Somehow, nobody's died on a SCAD Tower, but it just seems like a bad idea all around, one that should probably end before somebody does. They tell the story of how they tested the loop with crash test dummies. A place like Action Park was a 1980s utopia. All of my older cousins seemed nervous going and thats never a good sign when youre 12, he tells me. It was never open on any trip I made there, he tells me. They pushed the idea that Vernon was going to become the new Orlando. Action Park, open for 18 years and closed for 24 (apart from a short-lived reboot), became an object of enduring Then, on the way down, when you actually skin your knee, youre like, I knew I shouldnt have done this. After you survived, though, you did feel a real sense of accomplishment.. After all, a few of their rides have physically broken during operation resulting in traumatic events, according to DOSH. I was told that those were the ones you used for the chili dogs. People living near the Disneyland park was not satisfied with. Ride security wouldnt even try to slow down the rate of tubes and just let kids go, resulting in multiple pile-ups. It wont surprise you to learn that we got a lot of complaints., In fairness, the job wasnt exactly a walk in the, um, park. Three years later, a power outage at Luna Park brought the roller coaster to abrupt stop along its journey, and riders were once again obliged to walk down the steep steps that line the track. Alcohol and danger? For as long as they've been around, amusement parks have attracted billions of people since the first amusement park opened in 1846. Two years prior, a raft flew up in the air and landed 168 feet below the highest point. As it turns out, a lot. By far, the most deadly attraction at Action Park was the Tidal Wave Pool. Half of all the Action Park deaths took place at this location. The Tidal Wave Pools waves and strong riptide were generated by massive pressure chambers. WebIn this video, we explore the notorious Action Park, known as America's most dangerous water park. And unfortunately, occasionally there were some unfortunate results that occurred where people pushed themselves too far, he said. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Obviously, we immediately abused this privilege. The next thing I remember is coming on to the deck around the water with a lifeguard over me. 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Since then, there have been other incidents that have injured customers as well. A Brand New, World-Class Dark Ride Quietly Opened in the U.S. While most visitors often only left with a scrape or bruise, others were unlucky enough to receive broken bones, bloody noses, concussions, and worse. Human beingsspecifically younger onescould actually ride this thing. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'everything80spodcast_com-banner-1','ezslot_7',106,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-everything80spodcast_com-banner-1-0'); Action Park was in full force going into the 80s. Visitors of the park also jumped from the Diving Cliffs, under which was a pool painted white. Several different theories were offered up, with explosions, fires, crashes, or even a simple power outage all being blamed for the deaths. Sometimes right underneath you. The most important rule was to not let go too soon or youd land on cement. Ive been on roller coasters where you could see pieces missing and new wooden beams put in their place. 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. It definitely beheaded dummies during test runs. THEN & NOW: How Did Mr. Toad's Fantasyland Ride Turn into Pooh? The state of New Jersey was at its wits end and decided to sell him the land. 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. Anyone who thought up an idea had a genuine shot of seeing it created. They brought in a lot of money, employed hundreds of people, and paid a lot of taxes. Riders would feel the adrenaline pulsing through their veins as they shot down the sharp slope, with a German name that literally translates to insane.. You get one of the most dangerous amusement parks of all time. Picture Lord of the Flies but with more sunscreen. Another ride, Roaring Rapids, took a mans life after he stepped out of his kayak and stood on a live wire. What Other Night-Time Events Could Avengers: Power the Night Inspire at Disneyland Paris? Dylan Parker is a list and content writer working for Valnet Inc. People were bleeding all over the place, Susie McKeown, a visitor of the park during its operative years, told the New York Times. Injuries were treated in a makeshift infirmary by spraying a weird orange concoction on the wounds. It was not about the danger, it was about going on a ride that was really, super fun and super thrilling.. It only took 12 months for the terrifying attraction to cause 14 bone fractures and 26 head injuries. Seriously, that's some bad press right there. A total of twelve lifeguards were on duty at one time. But we havent even touched on Motor World. This didnt go unnoticed, and the state eventually investigated. You didnt have lifeguards helping you on the real Colorado River, so they decided you didnt need them here. Lifeguards who sat in the death chair would regularly save the lives of 4 to 5 people every shift. In the Documentary, they tell of kids being rammed and launched straight out of the ride. Who knows, but people still seemed cautious. It got so bad that pictures of injuries were included at the top of the ride as a warning to see how dangerous this thing was. Ive been to my fair share of sketchy carnivals and amusement parks. It represented the freedoms kids had during this era. Compared to most thrilling roller coasters, this ride was not very steep, not very fast, and not very frightening. 