Rolling Thunder was a twin-track wooden racing coaster that opened at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, New Jersey, on June 6, 1979, during the park’s fifth anniversary season. Designed by Don Rosser and William Cobb and built by William Cobb & Associates, it was the park’s very first wooden roller coaster, giving riders a classic out-and-back racing duel between two parallel wooden tracks.
For 34 years, Rolling Thunder sent side-by-side trains rattling through a 96-foot-tall layout at speeds up to 56 mph, becoming a rite of passage for New Jersey coaster fans. The ride closed on September 8, 2013, and was demolished to make way for Zumanjaro: Drop of Doom, though parts of its former queue and entrance were later reused for the El Diablo flat ride.
Stats at a Glance
- Park: Six Flags Great Adventure, Jackson, New Jersey
- Manufacturer: William Cobb & Associates
- Opened: June 6, 1979
- Closed: September 8, 2013
- Height: 96 feet
- Top speed: 56 mph
- Length: 3,200 feet (per track)
- Inversions: 0
The Ride Experience
Rolling Thunder featured two parallel wooden tracks that let trains race side by side for much of the layout, a design popularized by racing coasters of the era. Each train carried up to 24 riders across four cars, climbing the lift hill before diving into a series of drops and airtime-filled hills that played on the friendly rivalry between the left and right sides.
Because the two tracks weren’t perfectly symmetrical, one side often pulled ahead of the other depending on the day, adding an extra layer of unpredictability that kept riders coming back to try both tracks.
Legacy and Closure
As Six Flags Great Adventure’s first wooden coaster, Rolling Thunder helped establish the park’s early reputation as a major East Coast thrill destination. Over three decades of rough New Jersey winters, the ride became known for an increasingly intense, jarring experience that some riders loved and others dreaded.
The coaster closed in September 2013 and was torn down to clear space for Zumanjaro: Drop of Doom, one of the tallest drop towers in the world, which opened on the same footprint the following year.
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Rolling Thunder FAQs
When did Rolling Thunder open and close?
Rolling Thunder opened on June 6, 1979, and closed on September 8, 2013, after 34 years of operation at Six Flags Great Adventure.
Who built Rolling Thunder?
It was designed by Don Rosser and William Cobb and built by William Cobb & Associates.
What replaced Rolling Thunder?
The site was cleared for Zumanjaro: Drop of Doom, a drop tower ride that opened in 2014.
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Photo: Harpiesbrother91 at English Wikipedia / Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.