Six Flags Great Adventure to shut 5 attractions, add new ride

🔴 Kingda Ka will close after 21 years at Six Flags Great Adventure

🔴 Four other attractions including an original will also be taken down

🔴 A new roller coaster will open in 2026

Six Flags Great Adventure officially announced Thursday that it will shut down Kingda Ka, the country's highest and fastest roller coaster, and retire four others.

As first reported by New Jersey 101.5, after months of speculation Kinga Ka has closed for good and will be replaced by "a multi-record-breaking launch coaster" that will open in 2026. The name of the coaster was not disclosed.

"We’ll unveil an all-new, multi-record-breaking launch coaster, a must-ride attraction sure to capture fans' imaginations,” park president Brian Bacia said in a statement.

A source told New Jersey 101.5 that expensive maintenance and engineering issues clinched the decision for Six Flags Entertainment Corporation to shut Kingda Ka.

The Green Lantern roller coaster and The Twister and Parachutes attractions will also close. Another attraction that has been the subject of internet speculation, the Sky Way, will also close.

The gondola ride that was originally part of the 1964-65 World's Fair in New York and has been at Six Flags since it opened in 1974 will come down "for future development."

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An original ride from 1974 will close

The Sky Way was not operational for most of the summer but a park official told New Jersey 101.5 in August it was only a temporary situation.

“We understand that saying goodbye to beloved rides can be difficult, and we appreciate our guests' passion. These changes are an important part of our growth and dedication to delivering exceptional new experiences. We look forward to sharing more details next summer,” Bacica added.

The Flash: Vertical Velocity roller coaster, which was initially announced to open in 2024, will open in 2025.

The changes are an effort to improve the park experience for visitors and is part of a $1 billion investment by Six Flags Entertainment Corporation in its 27 amusement parks, 15 water parks and nine resort properties over the next two years.

“With our dedication to creating unforgettable experiences, the park's multi-year expansion plans will bring major investments, including record-breaking thrill rides, revitalized family experiences, elevated dining, expanded events, and continuous enhancements across the property,” Bacica said.

Tough times for theme parks

It has been a rough couple of years for theme parks after the pandemic, according to Dr. Ron Cook, professor of entrepreneurship at Rider University.

"You've got a higher labor cost, you've got a shortage of workers, you've had to recover from a pandemic, which would greatly influence the number of visitors and what people would possibly be doing for entertainment and also dealing with the augmented you know reality and the ability to make that kind of memorable experience," Cook said.

Higher costs for consumers have many re-thinking how they spend their discretionary income and reassessing the value of what they're spending it on. When looking at their household budget they may see entertainment as an optional expense.

"The other thing that that I think your theme parks are looking at is changes in the technology and experiences that people expect when they're coming to these particular parks," Cook said. "For example, you don't want to wait in line is long, so you're paying extra for an early access pass so that you could skip to the head of the line. Then obviously just the other amenities that may be there, whether they're photos drinks or other events or shows that may not be included with the price of admission."

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