Six Flags to retire N.J.’s Kingda Ka, the world’s tallest roller coaster, and replace it with North America’s first ‘boomerang’ coaster

The rumors are true.

Six Flags Great Adventure announced Thursday that the Jackson Township, N.J., park will “retire” Kingda Ka, ending a nearly two-decade run for the world’s tallest roller coaster.

Thrill-ride enthusiasts took to social media over the weekend to mourn the rumored loss of Kingda Ka, flocking to the park Sunday evening for what turned out to be the last day the public could brave the 456-foot-tall steel behemoth.

But Six Flags did not confirm the rumored closure of Ka until Thursday, when it announced a $1 billion investment in its 27 theme parks.

Meanwhile, Six Flags will add “THE FLASH: Vertical Velocity” to the park.

Not much is known about the ride besides that it will arrive in 2025, according to a statement from the park, which called it “North America’s first super boomerang coaster.”

Six Flags Great Adventure will also be home to another all-new, “multi-world-record-breaking launch coaster” in 2026, the statement said, though no further details were provided.

To make way for the new addition, Six Flags will also retire its Green Lantern coaster, as well as the Twister and Parachutes rides.

“We understand that saying goodbye to beloved rides can be difficult, and we appreciate our guests' passion,” park president Brian Bacica said. “These changes are an important part of our growth and dedication to delivering exceptional new experiences.”

Kingda Ka superfans swamped Facebook and X this week to post commemorative photos of the coaster over years of loyal ridership.

Some even pushed for Six Flags to save the ride, which theme park enthusiasts noted required significant cost and maintenance to operate and was known for its periodic outages.

Kingda Ka delivered more than 12 million rides since its opening in 2005, according to Six Flags. Remarkably, it defended its status as the world’s tallest for the entire time.