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Manufacturer | Intamin | ||||||||||||||
Product | Accelerator Coaster | ||||||||||||||
Designer / calculations | Ing.-Büro Stengel GmbH | ||||||||||||||
Onsite construction | Martin & Vleminckx | ||||||||||||||
Type | Steel - Launched - Strata | ||||||||||||||
Riders per train | 20 | ||||||||||||||
Hourly capacity | 1400 | ||||||||||||||
Propulsion | Hydraulic launch | ||||||||||||||
Height | 456 feet | ||||||||||||||
Drop | 418 feet | ||||||||||||||
Top speed | 128 mph | ||||||||||||||
Length | 3118 feet | ||||||||||||||
Inversions | 0 | ||||||||||||||
Drop angle | 90° | ||||||||||||||
Duration | 0:28 | ||||||||||||||
G-Force | 5 g |

Kingda Ka was a steel launched strata roller coaster previously located at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, New Jersey, USA. When it opened on May 21, 2005, it succeeded Top Thrill Dragster at Cedar Point as the tallest and fastest roller coaster, reaching a height of 456 feet and speed of 128 mph.
Kingda Ka was the sixth Accelerator Coaster from Intamin. The ride was installed by Martin & Vleminckx.[1]
In November 2024, after rumors and speculation regarding the future of the attraction, Six Flags Great Adventure confirmed that Kingda Ka had closed permanently. Kingda Ka, alongside Zumanjaro: Drop of Doom, Green Lantern, and Parachute Training Center: Edwards AFB Jump Tower were demolished to make way for a multi record breaking launched roller coaster in 2026.[2]
History

Kingda Ka was officially introduced on September 29, 2004, at an event held for the media and enthusiasts. It was revealed that the ride would become "the tallest and fastest roller coaster on Earth", reaching 456 feet and accelerating from 0 to 128 mph in 3.5 seconds.[3] Upon completion, Kingda Ka took the "tallest" and "fastest" world records from the two-year-old Top Thrill Dragster at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio.[4] Since Intamin designed both Top Thrill Dragster and Kingda Ka, both rides share a nearly identical design and layout, differing only in theme and Kingda Ka's post-tower "bunny" hill, rather than rolling back into the station like Top Thrill Dragster. On January 13, 2005, Kingda Ka was topped off at its 456-foot height, finishing construction.[5] Originally intended to open on April 23, 2005, problems with the launch system caused the opening to be delayed.[6][7] Kingda Ka opened to the public on May 21, 2005,[8] with a media day two days before on May 19.
During a test run without passengers on June 8, 2005, a bolt failure caused damage to the launch cable, resulting in the ride's closure until August[9] and the reconfiguration of the line area. The ride was also struck by lightning in early May 2009; the strike caused the ride to be unreliable and necessitated complicated repairs. The ride was operational from May 31, 2009, to June 24, 2009, but remained closed for maintenance until August 21, 2009.
On August 29, 2013, Six Flags officially announced Zumanjaro: Drop of Doom, a 415-foot tall drop tower attached to the support structure of Kingda Ka.[10] Zumanjaro: Drop of Doom would exceed Lex Luthor: Drop of Doom's height by 15 feet. Additional support had to be added to the structure of Kingda Ka to support the three drop tracks.[11][12] Kingda Ka reopened with Zumanjaro: Drop of Doom on July 4, 2014.[13]
In late 2024, rumors began circulating around the internet, claiming that Kingda Ka was slated to be closed permanently following the 2024 season, though nothing was confirmed by the park.[14] A November 14, 2024, press release revealed that Kingda Ka permanently closed to make way for a "multi-record-breaking launch coaster."[15][16][17] The ride last operated on November 10, 2024.[18] In December 2024, Six Flags filed a permit with the local authority for alterations to Kingda Ka; demolition would begin in January 2025.[19][20]
Track removal for Kingda Ka started in January 2025.[21]
Design
Elements |
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Ride experience
Two of Kingda Ka's trains advance out of the station onto the block section. The first train waits about 30–40 seconds as a catch car rolls down the launch track and attaches to the train. After the brake fins lining the launch lower, a train is launched at up to 128 mph towards the 456ft top hat. The train gradually raises the ride tower 90 degrees and then twists to the left 90 degrees. Once the train reaches the tower summit of 456 feet, it drops at a 90-degree angle down the tower as it turns 270 degrees. The train pulls out of the spiral and down the tower near 120 mph into a hill 129ft high. At the peak of the 129ft hill, the train begins to hit the brakes. After a final brake stop, the train turns left and returns to the station. The average time of the ride experience is only 28 seconds. The official ride time is 50 seconds. Also, after the train has been locked and checked, it slowly advances out of the station to the launch area. The train goes through a switch track, which allows four trains on two tracks to load simultaneously. Once the train is in position, the hydraulic launch mechanism accelerates the train from 0 to 128 mph in 3.5 seconds, pulling about 1.67g.[22] At the end of the launch track, the train climbs the central tower, or top hat, twisting 90 degrees to the left before reaching 456 feet. The train then descends 418 feet straight down through a 270-degree right-hand vertical spiral. Finally, the train climbs the second hill of 129 feet, producing a moment of weightlessness before being smoothly stopped by the magnetic brakes. The train then makes a U-turn and enters the station. The ride lasts 28 seconds from the launch to the end of the brake run but has an official ride time of 59 seconds. The hydraulic launch motor can produce a 20,800 horsepower (15.5 MW) peak. Because of the trains' high speed and openness, the ride will not operate in light rain, as rider contact with raindrops can cause discomfort.
