Kudos! Very nice video… well done! I must say, your editing skills have much improved from previous videos you have posted!
The Hang Ten is owned by my parents. I commented you on one of your Hang Ten YouTube vids a few months back. Glad you enjoy the ride! They work very hard to keep it as well maintained as it is. They actually have the bottom car lights working on it now. I noticed in your video that they are not operating at the time you recorded the video. Fuse issue.
I told my parents about your videos and they are flattered that you think so highly about their ride. They have not actually seen your video yet, because they do not have a wireless net connection this week. I have sent my daughter the link though, so she can show them next week when they leave Meadowlands. She is traveling with them for the summer. Also, my brother, Patrick Wise, is the mic & music man on the ride. It is his voice on your video.
I used to operate a Rock-o-Plane, and we had a pretty serious accident once where the ride started with the door wide open! I wasn’t operating the ride at the time — just helping load cars. I pulled one girl out before the open door smashed against the stairway used to board the ride, and the other girl had to be backed down after I ran to press the E-stop. It was a pretty treacherous ride, and all the parents were screaming and pulling their kids off.
I am a personal injury lawyer suing a carnival company for brain damage sustained by a little girl when she slipped out of her restraint on the rockoplane. The ride operator’s excuse is that the lap bar clicks into the proper position automatically and there is no way my client slipping out could have been due to his error. I would love the opportunity to talk to you about how the restraint system works and if it is possible for the ride operator to put the lap bar into the wrong slat, allowing a little girl too much room so that she slips out.
If the restraint bar is properly working, it comes down on the lap when the door is closed, however if the patron holds the lap bar up as the door is being closed, he can overpower the spring and the bar will remain in that position till the door is opened. Teenagers sometimes do this to give themselves more room to rock the car. Was the girl 42″ tall? Was she with a larger person that would prevent the bar from comming down far enough to hold her in? Was the girl able to hold onto the bar? (physical limitations, arm in cast etc.) Not likely an operator error.
It is I used to liad one in the uk. If u don’t push the bar down and shut the door it will lock to high as happened once when a guy loading ours with no exp started. No injuries lucky enough I noticed it, gaffer reversed wheel and I put bar down, gave the chap a slap and we was ok.
Wow, that’s crazy! At least nobody got hurt. I remember a similar thing occurred when I was working at small amusement park a few years ago…although it wasn’t nearly as dire of a situation. It was while being showed how to operate a bumper car ride by a manager that really didn’t handle ride operations. The manager started the ride while some kid’s lapbar was wide open. I was like, “uh…that kid’s bar is open.” The manager looked up, slapped the stop button, walked out onto the floor, put the kids bar down, and started up again; he didn’t even acknowledge that anything happened!
Great website…just wanted to comment on the Steel Pier, let it close. About 5 years back we went for a ride on the Spinning WildMouse, but we didn’t get very far! All was well as the car turned towards the lifthill, but upon connecting with the chain things went horrible awry. I felt the car connect to the chain with a lurchand a bump, heard some kerpatchata kerpatchata
noise as we were very slowly lifted about 10 feet up the hill when the chain suddenly snapped at the top of the hill, sending metal shrapnel flying down towards us. Luckily the car rolled back down the hill to avoild said shrapnel (uh..rollbacks anyone?). The shocked attendaents offered free wristbands but we were so shaken we just left, we didn’t know what else to do.
Jeez, yeah free wristbands seems like a good tradeoff for almost being injured! lol
Even though the place stunk I’d much rather see it become another, much nicer amusement park instead of redeveloping it into a hotel, casino or condo complex. I mean the place has been around since 1898 and has quite a bit of history with it.
“Most people would never make it out of the building due to their inexperience. However, sometimes you would see some hotshot rise up from the structure and hover 15 or 20 feet above the building. I doubt that thing made much money for its size and probably it’s cost, but it was interesting”
I went on it in 1995 or 1996 and I know I got back change from my ten dollars, I want to say it was only like 7 or 8 dollars extra to do it.
I got massive street cred with my friends for doing it. I fianlly went sky diving a few years ago and actually, I was in more fear for my life at Traction Park then I was when I did the real thing lol.
I was there! Cuckoo Haus was an abomination. The only thing cuckoo about this ride was the fact they excepted you to pay 4 tickets to get in. I found the exterior art disturbing, confusing, and at times vaguely racist. You know, the racist way that when in bad movies they try and portray the projects as all check cashing stores and chicken wing joints. Apparently the only thing in Holland is oompa bands and Kaiser Wilhelm II. WHY THE HELL IS KAISER WILHELM II ON CUCKOO HAUS?! Furthermore, I think the painted people of this supposed representation of “Holland” are angry about their depiction, as you may notice a man is emptying his chamber pot out onto the oompa band. Wait a second though, maybe a fun house called “the projects” might be a good idea too. We already know what would be on the front of it.
I remember going on Kingda Ka the first time in my life. It was a rush, but nothing like I thought it would be, rather tame in fact. Then I went on it again, this time waiting for the front. What a rush! If you happen to ride this coaster, the front is definatly worth an extra wait, don’t miss out! Also, keep your mouth slightly open, the wind rushes into it and your mouth fills with air rapidly, it’s great!
sounds very breathtaking or should i say breath giving:) since it puts air into your mouth. the fact is that i like to study rides and the ways people breathe on them. so it must be hard to breathe out but easy to breathe in on this ride in the front seat. am i right? the harder the rides are on us the better!
The poor ol’ SLC needs some love I guess. I think in their next crazed re-painting move, Six Flags will re-paint Dark Knight’s track periwinkle with burnt sienna supports. 😉
I’ll have to try the front row sometime. I’m typically too impatient to wait any longer than I have to but the allure of being blasted by a wind comparable to an EF2 tornado seems like it might be worth it!
Just to follow up on this comment, years and years later: I did indeed get a front row ride and it was fantastic. Best part is that it was on a slow night and I was the only one in the station waiting. The riders on the train coming back in basically got a re-ride and I got a front row walk-on!
I beleive doing the Aerodium garners some sort of post Action Park internet cred as well. lol Few can say that they have done one of Action Park’s three most infamous attractions: Cannonball Loop, Aerodium, and their bungee jumping. And I guess to some extent the ‘expert’ run of Alpine Ski Slide.
I guess I could see how the faux skydiving could be scarier, at least at Action Park. There’s just something about Action Park’s lax safety coupled with a giant whirling fan that might cause for alarm. Haha
These aren’t banned in Florida. I have seen several different models here, including ones named Gravitron (Amusements of America), ones named Starship 2000 (Hildebrand Rides), and even a newer Starship 3000 (Reithoffer Shows).
I remember this place, the roller slide was called the Aqua Scoot! I loved that thing. I personally never got injured in my multiple visits between 87 and 91, but I remember those guys with their shirts off and a nice Alpine Slide burn. Those looked like they hurt. This was a great stroll down memory lane, I look forward to going back someday. I am in the midwest now and hating it
Very sad. The Golden Nugget is the finest attraction the Wildwood Boardwalk has ever had to offer, and I doubt anything will ever match or surpass it. Its demolition will be a great loss. It would be great if someone with deep pockets would be willing to pay for the restoration and mandated upgrades to get the Nugget running again, before its too late.
Hearing the news about the GOLDEN NUGGET which I enjoyed going on during the 60s and 70s when It was a newer ride, I don’t think I will ever go back there again, I miss all the older rides that are now GONE!
If you want to ride some surviving Bill Tracy dark rides, go to Ocean City, MD or Waldameer, Erie, PA. They both have a Pirate’s Cove walk-through, and OC MD has the Haunted House ride, and Waldameer the Whacky Shack ride. Yes, Hunt’s had a Whacky Shack, too but their’s was one level built in 1963, and Waldameer’s was built in 1970 and is 2-level. Also, the closed Joyland Wichita has a 2-level Whacky Shack, too which is in danger of being lost if someone doesn’t save the park. The Phantasmagoria 2-level ride at the now dismantled Bell’s Amusement park in Tulsa, OK was taken down and most props and scenery placed into storage for a new dark ride at a new Bell’s park that might open. The Fright Zone in Ohio (former West View, PA Haunted House) closed a couple years ago and the props and stuff are in storage at Conneaut Lake Park, PA which may not even reopen. There’s also a Bill Tracy dark ride at Lake Winnie in GA called Castle, they had a walk-through Whacky Shack that was torn down a few years ago, and the Haunted Castle at the former Miracle Strip Park in Panama City Beach, FL the cars, track and some props were bought by a guy in Birmingham, AL and used for a seasonal dark ride. The rest of the props are at a fire company in FL near Panama City. We lost 2 major seaside parks with Miracle Strip and Myrtle Pavilion. Pavilion came back, but it’s much smaller and missing the big rides like the roller coaster, Haunted Hotel, Pirate dark ride, Log Flume, and Rapids. The Haunted Hotel was TORN DOWN. Why do most parks care less about their dark rides and so quick to tear them down when the park closes or the ride becomes less popular or more costly to maintain? I’m going to miss the Golden Nugget. I rode it between 1980-1983, and again 1996-1998. At least they’re saving the props and scenery and mine carts.
@ Martin: One could only hope that would happen. The same could be said about many parts of Wildwood: Sportland Pier and Midway are two places that come to mind.
@ Herb: Yeah many of the older rides in Wildwood aren’t around anymore, especially dark rides. Wildwood used to have a number of them around and I don’t think any will be left after Nugget is torn down.
@ Robert: Great information there! I actually remember the Haunted Hotel at the Myrtle Beach Pavillion. I was only like 5 years old at the time and I remember being terrified of the facade with the giant skull, haha. It’s too bad I never got back down there before Pavillion closed. I’ll have to check out Ocean City one day; those dark rides at Trimper’s look great!
I was thoroughly haunted by a friend who killed himself while we were in a band together and the haunting some associated with a new infestation of these things. Another musician close to him who recorded this guy just before he killed himself had his basement studio infested by them suddenly as well. I wrote a novel based on this. These things do get in your mind!
Sorry to hear about your friend. It sure seems like cave crickets were solely placed on this Earth to drive people crazy. Luckily I haven’t seen any for about two years now…although I have seen several centipedes in the meantime which aren’t much freakin’ better.
Morey’s still has 4 dark rides, one of them a walk-through and they’re planning a new haunted walk-through for Mariner’s golf course soon. Also, there’s the Zombie World on the boardwalk, so I don’t think dark rides are dead yet in Wildwood. It’s just that most of Bill Tracy’s (and Fred Mahana’s-who did the old Morey’s Pier Haunted House 1972-1984 and Mariner’s Hitchcock Manor 1978-1981) work is just about gone in Wildwood, except for the Nugget props which most are going in Morey’s dark rides, and the Dr. Blood’s props from Sportland Pier, the building was razed Jan 2007, most of which are in storage in the old Woolworth/Randyland building that an arcade owner named Randy owns. I heard the Whacky Shack props from Hunt’s Pier are in storage somewhere in Wildwood, the building was razed early 1996 during the transformation to Dinosaur Beach, apparently the Catanoso’s didn’t want it and couldn’t sell it, actually Eric Princz (local artist owns a company Creative Design and Engineering) bought it but couldn’t get it moved off the pier so it was scrapped on site. Also, Castle Dracula was a great attraction, the Dungeon boat ride, too and it’s a shame it burned down Jan 2002. it was originally built 1977, and the old mill boat ride 1919.
Wow.. I thought I forgot about Action Park for good..
I had worked there for 7 years both seasons..
For the first few years I worked Food and Beverage, then ride attendant, Then finally once I was old enough and they had an opening I was allowed to work as a mechanic in motor world.. I rememebr breaking in the Lolas after they got new engines.. all we did was drive them up into water world and back down over and over again to break them in..
I remember the battle action tanks mechanics shop had some prototype or homebrew air cannon that would shoot a tennis ball from the tank cage well up past 94.. I wonder what happened to it. if anyone knows the make or has plans drop me a line.
I spent most of my time on the dock at the super speed boats, I remember one day clearly . There was an asian woman on the paddle boats in the adjacent pond and a lightning storm was rolling in. Unfortunately she panics and couldnt figure out how to work the boat controls..
we has one speed boat with a larger engine than the reast of them and it was our tow boat(for capsized recoveries) and a plaything for us to show off to the girls with.
I remember that we endedn up having two lifeguards stand on the edge of the foating dock that separated the two ponds, I disengaged the transom lock and headed straight at the dock head on.. because it was tilted my way it resembled a ramp, I then launched my boat onto and over the dock landing in the paddle boat pond. I then hooked her up with a line and towed her back to the area where the paddle boats were funneled into the boarding area.
The ride attendant girl hooked the boat with her boat hook and helped the woman out.. I was a hero for 15 mins.
In the winter I was a snowmaker.
I remember riding my skate board to work and having my mother pick me up after .. I lived in augusta so it was not a short trip… Fellow emploee parents passing by would often pick me up if they had the room so it wasnt too often that I skated the whole way.
I remember the first timecard system they put in.. you got a card with punch holes in it.. you’d slide it into the clock in the managers office, bang in a few codes and pull the card back out.. the funny thing was that if you didnt punch out say on friday night and then came back monday morning, you could punch out then back inand get paid for the weekend.. apparently one of the parks downfall was the accounting department.
Thanks for dropping by sigmaz; that was some great stuff! I always like hearing stories from Motorworld since I never really hung around in that section all that much and don’t really know the full details of that section. At the time I was too young to drive the cars or anything so I just stuck to the waterpark.
Also, skateboarding from Augusta to Vernon doesn’t sound like fun at all! Besides the fact that it’s a long trip, I would think that it’s very hilly as well!
The Cannonball Loop was opened. I rode the Cannonball Loop. My pre-pubscent friends and I would gawk at the holy grail of water slides everytime we went to the park. And one spectacular day my wildest dreams came true, they were actually asking for patrons to ride the slide. It’s funny how many people who bragged that they “…would totally do that!” had somewhere else to be when they were actually looking for riders. I volunteered. I was led up to the slide and then had my height and weight measured. The more I think about this, the crazier it becomes because I couldn’t have been more then 12 or 13 and my parents were no where around to give consent to their kid signing up for a suicide mission. When I got to the top of the slide the park attendant (who I doubt was an engineer) hit me w/ a garden hose to essentially lube me up in order for me to make it through. I prided myself on doing everything at “Accident Park” but this moment of truth was scarier then the rest. A crowd had formed as I got into the slide and I felt like Evil Knievel climbing onto a stars and stripes motorcycle. I got the go ahead and sent myself down the pitch black tube. When you’re sure you are going to die your mind records everything. I vividly remember the sensation of my feet going up as I realized “Here comes the loop!”. I remember being ecstatic when I had cleared the pinnacle of the loop, however the worst was yet to come. Apparently my sub 100 lbs body was not heavy enough for the ride and rather the sticking to the slide on the back end of the loop, I actually fell to the bottom of the loop. I smacked the back of my head on the slide and was nearly knocked unconcious. It was then I saw light as I sputtered out of the exit of the tube into the splash down pool which about 8 inches deep. I was able to orient myself enough to get to my feet and smile with pride as the stunned crowd cheered for the little kid who just went down the most dangerous water slide of all time. It was closed again within minutes and although I went to the park a dozen times after that day I never saw that slide opened again. I have no fear of amusement park rides after going on that death trap. There is nothing that will be built as dangerous and poorly supervised as the cannonball loop again. It was truly a perfect storm for water park aficionados.
That was a great story! Falling from the apex of the loop must have been just awful. At least you didn’t slow down and fall in the other direction however; then you would have been stuck in that section at the base of the loop. I can’t imagine how terrifying that would be, basically coming out of a momentary disorientation only to find yourself in some small dark space. lol
I use to looked forward to this ride every yr as a child. I grew up in Wildwood and this was my favorite ride. Hunts Peir was also my FAVORITE peir. A part of history of Wildwood Boardwalk as we know it will be no more. WOW, breaks my heart to know it will not be there.
The bubble bouncer ride my next favorite. So, So many memories of being on Hunts Peir. Wow!!
I have ridden the Zipper many times, I have to say it is the most intense ride I have even been on that didn’t make me sick. The one I rode at our local annual fair as as fast or almost as fast as the “fast” australian Zipper in your video. People shift their weight in the cars to see who can do the most consecutive flips. I saw one car do over 20 backflips in a row while moving before, and when they started to empty the ride car by car, they did another 40 or so backflips before theirs got to the bottom.
I agree on how the Zipper is very intense yet doesn’t really cause motion sickness. It must be the vertical motion because I know some people that have no problem on the Zipper but cannot take something like a Huss Breakdance which is all lateral motion.
Currently the new Alpine Pipeline is in 57 pieces and under a foot of snow, but I will be sure to get you the cutting edge images as soon as we get them. No upside down loops on this ride, but exciting none the less. Stay tuned and maybe you will be invited to the VIP event for the unvieling of the all new Alpine Pipeline.
Hey, thanks a bunch! I can’t wait to see the photos of this slide. If High Anxiety is any indication of what the type of thrills Mountain Creek is going for, then AP will certainly be great.
I worked there for several years as a lifeguard, and a few things.. The tarzan swing and the cannonball pools… The pools were only 15′ deep and yes freezing cold, they were fed from a spring fed lake at the top of the mountain. The bottom of the pool was not lined with anything they were concrete pools that had large rocks/boulders around them. The water was crystal clear. As a guard I would be able to sit on the stand (10′ tall) and I could spot and tell if there was a dollar bill on the bottom and if it was within 10 – 15′ of the stand I could tell you what denomination it was. it just seemed dark because of all the shade in the area.
The riptide slide was called Surf Hill… when it first opened the 2 left most lanes (looking down from the top, or the right most from the bottom looking up) were the “expert lanes” initially they had a ramp and I can remember going down with friends and family and it wasn’t uncommon to get 10 – 15′ of air off the things… landing was sometimes a bit tough, but I can remember people and us included doing flips and twists off that thing. The trick to it was to use more than one mat the more you had the faster you went. Too many people got hurt and they redid the ride to make it a much smaller ramp. the employees were able to secure a section of the new lining it’s was about 4 – 6″ thick and we cut 2 hand holds in the front of it… I wasn’t crazy enough but I knew and watched several friends going down using that mat… they would go so fast that they would end up hitting the first 12″ of the water puddle at the bottom meant to slow them down and it wouldn’t do a thing.. They would end up literally slamming into the padding at the end of the lanes hard… a couple of them hard enough that they needed help getting out from where the padding and the floor met.
Only 15 feet deep?! Aw man…that’s takes all the odd mystique out of the pool. lol Actually, I saw a photo of those pools drained on another site and it did look only 15-20 feet with slabs of concrete at the bottom. Although, I distinctly remember a lifeguard at AP saying that they were some 30+ feet deep, but I guess it was just to weed out anyone thinking they could do the attraction while not knowing how to swim well.
That Surf Hill story literally had me laughing! It just amazes me that Action Park thought it was a good idea to add in ramps for riders to rocket over. And then employees fashion up a mat made of that super slick crap, that’s just too much. I can just visualize the scene of some kid going at like 40mph head first and completely overshooting that little slowdown pool. lol It’s too bad they got rid of that slide…
i remember this exactly as he described. we would go every year when i was a kid. there was always people trying to find a mat, yet we would always have like 3 or 4 stacked. im glad you confirmed that it did make u go faster, i always wondered if i carried that extra wieght for nothing! lol man i wish this place was still around, i rode every ride there (except loop) many many times and managed to never get seriously hurt. i will try to find old picsand vids i knw we have somewhere and send in…
I remember one time when I was going down Surf Hill and after one of the bumps I went soaring into the air and landed two lanes over from where I had started and when we got to the bottom, I plowed into the kid who had been riding in that lane and ran right over him before I stopped.
I am very sorry, but I do not have a translation of this page in German. You can use Google to translate ( http://translate.google.com/ ), but the translation may not be very good.
Just came across your site and wanted to drop a comment to say thanks for the memories. I am from the Jersey Shore but moved to North Carolina in 1986. It was fun looking through the shore pictures in this article and reading about your road trip. Great article, well done.
It was also nice to see that things in Asbury Park are not as dead as I would have thought they might have been. I read an article on-line recently that painted a very bleak picture of Asbury Park. Your photos and commentary provided a much more positive outlook.
Also, seeing your site and reading about the history inspires me to post to my own site again….maybe even today.
You might find this interesting. I found your site linked in a Google alert I received on the term “Sea Girt.” When you traveled along route 35 during your trip you barely touched Sea Girt. If you hadn’t mentioned the term in your article I would never have seen the site. FWIW, thanks again.
Asbury Park has certainly come around in recent years. They’ve done a very nice job along the boardwalk, putting in stores, playgrounds and other things; some of the stores were pretty high end as well! I even remember seeing some of the restaurants along the boardwalk being packed with patrons. According to my sister, it’s a really nice beach spot in the summer as well; something that couldn’t have been said some years back.
As far as the Google alert, well…I guess it explains the odd influx of visitors coming right to this article from no referrer address and then spending about 5 seconds on the page. lol
Also, you should definitely start posting to your site again. I actually found the articles pretty cool, especially the one about the Adobe Kuler chooser. I only wish I knew about that when making this site!
I just read your article and I too can relate when it comes to the height rule and the dumb-ass parents wanting you to bend the rules just for them….over and over again. I used to work on the Himalaya in Ocean City, Maryland 2 years ago, and this lady wanted me to let her kid on the ride but he was way too short, so I wouldn’t let him on. In result, she kept trying to talk me into letting him on, but I repeatatly told her I couldn’t let her child on because he was too small, so she started to get a bit belligerent with me, but I kept my cool. Not only she was causing a scene, she was also holding us all up and the line.
This wasn’t the worst part. This chicken-shit guy who I was working with who was my best friend’s girl’s brother didn’t even bother to step in or find one of the security guards to help me settle this situation, instead he just quickly walked past us telling me that the ride was about to start. So I had to run back to my spot so the ride can start, but after the ride was over, the same bitch started with me again as she got loud and cursing me out telling me I was rude and everything, and all I did was my job. Once again, not a single person bothered to step in.
After she left, this fool who was so much help starts getting in my face and laughing telling me how pissed she was. A friend of mine who I was working for who was on break when this was going on, tried to talk to me trying to calm me down. I told my best friend about the situation last year, and he even found it to be strange that no one called any kind of security to settle the confrontation. As for the other guy (his girl’s brother who shall remain nameless) I do not want anything to do with him as long as I live, because there was no excuse for what he did…or should I say, didn’t do.
Seriously, those parents who would bargain to get their kid on the ride are some of the worst! I think ride ops should just be allowed to blatantly tell the truth in that situation:
Parent: “My kid is only 5 inches short! Why can’t he ride?”
Ride op: “Well…because he might fly the hell off, be severely injured or killed and I’ll get sued and/or thrown in jail.”
Nah, that probably wouldn’t work either; then they’ll break out the “well he/she has been on this before and nothing happened!” Rides ops never win…
By the way, I love your site! I remember stumbling across it a while back when making the Himalaya page for this site; there’s a lot of great info there! Those old Reverchon models were some of the best; they seemed to run faster than the modern ones as well. Thanks for putting the site together!
I doubt it; Zippers now use a large, steel, bobby pin looking device as a backup lock. It’s nearly impossible for the door to fly open while the pin is in place. I wouldn’t worry about it.
Yeah… it’s got that triple door lock, with that big R-clip, or bobby pin as you call it. I’d be more worried with cracks in the hinges on the OTHER side of the door. 😉
I say this as the former ride op of the first zipper ever made, thus the most metal fatigued. (Model 1800, serial no. 1801, mfg in 1968)
My name is Jane E. McNutt. The Golden Nugget farewell ceremony was interesting. I am the Grand Niece of WC Hunt. My grandfather was Harry Hunt, was WC’s brother, and worked at Hunt’s Enterprises. My mother was Dorothy Hunt. Before my mom married my father, John McNutt there were sparks flying, because my father’s father of John J. McNutt’s and Son on Oak wired The Jack Rabbit and most of the island back in The Day. My brother remembers Kristen Steindl’s grandmother who Bud Hunt married -2nd marriage I think. That makes her related by marriage, not blood. Please check http://www.beachtheatre.org for my interview and accurate Hunt family history. Thanks for the forum. JANIE Del Haven -56 years old and rode The Nugget in 1960
i’ve successfully lives threw all of these lovely carni rides. (: all those rides and a few more are featured at Saint Greg’s Carnival in Hamilton, NJ. [ of course] in my town [ hamilton] that’s the best thing that happens here, next to the Italian American Fest, and September Fest, both have rides but are more for kids, not teens. which is a total DRAG by the way. any who, back to the carnival, it gos on for a week and i think two days. all the high schooler’s show up in all their parents cars, and all the kids rush to all the kiddie rides and games. they have a bunch of tricky skill games, and ofcourse the gambling wheel. two of the days they have the traditional fire works. then the raffels and such. back to the rides, the normal rides are the Tornado, Bob Sleds, Zipper, FireBall, Ride ‘O Fire, Scramblers, the ship thing, two ferris wheels, tilt- a – whirl, the tea cups, the spinning bears, the mini dragon roller coaster and such. The most thrilling ride there is the fire ball, sadly, everyone in our crappy little town lines up in THAT one line, thats it, thats the ride line. haha. but any way, the line stretches to the main entrace normally, and you wait for about 30 mins, get on a 2 min ride and then line up for the zipper ad repeat. but i must admitt, thats the best thing in this town to do in june. (:
hop i interested you and this wasnt a total bore, (:.
I remember snakes in one of the pools. I rode this tube down a long slide and half way down i fell of the tube landing painfully in the pool with less skin on my legs then when i started the ride with. But just when i thought my ride of death was over I see this huge snake swimming right at my face. I was only 8 and i couldnt swim very well, so their i was flapping my arms and legs screaming for help because of this snake and the fact i was bloody and in pain, and not one person came to my aide. All the children were pushing me down in the water and they were trying to get out of the pool, I though i was goin to drown or be attacted by this snake. THANK GOD for my older brother, because he pulled me out.
When i was 7 I rode 1 of their tube rides and i was going so fast my tube almost reared off the slope which was very high off the ground. Also the tide pool was the worst being so little the waves would knock me over and afew times a almost drown because the lifeguards were to busy watching the women then watching the children. The place always had nasty snake infested water and half the rides would brake down during the few hours you would spend at the part. Even the kiddie pool with those little bumper boats was a death zone. Once I seen one of the boats start to sink with a child in it, you would think that the lifegaurds would have leaped in the pool to get the kid out, but No the parent had to be the one to jump in and unbuckel the child before the boat sank drowning the kid… Though the park was full of danger, it still provided me with alot of fun and some great memories.
i rose the canonball loop. man that sucker beat you up.
I am curious if there’s any remains of action park left. was mountain creek built on the old site of AP? did they leave any remnants? is there anything to explore?
I don’t know if anything of Action Park is left actually. Everything in the waterpark was pretty much reused by Mountain Creek, and some of the most known attractions (Cannonball Loop, Aerodium, etc) were simply removed. I know they have one river attraction that pretty much sits un-used for the most part. The Surf Hill slides might still be “standing but not operating” as well but other than that I’m not sure.
By looking at Google Earth, it doesn’t look like Motorworld is around at all; at least I can’t spot any tracks or anything. You can check out Mountain Creek on Google Earth at ’41°11’24.78″N 74°30’30.55″W’ and see if you can see anything. That giant field just to the west of Mountain Creek might be where Motorworld was.
I took my kids to the old timers stomping ground on Tuesday – 8/15/12. Yes Mountain Creek is the old Action Park. Although alot of the attractions we rode are now gone they still have a few Action Park rides there. The Tarzan swing and Cannonball Falls are still where they were, and working. The Colorado River is still working. This is the ride in the big family sized tube. Only now you have to wear a helmet with a full face cage or you can’t ride. The Surf Hill is still working except that they toned it down quite a bit and its called Rip Tide Slide. It still is dangerous however. Back during Action Park there was very little water to stop you at the end of the ride. Now there is about a foot or so of water at the end, if you don’t lift your mat up, the water stops you dead. Now if your body stopped also it wouldn’t be bad. But as my wife and my 17 year old daughter found out the hard way. My wife literally went legs over head and flipped and my daughter went sideways running her legs over the next lane dividers and was cut, fortunately not bad. They took out the Alpine slide and put in an Alpine coaster which is open year round. If your under the age of 15 this might be cool, otherwise don’t waste your time. No I retract that statement, do it for the hell of it, you may enjoy it. The rides I was looking forward to were closed. They were Action Park rides that are still there. They were Thunder Run, The Gauley and The Rogue River. I haven’t found out why they weren’t operating. Thunder Falls was open. The Geronimo Falls section of the park is still open but has changed. They replaced the double white slides with one green slide. You still get an atomic wedgie on this. They closed down the male favorite Kamikaze slide, took out the wooden bridge and fenced in the pool area. They added a funnel ride called High Anxiety. This is the equivalent to Alien Invasion at Splish Splash. Well I think I touched on everything at the park. I found it to be as exciting as when I was in my 20,s.
Thunder run was open this week as well as a couple of weeks ago. The Gauley was closed after an incident earlier this season where a bunch of riders backed up near the end. It was a relatively minor incident, but there were like 4 news helicopters flying over the park afterwards since they had sent several people to the hospital (as a precaution).
Rogue River seems to have been closed all season, I’m not sure why.
Surf Hill was just opened a couple of weeks ago. They rebuilt the slide, as it had been abandoned about 5 years ago.
I’m actually a lifeguard at Mountain Creek now and it’s a ton safer although many of the rides have closed down. Some of the most recent changes are that Rogue River and Thunder Falls are basically permanently shut down. Working bottom of rogue river you can listen to people slam back and forth against the walls inside of the slide and it’s just terrible, better off keeping that death trap closed. Surf Hill is once again called Surf Hill and like it was said before there’s now a good foot of water at the bottom. The Colorado River you need helmets on now, but recently we test rode the old path of the ride however it will most likely remain closed. Well that’s a current lifeguard’s perspective.
Aw man, I can’t believe they closed Rogue River! That actually seemed like one of the tamer ones. The only thing that was bad about it was how it dumped riders into that open pool area. I remember if you were to assume the standard body slide position (legs crossed, arms crossed) you’d go flying down that slide and practically skip across the water at the end.
@Nick
Wow, they opened the alternate path on Colorado Rapids? If only they’d actually re-open that, as alternate paths made that ride interesting, even though it was rare you went down them.
I seriously hope they don’t permanently keep Rogue River and Thunder Falls closed. In 30+ years, the number if injuries, compared to other rides still open, is from what I understand really low.
Notice how the green slide is not as steep it used to be – or at least it looks like that, note the tracks underneath.
They really should make it as steep as it originally was – and put in a 2nd slide, which would also cut down on the longer lines on the busiest days… oh, and lose the name “H2 Oh No” /call it “Geronimo Falls” again – those three things would make the ride much more exciting, IMO.
I think Surf Hill is still Surf Hill – website and park map still indicated it as such.
The Rock-o-plane really needs to be returned full force to all carnivals!
And if they have to build new Rock-o-planes to either build their reserves and/or replace old worn out Rock-o-planes, they shall do so. The Rock-o-plane is one of my all time childhood favorites and I will ride it again if given the chance.
Yeah they do! These past few years I’ve only seen them at two different carnivals; they used to be at nearly every one!
Unfortunately, I don’t think Eyerly makes rides anymore. However there are some ride operators who have put a new spin on the ride by placing forward facing seats on it. I can’t find a picture though, I know one was called Sky Dancer.
Hopefully all u guys will see this…I’m looking for a ride that I remember being called American skyliner but these come up then I type the name..now this was similar to this ride ,we had the large wheel but the egg shaped carts were fastened on the spine of the wheel. They had two seats inside and a steering wheel at the centre made of metal. Turning the wheel would make the egg spin left or right around the circumference of the spine so u could turn the wheel as it was being loaded with people and balance yourself on the top of the spine, others were happy to sit upside down. So you see at the top of the wheel spine you are sat upright facing forward a sitter either side of the spine. Letting go off the wheel suddenly would cause the egg to just drop underneath the wheel spine left or right depending on which side u were at more. So it worked with gravity ..once the ride gets going you spin around the spine of the wheel going from upright at the top projection to upside down underneath the spine also as the wheel is spinning forward as it goes down and around you kind of spin and fall at same time..it’s quite horrendous fear factor…lol…do you know of this ride variation..this is the UK where I experienced it in a Norfolk town called kings Lynn.thankyou. it was by the very famous UK fairground people whose name I forget off hand but we’re the biggest in England. Not Boswells , not Grey’s another name í can’t get out of head at min..I’m sure it will come back to me.. lol thankyou
As a kid i have always had a strange fixation with roller coasts & amusement parks. Who knows why?!But I have to say that i have been obsessed with Action Park since i found out about it 4 days ago!
We only had a Wonderland (affiliated with Hannah Barbarah) out here in Australia & I was always a scaredy cat to go on any of the big rides!
HOWEVER! I feel so disappointed to have not experienced the ‘legend’ of Action Park. From everything I have read, it seems so ridiculous & intriguing, like a taboo movie about reckless teens!
As ridiculously conservative I am, if I had the chance to jump at any of these threatening rides, I totally would! The Cannonball Loop had my jaw dropped for hours as I read comments/experiences & studied pictures! I even showed my co-workers & their response was “……WTF.. how? wha.. HOW THE HELL WOULD THAT EVEN WORK?!” lol! “Exactly. Fucking insane”
I am sure the real experience isn’t as romantic as it seems- but to someone who has always been safe, always been scared of danger, this place seemed like a place that was so so wrong it was right!
Just want to say thanks for the indepth descriptions! It makes the idea of the place even more real! You have no idea how many people i have told about the place! Just out of sheer disbelief that something so dangerous could have existed for such a long period of time!!
Thanks for stopping by Lauren and thanks for the kind words!
“So wrong it was right”…I like that! It’s a pretty good one sentence summary of how Action Park was.
You know, I think something like the Cannonball Loop, while still crazy, wouldn’t be as insane if it were built today. Like if built in 2009, there would be definately be calculations, proper water drainage, correct pitches, etc; it would be studied up and down and over again until the most minor of faults were ironed out.
Back in the mid 80s it was probably just two guys sitting at a bar with one going “hey, let’s see if this will work!” Two weeks later their drawing scralled out on a napkin became Cannonball Loop! How did they know it would work? Well they didn’t until ‘John the Lifegaurd’ went down and didn’t die!
Even I can’t beleive some of the stuff that went down at Action Park even though I was there!
Man, the reason I’m never getting on one of these things is that scene from the Sandlot where they ride one of these and end up puking their guts out. Horrible, horrible scene, that was.
at least someone agrees but the one girl’s reaction was hilarious how she was screaming her guts out and it was not real all it was is just spilt pea soup, movie gel, baked beans, water, and oatmeal launched with paint guns accidentally hitting some crew members and the ”tobacco” just beef jerky and black licorice you really think that they were gonna give kids actual tobacco and the fake thing was WAY worse than the actual thing
There’s a special online discount for a Six Flags park that we’re planning on going to. It’s $31 bucks for each adult ticket (compared to $50 at the door) but when i was about ready to purchase them, i saw the Print ‘n Go option for $5.
Really? $5 for me to print them from my own house?
$36 is still better than $50 at the park but it’s still completely idiotic making me pay to print using my printer, my ink, my paper.
You know I was actually tipped off by some people over at another coaster site that a lot of parks have a similar charge for their print tickets; however SF is charging the most. I guess the parks treat it as a convenience fee of sorts, I mean I can’t really see any other reason for the surcharge.
loved that place went from 86 to 1990 loved motor wolrd and the indy cars fastest go cart ive ever been on got kicked off in 89 hit a cone or tire went over thew yellow line god i miss that place also went on aero ride first year it opened that was fun sad to see it in ruins ps any one know where i can buy one of those cars ?
This ride I personal don’t like it spins around really fast and you get whiplash like crash the first time you ride it you’ll not want to go on it anymore. But if you like REALLY fast rides you must go on this ride
Unfortunately I don’t have an official website for it but my town, North Brunswick, holds a carnival every June called the North Brunswick Youth Sports Festival. The rides are owned/operated by Amusements of America and they usually have the Space Roller. This year’s festival will be held Thursday, June 11 to Sunday, June 14 and again Wednesday, June 17 through Sunday, June 21 at the Devry University on route 1. Try not to go on any of the Saturday night’s, they have fireworks shows which bring in just about the entire population of not only North Brunswick but all surrounding towns.
After doing a google search for water slide, I came across a youtube video of a loop slide in germany. I got curios and googled loop slide and found all this information on this ridicouls ride at action park! Since webates have sparked my intrest in action park and looking at pictures, I’ve relized this was a place my father use to vist. I have pictures of my parent visting this death trap.
Although the picuters show a water slide that was long and horzitial with long bumps. Can anybody tell wich ride this was?
It says Lights, Motors, Action! was added without taking anything out, but this is not true. An entire section of the Backlot Tour was gutted out in order to make way for LMA.
I still like the Loop -O-Plane . Great ride. Took many long rides on this. What I would like to do on this ride is to do over 100 revolutions in each direction for a total of over 200 plus.
I have seen many videos of the Inversion. I really can’t wait to ride this. This one I would like to take a real long ride on and at the same time while the ride is going top speed, having the individual gondolas flip at the same time. Give me the longest, most intense ride on this, 20 minutes plus.
I rode this ride once and only once. I was 14 and with my brother who had just turned 16. I remember we were waiting for everyone to load when all of a sudden the ride began. I must say it literally scared the life out of me. We were completly sideways the whole time and the only thing holding us in was a bar that didn’t even touch our bodies. We were pressed together against the hard plastic and I was screaming so hard I eventually lost my voice. I actually began sobbing at one point. We were going so fast everything was a blur. When the jackass carnie finally stopped he opened our bar and said “Oh wait the bar is broken sorry folks gotta wait for the next seats to come around.” I was dizzy, disoriented and actually fell to my knee’s to kiss the ground I walked on.
dude i wish the zipper at our carnival would go as fast as that Austrailian one. lol its not even scary, its probally one of the best carnival rides ever in existance and if you dont like thrill dont go on it everyone knows who dares to go on it knows that ther is a risk thats what makes it awesome dude fo sho 😀
Some are definately worse than others. I think the rim-driven versions where the wheel is permanently on an angle are the worst because the cars rock like crazy while getting up to speed.
ive ridden the fireball b4 and its like an o.k. ride but i perfer the zipper lol and sometimes when you go on and they like hold you upside down for like 15 secs or so you start to black out lol but its an ok ride so watev
i see you like matterhorn´s
i have one and i buit in usa
snow ball express
is like new now and runs like a champ
if you like to see go to ride db (snow ball dance)
snow dance 4 in you tube
enjoy bye
Hi there I just stumbled across this site while reading up (geeking) on Breakdances. You’re right about the one that was at Astroland, it was the best operated I’ve been on outside of Europe. So sad it’s gone now :'(
It’s really funny reading about your American rides, they look so ghetto! heehee. Anyway I just wanted to confirm what you said about the third Bussink Evolution. It’s called ‘Imperator’ and is legendary over here. It’s the largest flat ride that ever travelled.
It did the German circuit for a long time but disappeared in the mid Nineties. Luckily it has made one or two outings since then but it’s still a rare sight. I’ve never seen it in person but from the photos it’s incredible to think that this thing is movable! It’s owned by Eberhard, who also own one of two Mondial Inferno’s. Their’s is called Airwolf and travels in Germany. The other Inferno is called Night Fly and can be seen in France.
Imperator is certainly an incredible ride; I also can’t beleive they managed to move it around so much in its heyday. Like, it might be a ‘traveling ride’ but I’ve also heard that it took something like 8-10 vehicles to move! Last I heard, Imperator is in China somewhere but no one has spotted it.
Now that Imperator is is MIA and Evolution #1 is effectively a park model, maybe it’s time for the mysterious third Evolution to make an appearence somewhere!
And yes, most American rides are ghetto looking but in their defense most were made in the 60s and 70s. However, there really hasn’t been many notable US manufactured rides since then. lol
I was doing a search on action park just to see what would come up and I came across this site. I was also curious about the “Cannonball Loop Slide”. I remember going there when I was a kid and seeing this crazy looking slide that had a loop, but the slide always appeared abandoned and completely shut down. I remember hearing stories that a woman snapped her neck in the loop, but these were all just rumours , or course. I find it so cool and fascinating to read the stories of the people who actually rode that slide, (and made it out alive) major props to you. 🙂 Would be great if someone posted up a video of the most dangerous slide ever created.
I had a lot of memories of Action Park going there as a kid, no major injuries, just a few head bumps and scrapes, minor compared to some people. I remember my brother tricked me into going down one of the slides in the lower area (in the freezing cold water). He said “oh it’s just a tiny slide”, little did I know that it had a 20 ft drop at the end of it. lol I was only about 9 years old, but I was a good swimmer. I remember the girl asked me before I went on the slide if I could swim and I thought, that’s odd why is she asking me this. lol I also remember the one tube slide next to that area, The Gauley, (I believe that was the name of it). It was fun, but you would sometimes get stuck in certain areas and have to push yourself down, and of course you would sometimes smash into people and sometimes pile up. I also remember the cannon slides which I ended up banging my head around one of the turns in the tube, then being spit out into ice cold water and barely being able to catch my breath. The wave pool was insane, the waves were oddly big, you could drown very easily if you weren’t a good swimmer. The kamikaze was surprisingly fast, probably one of the best slides at the park and the Geronemo Falls slides were crazy, at the end of the ride you had a dental floss for a bathing suit. 🙂 I definitely want to make it out to Mt. Creek one of these days just to experience the waterslide thrills once again…
I would really like to take some really long rides on this, more than 7 minutes plus on one ride and going over the top a high number of times. KMG really came out with a winner on this one.
I also hope that High Energy makes it to the United States. Love to take real long rides on this. Space Roller, rode this countless times and in some cases received some real long rides on this.
Hey Dave, when the Power Surge was at Casino Pier in Seaside Heights New Jersey, I made a bet with the ride operator that I could ride this over 100 times for the summer season. He took me up on that and got me on the ride when there was seats available. Sure enough I was successful in doing over 100 times.
Central Elementary School in Great Meadows, NJ will have a carnival on Saturday, October 3, 2009. It will be held at the Field of Dreams or at Great Meadows Middle School (if inclement weather). The carnival will run from 12-5pm. We have an awesome animal theme. There will be games, prizes, vendors, activities, moonbouncers, contests, and much more! The amazing band “Reverse Order” will perform. The event is a playground fundraiser.
@ ricardo: That is a beautiful matterhorn! I really like the light package and you seem to run it very fast as well…just the way they should be run!
For anyone who wants to see Ricardo’s Snow Ball Dance, I have the video under the Matterhorn section of this post.
@ Bruce: Inversion looks like a great ride and I’ve actually heard that one was sold to an American showman named Tim Casper of PBJ Happy Days Shows. I’m not sure where they run but at least the US has at least 1 Inversion for now.
They had a Tempest at my local fair. Yep, it had chains for seat belts. And you had to be 2 inches taller to ride it than you had to be for their Zipper. WTF?
If I could, I would like to attempt to take a four hour non-stop ride on the fastest Zipper in Australia. The thing is that I live in the US. If there is anyone who has this ride and is willing to set it at the fastest speed, I would really like to attempt to take at least a four hour non stop ride. What’s great is that you are at the mercy of the dynamics of the ride, where you have no control of the rocking and flipping. Anybody that is willing to speed up their Zipper ride and permit me to attempt a four hour ride can contact me at bdbell1940@yahoo.com.
Hi kind seen you like to find someone who can ride zipper with you for that long here in person if i was close to you here or i could i would do that for you and ride on xipper with you for that long in person and take ever bit of it as much as you can handly it for ride zipper for that long with you in person i would that be so nice you know get to ride on zipper for that long be so cool in person get to you know.David
@ DoD3 Brian: I sent two faxes to Tim Casper asking him if he could have his new Inversion appear at a few fairs in Florida, as of the last time I heard, the ride was to be delivered in December 2009. I’ve also contacted others urging Tim to consider this. I don’t know where you are, but in the winter there are many fairs in Florida, while at the same time, the rest of the US is cold. The Inversion is the newest ride that I would like to attempt to take a real long non-stop ride of more than twenty minutes. Anyboby who sees this and can be of furthur help, my e-mail is bdbell1940@yahoo.com
Here are some other of the most insane rides that I would like to go on and also take long record setting rides. They are Discovery, Speed Flip, Twin Flip, Hard Rock, Space Roller, Tango, Evulution, High Energy, Loop O Plane, Enterprise, Power Surge, Evolution, Experience, Extasy, King Loop(Shake),
Adrenaline, Skyscraper, Speed, Booster, Vortex and mentioned before the Zipper. On the bungee slingshots, Ejection Seat, Vertical Accelerator and Rocket. Anybody that has any pull and contacts, my e-mail is bdbell1940@yahoo.com
I’ll even attempt to ride the Loop-O-Plane for maybe a few hours non-stop, with the ride going at the fastest speed. Great Ride. If there is anybody that wants to take me up on this my e-mail is bdbell1940@yahoo.com
I know of one of the carnival companies that still has one. I’ve been on it many times and I would be receptive to attempting a two hour non-stop on this. If anybody wants to take me up on this my e-mail is bdbell1940@yahoo.com
I still can’t figure out what this person in the comment above is trying to bring out. Anyway my aim is to attempt to ride the Zipper for three or four hours, riding solo. The less weight in the cage results in more action. Hopefully some day this could have the possibility of happening.
i know i commented on someone elses comment, but i wanted to comment on this artical, its GREAT! the descriptions were pretty much dead on. what sucks is i had a lot typed up and some how it didnt get posted, now i dont remember it lol.
i loved this place as a kid. I started going ~90-91, which would make me about 10. im proud to say i went the last year it was open, since it says it was closed in 96. i moved to the south in 95 and swore i went back twice, but it must have been once.
we would run up and down thoses hills barefoot, which would burn and cut ur feet all up, but we didnt care. i loved this place because they didnt care about ur size or age for anything, and at 10 doing these rides you loved it. i rode everyride/slide except cannonball loop, (which was never open while i was there, thankgod cause my stupid young ass would have done it) many many times, avoiding serious injury somehow. my dad would never let me do the areododim for some reason, lol. the wiki says that it would bring u 6-7 feet up, but im here to tell u ive seen people go up higher then the building, i remember thinking to myself “he’s dead if he doesnt go back down correctly to land on the padding!” i loved every ride, some more then others, but top 2 was probly the cliff jump, and the tall ass strait down slide (which had a chain net covering the first 15′ or so down so u wouldnt fall out). i remember only weighing maybe 90 pounds, i wouldnt even be on the slide, it was a free fall till it curved out. im sad to find out these 2 rides are gone at the new mountain creek.
i did the motor park a little. wish i would have know the tennis ball trick, lol. i did wreck the cars though, being 12 in my memory of the motorpark, the only pedal i used was the gas (which was always on the floor). shot the tennis ball cannon many times, and yes the best part was shooting the helpless employees, lol
im gonna go back one day, but its so less appealing now that my favorite rides and others are gone, but my curiousty wont let me not go so i can look in theses areas and see what is or isnt there for myself. i’ve always wished it was still around, but in the back of my mind knew based on my memories that there was no way it could still be today(not in its true glory anyway). as i look back all i can think is “holy shit that really did happen!”
I’ve seen videos of the Hard Rock. Looks like a real great ride. I like the dynamics of this ride. Unfortunately this ride appears in the Southwestern part of the United States and is not at any of the fairs in Florida. I would want to attempt to take at least a three hour ride on this, as I really like insane rides that provide constant flipping motion. If anybody who sees this has any connection to this ride my e-mail is bdbell1940@yahoo.com
I’ve been on the Tango many times. This is really a fabulous ride. The seats could be better, but because the ride is great I overlook that. This is another ride that I would like to attempt to take a ride on this for several hours and set a record for the longest ride. Anybody who sees this and has any connections my e-mail is bdbell1940@yahoo.com
Tango is THE BOMB of a ride!! A true thrill from the moment your dangling feet leave the platform! MORE PLEASE!!!
Talk about being flailed around like a rag doll in the sky!!! Limbs literally flying everywhere! LOL! Sadly I only saw it once at the Cali State Fair years ago, but it certainly delivered the bang for the buck! Must have been on it 25-30 times that week.
I want one in my backyard!!
I wouldn’t wait more than 15 minutes for any ride, even a Top Scan or Capriolo. Usually if a fair is really busy I’ll just hang around and soak up the atmosphere and get some grub then come back when it’s a bit quieter (I’m kinda impatient in queues 😀 )
The Rock n Roll Matterhorn looks good. Has some nice theming.
Yeah that was bad, but that 35 minute wait to get on the junky little dark ride was worse. lol
To be honest I can’t stand lines either but it was like either we wait in line or we don’t ride anything; it was just so ridiculously crowded! Even near closing, the lines were still bad.
I certainly have! Space Roller is one of my favorite rides actually. Fireball makes me a little nauseous though; I’m not into the swinging rides too much anymore!
Just give me a four hour non-stop ride on the fastest, most intense Zipper ride. Besides breaking the record for the longest ride, add in 250 non-stop flips,breaking the old record of 167, during the four hour ride. I’m ready to go for it. I’m sure that there is somebody that can acommodate me on this. My e-mail is bdbell1940@yahoo.com
Jeannie nothing to be nervous about. You’re rocking and flipping as the cage goes forward and backwards. I’m sure that you’ve seen the ride operate. If you read my comments and I’m very serious that I want to attempt these marathon rides, your taking a three minute ride should be a piece of cake.
Go for it.
@ Do D3 Brian Here’s an update on the Inversion that Tim Casper purchased. I read that this ride will be on exhibit at the IISF Super Trade Show and Extravaganza in Gibsonton Florida. This will be taking place while the Florida State Fair is going on. My suggestion is after the trade show is over, bring the ride to the Florida Strawberry Festival in Plant City and open it up to the public. The Strawberry Fest. takes place about two weeks after the trade show and is about a 30 minute drive from Gibsonton. Where it goes beyond that I do not know. I did send Tim Casper a fax asking him to consider taking the ride to Plint City.
I would like to attempt to take a four hour ride on this. Great ride. Rode it many times and in some cases long rides at a few fairs in Florida. Looking to attempt to set a record for the longest ride on the Space Roller. E-Mail is bdbell1940@yahoo.com
I’ve seen Keansburg Amusement Park before I moved to Florida. If I was to come back into the area I would really like to attempt to take a real long marathon ride on the Loop-O-Plane. My aim is to attempt to set a record for the longest ride, at least an hour, but could go for more. E-Mail bdbell1940@yahoo.com
I am looking to break the record by a healthy margin of the number of flips by a group from On Ride De, where they did 107 non-stop flips on the Top Spin. If anybody sees this and has connections, so this possible record setting ride could possibly take place my e-mail is bdbell1940@yahoo.com. Target is 250 flips or more.
As I child my cousin and I went on the zipper repeatedly at the local fair, until one fateful ride when we flipped 40+ times over the course of the ride. Our previous record was 10 or so. I just remember a ton of loose change flying around our cart, my cousin counting the flips out loud, and me laughing hysterically at every flip. I don’t know what it is, but I absolutely love the Zipper. It’s the only ride I’ve ever been on that actually makes me laugh. It’s not scary at all. Every time I see it, I have to stop and go on it.
Unfortunately, the newer models have heavier cages to decrease the amount of spin and thus decrease the amount of pressure on the door. I went on what I’m assuming was a newer model about a year ago and barely spun at all, it was very disappointing. I guess the fact that it’s been 10+ years since that fateful 40+ spin ride and I’m probably twice as big now didn’t help. Never the less, I will stop and ride the Zipper any chance I get.
Does anyone know of a website that you can use to track down zippers near you? I live in Chicago, and I’ve seen a few carnivals out in the suburbs before, but very few of them have the Zipper.
I just read the write up on one that was beside one of the videos on the Discovery ride. Even though the spelling was in french, it was easy to interpert that some individuals set a world record by doing 412 flips in a 10 minute period. If anybody who reads this and has connections to a top spin type ride like the Top Spin, Space Loop, Mavrick or any other ride of this type, I would like to attempt to break that record. My e-mail is bdbell1940@yahoo.com. I’d like to do it in the Discovery ride, but unfortunately this ride is not in the United States.
I remember going so often with my friends we used to plan trips to go mid week, when it was cold and cloudy. That way the park was empty. We would complete every ride before lunch, eat, and then repeat.
Surf hill was the best. The ramp in lane 7 and 8 were great but when the lines were long, we would fight, literally, for lane 3. it was the best. We would line up in lane 1,2,4,5. On “three” we would run half way down the slide and jump onto the neighboring chute, claw at your friend who is already sliding, and jump in front of him who would grab you to slow you down. We were not gentle. The person who crossed the water at the end, in lane 3 won. Bruises ensued. Thankfully the laughter always beat out the contusions. Mitch once hit the water so fast he skipped over it and as he was about to ram the padding, he ducked his head and went right under. Four people had to pry him out. He was king for the day and operations on the slide never even slowed down.
I worked in Wharton and use to go there back in the late 80’s. We would get out of work at 3 and be there by 4. They use to discount after 3 or 4. It was always pretty empty people would be leaving at that time of the day.
Anyway, I’m surprised I lived. Beer sales were real lax up there, it didn’t matter how tanked or young (sometimes) you were.
Geronimo Falls was my favorite, saw quite a few lost tops from the girls that rode it. Everybody got a wedgie.
Tarzan Swings was great to watch folks get faced.
No place was really safe, I’ve read people use to meet up with snakes on the Miniature Golf Course.
Our Boss hated the place, everytime we went there. We would always be all banged up the next day (with leftover beer buzz),we were pretty much worthless for half the day. that’s if we even showed up.
Thanks For posting this Brian.
There will never be another place like Action Park.
Good Times!
God Bless Action Park!!!!!!!!!
The Evolution is ok. Rode this piece many times and wish it could be something more. The ride sensation is to predictable. Too much engineering involved which I feel takes the experience away. We have a couple of big fairs in California which feature both Evolution, and a Zipper. Zipper always out grosses the Evolution. Not bad for a ghetto ride.
I had a few friends of mine from Germany, visit the states. I brought to one of our local fairs. Our fair features everything including an Evolution, Tango, Experience, several other KMG pieces and a ton more. The first thing they wanted to ride was Zipper. They were blown away by its wickedness, and rode it several more times throughout the day. Funny thing is, they stayed away from the european built rides we had, and only wanted to ride the American versions.
Nothing notable? Gravitron is a classic and not from the 70’s. LOL. Tilt A Whirl by far is the classic of all rides worldwide.
You want to ride a good Thunderbolt? Go to Chicago, A company called Spectacular Midways has a Music Fest which I feel you will love. Its an older model but I know for a fact, the company babies that thing. It gives you IMO the smoothest ride ever. I’m a Flying Bobs, Music Fest, Thunderbolt, Alpine Bobs fan, out of all the ones I have ridden on. Spectacular’s is the best.
Powers Flying Bobs is Chance built. There’s actually a few chopped version Flying Bobs outhere these days. Gives that european look, and saves on set up, and tear down, and your second trailer is a 28ft pup oppose to the standard 40 foot second trailer.
The no single rider rule does suck, but with money hungry lawyers, stupid people, and fun loving insurance companies ready to raise your rate, this is why the no single rider rule is enforced.
I remember being on the cliff dive looking down at people swimming way too close to the divers and landing right next to them surprised no one was smashed there, but action park was the best thing ever built….new jersey must find a way to build something similar.
Also remember being scared as sh**, but saw everyone else was ok with it so when in rome!!!! LIVE ON TRACTION PARK
This site and reading people’s experiences bring back some awesome memories. Surf Hill and all the stories about people crashing into the padding, getting wedged into it and how the employees would eat at the base of hill while being entertained by the injuries are just remarkable. Here’s my experience.
I get to the base of brand new Surf Hill with some friends and we’re told the ride is closed and can’t go on it. It’s just been built and the surface is brilliant blue. We stand around watching people go down for awhile, apparently trying out the ride. Looks like its open to us so we let the attendants know we’d like to give it a try and are given permission. First time down was fun, though a little bumpy. It feels like the polyurethane foam has just been laid down directly on top of the rocks underneath. I make a note to myself to keep my hands and soft parts on the slide so I don’t get any bone chips.
Second time is when the fun starts. Surf Hill when it was brand new was not the way most people remember it. There was the same 80 feet or so of vertical as you slide down, then maybe an 8” deep puddle, less than in later years, then a slight upslope to slow down and get this… NO padding at the end!!! I go zipping down fast, blow right through the puddle and straight into the gravelly dirt at the base! For everyone who smacked into the padding, imagine the ride brand new with no padding and not even any grass at the end, just gravel and dirt. That was my last time on Surf Hill and, like the employees on lunch break, I then stood around at the end waiting for the next person to get injured.
I loved this ride when I was a kid. They used to raise up to a vertical position when I first started riding them but I haven’t seen one do that in years.
My favorite carnival ride of ALL time!! I have to ride one every time I see one near me tho it has gotten harder lately-all of the ones I’ve encountered in the past few years have a “must have 2 riders” rule. I’m not sure what that is all about. There are no lateral forces in the ride so you’re not going to be slung from side to side even if you ride alone and in the VERY unlikely chance that the door opens mid ride your partners is gonna hang on for dear life first and keep you in the car second–LOL. This is one of the few rides that can still take my breath away when you go around the edge just right and start the 10+ flips w/out stopping. Pure heaven!!!
I went to Santa Cruz Beach and Boardwalk today. Back in the 70’s my Dad took me several times there, where I would ride “The Trabant” over and over. Sadly, it no longer exists at the Park. My friends don’t remember this ride at all, thanks to your video I can at least show them what it looked like. BTW, what is the name of the song playing?
Yeah these rides aren’t seen too much at amusement parks anymore however a lot of carnivals seem to have them now. For instance, there’s like four original Trabants traveling around the NJ-NY area right now!
The song is ‘Twilight’s Last Gleaming’ by High Contrast.
I’ve never ridden one of these but it looks really cool – kind of like the old Troika ride on steroids. I HAVE ridden a Force 10 though and it was the fastest spinning ride I’ve EVER been on. The seat I was in was sorta loose and it popped every time I neared the ground (when the wheel was tilted at the highest point.) I figured I’d either make one hell of a hole in the ground or a really nice arc into the parking lot night sky if it came loose. I don’t think I could ride that again now. Just too intense!!
I’m surprised there’s no mention of how many bikini tops came off at this place. My girlfriend lost her top on the tarzan swing the first time she tried it. Everyone got wedgies on the water slides. Funny it did not seem so dangerous at the time, but I do remember all the topless girls from teh crazy water rides.
That was the best part about working there! I would goto surf hill with some curly fries (i worked food an bev) and watch the tops and sometime bottoms ply off!!!! what a great place to grow up lol
Well, from what I’ve seen, most Himalaya rides play either mid-90s techno, hip-hop, or old school rock. Whatever the person running it likes gets played I guess.
They had one at my local fair a year or two ago and the operator will play song with death or dyeing in the song. When I rode the song “Die young” by me$ha played. Lol
Seeing a listing for the zipper reminds me of that other carnival ride that I thought might make the of wtcr list. It seems that every carnival that came to my small US town when I was growing up either had a zipper or a rocket (I think that’s what it was called it had these cars that were white and blue and shaped like rockets or bullets).
I check out carnival routes on different sites before the season starts and note which ones that I want to visit. Of those, I end up only going to about 60% which is like 8-12 fairs.
Since you checked out this fair in NYC, have you ever visited that small amusement park in Central Park called Victorian Gardens? I wanted to squeeze it into my recent trip, but I there just wasn’t enough time. Looks small, but the views look pretty cool with the skyscrapers and trees in the background.
I’ve heard about the park but never actually went there. I just checked out their site and it’s actually a bit bigger than I thought; I was under the assumption that it was just a carousel and maybe something else. Doesn’t look too interesting in terms of rides but it may very well provide some good photo ops being in Central Park like you said.
Around 1990, our high school in San Jose CA had a carnival with rides one year. I was really daring, but my best friend was not. The carnival was not doing very good and most of the rides sat there not running for lack of guests. This ride looked like a tame Ring-Of-Fire and I talked him into going on it. We got and and it started going around the track and I was happy that it was slow. But then, all of sudden, the ride did something that I never suspected. The entire track started to rotate! I was extremely scared… Not that I was going to die, but that my friend was going to throw up on me! Some how we made it through, and although I have never seen one of these again I’ve never forgotten it!
Edward, I saw your comments on the two rider rule on the Zipper. This is a rediculous rule initated by Chance Rides, the people who manufactured this ride. You’re right, there are no side to side forces. I’ve suggested that the operators of the ride put in like a dummy or an inflateable to take the place of a second rides, but Chance Rides ignored all my faxes on that. These people are very rude and they are definitely not customer friendly. If the person that goes to a fair with you and he or she does not want to ride the Zipper or you go by yourself, you are penalized as you can’t ride the Zipper solo. Chance Rides does not care. Like I said, this single rider restriction is totally rediculous!!!!!
Bruce,
I finally read why there is a 2 rider rule. Seems that if the single rider is small enough there is the possibility that he/she can turn sideways and get out from under the restraining lap bar!! Theoretically I guess that can happen but you’d have to be a really good contortionist. I still think it’s a bad rule!!
I wonder if the 2 rider rule still exists bc i just rode the newest version at south fl fair a few days ago.the newest model actually has roller coaster harnesses inside which are adjustable for each individual person and they pretty much keep you from going anywhere.the older ones didnt have harnesss and had a bar that always bruised you from the jerking and shaking!the ride is actually alot smoother but the cool thing is that u spin all the way around more and the cage itself fells alot more open so not as tightly cramped…love it!
If you look on this website http://www.ridesdb.com it lists all the current rides being built.
I am interested to see what your inversion ride will look like, as I am a keen fair enthusiast. All the current ones that have been produced look stunning, the most recent being one in Germany called ‘Flip Fly’. If you want to youtube a video of it, just type in flip fly clauss kermis into youtube and you’ll see it in action, the lighting is second to none. Clauss is the showmans surname and flip fly is the name given to the ride. There’s even one which is now on tour in australia and as you will see from the ridesdb website, one has now been ordered for spain, so KMG Rides are having quite good success despite the current economic downturn.
Hope you enjoy the ride when it arrives and please let us know if you upload videos of it onto youtube. If you want to contact me my email is maguire245@hotmail.com
I agree, Saturn 6 is a bit more more intense than Hurricane, mostly because the cars go sideways and it’s a bit unnerving. I don’t like Hurricane as much because of the awful lateral forces; they should at least give the cars a bit more tilt! Although I don’t know if I can ride these types anymore as I came off Saturn 6 really nauseous on my last ride some two years ago.
Hey I rode all these rides for years. I even got to ride the cannonball 2…referred here as the cannonball loop…did it 4 times in a row then they closed it. Me and my friends recalled all the attendants that were there kept saying whatever you do don’t lift your head and there were 4-5 attendants in the dispensory pool all very helpfull while you recovered your conciousness. That was an awesome ride!!! Awesome!!! I flew off the side of the expert Alpine Slide…thought I was gonna die but ended up unscathed….I want to win the lottery and buy the place for myself.
HFM First of all I tried to email you at the address above and it was returned. There are many videos of the Inversion on You Tube. Just write Inversion Ride, click search and you’ll see a few choices on You Tube. That will show you the ride. By the way Flip Fly is another name they gave the Inversion at Oktoberfest 2009, also out on You Tube. I hope to see this ride when it will be on exhibit at the IISF Trade Show in Gibsonton Florida this February as I live near there. Ive been urging the owner to put it in a few fairs after the show so the public and yours truly will be able to ride it, before it goes to other parts of the US. I am a real big ride enthusiast when it comes to the fairs and I go on the most rambunctious rides that are offered. My e-mail is bdbell1940@yahoo.com. Good Luck.
soy de mexico, amigos algien que tenga todo sobre zipper desde sus conecciones hasta su forma de ensamblar, porfavor, a mi padre le vendieron uno, pero no funciona, le daremos mantenimiento para ponerlo a trabajar cualquier cosa porfavor enviar informacion.
soy de mexico, friends, anyone who has any zipper from their connections on their way to join up, please, my father sold him one, but does not work, we will put you to work maintenance for anything please send information.
Back in the mid through late 70’s, Himalayas all played Electric Light Orchestra- cranking so loud, you could hear it in the parking area 2 blocks away! Those were the best times to ride these beasts. The operators were NUTS and they did some pretty crazy & entertaining stunts on and off of the moving sleds. Thanks for the nostalgia. I’m ready to go ride one right now!! – JJ ’71
the late great johnny j alive and at large in the great state of Alabama. just being a little nostalgic. as I think back your right we really were a little crazy back then…thanks for the memories of lost times
well it’s true I worked on the Himalaya that was on west 12th street, my name is Jessie and to me them were the best times I ever had me,andy,elliot,keda,david,tony,wayne,shatek, and the owners paul and his brother bob. befor them mr.singer owend it and that was back in 1969,I don’t where the ride is now but will say this.(if anyone is still around from the old days all I will say is this) DO YOU WANNA GO ONE MORE TIME. them were good times
Hello Jessie Iused to work in coney I worked many years with Mark and Ralph at the cavalcade bumper cars on surf avenue with Tommy his brother Henry and Eddie Morroco then I worked with Sandy Fitlin and his son Scott at the Eldorado Auto Skooter Ride by the way what happened to Elliot he was one of my homies back then do you have any contact information on him I would appreciate it GOD BLESS STAY SAFE
I remember there was a super hemi for a show I worked for it was a rebuild of an old theme park ride that was customized to be able to travel to the state fairs. And the best time was always when they start playing like heavy metal Slayer Pantera the faster the metal part of The Rock usually the crazier the operator and of course I get to know all the operators and I would sometimes ride it with just me and another operator or something like that at closing time and oh my God this thing could probably kill it I got beat up by it many great nights I loved it. What it was capable of just blew me away. Loved it.
I am looking for anybody out there who has any connection to anybody in the carnival trade. What I want to do is to attempt to go for the longest non-stop ride on the most insane rides that appears regularly at the fairs. That includes the new ride coming to the United States in February, the Inversion, also known as the Dominator. Other rides I’m interested in doing this is the Zipper(Which I’ve ridden for more than an hour), Tango, Speed Flip, Space Roller, Hard Rock, Space Loop, Experience and Speed. Also looking to set a record for the most launches in a row on a slingshot type ride that uses bungee cords(not any of the Funtime rides, as they use wires and springs and their rides lack action). If anybody knows of any connection in that area my email is bdbell1940@yahoo.com.
Hey Bruce, you should try asking over at the Matt’s Carnival Warehouse forums (link.) A lot of showmen and carnival employees congregate at that board to talk about anything carnival related. Maybe you can find a connection over there.
I have been e-mailing Matts Carnival Warehouse on that. I’m very serious about wanting to ride the Inversion. Not only do I want to ride it once, but I would like to ride this many times. I also would like to attempt to take a real long marathon ride on it, like I did when I rode the Zipper for one hour plus non-stop. Zipper, Id like to attempt a three hour non stop ride on that, one that is in Australia where it is faster than the ones in the US. any connection for marathon long rides on the Inversion and Zipper my e-mail is bdbell1940@yahoo.com
This Inversion ride is fairly new, came out on the carnival scene in mid 2008.
There is one coming to the United States in a few months. I’ve been contacting the owner by fax in order to have them to make this great ride available for the public to ride before he takes it out west. I don’t know any more as I had my computer in repair the past few days and I just hooked it up and now I am going through my emails. My email is bdbell1940@yahoo.com
DoD3 I have already tried Matts Carnival Warehouse and I plan to go to the IISF Trade Show in Gibsonton Fl. in February. I live about an hour from where the show is taking place. I also plan to contact Carnival Magazine, but at this point in time, I do not know how it will play out due to my part time job. The fairs have started up in Florida with the big fairs taking place after the first of the new year. I also hope that Tim Casper makes the Inversion available to the public, while the ride is in Florida.
i remember going to action park as a kid during the mid 80s to early 90s. as a kid, you never realize how dangerous the place really was. my father told me about the guy who got electrocuted a few years before we visited. so, my father took me to a park where someone was electrocuted in a water ride! ah, the 80s were such a different time! things were just more lax in general it seems. i hate great adventure, so action park was more fun. i went on the tarzan swing. i was only 10 or 11 and could barely reach the handle. i slipped off and belly floped into the pool! i didn’t get hurt, but everyone thought i did. i felt ok. but man that water was cold!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! good times during a time when things were simpler. no way would action park have lasted today! i want to get to mountain creek, if only to reminisce about the place when it was action park.
Most of the Waterworld/Roaring Springs rides are still there, and most of them are unmodified, so to say Mountain Creek is just another scenc waterpark, IMO, isn’t correct. I was there over the summer, and of all the former Action Park rides still there, they all felt like they were haunted by the soul of the predecessor… I believe strongly especially since I nearly injured myself on the Colorado Rapids ride – head trauma almost inflicted from the continual head banging into head, and head banging into wall action.
My aim if I can get to ride on the Inversion is to attempt to do a minimum of 100 roll overs over the top of the ride, while spinning around the big arm at the same time. Very serious, really want to attempt this. Also would like to attempt a ride on this for a minimum of one hour, but could go longer. Any connection on this my e-mail is bdbell1940@yahoo.com.
You obviously have been on a different ride, the one at the local fair here in Australia) is absolutely F**ked. You would never go on it more than once, unless to prove a point. Totally unpleasant.
the tempest i ran had seat belts i think it was updated though pain in the ass spin it by hand hold the break with your foot and hope they held the law now is seatbelts like a scrambler pattie can’t sell a ride makes money on parts all because a state run park had a couple of staff not trained not to jump on the ride when it’s moving 2 deaths in 2 years.
The KMG Inversions ride name for you in the U.S.A. has been confirmed as ‘Nemesis 360’.
P.S. – Bruce I know it’s the KMG Inversion, it was dutch owner Paul Otten of the Netherlands to have one in 2008, called ‘Dominator’. With KMG Rides being a dutch company, it was only right they would have one first.
[quote] My aim if I can get to ride on the Inversion is to attempt to do a minimum of 100 roll overs over the top of the ride [quote]
Simply because it is pre programmed to lock the cars above the angle of 90 degrees and cannot be bypassed due to H.S.E. and the computer being unable to be edited without a card from KMG rides, so good luck with that lol.
I went on a… very interesting version of a spin ride like this one time, at one of those cheesy parking-lot carnivals some strip malls have in the spring and summer to bring more people in. It had these heart-shaped cage-cars suspended overhead and you could spin the cars with a wheel located in between you and the other rider. I don’t remember the name but it was probably something extremely cheesy like “sweetheart swirl” or something. Really bizzare.
I actually think I know what you’re talking about! It’s a ride called Heart Flip that looks like a leftover from the 70s. Here’s a picture: http://bit.ly/7HAChr
I remember going on this one at one of those parking-lot carnivals… I was only freaked out because I was afraid the car would unbolt and hit the concrete, thoroughly splattering me. >.< Fun ride, though!
It’s worth a try. I have also sent E-mails to KMG on that. I have a pass to attend the IISF Trade Show in Gibsonton Florida this February. Which day I’ll be there is a question mark as I also have a part time job. I am hoping to ride this at the show and then after that I am hoping that the ride will be booked at a few fairs, before the ride leaves Florida. I am hoping that the Florida Strawberry Festival is one of the fairs as I have easy access to that event. I’ve seen some videos where some of the showmen in Europe permitted long rides with the cars flipping when they were swinging back and forth and I am hoping to take rides like that. Hope you have a Happy New Year. I can be reached at my e-mail at bdbell1940@yahoo.com. I’m also in contact with Matt Cook(Matts Carnival Warehouse) on this.
Harrison I just thought of this, there is a new ride put out by Technical Park called, I think the Looping Fighter and it looks like it is almost like the Inversion. It’s on Technical Park’s web site. I would love to ride this too.
The Alpine Slide was probably my favorite ride ever, anywhere. And it really wasn’t that bad, danger-wise. I rode that thing probably 20 times and I knew all the tricks and I always made sure to get a fast sled, and I rarely braked. I’d always catch up to the person in front of me and *then* I’d brake. I remember eventually I started asking the attendants to give the person ahead of me an extra-long head start – they’d do that for the more advanced riders. But I never came close to going over the edge, though I guess it was possible. The sleds did take some skill to “drive”, you weren’t just free-falling, you had to lean into turns the right way and sort of guide the sled down the track. I guess I learned that from doing log flumes with my brother when I was really young – we’d always get our log going so fast in the water that we’d catch up and bang into the people ahead of us. Most people don’t even know you can do that!
Yeah, that coaster is awesome! If you go to the Youtube page, the guy says that the track came with the house and used to be for a miniature railroad. I think he put it to good use. lol
I am really sorry to tell you that the Australian built zipper is actually the first model chance zipper which my family actually owns one and it can flip 600 times in a row or more so please would you like to try this one.
Hey Shawn, I would like to come to where ever you are and ride the Zipper that you’re referring to. Better still, I would like to take a world’s record setting in time ride, that would be four hours or more and at the same time do the 600 or more flips in a row. I’m game to do this if you could accommodate me. I hope your Zipper ride is set to go real fast and that may mean faster than the ones in Australia. I can be reached on my e-mail at bdbell1940@yahoo.com. I live in Florida USA and I like to go on the meanest of the thrill rides and I like when the ops make the rides real long. Again, I’m game to go for the 600 or more flips in a row.
Hi Shawn. Steve here, from Oregon (USA). Rode one of the earlier Zippers constantly as a teenager, though it was after the RPMs were adjusted down (still faster than the Zippers built since 1980), so I have the indelible memory of just how good the ride can be, and am obsessed with riding an Australian-built model, because they are so much closer to the original fast speeds. Is your family’s Zipper still operating in Australia? If I won the lottery, I’d love to see if Kevin Ferrari would build one for me to tour North America with. It’s 2018 now, 8 1/2 years since your post, so I don’t know if you’ll see this, but if you do, please write back if you’ve a mind to. I would love to ride a fast Australian Zipper ride someday! I’ll never forget the elastic intensity of the earlier-built ones, and the Australian ones clearly go faster than the ones in the US. Do you know if Dean Davis’s Zipper ride is still touring Australia, or if Kevin Ferrari is still manufacturing rides?
Steve Mariman
ride enthusiast
Portland, Oregon (USA)
im still tryin to name the ride i git on that has two boats. and they both turn opposite ways. and they go opposite ways. and swings upsidedown. i know the ride starts with a b. i dont know.
I feel the same way about Scream Machine,its my favorite rollercaster I ever road and I’ve been on the new crap to.The only thing that competes with it is the fair ride the Zipper and theirs always one of them.I think Great Adventure should be focusing on the flatride issue and ride upkeep and let that other park have Chang.They haven’t had a new rollercoaster in 10 yrs. and are alays getting flatrides.When Great Adventure is loosing flatrides and getting coasters.They better invest wisely or I’m doing buisness else where.
I’ve been going to Action Park/Mountain Creek since it opened and it is was the best place ever, Today it’s still fun but the crazy stuff is gone. My favorite stories were always going with my big brother who weighed like 275 pounds and would get beat up so bad when we went. I remember on the Alpine Slide he was wearing polyester coaches shorts and he wiped out and slid down the slide on his butt. When he got up his shorts had melted and were smoking. Surf Hill was also awesome in the expert lanes. I remember there was a 185 pound limit, but they let my brother do it. When he went off the ramp he completely missed the landing pool and went up the de-acceleration hill through the crash mats and took out three employees. This year they closed the Kamikaze slide which was one of my favorites. As you hit crest of each hill you would push of the slide and almost fly off the slide. My senior year in high school we went there for our senior trip and I did the ride so much I threw up on the ride home. I was really bummed to see that closed. I saw the looping water slide, but it was never open when I went to the park, man I would’ve liked to do that! The Colorado river Ride and other raft ride are great, but don’t fall off as I’ve done that a few times and tore up my back pretty good on the concrete slide. I thought it was a wrestling mat surface like surf hill, but boy was I wrong! Motorworld was fun but my brother dry docked the speed boat because he was to heavy and it wouldn’t go fast enough for him. They tried to throw us out, but when my brother asked them who they had who could throw him out, they decided to not try. Action/Traction Park was awesome and it gave me some of my fondest memories as a kid. I went down Cannonball Falls and the Tarzan Swing a bunch of times this weekend at the age of 45 just to remember how great and deadly it was!
This is one of the most unnerving flats rides I’ve ever been on. I had no idea those bicycle style restraints were so puny. It took a few minutes of flipping thru the air before I was able to relax and enjoy the ride. Definitely one of the best Spectaculars to come out in a while!!
It is a really nice ‘spectacular’ ride. Not only is the motion odd but the ride is really damned high as well! The seat had sort of a barely there feeling so it really was unnerving being up that high!
