Construction on the highly anticipated Bakunawa roller coaster at Six Flags Great Adventure has reached its next phase, as engineering teams begin assembling the ride vehicles.
The New Jersey theme park has confirmed that technical work is underway behind the scenes to prepare the attraction for its upcoming testing programme.
The current phase involves assembling nine of the Mack Ride coaster’s ten ride cars, with one completed vehicle already delivered to the site. Once all components are integrated, Bakunawa will run two five-car trains, each accommodating 20 passengers. Riders will be seated four across in a back-to-back formation on a floorless, free-spinning chassis. The park has designated a distinct colour scheme for the vehicles, featuring one green train and one purple train to reflect the attraction’s legendary sea serpent theme.
The vehicle build process, which takes approximately one week per car, is a joint operational effort between the park’s ride mechanics and electricians.
Ryan Eldredge, Director of Sales and Marketing at Six Flags Great Adventure, said: “Train assembly is one of those exciting milestones that brings a coaster to life. Guests have followed Bakunawa’s progress from the earliest stages of construction, and seeing the ride vehicles come together is another visible sign that we’re moving closer to the next phase of the project.”
Record breaker in the making
Bakunawa is designed to break six world records, as the fastest and tallest spinning coaster to date. The attraction will reach a top speed of 100 mph and a maximum height of 382 feet over a 3,163-foot track circuit.
The two-minute and 17-second cycle features three distinct magnetic launches. The initial launch accelerates trains from zero to 60 mph, followed by a second launch from 60 to 80 mph while inverted, which marks the world’s first upside-down launch. A final launch propels the vehicle to its maximum speed.
Marketed as the world’s first floorless spinning coaster, the layout secures additional records for the world’s fastest inversion and the longest stall inversion. Thematic elements draw from the folklore of Bakunawa, a mythological sea serpent with shimmering purple scales that attempts to devour the moon. During the cycle, the spinning train climbs a landmark spire, pausing at the peak facing upward, downward, or sideways before plummeting backwards to the station.
Steven Kolczynski, Construction Manager at Six Flags Great Adventure, explained: “Behind the scenes, our teams are meticulously assembling each vehicle to ensure everything is ready for installation. Once assembly is complete, the next stop is putting the trains on the track.”
Following track placement, the park will initiate clearance testing. The addition of Bakunawa follows the addition of Shoreline Pier at The Boardwalk, adding five new attractions alongside dining and entertainment this year.
