Project Purple finally has a name, and the traveler decision just got sharper. Six Flags Great Adventure now calls its 2027 Boardwalk headliner Bakunawa and says the spinning launch coaster will claim six world records when it opens.
The park’s official account published the name on July 28, 2026, with load-bearing stats: a 382-foot profile, a 100 mph top speed, and an 80 mph inversion, plus a season-pass path for riders who want to be first when the trains turn. Independent trade coverage, including Attractions Magazine’s Bakunawa reveal report, maps those claims to floorless trains, three launches, and a transformed Boardwalk district at the Jackson, New Jersey park.
- Name: Bakunawa replaces the Project Purple codename.
- When: Opening targeted for the 2027 season, not a 2026 ride day.
- Height and speed: 382 feet and 100 mph per park claims.
- Records: Six claimed world firsts, including upside-down launch.
- Action now: 2027 season-pass shoppers can plan around a named headliner.
What Six Flags confirmed on July 28
In the official July 28 Bakunawa reveal post, Six Flags Great Adventure wrote that guests will “launch on Bakunawa in 2027” and that the coaster “breaks six world records,” including the fastest and tallest spinning coaster at 100 mph and 382 feet and an 80 mph inversion. The same post points pass buyers to the park’s season-pass storefront, which is the clearest commercial call to action attached to the name.
That announcement is the material delta from earlier Deep Arrival coverage. The July 28 Project Purple name-reveal window post only set the calendar for a mystery codename, and the track-completion report covered construction progress without an official product name or the full record list.
Trade specialists who opened the same reveal window list six claimed records in plain language: fastest spinning coaster at 100 mph, tallest spinning coaster at 382 feet, fastest inversion at 80 mph, longest stall inversion, first floorless spinning coaster, and first upside-down launch. Treat those as operator claims until independent measurement after opening, not as third-party certifications.
The park’s Project Purple marketing page still carried pre-reveal mystery language when checked the same day, which is normal web lag after a social-first announcement. Use the July 28 official post and contemporaneous specialist write-ups as the load-bearing name and stats, then recheck the park site as it catches up.
What the ride system means for a Great Adventure day plan
Bakunawa is described as a spinning launch coaster with floorless vehicles and three launches. That combination is different from a traditional sit-down hyper coaster or a simple free-spin family spinner, and it changes how thrill-first groups should rank the Boardwalk once the ride is open.
Floorless trains mean feet hang free, which often raises the height and rider-restriction bar compared with junior spinners. Until the park publishes final height requirements and medical advisories, do not promise a child a 2027 Bakunawa credit based only on today’s lower Boardwalk rides.
Three launches and a claimed 100 mph top end imply a long block of time on the course and a long visible queue once the ride becomes the park’s marquee photo object. Families who already struggle with Kingda Ka-era lines should budget early rope drop or paid skip options if those products return for the new headliner.
The Boardwalk district framing matters for walking maps. Guests who used older mental models of the Jersey shore corner of the park should refresh the layout with Deep Arrival’s Six Flags Great Adventure park map guide before a 2026 construction visit or a 2027 first-ride day.
Construction and soft-open phases almost always change queue entrances, photo spots, and temporary walkways. A 2026 visit still does not deliver a Bakunawa ride credit; it only lets you see how the skyline and circulation are shifting around the Boardwalk.
Who should buy a pass or ticket now versus wait
If you already planned a 2026 Great Adventure day for safari, existing coasters, or Hurricane Harbor next door, keep that plan. Bakunawa’s confirmed season is 2027, and the official post does not publish a specific opening month or soft-open week.
If you are shopping a 2027 season pass or a Gold-style membership that spans 2026 into 2027, the name and record claims are useful. You can now rank Great Adventure against other Northeast parks with a named multi-launch spinner rather than an anonymous Project Purple placeholder.
Single-day 2027 ticket buyers should wait for an opening window before locking nonrefundable hotel and travel. Record claims and concept art do not equal a published first public ride date.
