Watch as a gigantic 456 ft (139 m) roller coaster blows up: the end of an era -.

Well, it happened: Kingda Ka has fallen. It happened sooner than expected: the world’s largest roller coaster is now a pile of rubble. Kingda Ka, built in 2005, demolished in 2025. A giant 456 ft (139 m) inflated and fell to the ground in a controlled manner. This is something you don’t see every day.

The implosion was scheduled for today, between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. local time in New Jersey. It happened a few hours earlier than expected, but there were still many cameras, from TV crews to spectators, and probably some roller coaster fans who wanted to witness the final moments of the iconic ride.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBFGjiRQ48Q/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-gjFKZfUVg/

Why was Kinga Ka scrapped?

Kingda Ka opened in May 2025. It welcomed 12 million riders in 19 years…. What in reality could have been more: the ride was prone to downtime and maintenance costs were also expensive because the ride used a hydraulic launch system – to launch trains to speeds of 128 mph (206 km/h) – that quickly became obsolete.

The lower parts of the track were removed, but the top hat was too large and had to be brought down with controlled explosions. Images show that it was a great success: the roller coaster fell on an empty lot, with no damage to nearby facilities (parking lots) or trees.

Kingda Ka used to be the tallest roller coaster in the world (although a new tallest one was built in Saudi Arabia last year). The park, Six Flags Great Adventure, will compensate deeply saddened fans next year with a new, record-breaking roller coaster. Currently the tallest roller coaster in operation in Spain is Red Force at PortAventura at 112 m (367 ft).