Rides closing without notice: Kingda Ka represents an unlikeable amusement park trend – DePaoli on DeParks
In recent times, we’ve seen a number of amusement park rides and attractions — such as Six Flags’ mammoth coaster Kingda Ka — closing without notice. I personally wish this trend would end and fans were given proper notice to say farewell to their beloved attractions.
Photo courtesy of Six Flags
People typically experience amusement parks for the first time at a young age. For this reason, a lot of us have nostalgic memories related to theme parks. Whether it was the first time we were tall enough to ride a certain attraction, a ride with a sweetheart we had a crush on, an intimidating attraction we finally faced our fears to ride, or the many other memories we create, any attraction has the potential to make an indelible memory.
When we learn of a ride’s closure, it can bring back a flood of happy memories from more innocent times. Even if it was an attraction we experienced for the first time as an adult, it can still hurt to say goodbye to it.
But closures are part of the amusement park industry. Things regularly change to keep up with times and fads.
Theme park attractions live somewhere between theatre and film. Theatre is extremely fragile, often existing for a very short period of time, while film lasts “forever.” Rides have a strange way of feeling like they will last forever — but more often than not, their shelf life is limited to a number of years.
Photo courtesy of Six Flags
In recent months, we’ve said goodbye to the roller coasters Anaconda at Kings Dominion (near Richmond, Va.), Kingda Ka at Six Flags Great Adventure (in Jackson Township, N.J.), and Nighthawk at Carowinds (in Charlotte, N.C.) with no warnings of the rides closing. Although I don’t have any personal attachment to these particular coasters, I sympathize with those who wanted one last chance to experience them. I can only think of one good reason to close an attraction without any warning, and that’s if there is a safety concern.
Updated March 20, 2025; original version published Feb. 28, 2025.
We see this trend continuing as it’s been announced the Time Warp coaster at Canada’s Wonderland (in Ontario, Canada) will be removed before the park reopens in May.
Photo courtesy of Six Flags
Otherwise, I wish a public statement was made to forewarn the closing of all rides, no matter how unimportant one may seem. I’d bet that every attraction has a mega-fan who would like to at least be given the opportunity to experience it one last time.
Another good reason for theme parks to give fair warnings about an attraction’s closure: profitability opportunities. When The Great Movie Ride closed at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in 2017, Disney created specialty merchandise for the occasion. It’s easy to assume when a ride closes that the love for it is gone — but there’s often a fan base who would keep it around forever if they had the choice.
Photo courtesy of Disney
Even if an attraction’s technology is outdated or it seems a bit hokey, many people can continue to love it. The Disney parks in particular are full of “outdated” attractions, like “it’s a small world”. There’s nothing high-tech about the slow-moving, 1960s-era boat ride, it’s extremely passive, and it hasn’t seen very many major changes through the years. This is the perfect example of how not every attraction needs to be the latest and greatest to still be loved and ridden by many, year after year. For me, no matter how old E.T. Adventure gets at Universal Studios Florida, it is a must-do ride every time.
Photo courtesy of Universal
Currently, fans of Muppet*Vision 3D at Disney’s Hollywood Studios are preparing for its last day of operation on June 7, 2025. This is the way an attraction closure should be handled. With several months’ notice. Certainly, not every person who wants to experience it one last time will get to do so, but at least the die-hard fans have their chance. I’m personally hoping for some kind of farewell merchandise or even a celebration.
Photo courtesy of Disney
Overall, no matter how small an attraction may seem to park presidents and decision-makers, fans really should be given a decent amount of advance notice of rides closing for their loyalty through the years.
What do you think? Has an attraction ever closed with no notice that upset you? Has there ever been an attraction where the closure was announced in advance, and you went out of your way to experience it again? Leave a comment and let me know.
Jeff DePaoli is an event producer and voiceover artist living in Los Angeles. He can be heard as the voice of Disney Trivia on Alexa as well as the host of “Dizney Coast to Coast” podcast, where he and his special guests share honest opinions on all things Disney at DizneyCoastToCoast.com. DePaoli’s opinions are his own and do not necessarily represent Attractions Magazine.
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