After taking some time to process the whole weekend, and especially yesterday, I wanted to share a little bit about my sentimental attachment to these rides. I’ve had a pass to Great Adventure since I was 2 years old in 2008, and I always remember being enamored by the towering presence of Kingda Ka. Of course, I was nowhere near tall enough to ride it, but I always looked to it as the icon of the place I grew to love. Fast forward a few years to my first ride on El Toro in the Spring of 2013. After years of riding Rolling Thunder, Skull Mountain, and Dark Knight, I had finally ridden my first extreme coaster. It took a little while to get comfortable riding it, but eventually, I grew to love it, and that love for El Toro drove me to seek out its big brother next door even more. 2014 arrived, and Zumanjaro was added to the tower. I couldn’t believe when I found out that the height requirement was just 48” and that I would be able to ride it when it opened. I still remember my first ride like it was yesterday, being blown away by its height and speed, telling my dad and Chris that I was beyond ready for Ka after riding that. It would still be a couple of years until I was tall enough for the 54” coasters, but that day came at the start of the 2016 season. The first of these coasters I went to do was Green Lantern, and I absolutely despised it (probably because my seat was set way too high and I was practically floating 😅). I refused to ride anymore new coasters that day because of what Lantern did to me, but the next time we visited, I was ready. I still remember that first ride on Ka, getting height checked two or three times throughout the queue since I was barely tall enough, and being hurried into Row 5 since the gates had just opened. To say I couldn’t believe what I had just ridden was an understatement. Riding Ka and not being afraid of it made me feel like I could do anything without fear, which also unlocked my full-blown love for roller coasters. I remember that the next day, I went to school with the “I Conquered Ka” shirt, and thought it was the coolest thing. I would continue to ride these attractions over and over again, eventually developing a love for Green Lantern, and marathoning Ka and Zu as much as I could. My emotions were incredibly high when I got my final ride on Ka last night. Everything felt like it came full circle when Stephen, who had been one of the leading operators of Ka for the years when I was young and first riding the coaster, checked my restraint for the last time, and we thanked each other for everything. Losing these attractions is an immense loss, that runs deeper than me just liking the rides. They are the reason I do what I do. Long Live the King 💚🧡🩵💙
@@ColiwoodStudios I loved ka I just wish I was there with you yesterday and wish I could have roden ka more than the times hi have thanks for inspiring me to go on ka at least I got on it once and I’m appreciate of that but thanks bro for inspiring me to ride big coaster because every time I would go to six flags I would watch your povs of the rides “long live the king” 💚🧡💙🩵
Nothing could ever replace the awesome sounds that this ride makes going up and down the roars the sounding like a jet I don’t think any other ride will sound so cool as ka has
As someone who worked Kingda Ka in 2005 and 07, I appreciate all the coverage that you did for this ride and everything else you do in the park. Thank you
I'm crying watching this entire video. I live about 10min down 537 n pass often n frequent the park n Hurricane harbor prob almost daily over the summer. I hope there is another staple put up so we c something like Ka still on 537
Hey Collin, I got my 16 year old son out of school early Thursday, took him home and gave him an hour to pack a bag and told him we're driving 9 hours to Jersey from NC to ride Kingda Ka on Friday. It was only Easter Sunday this year when I got my first rides ever on Kingda Ka, so I couldn't let it go without several more rides for myself and also for my son to get his one and only day ever with this fantastic piece of bent, molded, and bolted steel. His face after the first ride was priceless and I'll never forget it. I grew up in New Jersey so even though Carowinds is my home park now, Great Adventure is my original home park. I remember going when I was small enough to watch my mom & aunt go on Rolling Thunder and Lightnin Loops without me. I can remember the Ultra-Twister, the Bobsled ride, and that absolutely horrible coaster Viper. I got to be at Great Adventure in the summer of 89 and did the running of the bulls with my mom to the Great American Scream Machine. But even though I had long ago moved to NC, I was so proud to know that my original home park was getting Kingda Ka. I just hate that it took 19 years to get to ride it. I have less than 20 total rides on it but it's something I will absolutely, positively never ever forget. Love the content. Love the coaster community. And even though it's check-mate....LONG LIVE THE KING!!!
I remember my first ride on Kingda Ka. I was just amazed at how the whole thing worked. Getting up to that speed in a blink of an eye was just nothing short of incredible. One of the most unique rides you will ever see. Can’t forget that it also dueled with zumanjaro. Another very unique experience. Beyond the regular experience you also had Boost mode which sends you flying over the top hat and rollbacks where you’re going down the tower backwards. Rollbacks are also very special because they’re hard to get. Kingda Ka is an icon for not only great adventure but for the entire world. It was one the staples for great adventure for 20 years. At the beginning of the year this wasn’t on my radar at all but things spiraled fast. I’m not going to dig into Six Flags right now about not making an announcement because I only want to honor Kingda Ka right now. 20 years of great rides and I will never forget the experiences I’ve had on Kingda Ka. ALL HAIL THE KING👑🐯💚
I gotta say it was really awesome being at the park, getting to experience the last ever day for Ka with everyone. It's truly an experience I'll never forget and will be one that I'll continue to look back on for a very long time. Long live the king!
this was so beautiful, and im not even a coaster enthusiast. Hearing u guys cry got me emotional lol It was so lovely seeing all the feelings u guy had for this coaster. And man, it IS such a monolith, all those shots of it at night, amazing. You all did a good job sending it off! if it could talk im sure itd be saying thank you for the love!
The whole end part with sammy saying kingda ka is in roller coaster heaven with rolling thunder great american scream machine and chiller had me crying my eyes out 😭
I came all the way from CT (about 3 hour drive) just to experience Kingda ka. It had been on my bucket list for forever and i finally got to ride it 5x yesterday. It was awesome seeing so many other enthusiasts there. Also thank you for taking a picture with me
I have only been an enthusiast for a year, not riding a single coaster for 15 years before that. I have ridden this thing probably 30-40 times over that year and was always blown away at the acceleration of the launch. I get it, it's a one tricky pony, but that trick is a 10/10 every SINGLE time. I went and said my goodbyes to it 2 weeks ago, got a ride with Ace and a bunch of other enthusiasts in the morning. Wish I could have been there yesterday but happy to see the spectacle that it was through your video. Thanks for going so in depth with the coverage as it gives people like me a window into what it was like for the end of an era. Can't believe I only got one season with Ka, but happy to have experienced it at all, a truly one of a kind attraction these days.
