After suffering some minor road rash on the Alpine Slide, he became cautious about going on the more intimidating rides, especially the Geronimo Slide, a waterslide that was basically a vertical drop with sides so low park guests were warned not to move at all or they risked flying over. When Action Park opened in the late 70s, they could get away with anything. Since it was a newer idea, they had to build and create it on the fly. Ocean City in New Jersey at Gillian's Wonderland Pier A time before insurance and lawyers, sure, but more importantly, a time when things were physical and tactile and personal and it felt like anything was possible and everything mattered. how to safely take your kids to amusement parks, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Even worse, according to Seccia, was the road burn: You could rip the hell out of your bare skin when it grazed the track at 40 miles an hour. Anyone who had the guts to try it would get $100. ), A slide called the Cannonball (the first version) seemed like a safer bet. The chilling streak of lethal incidents began in 1980, when an employees sled derailed while riding the Alpine Slide, throwing them off the tracks. Local officials were likely to look the other way when a serious incident occurred. They were going on rides in any position they wanted and hitting the water at such force, shoulders were being dislocated. So, unless you are very healthy and can handle crazy roller coasters, you may want to give this one a miss. Again, it wasnt designed properly to keep people on. Lets not forget, along with all the dangerous rides, Action Park was also serving alcohol. The shock of the water shot through my body. [My father] was willing to take risks associated with that, let them take risks. People go on thrill rides for the same reason they watch horror movies: to get that rush of adrenaline that comes from being scared senseless, only in a safe environment. Finally, we're back to Walt Disney World, with the ride you'd think would be least likely to ever turn rogue: the Monorail. Eventually, they just shut it down completely, along with the whole park, in 1996. #ActionPark, Why a Fake TV Simulator is the Perfect Addition to Your Home Security System, Princess Bride Trivia: 25 Inconceivable Facts About The Beloved Film, Richard Belzers Last Words Were, F*** you, Motherf*****!, 11 Things You Need To Consider Before Creating An Employee Wellness Program, Head Injury at The Alpine Slide July 8, 1980, George Larsson, Jr., a 19-year-old employee at the parks ski resort, Drowning at The Tidal Wave Pool July 24, 1982: 15-year-old boy, Electrocution at The Kayak Experience August 1, 1982, a 27-year-old man from Long Island, Drowning at The Tidal Wave Pool August 27, 1984: Donald DePass, 20-year-old from Brooklyn, Drowning at The Tidal Wave Pool July 19, 1987: Gregory Grandchamps, 18-year-old. Ride security wouldnt even try to slow down the rate of tubes and just let kids go, resulting in multiple pile-ups. This could be an excellent investment, as they could use it for skiing in the winter and recreation in the summer. The only problem? This ride took four lives in 2016. Which of the following will provide the largest amount of money? My cousin got his ass stuck in one of the suction intakes in the wave pool. In 2014, it was then bought back by the son of Gene Mulvihill. Im 6-foot-5 and was built like a stick back then, he says. They tell the story of how they tested the loop with crash test dummies. This event resulted in tragic results for the family involved. Now, the users are rocketing down a hot concrete track wearing nothing but bathing suits. And in 1996, Action Park finally shut down after being overwhelmed with you guessed it personal injury lawsuits. Action Park was taking up most of the usage of the area ambulances to the point they were forced to buy their own. Rather, it was an almost unavoidable aspect of Action Parks appeal. The leading independent voice for aviation news and insight. Pripyat Amusement Park in Pripyat, Ukraine was supposed to open on May 1, 1986, but five days before its scheduled opening, the Chernobyl disaster occurred nearby, resulting in thirty deaths in the months following the Police in the area said the majority of their calls during the day were for Action Park. RyePlayland has been up and running since 1938 and there have been at least six different major incidents reported there. She wastes a lot of time on Twitter @desijed. Next:19 Amusement Park That Are Dangerous AF. This is the 80s, so they didnt have to disclose their injury reports, only the most serious. Then there were the issues with Robert Brennan. The owner of Action Park also had connections to some higher-up people, which seemed to lead to even fewer restraints. Also, the staff was as young as 14, and around 17 on average. The river had underwater fans that kept the water moving. The biggest difference between Action Park and other theme parks was that kids often have a fear of rides, but everything usually turns out fine. It seems unfathomable how this place continued to operate. While most of these places aren't where you'd catch Mickey Mouse and Ariana Grande, some are extremely popular attractions that you have been to. Human beingsspecifically younger onescould actually ride this thing. Here are the most dangerous amusement park rides at Action Park and other elements that made it so parlous. In 1978, a new amusement and water park opened in Vernon Township, New Jersey in hopes of drawing more visitors to the Vernon Valley Ski Resort. Flying off the track was a common occurrence. There were also the Super Speed boats, which were like proper speed boats in a lazy river. