Zumanjaro Nearly Complete at Six Flags Great Adventure

[Oscar]

This one is certainly not for those who are afraid of heights! Six Flags Great Adventure, Jackson, NJ, is nearly finished with installing the three drop tower tracks that will make up Zumanjaro: Drop of Doom. When complete and opened, the new attraction will take the record for the world's tallest drop ride, standing a dizzying 415 feet tall. This photo shows off the three orange drop tower tracks that have been added to the front side of the Kingda Ka roller coaster's tower.



With only four pieces of orange track yet to be added, the park is almost done with the heavy lifting portion of construction. There's still plenty of electrical and mechanical work to be completed before Zumanjaro is complete. High winds held off the completion of the track so far, but plans are to place the final pieces on Monday - weather permitting.

??????Wind is certainly a factor at 415 feet,?????? said Mike Fatovic, construction supervisor at Six Flags Great Adventure. ??????It can seem very calm on the ground, and sometimes it is a very different story at the top of the tower.??????



According to the park, "following the topping off, the construction, maintenance and engineering teams will focus on adding three gondolas that will whisk riders to the top of the tower, installing the lift mechanism??????a winch and cable system--and ride controls, followed by extensive ride testing, inspections and certification before the first passengers board the ride later this spring." Just when exactly will you be able to get in line for a drop on Zumanjaro? The park is officially planning a Memorial Day Weekend debut. Count me in!



They actually arrived a while ago, but here is one of the three gondolas that will be installed on each of the orange tracks. Eight passengers at a time will go up to 415 feet, pause briefly to take in the amazing view, then plummet down at an astonishing 90 miles per hour.

The park also released some footage of the tower that really helps to show the immense size of the attraction. This is going to be one stellar ride and I cannot wait!



Posted by Mike H @newsplusnotes

[TTD03]

If they hadn't spend all of November and December sitting on their *****, this would be open in 13 days.
I still don't think they are going to make memorial day weekend, especially with all the stuff they have left to do.
Windy weather is not an excuse anymore.

Yeah buddy. Can't wait.

[Coasterkidmwm]

I've always thought this ride (Kingda ka included) had kind of a bad color scheme choice, but the orange is growing on me.

just wait... top thrill dragster will be next for this

[TTD03]

Nah it won't.
Why would they?
It would never be taller than Zumanjaro so what's the point.
Also I listened to an interview awhile back that had Tony from CP as the guest, he said CP has not even considered doing it for TTD. Leads me to believe they never will do it.

[Coasterkidmwm]

Also CP already has a drop tower and I'm pretty sure SFGAdv doesn't.

[TTD03]

They do o.O?
Power Tower doesn't really count since it is a controlled freefall and launch by air.

CP could theoretically attach the drop track to the back of the tower and extend it upward as high as they please with necessary additions/modifications to the structure as with Zumanjaro. They could theoretically do it on the front too as such...



Both options seem very realistic to me. If they have the desire, they can make it work.

Also I hated the orange on Zumanjaro initially, but now I kinda like it too.

Yes, the real orange is a lot less obnoxious as the announcment video, now if only I get talk someone into driving the 2 and a half hours to get there

I'm moving to the exact opposite side of the park in a couple weeks, and I'll be a whole 15 minutes closer! 1:15 instead of 1:30, wooo lol

[TTD03]

I agree, the orange is looking a lot better on the real thing than the animation video.

[TTD03]

Update Today 4/1/14, (Despite it being April Fool's Day, this one isn't a joke )
From SFGADV Facebook

"Zumanjaro: Drop of Doom received its final piece of track today! Check out the construction video coming to our YouTube page tomorrow! Can you handle the world's tallest drop ride?!"

[TTD03]

Vertical Track Construction was completed yesterday and the video was posted today.

rtrudy wrote:

just wait... top thrill dragster will be next for this

I sure hope not. This concept really makes for an eye sore and would ruin the photogenic beauty of TTD.

TTD03 wrote:

They do o.O?
Power Tower doesn't really count since it is a controlled freefall and launch by air.

It's better than a free fall. You're yanked down the tower faster than gravity alone would take you down. Provides a good rush of course but not great for those who prefer floater over ejector.

Power Tower is better than freefall...for about the first .5 seconds of the drop. Then it's a controlled descent, greater than 0G, until the pullout. If they kept the sudden start to the drop and were able to maintain the -1G or -.5G or whatever it is until the bottom, those large S&S towers would be so much more exciting. As it is, I always enjoy them, but end up feeling slightly underwhelmed.

[TTD03]

ava1enzue1a wrote:

rtrudy wrote:

just wait... top thrill dragster will be next for this

I sure hope not. This concept really makes for an eye sore and would ruin the photogenic beauty of TTD.

TTD03 wrote:

They do o.O?
Power Tower doesn't really count since it is a controlled freefall and launch by air.

It's better than a free fall. You're yanked down the tower faster than gravity alone would take you down. Provides a good rush of course but not great for those who prefer floater over ejector.

I thought I noticed a difference from the speed of the drop on Power Tower compared to Lex Luthor. Power Tower definitely seemed faster, now I know I am not crazy, or am I ?

dcs221 wrote:

Power Tower is better than freefall...for about the first .5 seconds of the drop. Then it's a controlled descent, greater than 0G, until the pullout. If they kept the sudden start to the drop and were able to maintain the -1G or -.5G or whatever it is until the bottom, those large S&S towers would be so much more exciting. As it is, I always enjoy them, but end up feeling slightly underwhelmed.

Having ridden both turbo drop and free fall towers (Power Tower [green side] and Drop Tower: Scream Zone, respectively) I can say that ".5" seconds makes a huge difference for the entire drop despite being a controlled descent. That said, I prefer that extra boost on the way down although as already mentioned free falls do provide beautiful floater air.

TTD03 wrote:

ava1enzue1a wrote:

It's better than a free fall. You're yanked down the tower faster than gravity alone would take you down. Provides a good rush of course but not great for those who prefer floater over ejector.

I thought I noticed a difference from the speed of the drop on Power Tower compared to Lex Luthor. Power Tower definitely seemed faster, now I know I am not crazy, or am I ?

Not crazy. Although in technical terms I would say it's quicker, not faster.

[TTD03]

Yea I think it's probably the same speed, but the force getting you to that speed, is what makes the difference.

TTD03 wrote:

Yea I think it's probably the same speed, but the force getting you to that speed, is what makes the difference.

PT descends at 50 mph max with LL: DoD free-falling to 85 mph. But you're right in that the key is a difference in force initiating the descents.

[TTD03]

Good news!
Great Adventure is anticipating to open Kingda Ka for memorial day weekend, without Zumanjaro.

[TTD03]

Update!
Zumanjaro has begun testing with the gondolas!

[Oscar]

Zumanjaro: Drop of Doom Full Onride Video

Intamin Drop Tower?
415 ft?
90 MPH?

[Turbo]

Lex Luthor's Drop Of Doom was quite fun actually and I'm pretty sure it's the same height.