Incredible to see everyone come together to give Ka and Lantern their proper send offs. Despite the terrible thing that brought everyone together, amazing nonetheless that hundreds of us were there to celebrate the same thing. Long live the king 🐅🎢
Goes to show how beautiful the coaster enthusiast community can be. Without a shred of real planning, we all banded together to pay our respects to the King of Coasters. Long live the King, may his reign last forever! 💚💙💛👑🎢
I went on Saturday and just looped Ka over and over until closing. It was so surreal, seeing and being with fellow coaster enthusiasts who came from around the country to celebrate such an iconic ride! So cool getting to know everyone in the line. I can't imagine how mournful Sunday was for everyone. I was a hot crying mess when leaving and saying goodbye to that Six Flags skyline Kingda Ka made so beautiful ❤️ I got to ride with Sammy on Saturday and he was so nice! Such an amazing night to send off the King. Thank you for making these videos for us
I cried for 1 hour. Reason being that ka was my favorite ride in the park.😢 Also the part where you took your picture with the temporally closed sign for green lantern, then dropping the heavy restraint had me dying.
Man I will never EVER forget the first time I’ve ever rode kingda ka, the nervousness and excitement. It’s the best 30 seconds of life. The best rollercoaster experience you can possibly imagine. This is heartbreaking 💔. Long live the king👏🏽
Didn’t wanna bug you but I went on the Saturday of last weekend and you were in front of me while waiting in line! Glad you were apart of my last ride memory 😂🫡 Long live the King!
In the Klerb we all fam, but seriously I haven’t got this emotional in forever… it was so great to see the coaster community come out in the numbers to show this ride the proper send off it deserves! Truly will forever hold my number 1 spot no matter what the newest and baddest coaster maybe but this one has always swept me off my feet!
Awesome video! I was on guest ride 1 way back on 2005 media day as a member of ACE. It has been one of my favorite coasters since. People called me crazy for liking it more than the original Top Thrill Dragster. I was also there & on Sunday. I think I even spotted myself in your video 🤣 at least GADV will finally have Flash next year. I hope they replace it with something worthy. I’m one of those not big fans of Lantern, but did get a front seat ride to send it off.
Long live the KING! I’m gonna miss hearing sound like a jet fighter on the hydraulic launch . Thank you for recording its final night and train. Kingda Ka was the reason I loved being a coaster enthusiast.
Rip to the king and his guiding lantern. Truly the saddest day in modern coaster history. I sadly couldn’t make it out for the send off, but I wish I could’ve. RIP to legendary coasters.
I wish Six Flags made a documentary on Kingda Ka's legacy as the ride that won the coaster wars. To think that when it would be (presumably) closed, it would STILL be the tallest, fastest (operational) roller coaster on earth, just as it was when it opened. An icon of Six Flags, New Jersey, and roller coasters as a whole. Even Formula Rossa couldn't rival Ka's longevity.
Great video Colin, I fully appreciate and respect how much Kingda Ka meant to you all 100%. Like you said if it wasn’t for Kingda Ka, your channel wouldn’t be a thing
My last ride with in the front with my dad it might have not been the last day but I remember seeing Sammy checking my restraint as we got the all clear. Long Live The King ❤❤❤. Kings aka was the reason I got into coasters and it is now my permanent no 1. It is where it deserves to be. And thanks for the updates. I speak for the whole community when I say without your updates and vlogs we wouldn’t have known as much as we do. So thank you from the bottom of my heart and kingdaka is and will always be THE KING OF ALL COASTERS.
This was a very emotional weekend for all enthusiasts and Great Adventure fans paying respects to “The King of Coasters.” As sad as the day was, we all came together to support such an incredible attraction. This is why I love being a part of this coaster community! At this point, I can only hope for a great replacement, but it’ll be a tough (maybe even impossible) task to top the king LONG LIVE THE KING 👑
The Last Rites Of The King. The most official unofficial enthusiast event in recent memory, perhaps ever. We came out in force from all over to give the Ka a true sendoff, and did not disappoint. It was well worth taking the day off from work to come back after I originally planned for Saturday to be my last rides. 17 laps on Saturday, 9 on Sunday. The energy around Ka was unlike anything I've ever experienced in any park. The ops were amazing, helping to build the energy along with pumping out those trains. The cheers and chants of "Long Live The King" will be burned into my memory for many years to come, along with the new friends I made along the way and the first-time riders who I got to personally guide through the experience that is the King of Coasters, including one lucky guy whose only ride ever was in the front row (William, it was an honor to ride with you). It was a bittersweet night, but without a doubt one for the history books. I had the amazing fortune to be on the final public train, in row 8 on the left side. Once the brakes went down, I let out one final "Long live the King" and just completely lost it until time stopped for a second at the top and I got to take it all in one last time before dropping back down into Ka's mental downward spiral. After we hit the brakes coming over the camelback, that euphoria slowly gave way to numbness, and that feeling only grew the farther I walked away from that station. I filmed my whole walk out of the park from Ka all the way to the beginning of the parking lot, just to remember those final moments. Once I finally sat down in my car, I think that was when the weight of it all truly hit me, and I just broke down inside. My drive home was one where I was almost completely silent, just thinking about what I just witnessed and experienced. Writing this now, a day later, is honestly a bit hard. I still haven't fully processed the fact that a ride that has always been the first thing I see pulling into Great Adventure's parking lot could (and most likely will) finally be gone. My first visit (and season pass) here was at the age of 5 back in 2005, and my first ride on it was in 2009. Even though I may not have become a serious enthusiast until after the pandemic, Ka was one of the coasters that inspired me to start on this path, and I don't regret it in the slightest. The friends I've made and experiences I've had are ones I would never trade for anything. I've probably gotten a little over 100 rides on it, but now it feels like no number of rides would have ever been enough. Colin, thank you for capturing Ka's final moments for all of us. I sincerely hope they aren't the last and this is just a social media rumor that grew wildly out of control, but I know that's almost certainly a false hope by now. Long Live The King, And May His Reign Last Forever! 💚💙🧡👑🎢
Thanks for the video, Colin. I’m sure it was emotionally tough to film and probably even more so to edit. Kingda Ka is one of those institutions that is hard to imagine Great Adventure without. I haven’t ridden Ka in recent years, but I still loved watching it during my visits and knowing people on it were getting such a special experience. “Arms down. Head back. Hold on.”
