Kong (Six Flags Discovery Kingdom)

Infobox roller coaster
name = Kong


caption =
location = Six Flags Discovery Kingdom
type = Steel
manufacturer = Vekoma
designer =
model = SLC
track =
lift = Chain lift hill
status = Open
opened = 1998
height = 115
drop =
length = 2172
speed = 56
duration = 1:36
angle =
inversions = 5
capacity =
cost =
acceleration =
gforce =
restriction = 54
rcdb_number= 163

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 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 foot lift hill. Followed by that is a 105 foot 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 be said to be one of the smoother, more enjoyable SLC coasters in the US.

References