Problematic Roller Coasters - Kingda Ka Review & Technical Analysis - Six Flags Great Adventure

[@ElToroRyan]

Update: My bad about the Swahili comment. I’m an idiot. Also, Kingda Ka and Zumanjaro are now allowed to run together!!

[@goalhornstudios8426]

Cool!

[@RollerCoasterPsycho]

What frrr

[@RollerCoasterPsycho]

How come they allow it now!!!

[@ravagetalon]

Source on the simultaneous ops? Its been about 4 years since I've been to GrAdv, but Im curious when that change happened.

[@robertbartley6638]

@@RollerCoasterPsycho I heard from someone who works there that they added some sort of shield onto Zumajaro to protect against objects falling from Kingda Ka, that was apparently the main problem they had with them running together

[@ian8lisle572]

New Jersey: Rides over 400 feet need shoulder restraints. Also New Jersey: *Only has one ride over 400 feet*

[@Mike-nz2lw]

Ian8lisle I mean technically its two with zumanjaro

[@oofmodzz8101]

Mike 32 at the time of Kingda Ka’s opening it was the only one

[@oofmodzz8101]

Mike 32 and it had OTSR

[@CoasterMonkeyStudios]

Ian8lisle that’s what i was thinking lmao

[@averagejoe6031]

I don’t even understand NJ’s reasoning for making that regulation, since the height of a ride has nothing to do with weather shoulder restraints would be any more necessary or helpful. It just seems like that regulation was not data driven at all and more impulsive.

[@mikethewhizz5085]

This may be the most "coaster wars" coaster of all time. Why bother with long and complex layouts when you can just yeet people into the sky and back

[@mikethewhizz5085]

Edit: I did just ride Top Thrill Dragster at Cedar Point, and I know it's not exactly the same, but despite its downtime (they just got it up and running the day we arrived) it was a very memorable ride experience. I didnt enjoy it as much as the other high speed short but sweet launched coaster I'd ridden, maxxforce, but maybe that's because I didnt have the same front row ride. It's not the absolute best in the park but it is an incredible experience that every launched coaster fan should have, and I hope that Cedar Point can keep it around for a long time. I will say with confidence that it is currently Cedar Point's most unique rollercoaster. It's also my favorite coaster theme-wise.

[@milkmilklemonaderoundtheco130]

A raised brake run is also less punishing on the brakes: less wear and tear = less money being spent on the ride

[@loser99134]

@ILoveYouAlbedo666 I live in Jersey and I’ve seen it do that before. They just relaunch you😂😂

[@mattsnyder4754]

100% Dragster makes “sense.” It was the first. All they cared about was height & speed. Ka is just plain copied homework. I’m honestly shocked that Cedar Point didn’t have some kind of agreement in place with Intamin to keep this from happening.

[@MrEvan1932]

@@mikethewhizz5085 Cedar Point's most unique coaster easily goes to the Maverick

[@MrFrankieFiggz]

That was me in the red shirt front row in the over dramatized Kingda Ka commercial from 2005. They brought in a chopper for aerial shots and I rode it 28 times in a row until I told the crew I needed a break because I had a severe headache lol.

[@Rynynryn]

LMAOOOOOOOOOOO 28 TIMES IN A ROW !?!?!? Are you alright since !?!?!?

[@alphaash0]

NO WAYY HAHA . ive been scared to go on it once 😅

[@Jdalio5]

Thats commitment bro

[@johnfoltz8183]

Any rollbacks?

[@cosmicfool9138]

My parents were on some show (I’ve never been able to find it) where they had to ride the Beast and Flight of Fear somewhere around 30 times per ride.

[@jenniferh9612]

POV: you’re at a music festival and the guy next to you starts talking about roller coasters

[@isaiahparis]

me

[@Emilee-rd7il]

LMAO

[@OakForestBoys]

I talk about theme parks at festivals as well

[@thewewguy8t88]

i would talk about roller coasters any where any time :)

[@Amaar102]

That’s probably me

[@lanceanthony198]

Attaching a drop tower ride to the structure of a massive roller coaster hill is the most six flags thing ever

[@jcspotter7322]

Honestly it's really cool how they were able to use an existing structure to its full advantage

[@tealishshark]

runs perfectly when park empty, gets stressed out and breaks when more than the crew shows up to ride.

[@maxtanner2840]

The day I went to great adventure the park was empty but Kingda Ka was down the whole day and I didn't get to ride

[@davidshaw681]

It gets nervous

[@tealishshark]

@@maxtanner2840 probably a reason outside of the norm

[@ElToroRyan]

so true! I remember those 0 downtime days when we had no line 😂 we'd always be like WHY TODAY?

[@rishabmohandoss1553]

It just has social anxiety it dosent like a large crowd so it breaks down

[@brokenteletooby106]

*_"Buy one get one free admission monday through thursday with a CAN OF COKE"_*

[@InfinFox]

conk

[@BRC21]

A can of cocaine

[@forgotaboutbre]

?? It's a common theme-park promotion

[@kaiokendo]

and a pill of SPEED

[@datboi1026]

BRC 21 anything can happen in jersey!