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'everything80spodcast_com-large-mobile-banner-1','ezslot_11',151,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-everything80spodcast_com-large-mobile-banner-1-0');In the same way that Ronald Reagan lifted the restrictions on advertising to children, Action Park could run things the way they wanted to. WELCOME to New Jersey's Action Park, the country's most dangerous attraction, which took the lives of several visitors in the decades after it opened in 1978. Water rides are fun on a hot, sunny day, but not so fun when the supposed secure boat car for the ride tips over. Crank Yankers executive producer Jonathan Kimmel had heard stories about Action Park for years before he finally got to experience it himself. Read next: Stuck in quarantine, these guys built roller-coasters in their backyards. Throughout the slides life, at least 14 people were injured on the attraction. Courtesy Theme Park Guy Baku's gross ghost train (Azerbaijan) The boardwalk ride on Baku's Caspian seafront gets its screams the lazy way: via pain. Someone with a physics background, probably? Unlike the other rides on this list of dangerous roller coasters, Luna The top of this thing was a good 8 feet off the ground and I remember so many kidsincluding myselfgetting battered from using it. Carley Lerner is a freelance writer and former editorial intern for Reader's Digest. While there have been no major injuries reported at this park, it's only a matter of time before something goes wrong. I wasnt technically allowed to ride my bike outside of my neighborhood, but we would often ride to explore old abandoned homes. Then, others were coming out all cut up. Luckily, the park was soon closed down. My balls and groin area were bruised for a week after that., Still, his only regret is that he never got to try the parks (other) infamous Cannonball Slide. Powered by BizBudding Inc. 25 Reasons Why Action Park Was The Worlds Most Dangerous Amusement Park. This didnt go unnoticed, and the state eventually investigated. He also experienced severe pain after going on the bungee jump in the early 1990s. On opening day in 2015, as the Cyclone approached its highest point above the sharp 60-degree drop, a mechanical issue brought the ride to a halt. It became notorious for being unsafe with many accidents and was a place where rules didnt necessarily have to be followedby visitors or owners. It doesn't matter where adrenaline enthusiasts live, there's always a theme park or two they're trying to chase. They were leaving the track in their car and driving through the grass. Thankfully, these things only shot tennis balls. When I recently saw an old ad on YouTube, it reminded me exactly how I felt the first moment I discovered the parks existence: I was desperate, begging my mom to let me go to Vernon, New Jersey, as soon as humanly possible. According to his son, Andy Mulvihill, the idea was to apply the idea behind ski resorts - increasingly challenging and risky attractions - to a theme park. To this day, I can still remember how cold that water was. (In 1984, a man suffered a heart attack after entering the water on the Tarzan Swing. I remember thinking, Who designs amusement park rides? Injuries were treated in a makeshift infirmary by spraying a weird orange concoction on the wounds. The name was changed back to Action Park. Cyclone. Cannonball Loop: The Infamous Action Park Loop Slide When Action Park first opened, it started with a two-day promotion, including a Dolly Parton look-alike contest, and a tobacco juice spitting competition. You get one of the most dangerous amusement parks of all time. Statistically: 10 Most Dangerous Theme Parks In The World (No Family Should Consider), Rye Playland, NY: People Thrown From Rides And Food-Borne Illnesses, Six Flags, Multiple Locations: Roller Coasters Derailing With Passengers, King Island Amusement Park, Ohio:7 Injured On A Water Ride, Schlitterbahn Waterpark, Kansas City: People Thrown From Rafts In Mid-Air, Mt. Well, Disney World is definitely the most dangerous place on Earth for a sense of fashion. The area was getting popular as Hugh Hefner had opened a Playboy camp in the same area and there were hopes the area could be the next Vegasor at least Atlantic City. The Big One at Pleasure Beach Blackpool in Blackpool, England, was the tallest and steepest roller coaster in the world when it opened in 1994, with a drop of 205 feet and This isnt to say that the 80s approach was noble, it was just a different time, and Action Park was the personification of all this. Andy Mulvihill commented on the deaths which occurred in the park, which he personally lived through. 