Kingda Ka, which was at a time the world’s tallest and fastest roller coaster, was demolished Friday morning at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, NJ.
The ride was brought down ahead of schedule, with the implosion occurring before 7 a.m. Authorities had previously warned residents of loud noises between 9 and 10 a.m. The Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office advised that the blasts would be startling but not a cause for any concern.
Kingda Ka, which opened in 2005, launched riders at 128 mph to a height of 456 feet. It held the title of the world’s tallest coaster throughout its lifetime but lost the speed record to Formula Rossa in Abu Dhabi back in 2010. The towering green coaster carried more than 12 million passengers before Six Flags announced its closure in late 2024.
Crews began clearing the debris immediately after the implosion. The park is also removing other attractions, including the Twister, Parachute Tower, Sky Way, and Green Lantern.
The Flash: Vertical Velocity, promoted as North America’s first super boomerang coaster, is set to open this season. In 2026, Six Flags plans to debut a new launch coaster, described as a multi-record-breaking ride.
The park reopens on March 29.
The New Jersey Digest is a new jersey magazine that has chronicled daily life in the Garden State for over 10 years.