29yrswithaGApass Posted April 24, 2014 Report Share Posted April 24, 2014 A blast from the past: 'Action Park' is back for the summer April 3, 2014 - The Star Ledger VERNON - The rainbow letters, a visual blast from the past, were put up at the Mountain Creek Ski Resort on April 1. But “Action Park” is not an April Fool’s joke – the name that became famous, and infamous, in the 1980s before shutting down, is coming out of mothballs. “It’s not April Fool’s – the Action is back,” said the ski resort’s Facebook page Wednesday. The water park is returning to the same name abandoned about 20 years ago, the resort added. Bystanders might be pardoned for thinking it was an April Fool’s joke, since the name several decades ago had wide connotations with a series of accidents, and a pair of drownings when the park was opened between 1978 and 1996, according to local news accounts. Workers at Mountain Creek put up a familiar old sign. The "ACtion Park" name has returned to the Sussex County water park, after 20 years. People jokingly referred to the water park as variously “Class-Action Park,” “Accident Park,” or “Traction Park” due to the notoriety. But times have changed - and so have safety regulations, said Bill Benneyan, the president of the resort. Action Park has "kept the thrills, and lost the spills," he said in an interview this afternoon. The name-change was spurred by the coming debut of a new loop slide, which is similar to a discontinued ride at the original Action Park. The "Tarzan" swing and some other rides are the original rides from the original park. And a continuing nostalgia from visitors prompted management to switch back to the original name, Benneyan said. “We thought, let's call it what it is,” Benneyan said. Eugene Mulvihill, the developer behind Action Park and the establishment of various Vernon resorts, passed away in 2012. An aerial shot of Action Park, taken in 1996. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yoshi Posted April 25, 2014 Report Share Posted April 25, 2014 I'm kind of surprised they are going back to the old name with the reputation the park had when it was called Action Park. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertleax Posted April 25, 2014 Report Share Posted April 25, 2014 With all the bad things that happened at Action Park in the 80's (including my dad flying off the Alpine Slide) it was still a fun park to go to when I was a teenager. We always got the package where we stayed at the hotel for a few days, played some golf and hit the park. Does anyone know how the hotel is doing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GAcoaster Posted April 25, 2014 Report Share Posted April 25, 2014 The thought of going to "Traction Park" as it used to be known by the GA crew is really frightening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
29yrswithaGApass Posted April 26, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 26, 2014 ^ But it didn't stop them from going! Check out some photos from a Great Adventure employee roadtrip to Action Park in our new GA Employees on the Road Album! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DANofNJ Posted April 29, 2014 Report Share Posted April 29, 2014 I hope they bring back motor world. the go karts and tanks were awesome Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SFGadv123 Posted April 30, 2014 Report Share Posted April 30, 2014 I am also surprised they are changing the name back. But it doesn't matter, this is probably the best water park that I have ever been to Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DANofNJ Posted April 30, 2014 Report Share Posted April 30, 2014 I cant believe they are making riders wear helmets on the Colorado river last season. I saw some videos on the internet. how lawsuits have changed all the fun over the yrs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SFGadv123 Posted April 30, 2014 Report Share Posted April 30, 2014 The ride is still fun with the helmets though. I would rather wear a helmet and not have the risk of hitting my head and dying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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