@@CoasterStudios Thank you both as well. I was able to fly out for the final day, having missed this ride on two previous attempts at this park. I mostly went on Eltororyan's definitive word but your sourcing and videos were also influential on me ever getting to ride this. So thank you. Also, thank you for the Dubai videos. I definitely will be going there soon for Dubai parks and Falcons flight.
But it was a wise decision lol
As ANGRY as I am - I THANK YOU TWO PEOPLE FOR WARNING ME AND EVERYONE ELSE....I really appreciate your work. I am not angry at you two - Initially I was thinking you were spreading rumors but sadly they were not. I still wonder how you had the crystal ball to see what would happen. Well all I have to say on this now
You are lucky to have Magic Mountain. Not the greatest park ever in terms of operations. They indeed leave alot to be desired. But at least they have far better coasters, a real woodie. Sad what they did to Colossus BUT they WARNED you guys and girls at least. I would trade Great Adventure for Magic Mountain in a minute. Be thankful you guys have t so good with that, Knotts, Disney, Universal, Seaworld, and a good amount of water parks, and little rain, and almost no thunderstorms....Now if you can just get rid of earthquakes and housing issues.
My husband is a newer enthusiast (he just crossed 100 credits this year). I was fortunate enough to ride Ka ten years ago, and had told him about it over and over. When you put out your first video alluding to the closure, he looked at me with the saddest puppy dog eyes.
We live in Tennessee, but I knew we had to make it happen. We pulled an all nighter and drove up there on 10/26. We didn't have long in the park, but we got two glorious rides together on the King. It was just magical.
Thank you so, so much for the heads up. The grief we feel now is nothing compared to what we would have felt if we had missed our chance to ride it altogether.
wow! thank you so much for sharing. We are so glad you got the opportunity to experience it!
I’m so happy they gave us a heads up as well. I luckily had ridden Kingda Ka previously, and I live in Florida now. With the news of it closing I booked a flight and went and got my own final rides. I’m so thankful I was able to ride it 12 last times.
I'm not taking it well because I am a recent enthusiast (July 2024) and never got to ride the King. Heartbreaking.
Damn, a newer enthusiast and already crossed 100?
@@NorthEasternMotionProductions We did a "Summer of Coasters" this year! We did King's Island, Carowinds, both Busch Gardens, Six Flags GA, Six Flags America, SeaWorld, King's Dominion, Dorney Park, Holiday World, and Hershey Park.
We'd already been to Disney and Universal plenty, alongside Dollywood, which is our home park.
The employee rides party the Friday before closure was something I won’t forget. I was able to ride it 25 times (got my one and only rollback too!). Work won’t be the same next year without seeing that massive top hat in the background no matter what ride I’m working.
I’ll say the same thing I commented to El Toro Ryan - it is unfortunate that Six Flags essentially put you guys on the front line to take the flak for a unpopular decision that was obviously beyond your control.
That said, thanks for taking that flak so that those who would listen could get out to the park. My young son will never forget hauling to NJ to experience such a massive hydraulic launch while he still could. That’s some lifelong, formative stuff right there. Thank you.
thank you for your kind words, they are much appreciated
Totally this.
Definitely, that is what makes me the most upset about the way this went down. I can't blame people for thinking a bunch of youtubers were making click bait or wanting to hold out hope for as long as possible. It's just wild to me how much this was leaked and the very loud response from enthusiasts wouldn't have made the park realize they should have given people a heads up. I know most places don't cater to the enthusiast crowd as much as the general public but those people were probably the ones blindsided the most by the announcement. I would have figured giving people a heads up to make plans to get a major bucket list ride in one last time or for the first time even would have only increased visitors for this season.
Zumanjaro feels like the bigger loss here. They just got permission a couple years ago to run it simultaneously with Kinda Ka and it was a blast to be at the top, waiting for the drop, and then having the coaster car race up toward you. It was easily the best drop ride I've ever been on. It feels like a big loss losing two of the tallest rides ever at the same time.
loved Zumanjaro when it ran with Ka
I remember being so intimidated when I rode Zumanjaro... like any drop tower (or most), the suspense is WAY worse than the actual ride, with everything disappearing below you... The actual drop was very pleasant (like a very fast express elevator lol!) but definitely unforgettable. Sad times for SFGA.
@@modsandendsGG-3883 dude, I had planned on going to Great Adventure next year too. It was going to be my first ride on Zoomanjaro while Ka was running. That really sucks.
I’m sssoooo soo grateful I was able to experience that. Great Adventure will NEVRERRRR be the same without it…. I don’t care WHAT they’re putting in its place. Both rides will be deeply missed 🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺
Zumanjaro MIGHT have been a huge reason for the closing. I was told this past May KIngda Ka was hit by lightning and that while the coaster continued to run fine, Zum was having a ton of glitches that were impossible to fix right. I was told that was why that remained closed all summer and fall long. They did fix it briefly but it still malfunctioned. I was told a "check engine light was coming on" Whatever happened Zum was having some issues that prevented it from running regularly and that played a role in this whole thing I am sure.
