News The King Is Dead: Kingda Ka (& Zumanjaro) Closure & Demolition Confirmed

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Zachary said:
For the record, just to add some weight to what @b.mac said about a potential replacement timeline, early Nov. 2024 is PLENTY enough time to get a major coaster on the books for a Spring 2026 debut. I'd be shocked if that weren't the plan.

2025 will be rough for the park (a low capacity, delayed-from-2024 shuttle coaster won't come close to compensating for all the loss SFGAdv is reportedly about to incur), but they definitely have the ability to do something huge in time for 2026. Comparisons to Volcano and Dragster probably aren't super warrented because both of those coaster closed unexpectedly and against the chain's wishes. Six Flags is reportedly, actively deciding to close Ka (and friends) this year—so there really wouldn't be any excuse for not having "compensation" ready to go by 2026. In fact, I can't imagine them making moves this large without that being an explicit part of the plan.

None of that, of course, excuses how Six Flags is handling the PR side of this, but the timelines probably make sense.
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To add to this some of these decisions are being forced upon by corporate, some of them are rides being naturally at the end of their life cycle, and some are just the park deciding to rip the band-aid off. I will elaborate more at a later time but I have already shared the details with Zachary via DM.
 
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What's mind boggling to me is that no one at Six Flags is looking at the online reaction to the rumors and going um maybe not saying something isn't the right decision. Reaction at this point is spilling over from the Enthusiasts community to the general public. Is there no one in the corporation that is paying attention to what is being said and caring enough about reaction to say hey maybe we should sit down with a PR guy and craft a response to this outpouring.
 
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horsesboy said:
hey maybe we should sit down with a PR guy and craft a response to this outpouring.
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It's my understanding that the park level PR and social media positions are being eliminated across the chain. People in these roles have to reapply for a job on one of the new regional PR teams or find a job somewhere else. I know Grace Peacock from Canada's Wonderland is the new Regional Director of Public Relations (Midwest Region), but I haven't heard who is in that role for this region or if the position was even filled yet.

Grace P. on LinkedIn: I'm excited to share that I've started a new position as Regional Director… | 63 comments
 
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MaxxForceFan said:
It's my understanding that the park level PR and social media positions are being eliminated across the chain. People in these roles have to reapply for a job on one of the new regional PR teams or find a job somewhere else. I know Grace Peacock from Canada's Wonderland is the new Regional Director of Public Relations (Midwest Region), but I haven't heard who is in that role for this region or if the position was even filled yet.

Grace P. on LinkedIn: I'm excited to share that I've started a new position as Regional Director… | 63 comments
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I ment SF corporate not the park even before this last round of cuts these kinda statements would have to been cleared by corporate and legal.
 
paintervision said:
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Not watching the video but there's going to be an antennae erected in the Golden Kingdom that will hold the park's radio repeaters and that's why all the markings are on the ground right now. It does not have anything to do with a future project or the placement of a new ride. This is also why the Parachutes Tower will be knocked down during the offseason.
 
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b.mac said:
A 2026 attraction has already been determined, for the record. How it will fit into the open space, if at all, is yet to be determined and too early to call. You'll have to wait until next year before anything tangible starts coming out in regards to it.

The orange markings around Ka and Lantern are for replacement cables for the radio repeaters that the park uses. So there's no need for the Parachute tower to remain standing any longer after this winter.



Dibs and ease of movement. Siren's was already being delivered to Mexico so it was easier to ship the parts and get it built on an adjusted time table at a park that can easily approve it than have the ride sit potentially for a year while Great Adventure sifted the ground to make space for it.
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I mean. If the replacement ends up being a 415+ tall B&M Strata Coaster. Then yeah all is forgiven lmao
 
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Hello, engineer here. I interned last summer at the company that did the surveying and plans for flash. The color of the marking doesnt matter, its likely the color the surveyor had on him that day. Yes these may very well be for radio however the data stored from the LIDAR machine will be used for whatever they have planned in this area.

The markings are circled perfectly around Ka and Lantern. Even if this project is truly fastracked as some are saying, the plans for whatever is coming would likely not be finalized till spring and manufacturing on track would probably start summer/october.

I’d bet on whatever replacing Ka and Lantern to come in 2027.

Id also say theres a good chance Ka is SBNO for 2 years. The demo work on that is nothing to think about lightly. However in theory it would make sense to just have the same crew take out parachutes twister GL and Ka in one offseason and clear the land. Will be very interesting how this one plays out.
 
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^Crazy. Wonder what that exact demo plan looks like... a big crane & dismantle piece by piece? Or remove the pull-up/pull-out track, clear out everything near the base of the tophat and topple it into its own infield? Would be some insane footage.
 
horsesboy said:
I can't argue with a thing said but I also don't think that's the full story.

Closing Kingda Ka doesn't hurt attendance but doing so unannounced is a HUGED lost business opportunity. After closing down 305 tonight and seeing the enthusiasm for last rides on a ride that is going away in name only I am more and more convinced that if this is happening that announcing it even as late as the beginning of October would have caused a noticeable jump in attendance. Speaking for myself Ka went down on my only visit to the park had there been an announcement that it was closing that gave me enough time to plan a second trip I would have done so even if it ment shelling out money for the Frightfest tickets. If there is no Ka next year there really isn't another attraction there that will motivate me to make the 7 hour each way trip to visit.
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You made my stomach drop i thought I305 was getting the axe too. Lol

b.mac said:
A replacement of some sorts is already in the works, unsure of how it'll fit into the newfound space but it'll be "something." Rapterra got sidetracked due to COVID and a bunch of other things happening with KD's shift in direction from COVID so it's understandable why Volcano wasn't immediately replaced. Other than that I'm not sure exactly what the plan is besides an increased operations and maintenance budget for the park, it's up to them but I'm familiar with those in charge at Great Adventure and they're just as aware of the issues with the park as I am.
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Is there any possibility the ride will be “reimagined”?

Edit: reading more it doesn’t sound like it but thought I’d ask
 
horsesboy said:
What's mind boggling to me is that no one at Six Flags is looking at the online reaction to the rumors and going um maybe not saying something isn't the right decision. Reaction at this point is spilling over from the Enthusiasts community to the general public. Is there no one in the corporation that is paying attention to what is being said and caring enough about reaction to say hey maybe we should sit down with a PR guy and craft a response to this outpouring.
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They don't care. All about that $$
 
Those markers are all over Ka, Lantern and the surrounding area. There would not be that many markers for a radio tower. Plus they encompass those specific rides. Its a pretty tell tale sign to me of these rides removal.
 
sometimes markers for underground utilities are just markers for underground utilities. If they are demolishing an above ground roller coaster I don’t see why they would need to mark anything, especially in the ground surrounding it.
 
GAcoaster said:
Now they have the regional PR person in place we may see statements one way or the other from the park. Kristin was GA’s PR person for the opening of KK, so she knows it, the park, and their fan base.
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If this is truly the last weekend for it it's a little late this point and might only serve to throw gas on the fire.
 
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