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My whole thing with this situation is I don't understand the thought process. If this shuttle really is the Ka replacement then the capacity is going to be an absolute nightmare even if there is a turntable, if they have plans of making Great Adventure the "Carowinds/Kings Island of the merger" this is a TERRIBLE idea. Ka had many flaws but low capacity wasn't one of them, it needed that high capacity because it was the reason people traveled to Great Adventure. Then on top of all of that this thing can't be cheap, Mack is just as expensive as B&M and you can't tell me that having the marketing title of "worlds tallest spinning coaster" really makes a huge difference here. I don't doubt they could build a giga in this spot if they wanted to and the increased price tag would have been perfectly acceptable given the better ride experience, high capacity, and incredible reliability. Time will tell if this is the actual replacement, but if it is....wow this such a huge miss.
If the NJ radio station, 101.5 or whatever, is telling the truth about the price then the spinner, if it happens, is gonna cost around 50 million dollars. They can easily build a giga for less than that, even if not by much.
 
If this shuttle really is the Ka replacement then the capacity is going to be an absolute nightmare even if there is a turntable, if they have plans of making Great Adventure the "Carowinds/Kings Island of the merger" this is a TERRIBLE idea. Ka had many flaws but low capacity wasn't one of them, it needed that high capacity because it was the reason people traveled to Great Adventure.


If the train on the theoretical Shuttle Spinner Strata was just one car longer than the four car train shown in the 200ft version we've seen concept art of, it would have the same per cycle capacity as Ka. With a clever switch track and/or station setup, it's probably feasible to hit Ka's theoretical hourly capacity with the shuttle.
 
Im sorry but the spinner shuttle just feels so gimmicky especially with flash already coming. Capacity concerns aside, it just does not feel like a new marquee attraction to me. Spinner coasters IMO just feel tacky. I might be alone here but give me a full circuit actual coaster that doesn’t feel like a souped up carnival attraction. Maybe I’m just bitter.
 
I hope someone can whip up a 400ft version of the shuttle tower coaster on NoLimits or something, I wasn't aware that the ride in the concept art was only 200ft tall. If you're actually being dropped 400ft on spinning trains, that could be kind of interesting
 
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That said, honestly, I know many will disagree, but I've already come around to being okay with that 400ft spinning shuttle coaster as a replacement for Ka. Ride time should be longer, it will feature more elements, it is wholly unique, it's insane, and it's huge. That checks all the boxes Ka did, no? I don't know what replacement people could possibly be looking for that would be better.
I actually agree with you. Do I wish they spent the same money on say... a giga? 4D coaster even? Of course. But I don't think this is a bad option at all. Looking at the NoLimits mockup for the 200ft version, it looks like a really cool, crazy, disorienting ride. I have no idea what 5 seconds of spinning hangtime while accelerating to 100+ mph would even feel like. I think it would actually be really fun.
 
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On Instagram, ElToroRyan posted a response from the park, saying KK is being totally retired, and that the coming attraction is all new.
All I'm gonna say about this is that it could be a marketing move, I could see a situation where the entire ride is removed except the top hat, completely replace the track on the top hat and create an entirely new ride around that which utilizes the green lantern plot of land like what the park put out today suggested. That to me would be marketed as a new ride rather than a "reimagining". I don't think its likely but at this point, why the hell not? I'm done trying to predict what six flags is doing here lol. Don't think the spinner is set in stone quite yet.
 
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Spinner coasters IMO just feel tacky. I might be alone here but give me a full circuit actual coaster that doesn’t feel like a souped up carnival attraction. Maybe I’m just bitter.

I will say that I don't know how I would have felt about it if I hadn't already ridden Time Traveler, but goddamn, Time Traveler was a life-changing coaster experience for me. Easily one of the most fun, most varied, most reridable coasters I've ever encountered. If the drop off that spike could give airtime anything like the drop out of Time Traveler's station.... good lord.

But yeah, every ride being legitimately different makes it feel so, so special. Being turned just 45 degrees in a different direction as you traverse an element feels COMPLETELY different than on a previous cycle. It's so, so cool. It's exactly the type of ride I'd love to have at my home park for the infinite variety in rerides alone.
 
I will say that I don't know how I would have felt about it if I hadn't already ridden Time Traveler, but goddamn, Time Traveler was a life-changing coaster experience for me. Easily one of the most fun, most varied, most reridable coasters I've ever encountered. If the drop off that spike could give airtime anything like the drop out of Time Traveler's station.... good lord.

But yeah, every ride being legitimately different makes it feel so, so special. Being turned just 45 degrees in a different direction as you traverse an element feels COMPLETELY different than on a previous cycle. It's so, so cool. It's exactly the type of ride I'd love to have at my home park for the infinite variety in rerides alone.
How was the drop out of the station on that ride? If the mack shuttle coaster is truly going to be the replacement, we'll be getting a 400ft version of it essentially
 
It's phenomenal. Ejector airtime while backwards or sideways is wild—and there aren't many places you can go to get that. Add in a vertical drop and it's practically one-of-a-kind (sans Ride to Happiness I suppose).