I'm sooo gutted I wasn't able to ride Kingda Ka all the time it's been open. I didn't know I can go through grief over a roller coaster lol. But even though I wasn't able to ride Kingda Ka, this ride will ALWAYS be why I love roller coasters in general. King of Coasters, you will be missed but never forgotten.
Same, I have wanted to go on it since hearing about it opening and now I will never get the chance.
Same here 😢
same here
I am not enough of a thrill seeker to have wanted to ride this, so it never crossed my mind. Unfortunate for those who truly enjoy that kind of intensity...
I went on this ride in may. It was so fun and I’m so sad it’s closing😭 Even though it’s closing I’m so grateful I got to ride it❤️
I was there on Ka’s closing night. The atmosphere around the ride was unlike anything I have ever seen. It was a sad day, but it will definitely go down in enthusiast history as a special one.
I am so thankful for you guys and the community as a whole for allowing us to get a heads up. It allowed my brother and I to get up to Six Flags Great adventure for the first time and get our first and last rides. I speak for many in saying that Ka was one of the first coasters I learned about ever. I’m so happy that I was able to ride it on its second to last weekend. Not only meeting you guys but also so many other enthusiasts. So thank you guys for the speculation. I’m so thankful I was able to get over 25 rides on Ka before it is removed.
soooo glad you guys got to experience it!
This is basically how King's Dominion locals and fans felt when volcano went down.
Thunder road for carowinds
How dare you, I was having a good day trying not to think about that 😭
The Great American Scream Machine and Rolling Thunder for SFGAdv locals. Oh.
I was thinking this
@@darkridedan1and chiller😭
The Last day of Kingda Ka was incredibly special from what I saw. The energy was insane especially when they sent the last train ever. The Six Flags Great Adventure Era has fallen and has come to in end. Now will see how Cedar Fair does in 2026 with the replacement. The new regime.
Got my last rides back in October, I’m gonna miss this ride a ton, it brings a lot of sentimental value to me being my first roller coaster I’ve ever ridden.
Thank You Taylor, Sarah, and everyone else that warned us ahead of time
Long Live The King.
I'm absolutely devastated by this news. This ride is the one that broke me out of my coaster fears at 15 years old. It's the ride I measured all other coasters against when I experience them for the first time. There is absolutely no good reason they couldn't have given this a proper send off and a heads up to guests. Can you imagine the crowds it would've drawn in 2025? Its 20th anniversary and final farewell season. If insurance was the issue, do it this past summer. I will never forgive this company!
I remember reading about KK in a special edition of Readers Digest from 2006 and was obsessed with it that time. In some way, it was the start of my coaster fanaticism. I never got to ride it sadly.
I haven’t paid close attention to the coaster community in a while, so this is my first time hearing this. It’s sad to lose a huge part of history
I REALLY hope Ka’s replacement breaks REAL records and not the cheap ones the park makes up. Like “Tallest blue coaster in Jersey” , or “The only triple launch coaster in jersey that isn’t in a mall”
Best record(and probably the only acceptable record in terms of GP)to break would be the tallest fastest and longest roller coaster in all of Western hemisphere, period(to the point of only falcon flight is the more grand coaster), along with some other smaller records that would be nice to be broken
@lsp6032 agreed. A spinner with some insignificant record isn't good enough, esp since they're focusing so many resources on Falcon's Flight. It could have the tallest element in the world.. 500+ feet. The 600 foot drop record won't be broken which is understandable, but largest element should be broken at this park after Ka.
@lsp6032 That's not realistic, sadly. Tallest (252'), fastest (88 mph), and longest (6072') coaster with inversions are feasible records, but it would be the biggest single investment in the park's history. Great Adventure likely wouldn't get another big thrill coaster in a while. Maybe a Gravitykraft woodie or Vekoma SFC / launched family coaster, but that would be it. If an Intamin giga is to come to the Northeast, it's likely going to Hershey.
Hopefully they break the record for shortest and slowest coaster
@Intellectuallychallenged Quite the challenge - there are 100 Butterflies in Germany tied for that
They weren’t even close to giving it the send-off it deserved
I’m glad I got to ride it this year in June
I got to ride it on October 11 Thursday and twice on Halloween - So at least I got to say goodbye. On the 11th it was to remain for another season - by the 31 it was to close very soon - and by then I knew it was possible. I was worried. Now I am just upset
Thank you for giving so many people a heads-up. It's sad that some people were skeptical to a hostile level. But in the end who cares about them: they didn't wanna believe you and now got screwed because they will not be able to give Ka a last ride.
