Authorities were baffled by how the accident happened, or even what the accident was. At an amusement park down under, a faulty water pump lead to a water ride raft being stranded. My parents would never question what a teacher would have to say, but these days, I think its the complete opposite: how dare you infer my child isnt perfect? Also good thinking. It represented the freedoms kids had during this era. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'everything80spodcast_com-large-leaderboard-2','ezslot_10',107,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-everything80spodcast_com-large-leaderboard-2-0'); But, honestly, what kid wouldnt want to go to Action Park? The park offered employees $100 to test ride the Cannonball slide, and crash dummies reportedly were mutilated. The owner of Action Park also had connections to some higher-up people, which seemed to lead to even fewer restraints. Cyclone. It wasnt just the water slides, there were other situations that could still cause injury. They were going on rides in any position they wanted and hitting the water at such force, shoulders were being dislocated. Though no one was hurt, this accident revealed the rides dangerous flaws and ultimately led to its demise. They were leaving the track in their car and driving through the grass. The top of this thing was a good 8 feet off the ground and I remember so many kidsincluding myselfgetting battered from using it. 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. Located in Phoenix, this 10-acre park comes with four outdoor 18-hole miniature golf courses, several Once the water pump malfunctioned, these four people were thrown from the raft instantly. What could possibly go wrong! courtesy Photographs in the Carol M. Highsmith Archive, Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division, We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer). 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. The state of New Jersey was at its wits end and decided to sell him the land. At its most romantic, Action Park is remembered as this freedom fantasy land, Porges says. But, according to Amusement Safety.org, there's also been at least 21 reported incidents at Disney Parks around the world. It was total chaos, but also super fun and a great way to grow up., For his part, Kimmel thinks all that fun as well as all that fear were simply one in the same. Needless to say, the former operations director was arrested, and the ride was permanently shut down. Multiple riders went to the ER to be treated. The simple idea behind this monstrosity is that it hoists people way up high, and then drops them in a freefall, down to a net below. This dual theme and water parkis a Midwestern favorite, but doesn't have the best track record. Most of the dangerous things weve covered happened to the staff, and those who were testing the rides. How about rides that try to replicate the speed and action of downhill skiing? It was sold in 1996 to Intrawest, with its new owners changing its name, scaling back more dangerous rides, and developing a ski park - an addition which Andy Mulvihill pointed out presented many of the same risks as the initial park. A. It appealed to our lack of senses and desire for risk. In 2008, the King Kahuna ride at the Kennywood Amusement Park in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania was briefly shut down. And happen they did a lot. In Kansas City, a waterslide ride that boasts being one of the tallest in the world, took the life of a young boy back in 2016. You may want to avoid this one unless you really like being a daredevil. Although she lives out of state, she makes frequent trips to the Orlando parks. They were most likely taunting the person making the jump along with all the other spectators. Olympus Water & Theme Park, the most frequented amusement park in Wisconsin Dells, was the site of one of the most dangerous rides ever opened: the Catapult. What do you get when you combine teenagers, a water park, New Jersey, and alcohol? But you may be asking yourself this question: how in the hell was this possible and how could they ever get insurance for a place so dangerous? 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. People living near the Disneyland park was not satisfied with. Were their connections to the mob? The most horrific of these injuries was the last: A ten-year-old boy was thrown from the raft, struck his head against a metal pole, and was gruesomely killed. Undoubtedly, Americas most dangerous amusement park remains nostalgic for those who spent their summers there as a kid. 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. Almost all of them have had to do with their dangerous rides or their poor maintenance. This is one of the reasons why it's been deemed "the most dangerous" theme park "ever." And water parks werent really a thing yet. 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. The constant news reports about the danger and accidents at the park caused people to turn away. Kendra is a writer, a Project Manager at a marketing agency and a dog mama to two Boston Terriers. 