Sarajevo Bobsled opened at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, New Jersey, in 1984, timed to coincide with that year’s Winter Olympics held in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia. Built by Intamin with trains from Giovanola, the steel bobsled-style coaster sent riders through banked, wall-less curves meant to evoke the sensation of a real bobsled run, without any inversions.
The ride proved popular with park guests, but its run at Great Adventure was short-lived. In 1988 park management decided the area needed a larger, more modern steel coaster, and Sarajevo Bobsled was dismantled mid-season to clear space for the Great American Scream Machine, which debuted the following year in 1989. The bobsled trains and track were not scrapped, however; they were relocated and rebuilt at other Six Flags parks, first as Rolling Thunder at Six Flags Great America and later as Alpine Bobsled at Six Flags Great Escape, where the ride finally closed for good in 2023.
Stats at a Glance
- Park: Six Flags Great Adventure
- Manufacturer: Intamin (trains by Giovanola)
- Opened: 1984
- Closed: 1988
- Height: about 64 ft
- Top speed: about 35 mph
- Length: about 1,490 ft
- Inversions: 0
The Ride Experience
As a bobsled-style coaster, Sarajevo Bobsled had no individual rails guiding each wheel; instead, its trains ran freely within a curved, banked trough, similar to how an actual bobsled slides through an icy chute. Riders climbed a chain lift hill before descending into a series of sweeping, high-banked turns designed to build lateral speed rather than airtime or inversions. Six trains, each carrying eight riders across four rows, kept the roughly 100-second ride cycling quickly through crowds.
An Olympic Tribute, Briefly
The coaster’s name and timing were no accident. The 1984 Winter Olympics were held in Sarajevo, and Six Flags Great Adventure capitalized on the global spotlight on bobsledding by opening a themed attraction the same year. Despite being well received by guests, the ride occupied space the park wanted for something bigger, and after just four seasons it was dismantled to make way for the Great American Scream Machine. Its steel bones lived on for decades afterward under new names at other Six Flags properties.
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Sarajevo Bobsled Photo Archive: July 2001
These are original ThrillZing photos of Sarajevo Bobsled taken at Six Flags Great Adventure on July 15 and 16, 2001, restored and upscaled from the original camera files. They show the Intamin bobsled’s red trough track from the midway and an on-ride frame. The ride closed after the 2001 season. All photos are free to reuse under a CC BY 4.0 license with credit to ThrillZing and a link to this page.
Sarajevo Bobsled FAQs
Why was it called Sarajevo Bobsled?
The ride was named to commemorate the 1984 Winter Olympics, which were held in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia, the same year the coaster opened at Six Flags Great Adventure.
What happened to Sarajevo Bobsled?
It was dismantled in 1988 to make room for the Great American Scream Machine. Its trains and track were later rebuilt at Six Flags Great America as Rolling Thunder, then at Six Flags Great Escape as Alpine Bobsled, which closed in 2023.
Who manufactured Sarajevo Bobsled?
It was built by Intamin, with trains supplied by Giovanola, as a steel bobsled-style roller coaster with no inversions.
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Photo: Jared and Corin / CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.