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. In big-time parks, like Disney or Six Flags, its all about creating thrills. This has made them a threat to some of their employees. But when it came to injuries, there was one ride to rule them all: The Alpine Slide. The Hong Kong citizens. You went so fast that if your chin hit the water at the wrong angle, you chipped your teeth, she recalled, having lost part of a tooth herself. 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. Mulvihills company, Great American Recreation, was $48 million in debt and backed into a corner of bankruptcy, up to its ears in lawsuits and an insurance fraud indictment. This is the time of penny stocks and you just have to picture the Wolf of Wall Street to get an idea.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[580,400],'everything80spodcast_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_4',103,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-everything80spodcast_com-medrectangle-3-0'); Next, there is Robert Brennan, who was a salesperson for Mulvihill. Water rides are fun on a hot, sunny day, but not so fun when the supposed secure boat car for the ride tips over. Next:19 Amusement Park That Are Dangerous AF. Eventually, they got in trouble for selling worthless stocks. Not only was the Alpine Slide among the parks premier attractions, in July 1980, it was also the site of the first fatality on the premises when a 19-year-old employees sled jumped the track, and he suffered a fatal head injury after striking a rock. Action Park was a water park in Vernon, New Jersey that ran from 1978 to 1996. In the documentary, they point out that any cops that showed up were probably given some monetary encouragement to keep ongoing. The chilling streak of lethal incidents began in 1980, when an employees sled derailed while riding the Alpine Slide, throwing them off the tracks. 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We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer) as we strive to provide site experiences for browsers that support new web standards and security practices. There was a tube ride that was so overrun with people it became like Roller Derby. More lawsuits had also popped up. Valleyfair's Soak City Waterpark, Minnesota, Alabama Adventure Amusement Park, Alabama, Lavish Accommodations: Discovering The 10 Most Expensive Hotels In Chile, Breathtaking Mountain Views & Great Luxury: 10 Most Expensive Hotels In Argentina, Spirited Stays: 10 Haunted Hotels In Savannah To Satisfy Your Paranormal Passion, Fun In A University City: The Ultimate Guide To Bowling Green & Things To Do, Beaches & Views: The Ultimate Guide To Biloxi & Things To Do, Art & Adventures: The Ultimate Guide To Knoxville & Things To Do, 10 Most Affordable And Highly-Rated Hotels In New York City For A Memorable Stay, A Romantic Spring Getaway to Florida: Sunsets, Beaches, & More, 10 Safest Cities For Solo Female Travelers. Very scary to think she was doing anything safety related., Seccia got his start working in the cafeteria, and agrees that the employees were as unsupervised and reckless as the guests. The Tagada may not be as fast or as steep as a roller-coaster, but it is certainly more dangerous. Andy Mulvihill characterized Action Park in its heyday: Where else in the world could you drive a race car, a speedboat, a tank, go bungee jumping, fly, take a water slide with a jump or a water slide with a 360 degree inverted loop?, Rape survivor slams Gabby Petito Utah cop over handling of her case, 'Dark details' about boyfriend of US swim champ who mysteriously died, Disturbing red flags of Lindsay Clancy's psychosis before she 'killed 3 kids', Mysterious powder swamps US skies as residents report dust-covered cars, 2020 THE SUN, US, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | TERMS OF USE | PRIVACY | YOUR AD CHOICES | SITEMAP, Action Park gained infamy for its extremely high rate of injuries and deaths, Drownings, broken bones, bruises, and bleeding were all commonplace at the amusement park, According to the son of the park's founder, the dangers Action Park presented were a side effect of the park's thrilling appeal, The Tarzan swing had visitors thrown into freezing water, which could cause shock, One user of the Tarzan Swing suffered a heart attack in 1984, One former employee said that the pool underneath the Cliff Dive was painted white - to make finding dead bodies easier, An attendee once died while on a kayaking ride after stepping out of his boat, onto a live wire, The terrifying Cannonball loop propelled those brave enough to ride it so fast that their teeth often became stuck in the wall of the tube, A newer design for the cannonball loop, which was never actually built, The ominously-nicknamed Grave Pool required up to 30 rescues per day, and three people drowned in it, Andy Mulvihill explained that many of the deaths occurred because inexperienced swimmers ignored the risks of entering the water, Although many daredevils happily returned for repeat visits, the park would occasionally give out free passes, The park appealed to