In the 1980s, Action Park, one of the largest theme parks in the United States, was a popular summer destination for New Jersey teenagers. Tracey McLaughlin, a former lifeguard at the park’s wave pool and Alpine slide, recalls fond memories of her time there but acknowledges the park’s reputation for safety issues. Seth Porges, a documentary filmmaker who visited the park as a child, explains that the risk associated with the rides was part of their allure.
The Alpine Slide, known for its concrete construction and lack of side rails, was particularly dangerous. Tracey remembers that riders would often go off the track or collide with each other, resulting in injuries. Despite the inherent danger, visitors were drawn to the park’s unique and thrilling attractions.
Action Park’s history is marked by a series of tragic incidents, including six fatal accidents. One of the most notorious incidents occurred in 1980 when a park employee, George Larsson Jr., was thrown from the Alpine Slide and died from his injuries. Other fatalities included an electrocution on a kayak ride, a heart attack after dropping into cold water from a rope swing, and three drownings in the tidal wave pool.
The park’s first fatality, caused by the Alpine Slide, occurred in 1980 when a 19-year-old park employee, George Larsson Jr., was flung 25 feet from the ride after it derailed. Hitting his head on a rock, he died from his injuries days later. From 1984-86 Evan Schuman was a reporter for the New Jersey Herald tasked with writing investigative pieces about Action Park.
Despite its dangerous reputation, Action Park remained popular, with over a million visitors annually. Park officials defended their safety record, citing the low injury rate compared to the number of visitors. However, critics argued that even one accident was unacceptable.
In 1996, Action Park closed due to bankruptcy following years of lawsuits. It was later purchased by another resort company and renamed Mountain Creek Waterpark. In 2015, the Mulvihill family bought it back and relaunched it with more stringent safety rules.
Despite its closure, Action Park remains a subject of fascination, inspiring documentaries, books, and podcasts. Seth Porges, who directed the HBO documentary Class Action Park, believes that the park’s unique combination of fun and danger is what makes it so compelling. He says, ‘One of the realizations we came into while making the movie is that it’s okay to laugh and joke about Action Park and accept it as a place of tragedy. As one of our interviewees puts it, we often laugh at the horrors of our past because, well, what other choice do we have?’