So glad I was able to be there. I watched this masterpiece get built & be in operation over these years. So proud that Great Adventure made history for the better part of almost 20 years with Kingda Ka. I mentioned it before but the vibes of last night hit harder than Rolling Thunder's last day of Ops. So sad to see it go.
First time and last time I rode this was in 2022... I only did it twice (the intensity was too much after two rides!) and stupidly didn't buy a shirt when I was there. Little did I know that within two years this beast of a ride would be gone. I'm proud to say that I'm one of the lucky people from across the pond (I live in the UK) who got to experience this. Long live the King :( RIP
I remember watching the promo video over and over when I was a kid knowing that this coaster is going to be great and after riding i definitely knew I was right! A sad day for all of us coaster enthusiasts or just casual riders losing a true legend. Nothing will be like Kingda ka again! Awesome video! Long live the king! 🎢
I wasn’t there yesterday but am thrilled to see so many enthusiasts gave it the proper sendoff it deserves which the park is very clearly not doing which is so pitiful. This one’s gonna hurt for a long time, I was an emotional mess when I got off my last ever ride on Friday which was teal train front row with Avery. Nothing could’ve prepared me for that mentally or emotionally. I think I did see you when I was waiting for my last ride when it broke down in the evening and a couple other times that day.
The king of all coasters will live on forever ♾️ and will never be compared. This ride can NOT be compared to anything else, it did its job as being king and we will follow and remember the kingda ka literally for the rest or eternity ❤❤❤
I will also miss green lantern, I got 6 rides on Saturday. It’s such a tragedy to loose these coasters. Got 4 on Ka also and I loved it so much! I solute the rides we lost 🫡
I personally never rode king da ka but I always have liked the ride I went over there on final day to watch it go off a bunch and saw all of you it was a great run from ka always gonna be rembered and thanks for posting ka whenever u can it is apart of history now
I only got into roller coasters before this past summer, and my one time getting to Great Adventure Ka was constantly opening and closing. I unfortunately never rode this beast and just ran out of time and couldn’t hit Lantern. Such a shame that I missed both of these beasts
I was there today!! I got to wave to you in the station, i was in row 2 :) Im gonna miss Ka so much, this was the coaster that made me an enthusiast (along with coaster studios, and koaster kids), so im gonna dearly miss it. I also really enjoy Green Lantern, and im sad to see that go too. Its not a good time to be a green coaster at Great Adventure right now that's for certain :( Long live the king! (and green lantern)
It's really sad that they're closing it without an official announcement. Not only is it kind of insulting from a guest perspective, but they missed out on a lot of potential revenue from more people coming out to ride it one last time. Makes me think back to 2022 when Hershey made an official announcement and gave over a month's notice for Wildcat closing, for one of the least popular rides in the park. I understand why they want to close it for the ridiculous maintenance costs, but it's insane that Six flags can't even give their headlining attraction a proper send off.
yeah agreed, I live in the UK and with a bit more notice I could've planned to fly out for one last ride but that's never gonna happen now :( I'll just have to make do with the two rides I got on it in 2022 - which is probably more than most British enthusiasts can say tbf! RIP Kingda Ka
I was still GP when Volcano got removed so I never really phased it, nor did I even know about it at the time. The only time I've been to Great Adventure was in June, 11-13th. I was riding Ka more than anything else in the park because I somehow knew Ka would be gone the next time I went, and I was trying to kill time waiting for Toro to open (it never did, never got to go on it). Not getting on Toro hurt, but now losing this hurts even more for me. Long live the king!
I completely feel you man. Lost dragster all too soon as well. Was gonna go Sunday but just didn’t have the time. Planning to go next year but with the removal don’t think it’s gonna happen. These hydrologic launches sure were a fun one to have, lucky to get on a few. I have few hope that it will stay open which stinks. But for your sake I hope that the ride replacing it represents the legend well. LONG LIVE THE KING
My first ever ride on ka was in row 2 and I was terrified. Right after that I rode 3rd row, still very scared. And this was opening day 2023. After that I took a big break from ka for the whole 2023 season, only riding once more during fright fest. I didn’t ride it more because I thought it was very rough, and it gave me a headache. On opening day 2024, I decided I wanted to ride ka in the front row. As you know it was closed that day. The next time I came it had reopened and we went for the front row. I was still a bit nervous but I was more excited. As soon as we launched I could immediately tell how much smoother the front is compared to other rows. After that day we rode ka almost every time we went. And to see it go is very sad. And still haven’t gotten a rollback. RIP the King💚🧡💚🧡
I dont think they would take down this monumental roller coaster without something huge in the works to at least match up to it, lets hope we get what we deserve from the cedar fair merger.
I still never got to ride kingda ka till this day…😢 I wish I had the chance to experience it. Long live the king.. I thought I’d be able to go on it next time but there is no next time..
I'm not a coaster enthusiast, but i can feel the emotion on this video as I've recently lost Splash Mountain so soon, i hope you guys get a better replacement than we did for Splash Mountain. Long live Kingda Ka
I’m glad I got my last rides on Saturday (I saw you on line but was too scared to say hello lmao). Not sad about Green Lantern since I’ve been avoiding that thing for years, but Ka is a legend. It seems fitting that SF takes away my least favorite coaster at the park, but also my favorite. Overall sad day, just hope they give us something amazing to replace everything lost.
