First comments on Kingda Ka

In brief -- a very good ride.

The launch and drop don't feel any different to Dragster. However, there is considerably more airtime over the top, more reminiscent of Xcelerator than anything else. The airtime hill works very nicely, too.

More in due course when I write my full trip report.

The ride opens this weekend.

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Some further comments after riding again today in all the rows of the train. I managed a total of twenty rides :)

The front seats produce insane air time.

The back seats are surprisingly rough, at least on the train I was in.

Martin Valt commented that the free fall experience on the way down is the best found on any ride anywhere.

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Wow sounds awesome. Do the OTSR's on the way down the first hill feel restraining at all compared to Dragster?

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Cool, saw the ride on one of the morning shows today. Does the airtime hill brake before the whole train is over it or once the train is cleared?

eightdotthree -- Honestly, I never really noticed, but I would guess when the whole train is over the hill. It's certainly not obvious if it hits before - you're going so bloody fast that there are other things on your mind (like the wind in your face!).

discodude - They don't feel restraining, though depending on your build you might end up bashing the side of your neck on them in the spiral; it happened to me two or three times in twenty rides.

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What did you think about the brakes on the tophat? Do they give a good view? Do the break up the ride forces in any seat? Don't notice them?

The brakes are only there to stop the back of the train going over the top too fast. On the vast majority of my rides I didn't notice them at all.

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I guess that means they are launching it harder over the tophat to avoid rollbacks and the brakes keep it under control. That would explain the additional airtime on the tophat.

Yup, I think you've got it there. In three days at the park I did not see a single rollback. Contrast that with Dragster where you see them every morning :)

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Just wondering....do you happen to have any online pictures of it? I have seen many pictures of the ride, but I would like to see it with actual riders and all of the finishing touches they have added.

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One thing I'm curious to know is, what does it say/do to warn you of the launch?

Martin Valt has asked me to post that the warning consists of -- "Sit down, head back, hold on, and shut the f*** up!".

It should be noted, however, that the launch warning is in fact a loud bugle blast that can be heard all over the park, and arguably in most of the greater New Jersey area. You get about a three second warning from that blast before four tons of train starts pushing you to the heights.

I will get pictures online in a day or two; right now I'm typing this on my laptop in the airport ahead of a transatlantic flight in an hours time, which is not an ideal environment for photo editing. I've got some good ones :)

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"...there is considerably more airtime over the top..."

HA! Take that, CP Fanboys! ;)

mOOSH - wasn't interested in Dragster, couldn't care less about Kingda Ka.

Moosh. . . you always seem to put the right contexts into place. :)

Any downtime at all when you guys were there riding? Hopefully it can run smoothly for long periods of time. . .otherwise. . .well. . .Dragster might have a chance. :)

Just kidding.

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Yup, I think you've got it there. In three days at the park I did not see a single rollback. Contrast that with Dragster where you see them every morning

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Not a CP fan boy, but HAH SF fanboys!

I think the drop gives you plenty of air. I'd rather be able to see and be a part of a roll-back on TTD than some air time on KK.

So you would definitely recommend the front rows? Why do you think the front produces more air? Isn't it usually the other way around?

Honestly, I've no idea why the front produces more air. All I can say is that it does.

The ride was down for a few hours on Tuesday but other than that it seemed reliable enough.

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When riding Dragster you have to deal with the short seat belt issue if you are not skinny. How does the OTSR's compare to the OTSR's on Medusa or Batman? Do you have any more room on KK?

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PA Brian said:
When riding Dragster you have to deal with the short seat belt issue if you are not skinny. How does the OTSR's compare to the OTSR's on Medusa or Batman? Do you have any more room on KK?

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I'm assuming (I don't know for sure but I will soon) that if the restraints are like the ones used on Storm Runner, then there will be more room on Kingda Ka, however, there is always room for stapling which I'm not quite sure if the ride ops at SFGadv have been trained to do.

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I've no idea why the front produces more air. All I can say is that it does.

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I believe that Xcelerator has the same phenomenon: I seem to get better top-hat air in the front.

For all of my east coast friends: May your rocket be more reliable than the midwestern version. *Much* more reliable.

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