some daring customers, but scared off others, Action Park was sold in 1996, and subsequently the dangerous attractions were scaled back significantly. I loved it and it was safe but the next day the ride was closed because someone fell off their kayak and was electrocuted by the electric currents.. abandoned amusement parks will give you the creeps. Theme parks are supposed to be harmless and light-hearted, but statistically speaking, some are more dangerous than others. Luckily, the Catapult did not cause any fatal accidents during its existence. He quickly added go-carts and waterslides, eventually ending up with around 75 attractions by the mid-1980s. It probably wasnt on the same scale, but we all had certain funfairs, parks, and playgrounds that were a massive risk to use. She wastes a lot of time on Twitter @desijed. In perhaps the most absurd ride in the park, the Cannonball Slide propelled riders vertically around a massive loop. They were leaving the track in their car and driving through the grass. #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. With all these issues, youd think there would be lifeguards all over the place for the Colorado River Ride? Stuck in quarantine, these guys built roller-coasters in their backyards, Tickle Me Kaczynski: How the Inventor of the Ultimate Elmo Toy Became a Unabomber Suspect, Real Italians Put Hot Dogs and French Fries on Their Pizza, The Other Drug War: Inside the World of Counterfeit Viagra, The $65 Million Art Heist That Put Oceans Eleven to Shame. It's one of the most popular amusement parks in the world, but people might think twice after hearing about dangerous working conditions. Topsy-turvy rollercoasters can turn a person's stomach alone, but three years' worth of health inspections found food safety to be a problem here. The slides steep chute was enclosed by a thin net and balanced on numerous metal poles. Im 6-foot-5 and was built like a stick back then, he says. C. The Hong Kong media. The teenage security guards had their hands full dealing with the team as they started throwing employees over the cliff jumps to get into rides., Even crazier is another story he tells me: A guy escaped from a nearby prison and decided to hide out from the police by spending a day at Action Park. In an era of deregulation, many believed they could regulate themselves. Also good thinking. Throughout its lifetime as the Tidal Wave Pool, the attraction resulted in at least three drownings and hundreds of injuries, earning this attraction the well-deserved nickname of the Grave Pool. A lot of people have a fear of heights and a lot of people love the thrill; but after tragedy struck at a theme park in Santa Clara, people might be more afraid than not. But none of these places can compare to Action Park. Overall, six people died at the park. As with most things about my childhood, later on in life I began questioning if the wild things I saw that day could possibly be true. Most if not all theme park visitors plan a vacation with safety in mind. There have been numerous water issues at the Sun Valley Water Park in Powder Springs, Georgia, according to the IAAPA. Police in the area said the majority of their calls during the day were for Action Park. As youre riding down it, kids are shooting out of the tubes next to you. Discover Where to Coast with the Ultimate Rollercoaster database of roller coasters and amusement parks. It was like freezing cold lightning. Rides werent properly maintained, and it wasnt uncommon to see bolts sticking out of the slides. Most of which have to do with the sliding safety standards surrounding the park's rides. It was a place where you could do whatever you wanted without anybody telling you no, one at a time or dont try to drown your friends in the wave pool. For children of the 1980s and 1990s, Action Park represents everything were nostalgic for. 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. Also, the staff was as young as 14, and around 17 on average. Powered by BizBudding Inc. 25 Reasons Why Action Park Was The Worlds Most Dangerous Amusement Park. On two separate occasions the trains have malfunctioned, leading to stalls and crashes that injured a total of 46 people. Some places Ive been to werent trying to create the illusion: they were genuinely unsafe. This is the 80s, so they didnt have to disclose their injury reports, only the most serious. As for Kimmels own experience: I got pressured into going on the Alpine Slide even though you took a chairlift to get up the mountain, and I was afraid of heights. The Legacy Of The World's Most Dangerous Amusement Park, Why Action Park Was The Worlds Most Dangerous Amusement Park Of All Time #ActionPark #waterparks #nj #1980s #jersey4life, build a new version of the Cannonball Loop, fatalelectric shock-induced cardiac arrest, In total, how many people died in Action Park? The park is responsible for sending 26 people to the hospital after the incredibly strong smell of chlorine caused throat and eye issues. These legitimate miniature speed boats were treated like bumper boats with users ramming the hell out of each other. 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. She is a member of the Class of 2021 at Duke University, where she writes for the school newspaper, The Chronicle. Yep, people actually met there end thanks to the poor safety management at the park,according to RideAccidents. 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