I’m the newest operator for the Morey’s Piers Musik Express, and I love her already! Everything is controlled manually, so she’s a very fun ride to operate. I love it when I get a ride filled with enthusiastic people, especially. I miss the old Judas Priest backdrop myself; the underwater orchestra thing is a bit too cutesy for me.
Awesome, maybe I’ll see you on the Musik Express when I go down to Morey’s in August! The new backdrop isn’t too bad, I mean it fits the location I guess, but it kind of reminds me of Spongebob or something. lol
I work at Morey’s Piers, and most of the rides I operate are major ones: Musik Express, Maelstrom, Waveswinger, Sea Dragon, those guys. As such, the height requirements are generally high (Express and Maelstrom are both 52 inches, Waveswinger is 48, and Sea Dragon is 40 with an adult or 48 alone). I’ve run into so much drama over kids being too small to go on a ride. Honestly, I think the Sea Dragon height requirement needs to be higher because even when kids are with a parent, they still look like they could slide under the lap bar! It scares the hell out of me!
I get the most drama on the Waveswinger, though. I get parents who will take the height stick out of its holder while the ride is moving, wrongly measure their kids, and then claim that they measured them and they were tall enough when I open the front gate. The BEST is this, though: “His doctor said he’s 48 inches tall!” Lady, either your doctor is lying or you’re lying. Go ride the Kiddie Swings. I don’t think they understand that it’s for their child’s own safety!
I’m glad you finally made it. I actually expected the carnival to be less impressive then in years past when AoA was doing the carnival, but this year’s festival was the most amazing one yet! Of course I went on Saturday night 6/19 because I have a thing for fireworks, which meant the grounds were barely walkable and the “lines” were messy jumbles of people grouped together. Yes, I was cut more than once.
We do have another carnival in North Brunswick, Carnivale Italiano, and before the NBYSF existed it was usually a big deal, but now it’s dinky with only a handful of rides and not much else to offer…so don’t bother.
Yeah, I was totally surprised by this carnival as well. I think the midway may have been about as large as the NJ State Fair actually,which is another Reithoffer spot only with their blue unit (crosses fingers for Flip n’ Out!)
While I was heading down to the NBYSF I actually passed another carnival close to Rt. 1 in Edison. I think it was a church carnival; did you happen to check it out?
So yea…If this is the Orange Unit that will be going to Allentown starting tomorrow then I’m really looking forward to it.
They brought the Orange Unit last year but didn’t have the Wild Mouse coaster, Gravitron, or the Wild Claw set up. I don’t know why though as the Horse Park of NJ had PLENTY of room to set it up. Maybe this year will be different. Didn’t get to ride Tornado last year as yea…tickets were expensive. Picked up some discounted Pre-Sale tickets this year so I’m pumped to give it a twirl haha.
Yes, PBJ Happee Day Shows always does the Webster Groves 4th of July fair, so I imagine it will be back next year. Webster Groves is a suburb of St. Louis.
The Wild Mouse wont be in Allentown because its set up in Brockton Ma. Also the Flip N Out is sitting in the winter quarters and probably will never be used again.
I went to this place maybe six times ever – late 80s, early 90s – and it was inevitable that you’d experience danger first or second hand. There was a high speed waterslide in which riders dropped out of a chute from about 35 feet high and basically went straight down, then curved and ended in a splash track. Some woman threw her leg out of the track on her way down, got totally twisted up and ended up being removed by the EMTs. She looked like a Stretch Armstrong that was attacked by a rabid dog.
I went on the Tarzan Swing several times. Once, while passing over the water I couldn’t quite pull myself up, so I skimmed it and slammed into the water on my face. The skin under my arms was transparent and you could see all my veins, etc. clear as crystal. I was freaked and certainly never experienced anything like that before. I thought I’d have to go to first aid but in about 30 minutes, I was fine.
Finally, my uncle who was in his mid-40s at the time, was one of the unlucky fools who got stuck albeit briefly in the Cannonball loop. Apparently, that was not uncommon! And then don’t forget the Wave Pool. OMG! To stand on the edge and watch the waves in the deepend…..a crocodile-filled moat looked safer. Very forboding to say the least.
Just what to let everyone know that the Cannonball Loop @ Action Park (Accident Park) was indeed opened for brief periods of time. I watch people ride it and scream!!!!! I was going to go on it but I became a little to nervous because I had an incident @ the park earlier that day. I turned completely around in mid air while ridding one of the steep water slides that drops ridders almost 10 stories. Some places call it Geronimo. When I came to a stop I was face the trough (inside of the slide(. It was intense lifting off the back of the slide and spinning all the way around in mid air. Parts of my skin was bruised and raw so I didn’t ride that looping slide which barely remained open. I have one phot of that slide.
Had many visits there. I definitely remember the cannon ball being open for one of the visits. While approaching the slide, you could actually hear the people’s bodies clanking around as they went through it. Scary. BUT I LOVED EVERY TRIP!!
Man, that’s terrible. I wonder if Scorpion rides will be recalled or something after this accident because a hub giving way shouldn’t really happen under any circumstance.
The Scorpion hasn’t been seen in any of the travelling major Canadian midways since. Not sure about anywhere else though. It was a fun ride too, what a shame
Greatest park ever! Another great thing about action park was that you could walk around with beer and drink as much as you want – and nobody cared! Remember the fish tank by the cliff diving? Once a friend and I were so drunk that one of our friends dared us to jump in, which we proceeded to do and of course we didn’t get thrown out – luckily there weren’t any piranna in the tank – I wouldn’t put it past the owners of this nitemare – it made the swim that much more exciting. My brother was almost killed when his speed boat flipped over in motor world – again another intoxicaed rider allowed to reach high speeds in a free riding speed boat. Lots of bumps and bruises over my several visits. I remember going down the alpine slide as a kid and being afraid to go too fast which of course resulted in whiplash by being rammed from the sleder behind me. As I got older I wanted to take my revenge out on the riders in front of me so I would reach ridiculous speeds which often resulted in me flying off the slide. Wasn’t there a ride where you’d spin around in a circle and the floor would drop? But it was wide open, not like the current gravatron rides in parks. I remember getting naseaus on this ride.
I remember hanging out by geronimo falls laughing at all of the wedgies and lost suit tops. The food and service in the restaurants was terrible. Never had the chance to ride the cannonball loop because it was always closed but I remember getting yelled out for always going head first in the regular cannonball. The black asphalt was so hot I remember walking on the side of it to deal with the pain of the rocks and not risk burning my feet. Thanks for the memories!
Great site… Action Park randomly popped into my head recently so i decided to see what Wikipedia had to say about it and I was eventually lead to this site. Whats really funny is that the memories I have from this place are in line with those of the other writers on this page and with that of Wikipedia’s ‘Accident Park’, “Class-Action Park” descriptions.
I was born in ’86 in Florida, my family is from Jersey just outside NYC, we used to takes trip up to NJ every summer. I would say it was maybe ’94 or ’95 (which i now know to be AP’s later years) that we finally made it to Action Park. Being from florida i have been to some water parks before, Typhoon Lagoon at Disney, Atlantis in Ft. Lauderdale, Rapids in WPB etc., but never in my life have I ever came across a park like the Action Park.
I was young and I cant remember everything from out day spent there but here are a few highlights from the deep reaches of my memory:
Tarzan Swing: I distinctly remember waiting in line for this thing, nearly shitting my pants with anticipation because it seemed so high off the water, thinking there was no way i was going to be able to reach the triangle handle much less swing myself into a safe part of the pool. My cousin was the first one to go, she made a nice swing, did alittle leg kick in the air and landed succefully in the pool with no problem, even receiveing alittle round of applause. She was smaller then me so i figured it shouldnt be much of a problem. I wil never forget grabbing that handle, with my toes dangling off the edge of what seemed like a 20 ft. drop, with just the tips of my fingers holding tight enough for me to ease my way off the platform, swing through the air, get alittle off balance on my release and land almost face first in the water. The other thing i will never forget is how cold the water was, nearly taking the breath out of my lungs and causing and instant seizure. But, alas I swam to the ladder at the far end of the pool and made my escape, alittle shaken up, frigid cold, but alive and well.
Cliff Jump: This place had two pretty serious cliff jumps, one was 23ft. the other 16ft. that went straight down into a large pool where there were many unsuspecting swimmers wading about with out a care in the world. I remember thinking this could be dangerous if one of them decided to wander into the deeper end of the pool and find themself in the path of a diving teenager coming in from 23ft. above. I remember waiting in line, trying to sike myself up for the jump when the life gaurd whitsles blew. Apparently, someone had jumped onto the head of a fellow jumper who had taken to long to clear the path. I’ll never forget the lifegaurd at the top of the cliff, throwing his life saving ring at the distressed swimmers and nailing one of them right in the head. I thought someone died, I guess they were ok because they escorted them out the water and we procceded to take the leap of faith blindly into the water below. Probably one of the best cliff jumps ive ever been on.
Alpine Slide: Lastly, there was the Alpine Slide. We saved this ‘ride’ for the end of the day because the lines were long in the morning and we didnt feel like waiting. So, after a nice little ride up the ski lift, and a struggle to get the heavy ass cart of the back of it, we finally made it to the drop in point of the slide. Just at that moment the ski’s opened up and a light drizzle poured down from above. Now the Alpine carts have a ‘hand brake’ that is simply a metal rod with a peice of rubber at the end that makes contact with the cement slide to slow you down when your going to fast (which was almost always). It was explained to us by the park employees that when the cement was wet the rubber would not be able to create enough friction to slow you down and you would essentially be sliding down this thing at high speeds with no way of stoping. Unsafe? Very. The rain didnt seem like it was slowing, in fact it was getting more intense, and i guess because of a lighting factor they did not allow us to ride the ski lift back to the base area like we did on our way up. The only way down was to walk. Now let me remind you that this park was built on the side of mountain that when snowy conditions allowed, people would ski down. The Alpine Slide was built on a green (beginner) ski hill which is not a big deal if your skiing but could be trouble if you had to walk down. Well since the we couldnt ride the slide down and the ski lift was out of commision cause of the lightning we were forced to walk down, in a group, the semi-steep, rock filled ski hill. It took probly 10 mintues at least to walk all the way down the hill, a few people got tripped up and had some bloody knees, but we all managed to make it to the base with little to know injury. Needless to say we never got to ride the infamous Alpine Slide but because of the conditions, the walk down the hill, and the fact we waiting all day to ride this thing and never got the opportunity too, my Aunt raised hell in the customer relations office and we were given free passes to come back at a later date. I wonder if we still have those passes somewheres? It’d be great to see the exact date i was there, and if i can locate them i’ll defintely upload them to the site.
All in all Action Park was incredible and one of a kind. A “ride-at-your-own-risk” type park which will forever be banished to our memories. Im glad i got to experince it and will continue on the legacy for as long as i can.
I’ve been on these alone before and I always loved the lateral forces. I purposely sat on the outside, despite the signs saying not to. Then I rode it with my friend a few weeks back; it wasn’t as fun. Having 150 pounds of weight jammed into you is not quite as fun spinning around at high speeds.
So I am going on the zipper as my very first up-side-down ride. I’m very nervous but I promised my friend I would go on it with her in about a week when the fair is in town, I have a few questions, do any of you mind answering them? Thank you(:
Is this a bad first up-side-down ride?
How scary is it from 1-10?
Does it make alot of people puke?
And do you gt that weird sensation in your stomach?
How was your ride on the Zipper? I hope it wasn’t too scary and that you enjoyed it. The Zipper has always been my favorite ride and I still get that “feeling” in my stomach when I get to ride it even at 50!!
Last time I was at the fair at the Meadowlands was in 2003, just before I moved to Florida. From what you mentioned the fair really went downhill in terms of rides. I know the Space Roller is always at that fair, but at the fairs that I attended before I moved, there were rides there like the Tango, Evulation, Sky Diver, Top Spin, Zipper, etc, just to name a few. That same Space Roller appears at some of the fairs in Florida in the winter and if one particular ride operator is running the ride, some of his rides are real long.
Thank you for your article on the 2010 fair at the Meadowlands.
DoD3 Brian Do you have any connections where I could go for records for the longest non stop ride , riding the most insane carnival rides like the Zipper, Tango, Hard Rock, Speed Flip, Inversion, Space Loop, etc? You can get back to me on my e-mailat bdbell1940@yahoo.com. By the way, I wish I could take up on Shawn Edward Jenkins offer to ride his Zipper where he can provide 600 or more flips in a row.
No, I’m sorry I don’t Bruce. You might have some luck at Matt’s Carnival Warehouse or Carny Town however. Those forums are frequented by showmen and carnival workers as well as fans like us.
I read your article on the Tango, where you said the ride was pityful short. It was the same way at the Florida State Fair last February and it was very disappointing as I have taken much longer rides before. And it wasn’t even crowded at the fair. After I came home that night I let the Reithoffer people know how I felt about these short rides. Having seen your article on the fair in New Brunswick and your description on the short ride on the Tango, I just sent Reithoffer another e-mail complaining, as I’ve seen longer rides on the same ride in many of the videos.
I’m familiar with the whole North Jersey area as I worked there before I moved to Florida. Instead of going through this website, you can reach me directly at my e-mail. It is bdbell1940@yahoo.com. I really like to ride the Tango, but not taking these rediculously short rides.
Yeah I remember water works, it was a great place. Why did they take all the big slides out?? i cannot bring myself to go back since it looks kinda lame now
I don’t know why but arguably the best ones, the interlocking slides that went over the park and the ‘vertical’ drop/spiral slide combo, are all gone. Rumor has it that the structure for the interlocking slides were becoming structurally unsound, but I don’t know if that’s true. Somehow I wouldn’t doubt liability concerns played a role in their removal.
My minor claim to fame is that I believe I was the first person to add “You’ve been to Action Park and have the scars to prove it” to the “You Know You’re From Jersey When…” lists that were going around the internet a while back. In the early days of Myspace, I added that line to it and every time it has come back around to me, that line is still there, verbatim.
Speaking of scars, I still have the faintest outline of a scar on my knee from the Alpine Slide that I got when I was about 9 or 10 years old (I’m 30 now). They never really stressed the importance of the brake on the little deathscooter they put you on, so naturally, being 9 years old and not knowing any better, I went flying down the concrete tube like a bat out of hell and dumped the scooter around one of the larger turns, sliding for 30 feet or so and sanding a flat spot in my kneecap about the size of a half-dollar. As I lay there regaining my composure, I heard the ominous whooshing sound of another approaching scooter and got to my feet just in time to do an action hero leap over the side of the tube as another deathscooter whipped past me at about mach 3. If I hadn’t leapt over the side, I probably would have broken my neck, or at the very least, my ankles. Action Park was exciting because while most amusement parks SIMULATE the experience of personal danger and permanent injury, Action Park delivered that experience FOR REAL.
Oh, the memories.
-~D~-
Omg I love you. I remember when those lists first started circulating, and eventually I got the one with your tag line about Action Park and it was like angels were singing.
Surviving your trip to Action Park is like getting to join an elite club.
Just rode the Zipper again tonight for the first time in at least ten years. What a BLAST!! That awful terror that washes over you when you get to be next in line, up close to that squealing, groaning mess of cable and steel! The horror when you realise it’s just that dinky little pin holding the door closed! The kids screaming in the next cage, and the ride hasn’t even started yet!! Hahahaaa! Still the best ride at the fair!
As a note…we must have had an older model, it flipped around like crazy!! Not sure I could have survived the higher rpm’s of the old days…
Off to have a cup of tea with honey, to sooth my throat so sore from screaming!
Thanks for the site.
As I have told my wife on many occasions, if it wasn’t for Action Park I wouldn’t be a self-proclaimed, semi-pro water slide rider. Hands crossed over your chest, arched back, and riding on your heels is a guaranteed recipe for speed, or in the case of Action Park…disaster.
To quote my younger brother, “What other water park has so many urban legend death stories associated with it,” yet each summer my parents would have no problem allowing us to go.
I remember when they put the canvas top over Geronimo and you could see the imprint of people’s bodies hovering off the slide and touching the cover. People would be walking around the park with huge road rash burns all over their backs from this ride. And of course the massive wedgies you’d walk off with. The first time I rode that slide I was under the weight limit of 100lbs and I remember being scared to death that I’d fly off the thing.
Kamikaze was always one of the underestimated slides at the park. Since it was built into the hill it was a little deceiving but you could get cranking on that thing. I remember my friends dad flying down the slide and he hit the back wall of the landing pool that’s how fast he was going.
The Cannonball was always a bit sketchy. You’d never know what was going to happen once you entered the tubes and embarked on your journey of 15 seconds of pitch darkness only to be shot out 10 ft above the water arms flailing in the air.
Tarzan Swing was another one I was always terrified of when I was younger. Probably because I was too short to reach the triangle so I would have to jump and grab it at the last second just as they would hand it off to you with that long hook-pole. The last time I was there (5 years ago) my buddy, who is 6’3″, never lifted his knees so he did the classic face plant right into the water which was then followed by the swim of shame in that freezing water as the crowd heckled him from up top.
Surf Hill was another good one. I remember I was too light during the time it was opened so I couldn’t get enough speed like the older kids. I don’t know if it’s my own memory or if I’m thinking of an old Action Park commercial, but I remember people getting like 10ft of air of the jumps on the side lanes.
Roaring Springs and Colorado Rapids are classics. I loved the mayhem and free-for-all that ensues once you’re in your raft, or when you’re trying to catch up to your raft and trying not drown from everyone else crowed in the pools.
Ah, so many other great memories…I remember riding the ski lift for the Alpine Slide looking at all the crashed carts in the woods and hoping I wouldn’t be next, I remember almost breaking my toe when I dropped the Aqua Scoot sled on it, I remember when my friend’s dad zoomed past him upside down in one of the pitch black tunnels, and I remember when another friend jumped off the cliff dive and landed on his side and his dad had to jump in after him because he couldn’t breathe or swim to safety and it didn’t seem like the life guards were going after him. I remember Cannonball Loop but unfortunately it was never opened when I was there.
There will never be another park quite like this. I’m just grateful for those experiences and grateful to be alive.
Awesome Site!! I love hearing all the great stories.
Hey, Shawn Edward Jenkins, If you see this, I’m ready to take you up in riding your Zipper ride that you claim can flip 600 or more times in a row. You can reach me at bdbell1940@yahoo.com
The jist of this ride as a rider would be best compared to riding in a clothes dryer. The 1 and only time I rode this I was about 5’0″ and 95lbs, when I was 12. Now that I’m 5’9 and over 200 I couldn’t imagine what it’d be like for me.
bahahahaha, bahahahaha hurricane rules, can’t breathe on it and i laugh like spongebob. oo its starting on the hurricane with my internet fone. i allmost wost wy phone. can’t breat very wel gees. o man o gees arrgh i..cant..mov. wow. that was AWESOME! i’m going again!!!!!!!
I went to Action Park in the summer of 1988 with my twin sister and our youth group. Our leaders split off from us and we all just walked around doing our own thing. We remember the crazy loop as soon as we walked into the park and both thought it looked like a crazy nightmare, especially since it was closed and weeds and pond scum were in the pool at the bottom.
The first ride my sister and I experienced was the Tarzan swing. We watched how the other people did it before we got on so we didn’t make the mistake of face planting. We both lifted our legs and got pretty high. We both remember the water being VERY cold, but thank goodness we didn’t have to swim far because we made it almost to the other side with the swing already.
The next ride was the embarrasing wedgie and even worse enema that my twin sister and I received from the Geronimo. I couldn’t believe we even went on that ride. We must have been dared, especially after we realized how high up we were and how steep the ride was when we reached the top. I also wasn’t going to walk back down. I believe I closed my eyes until I got to the bottom. Luckily we both made it to the bathroom in time!
I also remember riding a slide that had a drop over the water that I wasn’t expecting at all. I don’t believe it was the cannonball because it was near the cliff jumps not the Tarzan swing as others mentioned. I was not instructed to lay back so when I landed I smacked my face and chest really hard on the water. I guess this was my own stupidity, not checking out the whole ride before I went down it.
I also went down a water slide and passed an elderly gentleman in an underground or completely enclosed tube. I don’t remember light holes, like it was pitch black. I slid right under him and I escaped somehow with only a few bruises. I was speeding down the slide with my toes pointed and back arched and I guess he wasn’t. When I came out at the bottom of the tube, his grandaughter was staring at at me and confusingly asked where he was. He came out a moment later and said he was fine too and couldn’t believe that we were both ok.
The wave pool was our biggest scare. We were used to swimming in the ocean, but not in water that deep that all of a sudden started making waves. We were almost all the way to the back and when the waves started it was way too rough and felt much deeper to us. We started trying to swim to the shallower water, but neither of us had the stamina. Our youthgroup leader happened to be there when this happened and rescued us by yelling at us to come to the side of the pool . I don’t remember a lifeguard halping us at all.
We both also jumped off of the higher cliff and were quite proud of ourselves. It felt like forever before we hit the water and then it felt like forever tying to resurface. My sister jumped at least two more times. I chose not too.
All in all, we didn’t come away with any serious injuries just great memories and the rights to say, We survived Action Park!!
The Musik Express at Six Flags Great Adventure was a much better ride in the 1980’s. Back then, the ride had flashing lights, a cool backdrop creating the tunnel effect in the back half, and the operators blasted AC-DC and Led Zeppelin so loud you couldn’t hear yourself speak. The ride also went backwards back then. At some point after I stopped working there (late 80’s/early 90’s) they stopped running it backwards. By the time I was taking my own kids there, they had removed the backdrop and stopped playing music altogether, making it the rather boring version that you describe here. But I’ll always have great memories of that ride in its better days!
I like the ring of fire, minus the feeling of falling out of my seat, and my head nearly hitting the roof. The fire ball is much better though, because the harness eliminates the falling out and the open roof allows for a better view.
I ran the ride on automatic however with a switch of the key from auto to manual, I can override the cycle. It can be operated in both auto and manual.
I still would like someone to come forward, who could accommodate me in breaking my one hour record in riding the Zipper as I would like to attempt to ride it for three hours non stop. e-mail bdbell1940@yahoo.com
Shawn Edward Jenkins, I’m ready to ride your Zipper ride in which you claim it can do 600 or more flips.
Wow great report! I was there also with my family and had pretty much the same thoughts, the Sizzler was by far our favorite ride and you’re right it is the fastest sizzler type ride we have ever been on.
I’ve rode two of these stand-up coasters in my life. The Mantis at Cedar Point (B&M), and the Shockwave at King’s Dominion (original TOGO special). Neither style has very comfortable restraints. The Shockwave restraints look like a medieval torture device, and the Mantis restraints come up in your groin. The G’s that are created by these stand-ups can be uncomfortable to the lower body also. I never rode the B&M Chang down in SF Kentucky so I don’t know if it’s any better. I guess next year I’ll have to give this Green Lantern a try and find out. Should be interesting (and awkward as always being a six foot tall person!).
I’ve actually heard that Chang is one of the smoother stand-up coasters around, though it still has its complaints about the ‘seating’ style like most B&M stand-ups do.
BTW, I like how Shockwave and similar TOGO stand-ups have bunny hops, I mean come on, it’s a stand-up!
hi my name is simon hockley from nottingham uk can any body help iam looking for parts for a rock o plane ,web address new part if still made ?thanks for you time .
This is actually one of my favorite rides of all time. Underrated ride IMO. I also call it the “clothes dryer” as it feels like you’re being tossed around like a sock in a dryer. The best part of the ride is going around the curves, which have some very strong spinning power that makes you squish the person next to you (or they squish you). You also literally come face to face with the people in the car in front of you.
I hate the “2 riders required” rule with this ride. I always have to find someone in line to ride with me. I think I could handle this ride by myself.
This ride always makes me laugh hysterically. It’s fun!
The second scariest part is when They lock you in and you go around while the other people board. Then you know there’s no turning back. The Scariest part is when you go around and you reach that perfect point where you’re at the top edge of the ride and you know you’re about to be sent hurdling face-first towards the ground and all you can do is squeeze tighter on the bars and clench your teeth.
Although I must say this is my favorite ride and I go on it as many times as I can get someone else to ride with me (they don’t allow single riders[probably because you would be sliding back and forth under the lap bar])
The first time I went on it no one else wanted to so I was all by myself. When the restraints came down I tested them. They came up. I used the middle buckle but still it came up enough that I could possibly fall out. I kept testing them right until it took off and still, it gave. What I realized from riding it again at another fair later on is that the restraints don’t lock until the ride starts moving. Unknown to me at the time I spent the whole ride in terror, holding on as tight as I could to lord-knows-what and bracing my body in a way I hoped would keep me from slipping to my death.
Bro the same thing happened to me and my little brother he was only 9 years old I was about 12 the bar did not lock at all snd me and my brother could easily slide out and there was not a lot of cage you could fit through it all very easily as the ride went my brother screamed and cried in horror I was holding one hand on the ceiling and one across my brother holding him down to the seat but my butt was off the seat the whole time just hanging on the shitty bar waiting to fall to our death the whole time it was the closest to death I’ve ever been I will never go back to a carnival ride again after that experience my phone even fell out of my pocket upside down because I had to hold on to us so we didn’t fall to our death every time we passed the dude we screamed for him to stop the ride but he never did and we just thank the lord we are still here today cause I don’t know how I held both of us in there.
This is actually My favorite ride. Since the cars are shaped like wedges they all fold onto each other on the curve. I went on with my sister in one car, and my little sister and her friend in the one facing us. The first thin I noticed was the padding on the roof of the car. I was like “why would you need padding up there?”
But once the ride starts you are basically thrown against every surface in there in a pattern, squishing each other.
The fun part is that you hit the curve, your cars come face to face and you see the other people thrown up against the side and it just starts a full-out laugh fest. We laughed so hard seeing each others faces on that thing that we had stomach aches when we got off.
Definitely go on it, and bring a few buddies so sit in front of you, you won’t regret it!
I am from South Africa and worked on the space roller in North America in 2008 for Floyd And Baxter. This is the coolest ride ever and we had lots of fun!
i vaguely remember my parents taking me there When i was very young. Then i didnt come back until 2003, and have been pretty much going Once A Year. i had no idea these crazy things happened Back Then…im glad its safe Now…anyone with any memories of this place please write hammer@live.com.ph
I will never forget going to this travelling carnival with my older sister when I was a kid (like some 20-odd years ago). There was a Scat there and I wanted to ride it but she refused to go on it with me because she was scared of it. I was too afraid to go on it by myself so I had to miss out. Since then, I have never seen another Scat at a carnival and to this day I am incredibly frustrated about it!
I agree with everyone else’s comments! This is a fun ride that I don’t see around anymore. It’s funny to see it now on a WTCR list because I remember when this ride had first come out and was brand new and nice looking. It was the ride everyone wanted to go on. Many years later I went on one again that I don’t think had been cleaned since it first debuted. The plastic cage windows were all scratched up and you could barely see through them anymore because they were yellowed and filthy. The last time I saw one was at a small travelling carnival. I think it was closed. It looked so old and decrepit I can’t really blame anyone for not wanting to go on it.
I think the last time I went on one of these was in the early 90’s. It actually wasn’t that scary. If you hold on to the wheel and don’t let the car spin mindlessly (and you’ll need your friend’s help for that), it’s actually pretty cool.
I want to say though that this list needs the addition of one more WTCR: the Gravitron. Gravitrons are the ultimate WTC staple. I’d been avoiding them since the fatal accident involving one at my local county fair, but I went on one last month at a Halloween carnival. I swear to you, the entire center console where the carnie sits looked like it was being held together by duct tape. I nearly kissed the floor when it was over.
I was thinking about putting Gravitron on the honorary list’ I’ve seen some pretty rough looking ones! However, I’ve also seen some insanely nice looking ones recently, like the one in the NJ State Fair 2010 trip report or Cygnus X-1 at Morey’s Piers.
This is one of those few rides I refuse to go on. I’ve only been on it a couple of times anyway. The first time was terrifying but fun. The second time, unfortunately, was not fun at all because every time we went upside down, my legs would bang up into the lap bar. It was to the point where I was just pleading internally for the ride to stop because it was so painful. The next day, blackish blue bruises appeared across the tops of my thighs.
I absolutely love this ride. It looks so mild but boy does it pack in the G forces! That Viper ride looks awesome. I hope to see either one again at a carnival someday.
I went on of these a long time ago (sounds like I got the rim driven kind – it’s the only kind I’ve ever seen) and it was a horrible experience. Every time our car was at the bottom of the cycle it would rock back and forth really hard, like as if someone had jammed on the breaks and let go. I remember the entire ride being like that. It was so uncomfortable and scary, I was just praying for it to be over. The irony is that if memory serves me correctly, we had waited in line for AGES to get on it, and there was even a delay to hose off one of the seats if you know what I mean. And then it was an awful ride. So… yeah.
These things just look freaky. I’ve never been on one and never will.
Oh, I’ve thought of another good honorary WTCR: those 1001 Nachts/Rainbow variety of rides. Every time I’ve seen one at a carnival they look like utter crap, making weird noises with most of their lights not functioning.
I heard something about re-tracking being done a few years ago. I don’t know (or think for that matter from riding) that it was a full re-tracking but if some work was done, then it was most likely to the left side of Rolling Thunder.
I`ve never riden that, I`d like so much too, but here in Brazil, only one park has one: Tupã in Porto Alegre and other cities in RS. Here where I ive I can`t find it.
I think it`s lke an Enterprise (the way it spins), could be delightful.
My family went up there back when it was called Vernon Valley Great Gorge. It was over by the Playboy bunny ranch, where my grandfather did work as a plumber.
The water park had not been built the first time; it was just the Alpine slide. I think it might have been 76 or 77, they were just getting started.
The carts were new, fast, and dangerous as hell.
I’ve ridden a few slides since then (including the ones at Gatlinburg), there’s really no comparison. The VV ones were fast, had some tight turns, and there was one spot where you literally went damn near straight down about 1o feet. I kid you not; you’d see the person in front of you vanish, then about 5 seconds later you would go straight down.
Well, I didn’t. For whatever reason I ignored the little “Slow” sign and hit that drop at full blast. Shot straight out like some sort of Wil-E-Coyote on a sled. Then *wham* landed hard on the track below and almost flipped it. Hit my knee and tore a nice gash through kid’s denim jeans.
It was at that moment I understood that life could kill me. And it would be fun.
Ever since then, I really had no fear of rides. I mean what, how can you compare to that? Even at Gatlinburg, the people said “Holy cow, you were almost coming off the tracks there”. But it’s ok. I’m 42, and got the best training one can find at Vernon Valley.
deseo informacion sobre el himalaya musik expres que sew tienen en venta. Cuales son sus condiciones de financiamiento ???
si es posible mandeme informacion exaustiva, y su catalogo de juegos en venta.
Gracias soy propietario de juegos mecanicos en mexico ( Villagran, Guanajuato Mexico) Tels. 014111643082 fax. 014111650362 por favor contactenos.
There’s a video on You Tube where two riders used their body motion to flip 284 times, while the ride was stationary. What I would like to do is to attempt a four hour ride on the Zipper and while the ride is running, be flipped 500 times from the control panel of the ride resulting in rapid flips. Anybody want to take me up on this? bdbell1940@yahoo.com
i never rode the ride but it looks pretty fn 2 ride,man i feel sad that i never rode it,well good luck 2 me it will be @my fair this year 2011 babyyy!!!!
they do look pretty kewl!!! i would have 2 say i like the vortex out of all of them – 2 thumbs up 4 me- SO KEWL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! but i JUST THOUGHT i wll like the tango and the vortex out of all of the rides kewl!!!
the great new york state fair has a zipper every year in syracuse n.y. the james e. strates shows is the ride operator for the fair .the fair is a 12 day run aug til labor day .go to the nysfair web site!!!
The Zipper is one classic that will never lose its touch.
On a side note I did work a similar ride called Chaos (another Chance ride) for nearly four years. That ride deserves a WTCR title for all its mechanical and computer problems. However despite its problems it was my favorite ride to work at Belmont. Unfortunately Belmont traded it to Chance Rides for a Unicoaster as part of a contract deal.
I have been on the one at Six Flags Over Georgia for many years. I first started riding it when I was 10. I’m 22 now and for my birthday my friends took me to Six Flags to ride my favorite flat ride…only problem was I was too tall to for the lid to close on the car.
DoD3Brian, I did make contact with Matt Cook and others from Carnival Warehouse at the IISF Show in Gibsonton Florida today and they are going to look into where I can take record setting rides on the real insane carnival rides. That includes my attempts to break my own record in riding the Zipper, which I rode for an hour plus several years ago. Like to go for 3-4 hours and do it on one that is set at a faster speed, the same way the Aussies have theirs set.
I`ve never been on board, but I`ve read here on net that in Brazil, there was one of this ride at the extinct Tivoli Park, in Rio de Janeiro, from where a woman falled, hurting herself a lot and until today, even the park`s already closed (in 1995, I think), she didn`t receive tany indenization. The ride there was called “Gaiola das Loucas”.
so how was everybodys day ??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
One long awaited summer day, my friends and I piled into a car and headed from Long Island towards NJ to the infamous Action Park. We couldn’t wait for an adrenaline rush, brought to you by the most dangerous water park I had ever been to. My clearest memory was Geronemo slide, or the Cannonball Falls, it was the one with the drop into the pool . That damn thing was crazy –pure mayhem. There was a life guard at the top of the slide, and one stationed at the pool below. People flew down that slide so fast that the life guard stationed at the bottom couldn’t keep track of the bodies flying out. I remember some pimple faced kid waving his arms and whistling frantically for people to quickly swim out of the way before the next human bullet came flying down that dark slide, and into the air. People became human projectiles, as they shot out of that tube like a machine gun before dropping 5 to 10 feet into the pool. It was pure uncontrolled chaos. The screaming and yelling in the pool was accompanied by frenzied and hysterical swimmers. They all were dodging the propelling bodies above them. It was reminiscent of a scene out of the movie “Jaws” when everyone at the beach ran out of the water screaming for their lives. It was the same damn thing, and that was all I needed to see.
I quickly got into the long line for my adrenaline rush. Back then I barely met the weight minimum for many of the rides, like the Cannonball Loop. I only went on that one time because I smacked my elbows and face in the tube and almost got stuck, and then I came out shaking. But, the Falls/slide seemed like something I could handle. When it was my turn, I slid down and unfortunately slowed to a stop. I quickly found myself in a dire predicament. I had to crouch down and walk out of the slide to jump into the pool, but before I could, I heard another sliding sound. The dumbass pimple-faced life guards sent someone else down the slide while I was still in it! I spread my arms and legs and held onto the upper part of the tunnel, clinging, while some guy slid right under me. He yelled “Shit” and was gone in a second. When the guy hit the pool of pandemonium; he must have told the zit-faced teenage life guard to stop the slide. I quickly made my way out of the tunnel. Once I jumped into the pool below, the bodies started flying through the air again. The imminent danger and bedlam made it a Hell of a lot of fun!
Yeah count me in as one of the people that survived Action Park! When my family and I (mom, dad, younger brother) started going there, it was originally called Vernon Valley-Great Gorge. The only thing that was there at the time was the alpine slide in the summer time and of course the ski resort in the winter.
Looking back on it now the slide was like a freakin death trap. I think there were three lanes down the slide. One was a slow land and the other two were fast if I remember correctly. You first had to get a cart from the stack at the bottom of the ski chair lift and then put it on the chair lift itself. Then you had a nice leisurely ride to the top where you got a birds-eye view of riders coming down the hill. No helmets of course. You almost always saw some crazy kid coming down the fast track at break-neck speeds and you just knew he was going to wipe out around a big curve! It was so fun to watch.
So then you get to the top of the hill were you were supposed to get off. Of course you had to wrestle with getting the darn cart off the ski lift chair, but once that was done, you had to decide which track to take. Slow or fast? I was a stupid kid of course so I always choose the fast one. I honestly don’t think I ever flipped the cart, at least I don’t have any memories of doing so. I do remember it was sooooo much fun! I do remember running into the back of other people in front of me that were going way too slow. Sometimes by the end of the ride 4-5 carts would be stacked up all because of one slow rider. That really sucked. Also sometimes you saw people outside of the track as you whizzed looking woozy because they had been going to fast and flipped their cart off the track…..
Eventually Vernon Valley-Great Gorge slowly started adding other attractions like the water slides and Motoworld. We went every year and I remember it was always exciting to checkout what was added for that year. I remember one of their bigger slides, don’t know the name of it. IT WAS INSANE! 10000% INSANE! I remember you had to walk up this big hill to get to it, then up the stair case to get to the top. You waited in line and all I remember thinking was “is this in any way shape or form a good idea?” Well eventually it got to your turn and you are standing at the top. The attendant gives you the basic instructions (ie legs and arms crossed) and then you move to the edge of the slide. You look down and you see NOTHING! NADA! You don’t see the slide at all it was totally vertical. I was like “OMG OMG OMG I’m going to die!!!!!” I swallowed my heart to keep in my chest and took off…..WHAT A RUSH! I think it had like 2 or three bumps in it and it was just a blast! Any idea what the name of it was?
I remember the loop slide too just sitting there all by it’s lonesome over in the corner. It was never open when I was there, I would have definitely ridden it if had. You know back then when you are young you have no fear of course! I’d love to have ridden it!
I never did much in Motoworld, I was just too young back then. I remember the tanks though. I think you had to pay extra to do the tanks, that’s why we never did them. I always wanted to race the LOLA cars, but again I was just too young…..
Thanks for the great article! We moved from NJ to PA in 1983 so probably 1982 was the last year we went to Action Park. Brought back some fond childhood memories……
I have never seen one of these rides in real life, and wold very much like to ride one. but for some reason the ones with the front fasting seets look extreemly uncomfortable. has eny one been on one with front fasting seets? if so what is it like comped the to ones with ‘pods’
This has to be one of the most memorable rides I’ve ever been on. Back when I was in Primary School, on the day of our annual fete, we had one of these… except it was called the Cyclone.
The rides pretty cool, and I was having fun until…. well it was great except for the fact the only thing that keeps you in your seat is yourself. You’re basically at the mercy of the bars you hold onto either side of you. The centrifugal forces that keep you pressed to the walls help a lot too. But not quite…
The backward tilting angles of the walls coupled with the centrifugal forces actually meant I found myself sliding inch by inch up my seat as the rotational speed increased. And that centrifuge kept me from trying to shuffle back down too.
Basically I ended up hovering with my butt half a foot off of my seat by the time the ride was almost over. Not fun, as I kept thinking that all that was keeping me from being slid up off my seat and out the top of the platform was my own hands straining to hold onto the bars -and yes my hands were sliding up too!
I was only about 11-12 years old at the time, so maybe being older and a bit heavier now would prevent this from happening?
Now, whether or not I would have been flung up and out if I let go is something I wouldn’t personally want to test. Also, I still wonder if the ride kept on going and never stopped… how far up from my seat would I have slid? Would I have kept sliding? Who knows?!
Anyways, I think I became a little more scared of rides after being on this thing.
Haven’t seen another one since. Would most likely NOT go on one again if I did.
I went to Action Park in the late 80’s with my brother and a bunch of friends. We were all drinking and we all took mescaline, making my memories of the day surreal and scary. The Cannonball Loop was open that day and my brother was the only one brave enough to try it. He came out bleeding, with a slice down his back from the seam in the tube. My friend came close to drowning in the wave pool. We were all beaten up and bruised at the end of the day, but I’m still proud to say we were there and we survived.
looks just as fun as all the rest! i need to go traveling and find all these rides! i would love every single one! there is one at martins fantasy island on grand island new york called mindwarp! it was all spinny and seat-twisty and i rode it and loved it. i think of the song halfway gone by lifehouse riding mindwarp because it feels like i am fading away because of the g-pressure!
The first is silly; I’m not a ride person and on this particular day, my sister convinced me to go on a lot of shakey carnival rides as a test-run for going on the more serious brand. I was not having fun. I’d been tossed through the air, held at odd angles above the ground and spun silly, and I wanted a nice little break; I wanted the Berry Go Round! We were the only two on the ride. I don’t know if it was the previous rides catching up to me, or the dank hot fiberglass strawberry spinning but I had to fucking puke. The operator offered us a second go-round and my sister lovingly accepted; afterwards the operator said, “alotta you teen girls ended up queasy in them berries,” so I didn’t feel so bad.
My second story involves the big wheel in the centre. My sister and I were taking our little cousin, maybe four at the time, on her first carnival rides and naturally, the Berry Go Round caught her eye. Busy day at the Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto (CNE) and our berry was packed with kids. Ride goes, my little cousin grabs onto the wheel and she does not let go. I guess she thought it was a hand-hold and not part of the ride. The other kids happily spun away while she got tossed around at our feet. I think I panicked and yelled for someone to stop the ride, but it didn’t stop. My cousin eventually got up and we closed out the ride in stony silence, never telling my aunt what happened.
Family secrets, yo. Maybe some berry-seatbelts might have helped.
Also, as brand new Jerseyan, I love your article about Action Park. I just love mentioning it when meeting people anywhere in NJ, everyone has a story!
Whoaa-M-G!, aaa lot will be happening this summer, wowwee! But I’m only consering on going on the fairs that has Thee,,Best Rides (including the -Zipper-)
Thanks Ever So Much For Posting Them! I’m Really Looking Forward To The Events This “Spr-ummer!” (Spring and Summer together, lol)
Alright I don’t know who the hell is writing these reveiws but you should find out what the hell your talking about before you do a review. #1 all mechnical devices have flaws and break be it your washer,car or the airplane you ride in. There was a change in the Zipper for sure. But it was not just to regulate speed. The 1st Zippers were run by hydrolics, There was a track in which two tires drove the main boon, then there were two ford rear ends that drove the cable. Thats where the loss of speed came from. #2 the sound of clanking metal is not from the track but from the K braces. there is play in the braces cause if they were tight the would break. kind of like tying your boat to the pier to tight.#3 there are 3 locks on the door, the COTTER KEY was always there it was the lock on the side that was added. Next time you go on a ride and right a review look at the ride. #4 that was your money fying around in the TUB. and I’m sure that white trash caney was greatful!
This reviews on this site are mostly geared towards the casual carnival goer and are satirical at times. I try not to go into excruciating detail because, frankly, it’ll bore some readers.
That being said, every source I’ve seen attributes the speed change to the rides intensity.
On the other hand Casino Pier hasn’t gotten a new ride since 2007–and even then that was a remake of an older ride. Could they be the ones struggling now?
I think Casino Pier is doing all right. They have a decent collection of rides plus that waterpark that I’m sure rakes in money. Although if Funtown Pier keeps making additions they will certainly give Casino Pier a run for their money.
BTW, I was just down in Seaside yesterday, they had the Top Spin parked over where Chaos used to be, so that might be where it’s going. Didn’t see the other ride anywhere though.
Being from Long Island, I spent time at action park as a teenager in the 80’s. I remember a ride called the Cannonball Falls where the tubes actually went underground before flinging you out over a giant freezing lake. I remember one of the tubes being closed once while I was waiting on line for the ride, and a bunch of employees milling around the other tube. When I asked what was wrong, someone told me “some kid got stuck”.
The Cannonball Loop was always dry and never in operation whenever I was there. Too bad, because I would’ve probably tried it. It did look utterly ridiculous though, even to an 18-year old.
I was the ride lead for this ride I would stand at the top and hose people down it was a dangerous ride, they used to try to bribe us with food vouchers before they opened it so they asked us to ride it first…. As the lead I was asked all the time I’d always say no…. There is a hatch just before the loop that you could get people out… The best place was to be in the pool at the bottom… Many tops came off when women rode it with a two piece…. I was a teenage boy can’t blame me for always wanting to be in the pool at the bottom…also the lining would tear and we would shut off the water and climb the loop to find it…. When a rider would go you would hear three bangs on the loop most people did not stick to the top of the loop hence the bangs all back hits, also the ride used to get snails in it that also cut peoples backs up…. It was part of the alpine group of rides, that was the bumper boats, alpine slide, sling shot, bungee and the loop…. I think that pic from 96 is me in the blue shirt…. At the top… I never understood why people would ride this they would always ask me if it is safe and scary…. Also if you rode this ride I was the one on the top always spraying people in the line coming up even if it was cold…..
Awesome. And yes, Rolling Thunder always loads at sloth-like pace, but I still love it. I haven’t been to Great Adventure this season yet, but I’m curious to see how the Green Lantern is going to pan out. My sister and I suspect it will be a bit of a disappointment. We think Six Flags is banking on the position in which you ride as the thrill, while the speed and height may be compromised (think Superman). I’m anxious to hear what you think when it opens.
Oh yeah, I’m also very curious to see how Green Lantern turns out. I’ve never been on a stand-up before so it’ll be a totally new experience I guess. Then again I remember thinking how awesome Superman was going to be when it first went up, only to be let down by its boring layout. Luckily, GL’s layout looks pretty good!
Rides4U.com still lists it as for sale so I don’t think it’s the same one, unless the site hasn’t updated or something. It’s selling for $199,000, that’s a pretty good price for a Top Spin! lol
DAAAMMMNNNN FUUCKKKIIIINNN IIIITTT!!!
I MISSED MY 1ST EVER CHANCE TO GO ON THAT RIDE LAST WEEKEND! 🙁
IT WAS IN BAYONNE, NJ (RIGHT ACROSS THE BIG RIVER FROM WHERE I LIVE IN! AND IT WAS RUNNING ONLY ON SATURDAY FOR A SOME CHURCH THERE!
I found out about the carnival (BLUE SKY AMUSEMENTS posted it up on their website) there early Saturday morning, and i had to work on Saturday night..so i had to wait on Sunday. So i drove up there last night and arrived around 7pm, and once i got there, i saw the rides bulit (Including the ZIPPER)…BUT NO ONE WAS THERE EXCEPT THE CARNIES, TAKING THE RIDES APART!! I MISSED THE ONE CHANCE TO GO ON THE ZIPPER THAT NIGHT!!! IF ONLY I DIDN’T HAVE TO WORK THAT NIGHT!!! GODDDAMMMIT, WHY DO GOOD THINGS HAPPEN IN MY LIFE AND SOMEHOW…THEY DISSAPEAR! WHAT THE FUCKK!!!!!! :-[
I grew up in the 1980s and I remember riding a ride similar to the orbiter but it was black and grey and it had a tall black statue of darth vader on top of the center and then there was another similar ride with red and white lights and red siren lights that flashed and made the siren sounds. cant remember the names of the rides but if you know them or can locate pictures I would be happy to see them. thank you and God bless
Hey there, it’s the Musik Express operator coming back to bug you again. 🙂 I may have been operating the ride while you were in town!
Ghost Ship was updated for 2011 a bit: some more rooms were added and the path through the ship was altered as well. They made it darker, too; during our little “staff walkthrough” to give the actors a chance to practice pre-season I ended up walking into walls a few times. Also the Sportland haunted house will finally open this season… sometime. They ran into issues with inspectors, I think.
Apparently the Condor’s manufacturer (Huss, Germany) isn’t making new Condor rides anymore which won’t help matters. Morey’s Pier got a new ride this season, too! A KMG ride called “It” and it’s one of those pendulum-like rides similar to the one in Ocean City.
Of course I still like Bertazzon rides the most, like my Express. 🙂
I will never go on that ride again. My neck feels like Gumby’s…ow…I feel like I’m going to be sick. I’m only ten and I don’t think I’ll recomend it anytime soon…*barf*
Action Park was one of the MOST amazing amusement parks I’ve ever experienced. I loved Cannonball Falls and that gigantic slide (one time it took me 45 minutes of standing aside for other riders at the top, to make the decision to finally go). I always experienced bung hole bitin’ wedgies on that slide. LOL!
All the references to how dangerous Action Park was and some of the negativity expressed by the writer about the rides is disappointing. Many of us simply loved Action Park. Where can one go these days to experience the pure adrenaline rush of an Action Park when most amusement parks are snoozefests like Disneyworld. Yuck! Out with “family friendly” and in with “scare the shit outta ya.”
Thanks Mike, glad you liked it! Also, if you guys want to put it on the BSA site I’d be glad to make a modified version with different bumpers (advertising Blue Sky Amusements instead of this site.)
Same Person as Above,
Now just remember that rides always going to “drop-out-shakes”
ie; –your coins that are in your clothes or purses, so, either only
take dollar bills w/you , or make sure that you only put quarters
& other change in your pockets, so, that when I stop the ride to
let all of you screaming monkeys off-of-it, I can pick-up all of your
change & put it in my own pocket, (gotta realize, coins drop to the
ride operators, like myself down below, bills won’t/don’t) so, just
always remember that I wanna eat lunch later in the afternoon,and
all of the money that falls down to a ride jock down below, helps him
fill his stomach, so I just thought I’d say, THANKS FOR LUNCH!!!
but one good thing is, that if you had really shitty festival food over the
day/night is that the ride will always make you barf if you overate during
the day, you just gotta MAKE SURE that the operator that’s running the ride at the time, is a Commie or Iraq’ other than one of your Brothers or Sisters
that were BORN IN THE USA , so that your puke falls on the down and out & onto the right people below!!
If your at a carnival & need to start passing-out your beer farts, the best place to let’em go is inside a Graviatron Ride, so that the nasty shit scent will rotate all around & everyone that’s inside & on the ride @ the time, can respect the stink of your ass also
I will never forget the day I scraped and bruised myself riding the Alpine Slide, and I wasn’t even going THAT fast on one of the curves. The cart just kept on going and booted me out, lol. One of many memorable momentss at Action Park. Everything seemed normal and just part of the fun back then, now as we compare those rides with the ones today, with all the safety measures and stuff, we categorize those as bizarre… maybe so, but I don’t regret a second of it!
Awesome list of rides. I wrote an article about amusement park equipment several years ago – and learned that Chance took its original design for the Skydiver and transformed it to create … wait for it … the Zipper.
The original Zippers went just a little too fast and caused many riders to get sick. This problem has been addressed in most Zippers still in operation, as noted in other comments.
The bigger issue – the door-only restraints – meant that folks could easily fall/fly out if the door fell open during operation. This design flaw has caused quite a few senseless injuries and fatalities over the years.
Zippers are now supposed to be retrofitted with secondary harness restraints. I am sure, however, that you can find many without them. Unless you know the age and condition of the Zipper in question, I wouldn’t do it. 🙂
Eyerly gets its name from Lee Eyerly, an aviator who took his knowledge of flight to create rides that continue to be the staple of carnival midways nationwide:
How awesome was Eyerly? Well, it is long rumored that Disney ripped him off when creating the Dumbo adn Mad Hatter Tea Party rides. Quite the compliment.
In the Midwest in the early 1970s the ride was also known as “The Salt and Pepper Shakers” and/or “The Hammers”.
Jeez, I musta had a cast iron stomach and brass balls back then.
Nowadays I’d probably lose my keys, my wallet, my phone and my sunglasses. Upon disembarking I’d no doubt lose my lunch.
I rode this coaster about 10 years ago – apparently when the old cars were in place. The man next to me screamed his head off – but I found the whole experience less than exciting … In fact, it was pretty painful!
I sported bruises from the shoulder harness alone that lasted over a week.
I FINALLY RODE THE -ZIPPER- LAST NIGHT!!
It was in Mercer County Park (Reithoffer Shows provided the rides there) around Trenton, NJ, where it was sort of a fundraising campaign for D.A.R.E, a campaign to “keep kids out of drugs and violence”..and stuff like that.
Though I came alone but I had some somebody to ride along with me
My 1st ride on Zipper at around 8pm (the time I’ve arrived to the fair) was not much exciting because the car i was in, didn’t flip much as I thought it would. And in my 2nd/last ride @ around 10pm (after their amazing fireworks display) on that “Screamin-Metal Death Trap”, was absolutely…INSAANE! I Must thank you for providing me the information. 😀
I CAN’T WAIT TO RIDE THE RIDE AGAIN TO -WHEREVER IT WILL BE-! Thank You Sooo much. I owe ya! 😀
Nice! I’ve noticed sometimes you’ll get a pretty tame ride on Zipper, just the luck of the draw I guess. Also after a few more rides you’ll start to get a feel of when to rock the car to make it flip multiple times, that’s always fun! Although I think the best is when the car points away from the center while going around the turn; you just get launched off the seat during those moments!
1. Yeah you’re right, I’m guessing when it comes to that ride, 1st rides on it are just sometimes less intense than on 2nd or more times on it, lol! 🙂
But glad I finally conquered it. I finally got to feel what I’ve missed out SOOO MUCH after fearing Sooo Much about when in my younger years. Though I was pretty skeptical as I got on to the car, and asking the operator, “Omg, Make sure it’s locked in securely!” and I was unsure about it. As the ride started I shouted “Ooooohhh S*******!!” while holding on to the bars on the cage’s door tightly for dear life! And in one of those moment when my car shifted directions from one end to another, my head almost banged against the door..that was something I didn’t expect from the effects during the ride. Also on my 2nd/last ride on Zipper before headin home, the car I was in flipped 10 times (even while the ride starts rotating the other way)…WOOOWW..:-D That was….UNBELIEVABLE.. I’m glad I took that chance. It was either NOW..or NEVER. And I also love the ride because of the cars’ original cushion-y leather interior. 🙂
I saw some were worn out or abused. but I was lucky enough to get in on one of the good cars (with the best kept leather interior)
2. Also, I researched -Blue Sky-‘s website on the line-up they have, and the only good ride they have is..of course,….”The Wicked Chainsaw” ride, better know as…”ZIPPER”.
Their line-up wasn’t that much cool as Reithoffer’s rides are. They have some Spectaculars also such as -Pharaoh’s Fury- (I LOVE THAT RIDE, MY 3RD FAVE), -Ring of Fire- (MY 2ND FAVE) and their -Zipper- (MY 1ST FAVE AS OF NOW) at night, its lights twinkle brightly and proudly as it should (including the the ride’s name sign) 🙂
I use to go to Action Park all the time as a kid. Didn’t feel like you went if you did not go home hurt some how. Went in a 12 passenger van one time with a big group of friends. I dislocated my shoulder on the Colorado River Ride, tearing my rotator cuff, ligaments front and back and my labrum. I was one of the best options to drive home we were all so hurt at the end of the day. Surf Hill had two options…one with a jump and one without. There was no way to not get hurt if you weighed more than 200 lbs. It took us all down at one point. Place cost me a baseball scholarship but I still have great memories from it.
Regarding “the cannonball” slide; the black tubes shown in the photos on the site are not the original alignment of the slides; they are the tamer alignment installed by Mountain Creek. The orginal cannonball alignment was even more insane than shown. The tubes went from a high platform down a 45 to 50-degree slope into the pitch black. The tubes went under the ground and around an immediate, sharp, 90-degree turn to the right, then a short straight-away before shooting you out about 10-feet over the freezing cold pond. They actually had a bar at the top of the tubes at the beginning of the slide to help lower yourself in as the slide started at the steep angle downhill. I rode this crazy slide in the 7th grade in 1981. Great rush.
Are you kidding, this ride can be a blast. I was a kid the first time I rode this by myself at a traveling carnival in the 70’s. There used to be one at the old Elitch Gardens in Denver, CO in the early 90’s. I had a best friend back then who thought he was really tough, so I convinced him to ride this. I spun the wheel as fast as I could the whole ride, it took him a half hour to walk straight and stop dry heaving. It’s one of my fondest memories. You have to spin the wheel or you shouldn’t bother getting on it. I loved the feeling that ride gave me, a kind of euphoria, but I’m strange that way.
I rode the Super Loop once by myself, back in the 70’s when I was a kid. I was fine until it stopped at the top for several seconds, I seriously thought I was going to fall out. I don’t think the old one had as much stuff to keep you in it like the new model. I just remember straining to hold on to the lap bar when it stopped upside down and praying that the operator would move the damn thing. I remember hearing change falling out of people’s pockets and hitting different parts of the ride. People used to say the carnies stopped it upside down on purpose so they could shake all the change out of peoples pockets and then pick it up after closing. Of course I don’t believe that now, but I did when I was a kid. I also remember thinking it looked flimsy like a gust of wind could knock the whole thing over. It had a bunch of cables to keep it stable. I’m suprised that ride is still around.
Oh no, you were correct. The carnies most definitely try to shake loose the change… You’d be suprised how much stuff is found on rides. People get so wiped out and can’t wait to get off these things and they totally forget to check for lost items.
I remember this ride when i was stationed in Germany. It was in 1984. I did not ride it but my friend did. I believed the ride lasted for over 5 minutes, at this one it stopped midway up for about 30 seconds or more. I used to always tell people about this ride
yep, it is an o.k ride. I have rode it 3 times, the first time i was on it with some drunks, i just knew it was gonna happen the one behind me threw up, luckily it missed me. I liked hanging upside down for those 15 seconds though.
Yeah, I was hoping for “Tornado” to be there, too. but I guess maybe next year..hopefully? Anyway, I went there Last Saturday for the Fireworks (although the ending kinda sucked) but all I brought was just $40 and a friend for 2 BBQ “Beef-kebobs”, 2 Gate Admissions, and Double-rides on -ZIPPER-. Although the “Wild Claw” ride looked exciting but we didn’t have enough money for it. The “Pharaoh’s Fury” ride didn’t get quite higher as it should’ve. The “Crazy Mouse” coaster is the same as in the Meadowlands Fair each year. And the “Tango” I hear is quite the “pain-bringer”, and we weren’t so gutsy to ride it, lol. But yeah, we had fun! 🙂
Sounds like you had a good time Robert! Also, I always thought Tango seemed painful before I rode but it really isn’t; it’s like sitting on a bike seat.
Lol. You know, to be honest Brian, The last time I rode a bike was like..6 Years Ago, hehe. I kinda forgot how it feels like after I thought how Painful bike seats are..and that they’re not as comfy as they were made in the time I had a bike.
In comparison, I see that the “Power Surge” and “Tango” both kinda operate in similar ways, right?
Action Park remains to this day one of my favorite amusement parks. I went there several times as a high schooler in the 80s, and while it seems obvious in hindsight, it never occurred to me at the time the very real danger posed by the various attractions. I still have a scar somewhere on my body from a spectacular spill I took on the Alpine Slide that relieved me of some skin. I hit a turn too quickly (which was easy to do) and ended up flipping with the cart landing just behind me barely missing my head and me sliding a short distance before coming to a stop. That’s the only injury I ever sustained. The rest of the time, I just had an absolute blast.
And, of course, there was that crazy loop slide. It was always a sight to behold, but it was never open any of the times I went. Rumor was that someone broke their neck on it and the ride was closed permanently. I don’t think this really happened, but it was believable enough. I mean, just look at it! It’s crazy that even the otherwise reckless owners of Action Park were afraid to open that thing, yet they never dismantled it. I wonder what they were waiting for?
How about more updates to the site? I miss the days when articles were out every couple of days… I won’t lie, I never play the flash games here. I just read the articles which I love.
Clever and a great idea, love the 3ds undertrack. Some of the track does stick through but apart from that, the g’s are realistic for bobsleds and it has a good layout. Well done.
seems the Musik Express variety have smaller hills/dips…..the original Himalaya’s
I remember had the disco ball that was pitched 180 degrees to create falling snow effects, the tunnel had a stobe light, and the front portion had spotlights that would turn the cars green, red, purple and yellow. And there were always the tight sweater super shapely ski chicks painted into the scenery….Palasaides Amusement park had 2 at the same time, one was a “Super Himalaya” and the other one was jungle themed and called the Jaguar….when I first started driving back in’77 Coney Island had a very old Himalaya (with the painted on red letters), Music Express, plus a Cortina Bob
which was also a snow scene and very uncomfortable to ride because you sat with your partner between your legs and you would get tossed to the outer side of the car….(the only other model like this I’ve seen was in the mid 60’s on the Funtown Pier in Seaside Heights and I believe that one was called Sun Valley)..The Polar Express also seems like an antique version- the hills are steep, the back of one car fans in slightly to the car behind it, I believe these cars are made of wood, and they face counter clockwise….there was also one at CI called the Super Cat which had a double dip as opposed to the high pitched back, and a canopy would cover the riders when the ride was at top speed (Cat= Caterpillar)…Swiss Bob was also a well known snow themed ride, and a lot of fun to ride because of the lights, music and the speed. Each car bore the flag of a nation that would enter Bobsledding events, and the rides were always shiny and polished…very hard to find these days….Manufacturer was originally Edy Meier (SIC?) of Zurich who also introduced the Himalya
I rode Demas’ Inversion at the San Diego County Fair. I thought the ride was alright, it had a good rush when the main arm flipped but our seats didn’t rock. It’s named the “Rock-It”.
i rode the rock-o-plane a few years back and i was in the front facing seats they are rather uncomfortable and during the ride i ended up smacking my head off the back of the pod and i was extremely uncomfortable during the whole ride
In total honesty,..I must say that this year’s fair…TOTALLY ROCKED! BETTER THAN ALL THOSE DEPRESSING PAST YEARS OF THE FAIR. AND TO BELIEVE HOW -25 YEARS and Counting-, the fair rolls on, EVERY YEAR (right around my birthday) I’ve Been That Excited Like This In My Whole Life!
GOOD GOSH I went there on the 4th of July for the Fireworks (it lasted kind of short but had and interesting finale), I rode on EVERY SINGLE THRILL RIDE there
-ZIPPER (only 3 times before it “broke down” around midnight”
-RING OF FIRE
-Bonzai
-Crazy Mouse
-Fire Ball (though the claw didn’t spun while swinging)
-and the ride that I’ve feared the MOST since the 1st time it was debuted at the fair…..-SPACE ROLLER-. i finally rode that Beast, TWICE..RIGHT BEFORE CLOSING! IT WAS…INN-FREAKIN-SANE!! 😀
How were the crowds on the 4th? We usually avoid weekends, holidays and specials nights (like Carload night) to avoid the crowds, but it seems like you got on quite a few rides!
Really? The more ppl there, the better! 😀 It was a huge crowd. When Me and my awesome friend/karate sensei (Yeah, I’ve started taking his classes just last week and he’s super friendly. I’ve invited him, he’s a huge Fairgoer like me, lol.) got to the parking lot, the lot was Almost Full. And Yepp, Thanks to the $25 Handstamp we’ve bought We rode every thrill ride there. They could’ve put more rides though, as it was their 25th anniversary event. But that was my best -21st- Birthday Ever! 🙂
-Space Roller- was so intense. The 1st time we were in line for it, and it was our time to get to our seats, I wasss sooo nervous. and at the last minute before the restraints go down, I litterally got off my seat, “chickened-out” lol, and walk towards the exit..as I watched him have the best time of his life on that ride. But them right before closing, I realized I missed out so much on it. So actually went on for my 2nd attempt by myself (I sat close to the center), didn’t back down, and held for my life on that crazy thing! I was yelling, “OHH MMYY GOSH”, lmao! It was fun. And the last ride before the fair closed for the night, My friendly sensei quickly went to sit right next to me on the ride (I sat on the edge that time) and enjoyed the ride for the last time while the “Party Rock Anthem” song by LMFAO played. It was AWESOME. and after that, we headed home
I’m from Mississippi, but was visiting friends in NYC during the summer of ’80, and we spent a wild and crazy weekend at Action Park. The speed boats, waterslides, fun, fun, fun!!! None of us got hurt, maybe because we kept hitting the beer kiosks, and thus were limber enough to go with the flow!! Does anyone remember the human maze? You had a tall flag so you could be found if you couldn’t manage to get out.
Looks awesome. Carnivals around here, suck. Badly. I dont know what it is but, they get worse every year. My local one this year has…
A Sizzler.
“fun house”
and a few little kid rides…
I have them in my basement, there’s one in my bathroom. I got in the shower looked up and it was just chillen in the top conner. I used axe and a lighter to kill it(:
I was only brave enough to ride the Sky Diver once back in the early eighties. It wasn’t a very pleasant experience. Very similar to the description in the above article. Not very comfortable, but I had finally gotten up the nerve to try it and if nothing else could/can say that I actually rode it.
While it may not be the most comfortable ride on the midway, I always thought it was the best looking piece out there. I still think it is one of the most aesthetically pleasing rides ever created. The multi-colored cars, the perfect symmetry of its design. It always made a great centerpiece for the fair that came around here back in the 70s and 80s.
Chance made some great rides back in the day. Absolute classics like the Tobaggan, Music Fest, Rock n Roll, etc.
But I think the Sky Diver is their most perfect machine. Simple but elegant. The article mentions the long light tubes; there are a few Sky Diver out there still, but the ones I’ve seen recently were fitted with turbo lights. A definite improvement in its original lighting design, I think.
I actually saw some YouTube video recently of a refurbished Sky Diver fitted with sequenced LEDs along its sweeps; I want to say its Powers Great American Midway’s piece. The ride looks absolutely amazing though! Here’s the vid:
BREAKDANCE is a new take off on the early 60’s popular ride Calypso…..the cars didn’t spin on Calypso…..Palasaides NJ had one called the HOOTNANNY….
this is a update of a older ride, similair to the Kite Flyer being a new form of Paratrooper, which was a update of the even earlier SPITFIRE…..I miss the good old days of Roll O Planes, Flying Coasters, Lifting Paratroopers, Swiss Bob’s, and even the notoriously hazardous SWINGIN’ GYM…..worst rides I ever rode? Something called SPINAROO, The Boomerang, and a rare mid 60’s ride called the Meteor….there are videos of this on UT….never got to ride the notorious Chance TURBO…it was at Seaside Heights NJ Casino Pier for about 2 years like 71-73 and out of service both times I went…..
the fair in my town are pretty decent , rides like thunder bolt and enterprise top spin high energy fireball top spin and much more, it’s like every year we have a new ride
Oh man, great nostalgia. There’s not much out there on Water Works, but I’m glad someone put it out there. Here are some memories for me:
The Super Twist tower had three stops on the way up. The first stop was for “Corkscrew” (an enclosed, very steep and fast 360 degree spiral) and “Free Fall” (a white open slide, sort of like Double Dive for beginners), the second was for “Triple Dipper” (two open, white slides with three dips), and the highest and final stop was “Super Twist” (the enclosed twister). By the time you got all the way up to Super Twist, you were exhausted and out of breath from climbing so many stairs.
Super Twist was weird — one of them started out on the down slope, so that one got you started with good momentum. The other one kind of went in the other direction, so I remember having to push myself along over the hump until I got going. Once on the slide, each twist would dip you through faster and faster, and more and more water would fly into your face until the big final dip at the end. Your experience depended highly on the type of bathing suit you were wearing. I used to enjoy the slide while wearing a rugged Gotcha bathing suit that had a lot of traction (thus slowing me down). I once wore a more slippery bathing suit, and I could have sworn I was going to die! Water spraying in my face the whole time, and my legs flying up into the air inside the tube each time I’d go over the top of each twist.
The other really notable slide was Double Dive — that was the huge speed slide. It was also known by locals as the “Wedgie Wall”, and it was a common sight to see girls losing their tops on the ride. Totally scary the first time, but it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be once I reluctantly pushed myself over the precipice.
The Octopus was also a great one. Two of the three Octopus slides still exist at Breakwater Beach. Unloading into the same pool were “Cannonball” and maybe another name for the other one. It was basically just a short, white, open slide that dumped you straight into the water. Its partner was an enclosed blue slide that did exactly the same thing.
Another often forgotten one was the first one I rode at Water Works — “Tubs O’ Fun” — I think that was the name. You started by riding an innertube through an enclosed blue tube. This carried you around 180 degrees, usually turning you backwards, and dumping you into a pool. If you were going backwards by the end of it, you were definitely dumped ass over tea kettle into the pool. Then you’d float around in the pool until eventually going down a waterfall into the next pool. This would happen over and over until you finally got dumped out into the final landing pool. I enjoyed this one for a year or two before they finally drained the pools, filled them with dirt, and turned them into flower planters.
I wonder what ever happened to the giant guy holding the Pepsi can…
THIS RIDE IS THE BEST RIDE EVER its soo fun im going to my county fair tomorrow and making my friend go on that hope power dosent go out again! if u think this looks scary its not its fun my 2 fav rides are 1.POWER SURGE 2. ZIPPER
I remember going in the late 80s as a part of a group of teenagers. The loop was open and I remember being scared poopless. At the time people were running to get a view because they would only open it for a hour at a time. There was no line and from what I remember the cliff dive was in the area. Anyway I went right up got hosed down, and looked at the lead and said, “is it worth it” He just looked at me with a blank stare. I looked back and said f-this and walked away my friend was pissed, but he didn’t do it either. From the stories I think it was a smart move.
Also wanted to add the Alpine Slide was great. There was nothing wrong with it unless you wanted to go to fast. Anyone could read signs slow/ fast etc. it was your decision if you wanted to walk out hurt. The cliff dive was great, but maybe 4 or 5 rides were way over the top, but I tell you what god bless the people that rode them it looked like fun.
Damn! I missed that carnival! I didn’t know that “newer-made” -Zipper- would be there. Welll, that carnival didn’t seem too exciting anyway. So I’m going for Skelly’s Amusements’ -Zipper- @ this year’s Middlesex County Fair, NJ…2morrow night!! (if it won’t rain) This one I don’t wanna miss. I’ve only ridden the older -Zipper- types by Reithoffer’s and Blue Sky
I’ve only rode this once at a carnival, and it was enjoyable….when I was a kid 40 some odd years ago- the was one at the famed Palace Amusements center in Asbury Park that peered out of the roof….Seaside Heights Funtown Pier and Palasaides Amusement park also had one in the 70’s……great rides should be manufactured forever…..roll o plane / flying coaster / swinging gym and lifting paratroopers ..I rode a ride similar to a lifting Paratrooper called DANCING QUEEN back in the mid 80’s on Seasides Casino Pier…the seats turned (not spun! turned slowly) simultaneously to face all 4 directions….it was there for about 2 years and I remember it being out of service once……the legendary Chance Turbo was also on the Casino Pier in the early 70’s and was closed for repairs both times when I visited and the ride was present. my all time favorite ride has to be the Swiss Bob/ Bayun Kurve….they could really make that go fast and the ride was always sparkling and well lit…..lot’s of fun.
Hollywood Star Finnendahl Onride (FÄHTZ) ….check this out on youtube….here is a pratrooper type ride where the seats actually turn and face all 4 directions once the ride lifts….I rode this once in Seaside Heights Casino Pier in the mid 80’s….it was called the Dancing Queen…..it was only there for about 2 years, and was out of service the 2nd time I went.
I’ve never seen it again….apparently it it popular on the German fair circuit…
Was Dancing Queen the same as the Hollywood Star ride or was it this ride ( http://bit.ly/otKlXf ) of the same name? Because I know those Huss Troika rides like the one in the link were pretty popular in the 80s or so here in the US.
it was the same ride as Hollywood Star..Troika was like a combo Enterprise /Spider deal, right? this was a ride very similar in start up and performance as a lifting Paratrooper, the difference was the entire ride elevated, then dropped like a Trabant would angle, and the cars turned slowly in all 4 directions….it was a great ride!………
I am so glad there is a fan site for these rides……they are such a big part of so many folks summer years growing up!! I for one, had to behave the entire summer to make one trip to Seaside Heights or Palasaides Amusement Park as a kid!…I envied the kids that went more than one time or visited several places so much!
Any ride that u have to put that chest guard on needs either to be taken down or fixed for big chested women it is a shame that bigger chested women can not ride rides like that. The fireball is terrible anyway u have to jump up on the damn thing to even get up there who ever made that ride needs to be slapped thumbs down to that morone
agreed when i went on i thought i was buckled in thank godddd my cousin was messing with me and made the bar go up right before ride started we were screaming not in not in lol im also big chested and i woulda been dead
OMG. I just went to The Meadowlands Fair In N.J. lastnight. Everytime the fair comes my friends & I literall go like 5 times because we are fair freaks!!! Anyway I go on the Fire Ball 7 times on Saturday night. We return Tuesday night & they tell me “Your too big to ride this ride… Try switching seats with your friend…Sorry sensor won’t go off on that seat either… you can’t ride this ride” WHAT IS THE SCIENCE BEHIND THIS??? I mean hey I have a big chest not to shout it out like crazy but a 36DDD (I know big) & I ate a Gyro some Zeppoles & drank a medium Coke but I don’t see how that could have made me gain like 50Lbs in 3 days!!!
& I am also a little thick too but I can’t understand how one day it’s all good & then 72 hours later they say HELL NO!!! Confused Man :/
For one reason or another (one reason being that I first encountered this ride when I was about seven and chickened out of riding it), I’ve never actually been on one of these, but I’ve always had a morbid fascination with them. My tolerance for unidirectional spinning has sadly declined over the years, but I am determined to cross this one off the list. No doubt I will pay dearly for my earlier cowardice, as this contraption looks like it would rate very high on the vomit index.
You’re not really missing too much; it’s really just like any looping ride only it has a slight rattle from being on a track along with horribly tight riding compartments. But I understand the appeal of getting on one; it’s kind of like how I want to get on a Rotor even though a Gravitron pretty much trumps it.
BTW, it’s nice to see you around! Too bad TPC is basically a ghost town nowadays.
Trust me, you are completely justified in including this ride on the list. The High Roller pretty much defines the term “White Trash Carney Ride.” It combines brutality, claustrophobia, hilarity, and excitement to much the same degree as, although in a distinctly different way than, the Zipper.
I actually did ride one of these solo one time and received a merciless pummeling. More recently I rode one with a total stranger (a lady somewhat younger than I) who needed a partner for the operator’s (completely reasonable) two-rider requirement. It was an awkwardly intimate experience, a good first move for a randy teenager but a bad bet for a middle-aged married man. We did our best to avoid one another, but the laws of physics ensure some (and not just a casual) degree of physical contact will occur.
This is a fitting choice for number one, all the more so because Chance seems to have retrofitted the pods from the Toboggan for use on this ride. You have to love the fantastically inane restraints which employ Chance’s signature feat of engineering: attaching the part that is supposed to hold you into the ride to the swinging hatch that lets you out of the ride. If a you’re a skinny guy like me who’s manning the wheel and therefore unable to brace yourself inside the cage, you might find the restraints sometimes catching you just above the knees and sometimes closer to the chest.
The scariness of this ride, while considerable, has for me more of giddy hilarity to it than the more panic-inducing terror the old Zippers could evoke. At the the intersection of fear and absurdity, you will find the SkyDiver. It is truly a can’t-miss experience for devotees of the carney classics.
Awesome video. My family has been going to Seaside (living in the Park, occasionally venturing into the Heights…a world of difference) since the beginning of time. When the Music Express replaced the Himalaya, I figured they had just spruced up the old ride. To me it seems like the same thing with new paint and a bubble machine, but I don’t really know what I’m talking about, LOL. I’m guessing you saw the Bertazzon logo somewhere on the ride, and I’ll take your word for it regarding the Himilaya being a Reverchon product. Good post!
Thanks! You know, I wish I could say that I saw a logo somewhere but the fact is that I’m such an amusement ride dork now that I can just look at it and be like “oh this is X, made by Y.” lol
I just rode my first Scat ride at the Scioto County Fair in Ohio, and although the Scat looks like a more crazy trip, I think the classic Round Ups gives a much better ride experience.
Hey, that fair is cool, even though the little downside of it is that it closes An Hour Early. And may I say -Reithoffer-‘s ZIPPER looked BETTER THAN EVER! Nice paint job, cage doors/locks updated..Wow! I can’t for it to come at a next NJ event in -2012-! 😀
Definitely, it’s the nicest Zipper I’ve seen to date! The yellow and red actually go together pretty nicely on this ride too; usually when I see those two colors together it makes me think of McDonalds or something. lol
oh and I forgot to ask since u rode -Reithoffer-‘s newly-improved ZIPPER, how does the new cages’ interior feel? Is it soft leather, or rough like -Blue Sky-‘s ZIPPER?
It seemed similar to a gym mat actually. I haven’t been on BSA’s Zipper so I don’t know how they are; can’t be worse than some Zippers I’ve been on though. I remember Coney Island’s old Zipper had like duct tape padding. lol
Well It’s a good thing you told me because I never rode that one! 😀
Yeah, when it comes to that ride, I’m now more on the details of the cars’ interior padding. -Blue Sky-‘s ZIPPER’s (the 1st one I ever rode in my life) interior padding if I remember correctly feels more of a…”tatami mat-like” material, kinda bit rough.
But -Skelly-‘s ZIPPER (@ the Middlesex County Fair every year in August) felt AWESOME. It felt like the material that was used to make inflatable bounce houses. And what’s “sexier” about was that it’s black! It actually made me feel like falling asleep in it lol. That’s what I missed out on A LOT fearing the ride the past years! That felt great!
-sighs- If only we’d meet up at any local fair on a Saturday night (when I mosty go…alone, by myself) that would be awesome.
And Call Me WEIRD If You Want To, but That’s How I Honestly Feel About Any -ZIPPER- Ride That Appear At Any Closest Fair I Can Get To. lol 😀
I CAN’T WAIT FOR MORE -ZIPPER- FUN in ~2012~! 😀
oh and btw, are you doing a trip report of the ALLENTOWN FAIR next? Cause there are a few bit of things I gotta say when you do finally post it here…
I’ve been on this. I loved the dive loop. What I also found interesting was that the second hill seemed higher and steeper than the first, very unusual.
Your stories are exactly why I would not work at a kiddie park, especially one on a ticket system. Spending my day bickering with grumpy, trashy, cheap parents about tickets seems like hell.