The staging area in the parking lot gives it all away. They wouldn't be blocking off that big of an area if they just wanted to keep people off the service road, which I guess had been an issue with all the people going to take pictures and video of the ride. I'm so disappointed it had to end this way. What's worse is that usually when a coaster closes, it's the end for that particular ride, but usually you are getting something better in return. It's a step forward. With Kingda Ka, it's a step backwards. No other coaster has or will ever have a 0-128 mph launch, straight up into a 456 foot tophat. It's the closest any of us will get to experiencing a rocket launch. To think that it's gone forever, never to be experienced again. It sucks.
I’m a lot like Alex at the end of the video. I’ve seen a ton of change, removals and additions at the park so I’m a lot more numb to it but it’s still such a shame. But now it’s time for the speculation!!!! Can’t wait!
Story time: may the 25th 2011, the 1st OFFICIAL operating day of green lantern, I was 10 years old, I was with my father, and I was tall enough (finally) to ride (formerly) scream machine. Little did we (mostly my dad imo) know it was replaced with a b&m stand up that I would later (briefly) love. I'm now 23 years old. I'm sad I didn't get to ride it one last time on my childhood ride I rode 4 times in it's operating life. Rest in peace.
First coaster loss to make me shed a tear. Volcano suddenly closing was disappointing, but this is on another level. Fans of the park couldn’t even get a season to prepare themselves and not even an acknowledgement of the worlds tallest coaster closing, the coaster that put the park on the map internationally. Once this news reaches the general public and news outlets, great adventure is most definitely taking an attendance hit even with flash opening. The only acceptable replacement is a well-themed, 300ft Velocicoaster-style coaster. Hopefully El Toro is safe.
I got over my fear of roller coasters just this past summer and rode Kingda Ka for the first time in July. I'm happy my last ride on it was a front row ride. Unfortunately I never got a chance to ride Zumanjaro. I am hoping whatever replaces these coasters are just as fantastic.
Green lantern also got a proper send off. We had a bunch of our regulars. About 3/4 capacity. We were running 6 people on the train and did 30 cycles in that hour. This park will not be the same without these 4 rides. Long live the king, and Green Lantern, Twister, Zumanjaro and Parachute tower
THANK YOU FOR THIS!!! I found myself and my husband - multiple times! I didn’t realize we were on the train with you and Sammy when you took your last front row ride. Makes it that much more special. (Sorry to say we’re GL haters and didn’t say goodbye with a final ride!!) 💚🧡🩵💙🎢
I feel like I should give a little love to GL. In August 6, 2018 I had my gallbladder out. I asked my surgeon whether I would be healed enough to go on coasters in 30 days because I was going to be with 40+ sorority sisters in the park for the day. He told me not a good idea. But on September 6, 2018 I returned to Great Adventure for the first time in a few years and my first coaster post surgery was Green Lantern! Fast Forward to September 24, 2022…I suffered a cardiac arrest and sudden death (not that day Satan!) and all I could talk about out in the hospital was whether or not I could ride roller coasters anymore, as I had a defibrillator implanted. He said no LSMs for me but otherwise go for it! First coaster back: Green Lantern again! (We were on line for Superman but it closed so GL was it!!)
On a positive note, I just purchased a 2023 Volkswagon GTI. The governor is set to 128 mph, not that I would know that by experience or anything (yeah right!). It's so light, and fast that it makes up for the loss of Ka.
Hey Coliwood I watched the documentary of King Da Ka being built from bottom to top. A great send off I will miss that incredible power of the launch. Hopefully the new gigga will cheer people up 2026 get ready
i was on the second to last train. trust me bro I felt your exact same emotions before i got on and right before the launch. after it i was a mess it literally felt like i was saying bye to a loved one really close to me. also lol i was bawling my eyes out too as i was walking outta the park to friggin don't stop believing
I have not cried watching a UA-cam video in a while but today was the day I was going next year to experience this coaster but that will never happen thank you for this video ❤❤
My Heart goes out to the youngsters in line to ride this Legendary ride in 2025. I hope the removal does not go into full effect. I wanted to ride this with my kid :(
Just want to say thank you to all of you UA-camrs ect… that allowed me to know this was happening. I rode it the past few weekends and the final day as much as possible . I appreciate you as well as the others.
After taking some time to process the whole weekend, and especially yesterday, I wanted to share a little bit about my sentimental attachment to these rides. I’ve had a pass to Great Adventure since I was 2 years old in 2008, and I always remember being enamored by the towering presence of Kingda Ka. Of course, I was nowhere near tall enough to ride it, but I always looked to it as the icon of the place I grew to love.
Fast forward a few years to my first ride on El Toro in the Spring of 2013. After years of riding Rolling Thunder, Skull Mountain, and Dark Knight, I had finally ridden my first extreme coaster. It took a little while to get comfortable riding it, but eventually, I grew to love it, and that love for El Toro drove me to seek out its big brother next door even more. 2014 arrived, and Zumanjaro was added to the tower. I couldn’t believe when I found out that the height requirement was just 48” and that I would be able to ride it when it opened. I still remember my first ride like it was yesterday, being blown away by its height and speed, telling my dad and Chris that I was beyond ready for Ka after riding that. It would still be a couple of years until I was tall enough for the 54” coasters, but that day came at the start of the 2016 season. The first of these coasters I went to do was Green Lantern, and I absolutely despised it (probably because my seat was set way too high and I was practically floating 😅). I refused to ride anymore new coasters that day because of what Lantern did to me, but the next time we visited, I was ready. I still remember that first ride on Ka, getting height checked two or three times throughout the queue since I was barely tall enough, and being hurried into Row 5 since the gates had just opened. To say I couldn’t believe what I had just ridden was an understatement. Riding Ka and not being afraid of it made me feel like I could do anything without fear, which also unlocked my full-blown love for roller coasters. I remember that the next day, I went to school with the “I Conquered Ka” shirt, and thought it was the coolest thing. I would continue to ride these attractions over and over again, eventually developing a love for Green Lantern, and marathoning Ka and Zu as much as I could. My emotions were incredibly high when I got my final ride on Ka last night. Everything felt like it came full circle when Stephen, who had been one of the leading operators of Ka for the years when I was young and first riding the coaster, checked my restraint for the last time, and we thanked each other for everything.
