Action Park was touted as a world-class recreation destination. Opened in Vernon Township, New Jersey, in 1978, It had it all: high-octane thrills, audacious amusements, and more. Conveniently located within the New York metropolitan area, Action Park quickly became a popular summertime spot for East Coast parkgoers.

But, what happens when death-defying attractions fail to actually defy death? While the park remained popular, it slowly garnered a reputation for danger and neglect. Eventually, those risks culminated in at least six deaths, resulting from mishaps throughout the park. Even its notoriety couldn't outpace the tragedies, and Action Park was forced to close in 1996.

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In its heyday, Action Park had three primary attraction lands. There was Alipine Center, Motorworld, and most famously Waterworld. Of the three, Waterworld is probably best remembered by one-time fans, as that section of the park was one of America's first modern waterparks. 

Despite the park's popularity throughout the late '70s and '80s, a series of issues threatened to undermine its success. Accounts of undertrained and inebriated staff led to a terrible safety record. The rides themselves, while ostensibly exciting, were poorly designed and weren't maintained properly at all. 

Action Park's most infamous attraction was its Cannonball Loop, a dark tube slide with a full vertical loop at the end. While these kinds of upside-down sections were common in rollercoasters, the design was unprecedented (and dangerous) for a waterslide. The resulting ride was closed by the New Jersey Advisory Board on Carnival Amusement Ride Safety after just a month of operation. In that short time, the Cannonball Loop caused bloody noses, back injuries, lacerations, and even knocked out a few teeth. Allegedly, a Naval physician determined that riders experienced up to nine Gs of acceleration onboard the slide.

While the other rides may not have been designed to be quite as dangerous as the Cannonball Loop, they still caused many injuries throughout the park. These accidents, paired with the multiple fatalities on park grounds, doubtlessly contributed to the park's closure.

Action Park has since been memorialized onscreen in the Johnny Knoxville-starring Action Point, released by Paramount Pictures in 2018. Two years later, HBO released the documentary Class Action Park, using a popular nickname to once again bring attention to the legacy and legal issues of the disreputable destination.