I was on this once when the ride operator announced we we getting an extra long ride to celebrate making the most tickets on the midway that day. Needless to say, I have never been so dizzy and sickened in my life.
It was a great ride, and went so fast it was over before you even realized it. I’m glad I got to ride it. For some reason a lot of people hated it, virtually no line for one of the craziest coasters ever built, and I’m sure that played a part in it going bye bye.
Yeah, we know this ride on German funfairs well! One of the all time classics, together with the Huss Breakdancer.
Mostly the new KMG rides and some of the Huss rides make a funfair here in Germany. I was on “Night Style”, one of the newest Top Spins (by KMG, Netherlands), recently. It has two independent arms, as can be seen here:
If you thought the normal Top Spin is intense… ride THIS. It’s living hell, really. After some spins I just wanted to get off… and I’m an adrenaline junkie.
In Europe we seem to be addicted to thrills with rides getting more and more extreme… 😉
By the way, we’ve got a similar ride from mondial (Netherlands) here on German funfair grounds, called “Shake”. It basically is Breakdancer plus loopings… Really weird looking, and damn intense!
Awesome ride, but like Breakdancer depends on the operator. Mostly operators here in Europe tend to be great at times the funfair ground is not crowded (with rides 5 minutes and more), but when there are lots of people waiting they will give you a short ride and try to kick you out as soon as possible… that’s why I ride mostly before noon 😀
I’ve actually seen a Shake here in the US once before and it still travels around, just not in the northeast US where I am. I beleive it’s called Magnum. I’m still kicking myself for not giving it a spin, but at the time I didn’t know if I could take the flipping and spinning.
Breakdance is definitely a ride that needs to be ‘driven’ instead of just turned on auto. Unfortunately the US has NO traveling Breakdance rides anymore and the amusement park versions are terribly slow. I need to go to Europe sometime and ride a real Breakdance!
My absolutely favorite ride… KMG designs great rides, that’s for sure! However, @Msstevye, not only girls have problems… you’r b*lls will hurt, too … these damn seats with their pins in the middle!
Looks like hell, really… I was completely surprised at a funfair during my USA holiday, when this thing just turned! I had the complete “wtf” face on, that’s for sure….
I guess European safety standards would NEVER EVER allow something like that… or the zipper… lucky Americans 😀
i rode one called the claw they were playing music by mercy me(i can only imagine) and the combination of the ride movement and the beautiful praise and worship music moved me to happy tears and i was filled with the Spirit!
Just rode this for the first time yesterday! I was concerned about my keys falling out of my pocket (and possibly off the ride, I don’t have a big enough key fob to prevent it falling through the cage), so I stuffed them into my back pocket, so that I could keep them from moving, and even if they did, there was a velcro patch to keep them falling out.
Regardless, they worked their way out over the course of the ride, hit the bottom of the cage, then flew up and hit me in the face. I managed to snatch them from the air and hold them against one of the door bars until the end of the ride (while I was stepping on my wallet, which had fallen out much earlier).
what fair closes around 10:00 p.m. our fair (tallahassee,florida) opens 9:00 a.m. and closes around 12:00 p.m. and closes 2:00 a.m in the morning during midnight madness and midnight majic.(only on weekends). by the way AWESOME VIDEO!!!! (2 thumbs up )
They probably close at 10pm because it’s close to residential areas and the local ordinance might say that no events can occur after 10pm or something like that. Some fairs, like the State Fair Meadowlands do go on until 1 or 2am though since they’re in more industrial areas, away from housing.
I lived in the development Aspen Woods next to Action Park and it was a major part of my life. When my Dad was laid off from Ford Motor Company he had started his own Welding and pipe fitting company. He was hired to put the wonder loop together. I remember him coming home from work laughing so hard. He was telling my Mother that the wonder loop test dummy came out with no clothes on and no head. He tried to express to the enginr that this isn’t going to work. I don’t think they cared. Growing up there, it was entertainment everyday. Fourth of July fireworks reflecting in my pool after a hard day of work and play. All three of my sisters and I worked there from the time we were 12 till we went to college. Everyday after school I walked out of my back door and walked directly onto the ski runs to either ski or go to work in the summer. I remember being so upset that I had to leave Vernon to go on Vacation in the summer. Before I could work at AP my two older sisters worked there, so I was there EVERYDAY. Action Park was my Nanny in that day and age. No worries about harmful people. If it was raining,we would just go into a building or area that was closed and it was our own little park. Souven shops, candy stores, etc. My favorite job was working the spin art wheel with my best friend. I did the life guard thing, parking attendent, motr world and at the end of the day, I wouldn’t trade it for the whole world. Does anyone remember Grannies Pancake house. It burnt down due to someone smoking ciggerets after it closed in the kitchen. So many memories.
We had a Tempest at the old school amusement park I used to work at. It was the most notorious puke ride on the midway. With so little control by the riders on the spinning action it can really get out of control and develop serious forces. There were always two 5 gallon pails of water kept by the ride and they got tossed on the seats multiple times every day. Not a ride I choose to go on.
One of my favorite flat rides! I never pass up a chance to ride a classic Trabant. I’m not such a fan of the WipeOut as they tend to let it keep spinning full speed after it comes back down flat and the side forces become unbearable — equal or worse than a Music Express.
If you have only ridden the more common Wave Swinger, your first experience on the Yo-Yo can scare the bejezus out of you. It looks like a wimpy kiddie swing and you really don’t notice the rocking action when observing from the ground. The first time it tilts you forward you think something let go for sure!
This one tricked me good! I had never run into this ride until seeing it at Old Town in Kissimee. We thought it was a Paratrooper variant. It is NOT. Damn, this think develops some forces! As was said, it makes your legs go to sleep from the pressure on your thighs. Has that general Wisdom Rides feel of being a home-build concoction of spare parts.
My only ride on the Sky Diver was at Lakemont a few years ago with a die-hard enthusiast who talked me into being the second rider while he “piloted” the car. And he did manage to get that thing spinning. The most intolerable element for me, though, was going upside down at the bottom of the wheel – the positive G-force almost made my head explode.
Top of my list for least favorite ride. Only an unusually sort cycle (carnie wanted to chase a townie girl) saved me from puking on my one and only ride. The regular oscillating motion is simply the WORST – any of the random action rides can be tolerated as at least there is variation but here there is no relief in sight until the ride stops. But it’s my daughter’s favorite carny ride.
Thank you for writing about these crickets. I came across one tonight and thought it was a spider from the amazon that was going to eat me alive while I slept! Thank goodness it’s NOT a spider. This thing jumped 4 feet in the air and every which way. It was in the kitchen, so I grabbed the first thing I could find – RESOLVE CARPET CLEANER Spray. I sprayed it with that and Pledge and soaked it until it couldn’t move and then I smashed it with a newspaper. Sorry for anyone who thinks “oh, poor little cricket” , but you guys are all right on when saying that these things are the enemy. Holy cow… At least doing some research on line, I found out it’s not a spider and can now finally go to sleep at 1:30AM. Thank you…
Seriously, this has to be the most amusing article EVER!
EVER I tell you!
I share your aversion to this ugly insect and I don’t know if you planned it so but this article left me rolling on the floor laughing whenever I wasn’t shaking my head in agreement to what you were saying. especially the part witht he percentages of success… Seriously I almost burst my lungs laughing xD
yes it’s 1:20 we have spent several hours trying to kill one without getting close to it. it jumped into the bathroom and we lost it so we moved our things to a different room of the house and then while moving saw babies. there’s a nest in there. no one is safe.
Hi, I went on the Zipper for the first time today, and i have to say it was EPIC!!! I live in australia so it went so fast! I went on with my friend, and because she couldnt hold herself from getting thrown around, she smashed her face on the bars and became pale and got a massive headache. I loved it but she could keep herself still, so if you go on the Zipper, you have to be prepared for some serious g – forces (especially the australian one)
ahh..the enterprises..one of my favorite flat rides..must ride one if i see one at a park..when i was little i used to be scared of them..i was a wuss back then..now..NO FEAR!!!
been on the one at Six Flags St. Louis..i was excited to see it running after seeing it closed at Great Adventure EVERYTIME i went there..it was an okay ride..expected it to be more “wild”, but a decent ride
hey its alissia i went to the october fest in daytona and i saw the fireball and i went on it a guy pucked and it got on my friend. it was nasty….. it was awsome
Hmm, if there’s one word for a boring county like this was, it would have to be “SHITTY” because..come on, I’ve seen this same BORING ride company at some Memorial Day festival in Newark EVERY FREAKIN YEAR! Shouldn’t they have more BETTER RIDES like,,oh idk…ZIPPER!?? The -Union County Fair- was..Apalling, a Stinkfest..UGGGGH!
Ohhhh yesssss! 🙂
MY 1ST TIME EVER TO ATTEND THAT EVENT, ALSO 😀
And sure was a Hell of a Lonnng Drive to there and back home. Costed my about $45 for gas, lol. And finding parking there was a bitch!
But sure the rides were A Lot Of Fun! Though I have to say…
Power’s -ZIPPER- was Toooo Crazy. In the first thirty seconds, it made me hit my head so hard on the back padding of the cage, that I almost had a concussion and a nosebleed…. My first ride on it was okay. But in the second, was kind of a downer. After the first flip of the cage, my nose started bleeding again…
And then I had to ride the calming rides for the rest of the evening.
But yeah, the carnival was Top Fun. Though Powers’ -Zipper- did not like me. lol
MY GOD..my poor gravitron 🙁 .. we owned that ride from the day it came out of Wisdom in 1991 until this winter when we traded it in to Wisdom for our new starship, Mccaferty then bought it from Wisdom (it never actually left the east coast, we brought it right to them).
That ride was my baby and now its just sad looking 🙁
Lol oddly enough that Sizzler used to belong to us as well (Well Silver Dollar Shows, Not Blue Sky Amusements) We sold it to McCafferty years and years ago, around 1995-96
How about the SBF Visa Tower Coaster? It’s a portable coaster (like a Chance Toboggan only with a totally different ride experience) that’s found in Australia.
This is pretty interesting to see and a great break from the Golden Ticket Awards, but a correction Intimidator 305 is at Kings Dominion not Carowinds.
I’d been trying to find information on this park for awhile! I lived outside of NYC as a child and caught the tail-end of Action Park as well as going back a few times when it was Mountain Creek. I never recalled it being a massive death/injury trap, but I do recall getting nearly maimed or dismembered there often despite only being a child and not having ridden about half of these rides. I recall going down the Colorado River ride with my family being like we were in one of those survival shows. Every turn someone would shout, “tuck your legs in! pull your arm in!” before violently slamming into a wall that likely would have severed said body part if no one took such instruction. I recall stopping on a slide as well and hopping off the side to avoid an oncoming collision with the next rider. My family never took my friends to this place specifically, probably realizing that was a liability. It’s a strange request, but does anyone remember what the children’s area looked like? I distinctly recall attempting to find it one summer only to find it behind a boarded make-shift wall and overgrown with brush and leaves wondering why they closed it down; oblivious to the fact the park was closed and subsequently reopened. I also vaguely recall this strange pool with three different heights. Like a cylinder with people swimming in it above the pool and another taller one above that. It looked 20 ft taller than the pool I was in, but I could easily be imagining that. Looking at pictures, I may be recalling the cliff diving area as I see small pools of water and the two separate heights. I believe it was near hammocks, if that’s any sort of help. I didn’t spend a whole lot of time here; A day or so every summer from the early 90s until around the later 90s. But the fact my shitty memory recalls it so vividly must attribute to how ridiculous it was.
my only dispute is Six flags great america being the worst park..it is BY FAR the best run of the ENTIRE six flags chain..even when SF was at its worse..Great America was a pleasant place to be at…so i call shenanagins on that one!
Well actually Six Flags America in Maryland won this year, not Six Flags Great America in Chicago who did win last year (albeit by a very small margin.) I get the two names confused all the time. Great America actually got the second least amount of votes this year of any Six Flags park with only like three or four; Six Flags Fiesta Texas received none.
I got a chance to ride Green Lantern at Six Flags Great Adventure for the first time this year. To be honest, I thought it was a pretty good coaster. It was the first stand up I have been on where after the ride was over, I wanted to ride it again. I can’t say that about the old TOGO models or even Mantis at Cedar Point. Stand up coasters seem to give a better ride experience if they are longer and more spread out, and of course, not have those awful bunny hops.
Even tho the Georgia Scorcher at SFoG is VERY compact..somehow it gives a GREAT ride..i dont know how..just looking at it, I thounght it would be rough but somehow it is perfectly paced and is probably the best stand up ive been on..ive been on Mantis ,Chang, Riddlers Revenge, Iron Wolf, Vortex(Carowinds), and some TOGO stand ups(AWFUL!!!)..but the Scorcher is the best..check it out if you can.
The ‘white trash carny ride’ moniker stems from a joke I had with some people years ago and decided to turn it into a series of articles. It is a ‘crass’ name but this site was never supposed to be politically correct or family friendly anyway.
Your article is funny. These bugs are not. They creep me the F out. I live in a very old house and the basement is damp and not very well insulated. Here is my method of dealing with them. They hate light, so I leave the lights on in the basement ALL THE TIME. There are five lightbulbs with no fixture thing over it, so I buy the 100w bulbs. I have to replace them constantly, but it’s worth it. As you know trying to step on them doesn’t work because if they see you coming, then they jump at you. My friend said to get a wet paper towel and drop it on them before you mash them, but I refuse to get close enough to do that. I was out of insect killer so I used Clorox Bleach spray and that seemed to do the trick, although they were still moving. I looked in my sump pump hole just now and there were about 10 in there. I poured bleach in the damn hole and then filled it with a ton of water and that killed em. Another thing, which is going to be easier than your cup and golf ball method, is a swiffer. I have one of the giant swiffer sweepers, just the ones you attach the swiffer rag to and push around, it’s not electric or anything. It’s very wide and the handle is really long, so I can sneak up and kill the cricket with it. I’m too scared to go down there and check to see if the bleached ones are dead yet, they tend to disappear once they die…
You know why they “tendo to disappear once they die? It’s because other cave crickets eat them! Thenat why it;s important to remove the dead ones. You are otherwise just leaving food for the ones that are alive. I agree with the Clorox method. It works. Also Lysol or other harsh household sprays do the trick. It’s easy to aim at them, you don’t have to get too close and it kills them as long as you spray them for a while. Usually after the first or second spray they lsoe their ability to jump but they will still walk. Eventually the chemical in the cleaning product kills them.
Where I live Fiesta Shows has 1 that was originally called “The Break Dance”, then “Super Dance” and now “The Twister”. It’s actua;;y tilted at about a 45-50 degree angle
coasters are made for the thrill of it, and for once in your life to feel free! This ride looks awesome and amazing. Can’t wait to ride it over the summer with my camp!!!! 🙂
my favorite ride is nitro i dont care how long the line is for it i would wait all day if i had to to get on it. love the drops. i would go on that ride only when going there in the summer!! LOVE NITRO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 🙂
I loved Action Park! Thanks so much to the author of this site for creating a place for us to pool our memories of that infamous yet near-and-dear-to-our-hearts enclave of amusement insanity.
Anyone remember that little electric people-mover that would bring you from motorworld over the highway to waterworld and back? You’d sit sideways on it and it would run over this thin little metal rail.
Aqua Scoot was a lot of fun. You’d haul this heavy boat-like plastic thing to top of a tower, place it on a 45 degree angled slide that was made out of a succession of metal rolling pins, ride it down and get shot over a long shallow pool and skip along the surface at what felt like 25-30 mph.
How about that weird flume/boat ride thing they built into the mountain – I think it was called “Avalanche?” It was up the hill a bit from the cannonball slide. It was a pretty interesting flume ride that had several falls with the final one taking place entirely inside a pitchbalck tunnel with simulated explosion sounds. You used to see parts of that ride when taking the chairlift up for the Alpine Slide. That was one of my favorites for some reason. It was out of place for traction park though since there was seemingly no way to potentially kill yourself on the thing!
I remember the two serpentine slides – one was near the Kamikaze and was painted dark blue – the other was further down the hill and was bright green. That one had some hariy seams on it and if you happened to lose your mat you were in for a series of scrapes and briuses. Ouch!
I remember getting lost in the maze which was near motorworld but I was small enough to just crawl through the open spaces under the walls.
The battle tennis ball tanks were a lot of fun.
I was too young to drive the F1 racers but I do remember “graduating” from the go-karts you had to be 10 years old to drive to the ones you had to be 12 years old to drive (a bit faster and a longer track). Good times.
Thanks again for the site – a nice trip down memory lane!
🙂
Kevin
Some of my biggest regrets in life are not seeing Pantera or The Grateful Dead, never getting to smoke a cigarette in the mall or the movie theatre, and never knowing about Action Park. I suppose it’s more of a north Jersey thing. I grew up with Clementon Park, Great Adventure (six flags), and of course Wild Woods along with other beach-front attractions. But never new until it was too late about this master-park!! I haven’t seemed to shake the fantasy of being one of it’s many dice-rolling daredevils. I’m trying to go back to film school next fall. If i have it my way, eventually there will be a full length feature on the infamous park. The stories on here take me into the park and will eventually take millions into the park. And since it was 79 to 98 it would feature music by the Pixies, the Flaming Lips, the Ramones, among others. Hopefully, and with a little luck, one of these days i’ll be able to get it made. Maybe then i’ll get some lost remenants of the magic that swelled the now deceased park.
The best fair of 2011, is..as always, STATE FAIR MEADOWLANDS. And hands down, my all time fave ride is…without a doubt, The Zipper! 😀 I can’t wait for Winter to end and the Carnival season to return, For More -ZIPPER- experiences than last year!
Just get me informed on what carnivals/fairs will have the ride when Spring comes along, Thanks So Much.
You know, I thought about it but decided not to because it would probably just end up like TheDoD3 Twitter feed, which really nothing more than a bunch of update postings. lol
I can remember driving to Action Park back in 1981 with 5 of my buddies.We left from Ct.and had the times of our life.Alot of the ATTRACTIONS WERE HAZARDOUS..But when ur 18..You dont really care…I loved that place,and am glad I got a chance to experience it before it closed…..
Six Flags Over Texas had one like this called the Texas Tornado. One day it stopped abruptly and banged up some people’s legs pretty badly. Now its called Gunslinger and doesn’t do all of the bending.
What about the Polka Festivals that were at the dance pavillone? My mom and I would go there a couple times a year and had a great time dancing and enjoying all the Polish foods and in particular when Jimmy Sturr played there. He drew the largest croud , no wonder because he is the best . I miss those days and it brings back so many wonderful memories. It was a time in my life I will never forget. My mom has passed on but I’m sure there is a Polka Band in heaven where she is dancing up a storm and eating some good Polish food.
Funny I was just thinking about this the other day, I had the pleasure of going to action park in the 90’s to a Sturr festival.
We stayed at a Pakistani hotel and it rained the whole weekend. All electrical rides were not running.
The only good thing was Happy Louie and the Ampolaires played that weekend and the beer was cold….
Also went to the home town of Jimmy Sturr, Florida New York which if I remember correctly, is not too far from Action Park.
I was one of the last riders to go on The Cannonball Loop… It was either 95 or 96 was the last year I went there and it was open. My friend and I stood there for a good 20 mins before we decided to go on it.. Funny part is there was never a line.. hmm wonder why.. All I can say my experience on it I will never forget. Between the ridges connecting each pipe hitting your back the ride down the dark tunnel was nice. Once you hit the loop it goes by in an instant. And then came the end, hitting the ice cold pool at the bottom and trying to stand up. I had a massive headache and a sore lower back for half the day after that ride from the whip of the loop.
Would I do it again if it was still open.. YEP =)
If it werent for MTV always broadcasting from there, I would have missed out on that wonderful place.
LOVE this site and LOVE reading about Action Park! That place sounds awesome…. So much crazy stories!!! I wish I would’ve been able to visit it when I was a kid!! Where I live, in Europe (Holland, to be exact), we didn’t have waterparks like that… feel like I really missed out 🙂
The rides look frigthening but I guess the danger only made it more fun. It’s a shame these days everything has to be totally save and even the risk of a small bruise is considered almost a crime. Kids arent as fragile as most people think… getting hurt is part of growing up 😉
Too bad in the 80’s and 90’s there werent a lot of people walking around with video cameras, I would love to see more of the ”real action!” (especially the Loop-thing!)
On youtube, you can find an MTV episode with Alice in Chains in Action Park with actually some great footage of some of the rides (Surfers Hill, Geronimo Falls, wave pool, Colorado River…) along with a LOT of drunk people 🙂
Thanks for posting this, I had a blast reading about a place that almost sounds too crazy to be real 🙂
The Ring Of Fire was soo imtimidating to me 3years ago. The look of it the first time i ever saw that ride scared me straight and my grandma called me up the next day telling me how much of a whimp i was for baking out and not going on it. but last year i toughened up and went on the Ring Of Fire and LOVED IT!! it was freaking scary but i had to go on it and it was one of the best ride that i had ever been on and now im going this year too so im definently going on it!
Here are the dates of our eastern PA shows for the Spring.
Second Alarmers Rescue Squad Carnival, Abington, PA May 8 – 12, 2012
Morrisville Rotray Carnival, Morrisville, PA May 15 – 20, 2012
Hatboro Summer Fun Festival, Hatboro, PA May 25 – June 2, 2012 (Fireworks June 1)
I will send yopu our fall dates when they are finalized.
Cannonball loop opened, and then closed in the summer of 1983. My friends and I had just graduated high school and since we had been to the park many, many times before, this was to be our last hurrah before we went our separate ways to college. We went on he day they were introducing two new rides to the public. One was the cannonball loop. We were about twentieth in line when it opened to great fanfare. We were about eight in line when they closed it. Bummer. We went on to have a wonderful day anyway. I still carry scars on my elbows and knees from the alpine slide. Thanks for the story. I tell my kids about action park often, and I can tell they don’t believe the stories. The oldest argues about liability etc. my youngest(the daredevil) thinks I’m teasing him about such a wonderful place. “then take me” “sorry son, it’s closed” “yeah, I bet it didn’t exist, like fairy land or something” wait until I show him this story. Thanks again!
No prob. Btw, there will be the 1st stop in the 2012 season for Blue Sky’s newly-refurbished “Zipper”! U might wanna head over there and check it out, unless u want to wait a month for it to come to the OLP fair next month (hopefully)
I went to Action Park every summer in the early to mid 90’s. I was a teenager and it was a tradition to make the short drive from Connecticut.
I remember hanging out in the little area with the pools and the little cave near the cliff jump. That was one of my favorite areas to chill and watch girls lose their tops jumping into the icy water.
Parents loved it, too, because the place served ALCOHOL! Imagine this place full of drunk, loud people wanting to jump off cliffs and ride the alpine slide. I remember seeing more than a few people covered in blood from some kind of incident.
The hills were brutal. The wave pool was always fun and I saw several people get pulled from it’s deep end after underestimating the pull on the sides. I remember a group of us would scan the wave pool because there was always money floating around.
The craziest thing I ever saw at Action Park happened on the Aqua-Scoot. You have to realize the brilliant safety standards of this ride. From what I remember, you sit on a plastic sled with nothing strapping you in, only a handle bar, and you get pushed down a slide with metal rollers which empties out into a pool at the bottom. I saw a lady fall back, hit her head on the rollers, and slide all the way down ending up face down in the pool. She was unconscious with blood coming out of her head.
Several patrons helped the lady out of the pool because the “lifeguards” were very busy talking to their friends!
Ridgefield Carnival – April 25-29th Veterans Park Ridgefield NJ
Warren County Chamber of Commerce Spring Festival Hackettstown NJ May 3-6
Holy Trinity Carnival – Hackensack NJ – May 1st – 5th
Bound Brook FD Carnival – Bound Brook NJ – May 8-12
St. Virgils Church Carnival – Morris Plains NJ May 9 -12
Sea Brite FD Carnival – Sea Brite NJ – May 17-20
NY DateS:
Nassau County Strawberry Festival – Bellmore NY May 30- June 3rd
UPDATE from BSA on Facebook: “Unfortunately the Zipper will not appear at St. Mary’s this year. It’s still in the process of refurbishment. Remaining parts have not yet arrived, and waiting. Will keep you updated!”
The Sky diver (the illuminator) at Elitch Gardens in 1994 was the first ride I worked on it was a work out because you had to flip the car over pull out the cotter pin and place the lid in to a cradle to unload and unload the ride all without dumping the guests on the ground. At the end of the night myself and the operator crawled under the frame of the ride and collected $25 to $30 bucks in loose change each Elitch’s did not move it to the new park in 1995 due to safety
OMG i’m obsessed with the Cannonball Loop! I just saw it online a few days ago and i just can’t get it out of my head! Who would invent or build something like this, with such a small tube and loop?! It’s unreal and freaky I think. It looks like some fantasy creation..
But very interesting though! xxx Eva
Where are all the P0lka dancers from the Polka festivals, which were held about three times during the summer, in particular the Jimmy Sturr followers? Aren’t any of you guys out there to send a comment? Would love to hear from someone who attended the festivals. I left a comment on Feb. 29,2012 so look above and you will see it. Sure miss those good times. But like they say, all good things come to an end.
Like I said, somebody please comment!
Jeanne,
See my post below. We were regulars at the festivals, saw the Jimmy Stur Band several times. We used to play the small game stands they had set up by the tents and win various posters and stuff….I wish I still had my “Put a hole-a in the Ayatollah” dart board… Peace.
Cool read, I also used Coolpages many years ago, I us a lot of Dreamweaver these days and compared to Cool Pages it’s terrible, I love just being able to drag contents around such as Images and Text, now everything way to complex, resolution issues, tags and html is all over the place, I half suspect it going to get worse with HTML 5.
I see collpages is still out there on the web, am maybe thinking of buying the full version, I only ever done the trail.
There has never been a better ride than the surf hill at any water park. I remember going there in the early 80’s and saw someone land in the woods from lane 7. We would just fly off the jump and the crowd in the stands at the bottom would ooh and ah if you hit it right. Did you get a little hurt, sure, but who cared. Also the Alpine slide was crazy. I remember the first aid from people falling off the slide was to spray mecurichrome on the burns. I remember hitting my brother with the slide in front of me because he slowed down for someone and flying across the bridge and bouncing 4 or 5 times and spraining my ankle. The whole ride home all I could think about was when I could go again.
I remember seeing how many bloodied people I could spot around the Alpine Slide. AP must have bought Mercurochrome by the pallet – there was always someone getting messed up. I was the recipient of some of that once, and I suffered the stinging burn just like everyone else. The bad cases needed gauze. It amazed me that more people didn’t die. I still have mental images of rocks to the right of the right slide and to left of the left slide (which had a wider turn at the start, I believe, making that side the slower side). I recall the left slide had more swerves (checking the map – it does after it crosses over to the right). These swerves could cause your sled to rock more, perhaps leading to a flipover. In other words, the more winding, slower slide was more risky in my opinion.
When your sled would rock after first sliding up the side of a turn, you would need to actually ACCELERATE to reduce the swing. (It’s basic physics, similar to letting out the rope on a pendulum so as to reduce the amplitude of the swing.) I remember doing this, and it always worked. If you experienced instability/swinging, then adding brake action would actually make it worse. This surely caused a lot of accidents for people who think it makes sense to slow down when you’re losing control.
On the other hand, if you successfully used the acceleration to reduce your rocking motion, you would gain speed that would make your sled slide up even farther in the *next* turn. If you thought you couldn’t take that speed into the turn, you needed to brake *before* the turn (similar to high-speed driving, actually).
I’m almost disappointed that after several visits to Action Park, the worst thing that ever happened to me was a sunburn. I do not count getting kicked in the face on the Colorado River, pulling muscles in my arms from holding on to the tubes so tightly, and possibly getting scraped on an exposed screw on the Kamikaze slide. I never lost a tube or mat, and rode the Alpine slide without incident.
Meanwhile, I took my boyfriend to Mountain Creek for the first time in 2005. He lost his mat on the green slide and almost drowned in the wave pool. He’s refused to go back, but I’ve been back a few times since. The green slide (sidewinder) and kamikaze were finally shut down as of last year.
The only things that seem to be left over from Action Park that are still there and pretty much the same as they always were are the wave pool, Tarzan swing, and whatever they’re calling the tube ride by the cliff jump (I still call it the Wild River because that’s what it was when Action Park closed). The day they put the tube lift by the Colorado River ride was one of the greatest days of my life.
Still wish I’d had the chance to go in the Aerodium.
As the primary writer and editor of the oft-mentioned Wikipedia article, I actually have a similar story to yours.
I went to Action Park all of once, in late summer of 1986, when I was 18. I do not recall seeing the Cannonball Loop at the time (although it had apparently first been opened the previous summer). I had a good time, and neither got hurt nor saw anyone getting hurt.
However … that isn’t to say the potential for serious injury wasn’t obvious. I declined to do the taller, straight-down Geronimo Falls because I just didn’t see how you could do it safely. So I did the other one … which had such obvious potential for catastrophic injury since you started out on a gentle slope but then went almost straight down … at about 60 feet above ground, with the sides of the slide about a few inches high. You knew right then that you either followed the instructions they gave you (stay flat on your back with arms at your side) or you died (or would have wished you had). It always amazes me that there were no fatalities on that ride.
I stayed off Surf Hill. I was coming off a high school career where I played football and lacrosse and weighed about 230 pounds at the time. The sign on Surf Hill said the weight limit was 185, but one look at the people doing it and it was clear that wasn’t being enforced. If people like that, even heavier than me, were riding it, the chance of getting hurt was just too much.
The Aqua Scoot … it was fun but I only did it once because I was worried about accidentally putting my toes over the front edge of the sled, which would have caused some serious breakage by itself when they got caught in the rollers, not to mention likely getting thrown off the ramp and what would have happened from that. That seems to be about the only way people did not find to be injured on it.
I was lucky enough to be relatively by myself in the Wave Pool’s deep end when the waves went on. It was tough enough staying afloat; I can’t imagine what it would have been like in a panicked crowd of poor or non-swimmers.
I didn’t realize at the time that the park had already acquired a reputation. I got a hint of it afterwards when my mother related taking my brother to his doctors later (he had just been diagnosed with the cancer that would eventually take his life at the beginning of the summer, and the trip had been sort of a treat for him). They mentioned they’d taken him to Action Park the weekend before, and the doctors said “You took him WHERE?” and told her everything they’d heard from their colleagues about the place.
Now, just like you, I went back with my wife, son and my mother around the same time in the mid-2000s when it was Mountain Creek Waterpark. DW went on that one waterslide from AP that takes those gradual dips going down (forget what it’s called) before they had to close it that day because some of the surface had peeled loose. She got this softball-sized bruise on the back of her thigh that took weeks to heal. She says it was the worst thing that ever happened to her at an amusement park. I don’t think she wants to go back either.
They returned the rock-o-plane at my local fair. It seems to run much slower than it
Used to about 15 years ago when I used to go on it. It also seems to be much harder to flip on it.
D.A.R.E. is hosting a carnival at the Westfield Garden State Plaza in Paramus, NJ from May 30 to June 10!
I called the event manager for the dates and which traveling carnival company they’ll have over there. And it’s with
Reithoffer Shows. 🙂 (hopefully they’ll have my fave ride there)
My friend and I waited overnight for Bruce Springsteen tickets (at the Meadowlands) and then hightailed it to Action Park. The first thing we rode was the Roller Slides. Yes, the thing you rode on was heavy and it was not fun to climb to the top while carrying that thing, but the slide was fun. Then the Grotto was at hand and I jumped this several times. I loved it, although I recall hitting bottom once or twice. When I visited in ’83 the bottom of this area was NOT painted lighter; instead it looked like a dark grotto. I don’t really recall doing any super adventurous until visiting a year or so later with a boyfriend and then I did everything (almost) with the exception of the Tarzan Swings and the cars. So, what that means is that he and I both went on the Cannonball Loop. I recall it being bumpy and very very scary. The only reason I didn’t do Tarzan Swings was that I knew I didn’t have the arm strength to not get hurt. I loved the alpine slide and want to ride the one at Ober Gatlinburg, TN near my current home. That last time in ’83 was one I recall fondly and although I wouldn’t do most of the rides again, I would visit again.
@ DoD3Brian
No prob. Hey Are U Planning To Attend The -Our Lady Of Peace- Fair this year? And here’s the photo of Blue Sky’s newly refurbished “Zipper” that will be there this year.
I actually just went last night lol. The Zipper looked really nice I thought and even seemed to be a bit quieter then most other Zipper rides I’ve seen.
They lowered the noise on it? Aw that sucks. But looking forward to riding it with my lil nephew (He’s “Craving” to ride a “Zipper” Badly as much as I do lol)
And I’m ‘”training” myself like a “Naruto” ninja right now to ride it too, as it will be my 1st Ride/”Fight” on “Zipper” of 2012!! xD
-Wish Me Luck! 🙂
-Robert “-Zipper- Lovin Ninja” Mata aka “Neji Hyuga”
Well I think the new parts made it less loud. I can’t really say it’s quiet, it’s a Zipper after all, but compared to other models it seems like there’s less of a rattling noise.
Also, just a little tip, if you have a tough time parking by the fair try the adjacent high school lots or the New Providence Community Pool parking lot. Both have lots of spots and the pool parking lot rarely fills up all the way if the high school lots are all taken up. It’s a short walk to the fair from both places.
Like I told you in face book.. A refurbishment is more then just paint. The ride received all new bushings for the bracing and hbars, new k bar braces,, new telecopes(the pieces the cages hang on ) all new pins for the whole ride, all new hardware. All 4 motors were removed and rebuilt but hey color change and pretty lights (which we put all LED ligting on it as well) is all that matters I guess
Ah, ok I get it. Those are very nice additions to the ride u’ve made. Sounds like u guys made the ride more enjoyable, Safer, and more BEAUTIFUL than before! 🙂 Thanks for giving me that additional info. 🙂 I hope to see u, and the New “Zipper” at the OLP Academy in New Providence this Saturday! 🙂
Aww that’s pretty bad I feel like I wanted to curse all those people that had to do with! It has been a part of my fondest of childhood memoirs. My kids won’t live to see that now.
also this is supposed to be opening
COMING SPRING 2012!
Come out and try the newest ride of its kind in the tri-state area! The Alpine Mountain Coaster is a cross between an alpine slide and a twisting rollercoaster and is the newest addition to Mountain Creek for the 2012 season. Ride alone or with a friend in our 2 seater coaster cars. You control your speed, with a unique hand-braking system as you twist, turn and dip through the trees and through the Waterpark rides back to the bottom of the mountain.
The sister ride Shockwave at Six Flags Great America was the first looping coaster I ever went on as a child (I’m 33). It was such an excellent coaster, really underrated. I never found it rough myself, despite such claims from others. The loss of these coasters is a shame. Newer, trendy coasters may be flashier, but I thought these delivered better thrills.
One of my most cherished theme park memories is riding Shockwave six times in a row, walking off and walking right back on because there was no line. There’s a rare POV ride video on youtube, taken before the youtube days, and I saved it so I can always remember the ride.
It might be white trash but about 35 years ago 4 friends and myself rode this all night and called ourselves the Scatt sisters. Now at 45 we still refer to ourselves as just that even on Facebook. What awsome memories lol.
Ahhh Yes! My 1st time Ever to attend this event, Along with my nephew, Christian, and my (our) first “fight” on -Zipper- of This Year in 2012! 🙂 (And I like saying “fight” because I’d like to express myself as a ninja, like the characters from the Awesome Japanese anime, “Naruto”. And when it comes to riding my fave ride at any carnival or huge fair, I always prepare/”train” like a ninja, to give my all to ride and “defeat” the forces and the wildness of the ride coming Saturday nights 🙂 )
-But before our match against the craziest ride at the fair, When we first got there at around 8:15 PM we went on the Starship Gravitron (only once). Once the entire ride started spinning fast enough to glue us to the wall (lying on our backs), I couldn’t move a muscle, especially when the seats rose up to the roof of the ride)
-Then it was the Himalaya. Though I wished they could’ve gotten a bigger model like “Musik Express” or made it a bit faster than normal. But it was kind of fun (and it played 2 of my fave songs while we were on it).
-Next was the Riptide. I’ve never been on anything like it in my life (though it looks kinda slow, and I didn’t want to spend $ for it). But while we were on it, I had the feeling I’ve missed out on such a ride like that 🙂 Once it goes downward to the side, it almost felt like a freefall. But that was quite fun, I’ll admit that 🙂
—AND FINALLY, (“dramatic music” Dun dun duunnnn!) 2 Rounds on The Craziest, Yet THE BEST RIDE EVER OUT THERE,..
O>>>>o<<<<O ZIPPER! 😀
I may have lost some chances of riding it at other previous fairs since the 1st week of May. (I roughly because I had to cancel on them for some reason). But It Was Worth The Wait (especially in that long line for the ride) I've finally helped my "craving" for it since the "not rough at all Winter season", I was suffering from such withdrawal, lol. It looked very nice, the guys at BSA did an Awesome job of making it more comfortable, enjoyable, Safer, and more beautiful than before. Last time you said it was fairly quiet. And I thought "Aww that sucks". I was thinking they got rid of the "legendary" noise of the motors. But they didn't, yay! I've gotten some offride shots from my phone (while standing in line, and it's an HD cam too). And on one of them. someone's loose change fell out of one of the cars that was flipping. And it was a good thing I carry around my lil "Dr. Dre Beats" bag that I normally store my earphones in. So I can safely store my loose change in it. That was smart of me, you would say lol.
As me and my nephew got on it for the 1st Round together, I told the operator (And I Always Say This To Them Whoever Locks Me (and someone with me) Inside. "Please Make Sure It's Locked Securely, And Tight" and they do, thank goodness. As they were loading up the last pair of cars on the cycle, we prayed, and braced ourselves for what's to come during the ride. (And again I did not have my phone/camera out to get onride footage on our 1st Round because I had to get used to the nature of the ride first). And as soon as it started, It Was A Knockout. We've been backflipped as much as 7 times in a row before we reached to the other side of the boom.
And as soon as the ride shifted direction, it made us got held Upside down for about 4 seconds. Wow, Something that I havent experienced on a Zipper last year. But gosh that was incredible! I wished I could've had the nerve to get it on video.
Then, our 2nd and Final round on it, it got me a bit jealous, as we got inside the Unluckiest Car Of The Ride. Though I managed to get onride footage in this round. I got a bit jealous, As the ride only made us rock Back and Forth, Especially when it swept us from one side of the boom to the other. I was mad like we got "ripped off" lol. But in my "ninja" side, It Was Weak! I wished I had more money to ride it again with my nephew for another 3 rounds. But it was almost time for the fair to close down anyway. We left at 10:30 PM (Half hour before closing) And on the way home, we picked up some "celebratory" Chinese food from my fave Chinese spot in Elizabeth (where we live), as a reward for my nephew's "bravery" on his 1st Ever Ride on Zipper in his whole life. And I thank myself (and Blue Sky) proudly for making it happen.
My Next "Fight" against -Zipper- will be at the Staten Island Mall Carnival from Reithoffer's BLUE unit. It's their only spot they'll play near me before they head Out Of State. And of course, I'm planning to go 5 Rounds on it, and yes, Onride footage as well 🙂 I hope the weather stays beautiful for This Saturday night, as it will be my 2nd "fight" against it of the 2012 Season. I'll even film some other rides they got there but I'm not sure if I'll be able to go on all of them. But I will try and see, and depends on the money I have for them.
THANKS SO MUCH FOR POSTING THIS, (my nephew would like to say Thanks to u too) And I Look forward to more interesting Trip reports of This Year. And of course, more Zipper rides at more upcoming fairs near me. 🙂
-Robert "Zipper" lovin' Leaf Ninja aka "Neji Hyuuga" of The Hyuuga Clan
Academy Student (White belt) ninja 🙂
P.S. “I Have No Blind Spots” (Neji’s quote from the anime)
-Practicing my “Gentle Fist”-
This ride is at my fair, and i want to know if its scary or not. I can handle the Avalanche and Ali Baba, do you think i can do this? Ive never been upside down, but i can do spinny rides. 😀
Immaculate Conception Church in Annandale will host its 11th Annual Parish Festival from June 20th-24th. Majestic Midways will transform the grounds into a magnificent playground complete with rides for all ages. Over 16 rides including some great ones for the thrill seekers. Paladin Amusements will bring awesome games for some extra excitement. There will be TWO FIREWORKS displays one on June 20th & one on June 23rd with a raindate of June 24th. We will have two wristband days one on June 21st and one on June 24th. Also featuring, nightly entertainment, fine food, raffles and a Tricky Tray. There will also be a Super 50/50 drawn on June 24th tickets are $2.00 each with a promise of winning a percentage of the gross proceeds. We will also be raffling off a Vacation Raffle Gift Certificate valued at $2000, a Nikon SLR Digital Camera Package, a Weber Grill, an Apple iPad, Disney Passes, tickets to One Direction and much more.
Easy to access off of Routes 78, 22 & 31. Follow the Ferris Wheel
For additional information: call 908-735-7319 or 908-735-9564
Hmmmm, I wish I could be there. But it looks pretty far from where I live (Elizabeth, NJ) I’m not entirely sure if I’ll make it there also. I know the one fair that’s closest to me for my birthday (I’m turning 22 this June 24th!) and that will Also Have My Fave Ride (Yes, “Zipper”) is -State Fair Meadowlands-. (They had it last year, and speaking with the President of the fair about them having it again this year) And they also do Unlimited Ride specials throughout the entire fair (June 22nd – July 8 with fireworks on July 3rd and 4th). There is also another fair in North Brunswick, NJ that’ll do that too, but I’m quite unsure of the name. I’ll have to look that up.
Though I thank you for providing me the information. Again I’m just not sure if I’ll make it there that day.
-Thank You.
Robert -“ZIPPER” Lovin’ Leaf Ninja- Mata aka “Neji Hyuuga” of the Hyuuga Clan
Oh hey, yeah Here It Is! Majestic will be playing at this year’s Burlington County Farm Fair in Columbus, NJ (just one exit over 7A on the NJ Turnpike) Looks like I’ll be going to this one, hopefully they’ll have the Zipper there (as they did last year) Here’s the link to the fair for more info about it.
@ DoD3Brian
Heyy! When it comes to livin’ life as a “Naruto” ninja, you know that the Zipper is my #1 fave ride to “fight”, don’t you agree? Plus their leather padding is so comfortable. (not to get too personal with the details, hehe) I’m going there tonight and try out Majestic’s ride this year.
And Reithoffer’s Orange Unit is doing N. Brunswick, NJ again this weekend. I believe it’s called the “Italian-American Fest” (never heard of it) but not sure if my ride will be there also. Plus I kinda don’t know where exactly in N. Brunswick will it be. But oh well, I’m not planning to go to both fairs in one night 2night, like i did with South Plainfield (Dreamland) and the Staten Island Mall (Reithoffer – Blue Unit) in the past month.
There is a small annual carnival about a 15min walk from me. Last year, a carny told me that the zipper at this carnival (run by World’s Finest Shows of Ontario), was made in 1996 or 1997. Assuming this is true, can someone tell me how safe the ride is? It looks fairly good, (new paint job & all), but I don’t think it has the updated cages (ones with the z on the side of the cars). It would be greatly appreciated if someone could answer me ASAP.
Sure, that makes me feel a lot better, but what if the guy forgets to close the cage (you know, cause he’s smoking pot or something)? I mean, it probably won’t be an issue, as the show that comes to my town is one of the best in Ontario, but you never know… Is it just a risk that I’ll have to take, or is there a way to tell if they’re locking the cages right?
It would really help if someone answered ASAP, as the carnival is right near my house, and I may go in a day or two.
You’re worrying about it too much. lol But to answer your question, the door closes, two locks engage simultaneously and then the ride op puts in a pin that acts as a third lock. On newer ones the door just closes, locks and that’s it, no pins or anything since the locking mechanism was rebuilt.
I just rode the zipper today. It was amazing, and so intense that I could barely walk off the platform! Beforehand, I had to wait about 45 minutes, having the carny kick me out 4 times, ’cause I couldn’t ride alone. Finally, after a long time of waiting, however, another carny who was on break volunteered to ride with me. I took the offer, and got on. The ride itself was like nothing I’ve experienced. It had EVERYTHING you’d want… REALLY high g- forces, floater air, ejector air… YOU NAME IT, IT HAD IT! Finally, as an added bonus, right as the ride stopped, our cage flipped an extra 9 or 10 times in a row, and the g-forces were INSANE. If you want to see what that looks like, type ””Crazy Zipper Ride 1″ into YouTube.
I remember riding the skydiver in 1969 it only had a piece of wood going across to hold you in, great ride. This ride was designed to be run at full throttle, giving you the effect of free falling. Over the decades through regulations the operators had to tame it down, that’s what I have been told.
Ah yes! I’ve had quite a “2 Course -Zipper- Meal” at both the South Plainfield (Dreamland) and Staten Island Mall -PART 2- (Reithoffer) spots. But which 1 of them is most fun. They felt quite the same to be honest lol. But Reithoffer’s -Zipper- spun/flipped me more times in a row than Dreamland’s in S. Plainfield. So I first got to this fair at around 7:30, rode Dreamland’s -Zipper- only twice, just for.me to save some money for the Staten Island Mall carnival (Part 2). I came to those 2 Places By Myself, and stood near the entrance of the ride, holding a sign that reads, “Lone Leaf Ninja Came Here Alone To Ride -Zipper-. But Ride Ops DO NOT ALLOW Single Riders On It. Willing To Ride With Someone Here. IF ANYONE INTERESTED TO RIDE WITH ME ON -ZIPPER-, PLEASE STEP FORWARD AND TALK TO ME ABOUT IT. THANKS (smiley)”
So Again, I rode only Twice on Dreamland’s -Zipper-, And went on Reithoffer’s ride. 3 Times (on one those rounds it back flipped me 7 Times In A Row!) It helped my “craving” A Lot! Thanks For Informing Me about the S. Plainfield spot, and like I said, I look forward to more (as well as State Fair Meadowlands) at the next upcoming fairs of this year! 🙂
-Stay “Zippin'” for me! Lol
Robert “-Zipper- Lovin Leaf Ninja” Mata
O>>>>x<<<<O
PS. Have you heard that Reithoffer has the new “Stinger” ride? That Ride Is Crazy! I was thinking about going on it, but I had 2nd thoughts lol (Plus it was too expensive. It costs 7 Tickets while it’s $1.25 per single ticket) I’ve even got some shots of it on my phone, if I can somehow start a new YT account and upload it to there so you can see it.
I forgot to tell you, there was actually ANOTHER Zipper over at the Corpus Christi Carnival in Chatham, NJ (next town over from New Providence where the OLP fair was.) This one was Tommy’s Midways’ ride I think. Could have gotten three different Zippers in one day…well maybe, that may have been a bit too many fairs to hit in one day.
And yes I’ve been wanting to ride Stinger since I heard about it last year. I’m hoping it turns up at a Reithoffer spot in NJ but I’m not going to hold my breath. NJ is notoriously strict with ride regulations and new rides have to go through a lot of red tape apparently. 7 tickets, lol thats almost as much as their Speed ride.
Well, I’ve only had enough money for just those 2 spots anyway, haha. Hmm, I’ve actually never heard of Tommy’s Midways. I wonder if they have a website so that I can follow them and ride their ride at a fair nearest me. I would’ve had a “3-Course -Zipper- Buffet” yesterday lol. Wow, I didn’t even know that for sure until now. Was it their last day there yesterday as well?
Yeah, it was at the Staten Island Mall there too. As well as the Pharaoh’s Fury (the Higher-swinging kind..went on it 3 Times on the ends, as it’s my 3rd fave ride on my list!), Orbiter, Kroon Giant Wheel, Cliff Hanger, Indy 500 Car mini-coaster, Avalanche (Moby Dick), Himalaya (Wisdom), and of course, my #1 Fave Ride On My List, -Zipper- (the yellow one, with red and blue cars). Though the toll to cross the Goethals Bridge getting there was kinda steep. $12 to get into NY!
Oh, I forgot, 2 Saturdays ago I also went to the North Jersey DARE Carnival in Paramus, NJ (Reithoffer’s voluntary event..as I don’t know what unit they were travelling on). There it had the Chance Giant Wheel, Super Himalaya (Musik Express), Sky Flyer (larger version of the Vertigo), Tango, Wild Mouse, Yo-Yo, Power Surge (they GOTTA fix the ride to make the whole arm rotate as it should), Starship 2000, Orbiter, Pharaoh’s Fury (it wasn’t as high as it should be, they gotta fix that too), and Freak Out! There was no -Zipper- there unfortunately. This is their last day there as well before moving to, probably N. Brunswick. I’ve also asked the Reithoffer crew on their FB page, “Will the -Zipper- and of course the Huss Flipper (Tornado) be at the N. Brunswick Fair this year?” I’ve got no response from them yet, but I’m willing to try their Huss Flipper (Tornado) ride there, and hopefully their Wild Claw (KMG Afterburner/Fire Ball) as well. That’s if…They’ll All Appear at the N. Brunswick Fair this year.
I can almost guarantee that the NBYSF will have a Zipper there, Tornado, not so sure. They didn’t have it last year and considering how large the ride is (3 or 4 trailers I think) they might just reserve it for the biggest of the big carnivals now. See what they say though. Power Surge has had a non-rotating arm for years now, I doubt they’ll ever fix it since it gets the same ridership regardless.
Hey I just got Good News from the Reithoffer FB page. They’ve just said that the Tornado will appear at the NBYSF This Year! (and I hope they mean the Huss Flipper, and not just the Wisdom kind, where you spin the 4 seater cross cars, but that is kinda fun though hehe)
Hey there Mike I was there and, I was trying to find U at the fair tonight. I seems as though you might’ve been at another spot your company is playing. I was finding you to tell you “Thanks” and how much I love the “Zipper” ride! 🙂 Hope I’ll see you there Saturday night, along with more of my “cravings” for -Zipper- 🙂
ALSO OPENING THIS SUMMER AT MOUNTAIN CREEK: They;re REOPENING SURF HILL!IT IS CONFIRMED on their website, and on their Facebook page, its opening in the same exact place as the old one.
Yeaah 🙂 Oh and just to give u a heads up, I’ll be the big fella wearing either Blue Denim shorts or jeans, mainly with a black “Naruto” shirt (with either the main character with yellow hair popping out on the foreground/front, or one that reads “Strictly For My Ninjas”) and/or with a red or blue headband with the carved “Leaf” symbol on the metal plate. Probably either alone (holding a sign over me) or with my lil nephew (if he won’t have other plans 2morrow night) And I’ll/We’ll be near the big rides. that’s the Starship Gravitron, Ferris wheel, some small looping ride, the Round Up and of course, “Zipper” (mostly the “Zipper”) for most of the evening for a better chance for us to meet =)
Ooh nice! You know, I’ve never been on a Loop O Plane before, but kinda pretty much too tall for me to ride it now lol. Plus I’ve seen And rode a bigger kind before. it’s at the State Fair Meadowlands (which I go there every year for my birthday, and the 4th of July for the fireworks) each year since its debut in 2008. It’s an open seated, floorless Fabbri Kamikaze called “Banzai” (Although I’ve seen..or, there used to have been a few of the original “closed cabin” versions of the ride when I was younger, but never rode one at all)
Hey now, you guys got a Loop-o-Plane? I haven’t seen one of those traveling around here in a while.
Robert, I’m not sure how tall you are but I’m like 5’8″ and I could probably still fit into one of them. I’d guess if you’re nearing 6 feet then it would be getting pretty tight. Also, I just saw one of those older style Kamikaze type rides at the Warren Lions Expo. It’s a one armed version called Screamer (ARM model?) owned by McDaniel Brothers Shows.
@DoD3Brian
Oh, I’ve seen that company before. They used to play every summer at some field across Elizabeth High School every summer. I remember they had a “Skydiver” and some old style swing ride. And they still do the Waterfront Latin Music Festival every Memorial Day weekend at the Elizabeth Seaport (just a couple of blocks from where I live) This year they had the Screamer there as well. But I wasn’t planning on riding it for some reason lol. I’d rather stick to “Banzai” @ the Meadowlands Fair. Hehe. 🙂
@BSAMike
Hey there Mike! Once again I’ll be at the at the St. Anthony’s Feast in Hawthorne, NJ 2nyte! And if u can find me, I’ll be the big fella wearing either Blue Denim shorts or jeans, mainly with a black “Naruto” shirt (with either the main anime character with yellow hair popping out on the foreground/front, or one that reads “Strictly For My Ninjas”) and/or with a red or blue headband with the carved “Leaf” symbol on the metal plate on me. I’ll be attending alone, which I should probably arrive around 8 or 8:30 (holding a sign over me that reads “Lone Leaf Ninja Came Here Alone To Ride -Zipper-. But Ride Ops DO NOT ALLOW Single Riders On It. Willing To Ride With Someone Here. IF ANYONE INTERESTED TO RIDE WITH ME ON -ZIPPER -, PLEASE STEP FORWARD AND TALK TO ME ABOUT IT. THANKS =)”) because my nephew will be going to a wedding party in Edison, NJ. Ah well, I guess more “Zipper” fun for me. 🙂 And again, I’ll be near the big rides. that’s the Starship Gravitron, Ferris wheel, some small looping ride, the Round Up and of course, “Zipper” (mostly the “Zipper”) for most of the evening for a better chance for us to meet =)
See Ya There 2nyte! 🙂
-Robert -“Zipper” Lovin’ Leaf Ninja- Mata
Awww man I was a little too late to find out about this one. And I think I know where that “Zipper” came from. It was from an East Rutherford, NJ defunct carnival company called “21st Century Shows”. I can tell because from the former show’s website (before it got closed) it had the Epic, Symbolic “Zipper” logos on the back of the cages if you look closer to the pics with the backs showing. And in one of these pics you’ve posted here, It’s The One I’m Talkin About! 😀 Though yes, I was a little too late (and had just not much money for this fair as well) to find out about this fair. Thanks for posting these. I can’t believe I missed out on this one lol.
Yeah that sure does look like their old Zipper. I had to look up their page using the “Internet Archive” (archive.org) to see and the cached site crashed my browser like five times. lol But I managed to see it in that massive collage they put on the front page (that thing must have chewed up bandwidth like crazy.)
Looks like they also had a Loop-o-Plane, wonder if that’s the one BSA picked up.
Wow… GREAT article. I, unfortunately, only visited the park once growing up. (Although went to VV many times for ski season) It was probably in the mid-late 80’s, so I would have been about 15 or so. The icy cold water is something I’ll never forget…. Going down the cannonball (when we went it was part underground and had the 90 degree turn) and being shot out falling in to the ice cold water below. Good times… good times. 🙂
I don’t remember a lot of the rides… the tarzan swing, the cannonball, alpine slide, couple of the raft rides. I think a few others. The Cannonball Loop was not opened when we went, and I still have a picture of it someplace in a box. 🙂
No one mentioned it, but back in 87 or so there was a ‘sister’ park to Action Park down in Pine Hill, south jersey. For many many years it was a ski resort called Ski Mountain, and then at some point they teamed up with AP and added a water park. For the first year, they had the same name – Action Park. But then they changed it to Action Mountain. Had the same font and colors in their logo. They had about a dozen rides… Tarzan swing, alpine slides, go carts, a river raft ride… cannon ball ride (both for adults and one for kids) a non-wave pool… bumber boats… few other rides. I have more pictures from that park since it was 10 min from my house, and when I was 16 I worked there for a summer as a ride attendant. (As did a bunch of my friends)
It wasn’t as dangerous as AP, but it wasn’t super safe. The water was much warmer, since it was heated (but still on the cool side).
I don’t know if this link will work but he is a pic of my shirt:
That park, both the water and the ski resort, eventually closed. They owed a ton of money in back taxes, and they jacked into the water system of an apartment complex that was right along side of the park. (So they were stealing the water)
On Friday and Saturday nites they held dance parties for a couple months to try and make some money to pay the back taxes… but it didn’t work and the place was shut down for good.
I wouldn’t trade my childhood for anything. Between AP, AM, the stabbings and other violence at Great Adventure… the 80’s were just an awesome time!!!!
Hey there Brian! Guess what? I’m sure you’ve met BSAMike at OLP this year. I’ve Finally Met Him As Well..@ St. Anthony’s in Hawthorne, NJ 🙂 And yes I came alone, and a police officer tore up my sign because they said I’m “creeping out” ppl, especially little kids like that. WTF? How am I even scaring ppl like that, just for holding a sign that’ll attract someone to ride the -Zipper- with me? How can it “cause harm” to anyone?? I came over there just for that, and of course, meet Mike. They’ve only got down my info/ID (my address on my drivers license, my phone #) into their little “notepad” in case they see me do that again so they can take me “downtown”. Those pricks, but I didn’t want no more probs with them. So I stood near the ride almost all night, and then a carny who was putting the locks on the ride asked me “Have you found Mike yet?” I said I didn’t yet. So he took me to the Loop O Plane for me to see him there. Once I’ve finally got to meet him, I thought he’d look more like one of the “rough” types. But he’s alright, hehe. We had a decent conversation about a bit of our lives, and how the they used to have a Kamikaze before the new Loop O Plane they’ve just got. He offered me a ride on it but I said “I’d rather stick with the “Banzai” (or “Footloose” they call it as well, I’ve heard) better. Plus he was operating it for the night because the guy who was supposed to operate it didn’t show up. And so I’ve waited til he finishes with the Loop o Plane (they named it “Dragon Loops”, medieval themed) and right to the time the carnival shuts down, we went on the “Zipper” together and even though I’ve bought the tickets for it, he let me ride with him, For Free! 😀 I’ve had a bit of a sucky time but once we’ve met, my night got awesome. I can’t wait to hopefully see him again in Bayonne (yep, they’re doing there again but at a different church) and the ride there as well. I’ll see if my nephew on can come with me on Friday night (the night before I get to the NBYSF on Saturday night) Yep it was amazing and I’ve recorded it on my phone to hopefully make a good vid of it when I get my laptop fixed. And if I come alone, maybe we’ll do it again but I’ll just see if I can be there Friday night.
And Mike (if you’re reading this) Thanks for making my Saturday night in Hawthorne better! 🙂 And I forgot to ask while we were in Hawthorne, will the “Zipper” appear at the next church in Bayonne? If so, give me the address to where it’ll be and I’ll make sure I’ll ask my nephew before Friday night, if he won’t have other plans for that night. Thanks 🙂
Heh, you could try my trick for getting on Zipper in the event you go to a fair alone. Basically I’ll just hang out in front of the ride and wait for a single rider to be turned away (it ALWAYS happens even with a sign posted.) When I see the exchange happen between the ride op and rider, I’ll walk up near the exit and ask the rider if it’s ok to hop on with him. Now I’ll be honest, I’ve only done it once but I ended up waiting like 5 minutes total and then got to go through the exit gate, negating the entire line.
Sounds like you two had a good time. I did meet him briefly during the OLP fair during the day on Saturday and he seemed like a pretty down to earth guy. Unfortunately later on that night when I stopped by briefly (picking up zeppolies lol), I walked right past him as I’m absolutely horrible with faces. It was only once I got back to my car that I was like “hey…that guy that looked at me strange was Mike I think!”
I’m going to have to stop by at another BSA spot to see this Loop-o-Plane and Mike (if I can recognize him that is lol.) I don’t know when though as I’ve been pretty busy lately.
Hmmm, well last night I’ve been standing leaning beside the railing (behind the operator and the control box) and I haven’t seen Any single rider, especially when they’re in line. And I’ve even asked the assistant who was putting on the locks if he could let me know or get a single rider so I can ride with them. “I’ll see if it’s possible” he said. And it got kinda pretty unlucky for me. And if I had not met Mike, I wouldn’t have got my ride last night. But for now, I don’t have to worry about going by myself because, I’ve asked my nephew if he can go with me on Friday night (since we both have other places to go on Saturday night) to their Bayonne spot and I’m glad he said yes..because there won’t be anything good on TV that night. I don’t want this weekend for me to get boring, especially when I’m turning -22- this Sunday (I hate not having my birthday on a Friday or Saturday lol)
Oh and have you already the NBYSF yet? If so, is my fave ride there? I’m going with 2 of my 3 older sisters (who’s birthday Also falls in on the same week as I do) and their friend to celebrate and we’re all gonna ride the “Zipper” if it’s there, even though on Reithoffer’s FB said they do.
Jeez, I guess I got lucky then. I remember it was a three person group when I got on that Zipper; the first two went on and their friend was turned away. And no, I didn’t go to the North Brunswick fair yet, I might go Tuesday night.
Ugh, it sucks having that “No Single Riders” rule. Before that they didn’t have that rule. I wonder why..
Hmm, why not come Saturday? On Saturday nights they’re doing Dazzling and Spectacular fireworks shows @ 10pm. Maybe u could capture some footage of it, as well as the rides, and make it an awesome, epic and fun montage. And perhaps we’ll meet as well if u come this Saturday night 🙂
And thanks. When’s your birthday and how do u celebrate them? I’m so glad I was born between the North Brunswick fair and State Fair Meadowlands (which I have gone there to celebrate my birthday since I turned 13. Before then was Chuck E Cheeses lol) I’ll be having a 2-Part Celebration this year! 😀
Sorry man, I’m busy Saturday, I’m going to visit my friend down in south Jersey. As for the Zipper rule, it’s because if a person turns sideways they can slip out from under the bar and go tumbling around the cage. Even after Chance made the suggestion to not allow single riders some places still allowed them (namely Coney Island.) It wasn’t until everyone started suing for stupid crap that all Zipper owners started clamping down for fear of some idiot slipping under the bar and then suing them because the manufacturer suggested that there be no single riders.
And my birthday was in May; I celebrated by going out with friends and getting hammered. lol
Awwwwww, it would be great if u did. But, I see. I visit my friends on Saturdays as well, but mostly during the day (and at night only during the Fall and Winter seasons) And on Sundays (even some of them attend church so I visit them after they get back from church) And mostly on Saturdays nights in the SprUmmer season (notice it’s Spring and Summer together) I plan to take my friends (or anyone I know) to the fairs. 🙂
Wow..how could someone be dumb enough to slip under the bar, and not facing the proper direction? Or is it by accident?
And lol wow. As for me in seriousness, I don’t get drunk (or drink any alcoholic beverage, I’m a Non-Alcoholic. Also a Non-Smoker) and Never Will because I do love driving to a lot of these fairs with my Top 3 Fave Rides (Zipper, Ring of Fire, and Pharaoh’s Fury, I haven’t quite thought of others yet lol) And I don’t EVER want to get a DUI and get my license suspended nor revoked. I have A Lot of common sense. And those that do that stupid stuff are just plain stupid, plain and simple.
Nope. They sold their loop o plane before we could get it (it was in VERY good shape too) the Loop we bought was from All County Amusements on Long Island
I saw their website and I see they also have a “Zipper”, do they? Just curious cause I don’t think can drive.all the way that far to ride their ride lol.
LOL you guys are to funny. Robert, glad you enjoyed the zipper. Glad i struck you as a “rough” type LOL We will be in St. Henry’s in Bayonne next week (zipper and loop o plane will be there) however i will not be. I will be on Long Island (HOME SWEET HOME) for the week. If you go enjoy your time there.
Awww, well thanks for the info. And my nephew (his name is Christian btw) will be going with me this time, We’ll both be attending this Friday night (as Saturday night I’ll be at -Reithoffer-‘s North Brunswick Fair with my 2 older sisters to celebrate my and one of my sister’s birthday, which falls on the same week as I do. And my nephew has other plans on that night as well) Thanks again, and U enjoy your break at home 🙂
Haha, Zipper does strange things to people Mike. I remember there was some dude hanging around this site for a while who wanted to break the record for time riding on the Zipper. In every single post he made he left his email and other contact info hoping a show would contact him. Don’t know what ever happened with him…
Well, a while after Michael Jackson passed away, I’ve heard on TV or somewhere on the internet saying that he has a World Record time on that ride. He rode for -35 minutes- straight. Geez and I ain’t crazy thinking about doing it yet. I’m just not quite that famous now as he was lol. Maybe the guy (Bruce Bell, I believe his name was?) here wanted to beat Michael’s record for good lol.
yea the carnival is pretty awesomee … n this year its going to be amazing.. wednesday is suppossed to be the best day to go (6/20/12) because there is supposed to be a bollywood dance school performing at around 7:30.. so yea it’ll be greatttt
I remember Waterworks too – I think it was 1978 when I first went – no mats were used back then, just you and the fiberglass slides! They added mats shortly after though.
There was another waterpark nearby, it had concrete slides built into a landscaped hillside. I can’t recall the name though. Waterworks was way better anyway.
For the record, 1978 predates waterworks by at least half a decade. While I do not know the exact year, I’m 100% certain it couldn’t have been before 1983, the year my family moved down to the Jersey shore; because I remember going to rainbow rapids then when it was the only game in town before waterworks was established. And I think it was several years after that in fact.
Wow! Then I guess I changed my mind lol. I’m not riding ones that don’t keep up with maintenance on Zipper rides like you always do. 🙂
Btw, I was planning to go to the St. Henry’s in Bayonne with my nephew 2nyte. Unfortunately due to the wet and dangerous weather earlier, we canceled it. And also because he has something else to do 2nyte (will it still be open on Sunday and what time will they close early?) Plus I don’t wanna go alone 2nyte also and there ain’t nothing good to watch on TV 2nyte, ugh.. So yeah, today Sucked big time. But 2morrow will be better for me, my 2 older sisters, and their friend for us to go to the North Brunswick Youth Sports Fest to celebrate my birthday (which is on Sunday. It sucks not having it on Friday or Saturday lol) to ride Reithoffer’s “Zipper” along with the other big rides there together til it closes at midnight and watch the fireworks! 😀
All County Amusements has some pretty cool rides it looks like. I don’t know if I’d go to Queens just to check them out though. I typically only venture over there to see the Mets if I can help it. heh
they have a good selection of older rides, the newest ride they have is the Sizzler from around 2002. Their kiddie rides are much nicer then their majors
Hey there Mike, I didn’t go to the Bayonne church carnival last Sunday, because I know it closed early. So instead I went to the North Brunswick fair for another 2 rounds on Reithoffer’s -Zipper- and one final round on their Tornado (Huss Flipper) ride. It drizzled a bit but it didn’t hurt my night (my actual birthday)
hey does anybody know how tall cannonball loop was?!? from the ground to the point of entry otherwise known as the station or the front of the queue (from the grass to the top of the staircase) ?
I can’t find any reliable resource on the height, so I examined an image myself and determined about how tall 6 feet was in the picture (based on the average height of a man) and tried to measure from there. My measurement method gives me roughly 48 feet from the top of the platform (which is on a small hill) down to ground level.
Thanks for the memories! I used to go there frequently 20 years ago, then it seems they just let everything go and the place turned into a dump. Unfortunately there is nothing around here like it today.
Cool site. It’s funny because my nephew was recently talking about how sick Six Flags in Mass was. I started laughing and said “that’s nothing, you should have seen Action Park”. He laughed and thought I made up the name.
I’m from CT and we used to go twice each summer from 1980 till it closed. I’ve been on every ride there. By the end of the day, you were definately beat up. I know there is a video that one of my friends shot from 1990. I don’t know if he still has it but it basicallly chronicled our weekend at the park. I would love to see that once again. The rides were fast and harsh, the water was freezing (especially when you were waiting for you turn and the stoned attendants hosed you down for a minute with frigid water until they said “GO”) and the alpine slide had more skin on it than track.
One of my first times there, I was too short for the INDY cars at Motorworld and the guy turned me away. I took my socks, balled them up, put them in my shoes near the heel and got back in line. It was painfully obvious that I was trying to make myself taller, but the guy still let me go on. Funny how you could sometimes beg your way onto any ride in the park. If you rode the smaller go-carts, you could manipulate the governor by pressing on a bar on the right bottom edge of the car. Still today, any time I jump on a cart at a park, it’s the first thing I look for, and I’m 42 :)Thank you AP.
Looking back now, it was a dangerous place, but we loved it. All the stories I’ve read are so true that it brings me back to that young kid in the 80’s who was basically a test dummy for the weekend at AP. I’m very suprised that more people didn’t lose their live’s at that place.
I was in NJ in the area around 1997. I went to see what happened to the place and it looked like something out of horror movie. The rides and slides were still there but everythinng was overgrown. I needed to see more so we found a way in and checked it out for one last time. Really creepy.
If it was still around and was operating as it did in the 80’s, I probably wouldn’t let my kids go there.
Is the breakdance in Morey’s Pier still around? I surely miss the one in Coney Island. That was my favorite. Oh man they need to have that ride on the east coast for sure!
I was one of the lucky people that got to ride the cannonball. I had gone there so many times as a kid until Action Park shut down in the 90s. Anyway I would always stare at it and wonder why it wasn’t open. Originally the loop was smaller than the one you have in the picture. It was actually modified to the bigger loop you have in the pic. I remember the first time I saw it was bigger and thought they’ll finally open this thing but they didn’t. Then one day i was walking by and there was a life guard sitting there but no one was really riding. So i went up and sure enough it was open. However it had tight weight restrictions. Like 130-225 pounds. The reason I remember is my brother and dad who were with me couldnt ride it because my dad was too heavy and my brother was too light. Anyway I rode it and somehow your body twisted over as your rode through the loop as I asked the lifeguard what happens to you as you go through. It was fast as hell, I was dizzy as hell after and had no idea what happened to you. That was the only time I rode it. It was the only time i saw it open. But it was worth it.
The first time I saw the sky diver was at a carnival in Virginia Beach.It looked so scary for me being 12 at the time.I would not ride it until.I was 20.I clearly remember the ride operator cranking up The Rolling Stones “Tumbling Dice” loud as hell as it hit top speed.
Yes they do, Strates brought their Zipper to the fair again. They also brought Enterprise which was a surprise to see at the fair. I was kind of hoping they’d also bring Top Spin but guess that was wishful thinking. Top Spin and Space Roller on the same midway would have been a sight to see.
Yeah that would. But hopefully the Top Spin would be there next year. And I see there’s no Ring of Fire this year. I was expecting it to be there since it does appear at the fair every year.
I honestly doubt Top Spin will show up at the Meadowlands again. That thing only goes where the Strates train goes and Meadowlands isn’t one of their stops anymore. I actually think it’s been sitting in a Middletown, NY train yard since April, awaiting to be setup for the Orange County Fair. That’s just how rarely they use it!
Wow..that sucks. Why would they wait that long until it comes time to set it up at the Orange County Fair? Strates should do a stop for the Meadowlands Fair every year
I’m not sure if I’ll be at another Strates event this year but I’ll just have to plan and see. And I have rode the Top Spin once at Six Flags Great Adventure. But it didn’t run as intense as it used to since its debut
Great article. I spent summers in Vernon and went to Action Park every summer, repeatedly. (We’d sneak in with used wrist bracelets for free.) I was probably one of the first riders on the Alpine Slide. It was the first ride built and I still remember these psychedelic themed posters, advertising it around town. No matter how careful you were, there was a chance of being badly hurt. If you went too fast. BAM! You’d fall off. If you went too slow, BAM. Person in back of you, crashed into you and now you’re both hurt. Best to take your chances and go as fast as you could go. By the time I was in my late teens, most of my friends worked there and had no interest in stepping foot in their workplace on their day off. So I stopped going. Besides, people weren’t getting bruises there. They were being maimed. I had a scar on my left from going down the Alpine Slide without a cart. I crashed on a turn. Then continued sliding down the slide, without a cart to protect me. The slide was fiberglass and it burnt the skin off my leg. That’s the only way I can describe it. Not cut, not scraped, not bruised, burnt. And I had the scar for years. I’d show it off like a badge of honor.
There is a great carnival in Mount Olive starting Wednesday, July 11, 2012 and running through Sunday, July 15, 2012 (with Fireworks on Saturday July 14, 2012. Definately worth going too! It will be at Turkey Brook Park.
Ahhhh, Action Park memories. I was there a few times in the 80’s with my family and one particular time with my sister and our now husbands. On that occassion we were going down the Kamakazee (spelling?). Anyway as I’m launching myself, I feel my one piece suit “catch” on a protruding nail. Between that and the speed of the wedgie maker the entire “butt” of my suit was torn out.
When I reached the bottom the lifeguard was insisting I get out. Explaining I couldn’t because my rear was torn out of my suit, the terd didn’t care.
Thank God my sister had her shorts near by for me to put over my then exposed butt. We went to file a complaint and surprise surprise, they didn’t do crap about it. They wouldn’t even replace my torn suit with one out of their shop, I had to buy a new suit there!!!!
My family passes this place every year on our annual Wildwood vacation! We always used to wonder what was up with that weird gorilla, and no one ever seemed to be at the park even when it was still operating. One year we saw the gorilla on the ground minus the slides, and then the next year he was gone. Now the only thing that’s left of the place is some old go kart tracks.
here’s a made-up song to sing on this ride: it feels so weird to me right now(from calvin harris’ feel so close only i changed the words). kinda strange trying to breathe if you pay attention to that stuff:)luv it! went on it at local carnival and going on it as much as i can every time it comes!!! the only thing that sux is u can’t ride alone:(
Yay! About time lol. Well yeah, sounds like you had a pretty good time there..during the day I see. Yeah, this year’s fair there got a bit better..though they could’ve had the Wild Claw there but Freak Out is kinda the same experience..only smaller. Wowee! I went on the 2 Final nights of the fair, well of course it was my birthday weekend ya know. 😉
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So My 1st time was Saturday night (June 23rd..the night before my birthday..and which they also were doing a spectacular fireworks show that night), I went with my old cousin (she’s hot btw) who returned home to Elizabeth after spending 4 years And Graduated from some major college in Miami, Florida. Along with 3 of her guy friends. One of them named Oscar has his own car and drove all of us there. We planned to arrive at 8:30pm (the time the sun sets and the rides’ lights turn on) but we got caught up on some heavy traffic along the NJ Turnpike. So better 15 mins late then never I suppose. And parking wasn’t that harsh either. As we all got to the entrance, my cuz and her friends all paid $4 to get in. But since I got their MegaPass (Official discount ticket that’s good for Free Admission and UNLIMITED RIDES..which were sold @ Walgreens a month prior to the event) I had no problems getting in. Once I’ve set foot past the entrance gates, I went to one of the nearest ride ticket booths, so I can exchange my MegaPass for the Unlimited Ride wristband. Then we all walked around the fair for a bit to see what this year’s fair had in store..and to see how much tickets each ride there cost. I was excited to to see the Tornado and Zipper in action when I first got near them.
So my cousin’s friends (except my cousin, sadly) bought a few tickets for the rides and my first ride of the night, was 1 round on “Zipper”. I went on with Oscar and it was his 1st time ever lol. It was weird that the ride only loads one car at a time, with the cars Facing the Giant Wheel. (its LED light patterns were beautiful) On the ride’s counter-clockwise rotation, the ride flipped us about 6 times in a row before we reached the other side of the boom. In its clockwise rotation, it didn’t front flipped us at all. But at least he had fun lol.
After our 1st round on “Zipper” Oscar and my cuz’s other friends decided to go the “Tango”. Even my cuz tried to get me to ride it but I refused to go on it lol. But Then I said, if the ride does appear at this fair next year, I’ll ride it with my best friend. And the ride started, Me and her chuckled and laughed at the guys riding it, holding onto the bars and one yelled “My Balls” in Spanish lol. My cousin shouted “punks!” at them as the ride ended, haha. I felt sorry for one of the guys xD And that was the only ride they went on. (except for Oscar who also went 1 round on Zipper with me) After that, Oscar and the other guys head back to the car to chill while me and my cousin are still at the fair. So I figured, I got the wristband so I might as well have fun on the rides myself while I’m here celebrating my 22nd birthday. So I then went on the Orbiter, then Wild Mouse, Pharaoh’s Fury (lucky I got on one of the ends of it hehe), and of course, the ride I was daring myself to ride since it last appeared there 2 Years Ago…TORNADO! 🙂
Though I went alone, which was kinda sad for me but at least I got to to enjoy it. So I sat in on car, with no other 2 riders next to me. And as soon as the ride started, I started yelling OMG, why am I doing this?? xD The ride went like a wild bronco, with the power of an 80 degree angled HUSS “Break Dance” (which I never rode in my life) combined with the speed of an “Enterprise” or “Round Up”. I didn’t think it looked fast while I was in line for the ride. But myy goodness, was it FAST! The worst was when it lasted for about 3 minutes lol! But wowwweee what a ride! I loved it 🙂
And after that, I went on the “Freak Out”..which kinda made me a lil sad that the “Wild Claw” wasn’t there this year. But “Freak Out” does give an experience like it, only less seats and lower height while in full swing. And what was weird about the ride was how it ran. After the 1st round, the ride slows down, the floors go back up, and you’d think it was over and the harnesses will release you. But after about 5 seconds the floors go back down and you’re still strapped in for another short round. Worth a ride I suppose. 🙂
And as I got off the ride, the fireworks started shooting into the clear night sky over the Giant Wheel, such an epic sight. My cousin wished me a “Happy Birthday” (even though it was the night before lol) and gave me a kiss on the cheek. I blushed lol. And we watched the entire fireworks show together until it ended. After the amazing fireworks finale, it was time for me to go on one more ride, and it was The Last One OF The Night because my cousin wanted us to leave soon so she could get some shuteye for work the following early morning. Which was a bit of a downer but at least I had fun. 🙂
So my last ride of the night was one Last Round on “Zipper”. We walked up towards the ride’s overhead lighted sign and my cousin asked this young good-looking male ride op if it would be possible for him to get someone to ride with me. “I’ll see what I can do. Have him stay right by the exit gate and I’ll let him know.” We thanked him of course. 🙂 And once the ride op finally got me someone to ride with I sat next to a young male teenager. We both had a lil chat and asked ourselves if we’ve been on the “Zipper” before. We both said yeah and we were a bit surprised, hehe. And then finally the ride started in a counter-clockwise rotation. Then ride has us back flipped only twice. The teenage boy’s face hit the cage door..and I saw that happened haha. Then in its clockwise rotation, it felt hard! It held us upside down for about 3 seconds then wildly front flipped us about 4 times. My goodness, that felt hard! Though that’s one of the reasons why the “Zipper” is my #1 fave! 🙂 Though I felr sorry for the kid who bumped his head on the cage door.