I’m not crying because I’ll never be able to ride it again, I’m crying because i was never able to ride it
same
@@paco_WX Poopy Loopy - Well GReat Adventure gives us Poopy Doopies
Same. I didn’t take the rumor’s seriously or at least thought it would last until 2025 as a big final hoorah year. Had I known I could’ve gone ;-;
@@therussianyetishow1238 Initially the rumor was that the coaster was staying with us until 2025. When I was still an Florida at Disney the day before the hurricane I was still hearing end of 2025. I was back the night before the Hurricane and went to Fright fest that Thrusday and that was indeed the rumor. Then days before Halloween rumors heated up that it might not make it through the summer of 25 in fact it might not make it till the end of 24. Which sadly ended up happening
@ lol
Hello Coaster Studios, I got my 16 year old son out of school early last Thursday, took him home and gave him an hour to pack a bag and told him we're driving 9 hours to Jersey from NC to ride Kingda Ka on Friday. It was only Easter Sunday this year when I got my first rides ever on Kingda Ka, so I couldn't let it go without several more rides for myself and also for my son to get his one and only day ever with this fantastic piece of bent, molded, and bolted steel. His face after the first ride was priceless and I'll never forget it. I grew up in New Jersey so even though Carowinds is my home park now, Great Adventure is my original home park. I remember going when I was small enough to watch my mom & aunt go on Rolling Thunder and Lightnin Loops without me. I can remember the Ultra-Twister, the Bobsled ride, and that absolutely horrible coaster Viper. I got to be at Great Adventure in the summer of 89 and did the running of the bulls with my mom to the Great American Scream Machine. But even though I had long ago moved to NC, I was so proud to know that my original home park was getting Kingda Ka. I just hate that it took 19 years to get to ride it. I have less than 20 total rides on it but it's something I will absolutely, positively never ever forget. Love the content. Love the coaster community. And even though it's check-mate....LONG LIVE THE KING!!!
So glad you got to experience it again before it closed!
So disrespectful of the park and ownership to do this without a proper send off for all of these great rides. Thank you guys for doing what you could to warn everyone!
Weren’t you listening? This wasn’t the park.
It was not the park's fault. It was corporate's fault.
Don’t remove kingdaka
@@VeeTHis It was the park's fault - They could have said FBOMB YOU corporate - They could have had a mutiny. They could have refused and sent this to court and arbitration.
And thank you to Coaster Studios and Co. for softening the blow. Y'all do incredible work in this very niche community
If Great Adventure replaces Ka with a shuttle or spinning coaster I will never return to that park again. That would be a complete insult to the legacy of Ka
YES
Say it louder for the people in the back!!
@@austinsoza1907 IF GREAT ADVENTURE REPLACES KA WITH A SHUTTLE OR SPINNING COASTER I WILL NEVER RETURN TO THAT PARK AGAIN, BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE A COMPLETE INSULT TO THE LEGACY OF KA!!!!!
While it'll be dumb, most people saying they'll not go back or won't but passes will probably go back and buy passes.
The Mack spinners are pretty cool coasters for what they are. I actually think one would fit the park quite well, but absolutely not as a replacement for Ka.
Thank you. It was you and Ryan that got my ass to SFGA to ride Kingda Ka for the first time. I'm grateful for your journalism in this industry.
I'm so glad to hear that! Thank you so much!
I'm one of those people that made the trip up to get my last rides in. I only live about a three hours' drive away, but I hadn't been to the park in like 10 years or so. I got like 5-6 rides in, most in the front and most at night. I was normally going to wait for Flash to make the trip up, but thanks for reporting on this so I wouldn't miss out on some rides I won't forget for a long time.
Wildest ride I have ever been on. Family went on an empty day. My son and I rode it untill i had a headache. They just let us move seats in the platform. Front back a few middles. I think my eyelid flipped inside out.
So I'm a new enthusiast, got down to Great Adventure in May and got five rides on KA with my partner and my 9 year old daughter. After hearing all the rumors we got down Friday the last weekend it was open and got 15 rides on it. If it wasn't for channels like this we never would of had the chance to get our final rides. Thank you for all the awesome content and news!!
thank you, so glad you got to experience it!
😂 GAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYY
@@shaneh3109 yeah dude we were pretty happy about it !
@@shaneh3109Straight
It’s been said many times here, but thank you both so much for sounding the alarm and reporting on the rumors with conviction. I made a last minute trip from Toronto to get my first and last rides on Ka during its final 2 days of operation, and the experience was priceless. The king may not have gotten the send off it deserves, but I’m forever grateful y’all showed out for the coaster community as a result.
