Six Flags Great Adventure opened on July 1, 1974, in Jackson Township, New Jersey, conceived by restaurateur and showman Warner LeRoy as a sprawling entertainment complex he called Great Adventure. LeRoy—grandson of Warner Bros. co-founder Harry Warner—envisioned seven distinct parks on a single property. Six Flags acquired Great Adventure in 1977, transforming it into one of the chain’s flagship properties over the decades that followed.
Today the resort spans 510 acres and ranks as the second-largest theme park complex in the world by acreage, behind only Disney’s Animal Kingdom. The property combines a 160-acre amusement park with 14 operating roller coasters, a 350-acre drive-through safari, the Hurricane Harbor New Jersey water park, and the Savannah Sunset Resort & Spa glamping retreat—all within an hour of both New York City and Philadelphia. Heading into the 2026 season, the park is also mid-construction on a record-chasing new coaster to replace the demolished Kingda Ka, giving longtime fans a fresh reason to plan a visit.
Quick Answer
Six Flags Great Adventure is a 510-acre theme park, drive-through safari, and water park resort in Jackson Township, New Jersey, with 14 operating roller coasters led by the wooden classic El Toro. Wild Safari and Hurricane Harbor New Jersey are both included with park admission for 2026, and a new record-chasing coaster is under construction to replace Kingda Ka, targeting a 2027 opening. Tickets, parking, and current hours are sold and listed directly on the official Six Flags Great Adventure website.
Stats at a Glance
Location: Jackson Township, New Jersey. Opened: July 1, 1974. Total acreage: 510 acres (160-acre park plus 350-acre safari). Roller coasters: 14 operating, spanning wood, steel, single-rail, and family designs. Signature coaster: El Toro — 181 ft tall, 70 mph, Intamin prefabricated wood. Wild Safari: included with park admission, 1,200+ animals across six continents. Next big addition: an unnamed multi-launch coaster (working name “Project Purple”) targeting a 2027 debut on the former Kingda Ka site.
World-Class Coasters, Ranked
El Toro remains the crown jewel of the lineup. The Intamin prefabricated wooden coaster opened on June 11, 2006, and immediately turned heads: its 176-foot first drop at a then-record 76-degree angle was the steepest of any wooden coaster in the world at the time, and its 70 mph top speed ranks among the fastest wooden rides anywhere. The Golden Ticket Awards twice named it the world’s best wooden roller coaster, in 2012 and again in 2017.
Jersey Devil Coaster, which debuted in 2021, is a Rocky Mountain Construction single-rail design that sends riders along a roughly 3,000-foot layout with an 87-degree drop from 130 feet. Nitro, a Bolliger & Mabillard hyper-coaster that opened in 2001 with a 215-foot first drop and an 80 mph top speed, rounds out the headline trio and has consistently ranked among the top steel coasters in the world.
Beyond those three, the roster runs deep: Medusa (a floorless coaster with seven inversions), Batman: The Ride (an inverted coaster with five inversions), Superman: Ultimate Flight (a flying coaster), Flash: Vertical Velocity (a boomerang-style shuttle coaster), and Barrels O’ Fun (a Reverchon wild mouse spinning coaster) all deliver steel-coaster thrills. Family-friendly options include Skull Mountain, Runaway Mine Train, Dark Knight, and Joker, while Lil’ Devil Coaster and Harley Quinn Crazy Train give younger riders their own coaster credits—bringing the operating total to 14.
What’s Replacing Kingda Ka? (2027 Coaster Update)
Kingda Ka, once the world’s tallest roller coaster at 456 feet, held that title from its 2005 opening until it permanently closed in November 2024 and was demolished in a controlled implosion on February 28, 2025. Six Flags is building its replacement on the same site under the working name “Project Purple,” a rumored Mack Rides multi-launch coaster that the company says will rank among the five tallest coasters in the world when it opens in 2027.
Construction is well underway: as of June 2026, the new coaster’s structure had already topped 315 feet, making it the tallest structure currently standing anywhere in the park. Six Flags has paired the build with a charitable partnership supporting pancreatic cancer research, using on-site signage and QR codes through June 2027. An official ride name hasn’t been confirmed yet, though “Phantom Spire” is the name most frequently reported by coaster enthusiast outlets.
Height Requirements at a Glance
Height minimums vary by ride intensity—and the single highest bar in the park belongs to a surprising ride. Barrels O’ Fun, a Reverchon wild mouse spinning coaster classified as a thrill ride, requires 59 inches to ride alone or 48 inches with an accompanying adult. The next tier—54 inches—applies to Nitro, Batman: The Ride, Superman: Ultimate Flight, and Medusa. A 48-inch minimum also covers El Toro, Jersey Devil Coaster, and Flash: Vertical Velocity. Smaller family coasters like Skull Mountain, Runaway Mine Train, Joker, and Dark Knight fall in the roughly 42- to 44-inch range, while the park’s true kiddie coasters—Lil’ Devil Coaster and Harley Quinn Crazy Train—have little to no height requirement and are built specifically for young riders.
Because restrictions can be adjusted season to season, confirm exact requirements for the rides on your must-do list using the ride-by-ride details on the official attractions page before you go.