[@Hyttelus]

I live in Denmark, and I went to the US with my family for the first time in 2016. We visited the park, but Kingda Ka was closed due to unannounced maintenance. We had driven up frrom DC, and I was pretty bummed, but nothing we could do, and there we're lots of other great rides, to go enjoy. We came back two days later just to ride Kingda Ka. We sat and waited pretty much all day, but the ride was closed all day due to technical difficulties caused by high temperatures that day. Lots of testruns, but never with riders. We came back to the US in 2018, and obviously had to come back to Great Adventure. Kingda Ka was closed up until midday, and had been running testruns up until lunch. They did another run, and I shit you not, this time my dad pointed out that he could actually see people in it. After two failed attempts, me and my dad ran as fast as we could, to get that sweet Kingda Ka ride, and boy was it worth the wait.

[@Jonas_Albert]

WTF! I live in denmark too

[@goon_juice]

kingda ka is okay it is worth it but id rather ride the fury at corwinds or other coasters that are tall but not as short

[@TheWonkster]

@@goon_juice you mean good giga coasters with more than big up and a heartline? Yeah I think that's a pretty common sentiment.

[@DavidCastro-wf8cl]

my favorite ride of all time

[@KayCeeTX21]

I actually did a happy dance when y’all made it on to the ride. Glad you got to ride it. It’s a trip to say the least and must do at least once.

[@kevinwelge7208]

And now…here we are. 4 years since this video and 19 years since Ka opened and it’s been removed. Long live the King.

[@aguy4247]

I'm glad I got to ride Kingda Ka in 2009, I remember both sides of the station running, and that alive feeling you mentioned. My dad saw kingda ka on tv one night and then came to my room and said pack a bag we're driving to New Jersey. We went on a multi day road trip during a school week just because he saw this coaster and wanted to ride it now. It's a core memory for me now, and I'm glad I got to ride both kingda ka and el toro in their early years. RIP Kingda Ka, thanks for the lifelong memories.

[@Spunnar]

Never thought i could get addicted to highly technical videos about Roller coasters but I was wrong

[@Dani-it9vc]

literally me too

[@dialga3056]

Fascinating video. As a ride operator myself and a local of Great Adventure, I have always found Ka to be one of the more interesting rides from an operational perspective. Funnily enough I once got a poorly timed dispatch on Ka in the front row when a downpour began as soon as we went into the transfer. That was an... interesting ride to say the least haha. Look forward to more content in this series!

[@NickyD]

that had to hurt serosuly

[@godlugner5327]

Formula Rossa is just a bit faster and it's mandatory to wear goggles because even a bug at that speed can seriously hurt. Didn't someone get hit by a bird on kingda ka?

[@Unaboner]

Dialga305 what was the actual average operating speed?

[@SeeingDoubIe]

@@godlugner5327 yeah and he got hurt apparently

[@NotTheBomb]

So basically, a bunch of politicians who magically became engineers made some random laws just to ruin huge plans for the amusement park.

[@randomvideosn0where]

They make random laws all the time based on feelings. Same thing with inspectors, they will feel that things should be a certain way even arguing with engineers.

[@JoeCakeGames]

What's silly is that lap-bars would therefore be allowed if the ride was 399ft

[@pervocracy]

@@JoeCakeGames Yeah, if they think people can fall out of lap bars, then they should put shoulder restraints on every ride that goes more than 5 feet above the ground. But really they should just notice that nobody's ever fallen off Top Thrill Dragster.

[@alexis-zc9dv]

I’m personally happy that it has over the shoulder restraints because otherwise I don’t think I would ride it. I feel comfortable with those but if it just had a lap bar I would not feel safe. I get nervous on Nitro with just the lap bar so 😂 edit: somehow I found myself back here and if anyone sees this just know I’m less of a baby now and would probably ride with a lap bar 😻

[@overbeb]

@@alexis-zc9dv The lap bar on Top Thrill Dragster works great. You're not going anywhere with one of those T-lap bars on. It keeps you secure and you get to feel more open to the air. Much better experience.

[@thedwemercomrade2675]

"Why would a language as old as Swahili have a word for roller coaster?" Swahili isn't a dead language, they still make new words. Like French doesn't just stop making words.

[@nolancheeseman8075]

when he said it i was like bro this man is not intelligent. english was a language before roller coasters as well obviously so wtf is he talking about.

[@NigelMelanisticSmith]

I think the over-the-shoulder bar versus lap bar debate is the one thing that I don't get about roller coaster enthusiasts. I love shoulder bars, I always feel safer with them lol.

[@wxbrainiac]

same i hate lap bars they always hurt my legs after shoulder feels much safe and gives me more to hold onto

[@NigelMelanisticSmith]

@@wxbrainiac glad to know I'm not alone in my opinion lol.

[@The-one-and-only-Fruitcake]

Lap bars are more fun, but they give me way more anxiety lmao Over the shoulder >>

[@pancake_rabbit]

i prefer over the shoulder but lap bars are funny because i get to feel the airtime more

[@XxdextriousxX]

Cause most roller coaster enthusiasts are crazy about less restriction. Like yea still secure to seat but the more air time and ability to be at mercy of forces the better for them lol

[@Silacide]

It’s a shame I didn’t ride this thing in the front and only one time... but hey can you blame me? El toro was calling me!

[@trevorstivers8221]

Silacide Squad Is the front smoother than the back? The back was incredible rough/intense that it gave me a terrible headache and I never get headaches on coasters. My experience was really bad. Top thrill dragster was very smooth, so I was disappointed in Kingda Ka.