Never got to ride it. It was one of the first coasters that I discovered about on the Internet when I became an enthusiast. Also, I wish it was open for the 2025 season, since that would've been the 20th anniversary of Kingda Ka
I have been going to Six flags since the days of Batman: The ride being brand new. I was about 21 when Kingda Ka opened. Me and my roommate took the treck down opening week. The wait was over 3 hours, which was insane for Six flags or really anywhere outside of Disney World and those caliber of Theme Parks. The line was blistering hot, but the vibe was amazing. Every time a train launched, there was a collective gasp and a cheering when the next train pulled up to launch. It was wild to observe, from the moment it came into view driving into the park. As a union carpenter, I was used to seeing buildings that tall...but a rollercoaster that tall was mind blowing. And, we took the extra wait for the front row to get the full experience. My eyes were streaming from the wind. The acceleration was insanity. And at the end, I couldn't believe how intense those 20 seconds were. Game changer, a favorite for practically anyone who rode it and a sad loss for Great Adventure.
For years, I anticipated finally riding Kingda Ka one day. I got my one and (little did I know at the time) only ride this past June. It was my best friend‘s 35th birthday so it was definitely already a special day. But now it has even more meaning! I love the stunning outro guys!
Seriously, thanks. I would have not gotten to ride it 4 more times had you not broken the news on this.
Some have suggested the reason they gave no notice of Kingda Ka's closure is because they didn't want sales of 2025 season passes to diminish.
I’m just so upset cause I went to six flags for the first time last year, and I decided to leave kingda ka for last, and just before we were about to leave, we went to the ride and they told us it was temporarily closed (what sucky timing), so I never got to go on. I was like, it’s okay cause I can always try again in the future since six flags isn’t that far from me. And now, finding out I’ll never get to have that chance is kinda heartbreaking. I’ll never get to say “oh yeah I’ve been on the tallest roller coaster” ever…but like seriously, imagine having your amusement park known for having the WORLDS tallest rollercoaster, and just demolishing it. I know maintenance problems were growing over the years but still, it’s a shame.
I’m so thankful I had the opportunity to experience Ka for the first time August 2023 with 4 rides total 2 in the front. Got the last ride of the night and once we got back to the station we were cheering for the ops to send us 1 more time. Truly an incredible ride RIP.
I remember riding Kingda Ka in 2013 on my senior trip. It was closed almost the whole day & we saw it testing and we ran to it so we could see if it was opened. After riding it , I had to buy a shirt saying I rode it. Best coaster ever !!! Going to miss it so much.
I was planning a trip to Great Adventure literally just for Kingda Ka. And now I will never get to ride it. Storm Runner at Hersheypark is one of my favorite rides ever, and I was very excited to try a similar but way more extreme coaster.
I only rode Kingda Ka once, years ago. I may be in the minority, but I think Storm Runner is the superior ride. I’d argue Storm Runner has the better launch (I didn’t think Ka’s launch felt very smooth), and the flying snake dive is better than either top hat. To me Red Force looks better with the drop that only turns 90 instead of the 270 degree spiral, but not sure I’ll get over to Spain any time soon, if ever.
In either case, it doesn’t excuse the way SFGAd handled it, which I think is inexcusable and indefensible. There is no reason they couldn’t have at least confirmed it when Coaster Studios and El Toro Ryan started talking about it. Really it should have been a farewell season. I almost certainly would have tried to go. Now? Meh.
I’m so happy I got to experience it last year. For anybody that got to ride it it’s not just the ride itself The structure alone was so alluring and massively impressive. There was nothing like watching that thing launch and it’s all mighty glory. It is ridiculously tall and daunting in person and watching it was just as thrilling as getting to ride it. The fact that this is going away forever is absolutely devastating. Unless you got to experience it only a select few of us will know what it was like going up the side of that thing on the drop tower while it launched. It was truly a sight to behold
Kingda ka was the coolest ride I’ve ever been on. This sucks!!! Thanks for sharing! I went the first year it was open and multiple times since.
This is exactly why I ride Invertigo every time I visit KI. It's one of my all time favorites and I have a feeling it's going to be the next to go (whenever that may be). I'm glad I got a last visit to KI before they announced the closure of my all time favorite coaster, Vortex.
It makes no sense that they didn't market this. I want a Kingda Ka shirt now just because it's a piece of history. Glad I got to ride it back in 2012.
One of Cedar Fair’s worst decisions-topped only by the “out of the blue” closure of Geauga Lake.
And I don’t have high hopes for it’s replacement either
That's Cedar Fair for you. 🙃
YES STILL ANGRY ON THAT ONE
In the past, I was assistant regional rep for ACE NJ, filmed several shoots on Ka ( including Insane Coaster Wars, and the commercial for Zumanjaro)... I've been in touch with the head mechanic of Ka and a former park president (who's wife was the head of PR for SFGA, and has recently been hired of head of PR for CF, east coast)...
It's agreed all around that the ball was massively dropped here.
If you were there for the send off for Rolling Thunder, it was an amazing example of respect for the ride, its fans, and above all, it's legacy.