Theme

Kingda Ka was themed to a mythical tiger named after the 500 lb. (230 kg) golden tabby Bengal tiger that lives in a pen beside the ride. The ride's sign and station all have mythical Indian-style theming. The ride's queue line is surrounded by bamboo, which adds to the jungle theming. Jungle music is played during the wait and throughout the entire Golden Kingdom section of the park, which was built for the ride. As of Summer 2010, one of the park's male tigers is named after the ride.
Rollbacks

Sometimes, a train could rollback and travel backward down the top hat into the launch area. Kingda Ka included retractable magnetic brakes on its launch to stop a train from rolling backward down the launch track. Rollbacks are more common in breezy weather or just after wet weather. Many riders look forward to a rollback as they are treated to another launch. Rollbacks are frequent during safety tests to ensure all brakes on the runway are in working condition. Another issue even rarer than a rollback is for the train to "stall" or stop at the top of the tower. This is so rare because the train must be perfectly balanced for this to happen. If this happens, there is an elevator so workers can get up the support tower and push the train (usually down the descent side).
Launch
It was hard to know exactly when Kingda Ka's launch would occur. When the signal to launch is given, the train rolls back slightly to engage the catch car, then the brakes on the launch track retract. Occasionally, a voice will say, "arms down, head back, and hold on." The launch will occur five seconds after the hissing sound of the brake fins retracting or the warning voice. Previously, Kingda Ka's horn sounded before every launch, but it has been turned off because of noise complaints from nearby residents. The horn now only sounds when Kingda Ka first launches after being idle for a certain period. Kingda Ka's launch mechanism can launch a train every 45 seconds, resulting in a capacity of 1400 guests per hour.
Station

Kingda Ka had a dual station, which is a station with two platforms. Each of the station's tracks accommodates two trains so that each of the four trains has its own station. Each train only loads and unloads at its station; it does not go to any others. The trains on one side are loaded during operation while the trains on the other side are launched. This system works efficiently as long as all four trains are running and there are no significant delays in loading and checking the trains. This system was not used in 2006 because only two trains worked that year. It also results in a very fast-moving line before the station but a long wait inside the station, especially if waiting for the front row. An employee directs riders in line to a particular side of the station, but riders are then allowed to choose the front or rear of the train. Two operators load, check, and dispatch each train, and one launches the trains. Kingda Ka's music is by Safri Duo; almost their entire Episode II album is played in the queue and station. The other is the remix version of "Eye of the Tiger" by Survivor. Both of these records could be heard during the queue and station.
Trains
Kingda Ka had four trains painted green, dark blue, teal, and orange. Each train had five cars and seated 18 people. The first four cars seated four riders in two rows of two, while the last car had only one row of two riders. The rear row of each car was positioned higher than its front row for better visibility.
Each of Kingda Ka's trains had a panel behind the last row of seats covering an extra row of seat mounts. These panels could be removed to install additional seats in the future. This modification would increase the capacity of each train from 18 to 20 guests and the hourly capacity of the coaster from 1400 to 1600 guests per hour. Kingda Ka's station is already set up for this modification; it has the entrance gates for the nonexistent row of seats.
Restraints
Kingda Ka's over-the-shoulder harness system consisted of a thick, rigid lap bar and two thin, flexible over-the-shoulder restraints. Because the over-the-shoulder portions of the restraint were not rigid, the hand grips were mounted to the lap bar.
