Six Flags Wiki
Register
Advertisement
Six Flags Wiki

Kingda Ka is a steel-launched roller coaster located in The Golden Kingdom at Six Flags Great Adventure. It was designed by Vekoma, manufactured by Intamin, and built by Stakotra and Martin & Vleminckx. The ride opened on May 21, 2005, and was the world's tallest roller coaster and the world's second fastest roller coaster. It now is the world's second fastest and the US's 2nd fastest coaster. It was also the second strata coaster ever built.

History[]

KingdaKaLogo

The logo of Kingda Ka.

Kingda Ka was announced on September 10, 2004 at a special event held for the media and roller coaster enthusiasts. The event revealed the park's goal to build "the tallest and fastest roller coaster on earth", reaching 456 feet and accelerating up to 128 miles per hour in 3.5 seconds.

On January 13, 2005, Kingda Ka's tower construction was completed.

On May 21, 2005, the ride opened to the public. Kingda Ka became the tallest and fastest roller coaster in the world, taking both world records from Top Thrill Dragster at Cedar Point.

On August 29, 2013, Six Flags Great Adventure officially announced Zumanjaro: Drop of Doom for the 2014 season. The drop tower is directly attached to the frame of Kingda Ka, which was closed to accommodate construction. Zumanjaro: Drop of Doom opened on July 4, 2014, along with the re-opening of Kingda Ka.[1]

Experience[]

Queue[]

Guests pass under the jungle-themed entrance sign and enter the queue line, which is surrounded by bamboo, which augments the jungle-themed music that plays in the background. Along the way, there are some safety and warning signs about the ride. Following a long straight section and extended queue area, guests turn left and head into a switchback section. Guests approach some curved paths before entering the station.

At one point, Kingda Ka had a much larger queue line. The pathway located between the ride and Rolling Thunder would be planted with bamboo and other tropical foliage to continue the jungle motif. It contained switchback sections, wooden poles with animal carvings and a tunnel underneath the launch track. A special walkway with shielding was built to keep guests safe in the event of a snapped launch cable because the launch was above the pathway. After an incident occurred on the attraction shortly after opening, that section was reduced. The overflow queue area near the ride's entrance served as the new queue portion and it was extended with ropes and other temporary barriers, along with the fences that led into the Golden Kingdom area in order to accommodate the crowds.

Layout[]

Kingda Ka's layout and experience is nearly identical to that of Top Thrill Dragster. After the train has been locked and checked, it moves slowly out of the station to the launch area, then passes through a switch track which allows four trains on two tracks to load simultaneously. When the signal is given to launch, the train rolls back slightly so that the catch car can latch on to the middle car, and the brakes retract on the launch track. As the brake fins are retracting, a recording announces: "Arms down, head back, hold on!" The train is launched approximately five seconds later.

When the train is in position, the hydraulic launch mechanism accelerates it from 0 to 128 miles per hour (0 to 206 km/h) in 3.5 seconds. During the launch you can experience mild to moderate headbanging, because of the fact that it is a hydraulic launched coaster. The hydraulic launch motor is capable of producing 20,800 peak horsepower (15.5 MW). At the end of the launch track, the train climbs the main tower (top hat) and banks 90 degrees to the right before reaching a height of 456 feet (139 m). It then descends 418 feet (127 m) straight down through a 270-degree, clockwise spiral. It climbs a bunny hill of 129 feet (39 m), producing a moment of weightlessness before being smoothly brought to a stop by the magnetic brakes; it then makes a left-hand U-turn and enters the station. The ride lasts 28 seconds from the start of the launch.

Description[]

Kingda Ka is themed as a mythical tiger, named for the Bengal tiger who lived in an adjacent exhibit before moving to Six Flags Wild Safari. The ride's sign and station have an Indian style. The queue line is surrounded by bamboo, which augments the jungle theme. Jungle music is played in the queue and throughout the Golden Kingdom section of the park, which opened with the ride on May 21, 2005.

Trivia[]

  • Kingda Ka makes a mascot costume character appearance in the Team Tiger show during Fright Fest wearing attire similar to the series Ghostbusters. He is a part of the "Ghost Blasters".

Awards[]

Golden Ticket Awards: Top Steel Roller Coasters
Year 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
Ranking 42 28 31 25 31 27 (tie) 33 38 35 (tie) 45 49

Records[]

Guinness World Records
Preceded by Top Thrill Dragster World's Tallest Complete Circuit Roller Coaster
May 21, 2005 - Present
Succeeded

by None

Preceded by Top Thrill Dragster World's Tallest Roller Coaster
May 21, 2005 - Present
Succeeded by

None

Preceded by Top Thrill Dragster World's Fastest Roller Coaster

May 21, 2005 - November 4, 2010

Succeeded by

Formula Rossa

Preceded by Top Thrill Dragster World's Tallest Roller Coaster Drop

May 21, 2005 - Present

Succeeded by

None

Gallery[]

Videos[]

Photos[]

References[]

See also[]

External links[]


v - e - d
SFGAD
Main Street
Ale HouseCentral Brew HausCoca-Cola FreestyleFountain DrinksG.A. CafeJohnny Rockets ExpressLiberty SnacksMain Street PubMain Street SnacksPrimo's PizzeriaMain Street Sugar ShackSweet Cakes and ConesAdventure KidsCoaster CandyLooney Tunes ShoppeM-PoriumMy Six Flags PhotoSuper Hero Cape CartSweet Treats
Adventure Alley
Giant WheelSkyScreamerFender BendersAir JumboDejaVuAdventure Alley SnacksGranny's Country KitchenMama Flora's CucinaAdventure Gifts
Pine Barrens
Roaring RapidsNitroJersey Devil Coaster
Movietown
Justice League: Battle for MetropolisThe Dark Knight CoasterCyborg: Cyber SpinBatman: The RideThe Flash: Vertical VelocityWonder Woman: Lasso of TruthThe Flash: Vertical VelocityStudio 28 ArcadeMetro GrillMacho Nacho ExpressMama Flora's GrillMunchopolisGotham City Gift Shop
Fantasy Forest
Patrina Williams CarouselEnchanted TeacupsHoudini's Great EscapeYum Yum Café
Frontier Adventures
MedusaRunaway Mine TrainSaw Mill Log FlumeSafari Off Road AdventureCamp AventuraBest of the West
Boardwalk
Superman: Ultimate FlightGreen LanternDare Devil DiveGreat American Road RaceRockwallSlingshotTwister
Plaza del Carnaval
El ToroTangoLa CantinaMacho NachoEl Mercado
Lakefront
Harley Quinn Crazy TrainThe JokerBuccaneerSkull MountainSwashbucklerJolly RogerRiver Bank Country ChickenRiver's Edge Trading PostVillains Café
The Golden Kingdom
Kingda KaZumanjaro: Drop of DoomSplashwater OasisSafari DiscoveriesFast Tracks SnacksFunnel Cake FactoryGo Fresh ExpressKingdom GyroPrimo's Pizzeria WildsideWatering HoleDiscovery GiftsKingdom TradersTiger's Leap Market
Advertisement