As rumors swirl about Kingda Ka’s possible closure at Six Flags Great Adventure, New Jersey may lose world’s tallest coaster

Amusement park enthusiasts are mourning the loss of the world’s tallest roller coaster, Kingda Ka.

But is the New Jersey ride actually on its way out? The story has taken some twists and turns.

It’s usually not until a coaster hits its peak that riders scream, but just after Six Flags Great Adventure attendees strapped into Kingda Ka on Sunday evening, they were already crying out: “Long live the King,” riders chanted as they prepared to launch.

A YouTube video captured what may have been Kingda Ka’s last run in the ride’s two-decade history at the Jackson Township park, where, at 456 feet, it has long enjoyed the status of the world’s tallest thrill ride.

Rumors, citing unnamed park staff, began swirling on social media this week that Cedar Fair Entertainment, the company that merged with Six Flags earlier this year, may discontinue the ride — and that Sunday was the last day for the public to take a shot at riding Ka.

Six Flags has not confirmed the coaster‘s closure or commented on its future.

“We plan to share information about the ride and additional park news very soon,” a Six Flags spokesperson said Tuesday. “We’ll be sure to keep you updated when that information is available.”

Roller coaster enthusiast and YouTuber “ElToroRyan” captured what he described as Ka’s “last public train” and uploaded it to the platform that evening.

The video had more than 128,000 views as of Tuesday and ignited an emotional outpouring from some of the coaster‘s diehard fans — including pleas on Facebook to #SaveKingdaKa. Users memorialized the steel structure by posting flashback photos from outside Kingda Ka’s stone entry gates, coupled with messages like “Rest in peace Kingda Ka.”

The conflicting information hasn’t stopped speculation over Ka’s future, and some fans questioned whether the coaster is actually gone for good, or whether Cedar Fair plans to rehabilitate and upgrade the ride or even move it somewhere else.

Since its 2005 opening, Kingda Ka has attracted riders from all over the world. In just 3.5 seconds, it propels riders at 128 mph, sending them up a 90-degree incline to the peak and then back down in what Six Flags calls a 270-degree spiral.

Not only was it the fastest roller coaster at the time of its launch, but Ka also attracted widespread media attention for its feat of engineering; its hydraulic launch slings riders near the heights of the Washington Monument and the Egyptian pyramids before bringing them back down to safety.

“It means a lot to tons of different people,” said Jason Balinskas, who called the energy during the ride‘s alleged final outing “electric” in a Facebook post on Monday.

Despite the coaster’s success, it’s also known for its costly upkeep and frequent repairs.

As the summer season ramped up in 2023, the state ordered Kingda Ka to close after its operators reported a “mechanical failure of a component of the launch system,” resulting in the car not being able to make it over the peak — or what some thrill-seekers call a “rollback.”

Users on the theme park blog “Coaster Force” suggested that the cost of maintenance could be a contributing factor if Cedar Fair was to indeed close the ride.

“I get that is a stupidly expensive ride to operate and maintain,” wrote one user, “but you would think such an iconic coaster is worth saving.”