Ka getting literally no celebration as a legacy coaster is a shame.
I was hoping really bad you all were somehow wrong, but I never doubted yall. Glad I got to ride Dragster growing up but never got to compare with Ka! Thank you all, been watching you since I was in high school! I'm 27 as well, thank yall for the content
We got to SFGA on the last day, our first trip there ever, thanks to your video. Other creators reported on the closing of course, but your video was the only one I saw that made it clear we needed to get there by 11/10. Props to the Kingda Ka ops who cycled through riders incredibly fast. Too bad El Toro wasn't open, I'll have to go back for it sometime.
I'm glad I heard the call . HP CP , first time was like visiting an old friend with a new twist , long live the king !
I travelled from the UK by myself alone over 10 years ago to get on this beast and so glad I did. I'm devastated for coaster enthusiasts around who didn't get to do KK. I wish there was a proper send off for this ride, it deserved one.
I’m really gonna miss Kingda Ka. I’ll never forget my first time riding it in 2010. I never could’ve imagined that my previous ride on Ka in 2022 would end up being my last.
I really hope that this new launch coaster they’re planning will be just as iconic as Ka was.
We all know it's going to end up being replaced with the world's longest family launch coaster, with all the launches set at 25mph, so it can run 4 trains
That’s such a stupid amount of stuff to remove for literally just *one* rollercoaster though, this ride better have insane capacity.
So glad I got to take my first and only ride on this beast back in June. It was by pure coincidence as me and my buddies planned a Hershey park trip and happened to say why not hit up great adventure too. I’m so happy we decided to do it this year! Would’ve never gotten to ride it otherwise
If it’s a Mack extreme spinner, the community will never forgive six flags
Or even worse, a b&m dive
Hopefully they make shirts that say “long live the king” or “I rode kingda ka!”
Was there on the final night and it was absolutely incredible. The atmosphere... between the music blaring, operations on-point (maintenance was camped out in the booth), and the chants of "Long live the King!"... so amazing. But.... wouldn't have made the trip if not for folks like you, El Toro Ryan, and Themepark Brandon giving the heads-up
I think I speak for a lot of others when I say I can’t thank the two of you enough for letting the public know in advance about Kingda Ka’s final days. I hadn’t been on it in a decade/since I was a kid, but I drove up 3 hours from DC to Great Adventure this past Sunday just to get on it during its final day of operation. Made so many friends that day as well. My heart is full ❤
I'm so glad you got to experience it one last time!!
I’m very sad about this news. I live in California, and I finally had the chance to visit Great Adventure on a business trip. I was able to ride the legendary Kingda Ka at least 30 times. I’m so glad I made it there in time before the announcement of its closure. Rest in peace, Ka. You have brought both fear and joy to the hearts of coaster enthusiasts around the world.Youl will be greatly missed.cry😢❤ 🎢
I don't think it would've been an insurance issue. This is the same park that had 2 El Toro accidents.
Crazy thought: Fury 325 is now the tallest full circuit coaster in North America.
Thank you two for not believing the comments on you two “lying” and sticking to your beliefs. ❤
The truth always comes to light.
This ride is something else for everyone. It is so sad hearing this go. Hoping something worthy for its replacement.
They were the most truthful - We just did not know it yet - I admire these two for at least telling us. They are almost like God - They knew the future. That is a special gift to be able to see the future like that. Sadly I do not have that gift. But hey they used their unique gift to let us know what was happening. However they did it I thank them still. Though green with jealousy at their talent.
@CoasterStudios both of you caught some unforgettable moments at Ka station on 11/2 that were AWESOME! Are you planning on releasing all that raw footage ? That chant of “I say Kinda - You Say Ka” was electric and loud!! You probably have some of your followers last rides on KA. I am grateful to have made it into some of the final edits. It was also nice to meet Sarah by El Toro that day and chat for a bit. RIP KA !!!
we have a video coming soon with it :)
@ THANK YOU !!!!!!!
As a coaster enthusiast I literally shed a couple tears over not getting around to riding this majestic beast. Last time I was at Great Adventure was the year before Kingda Ka debuted… Damn damn damn…
I think what happened to top thrill dragster completely led to this. It just makes too much sense, they tried refurbishing the same type of ride as Kingda Ka. The merger happened and top thrill 2 failed. Just an unfortunate slippery slope.
But once they refurb Top Thrill, the cost to refurb a second one should be cheaper since all of the engineering has been worked out.
Now I'm absolutely terrified Six Flags will go after Xcelerator next. I will riot if that happens
Perhaps they will go after Xcelerator one day, but for now it still has the parts from Dragster and Kingda Ka to run on, so it might still have at least a decade more left in it
@@hellacia8151 get ready to say goodbye dude. The only thing saving it is gonna be that it's smaller, so it's probably not as hard on it's components. If it has another lengthy break down though, it seems that Richard Zimmerman hates everything Intamin for some reason though. I'd get as many rides as you can next year.