And as I got off of it. My cousin laughed at me and said “OMG, that was scary! How was it? I got a lil dizzy after watching you go through all of that” hehe. I told her, “Maybe next year you’ll ride it with me, huh?” “We’ll see” she replied. But wow, what a perfect way to end the night. And so after that, we walked up to some food court near the fair entrance, and bought myself a beef shishkebab (small chunks of grilled meat on a stick..and boy they were small)..with some bbq sauce on it..it’s too bad they didn’t include some bread with that. But what also got me a lil iffed, was that it costed me $4. My goodness, $4 for such small chunks of grilled meat on stick? “Carny food” sure is expensive nowadays. Then we head back to the car to meet up with Oscar and the guys, for Oscar to drive us back home safe (and glad I did. He speeded like he was “Speed Racer” on the Turnpike. Lucky no cops didn’t pull us over.) And got home, ate some leftover pizza from last night, watched TV and fell asleep. 🙂
Haha, you need to start up a Blogspot blog of your trips as they’re pretty good reads.
And what the heck man, you didn’t go on Tango? I rode it without holding on and I came out fine. The seats actually have handles around where your thighs are; holding on to those (instead of the metal harness part) helps a lot more. I think too many people tend to lean forward on this ride as well, getting your butt on the bike seat helps.
–AUDIO– discussion
JRJR Show #46 – Action Park, World’s Most Dangerous Waterpark
Published on May 28, 2012 by jeffrubinjeffrubin http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkmI9xZXQjo
Heh, Hey thanks, that sounds like a good idea! But I got some questions about it though..Do you get paid to run and post updates to this site? And is it very likely that I could get paid to do a blogging and carnival/fair ride site similar to this? I’d like to do this kind of thing to earn a little extra money, since my job fairly pays not as much but it’s been pretty much sustainable. I work Mondays (sometimes Sundays) to Fridays from 6am to 4pm and it pays me $8.75 an hour.
And wow, heh..well lucky for you. 🙂 I don’t know how you’ve managed to gone through the “Tango” with a bit of pain (since I hear it’s been a bit of a “ball buster”), but wowweee! I just wasn’t quite ready for it this year. 🙂 All that mattered to me about that ride, was the “after” part. As many guys’ “eggs” got scrambled during the ride. I’ve been hearing them saying that as they exit the ride lol! Hmm, if I were to really go on it next year..with my best friend perhaps I should have a “cup” on me for it..just in case, hehe. And besides that, with the metal bars, would the ride’s full forces cause your head to jam left and right onto the sides of the metal bars? I’d like to know if that could happen. I’d like to hear others’ “Tango” experience before I finally get to try it out firsthand. And I wish I still had my old bike now. My mum had to sell it to help pay for my “always drunk” stepdad’s 1st DUI charge. :-/ (it’s a long story)
I don’t get paid anything, this is just a personal site. I have some ads running but unless you have a site that gets a ton of traffic (as in 1000s of hits a day) then they don’t really make much. Something like Blogger (Blogspot is Blogger now apparently) is free so there’s no loss and after a while it might turn into something big. I think you can add Google Ads to Blogger as well.
As for Tango, no cup is needed. Just hop on and enjoy, it’s not as bad as you think it is. Just make sure to hold onto the handles and not the metal harness thing. And no, you won’t hit your head on the bars as they’re pretty far apart. They don’t actually hold you in anyway, all they do is hold two seatbelt type straps that rest on riders’ shoulders.
Being a child of the late 80’s, I am envious of the recklessness that abounded at Action Park!! Here in central Ohio we had NOTHING like that , just Wyandot Lake, a waterpark in Columbus that catered to old people and small children.
Would’ve been a nice opportunity for -Blue Sky- (maybe with some lame McCafferty rides..but mostly Blue Sky) to run the midway for this kind of event this year.. -_-
And I’m kinda having trouble finding the handles you were talking about in one of these pics? Can you put up some good picture of Tango’s seats with an arrow pointing to the part I need to hold on? So that I’ll know when I’ll finally ride it with my best friend next year. 🙂
I recently had to move back to my family home, into the basement. These little bastards have been my sworn enemy since I was a kid. I’ve done battle with them for years. I’ve tried everything…but lately I find the best, most accurate and effective method is my trusty old 5 iron. You can whack them good and fast. The action of the club slicing through the air and coming down on them is swift enough that they don’t see it coming…and they’re toast. Meantime, I’m planning to bug bomb a storage area where I’ve discovered they’re congregating, and then spray the perimeters of the basement, outside and inside. That ought to teach those little f’ers.
I saw a lot of commercials on TV about Action Park but never went to it because my parents never took us to any amusement parks, only to zoos and museums.
But I never knew what a dangerous place it is until I happened to pick up a copy of Weird NJ vol 2 and came across a section on Action Park.
I mean, is this place for real? It seems that everyone who went there got bang up, and kept going back for more. Are there anybody out there who went to Action Park and return in one piece?
HAHA Surf Hill… LOVED it and yes, as a kid I worked my way up to expert LOL… My mother loved it too, except her favorite part was resting in the peanut gallery at the base and watching big tough dudes conquer the expert hills, only to be left red faced when they stood up and realized they had lost their shorts in that last fly over ramps.
My worst injuries occured in the Rock Pool, the years before someone decided it would work to add pads between levels. Before that you had to slide down bare rock.. OUCH!!!! I also remember being denied the chance to chicken out of the cliff dive and was forced to jump when I was about 8 and scared out of my head HAHA
On the Alpine slide, racing the sis, either I got the instructions wrong, or the guy running it got them reversed, but the whole way down, instead of break ON I was break OFF… anyone else ever pull offa full double into the pads at the bottom after nailing them at full speed? Thank god I was just a kid and didn’t weigh TOO much, or end up with a lifetime reminder in road rash scars. But hey, I did beat the hell out of the sis 🙂
As for tarzan, well, as a little kid it sure was an education in upper level curse words, in any language that was in the park HEHE… ya, I guess the water is a little chilly? (umm standing there watching guys try to fish certain body parts back from their stomach was an interesting intro to what happens when the water is a little cold 😉 )
I still wonder what on earth mom was thinking taking us there over and over…. Not sure I could handle taking my own kid LOL. I must have been a real brat.. think she was trying to off us by way of Traction Park 🙂
HAHA the Gauley! That one actually scared the hell out of me. Sliding in darkness with no clue what’s coming, at HIGH speed! The only light came from periodic slats that acted like a strobe light. Then you come out into the sun, think you’re safe, the WOOPS.. down another tunnel just to shoot out into a pool where you were destined to SLAM BANG into someone just innocently wading there (who would generally proceed to yell at you, as if you had anything to say about where or when you popped out of the darkness… again.. good times LOL
I remember riding the Alpine slide as a teenager. We got to the point that we could ride the whole length of the track with the stick in the cars forward. My friends and I would start slowly and gather around the first turn in the woods to let the track below us clear for each run, then race, rotating base on whether we had to wait for the person in front of us.
I also remember the very attractive women that worked the chairlift and lined the tracks. we always assumed they were refugees from the playboy club working on tans for their evening shifts…
Overall. Awesome amusement park for older kids. I miss it
The former Magic Isles amusement park that closed in the late 80’s had one but I’m not sure which company made theirs. They had a DJ in the booth that would play modern rock songs of that era. One operator/DJ loved to play “Freeze Frame” by the J. Giles Band every other hour or so. Very cool ride for a young teen especially at night with the lights came on!
Best Zipper on the US East Coast – Trimper’s Rides in Ocean City Maryland. Well maintained – and runs full speed ahead unlike many of the anemic Zipper rides with the traveling carnivals. You can clearly see this in the video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzAt6Fow4Lk
I ‘m 56 and will never stop riding the Zipper as long as I have the ability to get in the cars. I’ve learned not to hold onto the bars, but rather to fold my arms so that my forearms are resting on the pad above the cage door. This gives you a higher center of gravity and causes you to flip more. Also if the cage door were to fly open you might have a chance to stay alive…LOL.
Honestly – its a smooth ride, not jerky and harsh. Of course there are occasional moments when you are flung upside-down and face first….at the ground – which generally indicates some outrageous flipping action to follow.
I remember my cousin and I going on this only we would try to be completely silent through out the whole ride instead of yelling and screaming. The silence intensifies the rush you already get since you’re holding everything in.
Ah, I see. That would be quite a challenge for me to keep my grip on those, haha. Wowee, I can’t wait til next year. Thanks for the info:-)
AND FINALLY, HERE’S -PART 2- (June 24..my birthday).. Sorry It took me a while to finish it. I had a lot of things to handle but I finally get to finish this once and for all. Enjoy 🙂
Ok, so I woke up at around 9am, my parents called me to say “Happy Birthday” over the phone, and asked me about my plans for that day. I told them it was gonna be nothing much, even though Sundays are really work, church, and “chill” days. So I watched an “On Demand” movie. And after that I just showered, got dressed, and drove to the Woodbridge Center mall for a 2-hour stroll and “gawk” (window shopping) at some cool stuff in some of the best stores of the mall. There was nothin good to watch on TV during the day so I figured, “why not?”
Then, around 3pm my best friend texted me “Happy Birthday” and asked me what I’ll be doing to celebrate today. “I’ve already celebrated at the fair last night” I texted back to him. Then, he texted “Well, I just got out of church now. Why don’t come over to my place in 30 minutes so we could chill together?” “Sure that sounds cool! I’m exiting the mall right now. I’ll be there in about 30 minutes as well.” I replied.
I drove back to Elizabeth without any problem on the way, I got to my friend’s place just in time as he arrived just a minute later. “Dang, how’d you get here so fast?” he said with a chuckle. “Hey, I got here a minute before you did” 🙂 Heh, we never stop “being bros” to each other hehe. So I went in to his place and stayed there for a while, and watched him play CoD (Call of Duty)
At around 6pm that evening. my friend’s parents got an phone call that someone on the phone told them to come to some location in East Orange. Apparently, that felt a bit of a downer, as I thought I could stay at his place until he goes to bed at midnight. Then he and his parents got dressed and left to wherever in East Orange to need to be.
I went back to my house..watching BORING TV..for another hour or so. And then something in me shouted “Hey! What am I doing watching boring TV? Even though it’s a Sunday, today’s still your birthday! You gotta do something fun tonight at least! Why not go to that fair again tonight?” “That’s right, I’m going there again” I said to myself.
So I finally shut off my TV, grabbed my blue “Naruto” headband (stuffed in my pants pocket), my car keys, my cell phone and my wallet, then drove off solo to the fair via Route 1 & 9 (mainly, Route 1) and just a mile before I got there, it began in rain a bit and I said to myself, “Ohhh no..say it ain’t so..Not tonight, please don’t rain tonight..” I’ve arrived around 8:45 PM and Just as I finally parked my SUV in the parking lot (just a little closer to the entrance this time) and exited my vehicle the rain stopped. Though the sky was kind of overcast, which is alright..only if my real night didn’t get rained out.
I finally got to the main entrance, paid $4 and stepped past the security gates with no probs. I walked towards the Tornado (Huss Flipper) and saw that the back wall (the ride’s scenery) has been taken down, perhaps to prepare for the scheduled “tear down” by 11pm. I then purchased 5 individual tickets at a tickt booth near the ride and went for one, final round on Tornado. It felt weird to me that the ride ops don’t play any good music as they did the night before and that the ride has no background at that time. I went solo on one car. Rough..But it still was a Great ride, no doubt about that! I do hope it’ll come back again next year’s NBYSF 🙂
I then walked over to ticket booth near the Tornado again, just to buy 8 individual tickets for 2 Final rounds on -Zipper-. As I head towards the ride, I see about 50 in line for the ride. “My goodness, look at the line. I doubt I’ll find someone to ride with me tonight” I then head towards the ride op, and asked the guy “Today’s my birthday, though I came here alone. I was hoping if you could find me someone to ride with.” “Just walk up to any person and ask someone who can ride with you”, he replied. “Ok I’ll try that” So I walked up to any person in line, from the 1st person in line, to the last person in line.
I then head towards to ride op and he asked me, “No luck?” “Nope”. So he then told me to stand near the exit gate for about 15 mins, and finally he found me a “Zipper buddy” lol. So went through the exit gate, put on my blue “Naruto” ninja headband and stepped inside the cage, with a young Afro-american teenager. It was his first time. Hehe. As the ride was still unloading and loading more passengers..one car at a time (with the cars facing the Giant wheel)..I don’t know why ride ops do that instead of just filling in 2 cars at a time.
So we chatted a bit, as the young teenager next to me was kinda nervous hehe. “Hey, I felt the same way on my 1st time as you do. Now I’m a -Zipper- Addict :-)” I told him. The cable finally started rotating counter clockwise, as it hurled us up, over the top of the ride before the boom started rotating clockwise as well. Followed by a series a back flips once we reached from one end to the other. And the teenager made some shrill screams (like a girl terrified) as he held on to the bars tightly. And I was going “Oh yeah! Lovin’ this!” and of course, letting out my inner ninja by making “grunt” sounds 🙂 Then, the ride got wilder. As the whole started changing direction, our car just started doing multiple front flips. And it was funny how the teenager screamed on every flip we’ve been through. And the worst was the ride “dive bombed head first” to the ground as we pass around one end. the another series of front flips. Then our car did a couple more flips as the ride finally stopped. What a “fight” for me! As for the teenager, he loved it too. Though he did felt a little nervous once we’ve stopped at the top of the ride, as more people are unloading and loading.
Well that felt great indeed, I thanked the ride op for getting me on it with the teenager, and I went towards him again I said, “Hey, today’s my birthday, on this final night of the fair, can you get someone else for me so I can get on it..just one last time?” “Sure, no prob.”, he replied. Thanks ever so much, let me go buy 4 single tickets again ” “Hurry back.”
I ran to the nearest ticket booth, which was right beside the Tornado and Freak Out. I stood in line for about 3 minutes and got my last 4 single ride tix for my one final round on Zipper. I then hurried back to the ride’s exit gate for the ride op to tell me to get on once he has found someone for me to ride with. And after a ten minute wait, the ride op, yet again has found someone for me to ride with. And this time, it’s with a young adult male (in his 20s, maybe), who had to work until 9:45 and arrived to the fair before the final hour. He too, came alone.
It was also his 1st time ever on the ride. Though he had tried to get on it before but he couldn’t find anyone to ride with him. Lucky for us that we both got to ride it together. As soon as the ride op made sure the locks were finally secured, the ride finally started (the boom first then the cable) rotating counter clockwise. Though it was only one back flip, the rest of that rotation kinda didn’t got rough. And in its clockwise rotation, it just did 2 front flips. “The worst part of the ride is the front flips!” “I agree, but I love this ride nonetheless!” And it stopped us near the ground or platform.
Once we’ve finally got off, we “hi 5d” and thanked each other. And the ride op told me “Have a nice birthday..hoped you enjoyed it” “Thanks for making it happen. Hopefully I’ll see you and this ride next year with my best friend. “Yeah”. He was surely inj a good mood I’ll tell you that. Then I finally left the gate and drove back home about 45 minutes before the fair shuts down and tear down begins. It was a nice 30 minute drive and got home safe and prepared for bed for work the following morning. Wowweee! And I then finally realized that I rode the Zipper twice on Saturday night, and again..Twice on my birthday. 2 and 2..22! Isn’t that epic?! 😀 I guess you can say, that my birthday weekend got “Zipped”..the right way! 🙂 Happy 22nd to me! 🙂
Remember the TV commercials? “ACTION PARK! Where you’re in the center of the ACTION….PARK!!” I remember when the owner first bought the lodge, alpine slide was put in. I was young, maybe 10 years old and my parents and friends used to enjoy the Jimmy Stur Band at the festivals and us kids would wreak havoc. We used to go every year, I watched the park evolve and as I got older, the attractions got more and more intense. Reading what people say here about nothing in the world before or since was/will ever be close to the lunacy of AP. I remember Surf Hill was new and I joined two of the owners sons on an oversized mat in lane seven of eight…flew high into the air, and over the little section intended to slow you down and hit hard at the crash barriers. Hurt my elbow and shoulder pretty bad. The go-carts were beyond anything to be found at a cart track today. The Indy track was amazing, although they did sideline me once for going off the track and onto the grass… I remember hearing the thumping and noises from inside the looping slide as the riders would go through…I think that lasted one season…or less. The Alpine Slide was fun, used to wait as long as the attendent would allow to create enough space for a high speed death run…I crashed on one occasion, off a turn and into what can only be described as a boulder field…seriously, you were in charge of your own destiny here, serious injury or death was a possibility on many of the attractions and AP was home for adrenaline junkies. In no particular order: One year, a friggen loop, the next: a vertically mounted high powered fan to simulate skydiving, the next year: bungee jumping, the next: virtually unsupervised cliff jumping… high speed go-carts with an advanced lap timing system, mini speed boats, kamakazi, another smaller kamakazi type slide where you rode down on small sled-boats and skipped across the water- remember that? Doubtful that a place like that would ever be licensed in this day and age.
If you ever earned your stripes at Action Park, I salute you!
Wow I ve been to action park bout 15 times in late 80’s. It was in short a thrill seakers paradise. I can’t remember one visit were there was not a injury circulating throughout the park. I will always remember how frightened I was on every ride but that feeling was bliss and I trooped on with anxioty and excitement. I recall every ride like it was yesterday. The Alpine slide wich I mastered on the expert track will always be the most incredible fixation for me to date. However so many injuries were always reported. I remember waiting on line for the alpine slide and adjacent to me was the newly opened bunggee jump. That day was the first and last time I saw it open. The attendent said to the guest just jump and aim for the air bag directly below. Now human error or pride made this guest beer up and jump past the air bag. The bunggee broke and he missed the bag and broke his back. I have stories bout every ride. I refuse to go to mountain creek cause don’t wana feel crappy bout wat used to be. The pics posted on this site R money but much more can be addressed. I prob could explain in a short novel how awsome Action park was and how dangerous. Also I never saw the cannon ball loop in operation. Oh and mini golf in motor world was incredible.
I finally got my best friend to ride this with me @ the Middlesex County Fair last Saturday night! We arrived at the fair at around 9:30 pm..a little late but better than never I suppose lol. And it was pretty crowded too once we’ve got there. Although there were some potential threats for severe thunderstorms to hit the area, but luckly they didn’t hit us or caused the night to be “rained out”. It was just a light drizzle as soon as we got in. I brought in $30, enough for fair admissions for me and him. And enough for 3 rounds on -Zipper-. (while each single ride tix only cost $.75 and the ride costs 4 tickets) It could’ve been just 2 rounds cause my friend wanted us to ride the “Pharaoh’s Fury” (the end seats) but he let me decide. So instead, we went on -Zipper- for 3 rounds. My friend admitted that he was a little nervous about it but after the 1st round, He Absolutely..LOVED IT! And it was the best one yet because of the black, comfy leather padding inside the pods that makes us want to fall asleep in..When The Ride Isn’t Running lol. Our first 2 rounds on it was the most brutal. I wish I could’ve gotten them on video if I still had my smartphone with me. (which fell out of my pocket while riding the Gravitron @ State Fair Meadowlands..further details later) On our first 2 rounds we went on the pods that will do front flips. (since they only operate the ride in only one rotation..which was counter-clockwise) And on the last round, it got kinda weak. As we were put in a car that will do back flips. We’ve only been flipped just twice. Most of the time was just rocking back and forth. But sure he loved it. 🙂 And we left the fair 10 minutes before it closed at 11pm. Then we headed back to my friend’s place to chill for another hour and a half before he has to sleep for church the following the day. Surely we had a great time and I’m glad we made it happen. 🙂
Never saw Jimmy Sturr at AP, but he was still going in 2007. I saw him then at Hunter Mountain while there for a wedding. (Remember those late night polka record ads?)
Bruce, In answer to your comment, regarding Jimmy Sturr playing at the polka festivals in AP , you missed some great polka music as only Jimmy Sturr can play. He draws a large crowd wherever he performs and has a huge following, but you were fortunate to see him in Hunter Mountain. Was he the wedding band at the wedding you attended? He is a great guy as well as a great band leader! We wonder how an Irishman and not a Polish guy got his band together – maybe he has some Polish blood in there somewhere.
If I need a little uplifting, I go on utube and watch his videos and it perks me up. He has several to pick from and I have watched about all of them. What good musicians he has in his band! I love when his fiddler plays his country tunes.
What else can I say – he is the best, and I hope he contines for many years to come ……. 🙂 🙂
Breakdance has been a favorite since I first rode it at Adelaide Show in the early 90s. Its become a staple travelling ride they have every year (like the Gravitron and Matterhorn). Looking forward to having another ride at the Adelaide Show in a couple of weeks 🙂
Love the Gravitron! First rode one in the mid 80s when I was 9. I took my autistic son with me on it when he was 8 and he loved it. Apparently autistics like the feeling on rotors/grravitrons so I tested the theory and they were right.
A word of warning for the more heavy-set people out there. I’d gained a fair bit of weight since riding one before I rode one a couple of years ago. It made me feel a little short of breath while it was going and you feel those G forces even harder!
I still plan on riding it at this year’s Adelaide Show anyway.
I rode a rim driven model in the 80s. My sister and I were terrified and screaming with our eyes closed for most of the ride. She was on the outside, and her leg brushed against a tree branch on the way down every rotation. This was one of the scariest rides I’ve ever ridden, but I was 9 years old. It was at my local fair every year growing up, and I never rode it again. Maybe I’ll try it again as an adult.
Hey there Brian..Long time no talk!
I have another fair you could add to this list… Though I found out about it just now.
It’s the Mercer County Italian-American Festival at Mercer County Park.
It runs from September 27th through the 30th and Majestic Amusements will have their rides there.. Hopefully their “Ring Of Fire” and “Zipper” will be there as well.
I was at a Majestic spot in Scotch Plains earlier in the month and they had Ring of Fire but not Zipper. They did have a Sky Diver though. Of course the lot didn’t have a lot of room so that could be why some of their other rides weren’t there.
Oh, I have heard of that particular spot in Scotch Plains, though I’ve never gone there. Perhaps next year I hope. But sucks that they didn’t include the Zipper. Well, I don’t have to worry because all of Majestic’s rides will be there this weekend. And I’m not going alone either. I’ve had this planned with my best friend but he then canceled on Monday. So, I asked my nephew if he can..hopefully. But yeah, I’m really having the “craving” the “fight” the Zipper like a ninja this Saturday lol. Oh, and there will be fireworks there on Saturday night also. 🙂
Friday (in two days) there will be a funfair in my town and they will have the dominator (inversion)
I will ask if they keep the breaks of the chairs disabled
There should be a catagory for most delayed park attraction for next year. Cedar Fair is always late in getting their additions on line in the first year they are built.
yay..glad to see this return..i want to add my vote for the 2013 lead tickets award already to Cedar Points Gatekeeper for the worst name ever!..kinda agree with Steve..a “we waited for that?!” category would be fun for delayed lame rides.
I rode this twice, about one hour apart at night time. Fantastic ride and a decent time length as well. Rare to see such a ride with a traveling show as this one was.
Lol, I got beat up by my friends phone in the car since it fell out, the back cover came out and the battery fell out of the car and he couldn’t find it again. Plus his phone got like 5 more dents.
WELL…THAT’S IT, Carnival Ride “junkies”! It’s October, and the 2012 Carnival Season is OVER for NJ (NY? PA?) and another Long winter season is just ahead. Have a nice, safe and healthy Fall and Winter this year. There’ll be more fun with carnival rides in Spring -2o1E-! (backwards “3”)
WOW brings back memories, I remember coming home with my Friends and having that pink cream all over my legs and arms, you always knew who had ridden the alpine slide by seeing that , I also remember my girlfriends top coming off on the surf hill ride, along with many others 🙂 , that was the our favorite hang out spot during lunch/taking a break. I wish I had gotten to ride the lopping tube, it was never open when i was there at anytime and being the daredevil that I am I would have been 1st in line to try. I haven’t been there in god knows how long, thinking of taking my kids there now.
Hated the ride, threw you around like a rag doll and slammed you into your other passenger in a tiny claustrophobic space. Not even that exciting. The only exciting part was getting off that monstrosity.
I’ve loved this ride ever since I was a kid. I always have loved to turn upside down and sideways on the wall in these things. Want to up the ante on the thrill factor? Then doing the very thing mentioned above is what you should try. You will impress everybody else on the ride and cause them to get a kick out of you (in other words you will be the life of the party). You better make sure the operator is cool with it before you try it, though. Often times, especially nowadays the more fussy operators make you stay upright and will often bark at the beginning of the ride: “No going upside down!” When the ride has an operator like that, those found breaking the rules will usually be seriously warned, and the ride can be stopped to kick the offending riders off if the operator deems it necessary. So I guess just make sure the operator is chill and in a good mood before you go upside down.
The one of these I’ve gone on pretty regularly is the one at Lagoon amusement park north of Salt Lake City, Utah. It’s called ‘Centennial Screamer’ there. Other places I have been on it is the one at Dorney Park (pictured above), and the one at Cedar Point, where it’s called the ‘Witches Wheel.’ I have also been on a Schwarzkopf model one at Six Flags Great America called ‘the Orbit.’
After hearing horror stories of how rough this ride was, I was pleasantly surprised to actually find this ride kind of fun. Sure, there are bigger and better coasters out there, and this coaster is a bit harsh on the shoulders, but if you’re in the Vegas area, it’s worth at least one go. The coaster I found really rough was the Desperado, located at Buffalo Bill’s Resort hotel/casino 40 miles down the road in Primm, on the Nevada/California state line. Naturally Arrow-built hyper coasters are typically a little rougher because they’re older than hyper coasters built by other companies, but that one really beat the snot out of me leaving me thinking I was on a rough wooden coaster that didn’t age well (Desperado apparently didn’t age well).
Have you heard about what happened to this place, this week??
Aww man, I can’t believe how such a huge hurricane would wipe out all the fun, exciting, and amazing things the Jersey Shore has to offer.. this is an amazing post to remember by. And we may not be seeing all this Next Summer…thanks to Sandy for ruininng the precious things what made Seaside Heights, NJ beautiful.. 🙁
For everybody’s information the Demon Drop that resided at Cedar Point from 1983 to 2010 is now at Dorney Park. The scariest air-powered tower I’ve been on has got to be the ‘Big Shot’ at the Stratosphere Tower in Las Vegas. Basically it is a space shot ride which is located at the very top of the tower. It’s a whole different ballgame from riding one of these at ground level because you are already 921 feet above the street at the start, and then it shoots you up the spire another 160 feet at 45 mph and 4 Gs. Those with a fear of heights beware! It really is ten times as terrifying when you are already over 900 feet up. I never hollered so loud in my life and I did it without an once of shame.
Then I went on the tallest drop tower in the world this summer. This is Lex Luthor: Drop of Doom at Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, California. It is attached to the Superman: Escape from Krypton tower. It takes you up slowly to 400 feet, parks there for several seconds, then without warning drops straight down at 85 mph. Sometimes a Superman car will come racing up the tower around the corner from you whil you’re going up. This causes the tower to sway a couple of feet in each direction.
When I was a kid, my summer camp would go there two or three times a year. Highlights we’re the break dancing contests ( yeah, I’m that old), watching the girls bikini tops getting washed off on the various slides, cigarette machines, and lots of fellow metal heads. My buddy, Scott, and I would go to motorworld in hopes that the (UN)attendant at the raceway with the formula cars would be drunk enough to let us on. We went to the boats all the time and NEVER saw a snake. Perhaps that was later in the nineties but I’m sure if we had seen some, we would have caught them to bring back home. Boys.
As a Jersey boy of a certain age, I’m glad to have been a part of a NJ legend. As a father of a HUGE 8 yr old, I’m glad it’s no longer the scab factory it once was.
Anybody remember the off road go karts and track they were working on ? Also, anybody know what happened to those LOLA (formula) karts?
i have lived in the same house for 18 years ad i just not started seeing them like last year i am terrified of small crickets and nearly shat myself when i next to my wife and I’s bed to see this thing. my wife thought hey let throw things at it BAD MOVE THEM THINGS CAN JUMP LIKE NO OTHER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i thought that thing was gonna eat me not for real but the ppl who have seen them kno what i mean. my wife and i were talking when i see this thing jump on the wall.. now im not a girly girl but she wont let me live this down i screamed like a girl… when i saw it i screamed and ran out of the room and her sister mom and dad (who we are staying with till i finish skwel) started laughting so she caught it aand she walked over to her dad, him being all big and bad… yea seeing that thing HA! he fell out of his chair and ran to his room.
Wow, that storm was No Joke.. As soon as I heard about it coming here I was thinking “Wow, maybe it would be just the same as Irene. No big deal” But, Sandy did prove us wrong. I could never imagine summer without everything that made Seaside Heights iconic. Until Sandy came and made that nightmare come alive. This was truly heartbreaking, especially after seeing several rides go underwater.. that’s just sad.. Who knows if there’ll be a fun summer season at Seaside in 2013? The place will Never be the same after what has happened..
the hi roller is not a rider freindly ride you do get bumped around but it is not a puke machine i have been running hi rollers for about 8 years and have had only two people puke if i would want to i could really hurt people in the ride i found you dont need to run the ride fast to make a good ride i can hold the ride on its side to add a little thrill to it.It is a hi maintance ride and you need a guy that is will to get up early and go through the ride to make sure it is up to par i will be running a roller in texas this coming season
I grew up just over the border in Orange County so I spent a whole lot of summers at Action Park. My buddy and I were two of the few souls that consistently rode the sketchy skatepark that was just up from the parking lot, It was the smoothest concrete we had ever seen surrounded by asphalt. The drains actually did the opposite of drain and let water flood the one bowl, the “halfpipe” and the lower sections of the three somewhat unrideable snake runs… We rode every ride they had to offer! We got in good, befriended the ride attendants, claimed we “worked” at the skatepark and never paid after the first summer. They closed the skatepark in the mid eighties but we could always find someone we knew to let us on the rides or grab us some passes. I have so many stories…girls…injuries….We once put a small set of blue Kryptonite skate wheels on one of the alpine slide cars. They were of a slightly larger diameter than the stock wheels. This rendered the brakes almost useless. The only way to slow was to nosedrag the car into the fiberglass run by leaning forward. You waited for the run to clear ahead of you and then took it at full speed plus! We would wear full pads and helmets and remember to tuck into a ball and roll clear of the cart when you’d fly out of the channel. You would sometimes spin the cart sideways across the channel. In deference to the skateboard trick-we called this a “cartslide”….Good times! If my memory is correct-the whole place was run by kids…I can maybe recall some college students and maybe two adults being around but it was a youth worked operation and it showed! If anyone that reads this remembers the skatepark days, respond here and I’ll pm…
I worked at Action Park during the summers of 1985 and 1986 on the Speed Slide/Geronimo ride (what they called it back then). Best job in the world. Never saw so many missing bathing suits in my life. And money, my oh my. On weekends it was nothing to find anywhere from $50-$100 in bills floating at the bottom of the slides from the force of the water pushing it out of people’s pockets. We used to have to take ropes and go hand over hand down the slides once a week looking for cracks or rough places on the slide to make sure to keep the injuries to a minimum. Surf Hill was the best. Take 5 or 6 mats, get a running start and hit the big ramp as fast as you could go. Always gave the crowd a thrill. And yes, they had thier share of hurt people, but when someone from the city comes to your ride (especially on the Cannonball) and tells you he/she can swim, and then hits that cold water and sinks like a stone because they have never been swimming in thier life, what are you suppossed to do? I can’t speak to things after I stopped working there, but for the two summers I worked, we took our jobs and our work seriously. Haven’t been back since, probably better to remember it as it was.
I hope they make the same design as great american scream machine in later future in NJ six flags we will never forget this amazing ride it will be remembered forever Rip great american scream machine also i think it was the best ride in the park it’s so retro of a ride we will miss you 🙁 🙁 🙁
The thing about the Alpine slide (I went on it in the 70’s when it was called “Vernon Valley Great Gorge”) was not so much the speed of the little carts, as it was the insane layout of the track. There was one part where the track literally dropped 5-10 feet in front of you. Probably a 45 degree angle, but if you were going too fast your cart would literally *fly*. And then you hit the track with a bone-crunching *CRASH* at speed.
I shit you not. Several years later in the 80’s when we went back they had a sign up saying “SLOW” at that point. Right. Being older and bigger, that drop would probably have driven my spine into my skull.
Overall the results were good: My brother smashed his head, and I got a burn from my shoulder to my elbow on it. But it was totally worth every pint of blood spilled on that track; I fear no ride or cab anymore.
Nowadays when I go to Gatlinburg I tell them “It’s ok, I was at Action Park”. They understand. Gatlinburg is a nice, safe slide. The Alpine Slide was…
The city is great, there’s so much to explore. Never been to Times Square for New Years though. Maybe I’ll head over one year just to say that I’ve been there for the ball drop.
Oh god, but the sticky feeling! But really, I think it’s the combination of swinging back and forth (that makes me nauseous) and having to be trapped inside of a small space with other people that irks me about this ride.
Use to run an Orbiter years ago and loved every minute of it. Made me sad when the show owner sold it. As I’ve gotten older, it’s one of only a small handful of rides I’d ever get on.
Yes – thanks for posting these descriptions of the slides – they bring back memories. I think the park that Mark refers to was called Rainbow Rapids a long time ago. We were at Seaside every summer growing up.
Oh God, I’ve been laughing for nearly 2 hours with your reviews on the WTCR, thanks for making my night much better.
And yes, Brazil has LOTS of WTCR, I’ve been on tons of death defying rides over here!
I’m sharing some good Tagadas videos with you:
Glad you enjoy the site man! Those videos are great; Tagada videos never get old! I really need to find a Tagada to ride one day as they actually look like fun. There used to be one on the Jersey shore back in the 90s but it had seat belts. What’s the fun in that? lol
I remember my father bringing me when I was 7 years old to the tarzan swing. I stood in awe at the crowds that gathered to watch crazy people flipping wildly and smashing down into the freezing water below. Finally we arrived at the front of the line. The life guard looked down at me since i was about three feet away from being able to grab the bar. My father picked me up into the air to grab the bar and off I went. Im sure in this day and age this would not be allowed and dyfus would be called on my day. I got a huge applause from the crowd being the smallest child to go off the tarzan , what a day
I guess I kinda feel the same way..to me and probably most of the seasoned park nuts..Im just looking at them as just new steel coasters with wooden supports..which I like for old west theming purposes..but like you said, they will be marketed as wooden looping coasters and the general public will see them as that.. although Hades will be the only true wooden looping coaster..so if a park wants to build a new one out of scratch its fine by me..but what I fear most is that parks will use the re profile gimmick ( Texas Giant, Iron Rattler) as cheap ways to improve an aging wooden coaster instead of really putting work into it to keep it running like new as we are seeing every year with rumors of other older six flags woodies possibly getting rebuilt.
I actually don’t mind rehabbing to the ‘Iron Horse’ track style that Rattler and Texas Giant have gotten. Mostly because those two coasters were at the point where re-tracking probably wouldn’t have done much. Even if it did, they still would still be seen in a negative light by the general public because re-tracking means nothing to them. lol
Now, if they start turning Rolling Thunder, American Eagle, or Colossus into steel coasters, then they’d be going too far. It’s like it needs to be reserved for those massive wooden coasters that have aged poorly. Mean Streak at Cedar Point comes to mind as a coaster that would do well with a steel makeover. Hercules at Dorney Park would have also been a great one to turn steel, but that’s been gone for nearly 10 years now.
I definatley agree about Colossus and American Eagle.that would be just awful.. wouldn’t mind Mean Streak getting a make over..maybe The Boss too..Son Of Beast may have been a good candidate too
I think I’d keep The Boss the way it is. Re-tracking and some new trains would probably serve it well. Maybe put on some Timberliner trains. As much as they look like they should be on steel coasters, they’re apparently pretty smooth. I have a feeling Six Flags will just let Rocky Mountain Construction have a go at Boss though.
I don’t think that the classic wooden coaster is being threatened by these new versions. They will always be around and (hopefully) parks will keep building them. I see it more as a hype. It is new and everyone wants one.
I have a feeling State Fair Meadowlands is gonna suck (with just Amusements of America) this year. They won’t have my fave ride and they won’t have another ride company with a few select rides as last 2 years with both AoA and Strates. I’m hoping they won’t hold back like they did back from 2006 to 2010.
Well, only time will tell. Maybe they might have Reithoffer there this year. Who knows? If you happen to go there before the July 4, let me know what’s there 🙂
Nice post which Mega Whirl in the middle of a deserted open lot surrounded by fencing. Mega Whirl is a strange whip type ride made by Gordon Rides and Larson that debuted in Coney this season.Thanks a lot for posting this article.
i have respect for you sir, i’m against Hades 360 for their whole, ‘let’s make a ‘new’ ride out of something old’ and IMHO it should be a crime to turn a tradtioinal wooden coaster into a looping one,and Mount Olympus is my home park BTW and Zeus NEEDS work done, after getting off of Zeus the first time i thought that i had broken a rib.
and then there’s the name, really, couldn’t you come up with something better than slapping 360 onto the name, how about ‘Wrath of’ or ‘Revenge’? And when i hear 360, i don’t thnk of inverts, i think of the SINGLE nolbiest thing in Call of Duty, trickshotting where people take sniper rifles and jump from a places and spin around WITHOUT aiming and fire a shot and almost always get nothing, and show their lucky shots as ‘beast’ clips, heard of a 720 no-scope?
And BTW Cyclops is my current #1, and if they throw the old trains on it, they ae dead to me.
But aside from ‘Noob 360 no-scope’, I like wooden loopers in general, and i’m VERY sure that there will be a place for traditional wooden coasters since they are SO fun, if they are well-mantained (unlikeMount Olympus except for Pegasus and Cyclops), Phonex is a perfect example of this, it ranked fifth in the world , up there with El Toro, Voyage, and the other Inta in pre-fabs, while i haven’t ridden it, i want to. So I don’t think that classic woodie design is dead, but is NOT the only option anymore, and as long as they don’t star slapping loops onto already existing woodies (ie, GG building one from scratch insted of taking something like Boardwalk Bullet), I’m fine with that.
That’s a reasonable take on things. I just don’t want inversions to replace double ups or sideways airtime bunnyhops because of the perceived notion that an inversion would hype a coaster more. Like, previously if a park wanted a “thrilling” wooden coaster, the designer would add said elements along with whatever else. Now, a “thrilling” wooden coaster may be one with inversions in place of multiple airtime elements. Down the road it’ll probably shift more towards traditional layouts but in the coming years I’m sure we’ll see inverting wooden coasters of various quality springing up. Hopefully they’ll be more like Outlaw Run and not something like Hades 360.
All I want to know is: WHY IS THERE A TWO-PERSON RIDER RULE!? All I’ve wanted to do for years is ride this ride again….but not having any willing friends, I go alone to fair rides….this damn two rider rule seem ridiculous, especially for average sized adults!
There’s a no single riders rule because of the risk that a person could lay sideways on the seat and slip out from under the lapbar. This was pointed out by the manufacturer, Chance Rides, so not going by their recommendations leaves the show wide open to lawsuits if a single rider were to get hurt on their Zipper. Honestly, a person, especially an adult, would have to be horsing around to slide under the bar. But rules are rules.
I was put on this ride in 1971 with my little brother by my father in Nova Scotia. This event should never have been permitted. I was not quite 6 and my brother had just turned 4. We both slipped under the bar and were tossed like salad inside that cage of terror. Our shoes came off and cracked us in the head and this was the day I discovered that god was a lie and was never going to save us. lol the simple joys of childhood.
This was pointed out by the manufacturer because they probably read a couple of Internet discussion board comments from Zipper ride enthusiasts (some who referred to themselves as “Zipperheads”) that the best ride for them was to turn sideways and get one leg OVER THE LAPBAR with the other leg still kept safely under the lapbar. In that case, half restrained plus whatever grip or push they could get against the vertical door handrails: UNSAFE! Not how the manufacturer designed the ride, that’s for sure, even with a single position lapbar that had all rider weight on it and the door the bar was attached to when it ocurred. So, rather than implement a seat divider that would limit the rider width of two people in the cage just so one could ride alone, it makes sense: NO SINGLE RIDERS. Of course, I have recently seen a promotional sheet about a new model Zipper that includes individual shoulder bars (and front hinged “lobes” in the front of the cage to help make them more front-heavy), but if they still do NO SINGLE RIDERS it will be if a rider figures out how to get partly unrestrained by the bottom part of the shoulder bar (because otherwise, a rider would be individually restrained by the shoulder bar with no possibility of turning sideways enough to get a leg over the lap bar (if it’s still equipped).
The best way to get these guys is to place those sticky mice traps around the areas they hang in. They are attracted to them and get stuck on there and die and then you just throw away the trap. The traps will be COVERED in them. Works like a charm.
DARE NJ has finally posted a DARE Carnival, but this year it’s at Mercer County Park with Reithoffer Shows! 🙂 More info here: http://www.darenj.com/events.asp
It’s still listed on their site and appears in some photos on their Facebook page, but I’ve never seen the ride at any spot they’ve done. Cobra is also listed on their site but that too I’ve never seen in person. That one doesn’t even show up in Facebook photos!
Hey Brian are you familiar with the NYC Electric Daisy Carnival? It first ever last year at MetLife Stadium. And this year it’s at the Citi Field (formerly Shea Stadium)
Dreamland Amusements hosted their rides for that event as you can see their pics and vids from last year’s event.
I’m not sure if this counts as a carnival to you..though it’s an 18 or over event
Nah, that’s basically a rave with some rides. It’s a $119-139 bucks to get in. Not worth it for some carnival rides and certainly not worth it to hear some annoying, popular electronic. lol
Back in the 80 s there was a carnival at the Masonic homes called the Masonic picnic. It was put on by the Masonic lodge they had a himalaya ride there and the operator Would play one of elo’s songs about once an hour . Can’t remember the name of that song for nothing .does anyone know the songs name?
Great post as usual. Been checking here ever since we left! LOL. Himalaya cars/trailer/framework had been painted this offseason, it also got new tarps all around. The lighting has some issues because we are waiting for parts that have been back ordered for what seems like forever. The Dragon Loops was new to the show last year (first spot was Memorial Day weekend on Long Island). We outfitted it with LED light tubes the week before OLP. They are much brighter and hopefully more durable then the old school fluorescent lighting. Thanks again. Sorry we missed each other this year.
That’s all right, Mike. I might catch you guys at another spot before the season is out. All of the rides are looking great. Probably the best looking show in the area. Thanks for linking the video on BSA’s FB btw!
Blue Sky’s “Zipper” was at Sea Bright this year. I did got the chance to ride it the weekend before this fair, at St. Virgil’s in Morris Plains for with my best friend for his 21st birthday 🙂
Hey there Mike! 🙂 Yeah I (We) sure did. We went 3 rounds on it. And our 3rd round was the craziest 🙂 and as soon as the place was closing we got ourselves some free cotton candy. Thank goodness it wasn’t a total washout but we made it happen :-). Now it’s my turn lol. June 24.. at this year’s Huge -North Brunswick- fair, with Strates running the show 🙂
There used to be a great version of one of these ay Miracle Strip amusement park in Panama City Beach, Florida. It was a standard Trabant, but it had been enclosed within an interior space and themed as “Dante’s Inferno.” When the ride started, they turned the lights off (so it was pitch black) until the ride built up speed, then when it started to lift up, a strobe light would go start. It was really amazing. (The park did the same thing with two other rides: the tilt a whirl and the scrambler. The scrambler, in particular, was unforgettable because it was placed in a room full of mirrors).
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I have pix of me stumbling from the Cannonball loop splash pool after slamming my head during the loop. They are somewhere in my parents house on Long Island. Next time I visit, I will scan and send to prove the horror was real.
I just drove by OVERLOOK PARK in Ridgefield Park, NJ and saw that they are setting up a nice big Carnival… anyone know anything about it? Noticed no listing of it here or anywhere online when I googled it.
Just did a little Googling myself. Might be the DARE carnival at Overpeck Park. I added it to the list along with a link. Here’s the info though:
DARE NJ Presents The New Overpeck County Park Carnival
June 6-9 & June 13-16
Two Big Weekends
Weekdays 5pm-10pm
Weekends 5pm-11pm
Challenger Road/Ft. Lee Road
Free Admission & Free parking
Games/Rides/Food
$10 all you can ride Thursdays
Aww they didn’t bring their Zipper ride there this year.. I guess the Rock O Plane there was kind of the substitute for the Zipper as I can see the Rock O Plane cars get flipped around too
Rock-o-Plane is interesting in that the riders get to dictate their own ride. There’s a brake lever in the pods so if a rider wants to go upside down, they pull the lever and the pod stays in that position until they let go. It’s pretty fun!
It does sound interesting. Perhaps I may ride it the next time I see it, unless if I have to find someone to ride it with me. Although I’d rather have the forces of a ride to flip me uncontrollably, like the Zipper. No ride can top that 😀
I have ridden so many rides growing up and this cobra ride is extremely dangerous..I know because it fractured 2 ribs from the g-force.After the many attempts to reach the manufacturer and they just blew me off n said “their ride” was safe and they have never heard of anyone fracturing ribs from the ride.STAY AWAY FROM THIS RIDE!!!
Sorry to hear about your injury, but I think I have to side with the ride manufacturer on this one. If the ride was designed poorly, then injuries like this would be common, forcing shows to remove Cobra from their lineup.
I call BS. I ran two Cobra’s, on Conklin Shows and West Coast Amusements. The ride has four 3hp Rueland Electric motors. 2 for the boom, and 1 for each end. Given 3hp divided over the six seats on your end on the ride you were under a half horsepower of force? Broken ribs? REALLY?
Next time don’t stand on your tippy-toes beside the *you must be this tall to ride* sign. LOL
I went to see the rides being being at the State Fair Meadowlands site just yesterday and to my amazement, THIS RIDE has made its appearance at this year’s fair! Along with a few other rides from Reithoffer Shows 🙂
I heard someone mention that they heard that Reithoffer may be booking into Meadowlands so I guess they were right. Guess it’s going to be another good midway Meadowlands!
Hey Brian, just found your site. Love it. For those of us with bad eyes and feeble minds, any way you could post a listing by date? It would be so much easier to add events to my calendar, especially since the list is alphabetized by actual names, most of which have nothing to do with their locations. PS – did the No. Brunswick Fest yesterday (Thu) for the first time. I was pretty impressed with rides and food. Will definitely do it again next year.
I think you’ve been reading my mind, since I’ve been thinking of doing exactly that! I’ve changed the listing to list by date and also broke it up into months so it’s not one, giant list.
Saw strates a few weeks ago when they were here on Long Island. I thought their ticket or scan card system was the coolest thing! Even the wristbands had bar codes on them.
Come to think of it, I did notice that the ride ops were equipped with bar code scanners. I’ve seen a similar system at Zamperla’s parks in Coney Island and Morey’s Piers in Wildwood, NJ but never a show. If it’s like the other two, then I guess Strates uses cards with bar codes instead of tickets now?
Waterworks was awesome. I’m disappointed to hear they’ve gotten rid of the double twist. I was planning on going back there this year; I haven’t been there in years. I wonder if it’s still worthwhile. I remember the last time I was in Seaside Heights seeing that it had been taken over by Jenkinson’s and I was disappointed because I’ve never liked the homogeneity of Point Pleasant, where Jenkinson’s owns everything. I was thinking uh oh, they’re taking over Seaside Heights, too.
lol I remember the one and only time I went on this ride as a little kid I started screaming my brains out when the whole track started flipping. Now I’m a major roller coaster junky. But I’ve never been so genuinely terrified on a ride since. Thanks Hi-Roller
Getting a good ride on one of these is absolutely phenomenal so it’s too bad they can be in such clunky condition but I don’t think I’ve ever felt as giddy as when my friend and I rode this and, going down, he yanked the wheel and we did this crazy vertical spin. The loading process is a total nightmare, though. I’d love to see an upgraded version that loaded horizontally, so everyone could get on at once, and then spun and rose horizontally like an Enterprise.
THE HUSS TORNADO LOOKS LIKE A BADASS RIDE TO GO ON. I THINK WE NEED MORE OF THE EUROPEAN RIDES AT FAIRS HERE IN THE STATES. I’M WILLIN TO BET MONEY THAT ANY GERMAN OR EUROPEAN MANUFACTURED RIDES LIKE THE HUSS TORNADOS OR TOP SPINS WOULD OUT-GROSS ANY TILT-A-WHIRL OR CHANCE PHAROAH’S FURY AT ANY FAIR OR CARNIVAL HERE IN THE U.S.
On the small show I grew up on in the ’70’s and ’80’s, the Diver was a Spec and top of the food chain, along with the Flying Bobs. All the hottest guys worked them, and they had the best music on the midway. At 17, I could get 3.5 car revolutions from fence to fence riding alone, which would have gotten me in big trouble had the foreman caught me. I loved this ride and it deserves this #1 ranking! Very cool site you have here, my first time visiting.
In addition, I should be able to get some footage of a local carnival in a month or so, as well as my latest RCT3 coaster, Excentria, up on the channel as well.
Thanks, and please, rate, comment & subscribe! 🙂
ultradude306
OMG !!! LMAO !!! LOVE THIS DESCRIPTION OF ACTION PARK !!! OK , My Mom and I went at Least 2 times every Summer , Being from Long Island, NY !!! I was about 9 the 1st time we went , But had already been going to Wet n Wild a few times !!! FESTIVE ….. ??? I am Proud to say that My Mom and My Self NEVER Used the Brake on the ALPINE SLIDE ….. AND NEVER CRASHED !!! Bonus !!! WOW , The Bloody Massacre’s we saw from that slide , Bones broken through Skin , Skin completely Torn off , I remember We used to Count how many Ambulances were lined up in front of the park waiting for the NEXT MAJOR INJURY’S , We used to Laugh at how many were there ??? SICK ??? But when I was Like 12 , I decided I wanted to do I Flip Off The TARZAN SWING …. FREAKIN ‘ BRILLIANT !!! My Mom then dared Me , So I had too !!! With A large Audience of people waiting on line , I talked to the Girl working the Swing about how easy it looked when I saw Teenage guys doing it and knowing the Diving Lessons I took , And what i could do off diving boards , after 15 minutes of debating , I went for it …. WELL !!! I Ended up DRAGGING MY FACE UNDER WATER < ASS UP AND NOT LETTING GO AT THE RIGHT TIME , DROPPED IN THE WATER , STARTED SWIMMING THE WRONG WAY , WHEN I LOOKED UP AT EVERYONE APPAULDING MY WORK OF ART , CHEERING , AND YELLING AND POINTING , THE OTHER WAY …. YOUR SWIMMING THE WRONG WAY !!! I Then made it to the ladder …. MY MOM LEFT , DUE TO EMBARRASSMENT !!! Thanks Mom !!! 😉 I NOW had to walk Past All these People who saw MY EXCELLENT PERFORMANCE !!! AWESOME !!! LESSON LEARNED !!! THAT PARK WAS THE BOMB !!! WE WERE TOUGHER KIDS BACK THEN !!! Thank you , You Brought back Some Awesome Memories
for Me !!! RIP MOM !!! I LOVE U !!! KK 😉
I SOOO REMEMBER CANNON BALL LOOP, BACK IN THE DAY WE WORKED FOR NEWSDAY AND WOULD TAKE TRIPS UP THERE !!!. I REMEMBER THE GOING ON THE TARZAN ROPE GRABBIN DA TRIANGLE, AND IWOULD PULLL MY PANTS DOWN AS I SWUNG TO GIVE A NICE MOOON SHOW TO THE CROWD LOL. ME AND MY BOYS WOULD GO ON THE COLORADO RIVER AND GO 20 DEEP , ALLL AT ONCE AND CREATE A DAMNIN TRICK WIT ALL DA TUBES LOLOLOLOL WE’D DAMN IT RIGHT BEFORE U ENTER THAT LIL TUNNEL AREA LOLOL SO HERE YOU COME AND YOU SEE SEEE OUTTA NO WHERE BAM! ALL THESE TUBES AND PEOPLE , CRASH INTO US BREAKIN THE DAMNING IT BE LIKE A TIDAL WAVE LOLOLOLLLOLLL SOME MEMORIES I GOT FROM THAT PLACE MAN !!!!!!!!
SURF HILL IS BACK – the people who now own Mountain Creek – the original owners of the park in the Action Park days, IIRC, RE-OPENED SURF HILL last summer [right at the end] – UNMODIFIED, BEAUTIFULLY RESTORED.
I’m one of those assholes who actually managed to sit “upright” on the wall, even STAND on the wall while it was spinning, and it is fun as hell to do so long as you re-position yourself in time when it slows down. Danger I laugh at it [especially as someone who grew up with Action Park in Vernon, NJ :D]
I was there the summer of 1995 and I know that the cannonball loop was open since one of the boys from our group rode it. He was tiny and I was shocked he weighed enough to make it through the loop. We stood at he bottom waiting for what seemed like five minutes from the time he started on the slide until he came out. You couldn’t psy me enough to go on that slide.
I survived action park(But had to have surgery because of it)!
I had only been to AP one time and that was enough to scar me for life (Literally) I was abut 10 years old when we made our trek from Bridgeton NJ. I don’t recall how far Vernon is from here but I remember feeling like the ride took FOREVER. The first ride i went on was the cement slide of death, I actually managed to escape that one with a minor skinned elbow, nothing traumatic so I was cool. I enjoyed the wave pool, and water scoot, and had fun running around enjoying the day, it was until my fateful ride on the Gauley. I do not know how this managed to happen but my raft literally slid up and over the wall and i was thrown down a hill into a bunch or jagged terrain and brush. I know I laid there screaming with a gaping hole in my knee for what seemed like over an hour, until help came. I was rushed to the emergency room and ended up having to have surgery to REPLACE my kneecap! (looking back, my idiot parents should have fucking sued, I could be well off right now LOL) Anyway, Long story short, I have a permanent scar on my knee, a lifelong reminder of my one fateful day at the infamous Traction Park. I hear is open and back under the original ownership, I should totally take my kids there (No, seriously, I think I will)
This is awesome to read about; sadly, never went to Traction Park as I’m living in the wrong country. I come from England and once when I was looking up an old water park I used to visit as a kid (Fantaseas, which closed down cuz it was sinking, in case you’re wondering) a site about Action Park popped up. I checked it out and had a good laugh; Fantaseas had a bad safety record but was a Health and Safety darling compared to Action Park! XD
I would never have dared go on the loop ride, that looks dangerous. One thing I remember about Fantaseas is waiting for my brothers by the splash pool and seeing a pair of swimming trunks slide down one of the flumes and plop into the pool. Bet in Action Park, that happened a lot. XD Anyway, thanks for the experience and the great stories about the park. Too bad that Health and Safety has ruined all this for everyone now!
Funny that the accidental nudity isn’t mentioned in the post. My most vivid memories were sitting on the bleachers with my Mom at the end of Surf Hill watching people fly down not realizing that the impact of hitting the water in the end would 90% of the time rip off their swim suit. I can still hear my mom laughing and pointing at ” the full moon” while some poor,mortified kid tried to pull up his swim trunks…O the memories!
No way, Reverchon Himi is awesome! Chance’s Alpine Bobs and definitely Thunderbolt (I’ve never been on a smooth Thunderbolt in my life) could make the grade, but the old school, Allan Herschell Flying Bobs are ace.
I went on the cannonball loop. There was a minimum weight . It was 140 or 150 pounds. I remember this because I was 3 pounds under. I was not weighed before the ride. I was 17 at the time. It was the first ride we went on when we got to the park. Basically, as a 17 year old, you had to go on that ride. They advertised it. It’s like going to great adventure and not going on lightning loops. So this ride was a must. A grown man, about 40 years old, went ahead of me. When he got to the end, he stumbled and fell down twice!! I went on the ride. It was pitch black. I don’t really remember much other than it hurt. That was basically the theme for the day, everything in that park was painful. After that, we went on the aqua scoot. You rode a cart down a hill of metal rollers and skid across a pool of water. It was extremely bumpy and painful. That was the thing with this place. Everything looked awesome, but when you actually did it, it hurt! The crazy thing is, how many people actually rode the cannonball loop? 5,000? I spoke to someone the other day and he told me I was the first person he met that actually rode the thing, that’s kind of cool. Crazy place!
Haha, yeah it’s really gimmicky sounding; Six Flags are the masters of uninspired names. Also, people on other forums have noted that Zumanjaro is an African inspired named while Golden Kingdom and Kingda Ka are Asian themed. Way to go SF! lol
DOES ANYBODY HAVE INFORMATION regarding “Pocono Action Park (and Motor World)”? Apparently it was a spinoff of Action Park, same company [Great American Recreation]…and from what little information I could find it offered a scaled down Waterworld, Motorworld w/ slides, bumper boats, an alpine slide, batting cages, LOLA car and go-kart racing, and even an alpine slide… but I have little to no specifics.
Please help me fill in this little known piece of information on Action Park.
Hey there Brian sorry I haven’t had the time to come on here for a while, kinda been busy lately..but I’m here now 🙂
And wow this carnival sure looks kinda boring don’t you think? The only good ride I see is the Octopus. I wonder what happened to McDaniel’s Screamer ride? I’ve haven’t seen it since last year.
Also, this isn’t the final fair/carnival of this year. The final one is the Mercer County Italian Fest at Mercer County Park near Trenton..and Majestic will host their rides there for the 2nd year in a row 😀 Hopefully they’ll bring the Zipper, Wipeout, and Ring of Fire again this year 🙂
Hey Robert! Well, a fair is a fair I guess. Tempest is a pretty awesome ride if they actually run it fast but I have no idea if they do.
True, it’s not the last fair but it’s probably going to be the last fair for me as I’ll be focusing on going to Six Flags (I have a season pass that I haven’t used up until last week!), Dorney Park, and probably Coney again.
Well, the Tempest would be better if the whole thing spins fast in the same rotation 🙂
Wouldve been worth the hour and 15 minute drive for you just to check it out but I see you’re gonna try enjoying more of Fright Fest at Six Flags before..Mother Nature could potentially ruin..yet another Halloween huh?
Oh and yes I have been to some but not all of them this year..cause some of them I couldn’t afford it. The only ones me and my bff Chris went to were the St. Virgil’s Church Carnival (We celebrated his 21st birthday there riding Blue Sky’s Zipper for 3 rounds), The North Brunswick Youth Sports Fest (we celebrated my 23rd birthday on a Friday..wasn’t really that crowded cause it got rained out a bit but wasn’t a complete washout thank goodness, but I went 2 Saturdays alone to watch the fireworks)
And the ones I went alone are State Fair Meadowlands on the 3rd and 4th of July for the fireworks and boy was it Packed! I rode the Reithoffer’s Tornado (Huss Flipper) twice..to me it’s probably much worse than the Space Roller lol. I went to the Freedom Fest to meet the Lizard Lick Towing (towing show on TruTV on Monday nights), took a photo with them too. Reithoffer’s white, orange, and blue Zipper there is always intense. It also appeared at the Carnevale Italiano, which I had the chance to go there this year because I felt bored at home, and there was probably nothing good on TV that Saturday night I went.
I had to miss out on the Middlesex County Fair this year cause there has been some car issues.. :-/ And the most recent one I’ve been to was on Labor Day weekend (Saturday of course).and that was the day I was in Allentown, PA the entire Saturday 🙂 I went to Dorney Park for a while until probably 6 or 7pm I don’t remember, lol it was around sunset 🙂
And then I was at the Allentown Fair until 11pm, the time the fair closed..wow, and last year it closed at midnight on a Saturday.
Though I did went to Six Flags once during the Spring and Hurricane Harbor once this summer. And I’ll probably do Six Flags again once or twice this October 🙂
Shame that Rolling Thunder will be demolished for the new drop rides next year..but hey it’s all old and beaten down like all other woodies nowadays
Sounds like you got to quite a few fairs! I thought about going to Freedom Fest (probably would have done a split, Six Flags/Freedom Fest trip) but didn’t get down there. Allentown Fair was pretty good, I was there on Friday, August 30th. Did you notice if Rock Star was running that night? The ARM Ali Baba ride with a rock theme? That was one of Powers’ new rides but It was down all night on Friday.
Well you already know I love going to huge fairs with the Zipper ride, fighting it like the “Karate Kid” Daniel LaRusso (yes the 1980s trilogy with Mr. Miyagi in it) more than going to theme parks..cause I sure don’t like to deal with 2 hour long lines a lot..just to ride a 30 second coaster lol. Funny thing that Freedom Fest has Six Flags as their sponsor every year
Yeah Allentown Fair was surely awesome. One thing I liked was the Wave Swings ride, they played my favorite song, perfect for the Zierer Wave Swing rides at night called “Mirrors” by Justin Timberlake, “It’s like I’m a mirror..My mirror staring back at me..” Such an awesome song..and he killed it at the VMAs this year
It was played tthroughout the entire ride while the LED lights were changing colors that night..I Loved It..really made my life complete The carnies running that kind of ride at the NBYSF this year played that song too but they stopped it on the final chorus -_-
Oh and yes the Rock Star was running on the Saturday night I was there. Probably because they were doing some high quality maintenance on it on the Friday night you went. Though I miss their Spin Out and Sky Wheel (double ferris wheel)
Hey there bro,
I’ve just been informed while talking with Mike (Blue Sky Amusements) on FB and he told me their next spot will be in Kearny, where they played earlier this year in the Spring. It’ll run from October 10th through the 13th.And even better news for me, the Zipper is scheduled to be there. Although I’m looking forward to it. Yep, the Mercer County Italian Fest won’t be the final fair of 2013! 🙂
ugh..i see they are still doing those awful ad wraps on trains..didnt notice any at the other SF parks i went to this year..Great America, Texas and Fiesta Texas
Oh man, if you want awful, I need to take a picture of the wraps on the Runaway Mine Train next time I go. They don’t even have some theme, it’s just the company plastered onto the train!
The Reithoffer’s Tornado should have a mic man to make the ride more enjoyable. Already it’s a fun ride but I think the man in the controls that yells “Put your hands in the air!” and “If you wanna go faster let me hear u screeeeaamm!” would make it even better 🙂
Luckily, it’s only one train, as is the case will all other coasters featuring ads. Good thing B&M’s have open trains or I’m sure they’d have crap all over them by now.
I was there on the 26th and man what a nightmare, the place was freakin PACKED! All the years i’ve been going to SF i have never seen that park so packed this late in the year. I then realized that was the last operating day. What a way to go out. I think we rode 5 rides (and had a flash pass) ::facepalm::
Five rides even with a flash pass? Man, that’s brutal! There was a time when Fright Fest had normal to low crowds, but in recent years the park has been getting huge attendance in October. I remember hearing that the final Saturday in the 2011 season had around 40,000 guests.
I remember this being at our local county fair when I was about 6. My sister, two years older and 3 inches taller, was able to ride, and it aggravated me that I was unable to ride it. Come next year, I was tall enough to ride, but they removed the ride. I probably waited 5 years for that to come back to experience the “thrill ride of a lifetime”, as my sister put it. Glad to know it isn’t one of those memories that your brain creates when you’re rather young to make up for the lack of memory…^^”
Considering I’m sure that this will be delayed somehow, I wonder which will open first: Staten Island Wheel or the 290 foot one at American Dream Meadowlands? lol
I would love to see more old pictures/videos of this place. It’s so fascinating to me. I was born in 1995 and am from Oregon, so I never went. I would have probably been too scared anyways if I was a kid in the 80’s! Death risk terrifies me. I think the cannonball loops just looks like a disaster waiting to happen. Even now people are STILL getting injured.
DO NOT SUPPORT THIS FEAST…THE PEOPLE RUNNING THE FEAST FROM THE T CARMEL SOCIETY ARE UNETHICAL PEOPLE THAT STEAL MONEY FROM THE PROCEEDS FROM THE FEAST. THEY RUN ILLEGAL CARD GAMES IN THE LODGE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, SERVE MINORS LIQUOR AND RUN ILLEGAL FOOTBALL POOLS AS WELL. A REAL CLASSLESS GROUP OF GUYS IN THIS SO CALLED SOCIAL CLUB!
The very first Power Surge made is at Magic Springs in Arkansas. I worked for the park, sort of. The only way I can describe the ride would be a ferris wheel on acid
ive taken many cold rides during the october over the years..this Nitro ride sounds like a similar experience once with my last ride of the season on Millennium Force a few years ago..low 40s with a slight drizzle…good, cold ass, times.
93mph in some drizzle, now that sounds part awesome and part sting-a-rific. Out of sheer, morbid curiosity, I’d love to do a rain ride on something like Kingda Ka, but I think they close that sucker in anything above a light mist. lol
Love the Sky Diver!! I remember as a kid when the travelling fair came to town and set up at the local mall, I could see the top of the SD from my grandmas house and I would watch it out her window all night long! Every year I tried to get on it, but I swear that they kept raising the required height every year! SH*T! Took 3 years, but I finally was tall enough, and must have went on it about a dozen times that first year!
If I win the lotto, I am going to get Chance to build me a custom one! Then I will invite everyone to come ride it for free!! 🙂
I almost fell out of this as a kid. My dad was holding me by my legs as I was hanging out the damn thing. It was the scariest thing that ever happened to me. So be glad they raised the height. I was was too small at age 5-6 yrs old. They shouldn’t have let me go honestly.
Remember one year at the local fair, I was waiting in line to get on the Zipper with my brother and we were next in line. One of the people had puked all over the next car that we were to get into, and they were covered in it as well as the car. The operator unloaded the 2 people and ran off. He came back with a 5 gallon pail full of water and splashed out the car and told us to get in. We said no and had to get to the back of the line and wait again. I bet you any car that you get into on the Zipper, has been puked in when you think about it! 🙂
Nice pick! I’ve always wanted to try a coaster at freezing temps!
Have you tried Goliath at SFOG? I feel like its an exceptional to the rule of B&M hypers lacking high G’s. The helix at the far end of the track pulls some serious G’s.
Regrettably, I can’t say that I’ve even been to SFOG let alone been on Goliath. The ride looks a lot of fun, though. Seems like it has some nice pops of airtime from what I saw in a YT video. I’ve also heard that SFOG is a pretty nice park overall; it’s certainly a park I need visit at some point!
I just looked into it. I can’t find any photos of it, or even remember the ride myself, but reading around makes me think it was a Mack Sea Storm Ride (http://www.flatrides.com/Ride%20Index%20Pages/seastorm.html). It was apparently taken out around 1998, possibly to make room for Apollo’s Chariot.
I think ARM’s Quasar can beat Matterhorn. Like the Matterhorn family rides. it’s head-to-tail chasing in a circle. Unlike them, the central axis is jacked to an angle that then counter-rotates to the cars’ direction. And it goes in reverse, too.
Well, I chose Matterhorn over something like Quasar or Explorer because that latter two are meant to do that motion from the get go. On something like Matterhorn, they’re typically run on a mild cycle in order to be a family ride. However, if the speed is cranked up, it turns into something very wild!
Yeah it doesn’t look too bad. A smaller version of this ride could fly today, I bet. Actually, after seeing some crazy Russian built rides on YT, I wouldn’t doubt there’s already something like it floating around!
It was ! I got to experience the Tumbler at Rye
Playland in the 70’s ! Words can’t describe how
Much fun it was, and how scary ! It’s sad that Coney
Island let this ride rust away after it was disesembled
Chance should make a new Tumbler so everyone
can enjoy it !
I remember my first trip to Coney Island in 1973….I was 14. I am a native NY’er and during this period CI was considered dirty and dangerous, especially at night. I went one night with my brother and nephew, and we went on The Bobsled…I believe it was the last year this ride was open. It was a open wooden curved track and scary at night. I remember seeing the Tumbler and thought it was a very unusual looking ride. I remember the top wheel continued to turn while the one on the bottom loaded. The pods appeared to be a bit smaller and more squared than the Sky Diver pods,. I can’t say I remember seeing the ride run it’s cycle, just the load up. Years later (77?) when I returned to Coney, it seemed the center portion of the ride (everything but the 2 wheels containing the actual seats) including the yellow wheels that were on the sides and the blue center double cone shaped column were rusting in a heap next to the also abandoned Wild Mouse ride. The Mouse actually had vegetation growing throughout it….That wasn’t unusual for CI during this period…there were literally like 6 city blocks of rides, functioning ones standing alongside ones that were in disrepair and long out of service. When I first started driving I would head there (’77-’81) ….Some of the rides looked downright dangerous…The Thunderbolt roller coaster was running and looking very ill.. The Tornado coaster had experienced a fire, and was still standing….
There were many different Himalaya type rides on the different blocks.
A old Himalaya with the painted red letters on the front of the canopy, the legendary Polar Express (Still operating?) that seemed to have wooden cars and they faced towards the right, and the track appeared to have steeper banks, Lot’s of people enjoying the sound system on this ride and dancing (doing the Robot!) in the street….It seemed like every ride op was playing Trans Europe Express…a Super Cat that was a Caterpillar, a Cortina Bob in the Steeplechase section where you had in line seating in metallic jewel toned seats, and was very uncomfortable when the ride went fast- you felt like you were being thrown out sideways, and the newest and rumored to be the fastest Music Express down by the Cyclone in Astroland.
When I returned to CI after a long absence in 2000, it was nice to see the area had been cleaned up significantly.
Awesome post! Coney has definitely been cleaned up since things hit a low in the late 80s/early 90s. Maybe a little too cleaned up with all of these polished parks going up. Polar Express is indeed still going strong and I believe is the only Himalaya in Coney currently. If I remember correctly, the Musik Express that Astroland had prior to the park’s closure was leased from Strates Shows. Those rumors of it being the fastest were probably true as Strates still runs that thing at an incredible speed!
I hate Bumper Cars I always had the misfortune of getting into the one car that never worked even if I’d seen it work in line. I don’t do them anymore.
What a great post! and some wonderful photos. I also found it very enjoyable to visit off season for walks. I started going to Wildwood 2X a year for 5 nights in 1986. Early June from Mon-Thurs at the time still yielded a feeling of desertedness when compared to the seasons height…I continued that until 1994. I made myself a vow that when I got to be a certain size or a certain age going to the beach would become a thing of the past. The size came long before the age did. I did however, return for 2 nights in 2010 sandwiched between a 2 night free stay in AC and and a free stay with a friend and his family at a Cape may house rental.
Wildwood had changed very much. Thank God they started the preservation of the doo wop architecture….so much of it is already gone. I used to love walking around Ocean Ave at night and looking at the different lighting on all those little motels. The Northern end once had many, many tall rooming houses. I stayed at the Maple Leaf
the first 2 years, and then moved on to the immaculately clean and well managed “Heart Of Wildwood” motels for the rest of my stays, which is still ocated at the foot of the southernmost pier. In healthier times I loved long walks, and I would walk north almost up to the lighthouse in Anglesea, and then the next day walk deep down into the crest. These days I don’t walk that much in a month! (gotta change that)
On one trip, I got off the parkway in North Wildwood and discovered the abandoned yet to be torn down houses on the right side of the road that were merely built with the front steps on land and the remainder on pilings in the water in the area known as Grassy Marsh. You could see the wallpaper thru the missing front doors, and I always wondered what great stories had once lived there. I remember when the Seaport shopping pier was just built. The entire area had a very noticeable (dirty diaper) bad pungent odor and there was a sign stating the lumber had been harvested from S. America and it would loose the fragrance over the first season. I remember when they built the massive rollercoaster on the former Hunts Pier….even for Wildwood, that was quite an impressive installation and I was surprised it only lasted a brief period of time. It was on my last trip there in ’94 I realized I was getting old. I was able to handle the Zipper at Seaside after a pint of Southern Comfort at 18, but finishing chewing a Gyro while getting on line for Breakdance was not a good idea at 35. The ride lurched forward and the seat dipped and whipped back, and I knew I was in for at minimum a difficult ride. I managed not to get ugly but got off totally sick! Ocean City seems to be the most traditional and least commercial of the remaining shore amusement areas, and the architecture is wonderful to boot. Seaside Heights was wonderful in the late 60’s to mid 70’s. The Swiss Bob was my favorite ride….it was right in the front on the Casino Pier and very very fast and the operators always gave you the full experience. Later it was moved to the left side of the pier right before the rise to the now missing back section. The 2 seasons that I went when the Turbo was there the ride was out of service both days….pity for me. I saw standing but never moving with my own 2 eyes! Even not moving it looked very devilish and unique…. Please continue with the postings and this site….I find it great fun and applaude your efforts. Thank you!
Garry G / Staten Island NY
Glad you liked the post Gary! Got to say, I really enjoyed your own writeup as well. It’s nice to know that there’s other people that enjoy the shore during the off season. It really has such a different vibe during the winter than during the peak season.
I’ve definitely noticed the changes over the years in Wildwood as well. When my family used to head down there, we’d always do a ride around on the first day to see what was different from the year before. I think three of the motels that we’ve stayed at in the past are gone now (Town & Country, Breezy Corners, and Pink Orchid if I remember correctly.) A lot of them were torn down in a span of a few years for condos which ended up not selling as well as they had hoped thanks to the housing market crash. It’s a shame.
I remember the coaster on Hunts Pier also. It was called Kamikaze and lasted from 1989 to 1991. It was actually relocated to Six Flags Over Georgia and goes by the name Ninja currently. Here’s an on-ride video of it if you ever wanted to take a spin! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIbxlpMBkww
If forgot Seaside had a Turbo. I want to say Wildwood did too at one point, but I’m not entirely sure. That ride does indeed like wild. Kind of reminds me of a sideways Zipper of sorts.
I remember seeing a mini motorcycle stunt show in a decommissioned Jersey Shore Rotor ride somewhere around 1990….I cannot remember if it was Casino Pier in Seaside or a Pier in Wildwood.
Hey, that Dean Davis Zipper is really cool, went on it a few times a few years back but they sold it and it no longer runs shows here anymore 🙁 I think it was called the Mean Mother Zipper, which kinda fits the speed it runs haha.
I like ten minutes from fantasy island and can remember the old devil’s hole ride, but just from the outside… I was only about 8 years old when it was removed so i was never big enough to ride it… But I remember always t
Tying to imagine what the inside was like and thinking it was scary
I was scared of it too, just watching from above for a few years, but I eventually started riding it around the time I was 12. It became my favorite ride. I can see how kids were scared of it with the darkness inside, the loud metal music playing and the fact that the whole metal structure shook when the ride was spinning.
Hey there Brian! 🙂
I personally would think your vid of This Year’s OLP Fair would go great with Eddie Money’s “Baby Hold On” in the background. 🙂
Btw, Me and my best friend celebrated his 22nd Birthday on that Saturday night (May 10). We had an Epic Saturday together with an intense karate session during the rainy Saturday early afternoon. Then after that we went to the fair to go 5 rounds on the Zipper (and at least 1 or 2 rounds on Round Up and Riptide)
We practiced our karate shouts as our cage surely flipped 22 times (in honor of my best friend’s age now) and counted them in Japanese. Then as the fair started to close at 11pm we got ourselves some cotton candy, and finished the night with a chicken Alfredo dinner and 7-11 slurpees 🙂
That was surely his “Best Day Of His Life” (as the way the song by “American Authors” goes)
Now my birthday (June 24) isn’t going to be at the NBYSF this year, cause it’s only in early this June. The only fair that will play around my birthday this year is at the Meadowlands State Fair. And I so look forward to it 🙂
Cool, sounds like you guys had fun! And you know, I think the Meadowlands might be a better place to celebrate your birthday being a much larger fair and all.
Hey Indeed it will. Cause just been announced on their FB Page (they mentioned about you and shared your SFM trip report from last year too, big thanks to them I suppose) They’re bringing the Zipper back this year! (Could be from either Reithoffer or Strates) Plus the Spectacular Rides there will include the Banzai, Enterprise, Fireball (KMG I suppose), Full Tilt, Gravitron, Himalaya, Musik Express, Orbiter, Ring of Fire, Rock ‘n’ Roll, Sizzler, Skyflyer, Space Roller, Tilt-A-Whirl, Tornado (could be either the Huss or Wisdom kind), Wave Swinger, and YoYo
The roller coasters that’ll be there will be the Zyklon (Strates I suppose) and the Crazy Mouse.