Passholders who care about first-year crowds should watch for pass-early entries, virtual queue rules, and any paid priority access that Six Flags attaches to Bakunawa after testing. None of those products were detailed in the name post.
Travelers comparing Great Adventure to other 2027 regional additions should still separate brand marketing from ops reality. A 382-foot spinning launch system can dominate social media while still needing weeks of testing, weather holds, and capacity tuning after the ribbon is cut.
How this fits a 2026 visit you already booked
Guests arriving this summer and fall will see construction and skyline massing, not a ride. Use that visit for safari timing, existing coaster credits, and water-park pairing rather than expecting Bakunawa trains.
Photographers who want the purple structure against the wooden coaster backdrop can treat the Boardwalk edge as a walk-by photo stop. Stay behind construction fences and follow park staff directions; a concept image is not permission to enter a hard-hat zone.
Height-restricted riders should still use the current Six Flags Great Adventure height requirements guide for open attractions. Bakunawa’s final published height line will matter only after the park posts it near opening.
Hotel and drive planners for Jackson, New Jersey should keep standard summer weekend buffers for Route 537 and park parking. A named 2027 coaster does not change 2026 gate throughput by itself, but social hype can still thicken peak Saturdays near major teaser weekends.
| If you planned | What to do |
|---|---|
| A 2026 Great Adventure day | Keep it; expect construction views, not a Bakunawa ride credit. |
| A 2027 season pass purchase | Treat Bakunawa as the named Boardwalk headliner when comparing multi-park options. |
| A single-day 2027 thrills trip | Wait for a published open window before locking nonrefundable travel. |
| Kids under typical coaster heights | Hold judgment until official height and restraint rules post near opening. |
| A Boardwalk photo stop this year | Stay on public paths; use the park map to approach construction-safe viewpoints. |
- Open date: Month or soft-open week still unpublished.
- Height line: Final rider height and medical advisories not yet posted.
- Queue product: Virtual queue or paid skip rules not announced.
- Site copy: Park web pages may still lag the social name reveal.
- Record status: World-record language remains operator claims until post-opening verification.
For thrills travelers, the memorable detail is the claimed upside-down launch: trains are marketed to leave the station inverted, which is a different mental model from a standard floorless drop. That single feature is why the Boardwalk will draw credit hunters even before capacity stabilizes.
A practical scenario: a New York or Philadelphia family choosing between one 2027 New Jersey park day and a multi-park pass should ask whether Bakunawa’s three launches and spinning floorless trains are the main reason for the trip. If yes, buy flexible lodging and recheck the park calendar the week before travel rather than treating a spring rumor as a fixed open date.
Confirmed facts today are the official name, the 2027 season target, the park’s six record claims with 382 feet, 100 mph, and an 80 mph inversion, and the season-pass CTA in the reveal. Interpretation is that Great Adventure is positioning Bakunawa as the primary 2027 reason to re-rank the park against regional competitors.
Still unknown are the first public operating day, hourly capacity, height requirements, accessibility vehicle rules, and whether any 2026 pass automatically includes early 2027 Bakunawa access without an upgrade. Do not invent those details from concept art or fan forums.
Is Bakunawa open in 2026?
No. The park’s official reveal targets a 2027 launch season. 2026 guests should plan for construction views only.
What records does Six Flags claim for Bakunawa?
The park and trade write-ups list six claims, including tallest and fastest spinning coaster at 382 feet and 100 mph, an 80 mph inversion, longest stall, first floorless spinner, and first upside-down launch.
Should I buy a 2027 season pass only for Bakunawa?
Buy a pass if you already want multiple Great Adventure visits and value a named multi-launch spinner. Do not buy solely on an unopened date without flexible plans.
Where is Bakunawa located inside the park?
Trade coverage places it in the transformed Boardwalk district. Use the current park map for walking routes while construction finishes.
Are the world records independently certified yet?
Not from the name reveal alone. Treat the six records as Six Flags claims until post-opening measurement and independent confirmation exist.