[@Silacide]

Trevor Stivers Ryan says it’s smoother in the front and explains why he thinks that is so I guess so?

[@kaylarose2383]

Trevor Stivers yes , the front is WAY more smooth. i’ve sat in the very front and it’s very much more relaxing

[@lwasnothere]

Kayla Bitch how can any part of kingda ka be relaxing, it’s supposed to be an adrenaline rush not a relaxing coaster

[@KingXChrono]

@@lwasnothere Once you sit in the front row bro. You'll know

[@connorjackson6516]

1:47 if you watch the train you can see it violently shake at the end of the launch track

[@chloebaloneyxx]

I noticed that too lmao

[@MichaelRei99]

Connor Jackson you should feel it when they launch an empty train when you are at the top of Zoomanjaro!!

[@ElToroRyan]

I think the launch track itself has actually began to warp over time!

[@MichaelRei99]

The bunny hill track shakes as well.

[@StreammClips]

@@chloebaloneyxx What are you on about? They cant run at the same time?

[@matthewsouthwell9653]

Green Day made a whole entire album dedicated to this ride called '21st Century Breakdown'

[@hooliganfanatic7241]

omg that is hilarious XD

[@lauravturner]

... damnit. I can't not like that comment.

[@bunkerboy02]

I’ve only just recently come across your channel and I have to say - I am now hooked. The information you pack into an episode is immense and your range of clips you pack in is mind blowing. Thank you!

[@OakViewFilms]

I remember back when Dick Kinzel retired from his position at the CEO of Cedar Fair, he was asked if he had any regrets during his tenure at Cedar Fair. What did he pick as his BIGGEST regret? Building Top Thrill Dragster, due to how technically difficult and expensive it was to run in its operating season. I feel like had Six Flags know about TTD's problems it encountered in its opening year, they wouldn't have built Kingda Ka. Could also be this being the reason we haven't seen any other coasters break the height record since Kingda Ka opened.

[@CoasterWriter]

Of all the changes, I think the one that upsets me the most is closing off the launch observation area. How hard would it have been just to put up some sort of shield like they do for water rides . . . or actual tiger enclosures? Also, great video! New favorite series of yours.

[@chadanthonygeorge8457]

still, you will have one jackass chuck something over and hit someone, as the ride is launching. people just suck.

[@taylorvandenberg4759]

@@chadanthonygeorge8457 cedar points top thrill dragster has a observation area still. hell, they have bleachers for it where you can buy a hot dog under the bleachers then watch the launch. i have never recalled a problem where someone threw something at anyone at the observation area

[@Brandon-qd2lb]

Taylor Vandenberg that’s a lot farther away then the one Kingda ka had lol I think it’s safer too

[@chadanthonygeorge8457]

@@taylorvandenberg4759 could also be state regulation. I have not been to either park, but it does seem that the bleachers at CP are far from the ride and I think that helps make sure people are not incline to throw stuff over.

[@jsmithers.]

@@taylorvandenberg4759 How fast is the Dragster honestly going by the time its passing the bleachers ? Probably not much faster than a standard roller coaster, since the bleachers are so close to the initial launch area. So maybe like 50mph. This doesnt make it any more dangerous than any area of the park near a roller coaster track. People could throw stuff off the Corkscrew and hit someone too, or basically any ride. New Jersey just must be very weird and strict with their laws.

[@phillippi2]

I actually spoke with a technician who worked on Kingda Ka. He confirmed the reasons for the trim brake on top of the first hill. It's because of the g-force at the top of the hill. As you said, riders can get air time there. Slowing the train down reduces the amount of time where the rider is not in control of their body. This reduces the chance of the rider getting whiplash. It's also part of the parks disaster response system. If something were to happen and part of the track breaks (think what supposedly happened at Son of the Beast.), that brake can stop the train without causing a lot of pressure further down the track. Basically, it reduces the chance of the track buckling on itself.

[@moonlightequilibrium8924]

I got on Kingda Ka in 2007. It was closed the entire day from opening until sunset, and then I was able to get on it at nightfall. I don’t regret a moment. This ride is outstanding.

[@statistical-cats-sophia]

"Why would a language as old as Swahili have a word for rollercoaster?" English is super duper old and it has a word for rollercoaster 😂

[@sandraweilbrenner67]

Kingda ka was the name of a tiger at the park they named the coaster after the tiger after it died.

[@n3lis94]

Yeah I got so lucky on this one! I live in the Netherlands and have only been to the USA once, but during this one week in NYC there was one day available that we could possibly go to great adventure. But there was rain with a possibility of thunder forecasted... We went anyway, the rain stopped at about 9:30, there was no thunder and there was nobody there because of the forecast! Kingda Ka rode the entire day and the longest queue we had was about 20 minutes. Best day ever.

[@uliseslopez5568]

Wow really lucky I live in Jersey and have the membership and 20 minutes isn’t long at all trust imagine a hot summer day on Ka yeah it’s can be like 2-3 hours waiting

[@kezianaomi1839]

Had this happen at multiple theme parks. Its a risk but the reward is worth it

[@n3lis94]

@TheGamer748 Oh dude you got some serious balls waiting for the last moment to ride El Toro! I would've beem so angry at myself if I missed it haha

[@thatoneannoyingsoprano8066]

oh those are the best days ever! i went to kings island a few years ago and it downpoured while we ate lunch and were out of the rain and stopped when we came back! no lines the rest of the day!