Losing these attractions is an immense loss, that runs deeper than me just liking the rides. They are the reason I do what I do. Long Live the King 💚🧡🩵💙
Do you have any idea what will go in place of it? They have a lot of room to work with
@@ColiwoodStudios I loved ka I just wish I was there with you yesterday and wish I could have roden ka more than the times hi have thanks for inspiring me to go on ka at least I got on it once and I’m appreciate of that but thanks bro for inspiring me to ride big coaster because every time I would go to six flags I would watch your povs of the rides “long live the king” 💚🧡💙🩵
Arms down, head back, HOLD ON! 👑
hold up, IM OLDER THAN YOU BY TWO YEARS? Damn thought u were in your 20’s respectfully
@@geoinventor3 someone’s tone deaf 🤦♂️🤦♂️
Nothing could ever replace the awesome sounds that this ride makes going up and down the roars the sounding like a jet I don’t think any other ride will sound so cool as ka has
As someone who worked Kingda Ka in 2005 and 07, I appreciate all the coverage that you did for this ride and everything else you do in the park. Thank you
I'm crying watching this entire video. I live about 10min down 537 n pass often n frequent the park n Hurricane harbor prob almost daily over the summer. I hope there is another staple put up so we c something like Ka still on 537
one of the hardest videos i’ve ever watched, thank you for capturing these type of videos colin.
Hey Collin, I got my 16 year old son out of school early Thursday, took him home and gave him an hour to pack a bag and told him we're driving 9 hours to Jersey from NC to ride Kingda Ka on Friday. It was only Easter Sunday this year when I got my first rides ever on Kingda Ka, so I couldn't let it go without several more rides for myself and also for my son to get his one and only day ever with this fantastic piece of bent, molded, and bolted steel. His face after the first ride was priceless and I'll never forget it. I grew up in New Jersey so even though Carowinds is my home park now, Great Adventure is my original home park. I remember going when I was small enough to watch my mom & aunt go on Rolling Thunder and Lightnin Loops without me. I can remember the Ultra-Twister, the Bobsled ride, and that absolutely horrible coaster Viper. I got to be at Great Adventure in the summer of 89 and did the running of the bulls with my mom to the Great American Scream Machine. But even though I had long ago moved to NC, I was so proud to know that my original home park was getting Kingda Ka. I just hate that it took 19 years to get to ride it. I have less than 20 total rides on it but it's something I will absolutely, positively never ever forget. Love the content. Love the coaster community. And even though it's check-mate....LONG LIVE THE KING!!!
That’s amazing!!
I remember my first ride on Kingda Ka. I was just amazed at how the whole thing worked. Getting up to that speed in a blink of an eye was just nothing short of incredible. One of the most unique rides you will ever see. Can’t forget that it also dueled with zumanjaro. Another very unique experience. Beyond the regular experience you also had Boost mode which sends you flying over the top hat and rollbacks where you’re going down the tower backwards. Rollbacks are also very special because they’re hard to get. Kingda Ka is an icon for not only great adventure but for the entire world. It was one the staples for great adventure for 20 years. At the beginning of the year this wasn’t on my radar at all but things spiraled fast. I’m not going to dig into Six Flags right now about not making an announcement because I only want to honor Kingda Ka right now. 20 years of great rides and I will never forget the experiences I’ve had on Kingda Ka. ALL HAIL THE KING👑🐯💚
I gotta say it was really awesome being at the park, getting to experience the last ever day for Ka with everyone. It's truly an experience I'll never forget and will be one that I'll continue to look back on for a very long time. Long live the king!
this was so beautiful, and im not even a coaster enthusiast. Hearing u guys cry got me emotional lol It was so lovely seeing all the feelings u guy had for this coaster. And man, it IS such a monolith, all those shots of it at night, amazing. You all did a good job sending it off! if it could talk im sure itd be saying thank you for the love!
The whole end part with sammy saying kingda ka is in roller coaster heaven with rolling thunder great american scream machine and chiller had me crying my eyes out 😭
I came all the way from CT (about 3 hour drive) just to experience Kingda ka. It had been on my bucket list for forever and i finally got to ride it 5x yesterday. It was awesome seeing so many other enthusiasts there. Also thank you for taking a picture with me
I have only been an enthusiast for a year, not riding a single coaster for 15 years before that. I have ridden this thing probably 30-40 times over that year and was always blown away at the acceleration of the launch. I get it, it's a one tricky pony, but that trick is a 10/10 every SINGLE time.
I went and said my goodbyes to it 2 weeks ago, got a ride with Ace and a bunch of other enthusiasts in the morning. Wish I could have been there yesterday but happy to see the spectacle that it was through your video. Thanks for going so in depth with the coverage as it gives people like me a window into what it was like for the end of an era.
Can't believe I only got one season with Ka, but happy to have experienced it at all, a truly one of a kind attraction these days.
Incredible to see everyone come together to give Ka and Lantern their proper send offs. Despite the terrible thing that brought everyone together, amazing nonetheless that hundreds of us were there to celebrate the same thing. Long live the king 🐅🎢
Well said Tom
Goes to show how beautiful the coaster enthusiast community can be. Without a shred of real planning, we all banded together to pay our respects to the King of Coasters. Long live the King, may his reign last forever! 💚💙💛👑🎢
I went on Saturday and just looped Ka over and over until closing. It was so surreal, seeing and being with fellow coaster enthusiasts who came from around the country to celebrate such an iconic ride! So cool getting to know everyone in the line. I can't imagine how mournful Sunday was for everyone. I was a hot crying mess when leaving and saying goodbye to that Six Flags skyline Kingda Ka made so beautiful ❤️ I got to ride with Sammy on Saturday and he was so nice! Such an amazing night to send off the King. Thank you for making these videos for us
I cried for 1 hour. Reason being that ka was my favorite ride in the park.😢 Also the part where you took your picture with the temporally closed sign for green lantern, then dropping the heavy restraint had me dying.
I am so glad I was there on the final day to experience this. Thanks for all you do. LONG LIVE THE KING!