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. The pools and rides were turning into mosh pits. It was also based out of the Cayman Islands, and nothing sketchy ever seems to be associated with the Caymans. Action Park was taking up most of the usage of the area ambulances to the point they were forced to buy their own. Unlike the other rides on this list of dangerous roller coasters, Luna Its not that we are any better for how we handled things, we just didnt know any other way. First, they paved the entire park with black asphalt. Class Action Park: The World's Most Dangerous Amusement Park. As her side hustle, she writes for The Travel and continues to feed into her own wanderlust, while helping others with theirs. Can It Survive Long-Term? I started sliding down into the darkness, and I guess the guy finally noticed me go because suddenly the cold water hit my ass from the hose. 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 I wasnt technically allowed to ride my bike outside of my neighborhood, but we would often ride to explore old abandoned homes. The only problem? Without further ado, here are 20 of the most dangerous theme parks in the US. Who could blame me? Copyright 2009-2020 Theme Park Tourist, website by Siruss. Every city had its own small version of Action Park. It doesn't matter where adrenaline enthusiasts live, there's always a theme park or two they're trying to chase. After minutes of sitting on the track, anticipating the stomach-dropping sensation to come, riders realized there was an issue. By the time the mid-90s rolled around, there was a whole new world of legalities and regulations. It now goes by the name Mountain Creek Waterpark. He's written for The Things, The Talko, Baby Gaga, Moms, and Screen Rant. 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 park is responsible for sending 26 people to the hospital after the incredibly strong smell of chlorine caused throat and eye issues. 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. It's responsible for taking out a double amputee war veteran in 2011. The fear was justified.. Flash forward a few decades and Im an adult with access to the internet and a phone. 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. I saw many people getting off at the bottom crying and holding ribbons of their own flesh in their hands. 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. Its not that lawsuits werent happening: they simply refused to settle. #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 several crashes, at least two fires, and one death, the Monorail has spent nearly five decades racking up a deceptively high body count. Yet, in October 2016, Thunder River Rapids claimed its place among the most dangerous rides ever opened. So many times people say it was about the danger. Ocean City in New Jersey at Gillian's Wonderland Pier is one of the biggest attractions in the area. Some places Ive been to werent trying to create the illusion: they were genuinely unsafe. It probably wasnt on the same scale, but we all had certain funfairs, parks, and playgrounds that were a massive risk to use. 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. Then again in 1987also in the wave pool. Action Park was a water park in Vernon, New Jersey that ran from 1978 to 1996. I laid low as my friends seemed hell-bent on suffering a major head injury by days end. While other roller coasters have since eclipsed it in terms of speed and height, few have eclipsed it in terms of danger. 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. 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. This ride took four lives in 2016. We recommend our users to update the browser. Again, it wasnt designed properly to keep people on. The other problem was that Action Park was a big part of the local economy. Lets not forget, along with all the dangerous rides, Action Park was also serving alcohol. Other minor incidents have been reported to have taken place at this theme park, according to the IAAPA. Through a mix of archival footage, expert interviews, and detailed recreations, we'll take a closer look at the history and legacy of this infamous amusement park, and the impact that its lack of safety measures had on its visitors. Visitors of the park also jumped from the Diving Cliffs, under which was a pool painted white. Back in 2014, Mount Olympus had permanently closed a ride after a major accident. Who Designed These Dangerous Action Park Rides? 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 And we need to point out again; none of these were designed by engineers or ride experts. They found out the gravitational effects were the same as an F-14 fighter plane: 9Gs. In one case, a cable flew off one of the rides and struck several people. Perhaps Superman isn't the hero we all thought he was? Six. One event, in particular, was seriously crazy. 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. And they were allowed to determine what constituted a serious injury. Unlike the other rides on this list of dangerous roller coasters, Luna Parks Cyclone has not been shut down. People were driving wherever they wanted. Or the Bailey Ball, a huge metal ball that kids would enter before rolling down a hill in, something that thankfully even Mulvihill put the brakes on. So much for "Batman doesn't kill". After the riders buckled in, the cables on both sides of the cage would tighten, and riders would be rocketed high into the air, only to tumble quickly down again. Throughout the slides life, at least 14 people were injured on the attraction. Holding up to 1,000 people at a time and sporting meter-high waves, around 30 people needed to be rescued from it daily. 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