[@atribecalledjudah5436]

Kingda ka sounds like a bad Wu-Tang Clan member name.

[@JustinMintz01]

Being in the very front row of Kingda Ka is an incredible experience

[@elevatoralarmcoasterandarc1214]

Very nice.

[@JohnCorsale5150]

**UPDATE The 2011 shut down was a cable snap while me and my friends were on it. I got in the face with bits of plastic and water in the front row and we made it about 200-300 ft back and had to be let off the launch track down the maintenance staircase which I was told was the first and only time this happened. Once in life time experience. This was toward the end of the season. I believe it opened back up toward the end of Halloween. I had season passes there for years.

[@georgeschubert9652]

No one cares dude.

[@vampitc]

@@georgeschubert9652 No one cares dude.

[@HeftyDan]

I cares dude.

[@jcspotter7322]

This was in 2011, we don't care

[@jimmythegamer2231]

​@@jcspotter7322 I care

[@Raimondilicious]

I live in Jackson, and worked Ka's photo booth the same season you were a ride op, great video dude

[@StormRunnerSam]

When I rode Kinda Ka for the first time it rolled back on us. It was so terrifying but awesome at the same time. But also last summer I walked on with my friend after a 5 min wait when it opened up after it was closed all day.

[@joao.spegiorin]

I had probably one of the best rides back in 2016, when there were clouds covering the top of Kingda Ka! It was awesome!

[@Novakiller]

This video hits different today! 😢 Long Live The King🤘

[@unknownwarrior5672]

I was really lucky and happy to be able to ride this when i went to great adventure. Fortunately we got there right when the park opened. Did a warmup coaster first (i think it was the runaway train) and went right to kingda ka. We only waited 45 to 50 minutes at most. I will never forget the anxiety this ride gave me. Nobody can be prepared for that launch. This thing is nuts

[@GalacticCoast]

Dude, you are on top of this subject for sure. My young son is a fan of your videos but here I am watching one while he is at school. LOL Keep up the great work! Can't imagine the amount of work that went into this video between writing and organizing the verbal content and editing the video. Great Job!!

[@fandomfancy2450]

You can thank Action Park for all the strict NJ ride rules 😑

[@riot840]

really?

[@masinalima]

That place was a mess

[@3librawn286]

Class Action Park

[@juanthehorse420]

my dad saw a dude break his neck, another old guy rip all of the skin off his back on the concrete slide (where they proceeded to pour disinfectant on him), and saw his friend’s eyebrow get torn clean off on the infamous loop slide

[@thatswagduck4868]

@@juanthehorse420 ok gp

[@jarrodjob]

Thankful for the WIND explain at the end. Devastating to Lake Erie and Cedar Point.

[@johnfoltz8183]

Most unreliable coaster ever? Volcano, The Blast Coaster: Hold my LIMs.

[@PGK69420]

John Foltz rip volcano

[@DanielBlaney]

Batman and Robin the Chiller says hi.

[@Brandon-qd2lb]

Good thing they use LSMs from now on...

[@richardthomas657]

HypersonicXLC here. Just wanted to check in.

[@sandraweilbrenner67]

Lightening Rod

[@ryangilrane4110]

This was literally the most comprehensive video I've watched about the inner workers of a roller coaster, that also offers first hand operational insight as well. First video of yours I've watched and subscribed instantly! Thank you for all your hard work!!

[@JoshSmith-me7oe]

Long live the king 2005-2024

[@cbjgirl23]

Loved the in depth analysis of KingDa Ka! It’s so interesting how a (former) ride op sees it. So interesting that it doesn’t launch at the advertised speed, if only you told us what it launched at, oh well! Keep up the quality content!!

[@isaacjohnson9276]

The one time I’ve been to this park I was in line for Kingda Ka just so I can have bragging rights and of course it shut down. I ended up leaving the park without riding it, but did get a ride on El Toro which I’m glad.

[@phanatic215]

You have to splurge and get the flash pass. I rode Kingda Ka five times in one day.

[@zackmags2458]

You’re telling me, that it’s not supposed to run in the rain and I’ve gotten 3 rain rides in the front row? Should I feel special or in pain?

[@cancelled148]

Lmao But I do understand about the fact to not run during the winter cause yeah

[@draxbrady1535]

Lmao, at Top Thrill over here in Cedar Point, if u get there on a Monday and it’s not crowded, they’ll sometimes let you go through twice in a row!! Other times, (idk if this is true) they’ll send u up so u come back down (I only think that because while I was by the lift operator I was like “wouldn’t it be cool if it stopped at the top and came down? That would be epic” and it happened lol).

[@kirakaffee9976]

apparently, it didn't hurt that much. probably, the eggheads who decided it would did not take the adrenaline rush into account no😏

[@MoneyMakeOnlineEasy]

@@draxbrady1535 u just got lucky w the rollback haha. Operators dont control the intensity of the hydraulic launch

[@draxbrady1535]

@@MoneyMakeOnlineEasy shhhhh let me wishfully think lmao (in all seriousness you are probably right, I just like to think that because I’ve spent my whole life going there and have had nothing but amazing encounters with the operators)

[@skrounst]

Dude 24:05 That scuffed key with sharpie set-up is SO perfect. I love that some asinine law was loopholed by sloppily writing the ride initials with a sharpie, and letting a teenager with a captain america keychain select the ride 😂😂 SO good dude!

