Credit: Six FlagsWhen Six Flags merged with Cedar Fair, theme park enthusiasts had high hopes. They thought that Cedar Fair’s customer service could rub off on Six Flags, and its thrill rides would start to make their way to Cedar Fair’s parks.
Instead, Six Flags Entertainment instituted a chaperone policy for every amusement park, requiring anyone under 15 to accompany an adult. The company also instituted new guidelines for theme park content creators, which require approval from the amusement park and restrict what can be said and published on social media.
However, theme park fans got good news from the new combined company when it announced that it would create a new season pass allowing pass holders access to all 42 Six Flags Entertainment theme parks nationwide.
So, when you take everything together, there is hope that the new company will improve the customer experience and ride in 2025. That is, until this past week.
After announcing its quarterly earnings, Six Flags stunned the theme park community when it announced its plans to close some of its parks. Then, without warning or notice to roller coaster enthusiasts, Six Flags announced that it was closing the world’s tallest roller coaster.
For weeks, roller coaster enthusiasts had speculated that Kingda Ka at Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey might close. Still, after the theme park’s season ended, Six Flags announced that the coaster was permanently closing for a new ride.
It was this announcement, without allowing roller coaster fans one last ride that drove that enraged the coaster community.
One user on X pointed out that Six Flags Great Adventure used Kingda Ka in promotional materials for 2025 season passes in August. He wrote:
Six Flags Great Adventure posted this on August 29th stating that Kingda Ka would be available for rides through 2025 as a marketing pitch to sell season passes. Closing the ride so suddenly certainly had to be a rushed decision, and it wasn’t what Great Adventure wanted to do in the slightest.
Six Flags Corporate needs to do better. Myself and so many others are devastated. Please be transparent to your loyal fans and paying customers. This blunder will not be forgotten.
Six Flags Great Adventure posted this on August 29th stating that Kingda Ka would be available for rides through 2025 as a marketing pitch to sell season passes. Closing the ride so suddenly certainly had to be a rushed decision, and it wasn’t what Great Adventure wanted to do in… pic.twitter.com/QYsN44L8rh
— ElToroRyan (@ElToroRyan) November 16, 2024
Despite the rumors about the possibility of the ride closing, Six Flags Entertainment did not make an official announcement until after the season ended. Thus, roller coaster fans were not given a final opportunity to ride the nation’s tallest rollercoaster.
Brian Bacica, Six Flags Great Adventure president, said in a press release:
We understand that saying goodbye to beloved rides can be difficult, and we appreciate our guests’ passion. These changes are an important part of our growth and dedication to delivering exceptional new experiences.
In the press release announcing the closure of Kingda Ka, Six Flags also announced that it would be spending more than $2 billion in the “coming years” on improvements and new rides and attractions at its parks across North America.
However, based on the fan reaction, it may be hard for the company to win roller coaster enthusiasts back.