Kingda Ka, once the tallest and fastest roller coaster globally, is retiring at Six Flags in New Jersey
The record-breaking roller coaster known for being the tallest and fastest in the world has officially closed.
On Thursday, Six Flags Entertainment Corporation announced the retirement of Kingda Ka at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, New Jersey. Since its launch in 2005, this coaster has held the record for the tallest and fastest, with more than 12 million rides over the past two decades. Kingda Ka reaches a height of 456 feet and speeds of 128 miles per hour.
Kingda Ka’s closing coincides with the amusement park’s plan for a new $1 billion investment, which includes the upcoming addition of The Flash: Vertical Velocity. This new coaster, inspired by a DC Comics character, is touted as North America’s first “super boomerang coaster” and is set to debut in 2025. The investment will also feature a “multi-world-record-breaking launch roller coaster” expected to open in 2026, as per a Six Flags news release.
Along with Kingda Ka, Six Flags Great Adventure is also retiring Green Lantern, The Twister, and Parachutes. The park will also remove the Sky Walk to accommodate these developments.
With the retirement of Kingda Ka, let’s explore some of the world’s most thrilling roller coasters.
Superman: Escape From Krypton (U.S.)
Height: 415 feet
Top speed: 100 mph
Location: Six Flags Magic Mountain, Valencia, California
Red Force (Spain)
Height: 367 feet
Top speed: 112 mph
Location: Ferrari Land, Salou, Catalonia, Spain
T Express (South Korea)
Height: 184 feet (one of the tallest wooden coasters)
Location: Everland, Yongin, South Korea
Wildfire (Sweden)
Height: 184 feet (one of the tallest wooden coasters)
Location: Kolmården Wildlife Park, Kolmården, Sweden
Goliath (U.S.)
Speed: 85 mph (one of the fastest wooden coasters)
Location: Six Flags Magic Mountain, Valencia, California
Steel Dragon 2000 (Japan)
Length: 8,133 feet (considered the longest steel roller coaster globally)
Location: Nagashima Spa Land, Mie Prefecture, Japan
The Smiler (United Kingdom)
Inversions: 14 (known for having the most inversions among steel roller coasters)
Location: Alton Towers, Staffordshire, United Kingdom
Outlaw Run (U.S.)
Inversions: Three (recognized as sharing the record for most inversions in wooden roller coasters)
Location: Silver Dollar City, Branson, Missouri