[@crazydude12800]

today eltororyan posted “kingda ka’s last public train”. i will never be able to ride this amazing ride but i will never forget it. none of us will 😭

[@joemcgrath7343]

Miss going to six flags in the summer. Just going on all the rides and having a nice cold drink after. It was amazing

[@adri6nn]

8:53 wiggle wiggle wiggle

[@samuelshock6292]

W g l W g l W g l i g e i g e i g e

[@tismejaytee]

doot doot doot doo doo dooooo

[@Robert-jz7hq]

Thats......a lot.....of......movement....lol

[@kamildouglas]

ouuuuweee

[@SlopedOtter]

8:52 that flex has to be causing some wicked metal fatigue!

[@LolitaCraft]

Funny how despite being a complete wimp when it comes to most rollercoasters and thrill rides I’ve found these kinds of in-depth technical analyses on ‘famous’ rollercoasters (and by extension the Rollercoaster Tycoon games) incredibly fascinating. I actually remember learning about this particular coaster back around the time it first opened while waiting in line at a different Six Flags park haha

[@AlexisTwoLastNames]

yo. i loved this video. made me wish i had gone into engineering instead of math during undergrad lol. roller coasters make me so happy

[@spider0804]

Leave it to New Jersy to make a law that affects a single ride because some dimwitt looked at the lapbars and said "Oh that looks scary I am going to lobby against it." Look at the shake on the camera on King Da Ka vs Top Thrill Dragster, Dragster so smooooooooth.

[@SalivatingSteve]

spider0804 the launch on Kingda Ka looks much more violent and rough!

[@stephaniesummer2663]

2 rides but yeah. My state can be really wack sometimes.

[@Xeenic]

Kinda Ka is soooooo much more rough. I don't think I've ever been vibrated so intensely before I honestly thought I was going to vibrate into a other dimension.

[@maxhagenauer24]

You know it's bad when the roll back is more enjoyable than the launch.

[@paulcorso]

Ryan dude, you’re on fire with these mini documentaries. Honestly, my favorite coaster content, by far, anywhere on the web. Keep em coming!

[@rickjohnson9673]

Here we are 4 years later and it’s closing. Glad I went yesterday and did it one last time

[@ExMachina70]

Having Zumanjaro and Kingda Ka fused together is a great way engineers were able to utilize two rides into one saving space and recourses.

[@lucacoasters8765]

So if you do a 30 minute review of ka which is 25 seconds, does that mean if you ended up reviewing Tobotronc, it’d be an 18 hour review?

[@jarrodjob]

The Coaster Boys LOL. Ded.

[@toxicpineapple2610]

Do a review of Mr. Bone's Wild Ride

[@AirtimeThrills]

Fascinating nerd stuff. The state of NJ needs to back off with these laws. Seriously

[@yeskaitlyn8029]

gotta be safe doe

[@jsmithers.]

It seems weird. Something could be thrown off a ride and hit someone virtually anywhere in the park. Like walking on a path right next to a big hill. What are the laws on that ? Also what about roller coasters that race eachother and are right next to eachother ? People can grab eachother and throw things and whatever else. Are those rides allowed in New Jersey? Honestly there has to be something that can make them both run at the same time. At very worst make the 3 towers enclosed in clear plastic tubes or something.

[@averagejoe6031]

Look who’s talking, a Californian😂

[@DocterWaffles]

not after action park

[@Tacocat4642]

@@jsmithers. at Canada's Wonderland they have nets all over one part of the park to prevent this from a new coaster they built called the Yukon Striker. They could probably use a similar net design on the Kingda Ka.

[@ptcfan]

Man. It was worth the watch just to relive the 4 train operation shots. I miss the dual sided station. What an amazing atmosphere is was that the ride had back in 2005 - 2008. It was unreal.

[@rhysg9722]

Do I like rollercoasters? Nope. Do I binge your videos and enjoy every second of them? Yep. It's always a good time listening to you talk about your passion 😊 and the footage consistently ups the entertainment factor.

[@Scottocaster6668]

The narration on this video is most impressive. Non-stop and informative for over a half hour. How does one even become a ride operator??

[@Kizzabell]

Just apply? It seems to be on the job training

[@Coasterlocity]

I rode in row 1 in the rain once. Yikes. It was lots of fun, but i never want to do that again. Kinda like the one time i rode in the back. That hurt. I love this ride so much though. Unfortunately I can't compare it to Dragster since unlike Dragster, Ka has been open every time I've visited.

[@wildpurple005]

A few months ago, when I was in the park, either the operators were new or forgot about the law, as for the two days I was there, zumenjaro and kingda ka were running simultaneously. Every time I’ve been since (I had season passes) they were not. As a matter of fact, when I went on the drop tower, kingda ka launched at just the right time that we actually raced the train back down the tower. Best time I’ve ever had on that ride.