They won’t because it doesn’t directly compete with Cedar Point
Xcelerator is one of my favourite coasters, unfortunately though I just don't see it lasting. I'm from the UK so we have stealth which I think is gonna be safe for a while but Xcelerator is the better ride so will be very sad when it goes
@@Spike-sk7ql Very lucky to have Knott's as my home park, and I'll lap it as much as I can on dead days.
I wish I could have been able to experience that roller coaster
A record breaking multi-launch coaster or a multi-record breaking launch coatster? 😉
Yeah I was thinking the same. Its not a multi launch coaster (could be) but they didnt say that, they said multi record breaking.
'multi record breaking launch coaster' was the official wording. It was a little confusing haha
@@CoasterStudios Haha yeah agree. The CoasterBingo app also does not explicitly mention that it is a multi launch coaster.
I understand the problems with the cost of operating Ka but also taking it out in a mass exodus of rides with no warning is just poor management. I hope the way they announced all the coaster closures across the chain is not the norm going forward.
Richard Zimmerman has no soul. He's not and enthusiast by any means. Just a corporate clone CEO with no feelings. The only thing he has feelings towards is shareholders.
I didn't believe the rumors. It just made no sense to me that the park wouldn't announce the closure before the season ended. I'm sure you and Ryan thought the same thing. Even though you knew people like me wouldn't believe you, you still made videos to raise awareness and encourage people to get on the ride before it was too late. This comment section clearly shows that you made a difference. Thank you. Long live the king.
I work at great adventure. I was at the rides night, I got my first rollback that night. That was my sendoff for Ka. I couldn’t of asked for a better 10 rides on Ka. Long live the king!!
Made it to Saturday. Thanks for the heads up. My wife and i got 3 rides in, one front row.
STOOOP THE OUTRO IS KINGDA KA IM GONNA CRYYYY
I’m grateful I was able to ride it several times back in 2012. Great coaster
Thank you guys for giving us the information about this. Long live the king.
2:00 I also remember RCE Town making a similar statement about speed, since Formula Rossa closed too. Seems like after two decades, it has finally been put in perspective how bonkers these rides were
It's a shame but ka was allegedly very expensive to maintain and needed round the clock care so it makes sense but is sad because now i have yet another ride that has closed before I got to ride
From rolling thunder to great American scream machine to king da Kah these rides will always have a special place in my heart. To be honest as a resident of nj the park has lost a lot of luster due to the overall crowd sizes, wait time and lack of staffing.
If it wasn’t for you guys and Ryan stating the rumors on Ka I never would’ve ridden this amazing ride. Drove four hours to jersey from VA on Kingda Ka’s last day of operation. Final ride was a front row night ride. Thank you for sharing the rumors with us !!!
Of course! So glad you got to experience it!
Thank you for your reporting on Ka’s closure. I was able to get a front row ride on the 10th. I really hope they put something great in its place. The spinning shuttle coaster would be a waste (in my opinion). So we’ll have to see. Thank you again for telling us.
Went the second to last day and it was so worth it
Whatever the new roller coaster replacing Ka is better be epic. Its getting a pretty big footprint with the removal of Green Lantern, Parachute drop, and Twister.
17 years ago someone uploaded a Kingda Ka K'nex Roller Coaster recreation that was 20 feet tall. I watched that as a kid and that was the entire reason I started building knex roller coasters and how I found my love for theme parks. its sad that I will never get to ride this being from the uk. if they announced early 2024 saying it would be its final year I would have saved up to come ride it this year. kingda ka will never be forgotten.
I never got to ride this, but I did get to ride Top Thrill Dragster in its original form, so I'm not super disappointed i missed out on it. It is sad though that a lot of the record breaking big rides from the mid 2000s are closing.
I remember riding Kingda ka for the first time in 2014 the year zuminjaro opened, that ride was awesome, the most insane ride I’ve riding, I’ll miss it
Awesome coverage over the past few weeks! Really enjoyed the videos and the emotional roller coaster. I don’t feel as bummed as I thought I would about this ride since I didn’t enjoy it as much as Dragster and found it pretty rough. But, it always got a courtesy ride or two every visit since that view at the top was breathtaking. No doubt that it was awesome to see in the skyline and it was an icon. It felt like the aura around it changed when Zumanjaro opened and they had to permanently change how the ride operated and wasn’t sure if something would give as a result. It felt hugely disrespectful to the King, if that makes sense.
