November 17, 2024Nov 17 comment_323040 I’m honestly devastated that it’s closing. I’m so grateful that I got to experience it in 2016 and I controversially rank it as my number 1. Yes objectively other coaster are better more complete experiences, I also imagine the internet saying how bad Kingda Ka was lowered my expectations. But I’ve never come off a roller coaster so blown away like on Kingda Ka, even more so than El Toro back row. Such a huge loss, finding a worthy replacement that is marketable is gonna be a challenge (even if it is an objectively better coaster).
November 18, 2024Nov 18 Author comment_323043 I'm not that bothered weirdly. But my early enthusiast days were at the time of Top Thrill Dragster so that to me was the more iconic of the 2. The method of the closure is very disappointing though. Is Amanda Thompson involved?
November 18, 2024Nov 18 comment_323047 9 hours ago, Benin said: I'm not that bothered weirdly. But my early enthusiast days were at the time of Top Thrill Dragster so that to me was the more iconic of the 2. The method of the closure is very disappointing though. Is Amanda Thompson involved? I'm probably more bothered on a personal level because it was closed the entire time I was there and opened like two days later. Yes that's selfish, but it's a spite that I can never get now and the park made sure of that.
November 19, 2024Nov 19 comment_323058 I’m very glad to have got on it this year - even 19 years on the speed and height of this thing was still incredible and very grateful to have got on one of the 2 most iconic hydraulic launch coasters. I do think the way they’ve handled this is a complete joke, as mentioned already this is a iconic ride known all across the world, to just close with no warning is pretty shocking, had it been opening next year for a “final year send off” I’d have renewed my pass, made the trip over. In some ways I can almost understand the other rides closing which were less well known to close, but to close a ride of this stature with a little press release a few days after it closed just seems wrong to me.
March 2Mar 2 comment_324101 Cut it up into 10cm long sections, auction them off at $100 a pop along with a certificate of authenticity, and that'll fund whatever they're replacing it with and line the directors' pockets!
March 7Mar 7 comment_324188 Does anyone know if there’s been any mention of why Kingda Ka closed? It’s not like it was in need of repair, it was operating well on its last day. I assume just reliability and cost to run and maintain? 🤷♂️
March 8Mar 8 comment_324191 11 hours ago, Inferno said: Does anyone know if there’s been any mention of why Kingda Ka closed? It’s not like it was in need of repair, it was operating well on its last day. I assume just reliability and cost to run and maintain? 🤷♂️ Cost to run and maintain is the main culprit. It required a maintenance team 24/7 and for the level of riders it got compared to the other big hitters at Great Adventure, the cost wasn't deemed worthwhile. If TTD2 had been a success this may have had a different outcome and may have been saved in some form. But we'll never know now.
March 8Mar 8 comment_324194 5 hours ago, Mark9 said: It required a maintenance team 24/7 Do you know where the original source for this claim came from? I've heard it plenty of times, and whilst it wouldn't be outside the realm of believability, part of me wonders if it's just something made up to make things sound worse. I do struggle to understand why it would need engineers working on it literally round the clock. I've also heard its maintenance costs were around the £1m a year mark. Whilst that figure isn't useful by itself (How much do other rides at the park cost? What about other Intamin accelerators?), if that is true, it does indicate its expense.
March 8Mar 8 Author comment_324195 Just purely on the amount of energy/force required for the short period of acceleration time on Rita/Stealth I dread to think how that would correlate up to the bigger boys. Remember going into the Rita launch room and being surprised at how quick it was, but doing that constantly must wear it out considerably, especially factoring in Ka having more trains. Then again Xcelerator was a bit of a nightmare too. Maybe American engineers are just worse than elsewhere?
August 26Aug 26 comment_327875 Six Flags Great Adventure was the first major park I visited recently, as part of a larger north-east/mid-western park trip with a friend. At the time of planning this trip (late 2024), there were strange and concerning reports that Kingda Ka and other attractions would be closed at the park for the next season. These reports were unfortunately true. In-light of being spited at least two former major attractions, expectations for this place were noticeably diminished. However thankfully a mostly enjoyable visit was had. It’s an interesting park in how it’s not too far from New York, yet in the middle of nowhere, amongst a safari attraction too. Upkeep was mostly decent and operations mixed, though some of the clientele made for a more hairy queuing experience. El toro is certainly the show stopper here, incredible woodie with some rough and intense moments. The B&M collection is mostly excellent, Dare Devil thankfully opened and was better than Wonder Woman and the Flash was overall fun. The park also had a random DC show, Skull Mountain wasn’t anything special. Still worth visiting if you’re in that area.
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