[@screamindog8772]

I see them do that a lot nowadays, maybe it’s gradually becoming more common

[@embercapriii]

its legal now bc they added a better cage on top of zumenjaro

[@brokencoasters1342]

The New Jersey state law is that if a coaster is above 300 ft. Then it has to have over the shoulders. Also the reason why zumanjaro and ka can’t run at the same time is another jersey law... thanks jersey

[@ryan_n05]

So even if Cedar Fair takes over Great Adventure when Six Flags goes bankrupt again, they still won’t get a B&M Giga...

[@brokencoasters1342]

TheSpanish Potato i mean they could try to work something Out with the jersey government, but I don’t see that happening... I’m not 100% on if it is 300 or 400 ft. So maybe in the future

[@visionist7]

They could still get a giga with vest restraints I guess. Would be lame but B&Ms have no airtime anyways

[@jacklempke7779]

Good information, thank you!!

[@NickyD]

@@ryan_n05 it would have to be a intmain giga like i305 they would never be allowed to build a fury 325 giga in NJ

[@robertfarrell6757]

I rode both KK and TTD within 2 days and remember my head bouncing side to side fiercely on Ka during launch. Now I know it is because the whole track is swaying. Great video, very interesting and informative!

[@GCArtWork]

Love how I manage to pick one of the most unreliable coasters as my main bucket list coaster. If I ever get to go to America - I'm refusing to leave till I ride it lol

[@queenielouweekly3160]

Me too

[@katiewennerberg210]

I live in the US and it was a huge bucket list coaster that I finally got a month ago. Absolutely worth it! Ride was running for me and didn’t have to wait at all due to low crowds

[@everythingbutthegirlfan762]

Why would a language as old as swahili have a word for roller coaster? Because it is not a dead language. Chinese, Greek, Hebrew, Arabic, Italian, Persian and many others are older than Swahili and have words for Roller coaster.

[@Frank71]

Interesting point. How long ago do roller coasters go back? Tracked vehicle thats propelled by gravity and momentum. Im sure some caveman in the snowy mountains pulled up a a sled. And after a few nasty accidents, came up with a track, or a down hill trail to avoid hitting trees.

[@A.F.Whitepigeon]

@@Frank71 That's exactly what happened, though not until the 1800s. These early attractions were known as "Russian mountains" (because snow), and to this day, many languages' words for roller coaster literally translate to "Russian mountain."

[@sandraweilbrenner67]

It was named for a tiger at the park

[@jimmiegonzalez2306]

@@A.F.Whitepigeon yup: "montaña rusa" in spanish.

[@tismejaytee]

Ah, yes. Kingda Ka. Or as I like to call it, *GP: The Ride*

[@jacklempke7779]

I'm sorry, I don't understand what you mean/are referring to by GP. What does it mean? Excuse the hole in my knowledge, thank you!

[@howtoplayeverything5802]

yes, so true, when i rode the gp were talking stupid quotes about people dying

[@rogmcc23]

Jack Lempke GP means general public, it’s a term used by the coaster enthusiast community to refer to non coaster enthusiasts at parks.

[@jacklempke7779]

Roger McCurdy hey thank you Roger!!

[@MichaelRei99]

Roger McCurdy kind of a dumb term considering the GP pay the bills.

[@coastermania17]

I was wondering if you could shed some light on their protocol for rollbacks. The signs all over the queue line say that it's supposed to just reset and launch again and I've heard that the computer is supposed to use data from the previous three launches to know how fast to launch the next train, so if there's a rollback, it knows to launch it a little faster. A few years ago, I was fortunate enough to experience a rollback, however, instead of just launching the train again, they rolled the train all the way back into the station on the opposite side loading bay and unloaded the train so they could test it before loading us onto the next available train. Do you know why they do that now instead of running that part how it was designed to?

[@howardchang6985]

Discovered your videos through KZbin suggestion. I didn’t realize I’d be interested in coaster problems! 😊 You do a great job entertaining while explaining details. Thanks for your efforts!

[@FadkinsDiet]

Thanks for the map of how the queue line was rerouted, I geeked out over it

[@collinparsons3363]

I'm not sure switching from 4 to 3 train operation improved the reliability. I think it would depend on other factors. With the ride being over 10 years old, I would think that the park is better able to deal with the issues that arise. I visited the park pretty regularly from 2013 to 2016 and except for the Zumanjaro construction, Kingda Ka was open every time. The main problem is KK and Zumanjaro not being able to operate at the same time. I wonder if there's a way to solve that. Maybe the metal cage over the seats on Zumanjaro could be extended. I don't think loose articles from Zumanjaro would hit riders on KK because they fall straight down and KK is never directly under it. If that issue is fixed, I think KK should go back to running 4 trains through both sides of the station at peak times, but still run only 3 trains through one station platform during other times.

[@skullmountainfanboy4928]

Thank you for playing the soundtrack, one of my favorite ride soundtracks lol

[@visionist7]

It's so unashamedly 90s even though the coaster is from 2005 lol

[@skullmountainfanboy4928]

Felice Graziano Lmao yeah that’s partly why I love it

[@johnfoltz8183]

Hydraulic Launch Coaster 1 has broken down.

[@jontreceeee]

Planet coaster reference

[@luciferfaust]

@@jontreceeee I thought rollercoaster tycoon, came waaaay before

[@chris-hayes]

Roller coaster tycoon reference

[@truejohnsolo]

KZbin recommended me one video from this channel now I've been sucked into the rabbit hole of coaster enthusiast KZbin, and I'm not mad about it one bit.