Man I will never EVER forget the first time I’ve ever rode kingda ka, the nervousness and excitement. It’s the best 30 seconds of life. The best rollercoaster experience you can possibly imagine. This is heartbreaking 💔. Long live the king👏🏽
Didn’t wanna bug you but I went on the Saturday of last weekend and you were in front of me while waiting in line! Glad you were apart of my last ride memory 😂🫡
Long live the King!
For my LROTN!!!
I remember seeing you guys, I got on the last public ride in the second row and cried the entire time. Such an emotional night 😥
The atmosphere was hype. It was an amazing, but sad experience being there. Love seeing the last train ever. Long live the King!
In the Klerb we all fam, but seriously I haven’t got this emotional in forever… it was so great to see the coaster community come out in the numbers to show this ride the proper send off it deserves! Truly will forever hold my number 1 spot no matter what the newest and baddest coaster maybe but this one has always swept me off my feet!
Awesome video! I was on guest ride 1 way back on 2005 media day as a member of ACE. It has been one of my favorite coasters since. People called me crazy for liking it more than the original Top Thrill Dragster. I was also there & on Sunday. I think I even spotted myself in your video 🤣 at least GADV will finally have Flash next year. I hope they replace it with something worthy. I’m one of those not big fans of Lantern, but did get a front seat ride to send it off.
Long live the KING! I’m gonna miss hearing sound like a jet fighter on the hydraulic launch . Thank you for recording its final night and train. Kingda Ka was the reason I loved being a coaster enthusiast.
Rip to the king and his guiding lantern. Truly the saddest day in modern coaster history. I sadly couldn’t make it out for the send off, but I wish I could’ve. RIP to legendary coasters.
I wish Six Flags made a documentary on Kingda Ka's legacy as the ride that won the coaster wars. To think that when it would be (presumably) closed, it would STILL be the tallest, fastest (operational) roller coaster on earth, just as it was when it opened. An icon of Six Flags, New Jersey, and roller coasters as a whole. Even Formula Rossa couldn't rival Ka's longevity.
i was here on its final day... long live the king
Long live the king
long live the king o7
Same I cried as I left the station
The fact it started raining at the end is crazy. It’s sad but I’m sure big things are in the works
Great video Colin, I fully appreciate and respect how much Kingda Ka meant to you all 100%. Like you said if it wasn’t for Kingda Ka, your channel wouldn’t be a thing
I was on the last public teal train ever of Kingda koa’s life and it was a surreal experience people were crying and it was such a bittersweet moment
My last ride with in the front with my dad it might have not been the last day but I remember seeing Sammy checking my restraint as we got the all clear. Long Live The King ❤❤❤. Kings aka was the reason I got into coasters and it is now my permanent no 1. It is where it deserves to be. And thanks for the updates. I speak for the whole community when I say without your updates and vlogs we wouldn’t have known as much as we do. So thank you from the bottom of my heart and kingdaka is and will always be THE KING OF ALL COASTERS.
This was a very emotional weekend for all enthusiasts and Great Adventure fans paying respects to “The King of Coasters.” As sad as the day was, we all came together to support such an incredible attraction. This is why I love being a part of this coaster community! At this point, I can only hope for a great replacement, but it’ll be a tough (maybe even impossible) task to top the king
LONG LIVE THE KING 👑
The Last Rites Of The King.
The most official unofficial enthusiast event in recent memory, perhaps ever. We came out in force from all over to give the Ka a true sendoff, and did not disappoint. It was well worth taking the day off from work to come back after I originally planned for Saturday to be my last rides. 17 laps on Saturday, 9 on Sunday. The energy around Ka was unlike anything I've ever experienced in any park. The ops were amazing, helping to build the energy along with pumping out those trains. The cheers and chants of "Long Live The King" will be burned into my memory for many years to come, along with the new friends I made along the way and the first-time riders who I got to personally guide through the experience that is the King of Coasters, including one lucky guy whose only ride ever was in the front row (William, it was an honor to ride with you). It was a bittersweet night, but without a doubt one for the history books.
I had the amazing fortune to be on the final public train, in row 8 on the left side. Once the brakes went down, I let out one final "Long live the King" and just completely lost it until time stopped for a second at the top and I got to take it all in one last time before dropping back down into Ka's mental downward spiral. After we hit the brakes coming over the camelback, that euphoria slowly gave way to numbness, and that feeling only grew the farther I walked away from that station. I filmed my whole walk out of the park from Ka all the way to the beginning of the parking lot, just to remember those final moments. Once I finally sat down in my car, I think that was when the weight of it all truly hit me, and I just broke down inside. My drive home was one where I was almost completely silent, just thinking about what I just witnessed and experienced.
Writing this now, a day later, is honestly a bit hard. I still haven't fully processed the fact that a ride that has always been the first thing I see pulling into Great Adventure's parking lot could (and most likely will) finally be gone. My first visit (and season pass) here was at the age of 5 back in 2005, and my first ride on it was in 2009. Even though I may not have become a serious enthusiast until after the pandemic, Ka was one of the coasters that inspired me to start on this path, and I don't regret it in the slightest. The friends I've made and experiences I've had are ones I would never trade for anything. I've probably gotten a little over 100 rides on it, but now it feels like no number of rides would have ever been enough.
Colin, thank you for capturing Ka's final moments for all of us. I sincerely hope they aren't the last and this is just a social media rumor that grew wildly out of control, but I know that's almost certainly a false hope by now.
Long Live The King, And May His Reign Last Forever!
💚💙🧡👑🎢
Thanks for the video, Colin. I’m sure it was emotionally tough to film and probably even more so to edit. Kingda Ka is one of those institutions that is hard to imagine Great Adventure without. I haven’t ridden Ka in recent years, but I still loved watching it during my visits and knowing people on it were getting such a special experience. “Arms down. Head back. Hold on.”
Very tough to film, and even tougher to edit, glad you enjoyed it!!
So glad I was able to be there. I watched this masterpiece get built & be in operation over these years. So proud that Great Adventure made history for the better part of almost 20 years with Kingda Ka.
I mentioned it before but the vibes of last night hit harder than Rolling Thunder's last day of Ops. So sad to see it go.