Boy It’s Gonna Be One Heck Of Fair This Year For My Birthday Celebration On June 28th with my best friend, my older sisters and cousin, and our karate sensei will join us too, in celebration of the 30th Anniversary of the 1st Karate Kid movie (with Ralph Macchio as Daniel LaRusso and Pat Morita as Mr. Miyagi in it) which was released on June 22, 1984. So our sensei will be me and my best friend’s Mr. Miyagi as we’ll all take turns riding the Zipper with him 🙂
“Wax on. Wax off” 🙂
Sunday was added due to closing a few days before hand due to the weather.
Usually when you add extra days it sucks, big time. We actually had a decent crowd on Sunday afternoon from what i was told. ( I was on Long Island working at our shop)
That’s good to hear. I remember Cookes Amusements added a couple of Sundays at OLP way back when. One of them did really well, like it seemed comparable to a normal Saturday. The other, well…I headed over at around 3pm and saw them tearing everything down. Guess it didn’t do so hot. lol
Midwesterner Moved East - Now Plagued by Aliens says:
Hilarious article. The statistical overview on your defensive tactics and success rates is completely amusing. Light-hearted fun at a very fearsome opponent. I am from the Midwest and have never seen or heard of anything like these creatures that I have found have taken up residency in my recently acquired old Victorian home near the Delaware River in Bucks County, PA after my recent relocation. Three have found their way onto the first floor in the past two days, and it is now war. They messed with the wrong Midwest Farmer’s Daughter! 🙂 If pesticides and traps don’t finish them off, I figure I can offer them some arsenic laced cheese curds 😀 . Thank you for lightening the mood and making me not feel like the biggest wuss on the planet for being absolutely terrified by these gruesome alien invaders. Keep up the good work and you are not alone in this war. We shall conquer & they shall perish. 🙂 lol
I didn’t time it, but it seemed to go for a good 4+ minutes on the night I was there. Each way went for like as long as a full cycle on some other Zippers. lol
I didn’t see a Zipper at Corpus Christi, but then again I barely stuck my head into the lot. However, since they had Rock-o-Plane then they probably didn’t have Zipper there.
Ah, well recalling back in 2012 it did, as I was looking back at your 2012 Trip Report of the Corpus Christi church from 2 years ago. Would’ve been nice to see that one from Tommys Midway again. Makes me wonder now if the traveling carnival company still have it to this day.
Parking is always horrendous at this fair on Saturday nights. Luckily I live within walking distance of the fair and that’s how I traveled to and from the fair this year, which happened to be the same night you went. I felt like an outcast in my jacket and jeans while 90% of people were in shorts and light shirts, but it was a bit chilly that night and I felt comfortable.
A few extra notes I think are worth sharing:
*Whoever was working Music Express the night I was there took the “music” out of it; despite it being one of the faster Himalaya-type rides out there, lights, music, and special effects are a big part of the experience of this type of ride, and it was sorely missing here.
*Club Scene may very well be the only Fun House in existence where the rotating barrel is at the ENTRANCE.
*The fireworks show was amazing and lengthy as usual. North Brunswick does not have any 4th of July celebrations so the fireworks at this carnival are our “de facto” 4th of July fireworks. (Carnevale Italiano also does fireworks but that carnival sucks now)
I’m glad I was wearing jeans and a hoodie, I saw plenty of people in shorts and t-shirt shivering their butts off as it got later!
I could have sworn that I heard music on Musik Express when I was by it that night, although I was only by it a couple of times all night. I do agree with everything else though, Strates doesn’t really have strobes/horn or anything on Musik Express. On the other hand, their older Himalaya (which was next to the ferris wheel last year) does, which is kind of funny.
Back in the day, before the NBYSF existed and before the High School was expanded, Carnevale Italiano was the big fair in North Brunswick, held next to North Brunswick Township High School. It had a decent sized midway with a good amount of rides and various Italian-American themed concessions.
The fair is now held in a smaller lot at the corner of Route 130 and Apple Orchard Lane. It still has rides and Italian-American concessions, but because of the smaller lot, there are a lot less of them. Probably not worth the drive.
My first ever time I went to the Carnevale Italiano was last year..And I didn’t knew about until then. But they had some pretty good rides by Reithoffer Shows, the traveling carnival I don’t get to see often in NJ. They had the Zipper (My #1 FAVE as u can tell lol), Pharaohs Fury, and the Full Tilt. I’d say it wasn’t really that bad unless what matters to me if the Zipper is there 🙂
Reithoffer does a few spots around here that you might be able to catch. Reithoffer Blue does NJ State Fair up in Sussex County and their Orange unit does Freedom Fest State Fair down at the Horse Park near Six Flags along with Carnevale Italiano.
They also did Staten Island Mall and Kings County Fair in NY (both blue) and they also have orange in Levittown, PA where they bring in the Dutch Wheel.
Oh man, I LOVE This Fair 😀
I’ve been going there for 4 years now. Though I kinda miss Reithoffer having the spot..would’ve been awesome if Strates and Reithoffer shared the spot.
And btw, this is actually the “warm up” fair to the Biggest Fair of NJ, STATE FAIR MEADOWLANDS 😀
I see Meadowlands not only has their usual wheel, but Strates’ Giant Wheel as well. Looks like there’s also a Zamperla Disk-O type ride…don’t know who’s that is!
Reading all your comments is great but why not turn this into reality. For those of you who don’t know, Action Park has reopened. On Saturday, June 28, 2014, we will be having an AP Reunion for former employees. Check out http://www.actionpark.com/reunion for more details. Hope to see you there! There’s nothing in the world like Action Park!
Thanks! I had a feeling it was an independent book in. Looks like Reithoffer is booked in as well with at least Tornado and Yo-Yo. Meadowlands has quite the ride lineup this year!
I’m working for a TV production company out of NYC and we’re looking for people who grew up at the park and are excited for the return! Please contact me if you’re interested!
plywoodie, I worked as a Security Guard at Action Park from 1987-1989 and was present for, among other things, the 1987 drowning in the Wave Pool. I would say about 90% of the stories I’ve read about the park are true but there are few exagerations and some things that went on behind the scenes that the average ride attendant didn’t get to see. If you are legit, I might be interested in sharing some stories.
Action Park is infamous, and Gene Mulvihill wanted it to be that way, or he would not have built the extreme rides. Let’s hope his son Andrew can bring back the risk and thrill that has never been known anywhere else… get people to sign waivers when entering the park if necessary, and let visitors have all the fun they can, even if it means a few cuts, scrapes and bruises!
Unless there’s a ride that I never see and want to ride, then no. I’ll usually see these types of rides included in a larger fair, so sometimes I’ll just ride them there along with the rides that I do want to ride.
I’m a 15 year old girl and tried to ride this ride but I was to large. I weigh less than 200 pounds! I have never been so embarrassed. Then need to change their restraints because I’m not that big! Yes I’m overweight I will admit but not big enough not to be able to ride a ride! I have never had any trouble with any other ride EVER.
I wouldn’t really say it’s very intense compared to something like Zipper or a Fireball/Wild Claw type ride. It doesn’t have high Gs or anything but you probably go upsidedown about 20 times over the ride cycle. To me it’s more nauseating than intense but on a scale of 1 to 10 with ten being the most intense, I’d probably go with a 4.
I wish I remember the exact place. It was a couple of blocks south of Casino Pier if I remember correctly, some storefront selling T-shirts and other items…which I guess doesn’t help too much as basically every store sells t-shirts and other items. Haha
We just put the LEDs on our Smaller Wheel this year, they were actually not working right when you saw them, the master light controller that runs the whole package was bad so we had just jumped them out to be solid for the time being.
I HAVE in fact seen carnivals call their super loops coasters. Just this past spring, at a local carnival, my friend asked the op running the fireball if it was a “coaster”. He then went on a lengthy rant/discussion on how it was. In the end, my friend ended at the conclusion that super loops were coasters.
I’m still not so sure though, myself. I guess you could call it a type of powered shuttle coaster, and they certainly are more of a coaster than the sky master/Kamikazee rides that essentially do the same thing, however, I’d say that’s pushing it.
Personally I’d call it a hybrid of coaster and flat.
But wait, as I type this, I’m thinking.. “Why the hell do I even care?!?!!????!!!” I HATE super loops! After one ride at the fair this spring, I was done, and immediately headed over to the far superior larson manufactured ride on the other end of the midway… Tha ARM/Larson Super shot !… Absolutely kick@$$ airtime whoops painful, unsafe WTC feeling (even though it was a brand new super loop) hangtime any day!
I don’t think it’s a coaster because it doesn’t really have a rolling stock. Roller coasters have trains with wheels that travel down tracks. A Superloop ride is a train attached to a conveyor belt of sorts that spans the inside of the loop. If the train had wheels underneath and was propelled by tire drives or something (like Schwarzkopf’s Katapult coaster) then I’d be more inclined to say that it’s a coaster.
I’m not a huge Superloops fan either, but I’ve been on some pretty awesome ones where the ride ops let the ride go at full bore. They can get surprisingly fast; far faster than Kamikaze type rides! I doubt SF will run their’s at such speeds, but I still think it’s an all right addition nonetheless. I don’t like how they’re calling it a coaster, but for a park that needs flats, I’m not complaining.
I had my first visit back to Great Adventure in a few years just this past August and was impressed with the park..I was not so impressed with my previous visits( those were the days of all the “new” flats never being open and Batman and Robin never being open along with Viper)..kind of a shame the way to improve the park was to get rid of everything and not fix them but oh well it makes that park seem complete now..heavy crowds but I did have fun still..as for the Kingda Ka/Zumanjaro operation..i read on another site that when the state inspected the new ride..they deemed it unsafe to operate both rides at the same time for some stupid reason so that why they take turns..worried about falling objects from the coaster..bs i know
They’ve stepped it up in the past several years. It’s a shame they had to get rid of all those flats (didn’t want to spend the $$ hiring more so they just left them closed) but I feel like they’ve done a lot of good in that area as well as cleaning the park up in general. There’s still some legit gripes, like neglecting Movietown and not having the path between Golden Kingdom and Plaza del Carnival open (which might change next year) but complaints about Looping Dragon or not getting [insert coaster type here] are nuts.
About KK and Zumanjaro, that seems likely. NJ is one of the toughest states regarding amusement ride inspections. Insurance is probably another factor. Something hitting anyone would be an easy lawsuit if someone wished to pursue it. It’s so bad that Zumanjaro even has these flap things that rise up to form a roof over passengers getting on the ride. Although, I guess after seeing the roofs around Sky Screamer, maybe it’s not such a crazy thing to have. lol
I did wonder why there is no path from the kingdom to carnival or at least the “other” part of the golden kingdom before you enter the plaza del carnival..hopefully they add more to that area to make it look as nice as it did when it first opened..just looks bare and incomplete now..yes movietown is in need of a re-do..would be nice to just make it Gotham city and expand into the old old world area thats closed off now
Funny enough, the path between the two areas was one of the more ornately themed areas of the park with temple walls, shrubbery, and plexiglass windows that looked into the tiger enclosure. They ended up removing the tigers and closing a small children’s area on the path which left it barren of any attractions. It kind of does open during Fright Fest, but as a walk through haunt.
Movie Town and Old Country are my biggest gripes right now. I guess they can get away with having Old Country closed off, but Movie Town literally just has Batman and the Dark Knight with a ton of space to plop something, anything, in. Again, the area sees more life during Fright Fest as they put the Dead Man’s Party stage near the abandoned Batman Stunt Show arena. They also open up the path to where Chiller was as a walk through haunt and shows at the Showcase Theater are back there.
i guess its good to use the empty areas for fright fest but still a massive revamp is needed for movietown and golden kingdom..and a way way more colorful repaint of twister too while im at it..lol
I don’t like Thunderbolt at all, while the ride itself looks good I feel that it’s a giant middle finger to the legacy of Coney Island (pardon the fairly extreme comparison). While I get that the place is owned by Zamperla that doesn’t mean they have to use just their designs, how about getting say Gravity Group to bring the original Thunderbolt back to life instead, or have Rocky Mountain do something (I consider Outlaw Run and similar rides to be wooden coasters) really amazing.
I feel that the legacy of Coney Island is being wasted and I’m afraid of what they’ll do to pay ‘tribute’ to the Coney Island Tornado. https://www.flickr.com/photos/37416464@N04/6782319864/ (POV of original Torando/Bobs) https://www.flickr.com/photos/37416464@N04/6782339038/in/photostream/ (POV of original Thunderbolt)
I know that there are several people who will disagree with me but that’s just what I think, if it was built somewhere else I’d consider the ride to be better, but due to location and name it’s degraded because of how bland it is to the legacy of Coney Island.
I see where you’re coming from and agree to a certain extent. It’s true that the Coney of old is being slowly replaced with a sanitized version of the “Coney Island” thats more akin to Times Square rather than having the charm and attitude the area once had. That being said, CI has also come a long way from 2009 when Astroland, along with the area from 12th Street to the baseball stadium, was basically just barren land. I’m really just glad to see anything amusement related go on the lot. Considering what Joe Sitt was planning to develop in Coney Island, it could be much worse.
So I’m not the only one who knows about the ejector airtime hill on Runaway Mine Train. Just wondering, have you ever gotten Nitro’s C train, because it has the worst rattle out of any coaster I’ve ridden.
Yes, I have been in Nitro’s C train. At least I think I have considering that I’ve had the occasional rattly Nitro ride. It was pretty bad, but the rattle when riding the back car on Kingda Ka takes the cake for me!
I’ve always tried to avoid Kingda Ka’s rear car. The dark blue train actually isn’t that bad now since its refurbishment. Rolling Thunder’s front car on the blue train was another one of those trains you wanted to avoid.
See, I always thought that everywhere was bad on Rolling Thunder, especially the right track. lol Ho-lee crap…I got my ass soundly kicked one time when I not only rode the right side, but in the back seat. Funny enough, I kind of miss that coaster along with Scream Machine, another butt kicker.
Rode the Hell Hole at Conneaut lake many times. Towards the end of the last season it operated. They let you stay on the ride as long as you wanted. I stayed on the ride for an hour and a half one day. When there was enough room you could position yourself upside down as the ride was running, as long as you were careful enough to get back in standing position before the ride started slowing down to stop. That ride was a blast!! Wish I could ride one again.
I never had a problem with RT’s right side. It was the ridiculous amount of jackhammering on the left side, especially after they wrapped the trains in adds. I miss going to RT after deciding not to wait in the insane El Toro line on crowded days.
I guess hobo piss would also be a likely smell in an access tunnel. Back in the day they actually had what amounted to trash in that fenced in area to the left of the queue switchback. It’s been cleaned up, probably because it looked too real.
speaking of dirty and dingy..I hated that they repainted all the batman rides bright yellow and blue in some parks..should have kept the faded blacks and greys..thats what gotham city is!
I have to say, the original black with gray rails looked awesome. The yellow made it look similar to Nitro. Occasionally I’ll overhear someone at the park say something like “this ride (Nitro) has loops! I’m not going on that!”
Great article on the Turbo, Tricia! I love those old WW postcards as well, there was actually a store on the boardwalk selling those old postcards up until the early 2000s. I remember buying a stack of them but don’t know where most of them are now. A damn shame I tell ya’!
2014 was a nice coaster year for me..had a few nice visits to my local parks Cedar Point and Kings Island..Banshee is pretty bad ass..took my first trip ever to Indiana Beach..Cornball Express is the highlight there..great little coaster..took a trip to Dorney Park and Great Adventure..hadn’t been to those parks in a while..was glad to see Great Adventure, at least visually, in better shape than my last visits years ago..then just earlier this month had an awesome trip down to Universal Resort in Orlando..was VERY impressed with the Harry Potter areas and other new stuff they’ve built since my last visit there..gotta start scouting places to visit in 2015
Seemed like you got quite a bit in this season! How did you like Dorney Park? I missed out going these past two seasons, but I always found it to be a pretty well rounded park with a decent lineup of coasters and a great collection of flats and water rides. Plus, the dry park almost never has lines.
Dorney was fun..even tho the sight of the STOLEN impulse coaster from my home park Geauga Lake made me angry each time I passed it..but yes, there were almost no lines on anything..also them adding Demon Drop was still a silly decision.
Nah, Geauga Lake just got rid of that and X-Flight so that they would have two less things to tear down at the end of 2007. lol…
Demon Drop was kind of a silly addition, but I think it was more like “we have this ride and Knotts doesn’t want it…uh, just send it to Dorney.” I like the ride though. It’s strange and retro…I like that.
The loping quadro and tornado do actually look like fun..when I first saw and rode Xcaliber at Six Flags St.Louis( finally got to ride it after seeing it ALWAYS closed at Great Adventure) I thought it would be better if it spun slower so the cars can flip like that..would be nice for one of those to come to the US….As for that bungee contraption..wow thats ain’t right.
I actually thought the larger Evolutions were more like the smaller versions, where the pods face upward mechanically and spin slowly, before I saw it in person. Unfortunately, I never got to ride Evolution when it was at Great Adventure. I saw it operating once but wasn’t feeling that well that day after eating something bad that morning. It’s the only remaining Nauta Bussink Evolution operating…can’t believe I missed out on it at GAdv!
I’m not too surprised to see the Crystal Beach Cyclone on the list, but i’m surprised not to see the Airplane Coaster at Playland Park in RYE, any of the lost classics at Coney Island in New York (Thunderbolt (1924 version, not the 2014 abomination), Tornado, Bobsleds ect.).
For me I don’t have a proper list, but here’s my picks, in no particular order, some of them have the lifespans.
Riverview Park Bobs/any wood coaster at Riverview Park when it closed in 1967 (1924-1967 (Bobs) everything else ranging from 1920 through 1963-1967)
Coney Island Tornado (1926-1977)
Veince Amusement Pier Giant Dipper (1926-1946)
Cyclone Racer (1930-1968)
Airplane Coaster Playland Park (1928-1957)
Big Bad Wolf (1984-2009)
Hades (when the ride was good as well as pre Mistake 360)
Coney Island Thunderbolt (1924-1982)
Bobsled Coney Island (1941-1974)
Wildcat Coney Island Ohio (1924-1964)
Big Dipper Geauga Lake (someone better save the thing) (1925-2006)
Idora Park Wildcat and Jack Rabbit (1914-1984 (Jack Rabbit 1930-1984 (Wildcat)))
Purita Springs Cyclone (Ravine Coaster)
Savin Rock Thunderbolt (1925-1938)
Revere Beach Cyclone (1925-1969)
Meyer’s Lake Park Comet (basically a taller Phoenix with one less air-time hill, a shorter tunnel and possibly a curved station, you honestly can’t go wrong with that)
Cedar Point Cyclone (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CaCU7j4T94 NoLimits1 recreation) (1929-1951)
You’ve got some good classic coasters on that list. I was actually thinking about adding Airplane myself, because that coaster did look pretty neat. If I did a 10 coaster list, Airplane and Tornado in Coney Island likely would have been on it. Thunderbolt always seemed quite similar to Cyclone to me, so that wouldn’t have made the cut. I’d also add in The Bat at Kings Island, the 1981 version, to an expanded list.
If you can’t tell i’m a big old wooden coaster nerd, and here are some videos on the same channel as the Crystal Beach Cyclone footage if you didn’t know this.
I really liked that Wildcat coaster at Idora, seems like it lived up to its name. lol I remember seeing that triple racing coaster video before. I like the 4 bench cars it has, like what Coney Island Cyclone still runs. You get launched over the drops when sitting in the back seats of those things.
Thinking of just the active coasters during my coaster nut lifetime..my top choice would be Drachen Fire as well..my first visit to BGW was one of the years the ride was still standing but was closed..it was torture knowing it was closed..I too love arrow loopers and that thing looked pretty bad ass.
I just can’t believe they got rid of it so fast. I mean it was torn down in 2002, but they left it abandoned from 1998 onward. It makes me wonder how much longer Loch Ness Monster will stick around for as that thing is over 35 years old now.
I think a lot if not all of old arrows can get a little new life out of them with new restraints like vekoma has put on some of their loopers that dont cause headbanging
Even the older Vekoma trains might work. I remember Sea Serpent at Morey’s Piers was awful with its original Arrow train, but then they slapped on a new Vekoma train in 2000 and it made the ride a LOT smoother. It has some shake again now, but not nearly as bad as it was.
I rode it in the Magic Seat five times at dusk before having to even get off. I had gotten very lucky that day, as it was a Friday at Fright Fest, and we had just arrived in New Jersey.
That “mexican” ejector hill was SOMEthing! In the back, the ejection grinds your head and is nearly painful! I’ve been on 131 coasters, and never have I seen such a glorious ejector hill.
In the front, it still ranks as supreme airtime, but is taken much quicker. My only time I rode the front was before leaving after-hours on our last day, and I’m very glad I ended my trip as so. We waited in line till after the park had closed, and pleasantly found the front as a entirely new animal (pun intended). It was VERY fast, with an extremely relentless pace.
Im so sick of people that live near amusement parks or whatever thats been there for MANY MANY years before them and then complain about noise and traffic..one of the many reasons nothing will become of my former home park Geauga Lake..and Cedar Fair’s evilness
The way I see it, Seaside is already so full of guido “Jersey Shore” types during the summer that the sound of a pneumatic cylinder from a shot tower or screams from a ride would be the least of one’s worries. lol
However, I can kind of see the argument if a park had been there for years with flatrides and then suddenly built a loud ass pneumatic drop tower (which is what happened with Funtown Pier in the late 90s.)
I don’t know. Like a park makes noise, but I think it would be mostly background type of noise after a while. Things like pneumatic tanks being released or B&M track with no sand in it would stick out from the background noise and become more annoying. But, still, if they’re living in Seaside then they should know that the place becomes a zoo 4 months out of the year, so why even complain?
Hey guys! I can confirm that the Dean Davies Zipper definitely was faster! I live in country Victoria, Australia and it toured everywhere when I was a kid as The Zipper with scary airbrush artwork around it with a massive sign that said “Mean Mother”
It was incredibly fast and the most vicious zipper. I rode it between the ages of 15 and 18, then it turned up at the Traralgon show and I rode it again when I was 23 in 2010. This beast is old and nasty. I rode the zipper a few times in between and I just thought I was older now and that rides aren’t actually scary anymore, but this zipper is not like zippers you see now, it was far beyond terrifying. You could feel the whiplash effect of reaching the end of the boom every 4 seconds, which was the count you’d scream when we were all teenages. It would go “1, 2, 3, Faaarrrkkkk! 1, 2, 3, Help Me!!!” It had yellow framework and the cars were yellow and red. It also had a motor with tyres that spun against the beam cables to make the ride actually work and break for stopping which was hideous and terrifying to watch. The carnie attendants were hard nuts and always played the hardest trance music and if you rode it before 4pm each ride lasted about 6 mins. They would leave the first 2 or 3 people on the ride in for up to 10mins to attract everyone to buy tickets and get in line. Every year at school we would compare bruising on our legs because you were actually assaulted, and it was stock standard to watch young girls come off it with eggs on their foreheads and be bleeding. this zipper was also notorious for vomiting and they would regularly hose the cages out before you got on. sooo insane!!!!
Ahahaha few years later found the photo with the ??? and was confuzzled. Then realized what you were trying to say. The clown balloon thingy had popped and said buh-bye.
As a carney I ran this ride from 1989 to 1997. We nicknamed it the “Vomitron”… vomit being the key syllables. One single hot and humid day in Peterburough Ontario my Cobra had 35 people barf from riding it.
Most people are fine with the ride running forwards. Backwards really makes the weak stomached turn green. 😀
The “No Single Riders” policies are tyranny! They are designed to keep the single population out of sight and out of mind! Man, have American carnivals gone to the dogs! American carnivals are in the toilet! Soon it’s going to be “No Adults 18 or older” and similar type policies.
I keep just missing the chance to ride the batman coasters backwards..even tho im not a fan of the whole gimmick, I would like to check it out at least once..I did get to ride American Eagle and Viper backwards at Great America..and I guess Mr Freeze if you want to count that at SFoT(yawn), but I was NOT a fan or Viper backwards..that ride is an underrated piece of awesomeness just they way it is,,doesn’t need a silly gimmick like that.
I think it’s an all right gimmick, at least in that I feel like it’s a unique coaster to have backwards. I don’t think I’ve ever been on a full circuit coaster that went backwards, just shuttle coasters which don’t really count.
Nah, at these smaller fairs I don’t unless there’s something really good. Campy’s Amusements has a Cobra according to their site; if they brought something like that then I’d totally take a spin!
Thats an awesome story. I worked for cooke amusements back when i was 17 now 40 lol. Had a lot of fun working that ride at the time we had an all time fav operator name DOC was one of the badest operators for the hang ten. Was really an awesome show we put on with the hang 10. I remember one of his favorite lines. If u puke it up you gotta scoop it up… lol thanks for the memory flash of hood ol carny days
I know this page is about the zipper, but have you ever been on a Chance Turbo before? They look pretty cool from what I’ve read/seen, but there doesn’t seem to be anything about the ride here on this site.
Not only have I not been on one, but I’ve never even seen one in person. I don’t think there’s any operating currently. One went up for sale and was bought by Playland up in Vancouver and then sent to Chance for refurbishment, but they decided to re-sell it after learning how much work it needed. So now it’s awaiting a new owner at the Chance plant, I guess. Here’s an article about it over at Amusing the Zillion: http://amusingthezillion.com/2015/01/21/playland-vancouver-to-re-sell-rare-1970s-turbo-ride-instead-of-refurbing-it/
I also rode the Hell Hole at Conneaut Lake Park many times. My dad worked for General Electric in Erie, PA and the union had their annual picnic at the park every summer…so I was there every year from the mid 80s to the early 90s. I was really disappointed when they took it out with all the problems the park has had for the last 20 years or so. I have never seen another ride like that anywhere. The guy running the ride would always say “do not turn upside down” but there was always at least one person who would do it. They never enforced that rule…they probably had to say that for insurance reasons. Like the other person said, if it was a slow day, they kept the ride going for an extra long amount of time and you could pretty much stay in there as long as you wanted too.
I have to say, I can’t believe my friend/training partner and I missed out on this fair this year. Not only because of some financial issues.. but also weather related. We also planned to go on the last day of the fair which was Saturday, May 16 after our usual Saturday afternoon karate session. But I had feeling that the fair was going to get completely rained out. I checked the hourly forecast on my Weather Channel app and it said from 7pm (The time we plan to be there) to midnight.. 50-60% of thunderstorms and heavy downpours. Almost 6pm and we were thinking either risking going to this awesome fair and get ourselves soaked at the event. Or stay dry at home on a Saturday night playing Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Revolution Storm on my friend’s PS3 with him, knowing that the event will get washed out. At around 7pm Mike (Blue Sky Amusements owner) sent me a FB message saying that the rain has came down hard and there’s a good chance that the fair may come to an early close. And I knew I made the right choice cause while it was storming over there, so as in Elizabeth (Where me and my friend lives).
So instead of getting ourselves soaked at this event, I just enjoying battling against my friend in this awesome fighting game while it was raining cats and dogs. And at around 9pm the rain subsided and we got us boneless ribs, beef fried rice, and fries from the best Chinese takeout place in town. And he slept over at my place. And that’s how we pretty much spent that Saturday night together.
So then we decided we should celebrate it at the North Brunswick Youth Sports Fest. Since it’s a 2 week long event and they have unlimited ride wristbands from Walgreens, which went on sale just yesterday until June 13. And Reithoffer Shows (Orange Unit) will do this fair this year. Again I was hoping both Strates and Reithoffer do the same spot..but guessing it wasn’t in the cards this year. But oh well, while I was looking at pics of some fairground stuntman stuntman walking on top of the Dutch Wheel, I asked them if the wheel (that looks quite similar to Strates) is going to appear at the NBYSF this year, guess what? The Dutch Wheel already got approval to play at any large fair in NJ. Though crossing my fingers hoping that it will be there..as well as the ride I’ve been fearing the most, the KMG Tango..oh and of course their Mets (or Knicks)/Yanks colored Zipper as well. https://www.facebook.com/ReithofferShows/posts/10153465478437223
Good choice on not heading over. After the tornado warned storm went through, it just kept raining light to moderately until 10pm. The worst storm actually missed (the worst of it went over the neighboring town to the west) but it was bad enough to clear everyone out I’m sure.
I’m kind of glad Reithoffer is doing North Brunswick again. I like Strates and they have some nice rides, but I do like Reithoffer a lot more. On their Dutch wheel, I know that it normally plays St. Michaels Fair in Levittown, PA, which is June 23rd to July 5. So I don’t know if it would be at NB as they might be cutting it close since NB ends on the 21st.
Back in the 1980’s I rode a ride that made the Zipper look like a Scrambler. I have never seen one since or even photos of one. It consisted of a apparatus that looked a lot like a double ferris wheel. There were rotating circles holding seats almost identical to the Zipper seats . The center axis would rotate the two wheels at either end of a long bar so to speak. Then each circle would rotate on it’s own. And the seats would go upside down. So there were 3 different axis points on the ride for each seat including the center rotating bar, the rotating wheel and the seat itself. The ride was operated at significant speed so that the circles would gain momentum from the bar and the seat would gain momentum from the circle and the bar. And what’s worse is they would reverse the direction of the center axis (the bar) causing a whip effect that would sent the circle structures spinning at high speed and if they happened to catch the seat at just the right momenty it would spin that seat like a top. That ride was insane to be polite. The operator warned us that no one ever rode it. My sister would have it no other way than for us to try. The reluctant operator said we should empty our pockets because they would be empty before the ride was over. Then he said just scream when you’ve had enough. Once the thing got up to speed it was like being inside a washing machine inside another washing machine and both at the end of a whip. I’m surprised it didn’t kill everyone that tried to ride it. Within 30 seconds my sister was mumbling “make them stop” and of course it was up to me to do the screaming. The bad part was it took at least 2 minutes to slow the ride down much less stop it. We had to be on that ride for 5 minutes at least. I had left a small amount of change in my pocket to check the story about losing everything and sure enough it was all gone. I’d love to see a photo of that ride now. I don’t think they built many of them because humans could not endure that ride. It was by far the worst ride I’ve ever been on and I’ve been to some of the big amusement parks and ridden every ride they had to offer. NOTHING I’ve ever seen compared to that carnival ride. If anyone would happen to know anything about that ride I’d love to hear about it. It truly was insane to even think about riding it.
It sounds like a ride I rode once in the early 70s, called “Space Tumblers.” I had never seen it before, nor have I ever seen it since. It was just as you described it, with a double ferris wheel type structure, though not nearly as large as an actual double ferris wheel. I have never been able to find a photo of it, and yours is the first mention I’ve heard of anyone else riding it. I do remember it being quite intensely flipping, with that elastic face-stretching kind of g-force effect. I was able to find a ride patent https://patents.google.com/patent/US3294398 with some technical drawings and descriptions of a ride called “Space Coupe.” The structure is exactly the same as the ride I rode (and the one I believe you rode too), though the original design had an additional lateral free-spinning hub inside the seats already subject to flipping with the force of gravity and the whipping motion. I imagine that element was left out of the actual manufacture of the ride, considering how incredibly intense it is even without it. Take a look at that page, if you have a chance, and tell me if that was the same ride you rode. It had kind of a gentle-sloped ramp leading up to it, that you can see in the drawings. You’re the first person, besides my buddy from middle school who rode it with me, that I have ever heard of riding that ride. Small world, huh?
I forgot to mention, celebrate my best friend/karate training partner’s birthday at the New Prov fair on that wet Saturday night. But at least we had an awesome karate session as usual that day. After that the students, the sensei and I threw him a Ninja Turtle viewing pizza party..watching an episode or 2 of the Nickelodeon animated series while we’re all chowing down on a slice of pizza. I’d say that was a “Shell-tastic-ally” epic party at the dojo huh?
I’m guessing This Would Be The Year For Me To Conquer It. Considering that I’ve been kicked in the groin before during some of my sparring matches..I have a feeling how that would feel like riding that European mechanical torture device.
You know you should really consider on getting a Facebook page for this website. Tell you what, how about this? If I can get a video of me, my best friend (I call him my best bro too, never really had a real brother in my life just 2 older sisters) and 2 of our other friends on the Tango this year, then you would have to create a FB page for this site too. Deal? 😉
I’d rather not because I know that I’m not going to administer it and it’ll turn into a wasteland of updates and the occasional share like my Twitter. You’re going to like Tango a lot more than a barely updating Facebook group anyway. lol BTW, weren’t you going to start a website at some point?
I figured that it’s too much time and work for me to do my own carnival/karate blog site. I sometimes don’t know what to say when I type and I sometimes either make a typo or leave out some words. Plus I won’t earn much money doing it unless if some people makes a small donation to my so-called site. And lastly, I don’t want to steal your thunder/spotlight from having this site if you know what I mean.
And like I said, this is the year. I’ve been kicked in the groin a few times during some karate belt exams and competitions. So I have a feeling that I’ll be feeling that same discomfort on that ride.
Brian i;am still trying to find out whether the strates shows will have booked rides in the the Meadowlands fair. Do you know anything about it? I was wanting to know if the strates shows will be having a carnival at the Staten island mall in July Is there any truth to the fact that they have purchased a new wheel?
Oh man this is a great article, I wish I could go back in time (and space) to this place and witness this craziness first hand. Though at least we have some video of it, things like 5:05 in this video nicely demonstrate the insanity this place must have been:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDHqfhyCbbM
I estimate that jump was at least 30 feet horizontal distance before they came back down. I hope those kids got the mad props they deserved for hanging on!
Brian give me some info, I found nothing on the orange county fair. I need to know what rides were there, if there were any news ones or what. My new email address is [omitted]. Try to back if you will please.
Most likely. At least it’ll move constantly if they keep pumping out trains every 20 seconds or so. I think my gripe about the ride is that the location should have been saved for something better. Maybe like a GCI or RMC that would just fit nicely in a lake setting.
Well, the ride itself is a cookie cutter coaster. The layout isn’t very good. It breaks down quite a bit. I got stuck in the flying position on the brake run for about a half an hour once, that didn’t win it any points. The line is always long because of slow dispatches, even on slower days. It’s pretty much a parking lot coaster with the bare minimum for landscaping.
Must be a NJ thing..I was just at Great America over the holiday weekend and even with only one train operating they were moving pretty good on their Superman Flyer..but based on all my visits to SF parks, Great America is THE TOP BEST SF park in terms of operation..its been rare to see rides closed and lines move very good even on busy packed days like this past weekend.
As for Total Mayhem..I haven’t been on the S&S version yet, but based on my ride on Green Lantern at Magic Mountain, which is the worse ride ever, i just don’t see this being any better or worse and just dont think its a good move for a park like Great Adventure..a small local park somewhere sure, but not for a huge nationally visited park.
I don’t know what it is. Maybe operations. Maybe sheer number of people in line all the time. Maybe both. The line is just always slow moving and longer than other coasters.
I think Total Mayhem, as far as ridability, will be all right. It’s kind of a one trick pony though. The capacity is an issue but it almost seems like Six Flags doesn’t care about that; as long as it brings people to the park, then mission accomplished.
I’ve heard a lot of people not liking Green Lantern at SFMM, mostly due to being painful. What’s the deal with that one? Is it the restraints that are painful or is the ride too forceful or something else?
A little bit of both..has the same restraint system as kingda ka with the jerky movements of the seat..SLOOOW moving line all adds up to fail in my book..specially considering on the other side of SFMM is a much better and bigger 4d coaster..perhaps if it had the newer softer otsr’s like Intimidator 305 and Maverick..it may be a little bit more tolerable but still as a whole the total experience just sucks and is not worth it
Excellent site you have here but I was curious if you knew of any user discussion forums that cover the same topics discussed here?
I’d really like to be a part of online community where I can get
responses from other experienced people that share the same interest.
If you have any suggestions, please let me know.
Thank you!
I survived cannon ball loop in the 90’s before they shut down I was only like maybe 13 or 14 me a my step dad were the only ones to go on it there were a ton of people gathered around to watch we both ended up with our backs scratched up and bleeding and I remember people being so shocked that they allowed people to actually ride it , it was awesome !!
Before 2006, the Zipper was a really fun ride and an all time favorite of mine. I personally have ridden single on the Zipper and can tell you that a single rider my size CAN NEVER turn sideways and slip out from under the lap bar! In fact, I even tried a number of times to position my legs into an “Indian Style” position under the lap bar to change my center of gravity so the gondola would spin more. But hard as I could try, I was NEVER able to do an “Indian Style” position with my legs with that lap bar tight against my lap! In fact, I could spread my thighs no more than maybe 60 degrees apart (about 30 degrees from vertical per thigh) and I could only position my lower legs into an “X” position.
But today, the Zipper has become a total abomination to all American and Canadian carnivals with it’s tyrant “No Single Riders” garbage! It has become a symbol of the intense, burning hatred American society has developed towards singles, as well as a reminder that singles in America have far fewer rights/freedoms than popular people in families and in tight knit cliques, and that American freedom continues to die rapidly. On most other rides (Sizzler, scrambler, orbiter, Alpine Bobs, Spider, Tilt-A-Whirl, Himalaya, and such), the lap bar in fact is waay far looser than on the Zipper, plus you are not enclosed in a steel cage like you are on the Zipper! Often, on rides like the scrambler/sizzler, Himalaya, orbiter, etc, there is about 4 to 8 inches between your lap/legs and the lap/restraint bar, easily enough room for someone to turn sideways and slip out from under it. But do you see those rides with “No Single Riders” garbage? And in fact, do you see people turning sideways on those rides and slipping out from under the lap bars? No! And in fact, when was the last time anyone has ever heard of someone turning sideways on the Scrambler, Sizzler, Orbiter, etc, slipping out from under the lap bar, and flying out of their seat? You certainly WOULD NOT see them flying out like water droplets flung off a spinning wheel.
RIP old Zipper. 1968-2005. Even if the Zipper is completely eliminated from the fair by all carnival companies due to the boycotts, so be it. Whether the Zipper goes the way of the dinosaurs or remains with “No Single Riders” signs, it’s a lose-lose scenario. As long as the “No Single Riders” tyranny remains, the Zipper really may as well not be there.
I was thinking the same thing. During the normal season the building and carousel look nice during the day, but at night it’s way too dark. The lighting really brought some well deserved attention to it.
Some of them might if SF starts opening more northerly parks during the holidays. I could see Cedar Point doing something. I’m actually kind of surprised they don’t do anything already.
I know Kennywood in Pittsburgh has Christmas events..I think Kings Island down in Cincinnati used to have events for the holidays, I dont know why they stopped. As for Cedar Point, altho so far its been mild here this year, normally winters out on the lake can be pretty brutal so that could be a big factor why CP does not do it…Also Cedar Fair murdered Geauga Lake so that wont happen either 🙁
Hi, I’m looking for any images or videos I can find of The Crazy Outback “fun house” amusement from the 2015 NJ state fair. I noticed you have one shot posted but wondered if you have any others, no matter how “bad” you think they may be. Video would be great too. If so, please email me. If this message gets posted publicly and anyone else has a photo or video please post something. Thanks so much, Melissa
I rode Coney Island’s Hell Hole once, in my mid twenties….that was enough for me! I’m so glad I found this, because no one believed me when I told them about this ride…. I was pinned to the wall, unable to breathe, sure I was going to die….when the ride slowed, people were yelling at me to slide down. I simply could not. Three people came to my rescue and peeled me off the wall, so I wouldn’t fall.
I sat outside trembling and breathless for an hour…during which I read the medical warning posted on the ride … something to the effect of : “Do not ride this ride if you are pregnant or have a pacemaker. ” THAT was IT! Nothing else, for instance, bad back warnings, asthma/emphysema/COPD warnings, etc….you get the idea. I had no foreknowledge of the ride ….thought it was going to be a haunted house type ride. Was I ever shocked!!!! By far the most frightening ride I’ve ever experienced. Not surprised by the end of its story. Sad so many were hurt.
There is an identical coaster to Laser at Lagoon amusement park in Utah. It is called Firedragon. It was installed in 1983 after a tour through Europe’s traveling carnival circuit. It is still in operation. Great ride for such a small footprint. At the end, when you hit the brakes after that last ground level helix, I always almost black out. Can’t do this ride twice in a row because of that! What a head rush!
Great site, by the way! I enjoy your thoughts and opinions, esp. the WTCR, which are some of my favorite classic rides! I love some of the descriptions you have for them!
Gary
Another Great ride at Lagoon Park in Utah. It is called Samurai. Very wild and unique ride. Each ride on it is is different from the last. Kind of like a ride on the Zipper. Very unpredictable but crazy fun!
You know, I was always the one who gently would catch the normal crickets and let them go free outdoors, and THIS is the thanks I get? A lifelong battle with the most horrifying, terrifying and disgusting creatures known to mankind? I have never and I mean NEVER seen anything move so damn fast! I just want to share my most recent event of disgust. Okay, I am sitting here tonight watching one of my favorite shows and the room is dark other than the light of the TV. Out of the corner of my eye, I see movement and I already know what it is. Yeah, you guessed it! A large Cave Cricket is climbing up my shirt! Slowly, I turn the desk light on and Thank God I have a cricket Killin terrier! I make my eww, get em boy, and it is lights out for that thing from Hell! Good luck to my unlucky friends!
thanks for the update…..some wonderful pictures you took for us there! I am a big fan of deserted parks and boardwalks….I sat on the boardwalk by the southernmost pier in Wildwood at 4 AM many summer mornings when I vacationed there…I liked watching the sun come up and the slow shift in light, and enjoyed watching the place wake up! then I’d go to bed for a few hours. I stayed at Heart of Wildwood which was right near the entrance to the boardwalk, so this was very convenient for my nocturnal serenity rituals…I returned to Wildwood in 2009 for the first (and only)time since 1994…..a very big visual change in the Architecture…thank God for preservation leagues…..when I used to go regularly (’87-’94) I used to get off GSP and drive in thru North Wildwood in what was then called Grassy Sound….there were all these abandoned houses supported on stilts in the water off the main road. And I can remember construction of a new bridge and roadway at some point. I guess things are very different there now. One positive thing I did note was the redevelopment of that southernmost Amusement Pier….it had quite a few fires and was for the most part vacant (save for a Bungee crane at one point and a much longer lasting and popular attraction called Boat Tag that fronted the boardwalk) most of the time I vacationed there….there was this iconic sky ride observation tower that stood long after the ride was removed and I believe you have pictures of the removal here in your site. Hopefully Funtown in Seaside will resurrect….in my opinion between both piers, Seaside’s ride selection peaked in the ’69-’75 period…. I continued to go there every year thru 1992….
Glad you enjoyed the pics Gary! I also love the deserted boardwalks, windswept shores and such, which is why I always try to make it down there during the winter months. It’s neat seeing how different it is during winter months compared to the summer. I actually wish it was a little colder on my trip so that it would really feel like the off season, haha. I think that patch of land near North Wildwood/Angelsea is still called Grassy Sound but the stilt houses are gone it seems, the abandoned ones at least. Looking at Google Earth, It looks like there still are some houses on the north side of the island. On one hand, that looks like an awesome place to have a house, on the other hand I’d hate to ride out a storm there!
I remember going on the southernmost pier, Adventure Pier, this past summer and they took quite a lot of rides off it. Seems like Morey’s are turning it more into an upcharge and non-ride attraction pier. I did like how they displayed things from past rides around the pier. For instance all of the benches are seats from the Sky Ride. They also have some Condor pods placed around the pier along with the ride’s condor ornament peached atop a post.
Casino Pier in Seaside seems to be doing very well after Sandy. I remember reading that they wanted to expand north of the pier, acquiring a portion of the beach through some deal. Not sure where that stands as of now. There’s been rumblings that FunTown Pier still wants to rebuild, but there’s no sign at all of development. You wouldn’t even know a pier was there if you didn’t know about it beforehand.
Palace Playland in Maine once had a Tristar, their website now shows a ride called “Superstar” which looks to be a refurbished Tristar. Cool ride and I hope to ride it once they open for the season!
I just checked out their site. Looks like Superstar is a Troika (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=numpZCrTwX4), another pretty rare Huss ride. Never been on one but looks like a lot of fun!
Yeah, the classics are usually only seen at smaller parks, although Cedar Fair isn’t bad either. Dorney still has an old Whip and they refurbed their Monster ride several years back. I saw that Carowinds is adding in a bunch of classic flats like Troika and Break Dance next year. Six Flags on the other hand…seems like even classic wooden coasters are doomed at SF. lol
I have seen pictures of a vintage one at Coney Island from the 1940’s or 50’s and it appears the cars held about 8 people…..I first rode this in ’74 on the Casino Pier in Seaside Heights….it was called Saturn 6 and it was a great ride, very fast, lots of sweep movement.
Does any one remember a New Revechon Himalaya came to Coney Island in 1976, 1977 and 1978 on the corner of Stillwell ave. and the Bowery, behind Nathans Hot Dogs? Then it was replaced with a Revechon Matterhorn called the Disco Express 1979 and 1980. These rides at the time were the Newest Rides to come to Coney Island, Fantastic Lighting and a Spectacular Sound System, a nice Smooth Fast Exciting Ride.
I rode that ride in 1968 — I have been to many fairs- amusement parks many times through the years. Six flags over Ga. 20 plus times Walt Disney World opening year and 15 plus times though the years. I was 10 years old when I rode the Wheel Burrow. The most terrifying ride I have ever been on. Completely out of control spinning. When you started going up it was impossible to hold the steering wheel therefor you spun out of control almost the whole ride except when they were unloading the other wheel then the horror continued until you got to the bottom. Banging all
around in that cage the whole time. Look at the wire mesh that is industrial grade. But hey, my wife and I are headed Six Flaggs today to ride the rides. But every time I walk though the Lick Skillet area and look to the right where that thing was the memories of that one ride always come back. I have been over it since 5 minutes after I regained my senses after getting it THE WHEEL BURROW. My description of the ride if mild compared to many others I have heard.
I also got to ride the Tumbler, at Playland
Rye NY, and there will never be anything
That can compare to this amazing ride.
I am so glad that I was fortunate to have
Had that experience , and I’m glad
that there are other people out there,
That shared that same experience .
In a way, it makes us privileged !
It’s sad that the Tumbler isn’t
around anymore. The last actual
Photos of the Tumbler were taken
At Coney Island, after the ride was
Dismantled, and left on the ground
to rust away ! I wish Chance would
Bring this ride back, so all
Future generations can have the same
Experience . RIP Tumbler , you will
always be in our memories.
and the other one, owned by Lorenz in Germany until recently, is now owned by Ralph Gusowski and getting completely re-themed as “Turbine”. It will not be enclosed anymore, as it will be operated without any roof or walls. Here is the facebook page : https://www.facebook.com/Turbine-by-Ralph-Gusowski-545260818956066/
I used to work at Oaks Park back when Funtasic ran the park back in 1983, 1983 was my rookie season at Oaks Park, I was honored by Oaks Park/Funtastic in 1983 for saving around seventy people’s lives when the park had a black out on one of it’s busiest days of the year.
On July 3rd 1983 on one of Oaks Parks busiest days of the year the park had a blackout, a transformer in kiddyland blew up, it was on fire, and the power lines going to it were also on fire!
Everyone in kiddyland was at the risk of being electrocuted, and it was so dark in that park you could not see your feet or hands, and there were around forty to fifty people in kiddyland at this time!
I was running the Boat ride when the transformer blew up and the park went dark, and the transformer that blew up was right above my ride, I got everyone off my ride as fast as possible, but then realized after that that everyone that is still in kiddyland is still under the risk of electrocution!
I began ordering customers out of kiddyland and directing their flow of traffic away from the danger area, I was hoping the other ride operators would help me but they did not, instead of helping me they just assumed they were supposed to leave kiddyland along with the customers, so I had to clear everyone out of that area on my own!
After I got kiddyland clear I scoured kiddyland to make sure no one was left back there, when I was satisfied that there was no one left back there then and only then did I leave kiddyland!
Once I was out of kiddyland I approached the first ride operator I seen that was standing around in confusion and doing nothing and I told him “YOU! Your now guard! DON’T LET ANYONE IN THIS AREA UNTIL THEY SPEAK TO ME FIRST!” and then I told him I am going to check to see if anyone else needs help!
I went to check the rides that would most likely have customers trapped, the Monster Mouse and the Ferris Wheel, I checked the Monster Mouse first because it was closet to kiddyland at the time, and I discovered that the ride foremen were already on the scene at that ride!
So I thought to myself “OK they got help, so I better check the Ferris Wheel!” so I went to check on the Ferris Wheel and discovered NO ONE was helping the Ferris Wheel and that the ride was filled with customers that were trapped on it, so I went to where the need was the greatest and went to the Ferris Wheel!
I offered myself to the Ferris Wheel operator as his assistant in order to get the ride unloaded, and the Ferris Wheel operator profusely thanked me for arriving to help, and then he proceeded to tell me someone else showed up before I did and that person took off and left and never came back, and the Ferris Wheel operator was afraid I would do the same thing!
I told the Ferris Wheel operator “Wild horses can’t drag me away from here! I ain’t going anywhere until this ride is unloaded!” the Ferris Wheel operator was scared and in a panic, and I had to take charge of the situation and ordered him to accept me as his assistant so that we can get these customers off the ride!
I saved around forty to fifty people in kiddyland from electrocution, and then I rescued around twenty five to thirty people that were trapped on the Ferris Wheel!
That was once again my rookie season!
I continued to work at that park after Funtastic pulled out of that park in 1984 after the park was surrendered over to the City of Portland, all the years I worked in that park I was recognized as a go-to person and as a reliable and trusted person.
In the late 1980’s before Dick Connor’s retired he trained the at the time current maintenance men on how to balance the Monster Mouse ride and shortly afterwords Dick Connor’s retired.
Dick Connor was the last manager left in the park that was from the Funtastic era of the park, all the other managers in the park were hired by the City of Portland!
At the end of that season after Dick Connor’s was gone management ordered the maintenance team to have the Monster Mouse moved to a new location in the park.
I noticed as the maintenance team was resembling the Monster Mouse at it’s new location that they had left ALL THE BOARDS IN PLACE ON THE POSTS as they assembled the ride.
I already knew that when Dick Connor’s and Funtastic balance that ride they always remove the boards during the dissembling part and thought it weird they left all the boards on the posts.
I did not suspect foul play because I was giving the maintenance team the benefit of the doubt they were going to properly balance it after they assembled the ride, but I thought they were stupid for leaving all the boards in place because it would make the dissembling and reassembling of the ride much more difficult.
The maintenance team did not balance the Monster Mouse they used a cheat and lied claiming they balanced it, the cheat they used was to leave all the boards in place on all the posts, that way after the ride is assembled the boards will already be in place and appear balanced when in fact it is not!
The maintenance team did this at the end of the season, and it was not until the next year when I got rehired back as a ride operator that I noticed the Monster Mouse was not properly balanced.
I reported this to Tim Greeley of the maintenance team and he just grinned at me in a evil manner and said “Well,,,,well get around to it.” and after a couple of weeks went by the Mouse ride was still not balanced, and I realized I was being ignored by the maintenance team!
So I reported it to the lead ride foreman Bill, and he told me he will take care of it, and it was right after that that the ride foreman permanently stuck me on the Ferris Wheel and would not give me any days off and would not allow me to run any other ride!
The Ferris Wheel at Oaks Park at the time was the hardest ride in the park to run, and it is a burn out ride if your stuck on it all the time, so the ride foreman Bill was trying to force me to quit with his treatment of me!
Telling the foreman about the problem on the Mouse ride never accomplished anything, and after a couple of weeks went by the Mouse ride is still not balanced properly, I reported it to other ride operators and asked them to report it because I was being ignored by the maintenance team and by the foreman!
By this time I had my own problems to deal with, the Ferris Wheel is a burn out ride and I was stuck on it seven days a week with no break from it, and I was forced to give Bill the ride foreman a two week notice and quit if he does not get anyone else trained on that ride!
Two weeks later Bill never trained anyone on it so I quit, as I walked out of the park I was approached and asked by the at the time ride manager Mary Beth Coffey not to quit and instead just take a couple days off, so I reluctantly agreed.
After I came back to Oaks Park I discovered the manager fired Bill the ride foreman and hired a new lead foreman named Jim and the manager wanted me to be an assistant foreman to Jim, so I quit only to be rehired as a foreman.
As an assistant foreman I do not have a ton of power/say at the park, I can give orders to ride operators and that’s about it, and since now I was a assistant ride foreman I took it upon myself to start filling out ride reports on all the rides that have problems with them!
I filled out eleven ride reports on various rides that had problems that needed reported to the maintenance team, none of the rides was broke down, but they all had problems that needed reporting!
I discovered the next day the maintenance supervisor named TC took my eleven ride reports and burned them, it was him that told me to my face he burned them, and he told me he did not need any help from me and to not ever fill out a ride report on a ride ever again unless the ride is broke down!
So I was not welcome to report any problems with the rides unless they were broke down, in other words known problems that do not cause the rides to go down are no longer to be reported in writing!
The maintenance team at the time was deemed the Golden Boys by managers at the time, managers and the maintenance team members would regularly hobnob with each other, and for the most part managers ignored their ride team, so I was under the impression no one in management would care I got treated badly by the maintenance team!
I should not have to point this out to people, common sense alone will tell you this, to have an atmosphere at an amusement park where no one is welcome to report problems with rides is dangerous not only for customers but also for employees!
At the beginning of the next season near the beginning of the season I discovered a track on the Monster Mouse ride was cracked all the way through and that the track was separating as the cars go over the track!
I shut that ride down in the nick of time, saving dozens of kids lives and possibly a ride operators life and prevented a bloodbath from occurring, and I got on the radio and told my superior Jim the lead foreman the Monster Mouse is down for the remainder of the day and to please notify the ticket booth so that they don’t sell tickets for it!
I am not allowed to say over the radio what the problem is I can only say the ride is down, or I can say the ride is down for the remainder of the day, saying the ride is down for the day is code warning managers/maintenance team that the ride is f##ked!
I was following Oaks Park policies and procedures over shutting down that Monster Mouse, the fact that the track was completely cracked and separating is enough to prove maintenance incompetence, which is why I reported to the foreman first, and THEN I reported to the maintenance team!
When the maintenance supervisor TC showed up he was with the CEO of the park Joe Norling, they both were approaching the Monster Mouse together, and as they got about forty feet away TC began berating me for shutting down the ride, he did this loudly so others can hear, and I noticed that the CEO was grinning while TC was berating me, so the CEO was of the same mindset as the maintenance supervisor!
I was mad and angry at this treatment but said nothing and stayed professional and waited for the both of them to get onto the ride and to stand next to me, as they approached me and was standing right next to me TC said “Alright,,,,,what’s wrong with it?” in a sarcastic manner, and I stated flatly and bluntly in return saying “The track is cracked,,,the tracks is separating as the cars go over it!”
I was gauging both the maintenance supervisor and the CEO’s reaction to the news because they both are giving me reason to suspect foul play and sabotage, the CEO’s reaction was shock and horror on his face and his face turned immediately ashen, and he was staring at the maintenance supervisor as though he was seeing him for the first time as some kind of monster!
The maintenance supervisor’s reaction was to go into immediate cover his butt mode,no shock, no horror, but fear on his face!
The fact that the ride is in this condition is proof of maintenance incompetence, and TC knows this, so he immediately began giving his men the blame for it as a way to cover his own butt!
In the process of TC giving his men the blame he dug his own grave by making it known he and his men already knew about the crack and that they slagged it with wielding slag!
The wielding slag they used to hide the crack with was on the ground below where the crack is!
Now I am deeming TC as well as his maintenance team as criminals and as dangerous!
The maintenance team already knew about the crack and was hiding it with wielding slag and opened the ride up to the public and did not tell anyone on the ride team about the crack!
Can you say SABOTAGE!
I reported this to my superior Jim the lead foreman and he acted as though he was completely misunderstanding how serious this is, he seemed not bothered by it!
The CEO did not fire the maintenance team the team continued to work at the park the whole season!
I was under the impression that the CEO was not involved in this sabotage at first but when the CEO did not fire the maintenance team and he made it known their not going to repair that track section and instead are going to spend fifty thousand dollars on a used Mad Mouse ride and use that for parts to REPLACE the SABOTAGED section of the Monster Mouse with, I then suspected managers were behind this sabotage as well!
One week after I shut down the Monster Mouse saving dozens of children’s lives I was being gang-stalked by several people I did not know, the park was closed and I was clocked out and heading to my car to go home!
Several people I do not know walked along with me heading in my direction and they were openly verbally praising me for shutting down the Monster Mouse and praised me for saving lives!
What’s makes this bad is the fact these seemingly organized people were praising me in a sarcastic manner!
Is that enough to suspect the City of Portland wanted the disaster to occur so that the city can justify shutting down the park so that the city can use the property for other MORE PROFITABLE PURPOSES?!
It was enough for me to know a ton of people were involved in this sabotage and that their not happy I know about it and don’t like the fact I saved a lot of lives!
The Monster Mouse ride was down the entire season, the Mad Mouse Oaks Park purchased never arrived until after the season was closed and no one around to witness the Mad Mouse rides arrival into the park!
Oaks Park maintenance team that sabotaged the Monster Mouse quietly replaced the sabotaged section on the track with a Mad Mouse track section!
After the SABOTAGED section of the Monster Mouse ride was replaced management pretended they hired a new maintenance supervisor and claimed they fired the old maintenance team, they did not fire them but they lied to me telling me they fired them, they were actually laid off and they came back the next season!
After management pretended to hire a new maintenance supervisor the new supervisor as well as management wanted me to help them in this so-called crisis of no experienced maintenance people and they wanted me to transfer over to the maintenance team claiming I am the only one the CEO trusts!
I knew THAT was a lie I already know he was grinning while the maintenance supervisor was berating me for shutting down the Monster Mouse, and I never got an apology from ANYONE in that park for being berated for shutting down a death trap and saving lives and following policies and procedures!
While the season was over with I helped out with maintenance until the next season, I was re-transferred back over to the ride team at the start of the new season!
Once the park was opened I discover that the old maintenance team was not fired at all because they were hired back into the park, that means I was lied to by management and that they lied about needing my help on maintenance!
From this point forward I was getting auto-blamed for everything that happened in that park, if the maintenance messed up the train ride I would immediately get blamed, behind my back, and management was going along with this pretense as well as the maintenance team!
Oaks Park managers had no intention of firing or prosecuting their sabotaging maintenance team, they wanted instead to set up and blame everything on the witness to the sabotage, me!
The Squirrel Cage ride was sabotaged and I was almost killed by it, one of the cars just came right off the ride and slammed into the railing three feet from my controls, and the ride was still turning and the other cars on the Squirl Cage were smacking into the car that came off and was rolling that car into my direction!
I turned off the power to the ride and frantically yelled at the customers on the ride to keep their arms and hands and legs inside the ride, each car that passed the car that came off was smacking right into the car that came off and I had to franticly muscle that car away from the other cars, my own life is at risk!
The next day I told the maintenance team what happened and I was met by them all grinning at me, they all thought it was funny!
The next week the maintenance team designed an additional safe guard to the ride, by adding another bolt system to the ride, so that there are now two bolts instead of just one large bolt holding the cars on the ride!
The maintenance team named this new bolt system the “Terry-Bolt” and they grinned and admitted they named it after me!
They named it after me because their setting me up to get the blame for THEIR SABOTAGE!
I got fed up with this auto-blaming me for everything in that park so I quit being a ride foreman and went back to being a ride operator, but the blaming continued!
I was running the Monster Mouse on my last day in that park, and on that day the Ferris Wheel operator had an accident, the loading ramp got torn apart because the Ferris Wheel operator screwed up, and I got blamed FOR THAT even though I was on and running the Monster Mouse at the time!
So saboteurs at Oaks Park are protected by management while Hero’s and witnesses to sabotage are gotten rid of!
I have been a target of police/sheriff sting operations ever since I shut down that Monster Mouse ride, and I was under the impression the new maintenance supervisor the park hired was a county sheriff sting operative hell bent on setting me up to get the blame!
I don’t think they realize just how many people I already reported to in regards to the Monster Mouse not being balanced, in other words there are too many people that know they never removed the boards on the posts and there are too many people I told that the ride was out of balance!
The Monster Mouse was so badly out of balance you did not even need a level to see if it was out of balance, just looking at the ride was enough to tell, THAT’S HOW BADLY OUT OF BALANCE THE RIDE WAS!
Dozens of posts would have severe give to them, when a car would go over that section of track you can visably see the posts give to the weight of the cars and the posts as well as the track would have like a two to five inch give to them as the cars went over those areas on the ride!
ANYONE WITH WORKING KNOWLEDGE OF A MONSTER MOUSE WILL TELL YOU THAT’S BAD! REAL BAD!!!
Oh, I went to this fair! Mouse Trap was only there that one time. At the 2010 fair, I really wanted to go on because my mother and my brother went on it the year before, but it wasn’t there.
As for the most insane rides I’ve been on? The Full Tilt (which is Ali Baba re-themed) at a Greek Festival in Tenafly, NJ in 2014, as well as the Orbiter, Crazy Mouse, and Pharaoh’s Fury at the 2016 State Fair Meadowlands. I know, they’re mostly tame. I don’t do wild rides yet.
I rode it for the first time at Kennywood in Pittsburgh in 1970. Loved it! Then not again until the 80’s with my kids at Conneaut Lake. My grandsons are coming for a visit and wondered if Waldameer or Conneaut had the Hell Hole that their Dad had talked about. I was really surprised to read about the accident at Coney. Always thought it was fantastic.
I found one on my dresser and went to kill it and it jumped. No idea where. I had bug spray so I sprayed it. Will the bug spray help kill it I am freaked out.
If you are ever out here in the Seattle area in September, be sure to visit the Puyallup (WA State) Fair! It’s super awesome and HUGE, and it has its own classic woodie that only operates twice a year. Check out my trip report from the spring fair this year! http://www.themeparkreview.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=71750
Oh yeah, I’ve heard about the Puyallup Fair! Looks like a great fair with lots of impressive rides like the wooden coaster and that steel coaster. Nice area too, I’d totally love to do a fair/backpacking trip.
Nice fair! Although it does seem kinda far up north from my hometown.
But wished I could’ve gone there to experience the Power Surge!
Btw, did the arm of the ride actually rotated while the wheel spun?
Nope, the arm didn’t revolve. It did last year when I saw Majestic in Hillsborough. If you’re looking to ride one that does revolve, Luna Park in Coney Island has one along with a Zamperla Endeavor, Zamp’s take on Enterprise.
Brian, you don’t sound like an asshole at all. Dealing with angry, ignorant, irrational, and often tired/heat exhausted people is a miserable and thankless job. (So is dealing with hungry people, so food service jobs suck too.) You’d think they’d care more about their kids’ safety but they just don’t want to deal with their kids’ whining… so they whine to you instead. I’m sorry that people gave you shit for wanting to do the right thing. I hope you are doing something more rewarding now.
Orbiter belongs to Thomas Lauther, it travels mostly with Reithoffer shows and was refurbed this winter. The second tilt also belongs to him and his father..
I have ridden Extasy several times. Quite insane ride but always enjoyed it.
Probably because I regularly do headstands for some minutes, I hadn’t any problem about being upside down for 20 seconds.
There is a relevant difference to Energy Storm rides seen in Youtube that Extasy changes the direction of rotation in the middle of the ride between clockwise and counter-clockwise, I think this is why a ride can last 4-5 minutes without mass of riders being sick.
I want Dinosaur Beach to come back but somewhat different as a big indoor dinosaur themed oceanfront theme park and all dinosaur themed with all different dinosaur themed attractions like some roller coasters! Please contact Wildwood to bring back dinosaur beach as an indoor oceanfront dinosaur amusement park!
We had this ride around when I was about 9. Unlucky I was to short to go on it, and the next year they removed it so I settled for the zipper instead.
But luckily I was not on it when it got stuck. By older brother about 16 and his two friends got stuck on it mid loop through. They didn’t hang upside down for the usual couple seconds, instead they hung there for around 30 minutes while they were trying to fix it. Some people even started blacking out from the heat and hanging upside down.
This year I thought they were bringing it back from the six year absence. I found it sitting in a storage place near where the fair grounds usually are (it’s an original blue and white super loops, with green seats). But it has not been set up, and doesn’t look like it will be sadly. It must be someone else’s as all rides are set up, even if they don’t work.
Although the fair here has two, (the newest and the oldest) they may be bringing the newer one here next year, which is great because the original model looks terrifying. That’s the bad thing about little carnivals, everything is always slightly broken to some degree.
this is the worst ride known to man. I’m left with pain for weeks in my knee. for all I kno I could of snapped my leg on that stupid standing up ride not forgetting the pain between the legs. whoever designed this needs to be fired. …
I don’t ever try to tip the carts though because me tipping them makes me sick, but the ride doing it doesn’t. Weird, I know.
I’m 15, and refuse to go on my rides. But this one is a favorite. I first got on when i was about 9, and loved every second of it. My second experience was horrible, since the person in the opposite carts through up and I was stuck up top for about 40 minutes while they were cleaning (was 10 then).
This was all on the original model type. I could feel since there is only one lock and they are extremely easy to rock and flip. Move a half inch and your cart tips a bunch XD.
My latest experience was 4 days ago. They did the backwards motions for my positioned cart first, did only a double backflip. Going forward though we did 6 front flips, and tipped up halfway for a good ten seconds and tipped back down. That was in a row, without trying.
Then I got stuck on the top for about 3 minutes, and then we start moving again. I guess once wasn’t enough when there is a 100 foot line? So we went for a second round, and then got stuck on top again. Then we finally unloaded.
I’m kind of glad they did the ride twice, it made it worth wait since it was night and the lines get huge.
Also on a side note, this is not as bad as it seems. I used to start crying when i got on because it was so shaky, but the ride is much more satisfying because it is very smooth. I usually laugh all the way through once it starts going.
This is coming from the scaredy cat of most rides! I’ve ridden bunches of rides, but don’t like a lot either, so zipper is definitely a ride to go on if ill go on it.
If you rock your car at the bottom and lock it while your feet are up and you’re on your back, then keep it locked as you ride to the top, you’ll be upside down. Just as you are about to start the down side (but your car is still at the top and you’re upside down) release the lock and your car will spin head over heels all the way down. This is one ride that can be mild or WILD if you know how to work it!
I liked to lock it so you’re upside down while coming down the back side. Other rides sometimes make me sick but never the Rock-O-Planes. My mother made my father ride with me once when I was very small, and he threw up. Another time I went to the fair with my friend in fifth grade. I had a suede purse that had fringe on it. That was the style around 1970. Anyway, I had gathered up all the change I could find in my parents’ coat pockets and in the sofas etc. My purse was loaded with change. It didn’t have a zipper or button,just a flap that went over with the fringe on it. Well the first time we went upside down all that change came out. It was bouncing around inside the cage during the entire ride. Some of the coins fell out and landed on the ground beside the ride, but the creepy looking operator told me I couldn’t go pick it up because he didn’t want me near the machinery or something like that. I’m 62 now and still love the Rock-o-Planes❤️
I rode the space roller while travelling in Florida & absolutely loved it. I may even like it more than the KMG Tango. I wish I saw this ride more often. The space roller at the clay County fair in Florida was by Deggeller Attractions. I love that ride!
Found an “old carnival seat” at a sale a while back. Could not find a picture online. set it aside.
Looked it up and found you. It is yellow rusted, heavy metal (steel?) with the word THUNDER B O L T and two lighting strikes beside the word. On line they want to call it Carnival Art. Was it used in Coney Island between 1925 an 1983? That would be really neat.
I am trying to price it where it should be. Thanks for any help.
If I remember correctly, the rumors were that Pat Croce and family bought Dinosaur Beach after the third year with an offer that the owners couldn’t refuse. Their plan was to develop something that would compete with the Moreys, but that fell through. Either the Moreys then paid Croce enough money worth walking away or he wasn’t able to get the right management in place as he was busy running the Sixers and trying to keep Allen Iverson in line.
Not sure if any of that was true, but it was the big rumor in the late 90s.
Maybe Morey’s Piers could bring it back as a fourth amusement pier or maybe an oceanfront amusement resort on the boardwalk and there should also be some more Morey’s amusement resorts with some massive indoor oceanfront amusement parks on the boardwalk and even some oceanfront water parks as well! I might want all this to happen like a revived/reimagined dinosaur beach!
The Morey’s purchased the Pier and had a great plan for a roller-coaster that would start at Morey’s Pier (25th st) and cross to the old Hunts Pier going under the Pier at some point. From what I understand the Monopoly laws are not allowing the Morey’s from putting any amusement attractions on the Pier.. currently it’s a maintenance Pier for the Morey’s
I rode the Dominator in Geneva Switzerland in 2012 and the individual cars swung around wildly and the assembly that all the cars were attached to also rotated. So while you’re being tossed around back and forth by the big center arm, all the cars were also spinning together in a direction and then the individual cars were also being flipped around. Honestly it was awful. Way too much for me. And it is ridiculously long. I couldn’t wait to get off that thing.
Hey can you please get in touch with me. I love your Condor photos. I have lost most of mine , I’ve been looking and saving ones I like . I was head operator of the Morey’s Pier Condor from 91-95. Thanks
I have a question…I am in germany and Top Spin is a common ride on german fairgrounds. you wrote it weight to much for US highways, if i understood it right, but why?
greetings from germany
chris
I’m not too knowledgeable on the topic, but it is because different states have different restrictions on how heavy a load can be. If a load is over a certain weight then they must purchase a permit to drive through that state (and purchase a permit for every state they plan on driving through.) Also, different states have different maximum weight restrictions in which they may not issue a permit if it is above that maximum weight. Many Huss and Mondial rides go above the maximum weight limits.
This ride used to go to Tewkesbury mop fair (UK) during the late 80s and 90s. I’ve love to see it return! if you’re the owner reading this, or you own a working traveling rock-o-plane. Please get it to the tewkesbury mop again!
I even have a facebook page for this https://www.facebook.com/groups/345217462492683/
I remember working on a 1966 version of this ride! 150 maintenance steps of which only 25 were performed after unloading it from
the trailer and setting it up, then having to wait for the state inspector to clear the ride for patron use. the entire 150 steps
were only performed when setting it up at a large event such as a State Fair. To say this ride was a snap to assemble by the book
was a gross understatement. 3 different modes of operation. best mode required boom to be raised and locked so the operator could
go inside the center of the ride to make adjustments. A fun machine to ride but more difficult to maintain than
other rides of the show, with the exception being The Super Himalaya.
Greetings from the UK. We have loads of these ARM Touchdown attractions travelling the UK. However, they have 10 pods and are run slightly faster. I believe that there is one of these models in the USA owned by KT Enterprises known as “Twister”. The Touchdowns over here are themed around and named “Superbowl” with a giant (American) football in the centre.
Odyssey is actually really smooth compared to the other “Hang n Bangs” out there. Another SLC, which gets a lot of shit thrown at it due to its roughness, in the UK is called Infusion and is located at Blackpool Pleasure Beach, which is about a 90 minute drive from me and it looks absolutely beautiful (Suspended over a lake with fountains and blue lighting in the lake) but makes a car crash seem smooth
This was right before Raleigh when the Street Fighter 360 mopped the floor with Khaos on the second weekend. The new sheriff is in town, son. Street Fighter rules! Khaos drools!
Makes sense I guess. Street Fighter 360 has a slightly higher capacity and I personally think it looks like the more thrilling ride (even though Khaos is the more intense of the two.) Khaos by itself is a big ride, but when surrounded by other big rides it starts to look a bit insignificant.
I USED TO WORK ON THE ROTOR FOR CANADAS CONKLIN SHOWS IN THE MID 80S TAKING TICKETS WAS THE GREATEST BECAUSE WHEN YOU HEARD THAT BLOOD CURDULLING SCREAM COME OUT OF THE BARREL AND THEY ASKED WHAT WAS THAT YOU SAID THE FLOOR JUST DROPPED FOR SOME REASON YOUR LINE GOT SHORTER LOL
I am hoping that you will review the newly designed Zipper this coming season! Hopefully you will get the opportunity to ride one. I am sure looking forward to giving it a go when I encounter one! Love your site!
I spent my summer of 2000 in WaterWorks as a Lifeguard. That was something really amazing and fun. I was exchange student from Poland and I must say that the atmosphere of that place will stay with me…
I worked on all of the rides that you mentioned here. Many nice memories and souls saved 🙂
Your weblog is fine. I just wish to touch upon the sketch. Its too loud. Its doing approach very much as well as it takes away from what youve acquired to exclaim –which I sense is unquestionably important. I dont know in the event you didnt suppose that your phrases might hold everyones attention, but you were wrong. Anyhow, in my language, there aren’t much good quality source similar to this.
I have never been to this fair, but I did go to the Coastal Carolina Fair once in 2011, and it was an Amusements of America Carnival.
They had these rides:
Giant Wheel
Crazy Mouse
KMG Fireball
Nemesis 360 (KMG Inversion)
Rock N Roll Matterhorn
Wave Swinger
Scooter
Tornado
Moby Dick
Zero Gravity
Sizzler
Spin Out
Pharaohs Fury
Tilt-A-Whirl
Trapeze (Chance Yo Yo)
Ring of Fire
Sky Wheel
Spider
Extreme Orbiter
Fun Houses x3 (Mardi Gras, SpongeBob, and Hard Rock Palace)
Dark Ride (Haunted House)
Merry-Go-Round
Dizzy Dragons
Super Slide
Wacky Worm
Elephants
Samba Balloons
Speedway
Helicopters
Monkey Mayhem
Raiders
Dragon Wagon
Truck Stop
Hampton Umbrella x4
Wild West Train
Peter Paul Dinos
Here’s the rides they have at the South Florida Fair, which is my hometown fair.
MAJOR RIDES:
Chance Giant Wheel
Hit in 2000 (Mack Musik Express)
Dragstrip Mega Slide
KMG Fire Ball
Magic Maze
Spider (named Tarantula)
Twister
Yo Yo
Street Fighter Revolution
Ring of Fire (named Free Bird)
Mondial Fighter
Centrifuge (Gravitron)
Spin Out
Zipper
Orbiter
Rock Star
Typhoon (Wisdom Himalaya)
Sizzler
Super Cyclone Coaster(Pinfari Zyklon model)
ARM Vertigo
Mulligan Wheel
SDC Pirate
Techno Power
Extreme
Music Express (ARM Quasar, not a Himalaya-style version)
Magnum
Space Roller
Zombie Apocalypse
Mighty Mouse Coaster
Alpine Bobs
Genesis
Khaos
Wipeout
Cliff Hanger
Tilt-A-Whirl
Zero Gravity
Scooters
Mega Drop
KIDDIE RIDES:
Wacky Worm
Jungle Twist
Silver Streak
Light House Dive
Berry Go Round
Avenger Kid Raiders
Happy Swing
Monster Trucks
Super Slide
Lolly Pop Swings
Beach Shack
Hampton x2
Silly Safari
Up Up & Away
Daytona
Submarine
Jumping Star
Puppy Roll
Circus Train
Construction Zone
Merry-Go-Round
Rumble in the Jungle
Haunted Mansion
Marioland
Apple Ride
Helicopters
I use a three-pronged approach. First, I got a cat. I put sticky traps by the door inside the storage room. Next, I cut a piece of screen and covered the sump pump hole so they can’t come up from there. Lastly, I let my cat go down into the basement at night. She loves to kill anything that escapes the first two methods.
I worked at Waterworks as a lifeguard from 1996 until 2000. Had so much fun and made many friends there. My favorite times were when the park used to throw parties for the employees a few times after hrs each summer and we’d get to slide in the dark. I miss all the original slides especially the double dive and the big twist. I remember having to jump into the big pool at headchair or fairside many times to save people especially when there were day camps arriving with nonswimmers going down the octopus slide after not reading the warning signs before hand that clearly said deep water not suitable for nonswimmers lol. Great times great memories with many wonderful people.
I recently moved into an old house that was rehabbed and vacant for a long time. After having a lot of scary encounters with these guys, I knew it was war!!! My 3 cats love them but never seem to kill them. So, I have found that Peppermint oil mixed with Vinegar in a spray bottle helps a lot. I spray the perimeter of the inside and outside along with the inside of the vents. Since my first spray, I have only seen 1 as oppose to the 4 to 8 I was seeing daily. So, I re-sprayed last night. If you try this method, it is non-toxic to dogs but can be deadly if cats ingest it. GOOD LUCK!
OHHHH and when I have to pick up and dispose of a partially dead one, I spray it directly with my peppermint oil and vinegar and then use toilet paper with needle nose pliers to pick it up and then dump in the toilet…..
I do wnjoy the Ring of Fire, but Amusements of America’s Ring of Fire needs some work. I rode it at the Ohio State Fair and the Delta Fair and i hated being crammed in the cage. I prefer Wade Shows’s Ring of Fire, because it has an open air train, and surprisingly its still called Ring of Fire instead of Fireball.