My Great Adventure destination ride will always be El Toro. If they retired that ride I’d change everything in my life around to marathon that one up until the last train 😅
I'm sad and frustrated because for YEARS I have always been telling my parents of how much I wanted to ride Kingda Ka, and we were talking about booking a trip to visit to ride it (I'm in Illinois) for a Christmas present and now don't want to go knowing that one of my bucket list coasters wont be there forever. I just wish they let people come in and had it open longer... I understand that it must have been a pain to keep ka running, but they just suddenly threw this information and gave us a weekend to have last rides. I keep tearing up as I think about it, because as you said, this was great engineering history, and I never got the chance to ride it, I mean, there is Top Thrill 2 (which is closed) but its not the same feeling with the three launches. I love the feeling of high speed acceleration, and ka gave me that excitement looking at that launch. Well, I hope Intimin finds a way to fix this for this type of coaster so another one can be made, but it will never be the same... And I will always think of ka... I just wish they gave us more time...
I’ve never had the chance to ride Kingda Ka… But, I was absolutely shocked by the announcement. I was speechless… That’s really sad.. Long live the King
I was lucky enough to ride kingda ka, green lantern, and the parachute ride in 2021. I remember really liking all 3 of them, sad to see them go. especially kingda ka since it's so iconic. when we were driving to the park you could see the top of it from like a mile away, it was so intimidating and made me so excited to ride it
this was my park growing up 10 mins away, season passes every year as a kid and a teen. this makes me so SAD even though i’ve moved and haven’t been to a SF in close to a decade.
going back to the area and not seeing kingda ka in the skyline diving miles away is going to be such a bummer. RIP Kingda Ka!
It sucks to loose a coaster which means so much and one that is near and dear to you.
Such is the life with being a regular to SFGAdv. This is the 3rd icon coaster to leave the park and the 6th icon overall.
Couldnt believe the news when i saw it. I'm so happy i had to chance to ride it ONE single time a couple years ago... I really hope they will replace it by something spectacular.
It was about time they actually do something about this absolute mess of this side of the park. Hopefully we will eventually get some news about doing something with El Toro (RMC, GCI/Gravity Group re-track, Titan track) but that would be A LOT with the whole area by Green Lantern going lights out FINALLY! Kingda Ka is like always broken, I wouldn't have minded a makeover but if all this is truly coming down than make way! My only issue is is there going to be a big hole/gap without some new rides in all that? Is a new coaster going to take up that much room? I really think not? I could definitely see a great long B&M wing coaster stretching out looking great as a replacement. But we aren't going to get that and a green lantern replacement at once. Then again, as much as I'd really like to see a B&M dive in the front as some real eye candy that's been missing since Great American Scream Machine came down in 2009. Well, at least put in some new rides like a Zamperla Endeavour and/or Chance Freestyle! Both would fit the "boardwalk" area even if Superman is kinda outta place, but owell. I truly hope they can add in a few rides, a new coaster, and a future second entrance too cause scrapping the skyride it's ridicoulous to have to walk all the way to the back areas from the main gate trying to enjoy a day out there without killing your legs. Even Universal put that train ride in between the parks!
Also, I understand that it blows when your favorite coaster (or ride) is removed. I lost major respect for this park when they tore out great american scream machine whose biggest issue was headbanging...to replace it with redundant styled (already have Medusa/Bizzaro) B&M stand-up...with headbanging and way more uncomfortable seating. I hope it can go somewhere, be made floorless, and be good for another park in the chain (I vote Darien lake, close, no B&M's). It also ruined how entering the park looked beautiful. I hope however they handle this (taking up lots of land, it'll look real ugly to have a big gap in the front til like 2018 if they use Kingda Ka and that side land they left to rot) it actually makes the front look good. Also build a second entrance ffs, seriously. We had one, guess what ruined that? Kingda Ka did! Bring it back now!
This reminds me of when Son of Beast closed. Both were such huge icons for their parks. Both were also not the greatest rides but definitely something to conquer your fears & have bragging rights after riding them. Part of the reason I'm so sad at this point is so many things are leaving but also it feels like the end of an era. I remember things just kept getting bigger, loopier, crazier, new ideas being built every year growing up - now I don't see that kind of innovation in a hobby I've been in love with since I was a kid. It almost feels like my childhood obsession with theme parks is fading, and it's really sad. There's just not a lot of exciting things happening in this world anymore. So, yeah, the nostalgia is real guys. Take me back to the 90s, when I was first blown away by Batman the Ride. 😅
Extremely sad about this. Sometimes I would just stare and marvel over how huge this thing truly is. I was afraid of everything as a kid growing up; rides being one of them, and I would dream about going on Kingda Ka. The day I went on it, I was in LOVE with the ride and the thrill. As a resident of NJ, I am so sad to see a loss of a staple coaster and structural attraction.
This ride SHOULD have gotten a proper send off, and I am so upset that it didnt.