[@edslushie570]

I like how in the captions, any measurement in miles is accompanied by a conversion to kilometers… but I *love* how the phrase “miles better” is changed to “miles (kilometers) better” at 10:12.

[@mulinhuan8410]

We can all agree that Ka is a little bit underrated (by Coaster Enthusiasts), its a great ride that gets overshadowed by Dragster (which is still better lol)

[@RYMAN1321]

Dragster is cool, but the bonus hill on this ride is a +1.

[@subzerofromny735]

Mulin Huan dragster is not better

[@shmoogboing2785]

Mulin Huan true

[@Croissant_Tortilla]

Mulin Huan Haha! Imagine not having Dragster closed when you’re there 😢

[@MichaelRei99]

Mulin Huan haven’t road dragster but it is not as fast and not as tall so by default it is 2nd best.

[@matthewsouthwell9653]

5:58 look at how the train shakes! 8:53 and the track, too.

[@mondobizarrro5468]

I visited sfgad on saturday may 19th 2018, i swallowed a bug on the way up Kingda ka, since the park was dead a second to front wait was a near walkon and we had a near zen ride on el toro (it was literally me and the group of friends i was with) the park closed early due to bad visability but we only had like a 10 minute warning (thanks six fails) however the rides were all walkons and were all open so no complaints here.

[@danemania001]

First time I ever sat in the front row, we rolled back! I sat up front for 2 launches it was double the awesomeness

[@bunkerboy02]

I bet that was scary!!

[@YouTubestopsharingmyrealname]

"...very well maintained." Maybe so, but have they ever thought they might touch up the paint?

[@jonathandpg6115]

Every 6 flags ever

[@mhtube01]

Of course not, have you looked at Nitro lately? That coaster has been crying for a paint job, let alone the trains are in serious need of it! It's a shame because the coasters would look so much nicer.

[@rwallac21]

Hopefully Disney or Comcast don't completely scrap Kingda Ka when either one inevitably buys out the Six Flags parks after the recession.

[@dchang11]

I wouldn't be surprised if Comcast is interested. Their headquarters are located in Philadelphia and most of their television studios are in New York. They shouldn't brand the park under the Universal name though.

[@Clonekiller66]

If Disney bought Six Flags, they'd ABSOLUTELY delete all the big rides. Disney fucking hates huge high thrill coasters. They'd probably dump it and use it for some crappy kiddie attraction that'd be a bitch to operate

[@thenintendogamer1542]

@@Clonekiller66 Six Flags doesnt make sense for a disney park though. It has so many big thrill rides that would be a disaster to tear down. Plus with KingDakas infamously it wouldnt be smart to take that down

[@landynmagyar8718]

I've ridden Kingda Ka at least 23 times (Different days). Every time I'm there it's closed for a good 4-6 hours... I never get to ride it when I first get there, but I can ride later the day. Very rarely will it be open midday.

[@MATT123Gaming]

“Ladies and gentlemen we are experiencing technical difficulties we do not know how long this will take. You are welcome to stay in the line.” *leaves line and sees the ride running 5 minutes later*

[@fmphotooffice5513]

The (amazing) ride aside, it's a pleasure to enjoy how well this video is written and edited. You show passion for your subject and not one second is spent outside your subject focus. (Most of personal KZbin videos are garbage.) Well done. Regards.

[@RailfanRowan]

Very impressed with your coverage of this structure!! Thank you for sharing with us!

[@Rollback_Productions_]

Wasn't there originally a "row 10" on each train with removable or retractable seats? I always heard this but never knew the truth lol

[@visionist7]

The final car does look weird with only 2 seats. They were probably removed for weight reasons right at the back. Maybe it was causing rollbacks. Dragster originally had the tyres and wing at the back.

[@ParasocialCatgirl]

Well, Stealth at Thorpe Park (like this but half the size) has a 10th row (but funnily enough rows 9 and 10 share the same gate in the station so I guess row 10 may have been an afterthought) Maybe you're getting confused with that somehow? idk

[@ElToroRyan]

There is an optional 10th row that can be added to the 5th car, similar to how Dragster got a 9th row added when they removed the fake tires from the trains. The park is very hesitant to add this though since it means additional weight on the launch motors and it would back the trains more back heavy so it would increase the chances of rollbacks. Right now, the trains are very evenly weight distributed.

[@crooked-halo]

Since Top Thrill Dragster was built, I've thought it (and Kingda Ka) to be a one trick pony. I believe these coasters would benefit from some more layout after the launch & hill. Some turns, hills, inversions etc. Too much wasted momentum, but great rides nevertheless. I'd love a couple of short rabbit hops with strong airtime on Kingda Ka instead of the long, drawn-out hill that has zero airtime.

[@alexanderivascu5261]

I've heard they are both nightmares to maintain, and rumors at CP make it sound like dragster may never open again. I noticed after these two were built they never really built anymore strato coasters

[@noahkrause2835]

@@alexanderivascu5261 after the recent announcement about dragster you aren't wrong.

[@shaneclark5431]

What is your advice (if any) for making sure Kingda Ka is open when you go? Does it run more reliable in some months or some temperatures more than others? Also, how much percent of days is Kingda Ka open? I want to make sure I ride this when I hopefully go there this Summer.