@DoD3Brian I found the list for the 2017 Meadowlands Fair. Space Roller will be back, and there will be more rides from AoA’s other unit.
MAJOR RIDES:
Giant Wheel (AoA)
Giant Wheel (Strates)
Zyklon
Crazy Mouse
Fire Ball
Space Roller
Pharaoh’s Fury
Rock & Roll
Musik Express
Sky Flyer
Vertigo
Enterprise
Trapeze
Banzai
Chaos (Street Fighter)
Spin Out
Wave Swinger
Tornado
Century Wheel
Cliff Hanger
Starship 3000
Ring of Fire
Zero Gravity
Orbiter
Sizzler
Scrambler
Tilt-A-Whirl
Flying Bobs
1001 Nachts
Rock & Roll Funhouse
Hard Rock Palace
Mardi Gras
Crystal Lil’s
Dark Ride
Tomb of Doom
Scooter (AoA)
Scooter (Strates)
KIDDIE RIDES:
Wacky Worm
Carousel
Go-Gator
Bumble Bees
Dizzy Dragons
Super Slide
Rockin Tug
Silver Streak
Wet Gators
Monkey Mayhem
Elephants
Far West TraIn
Speedway
x4 Hamptons
Hog Wild
Windjammer
Construction Zone
Rainbow Rock
Yeah, it was in the back corner under the trees. I could have sworn I saw like bats and spooky-type artwork on the side. I don’t know, I guess I was just seeing things lol.
Just spent the day at Breakwater beach today. I also remember water works from 15 years ago. I couldn’t believe that the “cork screw”, the cannonball falls, and the double dive is gone. I told two people about WW and the cool rides they used to have. I had to come home and look it up, I got excited lol. Great times in the ol’ waterworks, great thread to bring us all some memories.
So, Did they bring in two Music rides not including the Mini himalaya in Kiddie land, your ride list has the wisdom 1 trailer himalaya, yet the pictures show the Blue unit’s Tidal Wave themed Thunder Bolt. I see both in your video clip of the midway
Yeah, they had both Tidal Wave and the Wisdom Himalaya there; looks like I forgot the add Tidal Wave to the ride list lol. Unfortunately I didn’t get any good photos of the Himalaya, so I didn’t include them.
Waterworks was the best! We used to go early in the morning every year to get a free t shirt and get the “three hour admission” for the price of the 2 hour admission. Best waterpark ever. Those go karts really need to go-they need to beef up breakwater beach-it has nothing on the old waterworks.
OMG!!
Did you hear or saw the news about what happened yesterday at the Ohio State Fair with this same KMG Afterburner that was presently at the Meadowlands last month??
I couldn’t bear to watch the horrifying eyewitness video.
Did you ride it at the Meadowlands this year? I think the last time I went on it was six years ago or so but it’s still a little weird to know that I was on a ride that eventually had an accident.
Well you shouldn’t feel weird that you last went on it half a decade ago. Although still thinking about I certainly have that weird (although sometimes uncomfortable) feeling since the day after the tragedy took place..
Because of course I was on that ride (in fact, twice this year, once in my 2 visits to the State Fair Meadowlands. The night before the 4th with my best friend/karate partner & another close friend of mine, and on the final night with my nephew)
Although after watching this radio interview that our current NJ governor was on (which you deleted from your 2017 State Fair Meadowlands vid)
It made me feel somewhat better. Because if his heavy, Heavy inspections on the ride that was presently at the Meadowlands didn’t occur, the tragedy might’ve occurred at the Meadowlands while I’m on it. Then the end result I could’ve been dead being thrown 50 ft away from the ride while still being harnessed to the seat, or limping out of the ride with severe injuries.
Man, I’m glad it didn’t happen while you guys were on it! I’ll be very interested to see the final report coming from this incident.
I disabled the comments on that Youtube video. I just didn’t want the comments section to fill up with people talking about Fireball. Your comment was fine, but you know how some Youtube commenter’s can be.
Yeah thank God for the DCA!
Still kinda shook up since that tragedy but hopefully soon after final report on the victim (18 years young and recently enlisted in the Marines. That broke my heart.) and the recently troubled ride (what the cause was but I’ve been hearing in one report from Ohio it’s probably metal fatigue) things should return to normalcy. Although at this point the family of that young victim is filing a wrongful death lawsuit.
Just wondering, are you planning to update the KMG Fire Ball ride review page with the section that includes your article of the tragedy that took place at OSF last week? And if they want to talk about that ride they can comment only on that page. Although the comments section on the ride reviews has been disabled too.
I don’t know if I’ll update the page or make a separate post instead talking about it. If I do, it’ll be after the report comes out. I enabled comments again, however, as hits to that page have waned. That page was getting thousands of hits in the days after the accident.
I closed the comments early on; it got like 5000 views the day after it happened. I don’t think I’ll be able to make it to Middlesex this year, but who knows.
Kind of what I thought happened after I saw the damage photos. Now we’ll see who gets the blame for it.
I hope it’s all right on Saturday, I’m going to the State Fair that day with some family. Wunderground has a chance of a storm mid-day, but not some all day rain like today.
At first I thought from watching that eyewitness video it was because the loading platform rose up while the ride was in action. And that ripped out the gondola beam apart. Though bottom line, it’s such a shame that happened. And glad the Dutch maker of the ride are taking preventative measures to make sure nothing like that ever happens again.
Oh you’re talking about the one that farther up Northern NJ right?
The rock of plane is one of my most favorite rides. I am 66 years old and first rode this fabulous ride at our local Coffee County Fair in middle Tennessee at the age of 11. There is definitely an art about flipping your car and timing it so you are totally upside down at the loading level. The ride left the midway for many years but has recently returned and I ride it several times. I have at times been traveling and come across little carnivals in shopping center parking lots and most of these have this ride. Yep, you guessed it. I always pull over, park and ride the ride. Once in Nashville Tn at the Sam’s wholesale club, I was the only one on the ride and the operator said that he would let the ride run while he went to get something to eat. I stayed on the ride about 15 minutes all by myself and loved it. Best ride ever!!!! Now if they would bring back the bullet too!
I had no idea about the “single rider only” policy until today at the fair, when I was unceremoniously turned away from the ride by the operator. My brother was out of tickets, and he was too scared to go on it anyway, so I guess…hopefully I’ll ride a zipper someday before I die? I need to find some friends who like carnival rides, because mine don’t. :/ My sister might have gone with me, but she was too scared to go this year because of that one accident that happened on a carnival ride that our fair doesn’t even have…
I rode one at the Santa Clara County Fair with half of the graphics panels missing and exposed and burnt out light bulbs. Kinda being an idiot but I touched one of the lights on the satellite and got shocked. Luckily it was probably only 5v cause it was a led.
I don’t know if Dinosaur Beach itself had a golf course, but there was a dinosaur themed mini-golf place in North Wildwood on Surf Ave & 25th I think – like a block from the boardwalk. I forget the name, but my family would always eat there and play a round of golf before heading back home at the end of our vacations. I think it closed in 2007 or so.
I went on the zipper once and once was more than enough. I can go on any carnival ride but the zipper is different. I had to go on with a complete stranger, because I already wasn’t nervous enough. I had my eyes shut as tight as they could shut and held in to the bars as tight as I possibly could. And even though I was hanging on, I still somehow bashed my face off the door. I was shaking so so much and I just hated it. I can go on any ride no matter how fast or how high up it goes, but once my body is flipped upside down I’m done.
OMG yes I remember this ride as a kid. The line was always crazy long to get on it because it took them forever to load it and I remember the painful smashing while stuck on it waiting for them to load the rest of the cars. I thought the ride would be fun and scary, but it just hurt. I wanted to get on that ride so bad but I was over it after the first ride.
I wished they still had the Huss Enterprise ride (the one that was originally from Coney Island, NY)
Before Sandy struck, their Huss Enterprise ran faster than Strates Shows’ Enterprise. I loved it.
And I remember seeing one of the cars from the old Bertazzon Rock n Roll ride being washed up. It literally broke my heart and saddened me. And sure there’s Music Express. But it’s definitely not the same without DJ Charles running it. He was always full of energy and knows how to amp up not only the riders. But to also those that were standing in line next to ride. The last time I talked to him on FB was over a year ago. He suddenly then disappeared. I wonder if he might’ve dropped off the face of the Earth after being let go from CP. I felt bad for him after that news came out. He would gone great to join an NJ traveling carnival to run similar rides like the Music Express in SH.
Things have definitely changed for the worst after Sandy. It’s like Jenkinsons in Point Pleasant now 😑
I remember seeing that DJ Charles guy operating the Wave Swinger on the pier early in the 2014 season, week after Easter I think. He was working the mic pretty good for like 8 riders and a handful of people on the pier. lol I think he said that he worked on Polar Express in Coney Island way back when, but I might be getting him mixed up with someone else.
Thats what led me to this page. It is so hard to find pics or video of the ride at Riverside, but it was such a right of passage to get on there. The ride had the tallest height limit in the park at 60 inches.
I have severe whiplash from riding el toro the first drop was great but what follows is a series of sudden turns that are more painful than anything ugh im laying here icing my neck wishing i didnt get on el toro
I use a battery operated fly killer that looks like a tennis racket. It fries them and you can actually smell them burning. They freak me out I have lived in my house over 50 years and this is the first year I have seen them. I will try Sarah’s recipe and see how that works too. UGH ALIEN CRICKETS
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Hello, yes i agree with you that seaside heights has not been the same since sandy and the fire. as far as the musik express goes its just a waste now, i mean ya physically it may be fun but DJ Charles always new what music to play, mic work etc. sadly he was fired in 2015 http://lavallette-seaside.shorebeat.com/2015/08/fans-of-longtime-music-express-dj-ride-operator-rally-after-his-firing/ . it seems that some old people agreed with that one comment on that article about him being fired was a good thing written by that jack guy, probaly because its a news site and old people don’t like rap, (no offense if your old @thedod3) from an emotional standpoint though its really a crying shame because charles really loved that ride and so did i. i will say that the pier does look nice with those lights, also in case you didn’t know funtown pier will not be rebuilt so in case u wanted to know heres a link, http://www.app.com/story/news/local/ocean-county/sandy-recovery/2016/07/27/owner-funtown-pier-not-rebuilt/87606678/ . also sorry for the long links i’m not sure if there’s a way to shorten them. take care. and thanks for the post and pics.
Despite looking intimidating, I always found the courage to ride this when it was prevalent in the 90s. It’s strange how the cars go the same rate of speed no matter how fast the track is revolving. I always wondered how the cars never seem to fall off.
Even I have been brave enough to get on this 3 different times in high school. It’s like a sauna; it’s hot at first but eventually you get used to being flipped over and over and over. LOL. There’s 2 scary scenarios on this ride, (my opinion) 1. When you go over one of the edges while your edge is at the top like you “hop” over the edge and your face hits the cage in front of you. 2. The edge when you’re at the very bottom and it feels like you’re going to glide across the ground.
I just stumbled upon this article…interesting stuff! I have a couple of things that may be of interest. Firstly, I believe that a Huss Tristar is still operated as “The Tide Travelleer”, at the Pleasurewood Hills Park in the UK. A video of it I saw, a little while back, seemed to suggest it was no longer functioning as it should, but it was, at least, operating. I rode one of these at the old Bembom Brothers Park in Margate many years back (quite possibly the same ride). It was different, but not that exciting. I’m not surprised to learn that few were built.
I also rode a Ben Hur a couple of times. It was very much Huss’s take on the classic Skid rides that have been a feature of UK fairgrounds for years (they’re not so common now, but some can still be found). So, whereas Skid rides have a foot pedal that (very effectively) generates the back-and-forth motion, the Ben Hur had the rope. I guess this was because the cars themselves didn’t rest on a track below, as Skids do, so a pedal wouldn’t have been possible. My first Ben Hur ride was at Blackpool Pleasure Beach. Surprisingly, it turned out to be one of the most crazy and violent rides I can remember ever doing. As you might expect from a Huss ride, it was able to go very fast – much faster than any Skid that I’ve seen. This speed actually seemed to render the rope to be pretty much useless, as the forces made it hard to swing the car in any way at all. However, that wasn’t why the ride was crazy. The unexpected part (I’m not sure if Huss really intended this…) was that the ride would very suddenly come to a stop, causing the cars to slam hard to one side. It would then go through a short sequence of sudden direction changes (again, slamming the car back and forth each time…), before then setting off at speed again. On the ride I had, this cycle of speed-then-slamming happened a number of times. I kinda liked it…it was (obviously) memorable….but others got off in tears, probably crushed by others in their car. Some years later, I found (what I assume to be…) the same ride in Margate. Unfortunately, it just ran slowly in one direction, so was a complete waste of time. I’m not sure if the ropes were even still there. So, a shadow of what it had been, although I’m not entirely surprised. Still, I like that I actually got to experience this ride when being operated to its full(?) potential.
The Tri Star @ Pleasurewood Hills is not the same machine which operated @ Dreamland, Margate. Margate’s Tri Star was new to Walter Rick (D) in 1977 and appeared at Margate at the end of 1982. The Pleasurewood Hill machine came from de Vries (NL) (new 1977) and was sold to Alton Towers at the end of 1988. It went to Pleasure Island (Cleethorpes) when they opened in May 1993 and then moved to Flamingo Land at the end of 1994 and moved to Pleasurewood Hills ten years later.
The Ben Hur at Blackpool Pleasure Beach was owned by Albert Manning and arrived in April 1983. It moved to the American Adventure Park (Nr. Ilkeston) at the end of 1988 and advertised for sale by John Armitage in 2008 and possibly sold back to Huss. Dreamland, Margate also had a Ben Hur from March 1984 which also possibly ended up with John Armitage. There were only three Ben Hur rides manufactured and the third, new to German Showman Kallenkoet in 1982, was sold to Pleasureland, Southport at the end of 1983 and its fate is unknown. http://ride-index.de/include.php?path=content/content.php&contentid=1461
I rode this w/my son at the Florida State Fair, Tampa. Shortly after loading, we rotated (the whole wheel) upward just past 1/4 of the way up. The car then slightly rolled counter clockwise so that my son( on my right) slid into me. Beings that we were still loading people, we just sat there with NO way to upright the car and get relief. I was pinned to the car’s cage wall with my son kinda on top of me and neither one of us could move! That’s when it happened! I felt a pop then quickly another pop! I broke 2 ribs!!! Needless to say, It was was the longest ride of my life…w/2 broken ribs!! Anyhow, I was working on my car the other day, pulling very hard on a wrench w/that same side of my rib cage against the car and pop! It brought back this memory. I was actually looking to see if anyone had a similar experience (broke a rib) on this ride?
No broken rib but I did almost fall out of it at 5-6 yrs old. Way too small to ride it but they still let me get on it. I slid right out from under the bar and was going right out the open window part in the front. My dad was holding me by my feet. I was so scared. Definitely my brush with death lol
I rode Coney Island’s Hell Hole many times, I remember being able to stay on the ride for as long as I wanted to because no one else wanted to ride it even for free. I tell my kids about this ride all the time especially my son who loves all amusement park rides.
My favorite as a kid as well. Found at most moving carnivals through the 80s. Even then, many looked like they had seen better days. Some didn’t even have the belt strap- rather the steel bar would come down further and that was your restraint! Also been in one that replaced the seats with plywood. Okay for a pre-teen but not very comfortable for an adult,
I was close to riding the Hell Hole back in 1995 with my sister, but my grandmother told us not to. The ride we would have gone on happened to be the ride that fell apart that day. One of those people could have been me and my sister if we didn’t listen and got on the ride in Coney Island.
I was lucky to experience Hunt’s Pier in 1982 and 1983. I returned Aug 1995 and the pier was half shut with kiddie rides on the front and it was called Atlantic Pier. The old Whacky Shack which was retitled Hunt’s Horror in 1989 was sbno in 1995 and behind a tall wooden white wall across the pier blocking access to the back of the pier. It was removed early 1996 during the remodeling into Dinosaur Beach. I returned June 1996 to see the new Dinosaur Beach and ride the Nugget again and ride the new dinosaur dark ride called Escape from Dinosaur Beach. I went back again June 1998. I had no idea it was going to close, they had a ten year lease on the pier. Also in 1995-96-98 I went through Castle Dracula and Dungeon boat ride on Nickels Midway Pier which burned Jan 16, 2002 by two young guys trespassing inside and lighting matches or lighters to see and they accidentally set it on fire, ran out, and were arrested down the street. They got a slap on the wrist. It was the last of the old 1970’s NJ shore haunted attractions with live actors. Now Morey’s has a walk through Ghost Ship attraction with live actors.
I rode this at the Greeley Stampede in Greeley CO when I was probably 12 or 13 with my best friend. I will never forget the sheer terror we experienced being thrown around in that car.
It was a blast until my head hit something sharp in the car. Ended up with a couple stitches but I’d still say it was worth it 15 years later. So much fun.
Love this ride and in general , Huss rides are massive , flashy , fast and much better than the rides that come from Chance , Wisdom etc . Take the Rainbiw , Enterprise, Pirate , Swinger (the one with the nice decorations ) and all there rides would and so our gross the other lame rides the US companies make ! More
Of those rides need to be here in the US !
Hahaha I was on the condor when there was the major malfunction that almost resulted in a rope rescue. They did manage to get the ride down safely after about 45+ minutes. To think that was 8 years ago and the condor had been since removed, I’m in awe.
Hi-just a it of correction regarding Sportland Pier’s Rotor ride. It originally started as The Rotor. Fascade was painted with a Comic strip theme featuring characters from ‘Little Iodine’. In the 60’s it was transormed to The Hell Hole and remained as such until Sportland Pier’s demise. The Whirlpool ride was another Rotor ride operating at the area known as Casino Arcade close ro Cedar Ave. It was introduced about 1971 and only remained for a few years. The Hell Hole had rubberized walls while The Whirlpool had a textured laminate-type that was hard and not enjoyable to ride. I rode both and The Hell Hole was a much better experience. I hope this info helps.
I operated a Rock-O-Plane that was located at the end of Marine Pier In Wildwood NJ. It had been repainted so many times over the years that the brake lever was never really secure in the notches. One evening, while locking and unloading a car with 2 teenage girls, the first girl tripped on the platfom while exiting the car. The brake slipped out of the notch and the ride began to run with the 2nd girl still in the car and the door open. I managed to stop the ride but the car was over 6 feet off the platform. There was no reverse. I had to use a high stool on my tip toe and thankfully was able to reach and close the door but I could not pin lock the door. The poor girl had to endure another rotation going upside down since the car was locked for unloading. It was a frightening ordeal but thankfully a good ending. The sad thing is I initially stopped to let the girls off early in the ride as the 2nd girl was screaming for me to stop the ride and let her off as she was frightened to death her friend was going to make her go upside down.
I operate a permanent Rock-O-Plane at a local theme park and it’s definitely a favorite. It’s always running compared to the 8 other rides in the park and it’s good for all ages. Glad to see all the comments.
If anyone is curious, if you use Google Earth (not Google Maps), you can look up Mountain Creek and use the Historical Imagery feature to find USGS aerial photography of Action Park from 1991 and 1995. It’s black & white and pretty grainy, but you can easily see the tracks of the Alpine Slide and of Motor World, and flip back and forth to modern imagery to see where they were. It’s funny to see how the man-made lake/rivers for the motorboat attractions are still very obvious today if you know where to look.
Brian this was one of the best trip reports you ever made. This state fair was one of the greatest events ever held any were on the planet I enjoyed the other attraction like the high dive tank and other original shows. I remember when i was young over 60 years ago American exposition or Gooding’s Amusement had a high dive act and plenty of motor cycle drivers. Cetlin @ Wilson had an unbelievable motor cycle drone that was spectacular there were a lot of sideshows on the midway & burlesque shows. The big top circus tent contained anything or everything you could imagine freaks,performers,pit shows & menagerie. Did you see any sideshow attractions beside the ones you listed. What impressed you the most at this event.Our amusement park (Kenny wood) had a new attraction (Thomas’Town Train) it derailed, the pirate, swung wildly, and the Phantom got stuck. Sometimes these things do happen at are recreational spots that discourage people from coming out to are fairs, carnivals and to relax at our parks. I hope this Meadow lands enjoys another year just like the one it enjoyed this year, and on into the future, a great and successful event.
Hi there, don`t know if anyone will read this but I have an update on the Coney Breakdance-A UK showman has bought it and is going to refurbish it so it can travel
Oh right looks like we have a few eqalified engineermachinery inspectors who don’t know what the fuck they are talking about I hoe they can sign off in the rides logbook to rove they have done a full inspection
I operated that Disco Express after it moved to Wildwood, New Jersey in the summer’s of 1982 and 1983. It was on Mariners Landing Amusement Pier (Pier was owned by Morey’s) and the ride either belonged to or was being leased by Tom and Jerry Amusements. It was located next to the wild mouse-style roller coaster. I have not been able to track that ride down and am left to assume it was either rebranded or junked. Nor have I had success in tracking down Tom and Jerry Amusements. I heard they were based in Florida, but that’s all I know. I can’t even find pictures of the ride when searching a variety of keywords.
If you know more about this ride, I would love to hear from you!
HI john IN 1983 I worked on the himalaya that belonged to Tom and JERRY. They ended up in Point Pleasant. Became very good friends with TOM (THEY WERE TWINS). sadly Tom passed in 1993 in Jupiter FlA .Dont know about Jerry. Great people.
Hi Brian. I’m the “crazy dude” showing off the plasma globe. My name is Tom Interval, a magician in San Diego (@intervalmagic). I’m originally from Pittsburgh and, in 1988, worked as a strolling magician for Busch’s Live Entertainment department (referred to by employees at the time as “Live E”). The inset photo of me was taken in Wizard Works, the magic shop located in the Hastings, England, section of the park, which is now Ireland. The location in the photo behind the inset is Banbury Cross, just across the bridge from Hastings. With Hastings’ transformation to Ireland, Busch renamed the magic shop Pot O’ Gold, which may or may not still exist (good luck trying to find anything on Busch’s website). Anyway, thanks for the laugh and for posting this stuff.
Endeavor looks like the same ride that was on the Casino Pier in the early 90’s called Force 10….it may have been the only one in the USA at the time. For some reason (later I read)permits weren’t granted to run Force 10 in the USA.
I was thinking the same thing, Garry; not as intense looking as Force 10, though. I had heard about the permit thing but Blue Sky Amusements in Long Island had a Force 10 for one season in 2016 or 17, so I guess that was just a rumor. I wish I could have seen it person!
Serial # 5020-M. Where can I find out the history of this unit as to who pre-owned it and where all it was used, etc? Our contact phone is on our website.
Come visit us at Saint Matthias this year! We’ve upgraded a few more rides, sold a few, gained a few and of course… upgraded some of those lackluster lights you were talking about. Hope to see another updated post and looking forward to hear what you have to say.
And you also forgot to mention,
“..the lack of having Spin Out like last year”
And it seems as though for every OLP every year, it always tend to get rainy on the Saturday of the fair.
Though, it was supposed to be the night to celebrate my best friend/dojo mate’s 26th birthday at the OLP fair.
Oh well, the only thing we did pretty much as karate together that afternoon. And then we went to see Avengers: Endgame later that rainy night.
I think people were commenting about the wheel because it’s been there for years; not as “good” as Spin Out, but a staple of the fair. Rain and the OLP fair does seem to go hand in hand, though. lol
Racked. I remember years ago, before BSA started doing the fair, the Hang Ten ride was left setup in the lot for like 3 days one year. It was strange seeing it sitting there with cars parked around it for church services. lol
Last I heard it was owned by Robbie Megerle and setup in Carolina Beach, NC. He owned it while it was at the Meadowlands as well. When it was at OLP it was owned by Cookes Amusements, at least that’s what the scenery panels had on them.
I worked in Motorworld during the summer of 1986. I was on the Super Lola cars, which I’m pretty sure you couldn’t un-govern. What I find amusing is if a patron was going too fast, they would go off the track and hit bails of hay. Our job was to sprint to the “crash” and quickly turn the car engine off so it wouldn’t catch the hay on fire! We would then pull the car back on the track and restack the hay.
I also worked on the speedboats. That was super fun and there was an accident there when some moron was fooling around and stopped their boat in the oval loop that everyone was supposed to travel. The stopped boat acted like a ramp for another boat and one of the boats literally jumped another. I don’t remember anyone getting too hurt during that incident, and I don’t remember ever seeing any snakes in the water at all.
Great article!
Loved The Devils hole at fantasy Island. It was riddled with graffiti on the wall and really scary inside. I have a Photo of myself posing next to the devil that was on the top after they took it down. Haha in the photo you can see that the devils hairy testicles were exposed. It’s kind of funny to know that they had that up for so many years.
I was the Pilot of this ride from Memorial Day to Labor Day on Morey’s Pier Wildwood, NJ 1986, 87 & 88 which was the 1st one in the country! It was refreshing to see it in Stranger Things and brought back MANY, MANY very good memories from my youth. Miss you April(John & Roy M.)! Metal Heads ride for free! Yes, that was me 35yrs ago. https://www.msn.com/en-us/video/t/the-carnivals-in-town-ride-with-thestreet-on-the-gravitron/vp-AADOfBG
I had know idea I was actually Piloting the VERY 1st 1 until this article! WOW, BLOWN AWAY!!! gravitrondude@gmail.com ANY pictures anyone has from those years at that location would be much appreciated, Thanks! JG (Eagles, Flyers, Phillies & 76’ers for life!)
Hydra makes my head feel like a cracked egg. Never riding again. At first it was fun, second time I sat in the back and it rocked me a bit. Third time, it’s just too bumpy. Definitely doesn’t deserve a 7. If they could improve the bumpiness, it would earn a 7. Unless you have no brain, this ride is a once or maybe 2 times and done. I made the mistake of trying to ride again today. Lots of cool turns and the jojo roll really makes it, but it’s just not worth the brain damage. Your advice is right though, riding the talon after makes you wonder what the hell happened to B&M? Talon and the great bear at Hershey Park are some of the best.
We had help issues this spring, we didn’t get our h2b workers until June which caused a lot of issues with putting up and moving the bigger rides. The polar express sat set up there until the following Wednesday.
I was personally moving the rockstar, vertigo, spin out and orbiter (when we were on Long Island bc it’s not approved for NJ yet)
I figured that may have been the case; didn’t want to put out speculation though. Your Orbiter looks pretty badass, you think it’ll be in Jersey next year?
The Bertizzon Musik Express of Casino Pier now plays Barry Manalo! I kid you not! Hardly anyone was riding it. I’m not at all a fan of post 1992 rap music, the stuff shifted from party and political to violent gangster music. I think the best and most appropriate music for a music ride is dance music and classic metal. Unfortunately Casino Pier does not like dance music, I know for a fact.
I went on The Zipper this past weekend with my best friend’s nine year old sister. Craziest ride I’ve ever been on I could only hold on to the bars with one hand because she was flying around so I had to hold her with the other. Our shirts kept flying up with each flip and there were no less than eight of those! My tummy is bruised but it was worth it to see her excited face. However, definitely a one-and-done here!
Thank you for posting this!! I went to Dinosaur Beach when I was 5 back in 1996! I remember Escape Dinosaur Beach and riding in the Jurassic Park-esque Jeeps and the animatronics were of course grander in my memory because I was a child and everything looked huge to me. I remember when the ride was done and it jus let’s you out into the gift shop, I recall that even at a young age I thought it an odd way to end the ride. I remember the Golden Nugget! I found a YouTube video of first person footage riding the mine cave styled ride. The memorable part for me was the helicopter on the top tier. I remember the water slide with the long neck dinosaur that spit water at you from it’s nose.
I got off a Zipper at a carnival somewhere one night and I was surprised I was still alive. During the ride I thought I’d been flung across the parking lot and was flying straight into Hell. I was 100% sure I was going to die any second.
I was the second cab to unload and I just zombied off walking toward the line waiting to get on. I’m a white guy and there was this sincerely concerned looking black women at the front of the line just staring at me. I tripped almost right into her and as she stopped my fall she looked at me and screamed, “Damn! You look white!” It was perfect, and when she realized the comedy in what she’d just said she grabbed me and gave me a gnarly hug. Then she straightened me up and sent me on my way. I must have been pretty pale for that to happen. The Zipper rules!
“I also remember the ‘lifeguard’ at the top of the slide telling me to do a cannonball as I fall into pool to splash the other lifeguard at the bottom of the slide.”
Yes that would be me. I worked there from ’94-’98 and that was definitely a thing for us to tell them to do the cannonball at the bottom if we knew the guard. At one of those employee parties the Irish Exchangers all ganged up 4 or 5 together on Supertwist and all bumped out at the bottom onto the concrete. The water slide park before this was Rainbow Rapids 2 blocks over but once Water works chopped up the Olympic Pool and added all the blue tubes and other slides in the late 80’s Rainbow Rapids was doomed.
I was a child of the 80s and my parents, although they didn’t have a copious amount of residual income, took me to Coney Island for the very first time and gave me the option of what ride to pick. I chose the Hell Hole not knowing what it was. It’s still a running gag in my family that I screamed my whole way through it and they heard (thanks to the attraction’s external speakers). I remember the dim nature of the ride, the ground lowering and the float-down like it was yesterday… no ill effects, dizziness or lingering problems surprisingly. I would seriously do it again!
My parents used to buy a ton of waterworks tickets each season on a sale that they held every Easter Sunday on the pier.
Had a lot of fun at that place. Your memory of it is much better than mine. So much of the park that I realized when reading this that I had completely forgotten. The corkscrew “Speed slide” as you say is the only slide name I remember. It was maybe the fastest slide in the park. The seams of the blue enclosure tube would actually start to rip your back up a bit. The slide running along the north end of the back of the park with the three dips was notable for the “air”’ you could get by intentionally timing a quick jerking of your torso forward and lifting your back off the slide just as approaching the third dip.
At the Alameda County Fair in Pleasanton California, June 1967. I was 18 . It was a traveling Rotor. I was wearing my Mod short shift and turquoise stockings. Me & Stanley watched the previous riders, and then took our places.The walls were like rug. When the “thing” started spinning and the floor dropped down, I slipped out of my dress and it bunched up under my arms. I was exposed for all to see waist down. I was trying to grab Stanley’s hand pleading with him to help me. People above were pointing and laughing. When the floor started coming up in jolts, I thought it was going to engulf me. I was crying. Then my hippy beads broke all over the floor when the thing finally stopped. A girl picked them up for me. That meant allot as everyone else got a big kick out of it.
I got out of there with my life–that is how it felt. I have never again gone without wearing a slip!!!!!
I was fortunate enough to go to Ukraine 2 years ago, and rode the “clown” ride in Odessa. It was horrifying. No regrets riding it, as It was such a unique experience, but the negative Gs on that thing paired with the painful restraints make it a very dangerous ride in my opinion. I thought for sure I would get hurt! Must have a strong stomach and neck to survive this one!
You forgot to mention venture rides a their own version of the ride call the cobra looks like a paratrooper with the same skillet seats except both wheels spin at 5he same time.
Hopefully the pandemic will ease up for 2021 season. I miss making moves up and down the east coast with my carnival family. Nice page you got here. Keep up the good work. BTW I move a trabant, a hi roller, a sidewinder and a drop tower for inners shows out of Franklinton nc.
I used to go to the small carnival in Florida when I was a 12 years old and I saw this ride named the ice storm and it looked liked the arctic circle from wisdom ride industries and I did some research and it the ice storm was from wisdom ride industries here is the link to the image https://intermarkridegroup.com/images/used/major_family/wisdom_himalaya_4.jpg
My brother-in-law, Ronnie Guerrero owned the Polar Express at Coney Island. The ride was installed there in 1973. When I visited in 1974, Ruben Santos, the founder of the Homicides gang was the operator and DJ. My sister and Ronnie were there each day, selling tickets and managing the ride. What I remember most were the dancers in front of the ride, doing the Spanish Hustle. I have since learned that the ride’s music played a part in the development of break dancing, particularly the Fresh Kids who hung out there in the 80s. The ride apparently was moved to another Coney Island location and operated by Ronnie’s second wife Susan after his death in 2007.
The original crew on the Polar Express, was Jacko, Paul Bobby, Hippy,Severn Green Eyes, Melvin, Felix and Brian/aka Preacher. in 1974 Bobby, Hippy and Green Eyes were gone Rebel, Freddy,George and Bigman (Ruben) started working on the ride. You’re correct Bigman was the leader of Homicide Inc. Severn was the leader of the Brooklyn Brothers, Rebel was a member of the Devil Rebels and Preacher ran a crew within the Homicides known as the Homicide Brothers or HBz. I remember Ronnie, he was a cheap bastard and his wife at the time blonde hair always kind and friendly when speaking to me. Ronnie drove a green Eldorado and spent most of his time in the travel trailer behind the polar. we utilized one of the two tractor trailers, as a place to sleep, have meetings and fuck.
Willie’s was across the ally and the Polar was to the left of the Thunderbolt, the tunnel of love was also across and to the left of the polar. I worked there from 1973 until 1977 the year,I joined the Marine Corps. at the time of employment the polar was located on the Bowery between West 15th and 16th respectively.
Additionally: Mario and Caco worked there around 75/76 and were still there after my leaving. Ronnie I think was from Florida wish would explained the shirts he always wore. I started working on the Polar in 1973 I was 12 years of age and the Polar always drew the largest crowds
I worked the Tumbler at Rye Playland in 1972. This is a true story. 4th of July. A guy named Ralph (I think) was the operator, I was working the deck. A hydraulic hose let go in the booth and sprayed fluid everywhere and the ride stopped with both wheels full of people. We were a bunch of kids. The owner wasn’t in the park but they got in touch with him and he was going to come with the new hose. In the meantime, there is a line a mile long who we have to tell the ride is closed so they are angry. We got the people off the bottom wheel, but the folks were still stuck up top. Only one thing to do. Release the brakes and let them go. Man, that wheel came down and just kept going almost all the way back to the top. People were screaming and then it went backwards and past the deck and up the other side and back and forth like a pendulum until it stopped and we got the people off. Wallets, purses, bodily fluids falling from the wheel. We were scared to death at the time, especially when it sped past the deck on its way, but it is one of the craziest things I ever saw. The owner got there about 7 PM, put in a new hose and refilled the hydraulic fluid and we were back up before the day was out. Just another day at work LOL.
I rode the Hell Hole in Coney Island as a kid in the 70’s! It was, bar none, my favorite ride. My brothers and I would make a beeline right to it. My mom said we were all like flies stuck to the wall. It’s been a thousand years ago, but I can absolutely remember how it felt, especially when the floor dropped. And all the screaming. It’s the ride from my childhood that I remember most vividly. I remember having to wait a little extra once or twice so maintenance could bring in some sand and clean up after some poor soul. I came close to being that poor soul a few times, myself. I’m actually sad it’s gone. We moved to the Midwest in the late 70s, and I never got to ride it again, sadly. I do remember reading about the accident in the paper, and it was pretty horrible. My mom said she wasn’t that surprised.
I remember Devil’s Hole at Fantasy Island. I just loved that ride as a kid. Nothing quite like sticking to the wall while the pink devil looks down at you from above. Sylvan Beach has a rotor ride that they are restoring and hope to have open before Summer’s end. I hope that they finish it soon and that I am still brave enough to give it a whirl.
As soon as I had the guts to go upside down I fast became… King of the Rocko’s. I would take the unsuspecting co-passenger and drop us both on our heads at the bottom. This was a true skill to balance the cage just so that we could be in the unlocked position, at maximum weight, free-wheeling, upside down at the bottom. Best scream in anguish you ever heard. “Noooooooooooooo Ahhhhhhhhhhh”!
I remember Water Works well. On the big slide my butt would feel weird because so much water shot out. On Tuesday’s and Thursday’s they gave you a free t-shirt. I still have the shirt from 2001 and use it as a “running shirt” or one I wear to play sports. Not sure what year it closed? Was it early 2000s? I know it was around at least until 01 though because I have the shirt. The corkscrew ride was pretty awesome and I loved the little kid ball section. I’d go in there as a teenager and launch balls at kids and laugh. I also remember the reasonable price. I’d go at 9 am and get 3 hours until Noon. It was $12 per person and we usually saved a $1 from the Seaside coupon book. So I would go with my dad and brother and we spent about $35 for 3 people. Now it might cost $35 or more per person. I also remember the annoying camps would show up around 10:30 lol. Like the lifeguard said I do recall going to the Seaside boardwalk in the evening and seeing employees using the slides after hours, and then even had these vicious guard dogs.
When it closed down and changed it was awful. Same thing happened to Seaside. Seaside had amazing rides like the Zipper, Kamikazee, Force 10, Jet Star, looping rollercoaster, Log Flume, etc. Now it has nothing.
I rode the Hustler today at an outlet center parking lot in NC. I immediately felt sick (the Sizzler I rode prior had no ill effects on me). I should have known by the narrow, rickety ramp and the 40-year-old Chevy seat belts that something was wrong, here.
This thing spun so fast and was so rough.
Ended up hurling into a shopping bag on the drive home. Haven’t vomited in over 10 years. Never again. Will be sticking to modern rides, thanks.
I leave in the United States and I go to my carnivals and fairs in town and we have the same ride has Break Dance but it’s called Crazy Dance and do I love this so much now would like too own one.
I’m from MD and a lot of times, when I was young, we’d visit family in Northwestern PA and we would go to Conneaut Lake Park. I LOVED the Hell Hole ride there!
I’m currently got an issue with the rides brake system. The cable snapped and we cannot get the Boom to rotate. Would it be possible to get a diagram or repair manual?
There is a simular version in California called the Insanity 360° only this version is a bit shorter on ride time and the seats rotate after doing 6 complete loops
i remeber the fair i always go to in north carolina & at the the carolina classic fair known as the dixie classic fair if you lived in north carolina but any way i always wanted to ride the fireball
know called the ring of fire & i finally get to ride it after all these years because i was finally tall enough i was scared to death when i got on the ride & i remeber it stopping at mid air and going in circles & stopping at the time & when it was moving up i thought i was going to fall out but i didn’t because i was brave enough to do it.
Hello, there is a Lead fest Fair At The garden state plaza mall in Paramus New Jersey Bergen county, It’s there may25th to June12th 2023, They have a lot of interesting rides that you can film on YouTube because a lot of people are interested. Hopefully you get this message Thanks
Hi Judah … I’m an old half-assed Coney Island historian and I’m trying to learn more about the Polar Express. I’ve been trying to learn when it first appeared on West 12th Street, and I think you just answered me. Did it first arrive in 1972? I sometimes hear this ride was originally the Super Himalaya on Stillwell Avenue and Bowery Street. Is there any truth to that? I would love to hear more about its early days. I appreciate your post very very much. Thank you!!
Yes.. it used to be next to the old thunderbolt roller coaster on the Bowery, the early 80s, after that part of Coney Island was closed, they moved it one block over on the Bowery where the original Nathan’s, is in the mid 80s, then moved to 12 street.
Don’t count on finding one of theses with fluorescents. This used to be a regular at my county fair, until Belle City got a SkyWheel in 1984. About the only photo I remember at the fair before I started taking my own was a picture of the SkyDiver in the junior fair building looking like a bull’s eye with its red, white, and blue lights (yeah, the photo got a blue ribbon). A few years later, they brought it back, and they probably shouldn’t have. Our fair has a tendency to get rain at least one day out of the six, and every so often, you’d hear this loud boom–another fluorescent had fallen off the SkyDiver and hit a water puddle. Dumb luck they didn’t hit anyone in the head.
Another thing I have heard is road models of this ride apparently have a no single riders policy. This policy makes it harder for people who come to the midway by themselves or in an odd numbered group to get to ride. All the park models I have been on don’t seem to have this rule, which makes the rule seem stupid and even ridiculous where they do have it. Having this rule for a ride like the Zipper I sort of get it. But on a ride that can clearly be ridden single, they should let anybody who wants to ride ride.
What a great article, thanks so much! We are relatively new owners of Jurassic Adventure Golf in North Wildwood and never knew all this about Dinosaur Beach. A great read!!
There is also a version of the Crazy Dance where the entire turntable rises up beyond its original incline. It was at the Kentucky State Fair in the mid to late 90’s, but I haven’t seen it since.
This one worked by going both clockwise and counterclockwise during each ride cycle, and during each direction the turntable would start to rise in the back next to the backdrop. Once it reached its highest incline, you would hear the air release, and it would immediately come back down to its original position. This would repeat several times in each direction. At it’s highest incline you were up to the top of the backdrop next to where the letters C R A Z Y D A N C E and flags were.
A ride cycle would start in one direction, then build up speed, then rise and fall several times, then reverse direction, then build up speed again, and then rise and fall several more times before the cycled would end. A full cycle usually lasted anywhere from 5 to 10 minutes each with half of the time going in the starting direction and the other half going in the reverse direction. Each direction usually had 4 or more rise/fall repetitions.
I don’t know if this was a specific model/version of the Crazy Dance, but I feel fairly certain it was a Fabbri make. I can’t remember if it had 4 satellites of 4 gondolas each (32 rider capacity) or if it had 6 satellites of 4 gondolas each (48 rider capacity), but the turntable was very big around. I also can’t remember if it had the tall structure of 3 dice in the middle of the turntable or if it had the stacked disco balls.
What I do know is the years it was at the fair back in the mid to late 90’s was the only time I had ever seen this unique model, and when it stopped coming I never saw it again. I’m guessing it stopped coming because Kentucky Kingdom had gotten a Break Dance 3, and that last year both were there at the same time. The Crazy Dance blew Kentucky Kingdom’s Break Dance 3 out of the water because of the rising turntable feature the Crazy Dance had, and the spin action was much more intense with many more spins per ride cycle on the Crazy Dance. The turntable rising and falling was much like the prior Tip Top ride which also did that. The next year the Super Bowl/Touchdown replaced the Crazy Dance, and that particular one has never been seen since.
The Crazy Dance, especially that particular model/version was, and still is, my all time favorite ride, and I would love to see it come back if it still exists!
Horrible ride. Nearly cost me my life. Slid into the side of the car, wife slid into me on the other side, compressed my rib cage, unable to breath for like 3 minutes, until they got the ride stopped. Blacked out and had convulsions. Bad experience.
Wayne Thompson’s owned a R.Himalaya in the 70s-1986. His son Terry Joe Thompson,was supervisor and mudd, ran the Himalayan, Stork,Joyce, Ray Jay,Bruce and Shelly, Roy. Many more worked on this amazing Rivishon spelling..They were out of Tennessee. The Himalaya played Memphis Cotton carnival, midsouth fair, Ohio, Indiana, Kansas. Many many places won’t ever forget the good ole days, & rock and roll 🎶 played on that ride. If anyone knows any of these people give a shout. We’re on Goodind million dollar midways, a lot, and many many more. Carl Noerpers in St. Louis.
Manufactured by Eyerly Aircraft in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. No, Eyerly never manufactured airplanes, but were only located at the edge of the Salem, Oregon airport. Founded by Lee Eyerly, a friend of my grandparents (and a pilot). Operated later by Jack Eyerly (Son). Inspired me to get an engineering degree. They also owned a Volkswagen automobile dealership in Salem. Gone now.
One of their engineers spun-off his own company that manufactured portable carnival rides called Frank Hrubetz & Company, famous for the ride called the Roundup. Gone now.
Oh thank goodness I’m not the only one terrified of these seventh level of hell bugs. I can’t handle spiders of any kind. I ha horrific experience with spiders and water bugs when I was 9. Scarred me for life. I really enjoyed your article. A bit of humor to take the scars away a bit.
We are here in 2024 rapidly approaching 2025. I rode one when I was 10 years old at the Local Mitchell Bros. Fair in Covington Louisiana. That was the first and last time I ever rode that ride as the opportunity never came again as the ride was sold off and replaced by the Kamakaze. If by chance I was going through town and I see a fair that happens to have one or know of a fair fairly local that has one it will be the first thing I ride.
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Brian,
Kudos! Very nice video… well done! I must say, your editing skills have much improved from previous videos you have posted!
The Hang Ten is owned by my parents. I commented you on one of your Hang Ten YouTube vids a few months back. Glad you enjoy the ride! They work very hard to keep it as well maintained as it is. They actually have the bottom car lights working on it now. I noticed in your video that they are not operating at the time you recorded the video. Fuse issue.
I told my parents about your videos and they are flattered that you think so highly about their ride. They have not actually seen your video yet, because they do not have a wireless net connection this week. I have sent my daughter the link though, so she can show them next week when they leave Meadowlands. She is traveling with them for the summer. Also, my brother, Patrick Wise, is the mic & music man on the ride. It is his voice on your video.
Very nice site here as well!
~Peace
Lisa
By the way, my parents also own the Flying Bobs at Meadowlands the past couple of years. Check it out if you get a chance. 🙂
here is a picture of six flags new englands frisbee
http://img514.imageshack.us/img514/7404/sfne013mb8.th.jpg
I used to operate a Rock-o-Plane, and we had a pretty serious accident once where the ride started with the door wide open! I wasn’t operating the ride at the time — just helping load cars. I pulled one girl out before the open door smashed against the stairway used to board the ride, and the other girl had to be backed down after I ran to press the E-stop. It was a pretty treacherous ride, and all the parents were screaming and pulling their kids off.
I am a personal injury lawyer suing a carnival company for brain damage sustained by a little girl when she slipped out of her restraint on the rockoplane. The ride operator’s excuse is that the lap bar clicks into the proper position automatically and there is no way my client slipping out could have been due to his error. I would love the opportunity to talk to you about how the restraint system works and if it is possible for the ride operator to put the lap bar into the wrong slat, allowing a little girl too much room so that she slips out.
If the restraint bar is properly working, it comes down on the lap when the door is closed, however if the patron holds the lap bar up as the door is being closed, he can overpower the spring and the bar will remain in that position till the door is opened. Teenagers sometimes do this to give themselves more room to rock the car. Was the girl 42″ tall? Was she with a larger person that would prevent the bar from comming down far enough to hold her in? Was the girl able to hold onto the bar? (physical limitations, arm in cast etc.) Not likely an operator error.
It is I used to liad one in the uk. If u don’t push the bar down and shut the door it will lock to high as happened once when a guy loading ours with no exp started. No injuries lucky enough I noticed it, gaffer reversed wheel and I put bar down, gave the chap a slap and we was ok.
Wow, that’s crazy! At least nobody got hurt. I remember a similar thing occurred when I was working at small amusement park a few years ago…although it wasn’t nearly as dire of a situation. It was while being showed how to operate a bumper car ride by a manager that really didn’t handle ride operations. The manager started the ride while some kid’s lapbar was wide open. I was like, “uh…that kid’s bar is open.” The manager looked up, slapped the stop button, walked out onto the floor, put the kids bar down, and started up again; he didn’t even acknowledge that anything happened!
Great website…just wanted to comment on the Steel Pier, let it close. About 5 years back we went for a ride on the Spinning WildMouse, but we didn’t get very far! All was well as the car turned towards the lifthill, but upon connecting with the chain things went horrible awry. I felt the car connect to the chain with a lurchand a bump, heard some kerpatchata kerpatchata
noise as we were very slowly lifted about 10 feet up the hill when the chain suddenly snapped at the top of the hill, sending metal shrapnel flying down towards us. Luckily the car rolled back down the hill to avoild said shrapnel (uh..rollbacks anyone?). The shocked attendaents offered free wristbands but we were so shaken we just left, we didn’t know what else to do.
Jeez, yeah free wristbands seems like a good tradeoff for almost being injured! lol
Even though the place stunk I’d much rather see it become another, much nicer amusement park instead of redeveloping it into a hotel, casino or condo complex. I mean the place has been around since 1898 and has quite a bit of history with it.
Thanks for dropping by and sharing the story!
“Most people would never make it out of the building due to their inexperience. However, sometimes you would see some hotshot rise up from the structure and hover 15 or 20 feet above the building. I doubt that thing made much money for its size and probably it’s cost, but it was interesting”
I went on it in 1995 or 1996 and I know I got back change from my ten dollars, I want to say it was only like 7 or 8 dollars extra to do it.
I got massive street cred with my friends for doing it. I fianlly went sky diving a few years ago and actually, I was in more fear for my life at Traction Park then I was when I did the real thing lol.
I was there! Cuckoo Haus was an abomination. The only thing cuckoo about this ride was the fact they excepted you to pay 4 tickets to get in. I found the exterior art disturbing, confusing, and at times vaguely racist. You know, the racist way that when in bad movies they try and portray the projects as all check cashing stores and chicken wing joints. Apparently the only thing in Holland is oompa bands and Kaiser Wilhelm II. WHY THE HELL IS KAISER WILHELM II ON CUCKOO HAUS?! Furthermore, I think the painted people of this supposed representation of “Holland” are angry about their depiction, as you may notice a man is emptying his chamber pot out onto the oompa band. Wait a second though, maybe a fun house called “the projects” might be a good idea too. We already know what would be on the front of it.
I remember going on Kingda Ka the first time in my life. It was a rush, but nothing like I thought it would be, rather tame in fact. Then I went on it again, this time waiting for the front. What a rush! If you happen to ride this coaster, the front is definatly worth an extra wait, don’t miss out! Also, keep your mouth slightly open, the wind rushes into it and your mouth fills with air rapidly, it’s great!
sounds very breathtaking or should i say breath giving:) since it puts air into your mouth. the fact is that i like to study rides and the ways people breathe on them. so it must be hard to breathe out but easy to breathe in on this ride in the front seat. am i right? the harder the rides are on us the better!
They are also repainting Mind Eraser at SNFE. They are going crazy!
The poor ol’ SLC needs some love I guess. I think in their next crazed re-painting move, Six Flags will re-paint Dark Knight’s track periwinkle with burnt sienna supports. 😉
I’ll have to try the front row sometime. I’m typically too impatient to wait any longer than I have to but the allure of being blasted by a wind comparable to an EF2 tornado seems like it might be worth it!
Just to follow up on this comment, years and years later: I did indeed get a front row ride and it was fantastic. Best part is that it was on a slow night and I was the only one in the station waiting. The riders on the train coming back in basically got a re-ride and I got a front row walk-on!
I beleive doing the Aerodium garners some sort of post Action Park internet cred as well. lol Few can say that they have done one of Action Park’s three most infamous attractions: Cannonball Loop, Aerodium, and their bungee jumping. And I guess to some extent the ‘expert’ run of Alpine Ski Slide.
I guess I could see how the faux skydiving could be scarier, at least at Action Park. There’s just something about Action Park’s lax safety coupled with a giant whirling fan that might cause for alarm. Haha
Thanks for dropping by!
These aren’t banned in Florida. I have seen several different models here, including ones named Gravitron (Amusements of America), ones named Starship 2000 (Hildebrand Rides), and even a newer Starship 3000 (Reithoffer Shows).
i beleive it is a very intense and awesome ride.love it!!!!!!!!!!!
<3 <3 <3
Revised, thanks for the heads up! I wonder where I originally saw that bit of misinformation…
I remember this place, the roller slide was called the Aqua Scoot! I loved that thing. I personally never got injured in my multiple visits between 87 and 91, but I remember those guys with their shirts off and a nice Alpine Slide burn. Those looked like they hurt. This was a great stroll down memory lane, I look forward to going back someday. I am in the midwest now and hating it
Yeah I wish California had a looping waterslide
Aqua Scoot! That name does ring a bell now that you mention it! I actually remember many waterparks having those types at slides at one time.
Very sad. The Golden Nugget is the finest attraction the Wildwood Boardwalk has ever had to offer, and I doubt anything will ever match or surpass it. Its demolition will be a great loss. It would be great if someone with deep pockets would be willing to pay for the restoration and mandated upgrades to get the Nugget running again, before its too late.
Hearing the news about the GOLDEN NUGGET which I enjoyed going on during the 60s and 70s when It was a newer ride, I don’t think I will ever go back there again, I miss all the older rides that are now GONE!
If you want to ride some surviving Bill Tracy dark rides, go to Ocean City, MD or Waldameer, Erie, PA. They both have a Pirate’s Cove walk-through, and OC MD has the Haunted House ride, and Waldameer the Whacky Shack ride. Yes, Hunt’s had a Whacky Shack, too but their’s was one level built in 1963, and Waldameer’s was built in 1970 and is 2-level. Also, the closed Joyland Wichita has a 2-level Whacky Shack, too which is in danger of being lost if someone doesn’t save the park. The Phantasmagoria 2-level ride at the now dismantled Bell’s Amusement park in Tulsa, OK was taken down and most props and scenery placed into storage for a new dark ride at a new Bell’s park that might open. The Fright Zone in Ohio (former West View, PA Haunted House) closed a couple years ago and the props and stuff are in storage at Conneaut Lake Park, PA which may not even reopen. There’s also a Bill Tracy dark ride at Lake Winnie in GA called Castle, they had a walk-through Whacky Shack that was torn down a few years ago, and the Haunted Castle at the former Miracle Strip Park in Panama City Beach, FL the cars, track and some props were bought by a guy in Birmingham, AL and used for a seasonal dark ride. The rest of the props are at a fire company in FL near Panama City. We lost 2 major seaside parks with Miracle Strip and Myrtle Pavilion. Pavilion came back, but it’s much smaller and missing the big rides like the roller coaster, Haunted Hotel, Pirate dark ride, Log Flume, and Rapids. The Haunted Hotel was TORN DOWN. Why do most parks care less about their dark rides and so quick to tear them down when the park closes or the ride becomes less popular or more costly to maintain? I’m going to miss the Golden Nugget. I rode it between 1980-1983, and again 1996-1998. At least they’re saving the props and scenery and mine carts.
Thanks for stopping by everyone!
@ Martin: One could only hope that would happen. The same could be said about many parts of Wildwood: Sportland Pier and Midway are two places that come to mind.
@ Herb: Yeah many of the older rides in Wildwood aren’t around anymore, especially dark rides. Wildwood used to have a number of them around and I don’t think any will be left after Nugget is torn down.
@ Robert: Great information there! I actually remember the Haunted Hotel at the Myrtle Beach Pavillion. I was only like 5 years old at the time and I remember being terrified of the facade with the giant skull, haha. It’s too bad I never got back down there before Pavillion closed. I’ll have to check out Ocean City one day; those dark rides at Trimper’s look great!
I was thoroughly haunted by a friend who killed himself while we were in a band together and the haunting some associated with a new infestation of these things. Another musician close to him who recorded this guy just before he killed himself had his basement studio infested by them suddenly as well. I wrote a novel based on this. These things do get in your mind!
Sorry to hear about your friend. It sure seems like cave crickets were solely placed on this Earth to drive people crazy. Luckily I haven’t seen any for about two years now…although I have seen several centipedes in the meantime which aren’t much freakin’ better.
Morey’s still has 4 dark rides, one of them a walk-through and they’re planning a new haunted walk-through for Mariner’s golf course soon. Also, there’s the Zombie World on the boardwalk, so I don’t think dark rides are dead yet in Wildwood. It’s just that most of Bill Tracy’s (and Fred Mahana’s-who did the old Morey’s Pier Haunted House 1972-1984 and Mariner’s Hitchcock Manor 1978-1981) work is just about gone in Wildwood, except for the Nugget props which most are going in Morey’s dark rides, and the Dr. Blood’s props from Sportland Pier, the building was razed Jan 2007, most of which are in storage in the old Woolworth/Randyland building that an arcade owner named Randy owns. I heard the Whacky Shack props from Hunt’s Pier are in storage somewhere in Wildwood, the building was razed early 1996 during the transformation to Dinosaur Beach, apparently the Catanoso’s didn’t want it and couldn’t sell it, actually Eric Princz (local artist owns a company Creative Design and Engineering) bought it but couldn’t get it moved off the pier so it was scrapped on site. Also, Castle Dracula was a great attraction, the Dungeon boat ride, too and it’s a shame it burned down Jan 2002. it was originally built 1977, and the old mill boat ride 1919.
Wow.. I thought I forgot about Action Park for good..
I had worked there for 7 years both seasons..
For the first few years I worked Food and Beverage, then ride attendant, Then finally once I was old enough and they had an opening I was allowed to work as a mechanic in motor world.. I rememebr breaking in the Lolas after they got new engines.. all we did was drive them up into water world and back down over and over again to break them in..
I remember the battle action tanks mechanics shop had some prototype or homebrew air cannon that would shoot a tennis ball from the tank cage well up past 94.. I wonder what happened to it. if anyone knows the make or has plans drop me a line.
I spent most of my time on the dock at the super speed boats, I remember one day clearly . There was an asian woman on the paddle boats in the adjacent pond and a lightning storm was rolling in. Unfortunately she panics and couldnt figure out how to work the boat controls..
we has one speed boat with a larger engine than the reast of them and it was our tow boat(for capsized recoveries) and a plaything for us to show off to the girls with.
I remember that we endedn up having two lifeguards stand on the edge of the foating dock that separated the two ponds, I disengaged the transom lock and headed straight at the dock head on.. because it was tilted my way it resembled a ramp, I then launched my boat onto and over the dock landing in the paddle boat pond. I then hooked her up with a line and towed her back to the area where the paddle boats were funneled into the boarding area.
The ride attendant girl hooked the boat with her boat hook and helped the woman out.. I was a hero for 15 mins.
In the winter I was a snowmaker.
I remember riding my skate board to work and having my mother pick me up after .. I lived in augusta so it was not a short trip… Fellow emploee parents passing by would often pick me up if they had the room so it wasnt too often that I skated the whole way.
I remember the first timecard system they put in.. you got a card with punch holes in it.. you’d slide it into the clock in the managers office, bang in a few codes and pull the card back out.. the funny thing was that if you didnt punch out say on friday night and then came back monday morning, you could punch out then back inand get paid for the weekend.. apparently one of the parks downfall was the accounting department.
Thanks for the memories..
Thanks for dropping by sigmaz; that was some great stuff! I always like hearing stories from Motorworld since I never really hung around in that section all that much and don’t really know the full details of that section. At the time I was too young to drive the cars or anything so I just stuck to the waterpark.
Also, skateboarding from Augusta to Vernon doesn’t sound like fun at all! Besides the fact that it’s a long trip, I would think that it’s very hilly as well!
The Cannonball Loop was opened. I rode the Cannonball Loop. My pre-pubscent friends and I would gawk at the holy grail of water slides everytime we went to the park. And one spectacular day my wildest dreams came true, they were actually asking for patrons to ride the slide. It’s funny how many people who bragged that they “…would totally do that!” had somewhere else to be when they were actually looking for riders. I volunteered. I was led up to the slide and then had my height and weight measured. The more I think about this, the crazier it becomes because I couldn’t have been more then 12 or 13 and my parents were no where around to give consent to their kid signing up for a suicide mission. When I got to the top of the slide the park attendant (who I doubt was an engineer) hit me w/ a garden hose to essentially lube me up in order for me to make it through. I prided myself on doing everything at “Accident Park” but this moment of truth was scarier then the rest. A crowd had formed as I got into the slide and I felt like Evil Knievel climbing onto a stars and stripes motorcycle. I got the go ahead and sent myself down the pitch black tube. When you’re sure you are going to die your mind records everything. I vividly remember the sensation of my feet going up as I realized “Here comes the loop!”. I remember being ecstatic when I had cleared the pinnacle of the loop, however the worst was yet to come. Apparently my sub 100 lbs body was not heavy enough for the ride and rather the sticking to the slide on the back end of the loop, I actually fell to the bottom of the loop. I smacked the back of my head on the slide and was nearly knocked unconcious. It was then I saw light as I sputtered out of the exit of the tube into the splash down pool which about 8 inches deep. I was able to orient myself enough to get to my feet and smile with pride as the stunned crowd cheered for the little kid who just went down the most dangerous water slide of all time. It was closed again within minutes and although I went to the park a dozen times after that day I never saw that slide opened again. I have no fear of amusement park rides after going on that death trap. There is nothing that will be built as dangerous and poorly supervised as the cannonball loop again. It was truly a perfect storm for water park aficionados.
That was a great story! Falling from the apex of the loop must have been just awful. At least you didn’t slow down and fall in the other direction however; then you would have been stuck in that section at the base of the loop. I can’t imagine how terrifying that would be, basically coming out of a momentary disorientation only to find yourself in some small dark space. lol
I use to looked forward to this ride every yr as a child. I grew up in Wildwood and this was my favorite ride. Hunts Peir was also my FAVORITE peir. A part of history of Wildwood Boardwalk as we know it will be no more. WOW, breaks my heart to know it will not be there.
The bubble bouncer ride my next favorite. So, So many memories of being on Hunts Peir. Wow!!
I have ridden the Zipper many times, I have to say it is the most intense ride I have even been on that didn’t make me sick. The one I rode at our local annual fair as as fast or almost as fast as the “fast” australian Zipper in your video. People shift their weight in the cars to see who can do the most consecutive flips. I saw one car do over 20 backflips in a row while moving before, and when they started to empty the ride car by car, they did another 40 or so backflips before theirs got to the bottom.
I agree on how the Zipper is very intense yet doesn’t really cause motion sickness. It must be the vertical motion because I know some people that have no problem on the Zipper but cannot take something like a Huss Breakdance which is all lateral motion.
Thanks for dropping by Chakote!
Currently the new Alpine Pipeline is in 57 pieces and under a foot of snow, but I will be sure to get you the cutting edge images as soon as we get them. No upside down loops on this ride, but exciting none the less. Stay tuned and maybe you will be invited to the VIP event for the unvieling of the all new Alpine Pipeline.
Mountain creek is the best place in the world.The Alpine pipeline was awsome.It was smooth sailing,relaxing and exciting.
Hey, thanks a bunch! I can’t wait to see the photos of this slide. If High Anxiety is any indication of what the type of thrills Mountain Creek is going for, then AP will certainly be great.
I worked there for several years as a lifeguard, and a few things.. The tarzan swing and the cannonball pools… The pools were only 15′ deep and yes freezing cold, they were fed from a spring fed lake at the top of the mountain. The bottom of the pool was not lined with anything they were concrete pools that had large rocks/boulders around them. The water was crystal clear. As a guard I would be able to sit on the stand (10′ tall) and I could spot and tell if there was a dollar bill on the bottom and if it was within 10 – 15′ of the stand I could tell you what denomination it was. it just seemed dark because of all the shade in the area.
The riptide slide was called Surf Hill… when it first opened the 2 left most lanes (looking down from the top, or the right most from the bottom looking up) were the “expert lanes” initially they had a ramp and I can remember going down with friends and family and it wasn’t uncommon to get 10 – 15′ of air off the things… landing was sometimes a bit tough, but I can remember people and us included doing flips and twists off that thing. The trick to it was to use more than one mat the more you had the faster you went. Too many people got hurt and they redid the ride to make it a much smaller ramp. the employees were able to secure a section of the new lining it’s was about 4 – 6″ thick and we cut 2 hand holds in the front of it… I wasn’t crazy enough but I knew and watched several friends going down using that mat… they would go so fast that they would end up hitting the first 12″ of the water puddle at the bottom meant to slow them down and it wouldn’t do a thing.. They would end up literally slamming into the padding at the end of the lanes hard… a couple of them hard enough that they needed help getting out from where the padding and the floor met.
Only 15 feet deep?! Aw man…that’s takes all the odd mystique out of the pool. lol Actually, I saw a photo of those pools drained on another site and it did look only 15-20 feet with slabs of concrete at the bottom. Although, I distinctly remember a lifeguard at AP saying that they were some 30+ feet deep, but I guess it was just to weed out anyone thinking they could do the attraction while not knowing how to swim well.
That Surf Hill story literally had me laughing! It just amazes me that Action Park thought it was a good idea to add in ramps for riders to rocket over. And then employees fashion up a mat made of that super slick crap, that’s just too much. I can just visualize the scene of some kid going at like 40mph head first and completely overshooting that little slowdown pool. lol It’s too bad they got rid of that slide…
Thanks for commenting Mike!
i remember this exactly as he described. we would go every year when i was a kid. there was always people trying to find a mat, yet we would always have like 3 or 4 stacked. im glad you confirmed that it did make u go faster, i always wondered if i carried that extra wieght for nothing! lol man i wish this place was still around, i rode every ride there (except loop) many many times and managed to never get seriously hurt. i will try to find old picsand vids i knw we have somewhere and send in…
I remember one time when I was going down Surf Hill and after one of the bumps I went soaring into the air and landed two lanes over from where I had started and when we got to the bottom, I plowed into the kid who had been riding in that lane and ran right over him before I stopped.
It was spectacular.
is this post availible in German?
I am very sorry, but I do not have a translation of this page in German. You can use Google to translate ( http://translate.google.com/ ), but the translation may not be very good.
Hi:
Just came across your site and wanted to drop a comment to say thanks for the memories. I am from the Jersey Shore but moved to North Carolina in 1986. It was fun looking through the shore pictures in this article and reading about your road trip. Great article, well done.
It was also nice to see that things in Asbury Park are not as dead as I would have thought they might have been. I read an article on-line recently that painted a very bleak picture of Asbury Park. Your photos and commentary provided a much more positive outlook.
Also, seeing your site and reading about the history inspires me to post to my own site again….maybe even today.
Thanks,
MXS
PS: The article which painted the bleak picture of Asbury Park is at http://blog.nj.com/njv_paul_mulshine/2009/01/asbury_park.html
You might find this interesting. I found your site linked in a Google alert I received on the term “Sea Girt.” When you traveled along route 35 during your trip you barely touched Sea Girt. If you hadn’t mentioned the term in your article I would never have seen the site. FWIW, thanks again.
Hey MXS,
Thanks! I’m glad you liked the article!
Asbury Park has certainly come around in recent years. They’ve done a very nice job along the boardwalk, putting in stores, playgrounds and other things; some of the stores were pretty high end as well! I even remember seeing some of the restaurants along the boardwalk being packed with patrons. According to my sister, it’s a really nice beach spot in the summer as well; something that couldn’t have been said some years back.
As far as the Google alert, well…I guess it explains the odd influx of visitors coming right to this article from no referrer address and then spending about 5 seconds on the page. lol
Also, you should definitely start posting to your site again. I actually found the articles pretty cool, especially the one about the Adobe Kuler chooser. I only wish I knew about that when making this site!
Thanks again for stopping by!
I just read your article and I too can relate when it comes to the height rule and the dumb-ass parents wanting you to bend the rules just for them….over and over again. I used to work on the Himalaya in Ocean City, Maryland 2 years ago, and this lady wanted me to let her kid on the ride but he was way too short, so I wouldn’t let him on. In result, she kept trying to talk me into letting him on, but I repeatatly told her I couldn’t let her child on because he was too small, so she started to get a bit belligerent with me, but I kept my cool. Not only she was causing a scene, she was also holding us all up and the line.
This wasn’t the worst part. This chicken-shit guy who I was working with who was my best friend’s girl’s brother didn’t even bother to step in or find one of the security guards to help me settle this situation, instead he just quickly walked past us telling me that the ride was about to start. So I had to run back to my spot so the ride can start, but after the ride was over, the same bitch started with me again as she got loud and cursing me out telling me I was rude and everything, and all I did was my job. Once again, not a single person bothered to step in.
After she left, this fool who was so much help starts getting in my face and laughing telling me how pissed she was. A friend of mine who I was working for who was on break when this was going on, tried to talk to me trying to calm me down. I told my best friend about the situation last year, and he even found it to be strange that no one called any kind of security to settle the confrontation. As for the other guy (his girl’s brother who shall remain nameless) I do not want anything to do with him as long as I live, because there was no excuse for what he did…or should I say, didn’t do.
Hey Tyrone, thanks for commenting!
Seriously, those parents who would bargain to get their kid on the ride are some of the worst! I think ride ops should just be allowed to blatantly tell the truth in that situation:
Parent: “My kid is only 5 inches short! Why can’t he ride?”
Ride op: “Well…because he might fly the hell off, be severely injured or killed and I’ll get sued and/or thrown in jail.”
Nah, that probably wouldn’t work either; then they’ll break out the “well he/she has been on this before and nothing happened!” Rides ops never win…
By the way, I love your site! I remember stumbling across it a while back when making the Himalaya page for this site; there’s a lot of great info there! Those old Reverchon models were some of the best; they seemed to run faster than the modern ones as well. Thanks for putting the site together!
Will any zippers ever again have to worry about compartment doors flying open because i might have second thoughts about going on it a third time.
Hey Zipperlover,
I doubt it; Zippers now use a large, steel, bobby pin looking device as a backup lock. It’s nearly impossible for the door to fly open while the pin is in place. I wouldn’t worry about it.
Yeah… it’s got that triple door lock, with that big R-clip, or bobby pin as you call it. I’d be more worried with cracks in the hinges on the OTHER side of the door. 😉
I say this as the former ride op of the first zipper ever made, thus the most metal fatigued. (Model 1800, serial no. 1801, mfg in 1968)
🙂
My name is Jane E. McNutt. The Golden Nugget farewell ceremony was interesting. I am the Grand Niece of WC Hunt. My grandfather was Harry Hunt, was WC’s brother, and worked at Hunt’s Enterprises. My mother was Dorothy Hunt. Before my mom married my father, John McNutt there were sparks flying, because my father’s father of John J. McNutt’s and Son on Oak wired The Jack Rabbit and most of the island back in The Day. My brother remembers Kristen Steindl’s grandmother who Bud Hunt married -2nd marriage I think. That makes her related by marriage, not blood. Please check http://www.beachtheatre.org for my interview and accurate Hunt family history. Thanks for the forum. JANIE Del Haven -56 years old and rode The Nugget in 1960
i’ve successfully lives threw all of these lovely carni rides. (: all those rides and a few more are featured at Saint Greg’s Carnival in Hamilton, NJ. [ of course] in my town [ hamilton] that’s the best thing that happens here, next to the Italian American Fest, and September Fest, both have rides but are more for kids, not teens. which is a total DRAG by the way. any who, back to the carnival, it gos on for a week and i think two days. all the high schooler’s show up in all their parents cars, and all the kids rush to all the kiddie rides and games. they have a bunch of tricky skill games, and ofcourse the gambling wheel. two of the days they have the traditional fire works. then the raffels and such. back to the rides, the normal rides are the Tornado, Bob Sleds, Zipper, FireBall, Ride ‘O Fire, Scramblers, the ship thing, two ferris wheels, tilt- a – whirl, the tea cups, the spinning bears, the mini dragon roller coaster and such. The most thrilling ride there is the fire ball, sadly, everyone in our crappy little town lines up in THAT one line, thats it, thats the ride line. haha. but any way, the line stretches to the main entrace normally, and you wait for about 30 mins, get on a 2 min ride and then line up for the zipper ad repeat. but i must admitt, thats the best thing in this town to do in june. (:
hop i interested you and this wasnt a total bore, (:.
I remember snakes in one of the pools. I rode this tube down a long slide and half way down i fell of the tube landing painfully in the pool with less skin on my legs then when i started the ride with. But just when i thought my ride of death was over I see this huge snake swimming right at my face. I was only 8 and i couldnt swim very well, so their i was flapping my arms and legs screaming for help because of this snake and the fact i was bloody and in pain, and not one person came to my aide. All the children were pushing me down in the water and they were trying to get out of the pool, I though i was goin to drown or be attacted by this snake. THANK GOD for my older brother, because he pulled me out.
When i was 7 I rode 1 of their tube rides and i was going so fast my tube almost reared off the slope which was very high off the ground. Also the tide pool was the worst being so little the waves would knock me over and afew times a almost drown because the lifeguards were to busy watching the women then watching the children. The place always had nasty snake infested water and half the rides would brake down during the few hours you would spend at the part. Even the kiddie pool with those little bumper boats was a death zone. Once I seen one of the boats start to sink with a child in it, you would think that the lifegaurds would have leaped in the pool to get the kid out, but No the parent had to be the one to jump in and unbuckel the child before the boat sank drowning the kid… Though the park was full of danger, it still provided me with alot of fun and some great memories.
i rose the canonball loop. man that sucker beat you up.
I am curious if there’s any remains of action park left. was mountain creek built on the old site of AP? did they leave any remnants? is there anything to explore?
I don’t know if anything of Action Park is left actually. Everything in the waterpark was pretty much reused by Mountain Creek, and some of the most known attractions (Cannonball Loop, Aerodium, etc) were simply removed. I know they have one river attraction that pretty much sits un-used for the most part. The Surf Hill slides might still be “standing but not operating” as well but other than that I’m not sure.
By looking at Google Earth, it doesn’t look like Motorworld is around at all; at least I can’t spot any tracks or anything. You can check out Mountain Creek on Google Earth at ’41°11’24.78″N 74°30’30.55″W’ and see if you can see anything. That giant field just to the west of Mountain Creek might be where Motorworld was.
Theres condos there now
I took my kids to the old timers stomping ground on Tuesday – 8/15/12. Yes Mountain Creek is the old Action Park. Although alot of the attractions we rode are now gone they still have a few Action Park rides there. The Tarzan swing and Cannonball Falls are still where they were, and working. The Colorado River is still working. This is the ride in the big family sized tube. Only now you have to wear a helmet with a full face cage or you can’t ride. The Surf Hill is still working except that they toned it down quite a bit and its called Rip Tide Slide. It still is dangerous however. Back during Action Park there was very little water to stop you at the end of the ride. Now there is about a foot or so of water at the end, if you don’t lift your mat up, the water stops you dead. Now if your body stopped also it wouldn’t be bad. But as my wife and my 17 year old daughter found out the hard way. My wife literally went legs over head and flipped and my daughter went sideways running her legs over the next lane dividers and was cut, fortunately not bad. They took out the Alpine slide and put in an Alpine coaster which is open year round. If your under the age of 15 this might be cool, otherwise don’t waste your time. No I retract that statement, do it for the hell of it, you may enjoy it. The rides I was looking forward to were closed. They were Action Park rides that are still there. They were Thunder Run, The Gauley and The Rogue River. I haven’t found out why they weren’t operating. Thunder Falls was open. The Geronimo Falls section of the park is still open but has changed. They replaced the double white slides with one green slide. You still get an atomic wedgie on this. They closed down the male favorite Kamikaze slide, took out the wooden bridge and fenced in the pool area. They added a funnel ride called High Anxiety. This is the equivalent to Alien Invasion at Splish Splash. Well I think I touched on everything at the park. I found it to be as exciting as when I was in my 20,s.
Thunder run was open this week as well as a couple of weeks ago. The Gauley was closed after an incident earlier this season where a bunch of riders backed up near the end. It was a relatively minor incident, but there were like 4 news helicopters flying over the park afterwards since they had sent several people to the hospital (as a precaution).
Rogue River seems to have been closed all season, I’m not sure why.
Surf Hill was just opened a couple of weeks ago. They rebuilt the slide, as it had been abandoned about 5 years ago.
http://www.northjersey.com/vernontownship/5_injured_in_ride_accident_at_Mountain_Creek_amusement_park.html
I’m actually a lifeguard at Mountain Creek now and it’s a ton safer although many of the rides have closed down. Some of the most recent changes are that Rogue River and Thunder Falls are basically permanently shut down. Working bottom of rogue river you can listen to people slam back and forth against the walls inside of the slide and it’s just terrible, better off keeping that death trap closed. Surf Hill is once again called Surf Hill and like it was said before there’s now a good foot of water at the bottom. The Colorado River you need helmets on now, but recently we test rode the old path of the ride however it will most likely remain closed. Well that’s a current lifeguard’s perspective.
Aw man, I can’t believe they closed Rogue River! That actually seemed like one of the tamer ones. The only thing that was bad about it was how it dumped riders into that open pool area. I remember if you were to assume the standard body slide position (legs crossed, arms crossed) you’d go flying down that slide and practically skip across the water at the end.
@Nick
Wow, they opened the alternate path on Colorado Rapids? If only they’d actually re-open that, as alternate paths made that ride interesting, even though it was rare you went down them.
I seriously hope they don’t permanently keep Rogue River and Thunder Falls closed. In 30+ years, the number if injuries, compared to other rides still open, is from what I understand really low.
Notice how the green slide is not as steep it used to be – or at least it looks like that, note the tracks underneath.
They really should make it as steep as it originally was – and put in a 2nd slide, which would also cut down on the longer lines on the busiest days… oh, and lose the name “H2 Oh No” /call it “Geronimo Falls” again – those three things would make the ride much more exciting, IMO.
I think Surf Hill is still Surf Hill – website and park map still indicated it as such.
The Rock-o-plane really needs to be returned full force to all carnivals!
And if they have to build new Rock-o-planes to either build their reserves and/or replace old worn out Rock-o-planes, they shall do so. The Rock-o-plane is one of my all time childhood favorites and I will ride it again if given the chance.
Yeah they do! These past few years I’ve only seen them at two different carnivals; they used to be at nearly every one!
Unfortunately, I don’t think Eyerly makes rides anymore. However there are some ride operators who have put a new spin on the ride by placing forward facing seats on it. I can’t find a picture though, I know one was called Sky Dancer.