Thanks for doing what you do covering this feat of engineering. My heart is devastated, reeling, and at the same time understanding of what had to be done insurance and maintenance wise. It would have been better if they refurbished the launch with a far simpler LSM launch, but what happened at Dragster is understandable financially speaking. Based on how much goes into maintaining it, it is EXHAUSTING. I do not blame the park or corporate for eventually deciding to Old Yeller it, but to do it unceremoniously based on the legacy it made for itself is so sad. As you said Ka is a marquee attraction that for the park's benefit put it on the global stage for coasters and parks. Even I, a person who lives in a dead logger town known as Forks, Washington was aware of how majestic and titanic it was. It was one of the first coasters I remade in Roller Coaster Tycoon 3 where I got to appreciate the technology used through trial and error and partly what made me a coaster enthusiast. It was one of my childhood dreams of visiting Great Adventure and riding this thing with hopefully all you guys, but to see it being Thanos-snapped out of existence is truly gut-wrenching. It was a core, formative memory for many and for myself vicariously watching POV's online and seeing pamphlets for the park featuring the coaster in hotel lobbies as a kid, naively thinking that it was too big to tear down. But alas, not everything made by human hands can live on forever.
Thanks for reading, Taylor, CS, and all like-minded thussies out there. Long Live the King. 😢
Happy belated 27th birthday Taylor🎂🥳🎉🎈🎁🎊
Without the community and communication of enthusiasts I would have missed this. Managed to drive 9.5 hours from Toronto, Canada to ride it second last day of operation and the vibes were spectacular. The community showed up from everywhere, I met people who flew in from Belgium, Switzerland and Germany just to experience Ka. It was a moment and I am saddened by this devastating loss but also so full from the joy I know it brought to those who showed up for her and the millions more she entertained over the years. Rest in peace Ka
So glad you got to experience it!
Thank you guys for giving me the chance to ride this one more time and tell others 🙏🏾♥️
Got my last rides in right after I started hearing rumors of closure possibly at the end of next year (before that quickly changed to now). And I was able to pick up a shirt too! At the time when I went people didn’t know about or didn’t believe the rumors so there was still good selection at the time
I'm not surprised at all infact I'm also thinking dragster days are also numbered, wouldn't be suprised if it starts coming down.
When looking at the survey for the legacy SF parks,SFOT wasn’t the only legacy SF who had one on it. Both SFOG and SFMM had it listed on there as well. It’s possible that parks could be next in line to receive a dive coaster at some point in the future probably around in 2027 and 2028 based on assuming when could it happen.
Rode once in 2021. Admittedly not my favorite, but holy crap nothing beats an Intamin launch. I just finally rode VC today, and we need more rides just like it.
I'm so so sad about this. I said on a previous video, but I live in the UK. I grew up dreaming to fly over to the USA to ride Kingda Ka. I had so many dreams over the years, arriving at the park, seeing it, standing near it, hearing the launch 'heads back, arms down, hold on'. Due to being a child when it opened, I couldn't wait for my 18th birthday to fly there, but things changed and life changed for me. Finally in this last year, now in my 30s, I was getting into the position to finally make that dream happen. 2026 was going to be the year I would finally come over and now that simply isn't going to happen. Kingda Ka had a big pull, a global one. People around the world dreamed of visiting this park just for this ride.
I'd be stood in the school playground in 2007 raving to my friends about this huge new ride that had opened in the USA. That ride single handedly got me on RUclips and I joined this platform in 2006 (on this account) just to watch and favourite rollercoaster videos. It's wild to me those dreams will never happen now and it's like sand slipping between my fingers. I'm so so glad you managed to get an early warning out to all the enthusiasts that could make it to the final few days. I'm so disappointed, but it'll forever have amazing memories attached for many people around the world.
I feel the exact same way I fortunately got to experience it it was an amazing experience I’m so sorry you never got to experience this ride I’m hoping in 2026 there be something awesome just as kingda ka was
same here, uk too and was planning a trip in 2025 for my first trip out there, sadly these hydraulic launch coasters from the coaster wars are all being removed (TTD) plus formula rossa,
not sure what ill be doing now but don't think going to any six flags or even cedar fair for now,
@@That_sd1_vitesse It makes Stealth even more special. Amusingly back in 2007, when people raved about Stealth I'd like 'Yeah, but LOOK AT KINGDA KA!' - now I can really appreciate that Merlin are keeping Stealth running with the hydraulic launch. They are a very rare breed of rollercoasters now. I still would like to go to Cedar Point for Millennium Force as that's a bucket list, just to even see it in real life seems surreal!
@ after more thinking I guess I’ll be heading to a six flags sooner than originally thought actually as I wouldn’t be surprised if x2 is on the cutting board as I bet that’s expensive to maintain too. Definitely all this old but impressive ride are coming to the end of there lives or financial worth
The one I was really upset with was rolling thunder that was one of my favorite rides. Been on it over 100 times before they closed it one day years and years ago before fright Fest was a thing in October. I wrote it 30 times without getting off, but that was back in the day when I was a teenager.