July 28, 2026Updated July 29, 2026, 3:00 p.m. ET
- Six Flags Great Adventure announced its new record-breaking coaster, Bakunawa, set to open in 2027.
- Named after a mythical sea serpent, the ride will reach heights of 382 feet and speeds of 100 mph.
- The ride will feature a 90-degree climb and an upside-down launch, and will run the course in reverse.
JACKSON, NJ – Six Flags Great Adventure lifted the curtain on its newest thrill ride, Bakunawa, a free-spinning, floorless coaster that will hold six world records when it opens in the 2027 season.
The ride, named after a legendary sea serpent from Philippine mythology, will reach 382 feet high and speeds of up to 100 mph, sending guests spinning through the air, upright, inverted and sideways.
“You’re going to climb 90 degrees straight up to the top of the 382-foot-tall tower, reaching the top and kind of sliding around the outside, which looks terrifying and amazing at the same time, before losing speed,” said Mike Fehnel, park president for Six Flags Great Adventure. “And then you get to do it all again in reverse.”
The amusement park introduced the ride July 28 to media and influencers, some of whom held their smartphones aloft and live-streamed the event.
The coaster, still under construction, was dubbed Project Purple, in a nod to raise awareness for pancreatic cancer. It has generated buzz among coaster enthusiasts worldwide who had wondered how the Jackson park would create a new thrill.
The answer: The ride will stake its claim as the world’s fastest spinning coaster, tallest spinning coaster, fastest inversion, longest stall inversion, first floorless spinning coaster and the first upside-down launch.
“We have never seen a ride like this,” said Ryan Chin, a content creator known as ElToroRyan, who was on hand documenting the day for his YouTube channel and its 170,000 subscribers. “The upside-down launch, the spinning trains, it’s just very unique. It’s totally different.”
Michael L. Diamond is a business reporter at the Asbury Park Press. He has been writing about the New Jersey economy, real estate market, and health care industry since 1999. He can be reached at mdiamond@gannettnj.com.
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