We have the rock o plane and the Rollo plane and the loop in ohio
Hopefully all u guys will see this…I’m looking for a ride that I remember being called American skyliner but these come up then I type the name..now this was similar to this ride ,we had the large wheel but the egg shaped carts were fastened on the spine of the wheel. They had two seats inside and a steering wheel at the centre made of metal. Turning the wheel would make the egg spin left or right around the circumference of the spine so u could turn the wheel as it was being loaded with people and balance yourself on the top of the spine, others were happy to sit upside down. So you see at the top of the wheel spine you are sat upright facing forward a sitter either side of the spine. Letting go off the wheel suddenly would cause the egg to just drop underneath the wheel spine left or right depending on which side u were at more. So it worked with gravity ..once the ride gets going you spin around the spine of the wheel going from upright at the top projection to upside down underneath the spine also as the wheel is spinning forward as it goes down and around you kind of spin and fall at same time..it’s quite horrendous fear factor…lol…do you know of this ride variation..this is the UK where I experienced it in a Norfolk town called kings Lynn.thankyou. it was by the very famous UK fairground people whose name I forget off hand but we’re the biggest in England. Not Boswells , not Grey’s another name í can’t get out of head at min..I’m sure it will come back to me.. lol thankyou
As well as the “bullet”. These two were the best in my young life. Never see the bullet anymore except at a boardwalk in Daytona.
Nice video! Love the music choice :D!
Thanks DeMickeys; I’m glad you liked it!
As a kid i have always had a strange fixation with roller coasts & amusement parks. Who knows why?!But I have to say that i have been obsessed with Action Park since i found out about it 4 days ago!
We only had a Wonderland (affiliated with Hannah Barbarah) out here in Australia & I was always a scaredy cat to go on any of the big rides!
HOWEVER! I feel so disappointed to have not experienced the ‘legend’ of Action Park. From everything I have read, it seems so ridiculous & intriguing, like a taboo movie about reckless teens!
As ridiculously conservative I am, if I had the chance to jump at any of these threatening rides, I totally would! The Cannonball Loop had my jaw dropped for hours as I read comments/experiences & studied pictures! I even showed my co-workers & their response was “……WTF.. how? wha.. HOW THE HELL WOULD THAT EVEN WORK?!” lol! “Exactly. Fucking insane”
I am sure the real experience isn’t as romantic as it seems- but to someone who has always been safe, always been scared of danger, this place seemed like a place that was so so wrong it was right!
Just want to say thanks for the indepth descriptions! It makes the idea of the place even more real! You have no idea how many people i have told about the place! Just out of sheer disbelief that something so dangerous could have existed for such a long period of time!!
Thanks for the experience!! =)
Lauren
Thanks for stopping by Lauren and thanks for the kind words!
“So wrong it was right”…I like that! It’s a pretty good one sentence summary of how Action Park was.
You know, I think something like the Cannonball Loop, while still crazy, wouldn’t be as insane if it were built today. Like if built in 2009, there would be definately be calculations, proper water drainage, correct pitches, etc; it would be studied up and down and over again until the most minor of faults were ironed out.
Back in the mid 80s it was probably just two guys sitting at a bar with one going “hey, let’s see if this will work!” Two weeks later their drawing scralled out on a napkin became Cannonball Loop! How did they know it would work? Well they didn’t until ‘John the Lifegaurd’ went down and didn’t die!
Even I can’t beleive some of the stuff that went down at Action Park even though I was there!
Man, the reason I’m never getting on one of these things is that scene from the Sandlot where they ride one of these and end up puking their guts out. Horrible, horrible scene, that was.
Oh man, that was an awful scene! I always remember it when I see a Trabant and I’m always afraid that it’s going to happen when I’m near one! lol
Damn that movie!
let me guess was that movie Sandlot
Me too you at not alone
at least someone agrees but the one girl’s reaction was hilarious how she was screaming her guts out and it was not real all it was is just spilt pea soup, movie gel, baked beans, water, and oatmeal launched with paint guns accidentally hitting some crew members and the ”tobacco” just beef jerky and black licorice you really think that they were gonna give kids actual tobacco and the fake thing was WAY worse than the actual thing
There’s a special online discount for a Six Flags park that we’re planning on going to. It’s $31 bucks for each adult ticket (compared to $50 at the door) but when i was about ready to purchase them, i saw the Print ‘n Go option for $5.
Really? $5 for me to print them from my own house?
$36 is still better than $50 at the park but it’s still completely idiotic making me pay to print using my printer, my ink, my paper.
You know I was actually tipped off by some people over at another coaster site that a lot of parks have a similar charge for their print tickets; however SF is charging the most. I guess the parks treat it as a convenience fee of sorts, I mean I can’t really see any other reason for the surcharge.
loved that place went from 86 to 1990 loved motor wolrd and the indy cars fastest go cart ive ever been on got kicked off in 89 hit a cone or tire went over thew yellow line god i miss that place also went on aero ride first year it opened that was fun sad to see it in ruins ps any one know where i can buy one of those cars ?
This ride I personal don’t like it spins around really fast and you get whiplash like crash the first time you ride it you’ll not want to go on it anymore. But if you like REALLY fast rides you must go on this ride
GREAT trip report, if you know what i mean 😉
I really enjoyed it!
Thanks! I try to make every trip report a great adventure.
😉
Unfortunately I don’t have an official website for it but my town, North Brunswick, holds a carnival every June called the North Brunswick Youth Sports Festival. The rides are owned/operated by Amusements of America and they usually have the Space Roller. This year’s festival will be held Thursday, June 11 to Sunday, June 14 and again Wednesday, June 17 through Sunday, June 21 at the Devry University on route 1. Try not to go on any of the Saturday night’s, they have fireworks shows which bring in just about the entire population of not only North Brunswick but all surrounding towns.
Hey thanks, I’ll add it to the list; it sounds like a pretty good fair actually!
We hold many fairs in NJ from May through mid of July with two seperate units. You can check our schedule @ http://www.amusementsofamerica.com/events_current.htm
In addition to the Space Roller, we now have new rides like the Extreme, Zero Gravity, & Hog Wild.
Glad you could stop by and see the show, also glad you didn’t tear into us like i see most of these reports do.
Mike
Blue Sky Amusements
What can I say, you run a very good fair with great looking rides. I’ll be looking forward to next year’s show.
Thanks for dropping by!
Thank You!
We just finished adding some more LED’s to the Riptide. We added them to the bottom, front and sides of the gondola.
After doing a google search for water slide, I came across a youtube video of a loop slide in germany. I got curios and googled loop slide and found all this information on this ridicouls ride at action park! Since webates have sparked my intrest in action park and looking at pictures, I’ve relized this was a place my father use to vist. I have pictures of my parent visting this death trap.
Although the picuters show a water slide that was long and horzitial with long bumps. Can anybody tell wich ride this was?
Long horizontal slide with bumps sounds like either Kamikaze or Surf Hill.
Kamikaze was a single slide built into a hill with 3 or 4 small/medium sized drops before ending in a pool.
Surf Hill was like one very wide slide with 8 or so lanes which traveled down 4 or 5 hills before ending.
can you post any pics you have of action park? starting a history site
The only photos I have from the park were from the Mountain Creek days unfortunately.
Are you dutch, or do you speak dutch?
(I’m from Belgium.)
No I don’t speak Dutch; all I know is what I managed to arrange in Google Translate to come up with a coherent sentence. lol
I also added in a function to edit comments for a period of time after it has been posted.
It says Lights, Motors, Action! was added without taking anything out, but this is not true. An entire section of the Backlot Tour was gutted out in order to make way for LMA.
Oops, I’ll have to do my research better next time. Thanks for the correction Bob!
I still like the Loop -O-Plane . Great ride. Took many long rides on this. What I would like to do on this ride is to do over 100 revolutions in each direction for a total of over 200 plus.
I have seen many videos of the Inversion. I really can’t wait to ride this. This one I would like to take a real long ride on and at the same time while the ride is going top speed, having the individual gondolas flip at the same time. Give me the longest, most intense ride on this, 20 minutes plus.
I rode this ride once and only once. I was 14 and with my brother who had just turned 16. I remember we were waiting for everyone to load when all of a sudden the ride began. I must say it literally scared the life out of me. We were completly sideways the whole time and the only thing holding us in was a bar that didn’t even touch our bodies. We were pressed together against the hard plastic and I was screaming so hard I eventually lost my voice. I actually began sobbing at one point. We were going so fast everything was a blur. When the jackass carnie finally stopped he opened our bar and said “Oh wait the bar is broken sorry folks gotta wait for the next seats to come around.” I was dizzy, disoriented and actually fell to my knee’s to kiss the ground I walked on.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bdPmmfT38I4
A video of yoyo collapsing
dude i wish the zipper at our carnival would go as fast as that Austrailian one. lol its not even scary, its probally one of the best carnival rides ever in existance and if you dont like thrill dont go on it everyone knows who dares to go on it knows that ther is a risk thats what makes it awesome dude fo sho 😀
i think the one at our area is like not as intense cause its like a total easy ride
Some are definately worse than others. I think the rim-driven versions where the wheel is permanently on an angle are the worst because the cars rock like crazy while getting up to speed.
ive ridden the fireball b4 and its like an o.k. ride but i perfer the zipper lol and sometimes when you go on and they like hold you upside down for like 15 secs or so you start to black out lol but its an ok ride so watev
this ride looks so boring
hello
i see you like matterhorn´s
i have one and i buit in usa
snow ball express
is like new now and runs like a champ
if you like to see go to ride db (snow ball dance)
snow dance 4 in you tube
enjoy bye
Do the cars swing so night that they go upside down
Hi there I just stumbled across this site while reading up (geeking) on Breakdances. You’re right about the one that was at Astroland, it was the best operated I’ve been on outside of Europe. So sad it’s gone now :'(
It’s really funny reading about your American rides, they look so ghetto! heehee. Anyway I just wanted to confirm what you said about the third Bussink Evolution. It’s called ‘Imperator’ and is legendary over here. It’s the largest flat ride that ever travelled.
It did the German circuit for a long time but disappeared in the mid Nineties. Luckily it has made one or two outings since then but it’s still a rare sight. I’ve never seen it in person but from the photos it’s incredible to think that this thing is movable! It’s owned by Eberhard, who also own one of two Mondial Inferno’s. Their’s is called Airwolf and travels in Germany. The other Inferno is called Night Fly and can be seen in France.
Here are some photos of Imperator: http://www.ridesdb.com/db/thumbpic.php?ride_id=151
Enjoy!
Hey Daisy!
Imperator is certainly an incredible ride; I also can’t beleive they managed to move it around so much in its heyday. Like, it might be a ‘traveling ride’ but I’ve also heard that it took something like 8-10 vehicles to move! Last I heard, Imperator is in China somewhere but no one has spotted it.
Now that Imperator is is MIA and Evolution #1 is effectively a park model, maybe it’s time for the mysterious third Evolution to make an appearence somewhere!
And yes, most American rides are ghetto looking but in their defense most were made in the 60s and 70s. However, there really hasn’t been many notable US manufactured rides since then. lol
Thanks for stopping by!
I was doing a search on action park just to see what would come up and I came across this site. I was also curious about the “Cannonball Loop Slide”. I remember going there when I was a kid and seeing this crazy looking slide that had a loop, but the slide always appeared abandoned and completely shut down. I remember hearing stories that a woman snapped her neck in the loop, but these were all just rumours , or course. I find it so cool and fascinating to read the stories of the people who actually rode that slide, (and made it out alive) major props to you. 🙂 Would be great if someone posted up a video of the most dangerous slide ever created.
I had a lot of memories of Action Park going there as a kid, no major injuries, just a few head bumps and scrapes, minor compared to some people. I remember my brother tricked me into going down one of the slides in the lower area (in the freezing cold water). He said “oh it’s just a tiny slide”, little did I know that it had a 20 ft drop at the end of it. lol I was only about 9 years old, but I was a good swimmer. I remember the girl asked me before I went on the slide if I could swim and I thought, that’s odd why is she asking me this. lol I also remember the one tube slide next to that area, The Gauley, (I believe that was the name of it). It was fun, but you would sometimes get stuck in certain areas and have to push yourself down, and of course you would sometimes smash into people and sometimes pile up. I also remember the cannon slides which I ended up banging my head around one of the turns in the tube, then being spit out into ice cold water and barely being able to catch my breath. The wave pool was insane, the waves were oddly big, you could drown very easily if you weren’t a good swimmer. The kamikaze was surprisingly fast, probably one of the best slides at the park and the Geronemo Falls slides were crazy, at the end of the ride you had a dental floss for a bathing suit. 🙂 I definitely want to make it out to Mt. Creek one of these days just to experience the waterslide thrills once again…
thats exactly what im searching for any pics of old action park or videos of the cannonball slide
I would really like to take some really long rides on this, more than 7 minutes plus on one ride and going over the top a high number of times. KMG really came out with a winner on this one.
I also hope that High Energy makes it to the United States. Love to take real long rides on this. Space Roller, rode this countless times and in some cases received some real long rides on this.
Hey Dave, when the Power Surge was at Casino Pier in Seaside Heights New Jersey, I made a bet with the ride operator that I could ride this over 100 times for the summer season. He took me up on that and got me on the ride when there was seats available. Sure enough I was successful in doing over 100 times.
Central Elementary School in Great Meadows, NJ will have a carnival on Saturday, October 3, 2009. It will be held at the Field of Dreams or at Great Meadows Middle School (if inclement weather). The carnival will run from 12-5pm. We have an awesome animal theme. There will be games, prizes, vendors, activities, moonbouncers, contests, and much more! The amazing band “Reverse Order” will perform. The event is a playground fundraiser.
@ ricardo: That is a beautiful matterhorn! I really like the light package and you seem to run it very fast as well…just the way they should be run!
For anyone who wants to see Ricardo’s Snow Ball Dance, I have the video under the Matterhorn section of this post.
@ Bruce: Inversion looks like a great ride and I’ve actually heard that one was sold to an American showman named Tim Casper of PBJ Happy Days Shows. I’m not sure where they run but at least the US has at least 1 Inversion for now.
They had a Tempest at my local fair. Yep, it had chains for seat belts. And you had to be 2 inches taller to ride it than you had to be for their Zipper. WTF?
I need someone to send me a manual on how to set this ride up
If I could, I would like to attempt to take a four hour non-stop ride on the fastest Zipper in Australia. The thing is that I live in the US. If there is anyone who has this ride and is willing to set it at the fastest speed, I would really like to attempt to take at least a four hour non stop ride. What’s great is that you are at the mercy of the dynamics of the ride, where you have no control of the rocking and flipping. Anybody that is willing to speed up their Zipper ride and permit me to attempt a four hour ride can contact me at bdbell1940@yahoo.com.
Hi kind seen you like to find someone who can ride zipper with you for that long here in person if i was close to you here or i could i would do that for you and ride on xipper with you for that long in person and take ever bit of it as much as you can handly it for ride zipper for that long with you in person i would that be so nice you know get to ride on zipper for that long be so cool in person get to you know.David
@ DoD3 Brian: I sent two faxes to Tim Casper asking him if he could have his new Inversion appear at a few fairs in Florida, as of the last time I heard, the ride was to be delivered in December 2009. I’ve also contacted others urging Tim to consider this. I don’t know where you are, but in the winter there are many fairs in Florida, while at the same time, the rest of the US is cold. The Inversion is the newest ride that I would like to attempt to take a real long non-stop ride of more than twenty minutes. Anyboby who sees this and can be of furthur help, my e-mail is bdbell1940@yahoo.com
Here are some other of the most insane rides that I would like to go on and also take long record setting rides. They are Discovery, Speed Flip, Twin Flip, Hard Rock, Space Roller, Tango, Evulution, High Energy, Loop O Plane, Enterprise, Power Surge, Evolution, Experience, Extasy, King Loop(Shake),
Adrenaline, Skyscraper, Speed, Booster, Vortex and mentioned before the Zipper. On the bungee slingshots, Ejection Seat, Vertical Accelerator and Rocket. Anybody that has any pull and contacts, my e-mail is bdbell1940@yahoo.com
skerbeck entainment group own a twin flip and a loop in michigan there really fun both rides coming to my fair in kinross michigan
i mean loop o plane also they bought a kmg inversion that will debut next year in michigan
This is a very fun ride. at some fairs i go to, this ride runs like really slow. and at others, its like really intense and fast. But IDK.
I’ll even attempt to ride the Loop-O-Plane for maybe a few hours non-stop, with the ride going at the fastest speed. Great Ride. If there is anybody that wants to take me up on this my e-mail is bdbell1940@yahoo.com
Hi Roller, another great ride. Would like to attempt to ride it for at least two hours. Anyboby want to take me up on this bdbdll1940@yahoo.com
I know of one of the carnival companies that still has one. I’ve been on it many times and I would be receptive to attempting a two hour non-stop on this. If anybody wants to take me up on this my e-mail is bdbell1940@yahoo.com
I just love this ride it is very fun so I don’t get what y’all complaining about and once you get it spinnining oh boy is it a wild ride.
I still can’t figure out what this person in the comment above is trying to bring out. Anyway my aim is to attempt to ride the Zipper for three or four hours, riding solo. The less weight in the cage results in more action. Hopefully some day this could have the possibility of happening.
i know i commented on someone elses comment, but i wanted to comment on this artical, its GREAT! the descriptions were pretty much dead on. what sucks is i had a lot typed up and some how it didnt get posted, now i dont remember it lol.
i loved this place as a kid. I started going ~90-91, which would make me about 10. im proud to say i went the last year it was open, since it says it was closed in 96. i moved to the south in 95 and swore i went back twice, but it must have been once.
we would run up and down thoses hills barefoot, which would burn and cut ur feet all up, but we didnt care. i loved this place because they didnt care about ur size or age for anything, and at 10 doing these rides you loved it. i rode everyride/slide except cannonball loop, (which was never open while i was there, thankgod cause my stupid young ass would have done it) many many times, avoiding serious injury somehow. my dad would never let me do the areododim for some reason, lol. the wiki says that it would bring u 6-7 feet up, but im here to tell u ive seen people go up higher then the building, i remember thinking to myself “he’s dead if he doesnt go back down correctly to land on the padding!” i loved every ride, some more then others, but top 2 was probly the cliff jump, and the tall ass strait down slide (which had a chain net covering the first 15′ or so down so u wouldnt fall out). i remember only weighing maybe 90 pounds, i wouldnt even be on the slide, it was a free fall till it curved out. im sad to find out these 2 rides are gone at the new mountain creek.
i did the motor park a little. wish i would have know the tennis ball trick, lol. i did wreck the cars though, being 12 in my memory of the motorpark, the only pedal i used was the gas (which was always on the floor). shot the tennis ball cannon many times, and yes the best part was shooting the helpless employees, lol
im gonna go back one day, but its so less appealing now that my favorite rides and others are gone, but my curiousty wont let me not go so i can look in theses areas and see what is or isnt there for myself. i’ve always wished it was still around, but in the back of my mind knew based on my memories that there was no way it could still be today(not in its true glory anyway). as i look back all i can think is “holy shit that really did happen!”
I’ve seen videos of the Hard Rock. Looks like a real great ride. I like the dynamics of this ride. Unfortunately this ride appears in the Southwestern part of the United States and is not at any of the fairs in Florida. I would want to attempt to take at least a three hour ride on this, as I really like insane rides that provide constant flipping motion. If anybody who sees this has any connection to this ride my e-mail is bdbell1940@yahoo.com
I know the owner of the Hard Rock….. He is my Friend!!!
I’ve been on the Tango many times. This is really a fabulous ride. The seats could be better, but because the ride is great I overlook that. This is another ride that I would like to attempt to take a ride on this for several hours and set a record for the longest ride. Anybody who sees this and has any connections my e-mail is bdbell1940@yahoo.com
Tango is THE BOMB of a ride!! A true thrill from the moment your dangling feet leave the platform! MORE PLEASE!!!
Talk about being flailed around like a rag doll in the sky!!! Limbs literally flying everywhere! LOL! Sadly I only saw it once at the Cali State Fair years ago, but it certainly delivered the bang for the buck! Must have been on it 25-30 times that week.
I want one in my backyard!!
I’ve ridden the Breakdance my fair share of times; there’s one running at Six Flags: Kentucky Kingom.
Sadly, it’s one where the operators don’t care. The first ride I had on it was fun, but after that I could sit and yawn. =/
55 mins for a Mouse!!! You’re crazy haha.
I wouldn’t wait more than 15 minutes for any ride, even a Top Scan or Capriolo. Usually if a fair is really busy I’ll just hang around and soak up the atmosphere and get some grub then come back when it’s a bit quieter (I’m kinda impatient in queues 😀 )
The Rock n Roll Matterhorn looks good. Has some nice theming.
Yeah that was bad, but that 35 minute wait to get on the junky little dark ride was worse. lol
To be honest I can’t stand lines either but it was like either we wait in line or we don’t ride anything; it was just so ridiculously crowded! Even near closing, the lines were still bad.
hello did you ever try the spaceroller, or the fireball?
I certainly have! Space Roller is one of my favorite rides actually. Fireball makes me a little nauseous though; I’m not into the swinging rides too much anymore!
Just give me a four hour non-stop ride on the fastest, most intense Zipper ride. Besides breaking the record for the longest ride, add in 250 non-stop flips,breaking the old record of 167, during the four hour ride. I’m ready to go for it. I’m sure that there is somebody that can acommodate me on this. My e-mail is bdbell1940@yahoo.com
Hey Bruce I got u beat twicw fold try 540 non stop
im going to get on the zipper for the first time and im nervous can anyone tell what feels like to be on it would help email at tmcline904@aol.com
Jeannie nothing to be nervous about. You’re rocking and flipping as the cage goes forward and backwards. I’m sure that you’ve seen the ride operate. If you read my comments and I’m very serious that I want to attempt these marathon rides, your taking a three minute ride should be a piece of cake.
Go for it.
@ Do D3 Brian Here’s an update on the Inversion that Tim Casper purchased. I read that this ride will be on exhibit at the IISF Super Trade Show and Extravaganza in Gibsonton Florida. This will be taking place while the Florida State Fair is going on. My suggestion is after the trade show is over, bring the ride to the Florida Strawberry Festival in Plant City and open it up to the public. The Strawberry Fest. takes place about two weeks after the trade show and is about a 30 minute drive from Gibsonton. Where it goes beyond that I do not know. I did send Tim Casper a fax asking him to consider taking the ride to Plint City.
I would like to attempt to take a four hour ride on this. Great ride. Rode it many times and in some cases long rides at a few fairs in Florida. Looking to attempt to set a record for the longest ride on the Space Roller. E-Mail is bdbell1940@yahoo.com
I’ve seen Keansburg Amusement Park before I moved to Florida. If I was to come back into the area I would really like to attempt to take a real long marathon ride on the Loop-O-Plane. My aim is to attempt to set a record for the longest ride, at least an hour, but could go for more. E-Mail bdbell1940@yahoo.com
I am looking to break the record by a healthy margin of the number of flips by a group from On Ride De, where they did 107 non-stop flips on the Top Spin. If anybody sees this and has connections, so this possible record setting ride could possibly take place my e-mail is bdbell1940@yahoo.com. Target is 250 flips or more.
As I child my cousin and I went on the zipper repeatedly at the local fair, until one fateful ride when we flipped 40+ times over the course of the ride. Our previous record was 10 or so. I just remember a ton of loose change flying around our cart, my cousin counting the flips out loud, and me laughing hysterically at every flip. I don’t know what it is, but I absolutely love the Zipper. It’s the only ride I’ve ever been on that actually makes me laugh. It’s not scary at all. Every time I see it, I have to stop and go on it.
Unfortunately, the newer models have heavier cages to decrease the amount of spin and thus decrease the amount of pressure on the door. I went on what I’m assuming was a newer model about a year ago and barely spun at all, it was very disappointing. I guess the fact that it’s been 10+ years since that fateful 40+ spin ride and I’m probably twice as big now didn’t help. Never the less, I will stop and ride the Zipper any chance I get.
Does anyone know of a website that you can use to track down zippers near you? I live in Chicago, and I’ve seen a few carnivals out in the suburbs before, but very few of them have the Zipper.
I just read the write up on one that was beside one of the videos on the Discovery ride. Even though the spelling was in french, it was easy to interpert that some individuals set a world record by doing 412 flips in a 10 minute period. If anybody who reads this and has connections to a top spin type ride like the Top Spin, Space Loop, Mavrick or any other ride of this type, I would like to attempt to break that record. My e-mail is bdbell1940@yahoo.com. I’d like to do it in the Discovery ride, but unfortunately this ride is not in the United States.
I remember going so often with my friends we used to plan trips to go mid week, when it was cold and cloudy. That way the park was empty. We would complete every ride before lunch, eat, and then repeat.
Surf hill was the best. The ramp in lane 7 and 8 were great but when the lines were long, we would fight, literally, for lane 3. it was the best. We would line up in lane 1,2,4,5. On “three” we would run half way down the slide and jump onto the neighboring chute, claw at your friend who is already sliding, and jump in front of him who would grab you to slow you down. We were not gentle. The person who crossed the water at the end, in lane 3 won. Bruises ensued. Thankfully the laughter always beat out the contusions. Mitch once hit the water so fast he skipped over it and as he was about to ram the padding, he ducked his head and went right under. Four people had to pry him out. He was king for the day and operations on the slide never even slowed down.
That place Rocked!
The log flume is still there!
Thanks for the correction; I have no idea how I messed up that one!
I worked in Wharton and use to go there back in the late 80’s. We would get out of work at 3 and be there by 4. They use to discount after 3 or 4. It was always pretty empty people would be leaving at that time of the day.
Anyway, I’m surprised I lived. Beer sales were real lax up there, it didn’t matter how tanked or young (sometimes) you were.
Geronimo Falls was my favorite, saw quite a few lost tops from the girls that rode it. Everybody got a wedgie.
Tarzan Swings was great to watch folks get faced.
No place was really safe, I’ve read people use to meet up with snakes on the Miniature Golf Course.
Our Boss hated the place, everytime we went there. We would always be all banged up the next day (with leftover beer buzz),we were pretty much worthless for half the day. that’s if we even showed up.
Thanks For posting this Brian.
There will never be another place like Action Park.
Good Times!
God Bless Action Park!!!!!!!!!
damn, yall gota pay for parking?! dat suck glad we dont. an dat’s the same fair company that be coming to my town
“You all”, “have to”, “That”, “sucks”, “and”, “that’s”, “that IS”, “town.”
The Evolution is ok. Rode this piece many times and wish it could be something more. The ride sensation is to predictable. Too much engineering involved which I feel takes the experience away. We have a couple of big fairs in California which feature both Evolution, and a Zipper. Zipper always out grosses the Evolution. Not bad for a ghetto ride.
I had a few friends of mine from Germany, visit the states. I brought to one of our local fairs. Our fair features everything including an Evolution, Tango, Experience, several other KMG pieces and a ton more. The first thing they wanted to ride was Zipper. They were blown away by its wickedness, and rode it several more times throughout the day. Funny thing is, they stayed away from the european built rides we had, and only wanted to ride the American versions.
Nothing notable? Gravitron is a classic and not from the 70’s. LOL. Tilt A Whirl by far is the classic of all rides worldwide.
You want to ride a good Thunderbolt? Go to Chicago, A company called Spectacular Midways has a Music Fest which I feel you will love. Its an older model but I know for a fact, the company babies that thing. It gives you IMO the smoothest ride ever. I’m a Flying Bobs, Music Fest, Thunderbolt, Alpine Bobs fan, out of all the ones I have ridden on. Spectacular’s is the best.
Powers Flying Bobs is Chance built. There’s actually a few chopped version Flying Bobs outhere these days. Gives that european look, and saves on set up, and tear down, and your second trailer is a 28ft pup oppose to the standard 40 foot second trailer.
The no single rider rule does suck, but with money hungry lawyers, stupid people, and fun loving insurance companies ready to raise your rate, this is why the no single rider rule is enforced.
I remember being on the cliff dive looking down at people swimming way too close to the divers and landing right next to them surprised no one was smashed there, but action park was the best thing ever built….new jersey must find a way to build something similar.
Also remember being scared as sh**, but saw everyone else was ok with it so when in rome!!!! LIVE ON TRACTION PARK
This site and reading people’s experiences bring back some awesome memories. Surf Hill and all the stories about people crashing into the padding, getting wedged into it and how the employees would eat at the base of hill while being entertained by the injuries are just remarkable. Here’s my experience.
I get to the base of brand new Surf Hill with some friends and we’re told the ride is closed and can’t go on it. It’s just been built and the surface is brilliant blue. We stand around watching people go down for awhile, apparently trying out the ride. Looks like its open to us so we let the attendants know we’d like to give it a try and are given permission. First time down was fun, though a little bumpy. It feels like the polyurethane foam has just been laid down directly on top of the rocks underneath. I make a note to myself to keep my hands and soft parts on the slide so I don’t get any bone chips.
Second time is when the fun starts. Surf Hill when it was brand new was not the way most people remember it. There was the same 80 feet or so of vertical as you slide down, then maybe an 8” deep puddle, less than in later years, then a slight upslope to slow down and get this… NO padding at the end!!! I go zipping down fast, blow right through the puddle and straight into the gravelly dirt at the base! For everyone who smacked into the padding, imagine the ride brand new with no padding and not even any grass at the end, just gravel and dirt. That was my last time on Surf Hill and, like the employees on lunch break, I then stood around at the end waiting for the next person to get injured.
I loved this ride when I was a kid. They used to raise up to a vertical position when I first started riding them but I haven’t seen one do that in years.
My favorite carnival ride of ALL time!! I have to ride one every time I see one near me tho it has gotten harder lately-all of the ones I’ve encountered in the past few years have a “must have 2 riders” rule. I’m not sure what that is all about. There are no lateral forces in the ride so you’re not going to be slung from side to side even if you ride alone and in the VERY unlikely chance that the door opens mid ride your partners is gonna hang on for dear life first and keep you in the car second–LOL. This is one of the few rides that can still take my breath away when you go around the edge just right and start the 10+ flips w/out stopping. Pure heaven!!!
I went to Santa Cruz Beach and Boardwalk today. Back in the 70’s my Dad took me several times there, where I would ride “The Trabant” over and over. Sadly, it no longer exists at the Park. My friends don’t remember this ride at all, thanks to your video I can at least show them what it looked like. BTW, what is the name of the song playing?
Cheers!
Hey Jess,
Yeah these rides aren’t seen too much at amusement parks anymore however a lot of carnivals seem to have them now. For instance, there’s like four original Trabants traveling around the NJ-NY area right now!
The song is ‘Twilight’s Last Gleaming’ by High Contrast.
Thanks for dropping by!
The 31 Flavors ride was awesome!!!
There’s a special going on, only half a soul gets you two rides! 😉
The most headache inducing ride I’ve ever been on.
I’ve never ridden one of these but it looks really cool – kind of like the old Troika ride on steroids. I HAVE ridden a Force 10 though and it was the fastest spinning ride I’ve EVER been on. The seat I was in was sorta loose and it popped every time I neared the ground (when the wheel was tilted at the highest point.) I figured I’d either make one hell of a hole in the ground or a really nice arc into the parking lot night sky if it came loose. I don’t think I could ride that again now. Just too intense!!
I’m surprised there’s no mention of how many bikini tops came off at this place. My girlfriend lost her top on the tarzan swing the first time she tried it. Everyone got wedgies on the water slides. Funny it did not seem so dangerous at the time, but I do remember all the topless girls from teh crazy water rides.
That was the best part about working there! I would goto surf hill with some curly fries (i worked food an bev) and watch the tops and sometime bottoms ply off!!!! what a great place to grow up lol
I rode this ride at the Calidonia Fair, Vermont. I was not prepared for how scary it was or for how long it lasted. I was quite dazed afterwards.
i love this ride, but what songs do they play on it in 2009 ?
Well, from what I’ve seen, most Himalaya rides play either mid-90s techno, hip-hop, or old school rock. Whatever the person running it likes gets played I guess.
They had one at my local fair a year or two ago and the operator will play song with death or dyeing in the song. When I rode the song “Die young” by me$ha played. Lol
It depends what type of music the ride operator likes if i was a ride operator of a wisdom version Himalaya i would play Rock music.
Seeing a listing for the zipper reminds me of that other carnival ride that I thought might make the of wtcr list. It seems that every carnival that came to my small US town when I was growing up either had a zipper or a rocket (I think that’s what it was called it had these cars that were white and blue and shaped like rockets or bullets).
Are you talking about the Sidewinder or Roll-O-Plane? Here’s a picture of it: http://www.joyrides.com/kennywood/roll_o_plane.htm
the rolaplane is a great ride
i am so curious how u get all of these pictures from all of these different carnivals
I check out carnival routes on different sites before the season starts and note which ones that I want to visit. Of those, I end up only going to about 60% which is like 8-12 fairs.
Since you checked out this fair in NYC, have you ever visited that small amusement park in Central Park called Victorian Gardens? I wanted to squeeze it into my recent trip, but I there just wasn’t enough time. Looks small, but the views look pretty cool with the skyscrapers and trees in the background.
I’ve heard about the park but never actually went there. I just checked out their site and it’s actually a bit bigger than I thought; I was under the assumption that it was just a carousel and maybe something else. Doesn’t look too interesting in terms of rides but it may very well provide some good photo ops being in Central Park like you said.
where Is the alpine pipeline?
Where? I thought you said that you went on it! lol
Around 1990, our high school in San Jose CA had a carnival with rides one year. I was really daring, but my best friend was not. The carnival was not doing very good and most of the rides sat there not running for lack of guests. This ride looked like a tame Ring-Of-Fire and I talked him into going on it. We got and and it started going around the track and I was happy that it was slow. But then, all of sudden, the ride did something that I never suspected. The entire track started to rotate! I was extremely scared… Not that I was going to die, but that my friend was going to throw up on me! Some how we made it through, and although I have never seen one of these again I’ve never forgotten it!
Your post made me smile. LOL
Edward, I saw your comments on the two rider rule on the Zipper. This is a rediculous rule initated by Chance Rides, the people who manufactured this ride. You’re right, there are no side to side forces. I’ve suggested that the operators of the ride put in like a dummy or an inflateable to take the place of a second rides, but Chance Rides ignored all my faxes on that. These people are very rude and they are definitely not customer friendly. If the person that goes to a fair with you and he or she does not want to ride the Zipper or you go by yourself, you are penalized as you can’t ride the Zipper solo. Chance Rides does not care. Like I said, this single rider restriction is totally rediculous!!!!!
Bruce,
I finally read why there is a 2 rider rule. Seems that if the single rider is small enough there is the possibility that he/she can turn sideways and get out from under the restraining lap bar!! Theoretically I guess that can happen but you’d have to be a really good contortionist. I still think it’s a bad rule!!
I wonder if the 2 rider rule still exists bc i just rode the newest version at south fl fair a few days ago.the newest model actually has roller coaster harnesses inside which are adjustable for each individual person and they pretty much keep you from going anywhere.the older ones didnt have harnesss and had a bar that always bruised you from the jerking and shaking!the ride is actually alot smoother but the cool thing is that u spin all the way around more and the cage itself fells alot more open so not as tightly cramped…love it!
I wish the LA Fair had those harnesses!
My daughter cried so hard and I am left w/
2 baseball sized bruises on my legs.
Scarred us for life 🙁
Hello.
If you look on this website http://www.ridesdb.com it lists all the current rides being built.
I am interested to see what your inversion ride will look like, as I am a keen fair enthusiast. All the current ones that have been produced look stunning, the most recent being one in Germany called ‘Flip Fly’. If you want to youtube a video of it, just type in flip fly clauss kermis into youtube and you’ll see it in action, the lighting is second to none. Clauss is the showmans surname and flip fly is the name given to the ride. There’s even one which is now on tour in australia and as you will see from the ridesdb website, one has now been ordered for spain, so KMG Rides are having quite good success despite the current economic downturn.
Hope you enjoy the ride when it arrives and please let us know if you upload videos of it onto youtube. If you want to contact me my email is maguire245@hotmail.com
Reguards, HFM
This is an OK ride but it’s not nearly as intense as a Saturn 6.
I agree, Saturn 6 is a bit more more intense than Hurricane, mostly because the cars go sideways and it’s a bit unnerving. I don’t like Hurricane as much because of the awful lateral forces; they should at least give the cars a bit more tilt! Although I don’t know if I can ride these types anymore as I came off Saturn 6 really nauseous on my last ride some two years ago.
Hey I rode all these rides for years. I even got to ride the cannonball 2…referred here as the cannonball loop…did it 4 times in a row then they closed it. Me and my friends recalled all the attendants that were there kept saying whatever you do don’t lift your head and there were 4-5 attendants in the dispensory pool all very helpfull while you recovered your conciousness. That was an awesome ride!!! Awesome!!! I flew off the side of the expert Alpine Slide…thought I was gonna die but ended up unscathed….I want to win the lottery and buy the place for myself.
HFM First of all I tried to email you at the address above and it was returned. There are many videos of the Inversion on You Tube. Just write Inversion Ride, click search and you’ll see a few choices on You Tube. That will show you the ride. By the way Flip Fly is another name they gave the Inversion at Oktoberfest 2009, also out on You Tube. I hope to see this ride when it will be on exhibit at the IISF Trade Show in Gibsonton Florida this February as I live near there. Ive been urging the owner to put it in a few fairs after the show so the public and yours truly will be able to ride it, before it goes to other parts of the US. I am a real big ride enthusiast when it comes to the fairs and I go on the most rambunctious rides that are offered. My e-mail is bdbell1940@yahoo.com. Good Luck.
soy de mexico, amigos algien que tenga todo sobre zipper desde sus conecciones hasta su forma de ensamblar, porfavor, a mi padre le vendieron uno, pero no funciona, le daremos mantenimiento para ponerlo a trabajar cualquier cosa porfavor enviar informacion.
yahir_88@hotmail.com
soy de mexico, friends, anyone who has any zipper from their connections on their way to join up, please, my father sold him one, but does not work, we will put you to work maintenance for anything please send information.
Back in the mid through late 70’s, Himalayas all played Electric Light Orchestra- cranking so loud, you could hear it in the parking area 2 blocks away! Those were the best times to ride these beasts. The operators were NUTS and they did some pretty crazy & entertaining stunts on and off of the moving sleds. Thanks for the nostalgia. I’m ready to go ride one right now!! – JJ ’71
the late great johnny j alive and at large in the great state of Alabama. just being a little nostalgic. as I think back your right we really were a little crazy back then…thanks for the memories of lost times
p/s back then we were the only super Himalaya in America and we had 24 cars with a power supply designed by nasa.
It’s best to smoke a bunch of weed and ride it!
well it’s true I worked on the Himalaya that was on west 12th street, my name is Jessie and to me them were the best times I ever had me,andy,elliot,keda,david,tony,wayne,shatek, and the owners paul and his brother bob. befor them mr.singer owend it and that was back in 1969,I don’t where the ride is now but will say this.(if anyone is still around from the old days all I will say is this) DO YOU WANNA GO ONE MORE TIME. them were good times
Hello Jessie Iused to work in coney I worked many years with Mark and Ralph at the cavalcade bumper cars on surf avenue with Tommy his brother Henry and Eddie Morroco then I worked with Sandy Fitlin and his son Scott at the Eldorado Auto Skooter Ride by the way what happened to Elliot he was one of my homies back then do you have any contact information on him I would appreciate it GOD BLESS STAY SAFE
Scottie from Eldorado was one of my best friends. He got me into house and electronic dance music. I miss him, he was a great man.
I remember there was a super hemi for a show I worked for it was a rebuild of an old theme park ride that was customized to be able to travel to the state fairs. And the best time was always when they start playing like heavy metal Slayer Pantera the faster the metal part of The Rock usually the crazier the operator and of course I get to know all the operators and I would sometimes ride it with just me and another operator or something like that at closing time and oh my God this thing could probably kill it I got beat up by it many great nights I loved it. What it was capable of just blew me away. Loved it.
do u know the main dates and events that fright fest holds at the location u went to?
Fright Fest is running every Friday-Saturday-Sunday until November 1st at Six Flags Great Adventure. Here’s the schedule at the Six Flags website: http://www.sixflags.com/greatadventure/info/parkinfo.aspx
I was one of the operators of the Morey’s Piers Musik Express during the 2009 season. She was my beloved baby!
One Time The Loop-o-Plane Came To My Town Burney CA USA It Was Almost The Scarest Ride I Went On But The Zipper Wa The Scarest
I am looking for anybody out there who has any connection to anybody in the carnival trade. What I want to do is to attempt to go for the longest non-stop ride on the most insane rides that appears regularly at the fairs. That includes the new ride coming to the United States in February, the Inversion, also known as the Dominator. Other rides I’m interested in doing this is the Zipper(Which I’ve ridden for more than an hour), Tango, Speed Flip, Space Roller, Hard Rock, Space Loop, Experience and Speed. Also looking to set a record for the most launches in a row on a slingshot type ride that uses bungee cords(not any of the Funtime rides, as they use wires and springs and their rides lack action). If anybody knows of any connection in that area my email is bdbell1940@yahoo.com.
Hey Bruce, you should try asking over at the Matt’s Carnival Warehouse forums (link.) A lot of showmen and carnival employees congregate at that board to talk about anything carnival related. Maybe you can find a connection over there.
Good luck man!
I have been e-mailing Matts Carnival Warehouse on that. I’m very serious about wanting to ride the Inversion. Not only do I want to ride it once, but I would like to ride this many times. I also would like to attempt to take a real long marathon ride on it, like I did when I rode the Zipper for one hour plus non-stop. Zipper, Id like to attempt a three hour non stop ride on that, one that is in Australia where it is faster than the ones in the US. any connection for marathon long rides on the Inversion and Zipper my e-mail is bdbell1940@yahoo.com
Bruce, I am a very big ride fan and I know of hundreds of Inversion videos, sorry if that wasn’t clear lol.
I can’t understand why my email was returned, maybe it’s on private.
I’ll send you a test email so you can reply.
Harrison,
This Inversion ride is fairly new, came out on the carnival scene in mid 2008.
There is one coming to the United States in a few months. I’ve been contacting the owner by fax in order to have them to make this great ride available for the public to ride before he takes it out west. I don’t know any more as I had my computer in repair the past few days and I just hooked it up and now I am going through my emails. My email is bdbell1940@yahoo.com
DoD3 I have already tried Matts Carnival Warehouse and I plan to go to the IISF Trade Show in Gibsonton Fl. in February. I live about an hour from where the show is taking place. I also plan to contact Carnival Magazine, but at this point in time, I do not know how it will play out due to my part time job. The fairs have started up in Florida with the big fairs taking place after the first of the new year. I also hope that Tim Casper makes the Inversion available to the public, while the ride is in Florida.
i remember going to action park as a kid during the mid 80s to early 90s. as a kid, you never realize how dangerous the place really was. my father told me about the guy who got electrocuted a few years before we visited. so, my father took me to a park where someone was electrocuted in a water ride! ah, the 80s were such a different time! things were just more lax in general it seems. i hate great adventure, so action park was more fun. i went on the tarzan swing. i was only 10 or 11 and could barely reach the handle. i slipped off and belly floped into the pool! i didn’t get hurt, but everyone thought i did. i felt ok. but man that water was cold!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! good times during a time when things were simpler. no way would action park have lasted today! i want to get to mountain creek, if only to reminisce about the place when it was action park.
Most of the Waterworld/Roaring Springs rides are still there, and most of them are unmodified, so to say Mountain Creek is just another scenc waterpark, IMO, isn’t correct. I was there over the summer, and of all the former Action Park rides still there, they all felt like they were haunted by the soul of the predecessor… I believe strongly especially since I nearly injured myself on the Colorado Rapids ride – head trauma almost inflicted from the continual head banging into head, and head banging into wall action.
Sarah Palin does have a rather large supporter base. Its hilarious when some of them are interviewed and cannot explain why they support her. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/11/23/palin-supporters-struggle_n_367800.html
Did she go on the amusement ride as well………..
My aim if I can get to ride on the Inversion is to attempt to do a minimum of 100 roll overs over the top of the ride, while spinning around the big arm at the same time. Very serious, really want to attempt this. Also would like to attempt a ride on this for a minimum of one hour, but could go longer. Any connection on this my e-mail is bdbell1940@yahoo.com.
You obviously have been on a different ride, the one at the local fair here in Australia) is absolutely F**ked. You would never go on it more than once, unless to prove a point. Totally unpleasant.
hope they dont put the artic circle back together it might electrocute a patron instead of an employee next time
Awesome pics. Do you have any shots of a racked Wisdom Storm?
No sorry, I don’t have any of Storm unfortunately.
the tempest i ran had seat belts i think it was updated though pain in the ass spin it by hand hold the break with your foot and hope they held the law now is seatbelts like a scrambler pattie can’t sell a ride makes money on parts all because a state run park had a couple of staff not trained not to jump on the ride when it’s moving 2 deaths in 2 years.
The KMG Inversions ride name for you in the U.S.A. has been confirmed as ‘Nemesis 360’.
P.S. – Bruce I know it’s the KMG Inversion, it was dutch owner Paul Otten of the Netherlands to have one in 2008, called ‘Dominator’. With KMG Rides being a dutch company, it was only right they would have one first.
Bruce, you also have no chance of:
[quote] My aim if I can get to ride on the Inversion is to attempt to do a minimum of 100 roll overs over the top of the ride [quote]
Simply because it is pre programmed to lock the cars above the angle of 90 degrees and cannot be bypassed due to H.S.E. and the computer being unable to be edited without a card from KMG rides, so good luck with that lol.
I went on a… very interesting version of a spin ride like this one time, at one of those cheesy parking-lot carnivals some strip malls have in the spring and summer to bring more people in. It had these heart-shaped cage-cars suspended overhead and you could spin the cars with a wheel located in between you and the other rider. I don’t remember the name but it was probably something extremely cheesy like “sweetheart swirl” or something. Really bizzare.
I actually think I know what you’re talking about! It’s a ride called Heart Flip that looks like a leftover from the 70s. Here’s a picture: http://bit.ly/7HAChr
I remember going on this one at one of those parking-lot carnivals… I was only freaked out because I was afraid the car would unbolt and hit the concrete, thoroughly splattering me. >.< Fun ride, though!
The Joker called. He says stop stealing his ride ideas. XD
Harrison:
It’s worth a try. I have also sent E-mails to KMG on that. I have a pass to attend the IISF Trade Show in Gibsonton Florida this February. Which day I’ll be there is a question mark as I also have a part time job. I am hoping to ride this at the show and then after that I am hoping that the ride will be booked at a few fairs, before the ride leaves Florida. I am hoping that the Florida Strawberry Festival is one of the fairs as I have easy access to that event. I’ve seen some videos where some of the showmen in Europe permitted long rides with the cars flipping when they were swinging back and forth and I am hoping to take rides like that. Hope you have a Happy New Year. I can be reached at my e-mail at bdbell1940@yahoo.com. I’m also in contact with Matt Cook(Matts Carnival Warehouse) on this.
Harrison I just thought of this, there is a new ride put out by Technical Park called, I think the Looping Fighter and it looks like it is almost like the Inversion. It’s on Technical Park’s web site. I would love to ride this too.
The Alpine Slide was probably my favorite ride ever, anywhere. And it really wasn’t that bad, danger-wise. I rode that thing probably 20 times and I knew all the tricks and I always made sure to get a fast sled, and I rarely braked. I’d always catch up to the person in front of me and *then* I’d brake. I remember eventually I started asking the attendants to give the person ahead of me an extra-long head start – they’d do that for the more advanced riders. But I never came close to going over the edge, though I guess it was possible. The sleds did take some skill to “drive”, you weren’t just free-falling, you had to lean into turns the right way and sort of guide the sled down the track. I guess I learned that from doing log flumes with my brother when I was really young – we’d always get our log going so fast in the water that we’d catch up and bang into the people ahead of us. Most people don’t even know you can do that!
Anyway, I’m sad that the Alpine Slide is gone.
Nice backyard coaster! I haven’t seen that one yet and I just did a post about terrain coasters.
Yeah, that coaster is awesome! If you go to the Youtube page, the guy says that the track came with the house and used to be for a miniature railroad. I think he put it to good use. lol
An inversion will be in a St. Louis area (Webster Groves) carnival for the July 4th holiday.
If you haven’t seen, here’s what the Inversion looks like.
http://thrillseeker.travelingcarnivalmidways.com/?p=202
American showman Demas will also be purchasing an Inversion, however no name is confirmed as yet.
The Chip is Raymond Havelaar, formally presenter of the Dutch Play2Win: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwD93u08FBQ
I am really sorry to tell you that the Australian built zipper is actually the first model chance zipper which my family actually owns one and it can flip 600 times in a row or more so please would you like to try this one.
freshly refurbished.
3rd generation carny,
shawn edward jenkins
zipper operator
Hey Shawn, I would like to come to where ever you are and ride the Zipper that you’re referring to. Better still, I would like to take a world’s record setting in time ride, that would be four hours or more and at the same time do the 600 or more flips in a row. I’m game to do this if you could accommodate me. I hope your Zipper ride is set to go real fast and that may mean faster than the ones in Australia. I can be reached on my e-mail at bdbell1940@yahoo.com. I live in Florida USA and I like to go on the meanest of the thrill rides and I like when the ops make the rides real long. Again, I’m game to go for the 600 or more flips in a row.
Hi Shawn. Steve here, from Oregon (USA). Rode one of the earlier Zippers constantly as a teenager, though it was after the RPMs were adjusted down (still faster than the Zippers built since 1980), so I have the indelible memory of just how good the ride can be, and am obsessed with riding an Australian-built model, because they are so much closer to the original fast speeds. Is your family’s Zipper still operating in Australia? If I won the lottery, I’d love to see if Kevin Ferrari would build one for me to tour North America with. It’s 2018 now, 8 1/2 years since your post, so I don’t know if you’ll see this, but if you do, please write back if you’ve a mind to. I would love to ride a fast Australian Zipper ride someday! I’ll never forget the elastic intensity of the earlier-built ones, and the Australian ones clearly go faster than the ones in the US. Do you know if Dean Davis’s Zipper ride is still touring Australia, or if Kevin Ferrari is still manufacturing rides?
Steve Mariman
ride enthusiast
Portland, Oregon (USA)
im still tryin to name the ride i git on that has two boats. and they both turn opposite ways. and they go opposite ways. and swings upsidedown. i know the ride starts with a b. i dont know.
the ride that i rid was the bonzai.
I feel the same way about Scream Machine,its my favorite rollercaster I ever road and I’ve been on the new crap to.The only thing that competes with it is the fair ride the Zipper and theirs always one of them.I think Great Adventure should be focusing on the flatride issue and ride upkeep and let that other park have Chang.They haven’t had a new rollercoaster in 10 yrs. and are alays getting flatrides.When Great Adventure is loosing flatrides and getting coasters.They better invest wisely or I’m doing buisness else where.
Wow, it looks like a lot of work went into this. Thanks for the list
I’ve been going to Action Park/Mountain Creek since it opened and it is was the best place ever, Today it’s still fun but the crazy stuff is gone. My favorite stories were always going with my big brother who weighed like 275 pounds and would get beat up so bad when we went. I remember on the Alpine Slide he was wearing polyester coaches shorts and he wiped out and slid down the slide on his butt. When he got up his shorts had melted and were smoking. Surf Hill was also awesome in the expert lanes. I remember there was a 185 pound limit, but they let my brother do it. When he went off the ramp he completely missed the landing pool and went up the de-acceleration hill through the crash mats and took out three employees. This year they closed the Kamikaze slide which was one of my favorites. As you hit crest of each hill you would push of the slide and almost fly off the slide. My senior year in high school we went there for our senior trip and I did the ride so much I threw up on the ride home. I was really bummed to see that closed. I saw the looping water slide, but it was never open when I went to the park, man I would’ve liked to do that! The Colorado river Ride and other raft ride are great, but don’t fall off as I’ve done that a few times and tore up my back pretty good on the concrete slide. I thought it was a wrestling mat surface like surf hill, but boy was I wrong! Motorworld was fun but my brother dry docked the speed boat because he was to heavy and it wouldn’t go fast enough for him. They tried to throw us out, but when my brother asked them who they had who could throw him out, they decided to not try. Action/Traction Park was awesome and it gave me some of my fondest memories as a kid. I went down Cannonball Falls and the Tarzan Swing a bunch of times this weekend at the age of 45 just to remember how great and deadly it was!
It’s in Webster Groves, MO for the July 4th carnival.
This is one of the most unnerving flats rides I’ve ever been on. I had no idea those bicycle style restraints were so puny. It took a few minutes of flipping thru the air before I was able to relax and enjoy the ride. Definitely one of the best Spectaculars to come out in a while!!
It is a really nice ‘spectacular’ ride. Not only is the motion odd but the ride is really damned high as well! The seat had sort of a barely there feeling so it really was unnerving being up that high!
I hope it comes to the Minnesota state fair. We need some new rides!
I’m the newest operator for the Morey’s Piers Musik Express, and I love her already! Everything is controlled manually, so she’s a very fun ride to operate. I love it when I get a ride filled with enthusiastic people, especially. I miss the old Judas Priest backdrop myself; the underwater orchestra thing is a bit too cutesy for me.
Awesome, maybe I’ll see you on the Musik Express when I go down to Morey’s in August! The new backdrop isn’t too bad, I mean it fits the location I guess, but it kind of reminds me of Spongebob or something. lol
We were just there for spring beach jam 2011–I would love to know some of the playlists–they were fun!
Oh god, tell me about the height problems!
I work at Morey’s Piers, and most of the rides I operate are major ones: Musik Express, Maelstrom, Waveswinger, Sea Dragon, those guys. As such, the height requirements are generally high (Express and Maelstrom are both 52 inches, Waveswinger is 48, and Sea Dragon is 40 with an adult or 48 alone). I’ve run into so much drama over kids being too small to go on a ride. Honestly, I think the Sea Dragon height requirement needs to be higher because even when kids are with a parent, they still look like they could slide under the lap bar! It scares the hell out of me!
I get the most drama on the Waveswinger, though. I get parents who will take the height stick out of its holder while the ride is moving, wrongly measure their kids, and then claim that they measured them and they were tall enough when I open the front gate. The BEST is this, though: “His doctor said he’s 48 inches tall!” Lady, either your doctor is lying or you’re lying. Go ride the Kiddie Swings. I don’t think they understand that it’s for their child’s own safety!
I’m glad you finally made it. I actually expected the carnival to be less impressive then in years past when AoA was doing the carnival, but this year’s festival was the most amazing one yet! Of course I went on Saturday night 6/19 because I have a thing for fireworks, which meant the grounds were barely walkable and the “lines” were messy jumbles of people grouped together. Yes, I was cut more than once.
We do have another carnival in North Brunswick, Carnivale Italiano, and before the NBYSF existed it was usually a big deal, but now it’s dinky with only a handful of rides and not much else to offer…so don’t bother.
Yeah, I was totally surprised by this carnival as well. I think the midway may have been about as large as the NJ State Fair actually,which is another Reithoffer spot only with their blue unit (crosses fingers for Flip n’ Out!)
While I was heading down to the NBYSF I actually passed another carnival close to Rt. 1 in Edison. I think it was a church carnival; did you happen to check it out?
No, I didn’t know about that carnival.
So yea…If this is the Orange Unit that will be going to Allentown starting tomorrow then I’m really looking forward to it.
They brought the Orange Unit last year but didn’t have the Wild Mouse coaster, Gravitron, or the Wild Claw set up. I don’t know why though as the Horse Park of NJ had PLENTY of room to set it up. Maybe this year will be different. Didn’t get to ride Tornado last year as yea…tickets were expensive. Picked up some discounted Pre-Sale tickets this year so I’m pumped to give it a twirl haha.
Yes, PBJ Happee Day Shows always does the Webster Groves 4th of July fair, so I imagine it will be back next year. Webster Groves is a suburb of St. Louis.
good afternoon
I need information about the machine HURRICANE.
as weight, height, and price.
I am interested in buying.
Sorry, I don’t sell rides or have that sort of information. If you are looking to buy one, some good websites to use are http://www.usedrides.com/ , http://www.italintl.com/index.php , or http://www.rides4u.com .
i rid the space roller,bonsai,fireball,rock n roll, ring of fire,and the orbiter.
the orbiter is a great ride; makes me feel a unique unexplainable feeling!
i herd that you come out of your seat alot on this ride…is this true?
Yeah, you kind of do at some parts. The harnesses are pretty tight though so you don’t come off it too much.
When does the carnival in Hammonton begin this year is it starting this Sunday the 11th and what time does it open?
thank you
July 13th to July 18th, 2010. Just found the website too: http://mountcarmelsociety.homestead.com/
The Wild Mouse wont be in Allentown because its set up in Brockton Ma. Also the Flip N Out is sitting in the winter quarters and probably will never be used again.
Really?! I thought they were rehabbing the Flip n’ Out!
I went to this place maybe six times ever – late 80s, early 90s – and it was inevitable that you’d experience danger first or second hand. There was a high speed waterslide in which riders dropped out of a chute from about 35 feet high and basically went straight down, then curved and ended in a splash track. Some woman threw her leg out of the track on her way down, got totally twisted up and ended up being removed by the EMTs. She looked like a Stretch Armstrong that was attacked by a rabid dog.
I went on the Tarzan Swing several times. Once, while passing over the water I couldn’t quite pull myself up, so I skimmed it and slammed into the water on my face. The skin under my arms was transparent and you could see all my veins, etc. clear as crystal. I was freaked and certainly never experienced anything like that before. I thought I’d have to go to first aid but in about 30 minutes, I was fine.
Finally, my uncle who was in his mid-40s at the time, was one of the unlucky fools who got stuck albeit briefly in the Cannonball loop. Apparently, that was not uncommon! And then don’t forget the Wave Pool. OMG! To stand on the edge and watch the waves in the deepend…..a crocodile-filled moat looked safer. Very forboding to say the least.
Great fun.
Just what to let everyone know that the Cannonball Loop @ Action Park (Accident Park) was indeed opened for brief periods of time. I watch people ride it and scream!!!!! I was going to go on it but I became a little to nervous because I had an incident @ the park earlier that day. I turned completely around in mid air while ridding one of the steep water slides that drops ridders almost 10 stories. Some places call it Geronimo. When I came to a stop I was face the trough (inside of the slide(. It was intense lifting off the back of the slide and spinning all the way around in mid air. Parts of my skin was bruised and raw so I didn’t ride that looping slide which barely remained open. I have one phot of that slide.
Had many visits there. I definitely remember the cannon ball being open for one of the visits. While approaching the slide, you could actually hear the people’s bodies clanking around as they went through it. Scary. BUT I LOVED EVERY TRIP!!
July 17, 2010. 10 people injured at the Calgary Stampede when a wheel comes loose from a Scorpion.
Man, that’s terrible. I wonder if Scorpion rides will be recalled or something after this accident because a hub giving way shouldn’t really happen under any circumstance.
The Scorpion hasn’t been seen in any of the travelling major Canadian midways since. Not sure about anywhere else though. It was a fun ride too, what a shame
Nice video! Like the music choice.
The ride goes up to a nice angle, looks like a fun ride.
Hey thanks man! The ride is probably one of the better Huss rides out there IMO, although I think I like Breakdance a bit better!
Nice blog. I just bookmarked you on my bloglines.
Sent via Blackberry
Greatest park ever! Another great thing about action park was that you could walk around with beer and drink as much as you want – and nobody cared! Remember the fish tank by the cliff diving? Once a friend and I were so drunk that one of our friends dared us to jump in, which we proceeded to do and of course we didn’t get thrown out – luckily there weren’t any piranna in the tank – I wouldn’t put it past the owners of this nitemare – it made the swim that much more exciting. My brother was almost killed when his speed boat flipped over in motor world – again another intoxicaed rider allowed to reach high speeds in a free riding speed boat. Lots of bumps and bruises over my several visits. I remember going down the alpine slide as a kid and being afraid to go too fast which of course resulted in whiplash by being rammed from the sleder behind me. As I got older I wanted to take my revenge out on the riders in front of me so I would reach ridiculous speeds which often resulted in me flying off the slide. Wasn’t there a ride where you’d spin around in a circle and the floor would drop? But it was wide open, not like the current gravatron rides in parks. I remember getting naseaus on this ride.
I remember hanging out by geronimo falls laughing at all of the wedgies and lost suit tops. The food and service in the restaurants was terrible. Never had the chance to ride the cannonball loop because it was always closed but I remember getting yelled out for always going head first in the regular cannonball. The black asphalt was so hot I remember walking on the side of it to deal with the pain of the rocks and not risk burning my feet. Thanks for the memories!
Great site… Action Park randomly popped into my head recently so i decided to see what Wikipedia had to say about it and I was eventually lead to this site. Whats really funny is that the memories I have from this place are in line with those of the other writers on this page and with that of Wikipedia’s ‘Accident Park’, “Class-Action Park” descriptions.
I was born in ’86 in Florida, my family is from Jersey just outside NYC, we used to takes trip up to NJ every summer. I would say it was maybe ’94 or ’95 (which i now know to be AP’s later years) that we finally made it to Action Park. Being from florida i have been to some water parks before, Typhoon Lagoon at Disney, Atlantis in Ft. Lauderdale, Rapids in WPB etc., but never in my life have I ever came across a park like the Action Park.
I was young and I cant remember everything from out day spent there but here are a few highlights from the deep reaches of my memory:
Tarzan Swing: I distinctly remember waiting in line for this thing, nearly shitting my pants with anticipation because it seemed so high off the water, thinking there was no way i was going to be able to reach the triangle handle much less swing myself into a safe part of the pool. My cousin was the first one to go, she made a nice swing, did alittle leg kick in the air and landed succefully in the pool with no problem, even receiveing alittle round of applause. She was smaller then me so i figured it shouldnt be much of a problem. I wil never forget grabbing that handle, with my toes dangling off the edge of what seemed like a 20 ft. drop, with just the tips of my fingers holding tight enough for me to ease my way off the platform, swing through the air, get alittle off balance on my release and land almost face first in the water. The other thing i will never forget is how cold the water was, nearly taking the breath out of my lungs and causing and instant seizure. But, alas I swam to the ladder at the far end of the pool and made my escape, alittle shaken up, frigid cold, but alive and well.
Cliff Jump: This place had two pretty serious cliff jumps, one was 23ft. the other 16ft. that went straight down into a large pool where there were many unsuspecting swimmers wading about with out a care in the world. I remember thinking this could be dangerous if one of them decided to wander into the deeper end of the pool and find themself in the path of a diving teenager coming in from 23ft. above. I remember waiting in line, trying to sike myself up for the jump when the life gaurd whitsles blew. Apparently, someone had jumped onto the head of a fellow jumper who had taken to long to clear the path. I’ll never forget the lifegaurd at the top of the cliff, throwing his life saving ring at the distressed swimmers and nailing one of them right in the head. I thought someone died, I guess they were ok because they escorted them out the water and we procceded to take the leap of faith blindly into the water below. Probably one of the best cliff jumps ive ever been on.
Alpine Slide: Lastly, there was the Alpine Slide. We saved this ‘ride’ for the end of the day because the lines were long in the morning and we didnt feel like waiting. So, after a nice little ride up the ski lift, and a struggle to get the heavy ass cart of the back of it, we finally made it to the drop in point of the slide. Just at that moment the ski’s opened up and a light drizzle poured down from above. Now the Alpine carts have a ‘hand brake’ that is simply a metal rod with a peice of rubber at the end that makes contact with the cement slide to slow you down when your going to fast (which was almost always). It was explained to us by the park employees that when the cement was wet the rubber would not be able to create enough friction to slow you down and you would essentially be sliding down this thing at high speeds with no way of stoping. Unsafe? Very. The rain didnt seem like it was slowing, in fact it was getting more intense, and i guess because of a lighting factor they did not allow us to ride the ski lift back to the base area like we did on our way up. The only way down was to walk. Now let me remind you that this park was built on the side of mountain that when snowy conditions allowed, people would ski down. The Alpine Slide was built on a green (beginner) ski hill which is not a big deal if your skiing but could be trouble if you had to walk down. Well since the we couldnt ride the slide down and the ski lift was out of commision cause of the lightning we were forced to walk down, in a group, the semi-steep, rock filled ski hill. It took probly 10 mintues at least to walk all the way down the hill, a few people got tripped up and had some bloody knees, but we all managed to make it to the base with little to know injury. Needless to say we never got to ride the infamous Alpine Slide but because of the conditions, the walk down the hill, and the fact we waiting all day to ride this thing and never got the opportunity too, my Aunt raised hell in the customer relations office and we were given free passes to come back at a later date. I wonder if we still have those passes somewheres? It’d be great to see the exact date i was there, and if i can locate them i’ll defintely upload them to the site.
All in all Action Park was incredible and one of a kind. A “ride-at-your-own-risk” type park which will forever be banished to our memories. Im glad i got to experince it and will continue on the legacy for as long as i can.
Great Site, keep the updates coming!
Viva-La-Action-Park!!
I’ve been on these alone before and I always loved the lateral forces. I purposely sat on the outside, despite the signs saying not to. Then I rode it with my friend a few weeks back; it wasn’t as fun. Having 150 pounds of weight jammed into you is not quite as fun spinning around at high speeds.
So I am going on the zipper as my very first up-side-down ride. I’m very nervous but I promised my friend I would go on it with her in about a week when the fair is in town, I have a few questions, do any of you mind answering them? Thank you(:
Is this a bad first up-side-down ride?
How scary is it from 1-10?
Does it make alot of people puke?
And do you gt that weird sensation in your stomach?
1. Well, I see it as if you can go on this then you can go on any other upsidedown ride with no problem! So sure it’s a good start!
2. Considering that I don’t think it’s scary, I’ll say it’s an 8 or 9 in terms of excitement. 😉
3. Only if they’re prone to motion sickness. Personally I’m fine on the Zipper but cannot take a swinging ship at all.
4. Probably, if the car flips the right way at the right time.
The worst part of the ride is thinking about riding it beforehand; it’s really not bad at all. Have fun! 🙂
Hey Emily,
How was your ride on the Zipper? I hope it wasn’t too scary and that you enjoyed it. The Zipper has always been my favorite ride and I still get that “feeling” in my stomach when I get to ride it even at 50!!
Yes all of the questions you’ve asked. Stay away
@DoD3Brian, Thank you very much!
Last time I was at the fair at the Meadowlands was in 2003, just before I moved to Florida. From what you mentioned the fair really went downhill in terms of rides. I know the Space Roller is always at that fair, but at the fairs that I attended before I moved, there were rides there like the Tango, Evulation, Sky Diver, Top Spin, Zipper, etc, just to name a few. That same Space Roller appears at some of the fairs in Florida in the winter and if one particular ride operator is running the ride, some of his rides are real long.
Thank you for your article on the 2010 fair at the Meadowlands.
DoD3 Brian Do you have any connections where I could go for records for the longest non stop ride , riding the most insane carnival rides like the Zipper, Tango, Hard Rock, Speed Flip, Inversion, Space Loop, etc? You can get back to me on my e-mailat bdbell1940@yahoo.com. By the way, I wish I could take up on Shawn Edward Jenkins offer to ride his Zipper where he can provide 600 or more flips in a row.
No, I’m sorry I don’t Bruce. You might have some luck at Matt’s Carnival Warehouse or Carny Town however. Those forums are frequented by showmen and carnival workers as well as fans like us.
DoD3 Brian
I read your article on the Tango, where you said the ride was pityful short. It was the same way at the Florida State Fair last February and it was very disappointing as I have taken much longer rides before. And it wasn’t even crowded at the fair. After I came home that night I let the Reithoffer people know how I felt about these short rides. Having seen your article on the fair in New Brunswick and your description on the short ride on the Tango, I just sent Reithoffer another e-mail complaining, as I’ve seen longer rides on the same ride in many of the videos.
I’m familiar with the whole North Jersey area as I worked there before I moved to Florida. Instead of going through this website, you can reach me directly at my e-mail. It is bdbell1940@yahoo.com. I really like to ride the Tango, but not taking these rediculously short rides.
Its now official that its coming to the Minnesota State Fair!
Yeah I remember water works, it was a great place. Why did they take all the big slides out?? i cannot bring myself to go back since it looks kinda lame now
I don’t know why but arguably the best ones, the interlocking slides that went over the park and the ‘vertical’ drop/spiral slide combo, are all gone. Rumor has it that the structure for the interlocking slides were becoming structurally unsound, but I don’t know if that’s true. Somehow I wouldn’t doubt liability concerns played a role in their removal.
My minor claim to fame is that I believe I was the first person to add “You’ve been to Action Park and have the scars to prove it” to the “You Know You’re From Jersey When…” lists that were going around the internet a while back. In the early days of Myspace, I added that line to it and every time it has come back around to me, that line is still there, verbatim.
Speaking of scars, I still have the faintest outline of a scar on my knee from the Alpine Slide that I got when I was about 9 or 10 years old (I’m 30 now). They never really stressed the importance of the brake on the little deathscooter they put you on, so naturally, being 9 years old and not knowing any better, I went flying down the concrete tube like a bat out of hell and dumped the scooter around one of the larger turns, sliding for 30 feet or so and sanding a flat spot in my kneecap about the size of a half-dollar. As I lay there regaining my composure, I heard the ominous whooshing sound of another approaching scooter and got to my feet just in time to do an action hero leap over the side of the tube as another deathscooter whipped past me at about mach 3. If I hadn’t leapt over the side, I probably would have broken my neck, or at the very least, my ankles. Action Park was exciting because while most amusement parks SIMULATE the experience of personal danger and permanent injury, Action Park delivered that experience FOR REAL.
Oh, the memories.
-~D~-
Omg I love you. I remember when those lists first started circulating, and eventually I got the one with your tag line about Action Park and it was like angels were singing.
Surviving your trip to Action Park is like getting to join an elite club.
Just rode the Zipper again tonight for the first time in at least ten years. What a BLAST!! That awful terror that washes over you when you get to be next in line, up close to that squealing, groaning mess of cable and steel! The horror when you realise it’s just that dinky little pin holding the door closed! The kids screaming in the next cage, and the ride hasn’t even started yet!! Hahahaaa! Still the best ride at the fair!
As a note…we must have had an older model, it flipped around like crazy!! Not sure I could have survived the higher rpm’s of the old days…
Off to have a cup of tea with honey, to sooth my throat so sore from screaming!
Thanks for the site.
The best waterpark ever, hands down!!!
As I have told my wife on many occasions, if it wasn’t for Action Park I wouldn’t be a self-proclaimed, semi-pro water slide rider. Hands crossed over your chest, arched back, and riding on your heels is a guaranteed recipe for speed, or in the case of Action Park…disaster.
To quote my younger brother, “What other water park has so many urban legend death stories associated with it,” yet each summer my parents would have no problem allowing us to go.
I remember when they put the canvas top over Geronimo and you could see the imprint of people’s bodies hovering off the slide and touching the cover. People would be walking around the park with huge road rash burns all over their backs from this ride. And of course the massive wedgies you’d walk off with. The first time I rode that slide I was under the weight limit of 100lbs and I remember being scared to death that I’d fly off the thing.
Kamikaze was always one of the underestimated slides at the park. Since it was built into the hill it was a little deceiving but you could get cranking on that thing. I remember my friends dad flying down the slide and he hit the back wall of the landing pool that’s how fast he was going.
The Cannonball was always a bit sketchy. You’d never know what was going to happen once you entered the tubes and embarked on your journey of 15 seconds of pitch darkness only to be shot out 10 ft above the water arms flailing in the air.
Tarzan Swing was another one I was always terrified of when I was younger. Probably because I was too short to reach the triangle so I would have to jump and grab it at the last second just as they would hand it off to you with that long hook-pole. The last time I was there (5 years ago) my buddy, who is 6’3″, never lifted his knees so he did the classic face plant right into the water which was then followed by the swim of shame in that freezing water as the crowd heckled him from up top.
Surf Hill was another good one. I remember I was too light during the time it was opened so I couldn’t get enough speed like the older kids. I don’t know if it’s my own memory or if I’m thinking of an old Action Park commercial, but I remember people getting like 10ft of air of the jumps on the side lanes.
Roaring Springs and Colorado Rapids are classics. I loved the mayhem and free-for-all that ensues once you’re in your raft, or when you’re trying to catch up to your raft and trying not drown from everyone else crowed in the pools.
Ah, so many other great memories…I remember riding the ski lift for the Alpine Slide looking at all the crashed carts in the woods and hoping I wouldn’t be next, I remember almost breaking my toe when I dropped the Aqua Scoot sled on it, I remember when my friend’s dad zoomed past him upside down in one of the pitch black tunnels, and I remember when another friend jumped off the cliff dive and landed on his side and his dad had to jump in after him because he couldn’t breathe or swim to safety and it didn’t seem like the life guards were going after him. I remember Cannonball Loop but unfortunately it was never opened when I was there.
There will never be another park quite like this. I’m just grateful for those experiences and grateful to be alive.
Awesome Site!! I love hearing all the great stories.
Hey, Shawn Edward Jenkins, If you see this, I’m ready to take you up in riding your Zipper ride that you claim can flip 600 or more times in a row. You can reach me at bdbell1940@yahoo.com
The jist of this ride as a rider would be best compared to riding in a clothes dryer. The 1 and only time I rode this I was about 5’0″ and 95lbs, when I was 12. Now that I’m 5’9 and over 200 I couldn’t imagine what it’d be like for me.
bahahahaha, bahahahaha hurricane rules, can’t breathe on it and i laugh like spongebob. oo its starting on the hurricane with my internet fone. i allmost wost wy phone. can’t breat very wel gees. o man o gees arrgh i..cant..mov. wow. that was AWESOME! i’m going again!!!!!!!
I went to Action Park in the summer of 1988 with my twin sister and our youth group. Our leaders split off from us and we all just walked around doing our own thing. We remember the crazy loop as soon as we walked into the park and both thought it looked like a crazy nightmare, especially since it was closed and weeds and pond scum were in the pool at the bottom.
The first ride my sister and I experienced was the Tarzan swing. We watched how the other people did it before we got on so we didn’t make the mistake of face planting. We both lifted our legs and got pretty high. We both remember the water being VERY cold, but thank goodness we didn’t have to swim far because we made it almost to the other side with the swing already.
The next ride was the embarrasing wedgie and even worse enema that my twin sister and I received from the Geronimo. I couldn’t believe we even went on that ride. We must have been dared, especially after we realized how high up we were and how steep the ride was when we reached the top. I also wasn’t going to walk back down. I believe I closed my eyes until I got to the bottom. Luckily we both made it to the bathroom in time!
I also remember riding a slide that had a drop over the water that I wasn’t expecting at all. I don’t believe it was the cannonball because it was near the cliff jumps not the Tarzan swing as others mentioned. I was not instructed to lay back so when I landed I smacked my face and chest really hard on the water. I guess this was my own stupidity, not checking out the whole ride before I went down it.
I also went down a water slide and passed an elderly gentleman in an underground or completely enclosed tube. I don’t remember light holes, like it was pitch black. I slid right under him and I escaped somehow with only a few bruises. I was speeding down the slide with my toes pointed and back arched and I guess he wasn’t. When I came out at the bottom of the tube, his grandaughter was staring at at me and confusingly asked where he was. He came out a moment later and said he was fine too and couldn’t believe that we were both ok.
The wave pool was our biggest scare. We were used to swimming in the ocean, but not in water that deep that all of a sudden started making waves. We were almost all the way to the back and when the waves started it was way too rough and felt much deeper to us. We started trying to swim to the shallower water, but neither of us had the stamina. Our youthgroup leader happened to be there when this happened and rescued us by yelling at us to come to the side of the pool . I don’t remember a lifeguard halping us at all.
We both also jumped off of the higher cliff and were quite proud of ourselves. It felt like forever before we hit the water and then it felt like forever tying to resurface. My sister jumped at least two more times. I chose not too.
All in all, we didn’t come away with any serious injuries just great memories and the rights to say, We survived Action Park!!
The Musik Express at Six Flags Great Adventure was a much better ride in the 1980’s. Back then, the ride had flashing lights, a cool backdrop creating the tunnel effect in the back half, and the operators blasted AC-DC and Led Zeppelin so loud you couldn’t hear yourself speak. The ride also went backwards back then. At some point after I stopped working there (late 80’s/early 90’s) they stopped running it backwards. By the time I was taking my own kids there, they had removed the backdrop and stopped playing music altogether, making it the rather boring version that you describe here. But I’ll always have great memories of that ride in its better days!
was that video not just sped up?
Definitely not; everything else seems to be going at normal speed.
I like the ring of fire, minus the feeling of falling out of my seat, and my head nearly hitting the roof. The fire ball is much better though, because the harness eliminates the falling out and the open roof allows for a better view.
I believe this is the same ride as “hells gate” at the PNE Vancouver.
It certainly is. Isn’t that the same park where the Final Destination coaster is?
I’ve operated a Wisdom Storm before.
Yeah, I remember seeing the video on Youtube! Did the ride run on an automatic cycle or did you manually run it?
I ran the ride on automatic however with a switch of the key from auto to manual, I can override the cycle. It can be operated in both auto and manual.
I still would like someone to come forward, who could accommodate me in breaking my one hour record in riding the Zipper as I would like to attempt to ride it for three hours non stop. e-mail bdbell1940@yahoo.com
Shawn Edward Jenkins, I’m ready to ride your Zipper ride in which you claim it can do 600 or more flips.
