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Six Flags Great Adventure | Zumanjaro | 415 ft. Drop Tower

bmac

Giga Poster
Re: Six Flags Great Adventure | Zumanjaro | 415 ft. Drop Tow

July 4th will be a very bad time to go in order to ride, it is amongst one of the most crowded days for the park during the season. That's on a normal day, don't forget there's an early morning ERT for guests 1 hour before the park opens, fireworks, a concert (Magic!), and what could possibly be the public opening of a brand new ride. Basically the entire weekend should be marked "DO NOT VISIT" unless you want to chip in for a Platinum Flash Pass, it'll be the best time to actually buy one.
 

ECG

East Coast(er) General
Staff member
Administrator
Re: Six Flags Great Adventure | Zumanjaro | 415 ft. Drop Tow

I received this email today and it looks like anyone wanting to ride will have to wait a bit longer.
The press preview of Six Flags Great Adventure’s Zumanjaro: Drop of Doom has been delayed. The New Jersey Department of Community Affairs’ Carnival-Amusement Ride Safety Unit has not yet granted the operating permit. Zumanjaro: Drop of Doom is a very complex, innovative ride, and the state’s review of documentation is still underway.
All testing and inspection by Six Flags engineers, maintenance and operations teams have been completed. The ride is fully operational and in compliance with the manufacturer’s specifications.
Six Flags respects the function and responsibility of the Carnival-Amusement Ride Safety Unit of the DCA and looks forward to their inspection soon.
 

CanobieFan

Strata Poster
Re: Six Flags Great Adventure | Zumanjaro | 415 ft. Drop Tow

Six Flags did release a video of the ride running with people on it. Its not as cool as the Lex video with Superman running at the same time, it never shows Ka running, until the very end when Zum isn't running.

video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Y_53Sj7LvE
 

bmac

Giga Poster
Re: Six Flags Great Adventure | Zumanjaro | 415 ft. Drop Tow

They actually did operate the both of them at the same time but the helicopter didn't get a good shot at all of the both of them.

Just as a heads up, the riders in the video are all employees and Kingda Ka was full of ACE members. Guests are still not allowed to ride until the state signs off on it, which the inspector has no-showed three times now even with a direct order from the Lt. Governor of NJ.
 

ECG

East Coast(er) General
Staff member
Administrator
Re: Six Flags Great Adventure | Zumanjaro | 415 ft. Drop Tow

It opened today according to the email I received from the park.
Six Flags Great Adventure today unveils this year’s most anticipated extreme ride, Zumanjaro: Drop of Doom―the world’s tallest and fastest drop ride. The launch commemorates the park’s opening weekend 40 years ago during the July 4th holiday.
Zumanjaro: Drop of Doom stands a staggering 41 stories tall. Connected to the iconic Kingda Ka roller coaster—the 45-story monster that ranks as the world’s tallest and fastest coaster—Zumanjaro hoists riders 415 feet into the sky and plummets them back to Earth at speeds of up to 90 miles per hour.
"Zumanjaro solidifies Six Flags’ dominance as the Northeast’s only destination for thrills. It is on every adrenaline junkies’ must-do list,” said John Fitzgerald, park president. “Zumanjaro is precisely the type of world-class, record-breaking attraction that our guests have come to expect from Great Adventure.”
Three soaring Zumanjaro towers stand on the face of the massive Kingda Ka coaster. Each drop tower features a gondola with eight riders. While anxious riders buckle into their floorless seats, Kingda Ka trains launch right toward them at speeds of up to 128 miles per hour.
The trio of gondolas rises to the top of the tower in approximately 30 seconds. Riders pause for a few terrifying moments 41 stories in the air—even higher than London’s Big Ben and twice as tall as Lady Liberty—allowing them to catch a glimpse of the skyscrapers in Philadelphia 52 miles to the southwest before gravity plunges them back to ground level in less than 10 seconds.
“Today strengthens the reputation of Six Flags as a trailblazer in providing innovative, cutting-edge entertainment for visitors of all ages, all while enhancing its legacy as one of the greatest theme park experiences anywhere in the world. We are thrilled that such an incredible venue is in New Jersey to provide unforgettable memories for so many visitors each and every year,” said New Jersey Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno.
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 in 2013. Safari Off Road Adventure takes guests on an exhilarating, interactive and up-close journey that features 1,200 animals from six continents including elephants, rhinos, tigers, giraffes, lions, bison, kangaroos and more.
 

