Kingda Ka has Officially Closed Forever | Why Six Flags is Taking Down the Worlds Tallest Coaster

For 19 years, Jackson New Jersey has been home to the worlds tallest roller coaster, and the fastest operating coaster in the United States. Kingda Ka has stood as a global icon with its 456 foot tall top hat, giving riders the experience of rocketing to the sky at 128 mph. It was beloved by many, and now, has given its final rides. Six Flags Great Adventure confirmed the attractions closure, alongside Zumanjaro Drop of Doom (the worlds tallest drop tower), Green Lantern, Twister, the Parachutes, and Skyride.

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[strictly-sativa]

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 :)))

[TheMontanaWars]

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.

[SpasticTheMonkey]

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.

[Dre_Oak]

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.

[mulinhuan]

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.

[dianneketler]

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.

[DavidSeymourOfficial]

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!

[modsandendsGG-]

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.

[noahkahmann]

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.

[Matthew_Melara]

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.

[sirfunkydangle]

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!!!

[SixFlagsfan-btuw]

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.

[tannerhuskins]

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

[KnightrideThrillz]

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

[theshiggityshwa]

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.

[cobblebalt]

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”

[DrPepperone]

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.

[JosephIII-lo]

This is basically how King's Dominion locals and fans felt when volcano went down.

[Poopy_Loopy]

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

[JackHanington]

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.