Why Six Flags Great Adventure Shut Down Kingda Ka: A Speculation Story

[@coastersandbrews]

Great Video! That last day of Kingda Ka’s operation will always be such a unique one, because nothing was official but we all believed in the rumors that turned out to be true.

[@F7COASTERS]

Great Adventure didn’t want to remove Kingda Ka the park was about to refurbish the entirety of the ride with new paint and a rebuilt hydraulic launch system for 2026 before the merger. The replacement for Ka better be better than Ka because 2025 will probably have the lowest attendance in the parks history.

[@MarkYudell]

If your analysis is correct, I’m laughing my ass off because closing rides like Ka simply has this pass holder of 25 years and his entire family cancel their memberships with no plans to visit great adventure any time soon….

[@ryanpenman251]

A record breaking launch coaster is expected to replace King, it could quite possibly be the fastest coaster on earth. Anyway, I'm just glad I got my rides in. I flew all the way from Chicago on 11/8 for this credit. Was my first time ever visiting Great Adventure with no plans to return until the record breaker opens. Long Live the King! 👑

[@MichaelRei99]

I agree with you 100%! They are driving loyal customers away and their cost cutting measures will end up possibly closing Great Adventure which would be a disaster!

[@thedailydobs6188]

​@ryanpenman251 it better be both like kingda ka was for 4.5 years and remained the tallest to this day, or im done too!!

[@MichaelTaylor-qp2xf]

Despite living in New Jersey, I never got to ride Kingda Ka and if Six Flags announced its closure at the end of 2025, I would make it my top priority to get to Great Adventure and ride it in 2025 before it's gone and I can't be the only one.

[@alexalbin1187]

While I understand their position and decision to cut costs and revamp the parks in the chain, the way they went about it, especially in the eyes of pass holders and coaster enthusiasts, has left a very bad taste in a lot of people mouths…. I’m guessing 2025 will be a horrible attendance year for Great Adventure. Thanks for the video!

[@josephflanagan1070]

Simple corporate greed they don't want to invest into the park ka has a operation cost at least of 1 million dollars a year you see how much the top corporate positions and see how much money they have made in the past 20 years and how much it has increased and how much the park quality has decreased always follow the money

[@porcelainthunder2213]

Here’s that “corporate greed” nonsense again! The merger was a stupid idea, Cedar Fair got itself into an ass load of debt in the merger, and Six Flags already had substantial debt. They have to cut operating expenses just to service the debt load, meaning expensive rides to run need to go. Six Flags did it to themselves, but Cedar Fair bought a turd. Now comes the consequences.

[@paulflorio]

Great adventure needs a lot of work to warrant a hotel. At this stage there is no need for an over night to Great Adveture. To be honest, you don’t even need a full day

[@jasonsaville2262]

Kingda Ka and Zumanjaro was definitely one of my most ever favorites. I'm definitely certain that by 2026, Six Flags will definitely put in a new multi record breaking launch coaster.

[@Coaster_Stories]

@@jasonsaville2262 both were amazing rides, really sad to see them go. Six Flags announced Great Adventure would get a record breaking launch coaster, can’t wait to see what that will be. I really hope it can live up to the legacy that Kingda Ka and Zumanjaro had

[@MichaelRei99]

I’ll believe it when I see it.

[@JKJanssenHernandez]

@@Coaster_Storiesbetter this gonna be a speed recordbreaker too that is minimal as good as Ka or it will be done after 2026 with gadv…. Its a very nasty way how they did this, and they only can get the respect from the public back with something better…

[@time4coasters]

Kingda Ka’s closure wasn’t a surprise due to the high maintenance it needs to operate!

[@michaelmartino16]

I mean this is essentially it

[@fredericklockard3854]

It’s a darn shame. I’m so glad we’ve ridden it many times.

[@drewcorry5056]

Had to bust out laughing that is one of the easiest questions to answer ever. The finger is pointed at the new mgmt of Cedar Point, it’s all about them looking good.

[@michaezell4607]

Wrong. It's about saving money for the chain as a whole. I wouldn't be surprised if dragster gets removed entirely at cedar point and is eventually replaced by a more reliable attraction in the future. The problem with these specific parks is that they've effectively painted themselves into a corner by trying to target the coaster enthusiast demographic while in the process neglecting the family demographic. It's a fact that an average family of four brings in more revenue for a park than the average pass holding coaster enthusiast who typically doesn't spend nearly half as much money while actually in the park.