These restraints used a locking system (rather than a ratchet) that allowed them to be pulled down to any position; when locked, they could move down to any position but not up. In contrast, a ratchet-based restraint only locks at each notch and will often be too loose or uncomfortably tight. Kingda Ka's restraints are also held down by a belt in case the primary locking system fails. Riders were asked to secure their own restraints if possible to speed up loading.
Incidents
2005 malfunction
On June 6, 2005, less than a month after its grand opening, a bolt failure caused the liner inside the trough through which the launch cable travels to come loose and create friction against the cable. The friction caused the train not to accelerate to the correct speed. The rubbing of the cable against the inside of the metal trough caused sparks and shards of metal to fly out from the bottom of the train.
The magnetic brake fins located within the launch section of the track, designed to slow the train on its return to the launch area should it not have enough speed to make it over the top hat element, rise up into the braking position in a sequential pattern after the train passes over them in the lowered position. The fins are mounted in steel supports that are connected to actuators that raise and lower the fins into the desired position.
The fins actually caught up to the launching train as the timing pattern of the rising fins was faster than the accelerating train. The magnetic brakes began to slow the train in the launch area, and the engine tried to compensate even more and dragged the train through the brake zones. The catch car released, but the train was still in the brake zone and came to a complete stop at the bottom of the hill.
Many components were damaged in the incident and replacements had to be fabricated from Intamin.[23] It reopened on August 5, 2005,[24] with the queue line modified so that it no longer ran under the launch track. The ride has used this makeshift replacement queue ever since. It had been the dark blue train that was launched when the malfunction occurred. It was used for the rest of the season, but major problems requiring replacement parts were discovered when the train was inspected during the off-season. Consequently, this train remained disassembled throughout the 2006 season.
Before 2005's major malfunction, Kingda Ka's queue area was much larger. It started at the main entrance arch, went under the launch track, traveled through two large switchback areas and split into separate lines for each side of the station. Most of the entire line used to be set in the ride's infield. The current main entrance to the station was previously the "Flash Pass" entrance.
2009 lightning strike
In May 2009, Kingda Ka was struck by lightning and suffered serious damage and downtime following the strike. The ride operated on May 9 and May 10 off and on with downtime more often than operating time. The park attempted to open the ride on May 16 but was unable to get it running properly. The park then announced that Kingda Ka was temporarily closed for maintenance. By May 20, it was announced that the ride would be down for an extended period of time. Six Flags Great Adventure ordered new parts for the ride from Intamin, but the damage required complicated repairs to Kingda Ka. A Screamscape post mentioned that, due to the nature of the needed repairs, Kingda Ka's launch would require a full test and adjust period, causing the ride to be closed to riders until late spring/early summer. It was up and running as of May 31, 2009, but with more frequent breakdowns than usual. As of late June 2009 the ride was shut down for an extended period, stemming from complications from the year's issues, along with claims of a blown fuse and serious engine troubles as they waited for replacement parts once again. It was up and running as of August 21, 2009. It had been announced that Kingda Ka would be fully operational and running smoothly again for the 2010 season, which occurred on the same day as Six Flags, Inc.'s announcement of its Chapter 11 bankruptcy restructuring plan.[25]
2011 Breakdown
On August 27, 2011, Kingda Ka suffered damage shortly before Hurricane Irene.[26] The coaster remained closed for the rest of the season. It reopened on April 5, 2012.[citation needed]
2012 Bird Strike
A 12-year-old boy suffered minor injuries after he was struck by a bird while riding Kingda Ka.[27] He was taken to hospital after suffering minor scratching and bruising to the side of his neck and head. Kingda Ka was closed for half an hour following the incident.
Similar rides
Kingda Ka is similar in ride experience to Top Thrill Dragster at Cedar Point, which opened two years prior, but offers an increased height and drop length, faster top speed, and an airtime hill. However, Kingda Ka uses over-the-shoulder restraints, which are more restrictive than the lap-bars used on Top Thrill Dragster.
In 2006, two smaller roller coasters opened which share the same layout as Kingda Ka but on a smaller scale. Stealth at Thorpe Park and Zaturn at Space World are both less than half the height of Kingda Ka. The layout, minus the airtime hill, was revived in 2017 with the opening of Red Force at Ferrari Land; however, its height is 90 feet shorter than that of Kingda Ka. It also uses an LSM launch instead of Kingda Ka's hydraulic launch.
Images
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The launch system mechanics
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The launch system pulleys
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The test seat
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The station
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The launch system mechanics room
References
- ↑ Attraction Installation - Martin & Vleminckx
- ↑ "Six Flags to Invest More Than $1 Billion Over the Next Two Years to Enhance Guest Experience". investors.sixflags.com. Retrieved 2025-01-21.