Every ride I took on Time Traveler I came away feeling forces I had never felt on any coaster before. Just infinitely rewarding. I desperately need to get back to Silver Dollar City...

Sorry, editing my post again. SPINNING THROUGH A VERTICAL LOOP. SO. GOOD. I can't imagine spinning through a giant stall... WHILE LAUNCHING UPSIDEDOWN. 🤯
 
It's phenomenal. Ejector airtime while backwards or sideways is wild—and there aren't many places you can go to get that. Add in a vertical drop and it's practically one-of-a-kind (sans Ride to Happiness I suppose).

Every ride I took on Time Traveler I came away feeling forces I had never felt on any coaster before. Just infinitely rewarding. I desperately need to get back to Silver Dollar City...

Sorry, editing my post again. SPINNING THROUGH A VERTICAL LOOP. SO. GOOD. I can't imagine spinning through a giant stall... WHILE LAUNCHING UPSIDEDOWN. 🤯
If they can recreate that drop except have it replicate the same speed and intensity that Ka had, it could potentially be a worthy replacement. I'll wait until I see an announcement though
 
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How was the drop out of the station on that ride? If the mack shuttle coaster is truly going to be the replacement, we'll be getting a 400ft version of it essentially
RMC's like Iron gwazi are like a Buffet loaded with all you could ever want and sometimes more. Time Traveler is a well crafted gourmet 3 course meal. There might be a few (very few) better options out there, but it's a work of art.
 
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Kingda Ka was a gimmicky coaster from the start, so the park would just be replacing one gimmicky coaster with another. Ideally I'd love to see a full circuit coaster over a shuttle but who knows at this point?

I will say as someone who's ridden Ride to Happiness, its definitely a top tier coaster. The flying snake dive halfway through the layout is easily one of my favorite moments on a coaster anywhere. If the new coaster is half of what RTH is, it'll definitely be a crowd pleaser for sure.
 
The idea of a 400 ft shuttle spinning coaster is making me nauseous just thinking about being launched at an off angle at 120 MPH to make it all the way up there.
 
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I have never riden a Mack spinner and my first impression based on photos and descriptions left me less then pleased at losing one of the kings of acceleration to be replaced by a spinner shuttle. I have since talked to several people that have and heard good review from people who opinions I respect that give them favorable reviews that I am much more open to the idea. I think it hurts the reaction to the concept that there are not any similar rides in the region so a large block of people reacting to the events don't know what to except out of one.
 
“To make way for this landmark addition, the park has retired the Kingda Ka and Green Lantern coasters…”

“The ride’s retirement, in addition to the removal of The Twister and Parachutes, makes way for a new attraction - a multi-record-breaking launch coaster…”

I’m curious how they plan to fill the plots of land previously occupied by all 4 of these rides if it is that exact concept Mack that we are talking about. It sounds like the concept spinner was only ~200 feet tall, so a > 400 foot version would need a longer launch path. Still, this concept being a straight line would most likely not take up all of that land. My thoughts:

1. The park will be adding this ride in addition to overhauling the whole area with updated theming, shops, and food venues.

2. The park will be adding this ride in addition to reserving open land for future attractions nearby.

3. The concept we saw is just a portion of the layout and there is an extended layout planned.

4. That concept is not being planned.
 
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“To make way for this landmark addition, the park has retired the Kingda Ka and Green Lantern coasters…”

“The ride’s retirement, in addition to the removal of The Twister and Parachutes, makes way for a new attraction - a multi-record-breaking launch coaster…”

I’m curious how they plan to fill the plots of land previously occupied by all 4 of these rides if it is that exact concept Mack that we are talking about. It sounds like the concept spinner was only ~200 feet tall, so a > 400 foot version would need a longer launch path. Still, this concept being a straight line would most likely not take up all of that land. My thoughts:

1. The park will be adding this ride in addition to overhauling the whole area with updated theming, shops, and food venues.

2. The park will be adding this ride in addition to reserving open land for future attractions nearby.

3. The concept we saw is just a portion of the layout and there is an extended layout planned.

4. That concept is not being planned.
Honestly? Them doing a “Jungle expedition” with this plot, making this coaster be phase one, and adding something else in the future, as long as the whole area theming and areas are in the same quality as jungle X at KD? I mean, I mean, as long as it’s still a strata, I wouldn’t hate that.
 
Why would they build a shuttle launch coaster in 2026 when they are opening a Vekoma Super Boomerang next year? I think it is going to be a full circuit roller coaster. I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s something like Alpen Fury but bigger, faster, etc. It is obviously going to be large and sprawling since they said it will replace the space where Kingda Ka, Parachutes and Twister are located.
 
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