Six Flags Great Adventure will shatter the world record for tallest drop ride with the addition of the 41-story Zumanjaro: Drop of Doom in 2014.
Connected to the iconic Kingda Ka roller coaster—the 456-foot monster that ranks as the world’s tallest coaster and fastest in North America—Zumanjaro will hoist riders 415 feet into the sky and rocket them back to Earth at 90 miles per hour while Kingda Ka trains launch right toward them at speeds of up to 128 miles per hour.
Three Zumanjaro towers will be built on the face of the massive Kingda Ka coaster debuting during the park’s 41st season. Each drop tower will feature a gondola with eight riders.
The gondolas will rise to the top of the tower in about 30 seconds. Riders will pause for a few terrifying moments, 41 stories in the air—even higher than London’s Big Ben and twice as high as the Statue of Liberty—allowing them to catch a glimpse of the skyscrapers in Philadelphia 52 miles to the south before gravity plunges them back to ground level in less than 10 seconds.
The name “Zumanjaro” was inspired by the African influences of Safari Off Road Adventure, the attraction that combined Six Flags Great Adventure and Safari into the world’s largest theme park. A newly-themed animal section adjacent to Zumanjaro will feature mischievous and playful Anubis baboons native to Africa. For nearly 40 years, these baboons were a favorite of Safari visitors, but not included in the new Safari Off Road Adventure.
Zumanjaro and the new baboon exhibit are slated for a spring debut in 2014.
Watch an animation of Zumanjaro in action below:
The big announcement came with a sad piece of news:
Rolling Thunder Wooden Coaster to Close
The introduction of Zumanjaro spells the end of an era for one of the park’s classic roller coasters, Rolling Thunder. The coaster, which opened in 1979, has delivered more than 42 million rides in its nearly 35-year history. Although the classic, dual track “woodie” remained a staple at the park, its popularity waned over the years.
“Advances in technology have led to a new generation of rides with the sleek intensity of El Toro, the world’s No. 1 wooden coaster,” Fitzgerald said. Guests will be able to enjoy Rolling Thunder until it closes to the public September 8, 2013 to make way for construction.
What are your thoughts about Six Flags Great Adventure’s 2014 plans? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
Rolling thunder should stay
It would have been nice to see Rolling Thunder as RMC iron horse hybrid coaster… looks like that won’t be the case. New Zumanjaro: Drop Of Doom, which will be housed on the Kingda Ka support tower structure, looks like it ought to be a promising drop tower ride. It would be my hope that SFGADV considers putting a new steel coaster in the soon-to-be former Rolling Thunder area… perhaps a Full Throttle inspired launch coaster by Premier Rides… or a Dare Devil Dive inspired euro-fighter coaster by Gerstlauer. It would also be my hope that SFGADV considers building a new wood coaster in a different section of the park… either a RMC iron horse coaster and/or a GCI all-wood coaster, to make up for the demise of Rolling Thunder, and El Toro not be SFGADV’s only wood coaster.