Customers and employees share memories of New Jersey action park where 6 people reportedly died

Eric Fiorito has fond memories of visiting Action Park in Sussex County as a teenager in the 1980s.

That includes the time he broke his nose on the Cannonball Loop, the infamous looping water slide that was one of Action Park's beloved and dangerous attractions before the iconic water park closed in 1996.

“All the rumors are true. It was one of the most dangerous amusement parks in the world, and it was awesome,” said Fiorito, now 51 and living in Frenchtown.

Fiorito is co-hosting an Action Park storytelling event at Sublime, a Frenchtown gift shop whose nostalgia-themed merchandise includes Action Park hats and sweatshirts. Admission to the 7 p.m. event on Aug. 30 is free.

“Tell your story. Or listen and be surprised,” Sublime posted on its Facebook page.

Action Park, which opened in 1978, has a complicated legacy in New Jersey. While it retains a legion of fans, the danger was real. Six people reportedly died as a result of incidents at the park. Others suffered broken bones and head injuries.

The site had several nicknames related to the risks: “Traction Park,” “Accident Park,” and “Class Action Park.” The latter was a play on words referring to the lawsuits the park had spawned. It was also the title of a 2020 HBO Max documentary about the water park.

The Alpine Slide wave pool was known as the Grave Pool. The Cannonball Loop, on which Fiorito was injured, had a 360-degree turn at the end. It was only open sporadically during the park's run due to frequent injuries from those who were unable to complete the entire loop of the water slide.

“It was a tube that you entered and slid down. If the centrifugal force and speed were not enough, you could fall inside,” Fiorito explained.

Yet Action Park, which was replaced in 1998 by another water park that still operates today as Mountain Creek Waterpark, holds an undeniable place in Gen X pop culture.

The former park inspired producer and actor Johnny Knoxville's 2018 film “Action Point.” It is also the subject of the book “Action Park: Fast Times, Wild Rides, and the Untold Story of America's Most Dangerous Amusement Park,” written by Andy Mulvihill, son of the park's owner and a former member of the New Jersey State Board of Education.

“It was much more interesting than, say, Great Adventure or other amusement parks,” Fiorito said.

He was growing up in Bridgewater, about an hour's drive away, when he first discovered Action Park nestled in the hills near a ski resort.

“You could go out in the mountains of New Jersey and do whatever you wanted to do,” he said.

Co-hosting the August 30 event is Renée Olson, owner of Sublime. The gift shop is extending a special invitation to those who have worked at Action Park, including lifeguards and security guards.