- ↑ Six Flags Great Adventure Will Launch The Tallest, Fastest Roller Coaster On Earth And New Jungle Domain With Tiger Exhibit For 2005 - Ultimate Rollercoaster
- ↑ "Tallest and fastest".
- ↑ "Great Adventure To Top Off World's Tallest Coaster". Ultimate Rollercoaster.
- ↑ Kingda Ka Megastructures Part 4
- ↑ "Kingda Ka coaster opening delayed". Asbury Park Press. April 19, 2005. p. 8. Retrieved January 20, 2022.
- ↑ Kingda Ka Construction I - GreatAdventureHistory
- ↑ Six Flags Reopens Kingda Ka, World's Tallest and Fastest Roller Coaster, at N.J. Theme Park - Business Wire
- ↑ World's Tallest Freefall Opening at Six Flags Great Adventure in 2014 - NewsPlusNotes
- ↑ "Six Flags Great Adventure- Kingda Ka gets more support". Insanity lurks inside. 2014-02-19. Retrieved 2022-02-28.
- ↑ Kingda Ka's New Look for Zumanjaro: Drop of Doom - NewsPlusNotes
- ↑ Great Adventure's 'Zumanjaro: Drop of Doom' ride opens after numerous delays - NJ
- ↑ Kausch, Katie (2024-11-12). "Fate of Great Adventure's Kingda Ka roller coaster coming 'very soon,' park says". nj. Retrieved 2024-12-03.
- ↑ Brandt, Joe (November 14, 2024). "Six Flags Great Adventure retires Kingda Ka, once the world's tallest and fastest roller coaster". CBS News. Retrieved November 14, 2024.
- ↑ Taylor, Blake (November 14, 2024). "Kingda Ka closed permanently at Six Flags Great Adventure, new coaster in 2026". Attractions Magazine. Retrieved November 14, 2024.
- ↑ O'Connor, John (November 14, 2024). "Six Flags Great Adventure to close Kingda Ka for new record-breaking roller coaster". The Press of Atlantic City. Retrieved November 14, 2024.
- ↑ "Today Could Be Your Last Chance Ever to Ride Kingda Ka as Record Breaking Coaster Shutting Down". Shore News Network. November 10, 2024. Retrieved November 14, 2024.
- ↑ Niles, Robert (2024-12-21). "Six Flags files permit to 'alter' its record-setting coaster". Theme Park Insider. Retrieved 2024-12-24.
- ↑ CoasterGuy95 (2025-01-21). "[Kingda Ka] demolition has begun". r/rollercoasters. Retrieved 2025-01-21.
- ↑ "Breaking Coaster news! Kingda Ka demo has begun. The turnaround has begun to be removed Cyborg has an excavator near it meaning bad things usually. Green Lantern demo is going great aswell". X. clebyherris. 2025-01-21. Retrieved 2025-01-22.
- ↑ Curmei, Cristian (2022-01-26). "Kingda Ka Is the Tallest Rollercoaster in the World: Hits 128 MPH in 3.5 Seconds". autoevolution. Retrieved 2025-01-21.
- ↑ Kingda Ka malfunctions during testing - Ride Accidents
- ↑ The King Lives - Theme Park Review
- ↑ Six Flags Great Adventure - Screamscape (Wayback archive)
- ↑ "Hurricane Irene: Did it destroy Kingda Ka at Six Flags?".
- ↑ Bird slams into boy's face on Six Flags roller coaster - philly.com
External links
The category Kingda Ka contains additional media. |
- Kingda Ka on the Roller Coaster DataBase.
Tallest complete-circuit roller coaster May 2005–present | ||
Preceded by Top Thrill Dragster |
Tallest complete-circuit roller coaster May 2005–present |
Succeeded by None |
Tallest complete-circuit roller coaster May 2005–present | ||
Preceded by Top Thrill Dragster |
Tallest complete-circuit roller coaster May 2005–present |
Succeeded by None |
Tallest roller coaster May 2005–present | ||
Preceded by Top Thrill Dragster |
Tallest roller coaster May 2005–present |
Succeeded by None |
Tallest roller coaster drop May 2005–present | ||
Preceded by Top Thrill Dragster |
Tallest roller coaster drop May 2005–present |
Succeeded by None |
Fastest roller coaster May 2005–November 2010 | ||
Preceded by Top Thrill Dragster |
Fastest roller coaster May 2005–November 2010 |
Succeeded by Formula Rossa |