tribar

Mega Poster
Re: Six Flags Great Adventure | Zumanjaro | 415 ft. Drop Tow

ECG said:
It opened today according to the email I received from the park.
Six Flags Great Adventure today unveils this year’s most anticipated extreme ride, Zumanjaro: Drop of Doom―the world’s tallest and fastest drop ride. The launch commemorates the park’s opening weekend 40 years ago during the July 4th holiday.
Zumanjaro: Drop of Doom stands a staggering 41 stories tall. Connected to the iconic Kingda Ka roller coaster—the 45-story monster that ranks as the world’s tallest and fastest coaster—Zumanjaro hoists riders 415 feet into the sky and plummets them back to Earth at speeds of up to 90 miles per hour.
"Zumanjaro solidifies Six Flags’ dominance as the Northeast’s only destination for thrills. It is on every adrenaline junkies’ must-do list,” said John Fitzgerald, park president. “Zumanjaro is precisely the type of world-class, record-breaking attraction that our guests have come to expect from Great Adventure.”
Three soaring Zumanjaro towers stand on the face of the massive Kingda Ka coaster. Each drop tower features a gondola with eight riders. While anxious riders buckle into their floorless seats, Kingda Ka trains launch right toward them at speeds of up to 128 miles per hour.
The trio of gondolas rises to the top of the tower in approximately 30 seconds. Riders pause for a few terrifying moments 41 stories in the air—even higher than London’s Big Ben and twice as tall as Lady Liberty—allowing them to catch a glimpse of the skyscrapers in Philadelphia 52 miles to the southwest before gravity plunges them back to ground level in less than 10 seconds.
“Today strengthens the reputation of Six Flags as a trailblazer in providing innovative, cutting-edge entertainment for visitors of all ages, all while enhancing its legacy as one of the greatest theme park experiences anywhere in the world. We are thrilled that such an incredible venue is in New Jersey to provide unforgettable memories for so many visitors each and every year,” said New Jersey Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno.
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 in 2013. Safari Off Road Adventure takes guests on an exhilarating, interactive and up-close journey that features 1,200 animals from six continents including elephants, rhinos, tigers, giraffes, lions, bison, kangaroos and more.

So SFGAv is still claiming KK is the fastest coaster in the world? Why am I not surprised?
 

CookieCoasters

Giga Poster
Re: Six Flags Great Adventure | Zumanjaro | 415 ft. Drop Tow

I just rode Zumanjaro today. Overall, It's a really good ride and definitely fills a void in the parks lineup. The airtime is relatively floaty, but I'd some of the smaller intamin drop towers have better airtime. On the plus, it is really high which gives great views and gets the adrenaline pumping, plus the drop is really long and FAST!!!
 

tomahawk

Strata Poster
Re: Six Flags Great Adventure | Zumanjaro | 415 ft. Drop Tow

CookieCoasters said:
I just rode Zumanjaro today. Overall, It's a really good ride and definitely fills a void in the parks lineup. The airtime is relatively floaty, but I'd some of the smaller intamin drop towers have better airtime. On the plus, it is really high which gives great views and gets the adrenaline pumping, plus the drop is really long and FAST!!!

Did they ever run it with Kingda Ka? Rumor has it they can't run at the same time.
 

CanobieFan

Strata Poster
Re: Six Flags Great Adventure | Zumanjaro | 415 ft. Drop Tow

My friend was there the day it opened and says they don't run together. Once Zum drops they send two Ka trains back to back and then they dispatch Zum again (while loading the Ka trains) so Ka will advance into the launch area but wont launch until Zum has been dropped.
 

Intricks

Strata Poster
Re: Six Flags Great Adventure | Zumanjaro | 415 ft. Drop Tow

Six Flags is fighting NJ to be allowed to do them both at the same time last I heard.
 

The Hedgehog

Mega Poster
Re: Six Flags Great Adventure | Zumanjaro | 415 ft. Drop Tow

Honest question: What is the reason they can't run them both at the same time currently?

(Assuming that NJ has said they can't but obviously it's safe enough to do it?)
 

CookieCoasters

Giga Poster
Re: Six Flags Great Adventure | Zumanjaro | 415 ft. Drop Tow

tomahawk said:
CookieCoasters said:
I just rode Zumanjaro today. Overall, It's a really good ride and definitely fills a void in the parks lineup. The airtime is relatively floaty, but I'd some of the smaller intamin drop towers have better airtime. On the plus, it is really high which gives great views and gets the adrenaline pumping, plus the drop is really long and FAST!!!

Did they ever run it with Kingda Ka? Rumor has it they can't run at the same time.

No. Kingda Ka's trains would usually wait on the launch track while Zumanjaro completes it's cycle and then launch a little while after the drop. I didn't feel that Zumanjaro's capacity was affected, but Kingda ka's did often feel very slow when they were both running. Obviously though, Kingda Ka loaded significantly quicker when Zumanjaro was broken.
 

tomahawk

Strata Poster
Re: Six Flags Great Adventure | Zumanjaro | 415 ft. Drop Tow

Why the hell can't they run them at the same time? Seems like a horrible investment if that continues to be the case.
 

Ethan

Strata Poster
Re: Six Flags Great Adventure | Zumanjaro | 415 ft. Drop Tow

^ Because the state are afraid that objects might fly onto the drop tower passengers from...
- A train coming down the launch track
- A train going up, over and down the top-hat.

I have read that the location of the drop towers has always been a popular hang-out spot for hats, phones and other items from Kingda Ka riders.
 

tomahawk

Strata Poster
Re: Six Flags Great Adventure | Zumanjaro | 415 ft. Drop Tow

^I read that shortly after. Still, how did they not know this beforehand and why didn't they put nets above.
 
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