This is the last time I see Kingda Ka ever again. We'll remember this long service as a memory of the Past
First time and last time I rode this was in 2022... I only did it twice (the intensity was too much after two rides!) and stupidly didn't buy a shirt when I was there. Little did I know that within two years this beast of a ride would be gone. I'm proud to say that I'm one of the lucky people from across the pond (I live in the UK) who got to experience this. Long live the King :( RIP
I remember watching the promo video over and over when I was a kid knowing that this coaster is going to be great and after riding i definitely knew I was right! A sad day for all of us coaster enthusiasts or just casual riders losing a true legend. Nothing will be like Kingda ka again! Awesome video! Long live the king! 🎢
I wasn’t there yesterday but am thrilled to see so many enthusiasts gave it the proper sendoff it deserves which the park is very clearly not doing which is so pitiful. This one’s gonna hurt for a long time, I was an emotional mess when I got off my last ever ride on Friday which was teal train front row with Avery. Nothing could’ve prepared me for that mentally or emotionally. I think I did see you when I was waiting for my last ride when it broke down in the evening and a couple other times that day.
Someone give Sammy a hug! This whole situation breaks me man.
The king of all coasters will live on forever ♾️ and will never be compared. This ride can NOT be compared to anything else, it did its job as being king and we will follow and remember the kingda ka literally for the rest or eternity ❤❤❤
"Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened"
-Dr. Seuss
Long Live The King ❤
I'm bummed I never got to ride it,but I never had the $$$ to travel from California. Thanks for posting this
Steve Perry's (timely) reminder to "Don't Stop Believin'" in a greater future for Great Adventure. Long live the KING. 👑👑👑
That was a touching video. I'm just glad I got a chance to ride it three times in 2022, once in the front row.
This has to be the most well documented ride closures. I’m glad I went last week ❤️
I will also miss green lantern, I got 6 rides on Saturday. It’s such a tragedy to loose these coasters. Got 4 on Ka also and I loved it so much! I solute the rides we lost 🫡
I personally never rode king da ka but I always have liked the ride I went over there on final day to watch it go off a bunch and saw all of you it was a great run from ka always gonna be rembered and thanks for posting ka whenever u can it is apart of history now
It was good meeting you as well
I went to Ga for the first time last year and only got to ride ka twice. I really wish I got to ride it more it sucks losing this ride
I only got into roller coasters before this past summer, and my one time getting to Great Adventure Ka was constantly opening and closing. I unfortunately never rode this beast and just ran out of time and couldn’t hit Lantern. Such a shame that I missed both of these beasts
I was there today!! I got to wave to you in the station, i was in row 2 :)
Im gonna miss Ka so much, this was the coaster that made me an enthusiast (along with coaster studios, and koaster kids), so im gonna dearly miss it. I also really enjoy Green Lantern, and im sad to see that go too. Its not a good time to be a green coaster at Great Adventure right now that's for certain :( Long live the king! (and green lantern)
Hey collin all i can is wow as one of the many great operaters of it that tribute was excellent LONG LIVE THE KING
Thanks for everything Eric, you’re the best, long live the king!!
Glad to have met you and the others yesterday by the Kingda Ka lockers👏👍
Rumor has it that even Bob shed a tear watching this
It's really sad that they're closing it without an official announcement. Not only is it kind of insulting from a guest perspective, but they missed out on a lot of potential revenue from more people coming out to ride it one last time. Makes me think back to 2022 when Hershey made an official announcement and gave over a month's notice for Wildcat closing, for one of the least popular rides in the park. I understand why they want to close it for the ridiculous maintenance costs, but it's insane that Six flags can't even give their headlining attraction a proper send off.
yeah agreed, I live in the UK and with a bit more notice I could've planned to fly out for one last ride but that's never gonna happen now :( I'll just have to make do with the two rides I got on it in 2022 - which is probably more than most British enthusiasts can say tbf! RIP Kingda Ka
I was still GP when Volcano got removed so I never really phased it, nor did I even know about it at the time. The only time I've been to Great Adventure was in June, 11-13th. I was riding Ka more than anything else in the park because I somehow knew Ka would be gone the next time I went, and I was trying to kill time waiting for Toro to open (it never did, never got to go on it). Not getting on Toro hurt, but now losing this hurts even more for me. Long live the king!
I completely feel you man. Lost dragster all too soon as well. Was gonna go Sunday but just didn’t have the time. Planning to go next year but with the removal don’t think it’s gonna happen. These hydrologic launches sure were a fun one to have, lucky to get on a few. I have few hope that it will stay open which stinks. But for your sake I hope that the ride replacing it represents the legend well. LONG LIVE THE KING
Thank you for documenting this day for us. Beautiful video that brought me to tears.
Glad you enjoyed it!
I support you KingDaKa fans from France! Long live the King 💚
My first ever ride on ka was in row 2 and I was terrified. Right after that I rode 3rd row, still very scared. And this was opening day 2023. After that I took a big break from ka for the whole 2023 season, only riding once more during fright fest. I didn’t ride it more because I thought it was very rough, and it gave me a headache. On opening day 2024, I decided I wanted to ride ka in the front row. As you know it was closed that day. The next time I came it had reopened and we went for the front row. I was still a bit nervous but I was more excited. As soon as we launched I could immediately tell how much smoother the front is compared to other rows. After that day we rode ka almost every time we went. And to see it go is very sad. And still haven’t gotten a rollback. RIP the King💚🧡💚🧡
I dont think they would take down this monumental roller coaster without something huge in the works to at least match up to it, lets hope we get what we deserve from the cedar fair merger.
I still never got to ride kingda ka till this day…😢 I wish I had the chance to experience it. Long live the king.. I thought I’d be able to go on it next time but there is no next time..
So sorry you didn't get to experience it
I'm not a coaster enthusiast, but i can feel the emotion on this video as I've recently lost Splash Mountain so soon, i hope you guys get a better replacement than we did for Splash Mountain.
Long live Kingda Ka
Tis the fox from the mountain I see
I’m glad I got my last rides on Saturday (I saw you on line but was too scared to say hello lmao). Not sad about Green Lantern since I’ve been avoiding that thing for years, but Ka is a legend. It seems fitting that SF takes away my least favorite coaster at the park, but also my favorite. Overall sad day, just hope they give us something amazing to replace everything lost.