[@McSnezzly]

You can try to go if it rains earlier in the day and clears up, usually people leave the park. It’s honestly just luck lol.

[@screamindog8772]

If you see it open, go on no matter what. don’t work your way up to it or anything, because there’s your chance and it might be your only one that day

[@cyanoticspaz5675]

I rode the Ka a few years ago, and I freaking loved it. So simple, yet so fun. I was terrified at first, im scared of heights, but was first car when I rode it and I couldnt even tell it was 400 feet. Pribably because my hair felt like I turned Super Sayian lol

[@simonanderson3961]

"why would an ancient language like Swahili have a word for rollercoaster"... I guess in the same way as how there wasn't the word "rollercoaster" in the English language before 19...er whatever it was :P

[@kenshin6553]

I thought the same thing haha. I guess ETR didn’t realize Swahili is still an actively used language

[@ElementerChannel]

Kenshin Roller coasters are a pretty niche thing, believe it or not, and in places where they aren't super common, it's hard to believe there'd be a word for it. I know that in many languages spoken in places without many coasters, they're just called "coaster" or "roller coaster".

[@asmrtpop2676]

Elementer Channel but he said ancient. It’s not ancient, it’s a currently used language. Comes across at best as ignorant and at worst as racist.

[@mychemicalromancewillpierc5241]

asmRTPOP oh come on. I’m sure he just didn’t know.

[@littleloner1159]

@@mychemicalromancewillpierc5241 not knowing absolutely everything is clearly racist. Ignorant at best. Didn't you know that to be allowed to speak, you have to study all the cultures and languages and actively use the rules and regulations of inoffensive conduct. Rules come in 3 10 book sets.

[@electriceyeslide5959]

Great video. From a physics perspective, I believe the math will show the launch track is longer to prevent rollback. Even though KA is only 18 feet taller than Dragster top hat to top hat, the amount of centrifugal force required to overcome inertia at the apex of KA to clear KA’s top hat multiplies even at only 18 feet higher; thus requiring more force. I suspect the math will prove this out if you care to do it.

[@Scottocaster6668]

Say that fast 10x's.

[@electriceyeslide5959]

@@Scottocaster6668 lol

[@screamindog8772]

meanwhile someone gives me the most basic math problem and I’m just there like “uh”

[@Scottocaster6668]

@@screamindog8772 😆 hey, some people make noises when working out math problems, don't be so hard on yourself.

[@kingofthekeysXBL2]

4:16 “Now let’s move into a less depressing topic: Kingda Ka’s ride experience itself...” *Laughs in being 6’3”*

[@Happymali10]

"Kingda Ka is one of the most unreliable coasters on the planet." Tower of Terror (Gold Reef City):" You forgot about me again, didn't ya?"

[@zach1810]

As a former year round worker in the Wild Safari (2010-2015), I was privy to hear reasons for closures from maintenance. From what I heard, your theory about a cable snap is correct. Also when they first installed the drop tower both coasters ran at the same time. However, this was done ONLY with employees riding while testing the ride.

[@billarroo1]

I'm 73, but when I was 13 years old I lived in Long Beach, California usa, this is home of the Queen Mary, ship, early in the morning I would go fishing, there was an amusement park called, "The Pike", that had the biggest fastest ALL WOODEN ,rollercoaster, as I was headed to the water "THE CYCLONE" rollercoaster was on the beach, at 6:00 am, no rides are open yet, so I would climb up on to the structure 40 ft up but the "Cyclone" was about 90 ft tall and just sit there looking out at the water for where I was going to fish, I went up there a lot. I would find parts of the structure that had "fallen off" or was ready to fall off !!! Like wooden struts or 2x12" pieces that tied everything together!!! There was a bad accident that killed some people when the car was up high on one of the hi points flew off the track and landed in the sand !!! I never road in it, if people knew what I knew they wouldn't have many riders !!!😆😆😆😆.GREAT VIDEO Thanks William

[@zachgiberson3970]

I was strapped into the ride getting ready for a rollback and I was so excited I hoped there would be a roll back, and the car In front of me rolled back . I was pissed but I still got a great a ride

[@Stephenp503]

The intro makes me feel obligated to watch the entire video.

[@IdrisHayward]

Thank you for this video. Brings back memories. I operated this ride the first year it opened during Fright Fest. It was fun when it worked...

[@DuecePiece]

Unpopular Opinion: Although Dragster is a much smoother, more complete experience (with the little themeing)- however I actually liked Ka more. That launch had my soul transcending out of my body, got tunnel vision on end of the track- blinded by the sun on the way up then hands up for the way down! Just amazing! 👍🤘

[@Metal_Groove45]

I agree with this! Even though Dragster is glass smooth, the launch on Kingda Ka made me go plaid like in Spaceballs! Best night ride I ever had on a roller coaster so far! I got 2 rides at night when I was there visiting from Ohio!

[@jtfgamer8832]

Head back, ARMS DOWN, get ready!

[@dylpickle6123]

23:50 “Because of loose articles falling” *Sees roof on Zumanjaro*

[@marcustulliuscicero5443]

The issue would be stuff getting ejected from the train when it goes through the 270° turn coming down from the hill. No roof is going to help against a cellphone coming in from the side.