Kong (Six Flags Discovery Kingdom)
Encyclopedia
Kong is a steel roller coaster
located at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom
in Vallejo, California
.
Kong is a standard Vekoma SLC
. The ride originally operated as The Hangman
at Opryland USA
from 1995 to 1997 when it was dismantled and sold due to the closure of the park. Kong debuted at The New Marine World Theme Park, later Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, on Memorial Day Weekend of 1998. At that time Kong became the tallest and longest inverted roller coaster
in Northern California, missing the speed record by .3 MPH and achieving the length record by only 6". Today V2: Vertical Velocity
and Medusa in the same park hold the height and speed records in Northern California.
Kong previously loaded near the iWerks theater. In 2007, the park moved the attraction's entrance to Oasis Plaza. Guests now walk under the ride to get to the loading platform.
Kong starts with a 115 feet (35.1 m) lift hill. Followed by that is a 108 feet (32.9 m) drop, a heartline loop, sidewinder, and back to back inline twists. Despite dislike from the coaster enthusiast community for this type of coaster, Kong is typically one of the busiest coasters in the park and well liked by park guests. SLC coasters are commonly referred to as "Hang-and-Bang" coasters by enthusiasts, referring to your head hitting the over the shoulder restraints during the ride. However, Kong has been said to be one of the smoother, more enjoyable SLC coasters in the US.
Steel roller coaster
A steel roller coaster is a roller coaster that is defined by having a track made of steel. Steel coasters have earned immense popularity in the past 50 years throughout the world...
located at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom
Six Flags Discovery Kingdom
Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, formerly Six Flags Marine World, Marine World, The New Marine World Theme Park, and Marine World Africa USA, is an animal theme park located in Vallejo, California. The park includes a variety of roller coasters and other amusement rides, along with a collection of...
in Vallejo, California
Vallejo, California
Vallejo is the largest city in Solano County, California, United States. The population was 115,942 at the 2010 census. It is located in the San Francisco Bay Area on the northeastern shore of San Pablo Bay...
.
Kong is a standard Vekoma SLC
Vekoma SLC
The Suspended Looping Coaster is a model of steel inverted roller coaster built by Vekoma. There are at least 39 different installations across the world. The minimum rider height requirement is or more.-History:...
. The ride originally operated as The Hangman
The Hangman (roller coaster)
The Hangman was a steel suspended-looping roller coaster located at the now-defunct Opryland USA theme park in Nashville, Tennessee. Opened in May 1995, the ride was notably the last major attraction to be added to Opryland before the park closed at the end of the 1997 season.The Hangman was...
at Opryland USA
Opryland USA
Opryland USA was an amusement park located in suburban Nashville, Tennessee. It operated seasonally from 1972 until 1997...
from 1995 to 1997 when it was dismantled and sold due to the closure of the park. Kong debuted at The New Marine World Theme Park, later Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, on Memorial Day Weekend of 1998. At that time Kong became the tallest and longest inverted roller coaster
Inverted roller coaster
An inverted roller coaster is a roller coaster in which the train runs under the track with the seats directly attached to the wheel carriage. This latter attribute is what sets it apart from the older suspended coaster, which runs under the track, but "swings" via a pivoting bar attached to the...
in Northern California, missing the speed record by .3 MPH and achieving the length record by only 6". Today V2: Vertical Velocity
V2: Vertical Velocity
V2: Vertical Velocity is an inverted steel roller coaster located at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo, California. It is California's first and only Spiraling Impulse Coaster, built by Intamin and opened in 2001. It stands and reaches speeds of up to...
and Medusa in the same park hold the height and speed records in Northern California.
Kong previously loaded near the iWerks theater. In 2007, the park moved the attraction's entrance to Oasis Plaza. Guests now walk under the ride to get to the loading platform.
Kong starts with a 115 feet (35.1 m) lift hill. Followed by that is a 108 feet (32.9 m) drop, a heartline loop, sidewinder, and back to back inline twists. Despite dislike from the coaster enthusiast community for this type of coaster, Kong is typically one of the busiest coasters in the park and well liked by park guests. SLC coasters are commonly referred to as "Hang-and-Bang" coasters by enthusiasts, referring to your head hitting the over the shoulder restraints during the ride. However, Kong has been said to be one of the smoother, more enjoyable SLC coasters in the US.