Wild Safari: How It Works in 2026
Wild Safari sets Six Flags Great Adventure apart from nearly every other regional theme park, and its format changed for the 2026 season. Guests now board open-air safari vehicles for a guided, roughly 35-minute tour through 350 acres of open habitat, encountering more than 1,200 animals from six continents—including giraffes, lions, white rhinos, and kangaroos. Crucially, this guided experience is included with park admission, Season Passes, and Memberships rather than sold as a separate add-on.
Guests can also visit the walk-up Safari Base Camp for animal encounters, and pay separately for extras like tortoise encounters at Aldabra Island or lorikeet feeding in the aviary. The attraction traces its roots to the original 1974 opening and remains one of the largest drive-through-style safari experiences in North America.
Hurricane Harbor & Savannah Sunset Resort
Hurricane Harbor New Jersey, added in 2000, provides a full water park experience on the same property and, like Wild Safari, is included with regular park admission. Together with the Savannah Sunset Resort & Spa glamping destination, the complex has evolved well beyond a single-day outing into a multi-day resort that draws families from across the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast.
Planning Your Visit: Tickets, Parking & Hours
Six Flags Great Adventure sells single-day “Park Tickets” that include admission to the theme park, Wild Safari, and Hurricane Harbor in one price, typically discounted well below the walk-up gate rate when bought online in advance. Beyond single-day tickets, the park offers Season Passes and Memberships (multi-visit passes with perks like free parking and, on higher tiers, access to other Six Flags parks) and group-rate tickets for larger parties. Because pricing tiers and promotions shift throughout the year, use the official tickets page for current prices.
Parking is sold separately from admission on a per-day basis, and—as at most Six Flags parks—buying it online ahead of your visit is cheaper than paying at the gate; Season Passholders typically get parking included free. Hours follow a seasonal pattern common to Northeast Six Flags parks: weekends-only operation during the early spring and late fall shoulder seasons, daily operation through the summer with select nights extended later, and closures on non-event weekdays in the off-season. Because exact daily open and close times change throughout the year, always confirm the schedule for your visit date on the official Calendar & Hours page.
What’s New for the 2026 Season
The park opened for the 2026 season on March 28 (with a Season Passholder preview day on March 27) and kicked things off with a Safari Spring Break Celebration. Beyond the new coaster construction, 2026 brought newly engineered track sections on El Toro for a smoother ride, upgraded park-wide Wi-Fi, refreshed dining menus, and a major reimagining of The Boardwalk area with new ride experiences and dining slated for late spring.
Six Flags Great Adventure visitor guide FAQs
What happened to Kingda Ka, and what’s replacing it?
Kingda Ka, the world’s tallest roller coaster at 456 feet, permanently closed in November 2024 and was demolished on February 28, 2025. Its replacement, a rumored Mack Rides multi-launch coaster working-titled “Project Purple” (widely reported as possibly named “Phantom Spire”), is under construction on the same site and is expected to rank among the five tallest coasters in the world when it opens in 2027. As of June 2026, its structure had already passed 315 feet.
What is the best roller coaster at Six Flags Great Adventure?
El Toro is widely regarded as the park’s standout coaster. The 181-foot Intamin prefabricated wooden ride reaches 70 mph and features a 176-foot drop at a steep 76-degree angle. It won the Golden Ticket Award for world’s best wooden roller coaster in both 2012 and 2017.
How many roller coasters does Six Flags Great Adventure have?
The park operates 14 roller coasters, ranging from the wooden El Toro and single-rail Jersey Devil Coaster to steel thrill rides like Nitro, Medusa, and Batman: The Ride, plus family and kiddie coasters such as Skull Mountain and Lil’ Devil Coaster.
What are the height requirements for the coasters?
Requirements range from about 42 to 59 inches depending on intensity. Barrels O’ Fun, a Reverchon wild mouse spinning coaster, has the park’s highest bar at 59 inches (48 inches with an accompanying adult); Nitro, Batman: The Ride, Superman: Ultimate Flight, and Medusa require 54 inches; El Toro, Jersey Devil Coaster, and Flash: Vertical Velocity require 48 inches; and the remaining family and kiddie coasters have shorter or no minimums, built for younger riders.
Is Wild Safari included with park admission?
Yes. For the 2026 season, the guided open-air vehicle tour through Wild Safari is included with regular park admission, Season Passes, and Memberships, rather than sold as a separate ticket.
How much are Six Flags Great Adventure tickets, and where do I buy them?
Single-day Park Tickets bundle admission to the theme park, Wild Safari, and Hurricane Harbor, and are generally much cheaper bought online in advance than at the gate. Season Passes, Memberships, and group tickets are also available. Because pricing changes throughout the year, buy directly and check current rates on the official Six Flags Great Adventure tickets page.
What are Six Flags Great Adventure’s hours?
Like most Northeast Six Flags parks, Great Adventure typically operates weekends-only during the spring and fall shoulder seasons, daily through the summer with some nights running later, and is closed on non-event weekdays in the off-season. Exact daily hours vary by date, so confirm the schedule for your visit on the official Calendar & Hours page before you go.
Is there parking, and does it cost extra?
Yes, parking is sold separately from admission on a per-day basis. Buying parking online in advance is cheaper than paying at the gate, and Season Passholders typically receive parking free.
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