An Interview with an Action Park Employee
In 1996, someone had the bright idea to have the second annual Warped Tour at Action Park. For the price of admission ($46) music fans and amusement park aficionados got a day-pass to Action Park and access to the show (featuring Face To Face, CIV and Down By Law). While walking through the park it was easy to see just how dangerous the place really was. Kids were hitting the sides of rides and scraping their arms, the water was vile and even the bands were too disgusted to go on the rides (except for NoFX and Blink 182, who were spotted on at least two water slides). Later that year, at school, I sat behind a guy who bragged about his summer job at said park. He talked about all the shady stuff that went down. Lucky for me he wasn’t opposed to talking on tape.
What’s with the loop-de-loop water slide? It’s the one that’s just been sitting there, under the rubble, for years. Rumor has it someone died in it.
Actually, I think they sent a dummy down, and it came out in pieces. A leg came out, and a little bit later a head came rolling down. So they never actually used it. No human has ever been down there.
The Alpine Slides- when you get on, they show you pictures of people with horrible injuries. Why do they still exist?
You see people come out of there with these huge pink burn marks going down the side of their bodies… on their face, arms, and legs. It happens daily… you see people get scarred for life on that goddam ride. I guess the pictures are there to scare the hell out of you so you’re not a retard.
The jet thing where you fly in the air–rumors are floating around that someone got killed. Any truth?
I have no comment on that.
Why is the water cold and green?
I don’t know man. The water’s discolored, because of the gasoline content in most of it. That’s a hundred percent accurate. I would definitely not drink it. I’m sure there’s a lot of urine and whatever else goes into that water. It’s not fresh; I believe it’s recycled water.
The Tarzan Swing–why does this exist, knowing people can get killed?
Nobody’s ever died on the Tarzan Swing, so it’s perfectly safe… aside from the fact that you could fall on a rock.
Who thought up the idea for visitors to cross a major state road to get from the parking lot?
Ahem, there is a foot bridge for all pedestrians to use while crossing Route 94. Action Park does advise that you use the foot bridge at all times when crossing the main road, and they are not responsible for any injuries you may sustain during your stay at Action Park.
Why so many Canadians in Speedos?
It’s not so much the Canadians, it’s the Yugoslavians you have to worry about, and the overweight Spanish and Italian men with their giant genitalia hanging out.
The Bumper Boats–why do they blow?
I don’t know. I’ve never actually seen the bumper boats in use, but I have seen them, they do exist.
What exactly is your detailed job at Action Park?
I work at the Super Go-Karts, thank you. I pretty much walk around, making sure no one dies, and if they do die, to take their bodies away as soon as possible, and bring them up to first aid.
Has anyone ever died at Action Park?
I have witnessed a person who had all their ribs smashed, and had to put them on a back board, and send them off on a medi-vac. I’ve seen a couple of punctured lungs. Someone was paralyzed for a few seconds, but I have never seen a death. However, I heard that someone died over the summer, at Waterworld. On Surf Hill, you go down a long tube, and hit a pool of water, but when you hit the pool of water you always go flying off into a wall or something. I heard that one time this person just wouldn’t get up. All of a sudden it was dead silent, no one would say anything, and some one started calling “Code Violet†(A.P. Terminology for Death). So there is a chance that she may have died.
How can you stop the little thing called love?
You can’t stop love man it just keeps on going.
Anything else you’d like to add?
Action Park, open from Memorial Day to Labor Day Weekend, call in advance for large and group discount prices, and have a nice summer.
Questions by Gregg Gethard
***For more information on the hell-hole known as Action Park check out this story at The Freezer Box.***
Ed Youmans said,
Wrote on December 28, 2006 @ 7:22 pm
I worked at Action Park and Vernon Valley for 10 years and I managed operations at Action Park from 1990 until I moved to Lake Tahoe in 1995.
Just a couple of facts for your article on Action Park:
1. The loop waterslide the “Cannonball Loop” worked fine, never had a dummy slid through it, and was open to the public during the summer of 1993. The only reason it didn’t continue to operate was that we found it almost impossible to keep the slippery matting firmly laminated inside the pipe - water always got in between and we kept having to close the ride to repair it. No one ever died on this ride - in fact, there was never an injury.
2. No one ever died on the “jet thing where you fly in the air”. The “Aerodium’s” worst injury was a broken ankle.
3. Action Park EMT’s used “code red” to indicate a life-threatening situation, not “code violet”. I cannot speak to the years before or after I was the operations manager but between the years 1990 and 1995 no one at Action Park died of anything other than natural causes (ie. heart attack, aneurism, allergic anaphalactic shock, etc.)
The whole “dangerous park” thing was probably more of a mystique than a reality. The fact is, more people die at Great Adventure every year than ever did at Action Park. It was generally the feeling of the park ownership that the “deadly image” sold tickets. Judging by what’s happened to the place since Intrawest “cleaned it up”, I’d say they were right.