2 Nitro, New Jersey This insane ride is found in Jersey's SIX FLAGS and has single-handedly made the adventure park a world attraction. Save The Video Game Industry? At least Alabama Adventure Amusement Park in Bessemer shut down the Wild River Gorge Ride after it overturned and trapped numerous riders back in the summer of 2009. Mulvihill got INTO his creation, and truly seemed to have his finger on the pulse when it came to the danger that out-of-control kids crave. Even experienced swimmers tired quickly in the rough waves, and lifeguards reported having to rescue dozens of visitors each weekend. Not only were his memories correct, things were actually crazier than he remembered. Luckily, the Catapult did not cause any fatal accidents during its existence. Who knows, but people still seemed cautious. So it's no surprise that this Six Flags roller coaster is among the world's deadliest. These incidents took place in the early 80s. And unfortunately, occasionally there were some unfortunate results that occurred where people pushed themselves too far, he said. Yep, people actually met there end thanks to the poor safety management at the park,according to RideAccidents. While most visitors often only left with a scrape or bruise, others were unlucky enough to receive broken bones, bloody noses, concussions, and worse. The infamous Cannonball Loop, a waterslide featuring a vertical loop, was introduced to the park in 1983 and lasted only a month before it was closed due to When Action Park was first opened in 1978, over 100 swimmers had to be rescued from one of its wave pools. Three teenagers drowned in the Grave Pool. Yet, in October 2016, Thunder River Rapids claimed its place among the most dangerous rides ever opened. Action Park was the brainchild of Eugene Mulvihill, who owned the Vernon ValleyGreat Gorge ski area in New Jersey. It became notorious Some of the first few who tried it came out the bottom with bloody mouths. Kids were getting rocked on this ride and having to be pulled out of the pool. A place like Action Park was a 1980s utopia. Only four months after its inception, the waterpark unveiled the attraction: a spine-shivering 170-foot-tall slide that was almost as scary to ascend with its 264 steps as it was to slip down the 17-story drop. Ball bearings were in between the two balls and you would sit in this thing as it rode on a PVC track down a mountain. It's responsible for taking out a double amputee war veteran in 2011. Broken bones and torn-up skin were a daily occurrence. You didnt have lifeguards helping you on the real Colorado River, so they decided you didnt need them here. Another ride, Roaring Rapids, took a mans life after he stepped out of his kayak and stood on a live wire. WebIn this video, we explore the notorious Action Park, known as America's most dangerous water park. There's good reason the park earned the nicknames "Traction Park" and "Class-Action Park," as no fewer than six people have been killed at the park over the years, with causes including everything from drowning and electrocution, to being hit in the head with a giant rock. Many of the riders had to fight to get their seatbelts undone while they were submerged underwater. Unfortunately, another death occurred in the wave pool. Everything was dangerous. Its not that we are any better for how we handled things, we just didnt know any other way. I swam all around, trying to find the surface, but there was just darkness everywhere, and I couldnt get my bearings, he tells me. Whatever the truth, you might be safer actually riding a rocket to Mars. He had been found guilty of money laundering and fraud. I was told that those were the ones you used for the chili dogs. Action Park and its cheaply made attractions quickly gained a reputation in the surrounding area for being dangerous and, in some cases, deadly. The dummies were coming out completely mangled. The Space Journey ride at Ecoventure Valley in Shenzen, China offers a simulation of what it's like to ride in a rocket ship blasting off for space. Disturbingly, a former employee of the park named Tom Fergus told Complex Magazine that the white paint was put in to help spot dead bodies. The Big One at Pleasure Beach Blackpool in Blackpool, England, was the tallest and steepest roller coaster in the world when it opened in 1994, with a drop of 205 feet and maximum speeds of 74 miles per hour. As her side hustle, she writes for The Travel and continues to feed into her own wanderlust, while helping others with theirs. 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