Kingda Ka facts for kids

Kingda Ka
Six Flags Great Adventure
Park section	Golden Kingdom
Coordinates	40°08′21.18″N 74°26′11.39″W
Status	Operating
Opening date	May 21, 2005 (2005-05-21)
General statistics
Type	Steel – Launched
Manufacturer	Intamin
Designer	Werner Stengel
Model	Accelerator Coaster
Lift/launch system	Hydraulic launch
Height	456 ft (139 m)
Drop	418 ft (127 m)
Length	3,118 ft (950 m)
Speed	128 mph (206 km/h)
Duration	0:28
Max vertical angle	90°
Capacity	1,400 riders per hour
Acceleration	0 to 128 mph (0 to 206 km/h) in 3.5 seconds
G-force	5
Height restriction	54 in (137 cm)
Trains	Four trains, with five cars. Riders are arranged 2 across in 2 rows (except for the last car), for a total of 18 riders per train.
Flash Pass Available
Kingda Ka at RCDB Pictures of Kingda Ka at RCDB

Kingda Ka is a steel accelerator roller coaster located at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, New Jersey. It is the world's tallest roller coaster, the world's second fastest roller coaster, and was the second strata coaster (over 400' tall) ever built. Riders must be at least 54 inches (137 cm) tall.

The train is launched by a hydraulic launch mechanism to 128 miles per hour (206 km/h) in 3.5 seconds. At the end of the launch track, the train climbs the main top hat tower, reaching a height of 456 feet (139 m), followed by a drop of 418 feet (127 m) and spanning over a 3,118-foot-long (950 m) track by the end of the ride.

History

Kingda Ka sign

Plans to build Kingda Ka were announced on September 10, 2003, at an event held for roller coaster enthusiasts and the media. The event revealed the park's goal to build "the tallest and fastest roller coaster on earth", reaching 456 feet (139 m) and accelerating up to 128 miles per hour (206 km/h) in 3.5 seconds. On January 13, 2005, Kingda Ka's tower construction was completed, and on May 21, 2005, the ride opened to the public.

Kingda Ka became the "tallest" and "fastest" roller coaster in the world, taking both world records from Top Thrill Dragster at Cedar Point. It lost the title of world's fastest when Formula Rossa at Ferrari World opened in November 2010.

Kingda Ka is located in the jungle-themed area of the park known as The Golden Kingdom. The ride portrays a mythical bengal tiger named after one that was housed in the nearby Temple of the Tiger attraction, an interactive exhibit that was closed in 2010. The ride's queue line is surrounded by bamboo, which adds to the jungle-themed music that plays in the background.

Ride experience

Kingda Ka tower

After the train has been locked and checked, it moves slowly out of the station to the launch area, then passes through a switch track which allows four trains on two tracks to load simultaneously. A recording announces: "Arms down, head back, hold on!" The train is launched approximately five seconds later.

When the train is in position, the hydraulic launch mechanism accelerates it from 0 to 128 miles per hour (0 to 206 km/h) in 3.5 seconds. At the end of the launch track, the train climbs the main tower (top hat) and rolls 90 degrees to the right before reaching a height of 456 feet (139 m).

It then descends 418 feet (127 m) straight down through a 270-degree, clockwise spiral. It climbs the second hill of 129 feet (39 m), producing a moment of weightlessness before being smoothly brought to a stop by the magnetic brakes; it then makes a left-hand U-turn and enters the station. The ride lasts 28 seconds from the start of the launch.

Kingda Ka rollback sign

Kingda Ka's four trains are color-coded for easy identification (green, dark blue, teal, and orange) and are numbered; the four colors are also used for the seats and restraints. Each train seats 18 people (two per row). The rear car has one row, while the rest have two. The rear row of each car is positioned higher than its front row for better visibility.

Kingda Ka's over-the-shoulder restraint system consists of a thick, rigid lap bar and two thin, flexible over-the-shoulder restraints. Because the over-the-shoulder portions of the restraint are not rigid, the hand grips are mounted to the lap bar. Kingda Ka's restraints are also held down by a belt, in case the main locking system fails. To speed loading, riders are asked to secure their own restraints if possible.

Two operators load, check and dispatch each train; another launches the trains. Kingda Ka's music is by Safri Duo; almost their entire Episode II album is played in the queue and station. Survivor's "Eye of the Tiger", played by DJ Quicksilver, may also be heard in the queue and station.

A train may occasionally experience a rollback following a launch. A rollback occurs when the train fails to make it over the top of the tower and descends back down the side it was launched. Kingda Ka includes retractable magnetic brakes on its launch track to prevent a train from rolling back into the loading station.

Images for kids

• 

  Switch track at the station's exit

• 

  Kingda Ka's seat restraints