March 6, 2025, 9:38 PM ·
Kingda Ka is not the only roller coaster that Six Flags has removed from or closed at its theme parks for the 2025 season.Formerly the world’s tallest roller coaster, Kingda Ka came down last week as demolition crews removed the Top Hat tower for the Intamin Accelerator coaster at Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey. While the loss of the former record-holder gained widespread media attention, far beyond the coaster community, Six Flags has shut down or begun the process of removing at least half a dozen other coasters from its parks.Also at Six Flags Great Adventure, the company has closed Green Lantern, a Bolliger & Mabillard Stand-Up Coaster that opened in 1997 as Chang at Kentucky Kingdom.At Carowinds, Six Flags has closed Nighthawk, a Vekoma Flying Coaster that opened in 2000 at California’s Great America as Stealth.At Kings Dominion in Virginia, the company has closed Anaconda, an Arrow Dynamics Custom Looping Coaster that opened in 1991.The oldest coaster that Six Flags has closed this year is La Vibora at Six Flags Over Texas, a Intamin Bobsled that opened back in 1884 at Six Flags Magic Mountain as Sarajevo Bobsleds before being moved to Arlington in 1986.Six Flags also is closing some more recent models. The company has given up on both of its Kid Flash Cosmic Coaster installations, at Six Flags Over Georgia and Six Flags Fiesta Texas. Those Skyline Attractions P’Sghetti Bowl family coasters just opened in 2023.At Worlds of Fun in Kansas City, Six Flags has announced that Timber Wolf, a Dinn wooden coaster from 1989, will be closed for the 2025 season. So far, there’s no word that this is a permanent closure for the ride. Also worth noting, some Six Flags parks have coasters that are standing but not operating, with their futures not confirmed one way or the other. Those include Superman: Escape from Krypton at Six Flags Magic Mountain and Montezooma’s Revenge at Knott’s Berry Farm, which has fallen into reconstruction limbo.The Cedar Fair merger seems to have brought new standards for judging cost effectiveness to the new Six Flags. Each of the closing coasters clearly fell on the wrong side of the equation when balancing maintenance costs versus a return on that investment. While most of these departing rides were aging coasters, it’s notable that some coasters also fall on the near side of the life expectancy Bell curve. This time at Six Flags, it was two more coasters from Skyline Attractions, a company that’s currently batting .000 on its coaster installations.To keep up to date with more theme park news, please sign up for Theme Park Insider’s weekly newsletter.
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