Idk if there's going to be any quality cuts of the track to sell when they do demolish the thing, it's not planned to be taken down gracefully.
News The King Is Dead: Kingda Ka (& Zumanjaro) Closure & Demolition Confirmed
- Thread starter Python_Survivor
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Idk if there's going to be any quality cuts of the track to sell when they do demolish the thing, it's not planned to be taken down gracefully.
as someone who lives in that area, it's filled with mid-level parks like dorney and even hersheypark so iconic rides like el toro and kk are really needed to have the park stand out since without gadv, we don't have any destination parks in this section northeast which is one of the biggest markets in the country (if not the biggest). i'm aware that like i said earlier, cf is gonna cf, but they better have a damn good replacement coming in. especially with the pretty penny they're likely spending on getting rid of not only kk but also zumanjaro
CF did announce the pending closure of Vortex, so my assumption is they are very tactical based on the situation and want to manage park goers perception accordingly. Five stages of grief wise, it definitely seems like they try to skip that where warranted and just take the hit at once.
While I don’t agree with closing big rides without a proper goodbye, at least we know there will be something new for 2025, and there is time to fast-track something substantial for 2026 as well.
Ka is a beloved rides but let’s not pretend this is all the park has to offer.
Ka is a beloved rides but let’s not pretend this is all the park has to offer.
Are we even sure a replacement will happen as soon as 2026? Volcano went out without letting people get their last rides in, and by the time Rapterra opens, it'll have taken them seven years to replace it.
I'd see it more likely that they shy away from major investments for awhile at Great Adventure, so long as there are sufficient attractions to bring in decent crowds and make a profit. With Dorney, SFA, and to some extent KD overlapping markets they aren't going to want to make investments that just cannibalize attendance from their other parks.
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.
Comparing unplanned events with Top Thrill closed for because of accident. TT2 closed do to poor production planning but again not planned or expected. Volcano closed to significant maintenance problem that wasn't expected with a clearly planned and hidden decision isn't Comparing apples to apples. Remaining silent on this one Six Flags part shouldn't be explained away or justified. Six Flags has seen enough ride closer including earlier this year at other parks that have been done right to know how to do it right and are choosing not to do so in this case. The fact that a shoot the chute ride got a more appropriate and announced send off the an iconic coaster that draw guests from around the world is not a goid sign for this merger in my opinion.
To clarify, I don't expect a "Ka replacement" or successor by 2026. Don't read into that.
They have time to design and build a new attraction for 2026 to keep things rolling, and marketing new attractions can help make up for ride capacity lost from the park. But that could really be anything - I personally think they're due for a new wooden coaster or another kid area revamp. If they're smart, they should shop around IAAPA and make some deals for 2026 and beyond.
I just have to question why if KK/Z/GL are all leaving in the off season why they wouldn’t have sent the tilt coaster from SFM to Great Adventure instead of CP.
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.
Or, Great America’s dive coaster. The idea of losing three major attractions in one season (possibly 4 if the Skyride is going too) with no replacement seems like a bad business decision.
There was a time where that would be the case, but I can’t see them just “playing favorites” when it comes to making parks turn a profit.
Welcome to the way CF does business.
Also one of my friends who asked about going to SFGAdv next year decided to email the park and ask if it's true that KK, Zuma, GL, and possibly other permanent closures are happening because they wanted to visit and ride these coasters next summer and the response was "we plan on opening all of those rides next weekend".
Woof. They couldn't even soft commit and say "There's no guarantee that any ride will be operating in a given window, however we understand your concern." That "we plan on opening all of those rides next weekend" reads kind of like a "yes, we're closing them".
Devil's advocate CP had a lot of egg on their face because if TT2 they needed something to take away from that.
I agree with your general point but I feel like taking from Great America would be an even worse decision. Great America hasn't had a new coaster in six years, maybe I'm biased because I live near there but in the years since Great America has gotten a new coaster, Great Adventure will have gotten two
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So they decided to put a dive coaster next to a dive coaster. This is like Xibit on Pimp my Ride. "Yo we heard you like dive coasters so we put a dive coaster on your dive coaster". (Yes I know a tilt and diver are technically different coasters but the end ride experience is similar).
Cedar Point needed something for next year because they're concerned they won't even have TT2 ready. The conversion has been an unmitigated disaster for them and it's part of the reason why Ka is being treated the way it is. Lot of moving pieces.
Cedar Point also has resorts. Over 1,200 rooms, suites, cabins, and RV sites...
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 coasters 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.
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 coasters 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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