Just my $.02
- Ed Youmans
Marista said,
Wrote on April 12, 2007 @ 1:02 pm
There were deaths recorded in the hospital from Action Park. That is a fact. It was also in the papers about the injuries that occurred. I personally know someone that WAS injured due to a slide at the park.
VICKI said,
Wrote on June 13, 2007 @ 4:11 pm
Loved your interview with past action park employee, as for the other “clown†he probably was paid off to give his untrue statements. As being an action park lover back in the day, many a death did occur. This is what all old timers of the park want to remember, for we experienced some of the best outlandish rides that sad to say some never will! It was great to leave the park all banged up, you knew you got your dollars worth.
Recently my brother and i returned to the new park-mountaincreek, and were sadly disappointed. The only real thrill we got was to trespass over to what was once called motorworld- where we proceeded to get chaby a black bear! Now that’s what i call action!!!!!!!!!!!! Keep the memory alive-spread the word of once what was, maybe some crazy bastards with money will create what once was!Loved your interview with past action park employee, as for the other “clown†he probably was paid off to give his untrue statements. As being an action park lover back in the day, many a death did occur. This is what all old timers of the park want to remember, for we experienced some of the best outlandish rides that sad to say some never will! It was great to leave the park all banged up, you knew you got your dollars worth.
Recently my brother and i returned to the new park-mountaincreek, and were sadly disappointed. The only real thrill we got was to trespass over to what was once called motorworld- where we proceeded to get chaby a black bear! Now that’s what i call action!!!!!!!!!!!! Keep the memory alive-spread the word of once what was, maybe some crazy bastards with money will create what once was!!!!!!!!!!!!- i know i would!

 vicki-long island, n.y.
!!!!!!!!!!!- i know i would!
 vicki-long island, n.y.
George Koroneos said,
Wrote on June 14, 2007 @ 3:13 am
You guys all rock.
Jeff said,
Wrote on September 18, 2007 @ 3:38 am
Does anyone know who or what company made the indy cars(lola cars) at action park?
Lewis Pinkerton said,
Wrote on September 28, 2007 @ 4:02 am
The Cannonball Run slide 360 was opened/used. I was insane enough to shoot down this tube..ONCE!! It was July 1995…No injuries, with the exception of a slight headache and strained back muscle. It was pitch black in there, thus no bracing yourself for the loop; it just happens. You were weighed, hosed down with icy-cold water and off you went.
Julie said,
Wrote on April 1, 2008 @ 7:15 pm
I wish I went to this park back in its hayday! it looked awesome yo!
Phil said,
Wrote on May 7, 2008 @ 6:07 am
Security had its hands full with fights daily and other calls that New york City Police would normally go to.
JerseyGrlQTee said,
Wrote on June 27, 2008 @ 5:45 pm
Lets just say I went to Action Park MANY times from 1983 to 1989 (I had family who worked in the offices)…All the stories you heard were true, First off the employees who ran these rides, who were mainly teenagers, were all high on drugs, drunk or both… (one even offered my older sister a “LINE”! I will never forget that cause I had no idea what a LINE was!) The Canonball slide was crazy and yes they DID send a dummy through it, (My uncle witnessed this and the dummy came out without a head and arms…They kept that canonball slide open a few times over the years..My brother went on it and cried, then puked when he got out… I got so mangled on the Alpine Slide, and the spit from the people on the ski lift whoch is how you got up to the ride, made the slide so slippery!!! UGH! 89 was my last visit because I almost drowned in the wave pool, I was taken to the nearby Hospital Emergency room so since that very day, I am still afraid of water & waves.
JeffJingy said,
Wrote on June 27, 2008 @ 6:03 pm
I was about 13 it was around 85 and I went on the Canonball slide when I came out, I was F*cked up! I felt high and confused and yeah felt like puking, then they had these crazy beer stands everywhere and I remember asking my Dad if I can have a beer, he allowed me 1 beer and I thought I was the sh*t! My dad got wasted at those little beer stands (no ID required) and was swinging from that Tarzan rope into a lake of green sh*t like a maniac while my mom held her head in shame. That Alpine slide was awesome yet dangerous, I felt like I was airborne going down that death trap..I saw like 3 people that day with Rags of blood over their bodies…the place was a Damn Free-For-All for anyone to risk their life… I also saw a ton of drugs mainly pot that the workers would smoke right out in the open and ocassionaly some coke was snorted at the top of those slides..the workers would be congregating with their friends instead of watching the people, I also saw a few people “fondling” each other while a cute little 7 year old would be swimming around them… the place was nuts and dont let anyone tell you differenly!!! (I am not lying or exagerating, although the 80’s was a crazy era)
truth said,
Wrote on July 25, 2008 @ 5:00 pm
Ed Youmans and the interviewee are full of shit
bunch of liars
RIP all the dead dudes!!!!