Reporting from Six Flags Nice Journey in Jackson, New Jersey--
Six Flags Nice Journey in Jackson, N.J., has a protracted and winding curler coaster historical past that’s full of as many twists and turns because the amusement park’s many record-breaking rides.
Images: Prime 10 Six Flags Nice Journey curler coasters
Nice Journey was a must-see on my street journey throughout America’s coaster belt, largely due to the park’s three world-class rides: El Toro, Kingda Ka and Nitro.
On El Toro, I spent as a lot outing of my seat as in it.
At 128 mph, Kingda Ka felt like I used to be being launched off the deck of an plane service.
And Nitro provided a panoramic view of the picturesque New Jersey countryside at breakneck pace.
Opened in 1974 halfway between New York Metropolis and Philadelphia, Nice Journey has as many former coasters (13) as presently working coasters (13), in line with Curler Coaster Database.
The not too long ago retired triple-looping, double-corkscrewing Nice American Scream Machine was credited with reviving Nice Journey in 1989 after a pair of lethal accidents within the Eighties threatened to shutter the park.
The late Eighties and early Nineteen Nineties noticed a sequence of short-lived coasters, relocated from sister parks within the Six Flags chain, come and go from Nice Journey, together with the trackless Sarajevo Bobsleds, the pipeline-style Extremely Tornado and the stand-up Shockwave.
As we speak, Nice Journey boasts a stellar line-up of record-breaking and world’s first rides that ranks slightly below Ohio’s Cedar Level and Valencia’s Six Flags Magic Mountain, which have battled for a decade over the title of “Curler Coaster Capital of the World.”
In compiling my prime 10 checklist for Nice Journey, I attempted to mix the can’t-miss curler coasters with one-of-a-kind rides.
1) El Toro – The out-and-back picket coaster is among the many tallest (181 toes) and quickest (70 mph) picket coasters on the planet, with an intensely steep first drop (76 levels). Since its 2006 debut, El Toro has been constantly ranked among the many prime picket coasters in Amusement As we speak’s annual ballot.
2) Nitro – The inversion-less experience options six camelback hills, an over-banked hammerhead flip and a 540-degree helix over greater than a mile of observe. Bolliger & Mabillard constructed comparable mega-coasters at Busch Gardens Williamsburg (Apollo’s Chariot), Carowinds (Intimidator) and Kings Island (Diamondback). Since its 2001 debut, Nitro has been constantly ranked among the many prime metal coasters in Amusement As we speak’s annual ballot.
3) Kingda Ka – Opened in 2005, Kingda Ka is the world’s tallest coaster, reaching 456 toes on the tip of its signature top-hat factor. The hydraulically launched coaster accelerates from 0 to 128 mph in 3.5 seconds, making it among the many world’s quickest. Intamin constructed comparable accelerator coasters at Knott’s Berry Farm (Xcelerator), Cedar Level (Prime Thrill Dragster) and Hersheypark (Storm Runner).
4) Superman: Final Flight – Opened in 2003, the Superman flying coaster simulates the flight of the experience’s namesake comedian ebook character. Bolliger & Mabillard constructed comparable flying coasters at Six Flags Magic Mountain (Tatsu) and SeaWorld Orlando (Manta).
5) Bizarro – The floorless coaster options seven inversions – essentially the most at Nice Journey -- together with two loops, two rolls and interlocking corkscrews. Previously referred to as Medusa, the experience opened in 1999 because the world’s first floorless coaster. In 2009, the rechristened Bizarro added fireplace, fog and water results together with an audio soundtrack. The Bolliger & Mabillard coaster is just like Scream at Six Flags Magic Mountain.
6) Batman the Experience – Opened in 1993, the inverted metal coaster with two loops, two corkscrews and a roll is ready amid a graffiti-scared Gotham Metropolis scene. Six Flags put in comparable Bolliger & Mabillard-built Batman coasters at a number of different parks within the Nineteen Nineties.
7) Rolling Thunder – Opened in 1979, the racing coaster’s twin tracks separate at a number of factors alongside the experience. The 4 Philadelphia Toboggan Co. trains function conventional single-position lap bars, however seat dividers and headrests added within the Eighties diminished a few of the coaster’s traditional traits.
8) Inexperienced Lantern – That includes three loops and two corkscrews, the rethemed stand-up coaster opened in 2011 at Nice Journey. Inexperienced Lantern started life in 1997 as Chang at Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom earlier than relocating to Nice Journey with a brand new superhero theme. On the peak of the Nineteen Nineties coaster wars, Chang set a sequence of short-lived data for top, drop, pace, size and variety of inversions. Bolliger & Mabillard constructed comparable stand-up coasters at Cedar Level (Mantis), Six Flags Magic Mountain (Riddler’s Revenge) and California’s Nice America (Vortex).
9) Runaway Mine Practice – The out-and-back metal household coaster is the oldest at Nice Journey, opening with the park in 1974. Arrow Dynamics constructed comparable mine prepare coasters at Cedar Level (Cedar Creek Mine Practice), Hersheypark (Trailblazer) and Six Flags Magic Mountain (Gold Rusher).
10) Blackbeard’s Misplaced Treasure Practice – Opened in 1999, the household coaster makes two circuits round a double figure-eight observe. Zierer constructed a number of of the Tivoli Gardens-inspired coasters at quite a few parks in Europe.
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