A trip to an amusement park can mean different things to different people. For some, it involves a couple rides on the merry-go-round and a corn dog on a stick. Other people ride the roller coasters, get back in line and repeat till the place closes. Others enjoy the sights, sounds and smells of the place, while spending a day away from the 9 to 5.
Near the central New Jersey town of Jackson, Six Flags Great Adventure makes every effort to satisfy the wants and needs of every customer. The food, rides and attractions of the property are similar to those offered at other amusement parks, but this branch of the Six Flags Entertainment Corp. tree takes it a step further.
Towering above the twisted steel and wooden roller coasters, the water rides and the cotton candy vendors is the fastest, tallest scream machine in North America.
Record Breaking Kingda Ka
It might have happened at a board meeting in an ivory tower or at a corner bar after too many long necks, but it happened. Six Flags decided that their New Jersey facility needed some sprucing up; an upgrade in its lineup of roller coasters. To say that Six Flags built a big roller coaster would be like saying Tony Soprano had a few vices. Six Flags looked at the roller coasters that the competition offered, found the biggest in the land, and ordered something in a slightly larger size.
In 2003, the biggest and fastest roller coaster in the world was Top Thrill Dragster at Cedar Point in Ohio. Six Flags hired the same firm that built that ride, slid a $25 million check across the desk, and made room in their New Jersey amusement park for the new king of the roller coaster universe.
Kingda Ka looks similar to its Ohio rival, but the tape measure tells a taller tale: 456 feet tall, compared to 420 feet for the Cedar Point ride. And, three and a half seconds into the ride, Kingda Ka passengers are feeling a tornado quality, 128 mph wind trying to remove their freckles. Both speed and height broke world records. To date, no roller coaster on Earth is taller.
At its highest point, Kingda Ka makes a U-turn, and 18 hapless souls begin a 40-story plunge. (At that height, nobody hears their screams), 3,118 feet in 28 seconds. Come back and see us again, ya hear?
Six Flags Tickets
Kingda Ka may be the icon of Six Flags Great Adventure, but it's not the only ride in the park. More than 40 other rides and a dozen roller coasters are scattered about the 2,200-acre site. Tickets to the park can be bought online or at the gate. Season passes and group passes are also available.
For the adrenaline junkie in the crowd, standing in line at some of the more popular rides is a real drag. To minimize the wait, Six Flags offers Flash Pass. This pass means more time on the rides and can be purchased in the park.
Also available in the park are more than three dozen dining options, with everything from Ben and Jerry's ice cream to schnitzel on the menu.
Six Flags Great Adventure changes from time to time, with new rides and other attractions replacing outdated models. Whatever changes are made, the park will continue to make every effort to remain competitive with other North American amusement parks. Right now, the other parks are the ones looking up.
Dave Lovejoy - Dave is a graduate of the University of Nebraska. He is involved in farming and has a custom made furniture business that has customers ...
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