The staging area in the parking lot gives it all away. They wouldn't be blocking off that big of an area if they just wanted to keep people off the service road, which I guess had been an issue with all the people going to take pictures and video of the ride. I'm so disappointed it had to end this way. What's worse is that usually when a coaster closes, it's the end for that particular ride, but usually you are getting something better in return. It's a step forward. With Kingda Ka, it's a step backwards. No other coaster has or will ever have a 0-128 mph launch, straight up into a 456 foot tophat. It's the closest any of us will get to experiencing a rocket launch. To think that it's gone forever, never to be experienced again. It sucks.
I’m a lot like Alex at the end of the video. I’ve seen a ton of change, removals and additions at the park so I’m a lot more numb to it but it’s still such a shame. But now it’s time for the speculation!!!! Can’t wait!
Story time: may the 25th 2011, the 1st OFFICIAL operating day of green lantern, I was 10 years old, I was with my father, and I was tall enough (finally) to ride (formerly) scream machine. Little did we (mostly my dad imo) know it was replaced with a b&m stand up that I would later (briefly) love. I'm now 23 years old. I'm sad I didn't get to ride it one last time on my childhood ride I rode 4 times in it's operating life. Rest in peace.
My dream coaster I never got to ride you but long live the king
22:29 “YOU DID IT YOU F****** DID IT”
First coaster loss to make me shed a tear. Volcano suddenly closing was disappointing, but this is on another level. Fans of the park couldn’t even get a season to prepare themselves and not even an acknowledgement of the worlds tallest coaster closing, the coaster that put the park on the map internationally.
Once this news reaches the general public and news outlets, great adventure is most definitely taking an attendance hit even with flash opening.
The only acceptable replacement is a well-themed, 300ft Velocicoaster-style coaster.
Hopefully El Toro is safe.
R.I.P king da ka Green lantern and twister
Rest in peace to the king of all coasters 😔🕊️
36:47 LOVE THE SIGN OFF 👏🏽👏🏽
I got over my fear of roller coasters just this past summer and rode Kingda Ka for the first time in July. I'm happy my last ride on it was a front row ride. Unfortunately I never got a chance to ride Zumanjaro. I am hoping whatever replaces these coasters are just as fantastic.
Green lantern also got a proper send off. We had a bunch of our regulars. About 3/4 capacity. We were running 6 people on the train and did 30 cycles in that hour. This park will not be the same without these 4 rides. Long live the king, and Green Lantern, Twister, Zumanjaro and Parachute tower
THANK YOU FOR THIS!!! I found myself and my husband - multiple times! I didn’t realize we were on the train with you and Sammy when you took your last front row ride. Makes it that much more special. (Sorry to say we’re GL haters and didn’t say goodbye with a final ride!!)
💚🧡🩵💙🎢
I feel like I should give a little love to GL.
In August 6, 2018 I had my gallbladder out. I asked my surgeon whether I would be healed enough to go on coasters in 30 days because I was going to be with 40+ sorority sisters in the park for the day. He told me not a good idea. But on September 6, 2018 I returned to Great Adventure for the first time in a few years and my first coaster post surgery was Green Lantern!
Fast Forward to September 24, 2022…I suffered a cardiac arrest and sudden death (not that day Satan!) and all I could talk about out in the hospital was whether or not I could ride roller coasters anymore, as I had a defibrillator implanted. He said no LSMs for me but otherwise go for it! First coaster back: Green Lantern again! (We were on line for Superman but it closed so GL was it!!)
Wise final words Phil! Let’s only hope.
On a positive note, I just purchased a 2023 Volkswagon GTI. The governor is set to 128 mph, not that I would know that by experience or anything (yeah right!). It's so light, and fast that it makes up for the loss of Ka.
Hey Coliwood I watched the documentary of King Da Ka being built from bottom to top. A great send off I will miss that incredible power of the launch. Hopefully the new gigga will cheer people up 2026 get ready
I was there amazing to meet you! I gave you a fist bump and got to ride on your last ride with you!
Yeah this got me…
I just cannot believe or envision a GADV without its icon 😭
20:00 the iconic station music
Song: Everything
Artist: Safari Duo
i was on the second to last train. trust me bro I felt your exact same emotions before i got on and right before the launch. after it i was a mess it literally felt like i was saying bye to a loved one really close to me. also lol i was bawling my eyes out too as i was walking outta the park to friggin don't stop believing
I have not cried watching a UA-cam video in a while but today was the day I was going next year to experience this coaster but that will never happen thank you for this video ❤❤
Thanks for the quick upload. How are you doing? All the best from Amsterdam
I’m well, still getting over this brutal loss 😭. I hope you are doing well!
Seriously crying right now
Unfortunately I never got to ride it. I was always too nervous. Now it’s something I will regret for the rest of my life. RIP kingda ka🙏🏻
This and el Toro I got sick from nerves before standing in line. I was pissed
wow what a video Colin so emotional x
No coasters being built in the future will be like Ka which is sad
Loosing Ka hurts just as much as Loosing Volcano, if not even more 😢😢😢
I miss this more than Dueling Dragons, Volcano, & Big Bad Wolf
Rip the king he will go down in history
Long live the king it earned my highest respect love you ka
My Heart goes out to the youngsters in line to ride this Legendary ride in 2025.
I hope the removal does not go into full effect.
I wanted to ride this with my kid :(
Its Kind of crazy now thinking about it my last ever ride was in July of 2023 and I believe I rode it with you in the front row
Long live the KING, the only KING
I’m still mentally recovering from yesterday that was an insane experience. I ended up on the last public train too
Good rain knows when to fall ✊😢
They should’ve gave Ka the Top thrill treatment, I know that wasn’t completely successful but it would’ve saved the ride
But may the king finally rest in peace
LONG LIVE THE KING!
Just want to say thank you to all of you UA-camrs ect… that allowed me to know this was happening. I rode it the past few weekends and the final day as much as possible . I appreciate you as well as the others.