[@drewcorry5056]

Absolutely Dead Wrong Buddy

[@JJJJ-he8bz]

@@michaezell4607It’s going to cost millions of dollars to get rid of all 6 of those rides and another several million dollars to build what ever is replacing it. It’s a major risk. It all depends on the general public’s reaction. If they see a big drop in attendance next year then this was a terrible move because between the removals, cost of the new coaster and attendance drop that is going to be far more costly than operating Ka. It’s hard to tell right now if it’s just enthusiasts or GP upset. But I’ve noticed every time great adventure posts something the comment section is flooded with people complaining about Kingda Ka. I think this says that these 100 plus mph coasters just aren’t sustainable by a regional theme park chain like Cedar Fair. They just don’t have the resources to deal with them. It’s a miracle Ka and Dragster lasted as long as they did.

[@MichaelRei99]

Kingda Ka had one of it’s best operating this year ever! The reason they didn’t announce it is because they didn’t want to incur the extra expenses it would accrue of having all of the extra people riding. Simple as that. This new strategy they are implementing will fail miserably!

[@kevinmcshea6373]

Would it be a surprise that they will replace Kingda Ka with a taller and faster Kingda Ka. Whatever eiy be arriving I'm sure we are going to be really happy. How about Kingda Ka Overload

[@ThrillsofColdplay]

I personally don’t blame this all on the merge I’m sure the park would’ve removed Kingda Ka eventually

[@CR2Creative]

Thats incorrect Six Flags Great Adventure was getting ready to do its annual maintenance for this ride and Cedar Fair (fake six flags) halted maintenance operations because they’re still mad Six Flags Great Adventure got a refreshed model of their Top Thrill Dragster ride and they’re still mad about the coaster wars from 2005. Six Flags Great Adventure was gonna bring Kingda Ka to its former glory and was getting ready to give another train a full renovation and keep it for many more years to come. Blame that Zimmerman guy he’s a salty sob and is upsetting a lot of people not a cool way to start he must think this is WWE being the evil boss hahahaha get a grip this is real life and people are upset.

[@djunknownnyc]

It was shock but im not gone lye i rode this ride so many many many times im glad i got to experience it all seats

[@christainmarks106]

Well, the Busch garden parks. Both Tampa Bay and Williamsburg are not owned by Cedar fair Six Flags at all. They are their own entity.

[@JKJanssenHernandez]

And for some reason they’re doing very well, and are financial in a great position, this you see that because there are no to a very few ride closures (only for maintenance), and they’re pretty clean too…

[@Cheezbat]

Personally, I think that this is going to be good overall for the Six Flags chain… But not necessarily good for Six Flags great adventure. That park has been hurting the last few years in attendance and I think with the removal of these iconic rides it’s going to hurt even more at least for the next season or so… I know they have something planned in 2026, but I don’t think it will top what kingda Ka was.

[@JKJanssenHernandez]

After El Toro they only built a shitload of clones or relocated rides, no wonder this park is a dump right now…If it aint minimal the same, it will be done with them…. So yes they gonna built an another multi record breaker….

[@wawawis]

Look at how Six Flags ended up billions in debt. It's obvious some things had to change. It still sucks though, but there's no reason for the entitled to go on whining and slamming Six Flags/Cedar Fair for it.

[@x-cool41205]

At least I was able to ride Kinda La while it was open, back in 2019.

[@MichaelRei99]

Never heard of Kingda La! 😂

[@x-cool41205]

Whoops... I meant Kingda Ka! 😅

[@riskey6788]

SAD‼️

[@m-fee4359]

ITS OVER FOR SF! I WILL NOT BE RETURNING SMH.

[@djsinkaz]

Kinda clickbaity dude. Not going to get many followers like that.

[@michaezell4607]

Quit posting these conspiracies about why this POS attraction is being removed!!! They made the decision to remove this pos ride because it was costing more money than it was worth in maintainence and operations. Other parks across the chain are also considering removing their underperforming and high maintenance rides as well as a cost cutting measure that will hopefully ensure that more funding is available to actually install new rides and attractions across the chain with the focus being on installing rides that are low maintainence and high reliability. The company is also focusing on quality over quantity at most of the parks as the costly days of the ridiculous coaster wars are over and done with.

[@carleeelizabeth]

my friends were about to go on this and i was nervous as we kept getting closer and i saw signs with warnings like "sometimes this rolls backwards" and just generally seeing how high and fast it was. i got to being strapped in and then they announced they were pausing for technical difficulties and i went "nope get me the FUCK out of here".