Wow great report! I was there also with my family and had pretty much the same thoughts, the Sizzler was by far our favorite ride and you’re right it is the fastest sizzler type ride we have ever been on.
I’ve rode two of these stand-up coasters in my life. The Mantis at Cedar Point (B&M), and the Shockwave at King’s Dominion (original TOGO special). Neither style has very comfortable restraints. The Shockwave restraints look like a medieval torture device, and the Mantis restraints come up in your groin. The G’s that are created by these stand-ups can be uncomfortable to the lower body also. I never rode the B&M Chang down in SF Kentucky so I don’t know if it’s any better. I guess next year I’ll have to give this Green Lantern a try and find out. Should be interesting (and awkward as always being a six foot tall person!).
I’ve actually heard that Chang is one of the smoother stand-up coasters around, though it still has its complaints about the ‘seating’ style like most B&M stand-ups do.
BTW, I like how Shockwave and similar TOGO stand-ups have bunny hops, I mean come on, it’s a stand-up!
hey! oh i was just gonna say… i hate that ride! it almost made me sick! it went so fast! i’ll never ride that ride again…
hi my name is simon hockley from nottingham uk can any body help iam looking for parts for a rock o plane ,web address new part if still made ?thanks for you time .
Hi I’m in Nottingham used to work william woods egg wheel, the one went goose late 80,s early 90,s u get it up and running
This is actually one of my favorite rides of all time. Underrated ride IMO. I also call it the “clothes dryer” as it feels like you’re being tossed around like a sock in a dryer. The best part of the ride is going around the curves, which have some very strong spinning power that makes you squish the person next to you (or they squish you). You also literally come face to face with the people in the car in front of you.
I hate the “2 riders required” rule with this ride. I always have to find someone in line to ride with me. I think I could handle this ride by myself.
This ride always makes me laugh hysterically. It’s fun!
The second scariest part is when They lock you in and you go around while the other people board. Then you know there’s no turning back. The Scariest part is when you go around and you reach that perfect point where you’re at the top edge of the ride and you know you’re about to be sent hurdling face-first towards the ground and all you can do is squeeze tighter on the bars and clench your teeth.
Although I must say this is my favorite ride and I go on it as many times as I can get someone else to ride with me (they don’t allow single riders[probably because you would be sliding back and forth under the lap bar])
The first time I went on it no one else wanted to so I was all by myself. When the restraints came down I tested them. They came up. I used the middle buckle but still it came up enough that I could possibly fall out. I kept testing them right until it took off and still, it gave. What I realized from riding it again at another fair later on is that the restraints don’t lock until the ride starts moving. Unknown to me at the time I spent the whole ride in terror, holding on as tight as I could to lord-knows-what and bracing my body in a way I hoped would keep me from slipping to my death.
Bro the same thing happened to me and my little brother he was only 9 years old I was about 12 the bar did not lock at all snd me and my brother could easily slide out and there was not a lot of cage you could fit through it all very easily as the ride went my brother screamed and cried in horror I was holding one hand on the ceiling and one across my brother holding him down to the seat but my butt was off the seat the whole time just hanging on the shitty bar waiting to fall to our death the whole time it was the closest to death I’ve ever been I will never go back to a carnival ride again after that experience my phone even fell out of my pocket upside down because I had to hold on to us so we didn’t fall to our death every time we passed the dude we screamed for him to stop the ride but he never did and we just thank the lord we are still here today cause I don’t know how I held both of us in there.
This is actually My favorite ride. Since the cars are shaped like wedges they all fold onto each other on the curve. I went on with my sister in one car, and my little sister and her friend in the one facing us. The first thin I noticed was the padding on the roof of the car. I was like “why would you need padding up there?”
But once the ride starts you are basically thrown against every surface in there in a pattern, squishing each other.
The fun part is that you hit the curve, your cars come face to face and you see the other people thrown up against the side and it just starts a full-out laugh fest. We laughed so hard seeing each others faces on that thing that we had stomach aches when we got off.
Definitely go on it, and bring a few buddies so sit in front of you, you won’t regret it!
I am from South Africa and worked on the space roller in North America in 2008 for Floyd And Baxter. This is the coolest ride ever and we had lots of fun!
i vaguely remember my parents taking me there When i was very young. Then i didnt come back until 2003, and have been pretty much going Once A Year. i had no idea these crazy things happened Back Then…im glad its safe Now…anyone with any memories of this place please write hammer@live.com.ph
I will never forget going to this travelling carnival with my older sister when I was a kid (like some 20-odd years ago). There was a Scat there and I wanted to ride it but she refused to go on it with me because she was scared of it. I was too afraid to go on it by myself so I had to miss out. Since then, I have never seen another Scat at a carnival and to this day I am incredibly frustrated about it!
Beech Bend Park in Bowling Green, KY has a Scat 2. I rode that a few times and it makes me so dizzy. Its worse than the Gravitron.
I agree with everyone else’s comments! This is a fun ride that I don’t see around anymore. It’s funny to see it now on a WTCR list because I remember when this ride had first come out and was brand new and nice looking. It was the ride everyone wanted to go on. Many years later I went on one again that I don’t think had been cleaned since it first debuted. The plastic cage windows were all scratched up and you could barely see through them anymore because they were yellowed and filthy. The last time I saw one was at a small travelling carnival. I think it was closed. It looked so old and decrepit I can’t really blame anyone for not wanting to go on it.
I think the last time I went on one of these was in the early 90’s. It actually wasn’t that scary. If you hold on to the wheel and don’t let the car spin mindlessly (and you’ll need your friend’s help for that), it’s actually pretty cool.
I want to say though that this list needs the addition of one more WTCR: the Gravitron. Gravitrons are the ultimate WTC staple. I’d been avoiding them since the fatal accident involving one at my local county fair, but I went on one last month at a Halloween carnival. I swear to you, the entire center console where the carnie sits looked like it was being held together by duct tape. I nearly kissed the floor when it was over.
I was thinking about putting Gravitron on the honorary list’ I’ve seen some pretty rough looking ones! However, I’ve also seen some insanely nice looking ones recently, like the one in the NJ State Fair 2010 trip report or Cygnus X-1 at Morey’s Piers.
This is one of those few rides I refuse to go on. I’ve only been on it a couple of times anyway. The first time was terrifying but fun. The second time, unfortunately, was not fun at all because every time we went upside down, my legs would bang up into the lap bar. It was to the point where I was just pleading internally for the ride to stop because it was so painful. The next day, blackish blue bruises appeared across the tops of my thighs.
I absolutely love this ride. It looks so mild but boy does it pack in the G forces! That Viper ride looks awesome. I hope to see either one again at a carnival someday.
I’ve actually been on this one before! It was at the same carnival where I saw the Scat. It pretty much feels like a Scrambler.
I went on of these a long time ago (sounds like I got the rim driven kind – it’s the only kind I’ve ever seen) and it was a horrible experience. Every time our car was at the bottom of the cycle it would rock back and forth really hard, like as if someone had jammed on the breaks and let go. I remember the entire ride being like that. It was so uncomfortable and scary, I was just praying for it to be over. The irony is that if memory serves me correctly, we had waited in line for AGES to get on it, and there was even a delay to hose off one of the seats if you know what I mean. And then it was an awful ride. So… yeah.
These things just look freaky. I’ve never been on one and never will.
Oh, I’ve thought of another good honorary WTCR: those 1001 Nachts/Rainbow variety of rides. Every time I’ve seen one at a carnival they look like utter crap, making weird noises with most of their lights not functioning.
When was the last time track work was done on Rolling Thunder?
I heard something about re-tracking being done a few years ago. I don’t know (or think for that matter from riding) that it was a full re-tracking but if some work was done, then it was most likely to the left side of Rolling Thunder.
I`ve never riden that, I`d like so much too, but here in Brazil, only one park has one: Tupã in Porto Alegre and other cities in RS. Here where I ive I can`t find it.
I think it`s lke an Enterprise (the way it spins), could be delightful.
a cool breakdance site from israel i hope u r gonna engoy =)
thanx
My family went up there back when it was called Vernon Valley Great Gorge. It was over by the Playboy bunny ranch, where my grandfather did work as a plumber.
The water park had not been built the first time; it was just the Alpine slide. I think it might have been 76 or 77, they were just getting started.
The carts were new, fast, and dangerous as hell.
I’ve ridden a few slides since then (including the ones at Gatlinburg), there’s really no comparison. The VV ones were fast, had some tight turns, and there was one spot where you literally went damn near straight down about 1o feet. I kid you not; you’d see the person in front of you vanish, then about 5 seconds later you would go straight down.
Well, I didn’t. For whatever reason I ignored the little “Slow” sign and hit that drop at full blast. Shot straight out like some sort of Wil-E-Coyote on a sled. Then *wham* landed hard on the track below and almost flipped it. Hit my knee and tore a nice gash through kid’s denim jeans.
It was at that moment I understood that life could kill me. And it would be fun.
Ever since then, I really had no fear of rides. I mean what, how can you compare to that? Even at Gatlinburg, the people said “Holy cow, you were almost coming off the tracks there”. But it’s ok. I’m 42, and got the best training one can find at Vernon Valley.
Chris
I want to buy an Himalaya ride, I like the Reverchon and Mack brand, please contact me for information about one of thst rides..
deseo informacion sobre el himalaya musik expres que sew tienen en venta. Cuales son sus condiciones de financiamiento ???
si es posible mandeme informacion exaustiva, y su catalogo de juegos en venta.
Gracias soy propietario de juegos mecanicos en mexico ( Villagran, Guanajuato Mexico) Tels. 014111643082 fax. 014111650362 por favor contactenos.
no ha mandado la informacion requerida, habra algun incidente por el fin de año?
There’s a video on You Tube where two riders used their body motion to flip 284 times, while the ride was stationary. What I would like to do is to attempt a four hour ride on the Zipper and while the ride is running, be flipped 500 times from the control panel of the ride resulting in rapid flips. Anybody want to take me up on this? bdbell1940@yahoo.com
this ride seems pretty awesome, but they could make it better,anyways i give it 2 thumbs up
I REALLY LOVE THIS RIDE,IT HAS THE WORLD’S HIGHEST LOOP (I THINK) BUT IT’S A SHAME THEY TORE IT DOWN……. WWWHHHHHYYYYYYYYY!!!!!
I am so sad that i couldnt ride for the last time. I moved to Florida that year 🙁 had a miserable year.
i never rode the ride but it looks pretty fn 2 ride,man i feel sad that i never rode it,well good luck 2 me it will be @my fair this year 2011 babyyy!!!!
the ride is ok at the amusent parks but some stopped playin the music and the flashing lights and the back drop also,other than that i like it lol 🙂
wow wow wow is all i c an say
i wonder if the harnesses are to tight on the ride like top spin?
they do look pretty kewl!!! i would have 2 say i like the vortex out of all of them – 2 thumbs up 4 me- SO KEWL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! but i JUST THOUGHT i wll like the tango and the vortex out of all of the rides kewl!!!
the great new york state fair has a zipper every year in syracuse n.y. the james e. strates shows is the ride operator for the fair .the fair is a 12 day run aug til labor day .go to the nysfair web site!!!
nice review about Mountain Creek Waterpark 🙂
no wonder this coaster got the award being vecoma slc! great post! thanks!
The Zipper is one classic that will never lose its touch.
On a side note I did work a similar ride called Chaos (another Chance ride) for nearly four years. That ride deserves a WTCR title for all its mechanical and computer problems. However despite its problems it was my favorite ride to work at Belmont. Unfortunately Belmont traded it to Chance Rides for a Unicoaster as part of a contract deal.
your lovely Moreys Piers ride op from 09-10. I love Monique Musik Express to pieces <3
bahahahaha! do you happen to remember the ice skating?
I have been on the one at Six Flags Over Georgia for many years. I first started riding it when I was 10. I’m 22 now and for my birthday my friends took me to Six Flags to ride my favorite flat ride…only problem was I was too tall to for the lid to close on the car.
I LOVE THAT RIDE
DoD3Brian, I did make contact with Matt Cook and others from Carnival Warehouse at the IISF Show in Gibsonton Florida today and they are going to look into where I can take record setting rides on the real insane carnival rides. That includes my attempts to break my own record in riding the Zipper, which I rode for an hour plus several years ago. Like to go for 3-4 hours and do it on one that is set at a faster speed, the same way the Aussies have theirs set.
I`ve never been on board, but I`ve read here on net that in Brazil, there was one of this ride at the extinct Tivoli Park, in Rio de Janeiro, from where a woman falled, hurting herself a lot and until today, even the park`s already closed (in 1995, I think), she didn`t receive tany indenization. The ride there was called “Gaiola das Loucas”.
i would like you to crawl up a hole and die already
so how was everybodys day ??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
wtf the zipper rockz ass
One long awaited summer day, my friends and I piled into a car and headed from Long Island towards NJ to the infamous Action Park. We couldn’t wait for an adrenaline rush, brought to you by the most dangerous water park I had ever been to. My clearest memory was Geronemo slide, or the Cannonball Falls, it was the one with the drop into the pool . That damn thing was crazy –pure mayhem. There was a life guard at the top of the slide, and one stationed at the pool below. People flew down that slide so fast that the life guard stationed at the bottom couldn’t keep track of the bodies flying out. I remember some pimple faced kid waving his arms and whistling frantically for people to quickly swim out of the way before the next human bullet came flying down that dark slide, and into the air. People became human projectiles, as they shot out of that tube like a machine gun before dropping 5 to 10 feet into the pool. It was pure uncontrolled chaos. The screaming and yelling in the pool was accompanied by frenzied and hysterical swimmers. They all were dodging the propelling bodies above them. It was reminiscent of a scene out of the movie “Jaws” when everyone at the beach ran out of the water screaming for their lives. It was the same damn thing, and that was all I needed to see.
I quickly got into the long line for my adrenaline rush. Back then I barely met the weight minimum for many of the rides, like the Cannonball Loop. I only went on that one time because I smacked my elbows and face in the tube and almost got stuck, and then I came out shaking. But, the Falls/slide seemed like something I could handle. When it was my turn, I slid down and unfortunately slowed to a stop. I quickly found myself in a dire predicament. I had to crouch down and walk out of the slide to jump into the pool, but before I could, I heard another sliding sound. The dumbass pimple-faced life guards sent someone else down the slide while I was still in it! I spread my arms and legs and held onto the upper part of the tunnel, clinging, while some guy slid right under me. He yelled “Shit” and was gone in a second. When the guy hit the pool of pandemonium; he must have told the zit-faced teenage life guard to stop the slide. I quickly made my way out of the tunnel. Once I jumped into the pool below, the bodies started flying through the air again. The imminent danger and bedlam made it a Hell of a lot of fun!
Yeah count me in as one of the people that survived Action Park! When my family and I (mom, dad, younger brother) started going there, it was originally called Vernon Valley-Great Gorge. The only thing that was there at the time was the alpine slide in the summer time and of course the ski resort in the winter.
Looking back on it now the slide was like a freakin death trap. I think there were three lanes down the slide. One was a slow land and the other two were fast if I remember correctly. You first had to get a cart from the stack at the bottom of the ski chair lift and then put it on the chair lift itself. Then you had a nice leisurely ride to the top where you got a birds-eye view of riders coming down the hill. No helmets of course. You almost always saw some crazy kid coming down the fast track at break-neck speeds and you just knew he was going to wipe out around a big curve! It was so fun to watch.
So then you get to the top of the hill were you were supposed to get off. Of course you had to wrestle with getting the darn cart off the ski lift chair, but once that was done, you had to decide which track to take. Slow or fast? I was a stupid kid of course so I always choose the fast one. I honestly don’t think I ever flipped the cart, at least I don’t have any memories of doing so. I do remember it was sooooo much fun! I do remember running into the back of other people in front of me that were going way too slow. Sometimes by the end of the ride 4-5 carts would be stacked up all because of one slow rider. That really sucked. Also sometimes you saw people outside of the track as you whizzed looking woozy because they had been going to fast and flipped their cart off the track…..
Eventually Vernon Valley-Great Gorge slowly started adding other attractions like the water slides and Motoworld. We went every year and I remember it was always exciting to checkout what was added for that year. I remember one of their bigger slides, don’t know the name of it. IT WAS INSANE! 10000% INSANE! I remember you had to walk up this big hill to get to it, then up the stair case to get to the top. You waited in line and all I remember thinking was “is this in any way shape or form a good idea?” Well eventually it got to your turn and you are standing at the top. The attendant gives you the basic instructions (ie legs and arms crossed) and then you move to the edge of the slide. You look down and you see NOTHING! NADA! You don’t see the slide at all it was totally vertical. I was like “OMG OMG OMG I’m going to die!!!!!” I swallowed my heart to keep in my chest and took off…..WHAT A RUSH! I think it had like 2 or three bumps in it and it was just a blast! Any idea what the name of it was?
I remember the loop slide too just sitting there all by it’s lonesome over in the corner. It was never open when I was there, I would have definitely ridden it if had. You know back then when you are young you have no fear of course! I’d love to have ridden it!
I never did much in Motoworld, I was just too young back then. I remember the tanks though. I think you had to pay extra to do the tanks, that’s why we never did them. I always wanted to race the LOLA cars, but again I was just too young…..
Thanks for the great article! We moved from NJ to PA in 1983 so probably 1982 was the last year we went to Action Park. Brought back some fond childhood memories……
I have never seen one of these rides in real life, and wold very much like to ride one. but for some reason the ones with the front fasting seets look extreemly uncomfortable. has eny one been on one with front fasting seets? if so what is it like comped the to ones with ‘pods’
This has to be one of the most memorable rides I’ve ever been on. Back when I was in Primary School, on the day of our annual fete, we had one of these… except it was called the Cyclone.
The rides pretty cool, and I was having fun until…. well it was great except for the fact the only thing that keeps you in your seat is yourself. You’re basically at the mercy of the bars you hold onto either side of you. The centrifugal forces that keep you pressed to the walls help a lot too. But not quite…
The backward tilting angles of the walls coupled with the centrifugal forces actually meant I found myself sliding inch by inch up my seat as the rotational speed increased. And that centrifuge kept me from trying to shuffle back down too.
Basically I ended up hovering with my butt half a foot off of my seat by the time the ride was almost over. Not fun, as I kept thinking that all that was keeping me from being slid up off my seat and out the top of the platform was my own hands straining to hold onto the bars -and yes my hands were sliding up too!
I was only about 11-12 years old at the time, so maybe being older and a bit heavier now would prevent this from happening?
Now, whether or not I would have been flung up and out if I let go is something I wouldn’t personally want to test. Also, I still wonder if the ride kept on going and never stopped… how far up from my seat would I have slid? Would I have kept sliding? Who knows?!
Anyways, I think I became a little more scared of rides after being on this thing.
Haven’t seen another one since. Would most likely NOT go on one again if I did.
I went to Action Park in the late 80’s with my brother and a bunch of friends. We were all drinking and we all took mescaline, making my memories of the day surreal and scary. The Cannonball Loop was open that day and my brother was the only one brave enough to try it. He came out bleeding, with a slice down his back from the seam in the tube. My friend came close to drowning in the wave pool. We were all beaten up and bruised at the end of the day, but I’m still proud to say we were there and we survived.
…what about THIS little beauty?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jb2FOCNQlXU
looks just as fun as all the rest! i need to go traveling and find all these rides! i would love every single one! there is one at martins fantasy island on grand island new york called mindwarp! it was all spinny and seat-twisty and i rode it and loved it. i think of the song halfway gone by lifehouse riding mindwarp because it feels like i am fading away because of the g-pressure!
Hey how do you know you can see New York City from the top?
Two stories about this Berry Go Round!
The first is silly; I’m not a ride person and on this particular day, my sister convinced me to go on a lot of shakey carnival rides as a test-run for going on the more serious brand. I was not having fun. I’d been tossed through the air, held at odd angles above the ground and spun silly, and I wanted a nice little break; I wanted the Berry Go Round! We were the only two on the ride. I don’t know if it was the previous rides catching up to me, or the dank hot fiberglass strawberry spinning but I had to fucking puke. The operator offered us a second go-round and my sister lovingly accepted; afterwards the operator said, “alotta you teen girls ended up queasy in them berries,” so I didn’t feel so bad.
My second story involves the big wheel in the centre. My sister and I were taking our little cousin, maybe four at the time, on her first carnival rides and naturally, the Berry Go Round caught her eye. Busy day at the Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto (CNE) and our berry was packed with kids. Ride goes, my little cousin grabs onto the wheel and she does not let go. I guess she thought it was a hand-hold and not part of the ride. The other kids happily spun away while she got tossed around at our feet. I think I panicked and yelled for someone to stop the ride, but it didn’t stop. My cousin eventually got up and we closed out the ride in stony silence, never telling my aunt what happened.
Family secrets, yo. Maybe some berry-seatbelts might have helped.
Also, as brand new Jerseyan, I love your article about Action Park. I just love mentioning it when meeting people anywhere in NJ, everyone has a story!
i wanna ride it in the front for the windblast!!!!!!
Whoaa-M-G!, aaa lot will be happening this summer, wowwee! But I’m only consering on going on the fairs that has Thee,,Best Rides (including the -Zipper-)
Thanks Ever So Much For Posting Them! I’m Really Looking Forward To The Events This “Spr-ummer!” (Spring and Summer together, lol)
-Robert
Alright I don’t know who the hell is writing these reveiws but you should find out what the hell your talking about before you do a review. #1 all mechnical devices have flaws and break be it your washer,car or the airplane you ride in. There was a change in the Zipper for sure. But it was not just to regulate speed. The 1st Zippers were run by hydrolics, There was a track in which two tires drove the main boon, then there were two ford rear ends that drove the cable. Thats where the loss of speed came from. #2 the sound of clanking metal is not from the track but from the K braces. there is play in the braces cause if they were tight the would break. kind of like tying your boat to the pier to tight.#3 there are 3 locks on the door, the COTTER KEY was always there it was the lock on the side that was added. Next time you go on a ride and right a review look at the ride. #4 that was your money fying around in the TUB. and I’m sure that white trash caney was greatful!
I forgot to say the new ones are run buy electric motors
This reviews on this site are mostly geared towards the casual carnival goer and are satirical at times. I try not to go into excruciating detail because, frankly, it’ll bore some readers.
That being said, every source I’ve seen attributes the speed change to the rides intensity.
I like thrilling rides like Kamikaze (Bonsai)
Local fair is coming and i really want to ride this, but im scared i might fall out cause of the seat belts!
The NBYSF will run from June 9-19, except off days June 13 and 14.
On the other hand Casino Pier hasn’t gotten a new ride since 2007–and even then that was a remake of an older ride. Could they be the ones struggling now?
I think Casino Pier is doing all right. They have a decent collection of rides plus that waterpark that I’m sure rakes in money. Although if Funtown Pier keeps making additions they will certainly give Casino Pier a run for their money.
BTW, I was just down in Seaside yesterday, they had the Top Spin parked over where Chaos used to be, so that might be where it’s going. Didn’t see the other ride anywhere though.
Being from Long Island, I spent time at action park as a teenager in the 80’s. I remember a ride called the Cannonball Falls where the tubes actually went underground before flinging you out over a giant freezing lake. I remember one of the tubes being closed once while I was waiting on line for the ride, and a bunch of employees milling around the other tube. When I asked what was wrong, someone told me “some kid got stuck”.
The Cannonball Loop was always dry and never in operation whenever I was there. Too bad, because I would’ve probably tried it. It did look utterly ridiculous though, even to an 18-year old.
Hey , Where on Long Island ??? I was from Deer Park, Dix Hills Area !!! KK 😉
I was the ride lead for this ride I would stand at the top and hose people down it was a dangerous ride, they used to try to bribe us with food vouchers before they opened it so they asked us to ride it first…. As the lead I was asked all the time I’d always say no…. There is a hatch just before the loop that you could get people out… The best place was to be in the pool at the bottom… Many tops came off when women rode it with a two piece…. I was a teenage boy can’t blame me for always wanting to be in the pool at the bottom…also the lining would tear and we would shut off the water and climb the loop to find it…. When a rider would go you would hear three bangs on the loop most people did not stick to the top of the loop hence the bangs all back hits, also the ride used to get snails in it that also cut peoples backs up…. It was part of the alpine group of rides, that was the bumper boats, alpine slide, sling shot, bungee and the loop…. I think that pic from 96 is me in the blue shirt…. At the top… I never understood why people would ride this they would always ask me if it is safe and scary…. Also if you rode this ride I was the one on the top always spraying people in the line coming up even if it was cold…..
Awesome. And yes, Rolling Thunder always loads at sloth-like pace, but I still love it. I haven’t been to Great Adventure this season yet, but I’m curious to see how the Green Lantern is going to pan out. My sister and I suspect it will be a bit of a disappointment. We think Six Flags is banking on the position in which you ride as the thrill, while the speed and height may be compromised (think Superman). I’m anxious to hear what you think when it opens.
Oh yeah, I’m also very curious to see how Green Lantern turns out. I’ve never been on a stand-up before so it’ll be a totally new experience I guess. Then again I remember thinking how awesome Superman was going to be when it first went up, only to be let down by its boring layout. Luckily, GL’s layout looks pretty good!
I’m thinking, was that the top spin that used to be in former Astroland in Coney Island?
Rides4U.com still lists it as for sale so I don’t think it’s the same one, unless the site hasn’t updated or something. It’s selling for $199,000, that’s a pretty good price for a Top Spin! lol
DAAAMMMNNNN FUUCKKKIIIINNN IIIITTT!!!
I MISSED MY 1ST EVER CHANCE TO GO ON THAT RIDE LAST WEEKEND! 🙁
IT WAS IN BAYONNE, NJ (RIGHT ACROSS THE BIG RIVER FROM WHERE I LIVE IN! AND IT WAS RUNNING ONLY ON SATURDAY FOR A SOME CHURCH THERE!
I found out about the carnival (BLUE SKY AMUSEMENTS posted it up on their website) there early Saturday morning, and i had to work on Saturday night..so i had to wait on Sunday. So i drove up there last night and arrived around 7pm, and once i got there, i saw the rides bulit (Including the ZIPPER)…BUT NO ONE WAS THERE EXCEPT THE CARNIES, TAKING THE RIDES APART!! I MISSED THE ONE CHANCE TO GO ON THE ZIPPER THAT NIGHT!!! IF ONLY I DIDN’T HAVE TO WORK THAT NIGHT!!! GODDDAMMMIT, WHY DO GOOD THINGS HAPPEN IN MY LIFE AND SOMEHOW…THEY DISSAPEAR! WHAT THE FUCKK!!!!!! :-[
I operate an Orbiter for a living…. intense ride. Who know’s how many things could go wrong with it though.
About 63. *barfs up universe*
Friend of mine got hit in the head with a fiberglass piece that flew off an Orbiter at our local fair.
Maintenance is important, especially with a ride that complex.
I grew up in the 1980s and I remember riding a ride similar to the orbiter but it was black and grey and it had a tall black statue of darth vader on top of the center and then there was another similar ride with red and white lights and red siren lights that flashed and made the siren sounds. cant remember the names of the rides but if you know them or can locate pictures I would be happy to see them. thank you and God bless
Look very fun, but I’ll have to admit I am a bit scared of rollercoasters and have never been on one that went upside down, first for everything!
I would LOVE to try out that looped water slide.
Hey there, it’s the Musik Express operator coming back to bug you again. 🙂 I may have been operating the ride while you were in town!
Ghost Ship was updated for 2011 a bit: some more rooms were added and the path through the ship was altered as well. They made it darker, too; during our little “staff walkthrough” to give the actors a chance to practice pre-season I ended up walking into walls a few times. Also the Sportland haunted house will finally open this season… sometime. They ran into issues with inspectors, I think.
Apparently the Condor’s manufacturer (Huss, Germany) isn’t making new Condor rides anymore which won’t help matters. Morey’s Pier got a new ride this season, too! A KMG ride called “It” and it’s one of those pendulum-like rides similar to the one in Ocean City.
Of course I still like Bertazzon rides the most, like my Express. 🙂
Hi, what about St Gregory The Greats, carnivale, in hamilton, nj. usually happens in june. I think….
That’s a damn good looking ride in those pics though
Definitely, your berries are certified fresh.
I will never go on that ride again. My neck feels like Gumby’s…ow…I feel like I’m going to be sick. I’m only ten and I don’t think I’ll recomend it anytime soon…*barf*
Haha Gert, funny that you found this site also. Will always be my fav ride…good memories with it!
Holy Spirit in Pequannock, NJ May 24-28, 2011
Action Park was one of the MOST amazing amusement parks I’ve ever experienced. I loved Cannonball Falls and that gigantic slide (one time it took me 45 minutes of standing aside for other riders at the top, to make the decision to finally go). I always experienced bung hole bitin’ wedgies on that slide. LOL!
All the references to how dangerous Action Park was and some of the negativity expressed by the writer about the rides is disappointing. Many of us simply loved Action Park. Where can one go these days to experience the pure adrenaline rush of an Action Park when most amusement parks are snoozefests like Disneyworld. Yuck! Out with “family friendly” and in with “scare the shit outta ya.”
WOW. Awesome Video… love the editing. We might have to discuss putting this video on our website 🙂
Thanks Mike, glad you liked it! Also, if you guys want to put it on the BSA site I’d be glad to make a modified version with different bumpers (advertising Blue Sky Amusements instead of this site.)
that would be awesome!
Simple Solution,
too scary for you or worried that while your in it
that the door might open? Fuck your opinion, mine is, then don’t ride it!!
Same Person as Above,
Now just remember that rides always going to “drop-out-shakes”
ie; –your coins that are in your clothes or purses, so, either only
take dollar bills w/you , or make sure that you only put quarters
& other change in your pockets, so, that when I stop the ride to
let all of you screaming monkeys off-of-it, I can pick-up all of your
change & put it in my own pocket, (gotta realize, coins drop to the
ride operators, like myself down below, bills won’t/don’t) so, just
always remember that I wanna eat lunch later in the afternoon,and
all of the money that falls down to a ride jock down below, helps him
fill his stomach, so I just thought I’d say, THANKS FOR LUNCH!!!
but one good thing is, that if you had really shitty festival food over the
day/night is that the ride will always make you barf if you overate during
the day, you just gotta MAKE SURE that the operator that’s running the ride at the time, is a Commie or Iraq’ other than one of your Brothers or Sisters
that were BORN IN THE USA , so that your puke falls on the down and out & onto the right people below!!
If your at a carnival & need to start passing-out your beer farts, the best place to let’em go is inside a Graviatron Ride, so that the nasty shit scent will rotate all around & everyone that’s inside & on the ride @ the time, can respect the stink of your ass also
I will never forget the day I scraped and bruised myself riding the Alpine Slide, and I wasn’t even going THAT fast on one of the curves. The cart just kept on going and booted me out, lol. One of many memorable momentss at Action Park. Everything seemed normal and just part of the fun back then, now as we compare those rides with the ones today, with all the safety measures and stuff, we categorize those as bizarre… maybe so, but I don’t regret a second of it!
Hi there,
Awesome list of rides. I wrote an article about amusement park equipment several years ago – and learned that Chance took its original design for the Skydiver and transformed it to create … wait for it … the Zipper.
The original Zippers went just a little too fast and caused many riders to get sick. This problem has been addressed in most Zippers still in operation, as noted in other comments.
The bigger issue – the door-only restraints – meant that folks could easily fall/fly out if the door fell open during operation. This design flaw has caused quite a few senseless injuries and fatalities over the years.
Zippers are now supposed to be retrofitted with secondary harness restraints. I am sure, however, that you can find many without them. Unless you know the age and condition of the Zipper in question, I wouldn’t do it. 🙂
Again, what a fun list. Thanks for sharing!
-C.
Eyerly gets its name from Lee Eyerly, an aviator who took his knowledge of flight to create rides that continue to be the staple of carnival midways nationwide:
– Loop-O-Plane
– Roll-O-Plane
– Octopus
– Fly-O-Plane
– Rock-O-Plane
– Midge-O-Racer
– Bulgy the Whale
How awesome was Eyerly? Well, it is long rumored that Disney ripped him off when creating the Dumbo adn Mad Hatter Tea Party rides. Quite the compliment.
In the Midwest in the early 1970s the ride was also known as “The Salt and Pepper Shakers” and/or “The Hammers”.
Jeez, I musta had a cast iron stomach and brass balls back then.
Nowadays I’d probably lose my keys, my wallet, my phone and my sunglasses. Upon disembarking I’d no doubt lose my lunch.
I rode this coaster about 10 years ago – apparently when the old cars were in place. The man next to me screamed his head off – but I found the whole experience less than exciting … In fact, it was pretty painful!
I sported bruises from the shoulder harness alone that lasted over a week.
I’ve rode the round up upsidedown a bunch of times!
–Brian
I FINALLY RODE THE -ZIPPER- LAST NIGHT!!
It was in Mercer County Park (Reithoffer Shows provided the rides there) around Trenton, NJ, where it was sort of a fundraising campaign for D.A.R.E, a campaign to “keep kids out of drugs and violence”..and stuff like that.
Though I came alone but I had some somebody to ride along with me
My 1st ride on Zipper at around 8pm (the time I’ve arrived to the fair) was not much exciting because the car i was in, didn’t flip much as I thought it would. And in my 2nd/last ride @ around 10pm (after their amazing fireworks display) on that “Screamin-Metal Death Trap”, was absolutely…INSAANE! I Must thank you for providing me the information. 😀
I CAN’T WAIT TO RIDE THE RIDE AGAIN TO -WHEREVER IT WILL BE-! Thank You Sooo much. I owe ya! 😀
–Robert
Nice! I’ve noticed sometimes you’ll get a pretty tame ride on Zipper, just the luck of the draw I guess. Also after a few more rides you’ll start to get a feel of when to rock the car to make it flip multiple times, that’s always fun! Although I think the best is when the car points away from the center while going around the turn; you just get launched off the seat during those moments!
1. Yeah you’re right, I’m guessing when it comes to that ride, 1st rides on it are just sometimes less intense than on 2nd or more times on it, lol! 🙂
But glad I finally conquered it. I finally got to feel what I’ve missed out SOOO MUCH after fearing Sooo Much about when in my younger years. Though I was pretty skeptical as I got on to the car, and asking the operator, “Omg, Make sure it’s locked in securely!” and I was unsure about it. As the ride started I shouted “Ooooohhh S*******!!” while holding on to the bars on the cage’s door tightly for dear life! And in one of those moment when my car shifted directions from one end to another, my head almost banged against the door..that was something I didn’t expect from the effects during the ride. Also on my 2nd/last ride on Zipper before headin home, the car I was in flipped 10 times (even while the ride starts rotating the other way)…WOOOWW..:-D That was….UNBELIEVABLE.. I’m glad I took that chance. It was either NOW..or NEVER. And I also love the ride because of the cars’ original cushion-y leather interior. 🙂
I saw some were worn out or abused. but I was lucky enough to get in on one of the good cars (with the best kept leather interior)
2. Also, I researched -Blue Sky-‘s website on the line-up they have, and the only good ride they have is..of course,….”The Wicked Chainsaw” ride, better know as…”ZIPPER”.
Their line-up wasn’t that much cool as Reithoffer’s rides are. They have some Spectaculars also such as -Pharaoh’s Fury- (I LOVE THAT RIDE, MY 3RD FAVE), -Ring of Fire- (MY 2ND FAVE) and their -Zipper- (MY 1ST FAVE AS OF NOW) at night, its lights twinkle brightly and proudly as it should (including the the ride’s name sign) 🙂
I use to go to Action Park all the time as a kid. Didn’t feel like you went if you did not go home hurt some how. Went in a 12 passenger van one time with a big group of friends. I dislocated my shoulder on the Colorado River Ride, tearing my rotator cuff, ligaments front and back and my labrum. I was one of the best options to drive home we were all so hurt at the end of the day. Surf Hill had two options…one with a jump and one without. There was no way to not get hurt if you weighed more than 200 lbs. It took us all down at one point. Place cost me a baseball scholarship but I still have great memories from it.
Excellent website, good memories.
Regarding “the cannonball” slide; the black tubes shown in the photos on the site are not the original alignment of the slides; they are the tamer alignment installed by Mountain Creek. The orginal cannonball alignment was even more insane than shown. The tubes went from a high platform down a 45 to 50-degree slope into the pitch black. The tubes went under the ground and around an immediate, sharp, 90-degree turn to the right, then a short straight-away before shooting you out about 10-feet over the freezing cold pond. They actually had a bar at the top of the tubes at the beginning of the slide to help lower yourself in as the slide started at the steep angle downhill. I rode this crazy slide in the 7th grade in 1981. Great rush.
We are also 1/8th the size of Reithoffer Shows. Not every company can buy multiple big rides every year.
I agree with that statement.
Are you kidding, this ride can be a blast. I was a kid the first time I rode this by myself at a traveling carnival in the 70’s. There used to be one at the old Elitch Gardens in Denver, CO in the early 90’s. I had a best friend back then who thought he was really tough, so I convinced him to ride this. I spun the wheel as fast as I could the whole ride, it took him a half hour to walk straight and stop dry heaving. It’s one of my fondest memories. You have to spin the wheel or you shouldn’t bother getting on it. I loved the feeling that ride gave me, a kind of euphoria, but I’m strange that way.
I rode the Super Loop once by myself, back in the 70’s when I was a kid. I was fine until it stopped at the top for several seconds, I seriously thought I was going to fall out. I don’t think the old one had as much stuff to keep you in it like the new model. I just remember straining to hold on to the lap bar when it stopped upside down and praying that the operator would move the damn thing. I remember hearing change falling out of people’s pockets and hitting different parts of the ride. People used to say the carnies stopped it upside down on purpose so they could shake all the change out of peoples pockets and then pick it up after closing. Of course I don’t believe that now, but I did when I was a kid. I also remember thinking it looked flimsy like a gust of wind could knock the whole thing over. It had a bunch of cables to keep it stable. I’m suprised that ride is still around.
Oh no, you were correct. The carnies most definitely try to shake loose the change… You’d be suprised how much stuff is found on rides. People get so wiped out and can’t wait to get off these things and they totally forget to check for lost items.
Did you know? Michael Jackson holds the world record on the “Zipper” carnival ride – he rode for 35 minutes straight!
I remember this ride when i was stationed in Germany. It was in 1984. I did not ride it but my friend did. I believed the ride lasted for over 5 minutes, at this one it stopped midway up for about 30 seconds or more. I used to always tell people about this ride
they have this @ Elitch Gardens in Denver, Colorado it is called something else. It was also @ Kentucky Kingdom, but the park is shut down now.
I first seen this in 1984 when i was in Germany.
I seen this last summer at the fair in Columbus, Kansas.
yep, it is an o.k ride. I have rode it 3 times, the first time i was on it with some drunks, i just knew it was gonna happen the one behind me threw up, luckily it missed me. I liked hanging upside down for those 15 seconds though.
Yeah, I was hoping for “Tornado” to be there, too. but I guess maybe next year..hopefully? Anyway, I went there Last Saturday for the Fireworks (although the ending kinda sucked) but all I brought was just $40 and a friend for 2 BBQ “Beef-kebobs”, 2 Gate Admissions, and Double-rides on -ZIPPER-. Although the “Wild Claw” ride looked exciting but we didn’t have enough money for it. The “Pharaoh’s Fury” ride didn’t get quite higher as it should’ve. The “Crazy Mouse” coaster is the same as in the Meadowlands Fair each year. And the “Tango” I hear is quite the “pain-bringer”, and we weren’t so gutsy to ride it, lol. But yeah, we had fun! 🙂
..and btw, Thank You for posting this!
It Was My 1st Time Ever To Attend That Event! 😀
Sounds like you had a good time Robert! Also, I always thought Tango seemed painful before I rode but it really isn’t; it’s like sitting on a bike seat.
Lol. You know, to be honest Brian, The last time I rode a bike was like..6 Years Ago, hehe. I kinda forgot how it feels like after I thought how Painful bike seats are..and that they’re not as comfy as they were made in the time I had a bike.
In comparison, I see that the “Power Surge” and “Tango” both kinda operate in similar ways, right?
Action Park remains to this day one of my favorite amusement parks. I went there several times as a high schooler in the 80s, and while it seems obvious in hindsight, it never occurred to me at the time the very real danger posed by the various attractions. I still have a scar somewhere on my body from a spectacular spill I took on the Alpine Slide that relieved me of some skin. I hit a turn too quickly (which was easy to do) and ended up flipping with the cart landing just behind me barely missing my head and me sliding a short distance before coming to a stop. That’s the only injury I ever sustained. The rest of the time, I just had an absolute blast.
And, of course, there was that crazy loop slide. It was always a sight to behold, but it was never open any of the times I went. Rumor was that someone broke their neck on it and the ride was closed permanently. I don’t think this really happened, but it was believable enough. I mean, just look at it! It’s crazy that even the otherwise reckless owners of Action Park were afraid to open that thing, yet they never dismantled it. I wonder what they were waiting for?
How about more updates to the site? I miss the days when articles were out every couple of days… I won’t lie, I never play the flash games here. I just read the articles which I love.
Clever and a great idea, love the 3ds undertrack. Some of the track does stick through but apart from that, the g’s are realistic for bobsleds and it has a good layout. Well done.
OHH! Hahahaha…i rode the orbiter when i waz 11 years old! Now i am 12 and i will ride it again this 4th of July…its so awesome!!
seems the Musik Express variety have smaller hills/dips…..the original Himalaya’s
I remember had the disco ball that was pitched 180 degrees to create falling snow effects, the tunnel had a stobe light, and the front portion had spotlights that would turn the cars green, red, purple and yellow. And there were always the tight sweater super shapely ski chicks painted into the scenery….Palasaides Amusement park had 2 at the same time, one was a “Super Himalaya” and the other one was jungle themed and called the Jaguar….when I first started driving back in’77 Coney Island had a very old Himalaya (with the painted on red letters), Music Express, plus a Cortina Bob
which was also a snow scene and very uncomfortable to ride because you sat with your partner between your legs and you would get tossed to the outer side of the car….(the only other model like this I’ve seen was in the mid 60’s on the Funtown Pier in Seaside Heights and I believe that one was called Sun Valley)..The Polar Express also seems like an antique version- the hills are steep, the back of one car fans in slightly to the car behind it, I believe these cars are made of wood, and they face counter clockwise….there was also one at CI called the Super Cat which had a double dip as opposed to the high pitched back, and a canopy would cover the riders when the ride was at top speed (Cat= Caterpillar)…Swiss Bob was also a well known snow themed ride, and a lot of fun to ride because of the lights, music and the speed. Each car bore the flag of a nation that would enter Bobsledding events, and the rides were always shiny and polished…very hard to find these days….Manufacturer was originally Edy Meier (SIC?) of Zurich who also introduced the Himalya
I rode Demas’ Inversion at the San Diego County Fair. I thought the ride was alright, it had a good rush when the main arm flipped but our seats didn’t rock. It’s named the “Rock-It”.
i rode the rock-o-plane a few years back and i was in the front facing seats they are rather uncomfortable and during the ride i ended up smacking my head off the back of the pod and i was extremely uncomfortable during the whole ride
hey u guys, this year it my first time on the spin out, and i want to know if it’s scary or not?
Nah, it’s not scary at all. If you can go on spinning rides then this is a breeze.
In total honesty,..I must say that this year’s fair…TOTALLY ROCKED! BETTER THAN ALL THOSE DEPRESSING PAST YEARS OF THE FAIR. AND TO BELIEVE HOW -25 YEARS and Counting-, the fair rolls on, EVERY YEAR (right around my birthday) I’ve Been That Excited Like This In My Whole Life!
GOOD GOSH I went there on the 4th of July for the Fireworks (it lasted kind of short but had and interesting finale), I rode on EVERY SINGLE THRILL RIDE there
-ZIPPER (only 3 times before it “broke down” around midnight”
-RING OF FIRE
-Bonzai
-Crazy Mouse
-Fire Ball (though the claw didn’t spun while swinging)
-and the ride that I’ve feared the MOST since the 1st time it was debuted at the fair…..-SPACE ROLLER-. i finally rode that Beast, TWICE..RIGHT BEFORE CLOSING! IT WAS…INN-FREAKIN-SANE!! 😀
How were the crowds on the 4th? We usually avoid weekends, holidays and specials nights (like Carload night) to avoid the crowds, but it seems like you got on quite a few rides!
Really? The more ppl there, the better! 😀 It was a huge crowd. When Me and my awesome friend/karate sensei (Yeah, I’ve started taking his classes just last week and he’s super friendly. I’ve invited him, he’s a huge Fairgoer like me, lol.) got to the parking lot, the lot was Almost Full. And Yepp, Thanks to the $25 Handstamp we’ve bought We rode every thrill ride there. They could’ve put more rides though, as it was their 25th anniversary event. But that was my best -21st- Birthday Ever! 🙂
-Space Roller- was so intense. The 1st time we were in line for it, and it was our time to get to our seats, I wasss sooo nervous. and at the last minute before the restraints go down, I litterally got off my seat, “chickened-out” lol, and walk towards the exit..as I watched him have the best time of his life on that ride. But them right before closing, I realized I missed out so much on it. So actually went on for my 2nd attempt by myself (I sat close to the center), didn’t back down, and held for my life on that crazy thing! I was yelling, “OHH MMYY GOSH”, lmao! It was fun. And the last ride before the fair closed for the night, My friendly sensei quickly went to sit right next to me on the ride (I sat on the edge that time) and enjoyed the ride for the last time while the “Party Rock Anthem” song by LMFAO played. It was AWESOME. and after that, we headed home
I’m from Mississippi, but was visiting friends in NYC during the summer of ’80, and we spent a wild and crazy weekend at Action Park. The speed boats, waterslides, fun, fun, fun!!! None of us got hurt, maybe because we kept hitting the beer kiosks, and thus were limber enough to go with the flow!! Does anyone remember the human maze? You had a tall flag so you could be found if you couldn’t manage to get out.
I sure wish I still had my t-shirt!!
fried pickles are freakin awesome! lol
Looks awesome. Carnivals around here, suck. Badly. I dont know what it is but, they get worse every year. My local one this year has…
A Sizzler.
“fun house”
and a few little kid rides…
Not cool.
I have them in my basement, there’s one in my bathroom. I got in the shower looked up and it was just chillen in the top conner. I used axe and a lighter to kill it(:
I was only brave enough to ride the Sky Diver once back in the early eighties. It wasn’t a very pleasant experience. Very similar to the description in the above article. Not very comfortable, but I had finally gotten up the nerve to try it and if nothing else could/can say that I actually rode it.
While it may not be the most comfortable ride on the midway, I always thought it was the best looking piece out there. I still think it is one of the most aesthetically pleasing rides ever created. The multi-colored cars, the perfect symmetry of its design. It always made a great centerpiece for the fair that came around here back in the 70s and 80s.
Chance made some great rides back in the day. Absolute classics like the Tobaggan, Music Fest, Rock n Roll, etc.
But I think the Sky Diver is their most perfect machine. Simple but elegant. The article mentions the long light tubes; there are a few Sky Diver out there still, but the ones I’ve seen recently were fitted with turbo lights. A definite improvement in its original lighting design, I think.
I actually saw some YouTube video recently of a refurbished Sky Diver fitted with sequenced LEDs along its sweeps; I want to say its Powers Great American Midway’s piece. The ride looks absolutely amazing though! Here’s the vid:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkRndUFfMFA
i still love this ride
yea so do i
doesn’t look scary
the ride is pretty fun
BREAKDANCE is a new take off on the early 60’s popular ride Calypso…..the cars didn’t spin on Calypso…..Palasaides NJ had one called the HOOTNANNY….
this is a update of a older ride, similair to the Kite Flyer being a new form of Paratrooper, which was a update of the even earlier SPITFIRE…..I miss the good old days of Roll O Planes, Flying Coasters, Lifting Paratroopers, Swiss Bob’s, and even the notoriously hazardous SWINGIN’ GYM…..worst rides I ever rode? Something called SPINAROO, The Boomerang, and a rare mid 60’s ride called the Meteor….there are videos of this on UT….never got to ride the notorious Chance TURBO…it was at Seaside Heights NJ Casino Pier for about 2 years like 71-73 and out of service both times I went…..
the fair in my town are pretty decent , rides like thunder bolt and enterprise top spin high energy fireball top spin and much more, it’s like every year we have a new ride
a pretty fun ride we call it drop tower
Oh man, great nostalgia. There’s not much out there on Water Works, but I’m glad someone put it out there. Here are some memories for me:
The Super Twist tower had three stops on the way up. The first stop was for “Corkscrew” (an enclosed, very steep and fast 360 degree spiral) and “Free Fall” (a white open slide, sort of like Double Dive for beginners), the second was for “Triple Dipper” (two open, white slides with three dips), and the highest and final stop was “Super Twist” (the enclosed twister). By the time you got all the way up to Super Twist, you were exhausted and out of breath from climbing so many stairs.
Super Twist was weird — one of them started out on the down slope, so that one got you started with good momentum. The other one kind of went in the other direction, so I remember having to push myself along over the hump until I got going. Once on the slide, each twist would dip you through faster and faster, and more and more water would fly into your face until the big final dip at the end. Your experience depended highly on the type of bathing suit you were wearing. I used to enjoy the slide while wearing a rugged Gotcha bathing suit that had a lot of traction (thus slowing me down). I once wore a more slippery bathing suit, and I could have sworn I was going to die! Water spraying in my face the whole time, and my legs flying up into the air inside the tube each time I’d go over the top of each twist.
The other really notable slide was Double Dive — that was the huge speed slide. It was also known by locals as the “Wedgie Wall”, and it was a common sight to see girls losing their tops on the ride. Totally scary the first time, but it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be once I reluctantly pushed myself over the precipice.
The Octopus was also a great one. Two of the three Octopus slides still exist at Breakwater Beach. Unloading into the same pool were “Cannonball” and maybe another name for the other one. It was basically just a short, white, open slide that dumped you straight into the water. Its partner was an enclosed blue slide that did exactly the same thing.
Another often forgotten one was the first one I rode at Water Works — “Tubs O’ Fun” — I think that was the name. You started by riding an innertube through an enclosed blue tube. This carried you around 180 degrees, usually turning you backwards, and dumping you into a pool. If you were going backwards by the end of it, you were definitely dumped ass over tea kettle into the pool. Then you’d float around in the pool until eventually going down a waterfall into the next pool. This would happen over and over until you finally got dumped out into the final landing pool. I enjoyed this one for a year or two before they finally drained the pools, filled them with dirt, and turned them into flower planters.
I wonder what ever happened to the giant guy holding the Pepsi can…
i still love this ride
this ride always seems to amaze me just like the I aM mE dance crew INSPIRE MOTIVATE ENERGIZE
THIS RIDE IS THE BEST RIDE EVER its soo fun im going to my county fair tomorrow and making my friend go on that hope power dosent go out again! if u think this looks scary its not its fun my 2 fav rides are 1.POWER SURGE 2. ZIPPER
I remember going in the late 80s as a part of a group of teenagers. The loop was open and I remember being scared poopless. At the time people were running to get a view because they would only open it for a hour at a time. There was no line and from what I remember the cliff dive was in the area. Anyway I went right up got hosed down, and looked at the lead and said, “is it worth it” He just looked at me with a blank stare. I looked back and said f-this and walked away my friend was pissed, but he didn’t do it either. From the stories I think it was a smart move.
Also wanted to add the Alpine Slide was great. There was nothing wrong with it unless you wanted to go to fast. Anyone could read signs slow/ fast etc. it was your decision if you wanted to walk out hurt. The cliff dive was great, but maybe 4 or 5 rides were way over the top, but I tell you what god bless the people that rode them it looked like fun.
Damn! I missed that carnival! I didn’t know that “newer-made” -Zipper- would be there. Welll, that carnival didn’t seem too exciting anyway. So I’m going for Skelly’s Amusements’ -Zipper- @ this year’s Middlesex County Fair, NJ…2morrow night!! (if it won’t rain) This one I don’t wanna miss. I’ve only ridden the older -Zipper- types by Reithoffer’s and Blue Sky
I’ve only rode this once at a carnival, and it was enjoyable….when I was a kid 40 some odd years ago- the was one at the famed Palace Amusements center in Asbury Park that peered out of the roof….Seaside Heights Funtown Pier and Palasaides Amusement park also had one in the 70’s……great rides should be manufactured forever…..roll o plane / flying coaster / swinging gym and lifting paratroopers ..I rode a ride similar to a lifting Paratrooper called DANCING QUEEN back in the mid 80’s on Seasides Casino Pier…the seats turned (not spun! turned slowly) simultaneously to face all 4 directions….it was there for about 2 years and I remember it being out of service once……the legendary Chance Turbo was also on the Casino Pier in the early 70’s and was closed for repairs both times when I visited and the ride was present. my all time favorite ride has to be the Swiss Bob/ Bayun Kurve….they could really make that go fast and the ride was always sparkling and well lit…..lot’s of fun.
Hollywood Star Finnendahl Onride (FÄHTZ) ….check this out on youtube….here is a pratrooper type ride where the seats actually turn and face all 4 directions once the ride lifts….I rode this once in Seaside Heights Casino Pier in the mid 80’s….it was called the Dancing Queen…..it was only there for about 2 years, and was out of service the 2nd time I went.
I’ve never seen it again….apparently it it popular on the German fair circuit…
That Hollywood Star ride looks like a trip!
Was Dancing Queen the same as the Hollywood Star ride or was it this ride ( http://bit.ly/otKlXf ) of the same name? Because I know those Huss Troika rides like the one in the link were pretty popular in the 80s or so here in the US.
ya nice job but…. you missed pics of my goats… lol
Aw man, I knew I forgot something! haha
I love this ride! But at 6’4, I’m sure you can imagine how tight a squeeze those cages are for me. Don’t ride it like I did when I was younger.
it was the same ride as Hollywood Star..Troika was like a combo Enterprise /Spider deal, right? this was a ride very similar in start up and performance as a lifting Paratrooper, the difference was the entire ride elevated, then dropped like a Trabant would angle, and the cars turned slowly in all 4 directions….it was a great ride!………
I am so glad there is a fan site for these rides……they are such a big part of so many folks summer years growing up!! I for one, had to behave the entire summer to make one trip to Seaside Heights or Palasaides Amusement Park as a kid!…I envied the kids that went more than one time or visited several places so much!
This was Awesome!!!! My first steel coaster and and awesome ride!!!! 9/10
Any ride that u have to put that chest guard on needs either to be taken down or fixed for big chested women it is a shame that bigger chested women can not ride rides like that. The fireball is terrible anyway u have to jump up on the damn thing to even get up there who ever made that ride needs to be slapped thumbs down to that morone
agreed when i went on i thought i was buckled in thank godddd my cousin was messing with me and made the bar go up right before ride started we were screaming not in not in lol im also big chested and i woulda been dead
OMG. I just went to The Meadowlands Fair In N.J. lastnight. Everytime the fair comes my friends & I literall go like 5 times because we are fair freaks!!! Anyway I go on the Fire Ball 7 times on Saturday night. We return Tuesday night & they tell me “Your too big to ride this ride… Try switching seats with your friend…Sorry sensor won’t go off on that seat either… you can’t ride this ride” WHAT IS THE SCIENCE BEHIND THIS??? I mean hey I have a big chest not to shout it out like crazy but a 36DDD (I know big) & I ate a Gyro some Zeppoles & drank a medium Coke but I don’t see how that could have made me gain like 50Lbs in 3 days!!!
& I am also a little thick too but I can’t understand how one day it’s all good & then 72 hours later they say HELL NO!!! Confused Man :/
I totally understand. I couldn’t ride this and got kicked off in front of my friends.
For one reason or another (one reason being that I first encountered this ride when I was about seven and chickened out of riding it), I’ve never actually been on one of these, but I’ve always had a morbid fascination with them. My tolerance for unidirectional spinning has sadly declined over the years, but I am determined to cross this one off the list. No doubt I will pay dearly for my earlier cowardice, as this contraption looks like it would rate very high on the vomit index.
You’re not really missing too much; it’s really just like any looping ride only it has a slight rattle from being on a track along with horribly tight riding compartments. But I understand the appeal of getting on one; it’s kind of like how I want to get on a Rotor even though a Gravitron pretty much trumps it.
BTW, it’s nice to see you around! Too bad TPC is basically a ghost town nowadays.
Trust me, you are completely justified in including this ride on the list. The High Roller pretty much defines the term “White Trash Carney Ride.” It combines brutality, claustrophobia, hilarity, and excitement to much the same degree as, although in a distinctly different way than, the Zipper.
I actually did ride one of these solo one time and received a merciless pummeling. More recently I rode one with a total stranger (a lady somewhat younger than I) who needed a partner for the operator’s (completely reasonable) two-rider requirement. It was an awkwardly intimate experience, a good first move for a randy teenager but a bad bet for a middle-aged married man. We did our best to avoid one another, but the laws of physics ensure some (and not just a casual) degree of physical contact will occur.
This is a fitting choice for number one, all the more so because Chance seems to have retrofitted the pods from the Toboggan for use on this ride. You have to love the fantastically inane restraints which employ Chance’s signature feat of engineering: attaching the part that is supposed to hold you into the ride to the swinging hatch that lets you out of the ride. If a you’re a skinny guy like me who’s manning the wheel and therefore unable to brace yourself inside the cage, you might find the restraints sometimes catching you just above the knees and sometimes closer to the chest.
The scariness of this ride, while considerable, has for me more of giddy hilarity to it than the more panic-inducing terror the old Zippers could evoke. At the the intersection of fear and absurdity, you will find the SkyDiver. It is truly a can’t-miss experience for devotees of the carney classics.
Awesome video. My family has been going to Seaside (living in the Park, occasionally venturing into the Heights…a world of difference) since the beginning of time. When the Music Express replaced the Himalaya, I figured they had just spruced up the old ride. To me it seems like the same thing with new paint and a bubble machine, but I don’t really know what I’m talking about, LOL. I’m guessing you saw the Bertazzon logo somewhere on the ride, and I’ll take your word for it regarding the Himilaya being a Reverchon product. Good post!
Thanks! You know, I wish I could say that I saw a logo somewhere but the fact is that I’m such an amusement ride dork now that I can just look at it and be like “oh this is X, made by Y.” lol
Apparently, someone did fly off a Scat ride. Just found this news story…
http://articles.herald-mail.com/1998-06-10/news/25137021_1_awning-carnival-teen
And this follow up story…
http://articles.herald-mail.com/1998-06-10/news/25121819_1_popular-carnival-safety-belt-winchester-amusement
I just rode my first Scat ride at the Scioto County Fair in Ohio, and although the Scat looks like a more crazy trip, I think the classic Round Ups gives a much better ride experience.
I haven’t try to ride in this Orbiter but i guess it is such a great experienced to be ride on it 🙂 . How i wish that i could ride on it someday 😀 .
This is really such a great and amazing post.And the roller coaster really are scary,i can’t ride on that maybe.
Hey, that fair is cool, even though the little downside of it is that it closes An Hour Early. And may I say -Reithoffer-‘s ZIPPER looked BETTER THAN EVER! Nice paint job, cage doors/locks updated..Wow! I can’t for it to come at a next NJ event in -2012-! 😀
Definitely, it’s the nicest Zipper I’ve seen to date! The yellow and red actually go together pretty nicely on this ride too; usually when I see those two colors together it makes me think of McDonalds or something. lol
..or Wendy’s, haha! 😀
oh and I forgot to ask since u rode -Reithoffer-‘s newly-improved ZIPPER, how does the new cages’ interior feel? Is it soft leather, or rough like -Blue Sky-‘s ZIPPER?
It seemed similar to a gym mat actually. I haven’t been on BSA’s Zipper so I don’t know how they are; can’t be worse than some Zippers I’ve been on though. I remember Coney Island’s old Zipper had like duct tape padding. lol
Well It’s a good thing you told me because I never rode that one! 😀
Yeah, when it comes to that ride, I’m now more on the details of the cars’ interior padding. -Blue Sky-‘s ZIPPER’s (the 1st one I ever rode in my life) interior padding if I remember correctly feels more of a…”tatami mat-like” material, kinda bit rough.
But -Skelly-‘s ZIPPER (@ the Middlesex County Fair every year in August) felt AWESOME. It felt like the material that was used to make inflatable bounce houses. And what’s “sexier” about was that it’s black! It actually made me feel like falling asleep in it lol. That’s what I missed out on A LOT fearing the ride the past years! That felt great!
-sighs- If only we’d meet up at any local fair on a Saturday night (when I mosty go…alone, by myself) that would be awesome.
And Call Me WEIRD If You Want To, but That’s How I Honestly Feel About Any -ZIPPER- Ride That Appear At Any Closest Fair I Can Get To. lol 😀
I CAN’T WAIT FOR MORE -ZIPPER- FUN in ~2012~! 😀
oh and btw, are you doing a trip report of the ALLENTOWN FAIR next? Cause there are a few bit of things I gotta say when you do finally post it here…
This ride looks like it cost around 12 dollars to make. Sad.
I’ve been on this. I loved the dive loop. What I also found interesting was that the second hill seemed higher and steeper than the first, very unusual.
Your stories are exactly why I would not work at a kiddie park, especially one on a ticket system. Spending my day bickering with grumpy, trashy, cheap parents about tickets seems like hell.
I was on this once when the ride operator announced we we getting an extra long ride to celebrate making the most tickets on the midway that day. Needless to say, I have never been so dizzy and sickened in my life.
It was a great ride, and went so fast it was over before you even realized it. I’m glad I got to ride it. For some reason a lot of people hated it, virtually no line for one of the craziest coasters ever built, and I’m sure that played a part in it going bye bye.
i so agree people who hated this ride must have no taste or experience of rollercoasters. LAMOs lol
Yeah, we know this ride on German funfairs well! One of the all time classics, together with the Huss Breakdancer.
Mostly the new KMG rides and some of the Huss rides make a funfair here in Germany. I was on “Night Style”, one of the newest Top Spins (by KMG, Netherlands), recently. It has two independent arms, as can be seen here:
http://ride-index.de/include.php?path=content&type=&contentid=180
If you thought the normal Top Spin is intense… ride THIS. It’s living hell, really. After some spins I just wanted to get off… and I’m an adrenaline junkie.
In Europe we seem to be addicted to thrills with rides getting more and more extreme… 😉
By the way, we’ve got a similar ride from mondial (Netherlands) here on German funfair grounds, called “Shake”. It basically is Breakdancer plus loopings… Really weird looking, and damn intense!
See here:
http://ride-index.de/include.php?path=content&type=&contentid=534
Awesome ride, but like Breakdancer depends on the operator. Mostly operators here in Europe tend to be great at times the funfair ground is not crowded (with rides 5 minutes and more), but when there are lots of people waiting they will give you a short ride and try to kick you out as soon as possible… that’s why I ride mostly before noon 😀
I’ve actually seen a Shake here in the US once before and it still travels around, just not in the northeast US where I am. I beleive it’s called Magnum. I’m still kicking myself for not giving it a spin, but at the time I didn’t know if I could take the flipping and spinning.
Breakdance is definitely a ride that needs to be ‘driven’ instead of just turned on auto. Unfortunately the US has NO traveling Breakdance rides anymore and the amusement park versions are terribly slow. I need to go to Europe sometime and ride a real Breakdance!
My absolutely favorite ride… KMG designs great rides, that’s for sure! However, @Msstevye, not only girls have problems… you’r b*lls will hurt, too … these damn seats with their pins in the middle!
Looks like hell, really… I was completely surprised at a funfair during my USA holiday, when this thing just turned! I had the complete “wtf” face on, that’s for sure….
I guess European safety standards would NEVER EVER allow something like that… or the zipper… lucky Americans 😀
“I guess European safety standards would NEVER EVER allow something like that… or the zipper… lucky Americans :D”
That’s funny Max… I think the same thing about the ride Tagada in Europe. hehe. All great rides though.
i rode one called the claw they were playing music by mercy me(i can only imagine) and the combination of the ride movement and the beautiful praise and worship music moved me to happy tears and i was filled with the Spirit!
Ride spun WAY too fast for me could not enjoy, not for someone that cant handle a fast, fast spin. damn i regret getting on this.
Just rode this for the first time yesterday! I was concerned about my keys falling out of my pocket (and possibly off the ride, I don’t have a big enough key fob to prevent it falling through the cage), so I stuffed them into my back pocket, so that I could keep them from moving, and even if they did, there was a velcro patch to keep them falling out.
Regardless, they worked their way out over the course of the ride, hit the bottom of the cage, then flew up and hit me in the face. I managed to snatch them from the air and hold them against one of the door bars until the end of the ride (while I was stepping on my wallet, which had fallen out much earlier).
Awesome.
what fair closes around 10:00 p.m. our fair (tallahassee,florida) opens 9:00 a.m. and closes around 12:00 p.m. and closes 2:00 a.m in the morning during midnight madness and midnight majic.(only on weekends). by the way AWESOME VIDEO!!!! (2 thumbs up )
They probably close at 10pm because it’s close to residential areas and the local ordinance might say that no events can occur after 10pm or something like that. Some fairs, like the State Fair Meadowlands do go on until 1 or 2am though since they’re in more industrial areas, away from housing.
i want to ride them all i bet they take your breath away!
this ride is supper awesome
i know you probaly had a time there, and although GASM is my fav. coaster, i still want to ride the new green latern ride , how was it?
I lived in the development Aspen Woods next to Action Park and it was a major part of my life. When my Dad was laid off from Ford Motor Company he had started his own Welding and pipe fitting company. He was hired to put the wonder loop together. I remember him coming home from work laughing so hard. He was telling my Mother that the wonder loop test dummy came out with no clothes on and no head. He tried to express to the enginr that this isn’t going to work. I don’t think they cared. Growing up there, it was entertainment everyday. Fourth of July fireworks reflecting in my pool after a hard day of work and play. All three of my sisters and I worked there from the time we were 12 till we went to college. Everyday after school I walked out of my back door and walked directly onto the ski runs to either ski or go to work in the summer. I remember being so upset that I had to leave Vernon to go on Vacation in the summer. Before I could work at AP my two older sisters worked there, so I was there EVERYDAY. Action Park was my Nanny in that day and age. No worries about harmful people. If it was raining,we would just go into a building or area that was closed and it was our own little park. Souven shops, candy stores, etc. My favorite job was working the spin art wheel with my best friend. I did the life guard thing, parking attendent, motr world and at the end of the day, I wouldn’t trade it for the whole world. Does anyone remember Grannies Pancake house. It burnt down due to someone smoking ciggerets after it closed in the kitchen. So many memories.
We had a Tempest at the old school amusement park I used to work at. It was the most notorious puke ride on the midway. With so little control by the riders on the spinning action it can really get out of control and develop serious forces. There were always two 5 gallon pails of water kept by the ride and they got tossed on the seats multiple times every day. Not a ride I choose to go on.
One of my favorite flat rides! I never pass up a chance to ride a classic Trabant. I’m not such a fan of the WipeOut as they tend to let it keep spinning full speed after it comes back down flat and the side forces become unbearable — equal or worse than a Music Express.
If you have only ridden the more common Wave Swinger, your first experience on the Yo-Yo can scare the bejezus out of you. It looks like a wimpy kiddie swing and you really don’t notice the rocking action when observing from the ground. The first time it tilts you forward you think something let go for sure!
This one tricked me good! I had never run into this ride until seeing it at Old Town in Kissimee. We thought it was a Paratrooper variant. It is NOT. Damn, this think develops some forces! As was said, it makes your legs go to sleep from the pressure on your thighs. Has that general Wisdom Rides feel of being a home-build concoction of spare parts.
My only ride on the Sky Diver was at Lakemont a few years ago with a die-hard enthusiast who talked me into being the second rider while he “piloted” the car. And he did manage to get that thing spinning. The most intolerable element for me, though, was going upside down at the bottom of the wheel – the positive G-force almost made my head explode.
Top of my list for least favorite ride. Only an unusually sort cycle (carnie wanted to chase a townie girl) saved me from puking on my one and only ride. The regular oscillating motion is simply the WORST – any of the random action rides can be tolerated as at least there is variation but here there is no relief in sight until the ride stops. But it’s my daughter’s favorite carny ride.
ha ha..just discovered this poll and your site..good job sir:)
Thanks MJ!
Thank you for writing about these crickets. I came across one tonight and thought it was a spider from the amazon that was going to eat me alive while I slept! Thank goodness it’s NOT a spider. This thing jumped 4 feet in the air and every which way. It was in the kitchen, so I grabbed the first thing I could find – RESOLVE CARPET CLEANER Spray. I sprayed it with that and Pledge and soaked it until it couldn’t move and then I smashed it with a newspaper. Sorry for anyone who thinks “oh, poor little cricket” , but you guys are all right on when saying that these things are the enemy. Holy cow… At least doing some research on line, I found out it’s not a spider and can now finally go to sleep at 1:30AM. Thank you…
Seriously, this has to be the most amusing article EVER!
EVER I tell you!
I share your aversion to this ugly insect and I don’t know if you planned it so but this article left me rolling on the floor laughing whenever I wasn’t shaking my head in agreement to what you were saying. especially the part witht he percentages of success… Seriously I almost burst my lungs laughing xD
Well written
yes it’s 1:20 we have spent several hours trying to kill one without getting close to it. it jumped into the bathroom and we lost it so we moved our things to a different room of the house and then while moving saw babies. there’s a nest in there. no one is safe.
Hi, I went on the Zipper for the first time today, and i have to say it was EPIC!!! I live in australia so it went so fast! I went on with my friend, and because she couldnt hold herself from getting thrown around, she smashed her face on the bars and became pale and got a massive headache. I loved it but she could keep herself still, so if you go on the Zipper, you have to be prepared for some serious g – forces (especially the australian one)
Thanks
ahh..the enterprises..one of my favorite flat rides..must ride one if i see one at a park..when i was little i used to be scared of them..i was a wuss back then..now..NO FEAR!!!
I just recently came across in this site and as i see and read the post in here well i should say thumbs up! You did a good job.
been on the one at Six Flags St. Louis..i was excited to see it running after seeing it closed at Great Adventure EVERYTIME i went there..it was an okay ride..expected it to be more “wild”, but a decent ride
I love the small huss frisbees..such an intense ride..more intense than the giant versions
Im related to Kaiser wilhelm… and im latino. Makes no sense but its true
scream machine was a true classic..sad to see it go
anyone know the reason for the name change?..why change a nice name for something beyond generic?
hey its alissia i went to the october fest in daytona and i saw the fireball and i went on it a guy pucked and it got on my friend. it was nasty….. it was awsome
Hmm, if there’s one word for a boring county like this was, it would have to be “SHITTY” because..come on, I’ve seen this same BORING ride company at some Memorial Day festival in Newark EVERY FREAKIN YEAR! Shouldn’t they have more BETTER RIDES like,,oh idk…ZIPPER!?? The -Union County Fair- was..Apalling, a Stinkfest..UGGGGH!
Ohhhh yesssss! 🙂
MY 1ST TIME EVER TO ATTEND THAT EVENT, ALSO 😀
And sure was a Hell of a Lonnng Drive to there and back home. Costed my about $45 for gas, lol. And finding parking there was a bitch!
But sure the rides were A Lot Of Fun! Though I have to say…
Power’s -ZIPPER- was Toooo Crazy. In the first thirty seconds, it made me hit my head so hard on the back padding of the cage, that I almost had a concussion and a nosebleed…. My first ride on it was okay. But in the second, was kind of a downer. After the first flip of the cage, my nose started bleeding again…
And then I had to ride the calming rides for the rest of the evening.
But yeah, the carnival was Top Fun. Though Powers’ -Zipper- did not like me. lol
MY GOD..my poor gravitron 🙁 .. we owned that ride from the day it came out of Wisdom in 1991 until this winter when we traded it in to Wisdom for our new starship, Mccaferty then bought it from Wisdom (it never actually left the east coast, we brought it right to them).
That ride was my baby and now its just sad looking 🙁
Lol oddly enough that Sizzler used to belong to us as well (Well Silver Dollar Shows, Not Blue Sky Amusements) We sold it to McCafferty years and years ago, around 1995-96
How about the SBF Visa Tower Coaster? It’s a portable coaster (like a Chance Toboggan only with a totally different ride experience) that’s found in Australia.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8ovpdww1Yc&feature=related
Looks very fun.How i wanted be be also in that place.Such a very great ride,actually i’m dizzy as i watched the video.LOL
This is pretty interesting to see and a great break from the Golden Ticket Awards, but a correction Intimidator 305 is at Kings Dominion not Carowinds.
Wow..Looks like you really had a great and fun time there. As you post the video, i was really amazed with all the rides. I also wanted to go there.:)
I’d been trying to find information on this park for awhile! I lived outside of NYC as a child and caught the tail-end of Action Park as well as going back a few times when it was Mountain Creek. I never recalled it being a massive death/injury trap, but I do recall getting nearly maimed or dismembered there often despite only being a child and not having ridden about half of these rides. I recall going down the Colorado River ride with my family being like we were in one of those survival shows. Every turn someone would shout, “tuck your legs in! pull your arm in!” before violently slamming into a wall that likely would have severed said body part if no one took such instruction. I recall stopping on a slide as well and hopping off the side to avoid an oncoming collision with the next rider. My family never took my friends to this place specifically, probably realizing that was a liability. It’s a strange request, but does anyone remember what the children’s area looked like? I distinctly recall attempting to find it one summer only to find it behind a boarded make-shift wall and overgrown with brush and leaves wondering why they closed it down; oblivious to the fact the park was closed and subsequently reopened. I also vaguely recall this strange pool with three different heights. Like a cylinder with people swimming in it above the pool and another taller one above that. It looked 20 ft taller than the pool I was in, but I could easily be imagining that. Looking at pictures, I may be recalling the cliff diving area as I see small pools of water and the two separate heights. I believe it was near hammocks, if that’s any sort of help. I didn’t spend a whole lot of time here; A day or so every summer from the early 90s until around the later 90s. But the fact my shitty memory recalls it so vividly must attribute to how ridiculous it was.
my only dispute is Six flags great america being the worst park..it is BY FAR the best run of the ENTIRE six flags chain..even when SF was at its worse..Great America was a pleasant place to be at…so i call shenanagins on that one!
Well actually Six Flags America in Maryland won this year, not Six Flags Great America in Chicago who did win last year (albeit by a very small margin.) I get the two names confused all the time. Great America actually got the second least amount of votes this year of any Six Flags park with only like three or four; Six Flags Fiesta Texas received none.
ill let it slide this time..lol
I got a chance to ride Green Lantern at Six Flags Great Adventure for the first time this year. To be honest, I thought it was a pretty good coaster. It was the first stand up I have been on where after the ride was over, I wanted to ride it again. I can’t say that about the old TOGO models or even Mantis at Cedar Point. Stand up coasters seem to give a better ride experience if they are longer and more spread out, and of course, not have those awful bunny hops.
Even tho the Georgia Scorcher at SFoG is VERY compact..somehow it gives a GREAT ride..i dont know how..just looking at it, I thounght it would be rough but somehow it is perfectly paced and is probably the best stand up ive been on..ive been on Mantis ,Chang, Riddlers Revenge, Iron Wolf, Vortex(Carowinds), and some TOGO stand ups(AWFUL!!!)..but the Scorcher is the best..check it out if you can.
Do you have to use such a crass name like White Trash Carny rides? Seriously.
The ‘white trash carny ride’ moniker stems from a joke I had with some people years ago and decided to turn it into a series of articles. It is a ‘crass’ name but this site was never supposed to be politically correct or family friendly anyway.
Your article is funny. These bugs are not. They creep me the F out. I live in a very old house and the basement is damp and not very well insulated. Here is my method of dealing with them. They hate light, so I leave the lights on in the basement ALL THE TIME. There are five lightbulbs with no fixture thing over it, so I buy the 100w bulbs. I have to replace them constantly, but it’s worth it. As you know trying to step on them doesn’t work because if they see you coming, then they jump at you. My friend said to get a wet paper towel and drop it on them before you mash them, but I refuse to get close enough to do that. I was out of insect killer so I used Clorox Bleach spray and that seemed to do the trick, although they were still moving. I looked in my sump pump hole just now and there were about 10 in there. I poured bleach in the damn hole and then filled it with a ton of water and that killed em. Another thing, which is going to be easier than your cup and golf ball method, is a swiffer. I have one of the giant swiffer sweepers, just the ones you attach the swiffer rag to and push around, it’s not electric or anything. It’s very wide and the handle is really long, so I can sneak up and kill the cricket with it. I’m too scared to go down there and check to see if the bleached ones are dead yet, they tend to disappear once they die…
You know why they “tendo to disappear once they die? It’s because other cave crickets eat them! Thenat why it;s important to remove the dead ones. You are otherwise just leaving food for the ones that are alive. I agree with the Clorox method. It works. Also Lysol or other harsh household sprays do the trick. It’s easy to aim at them, you don’t have to get too close and it kills them as long as you spray them for a while. Usually after the first or second spray they lsoe their ability to jump but they will still walk. Eventually the chemical in the cleaning product kills them.
Where I live Fiesta Shows has 1 that was originally called “The Break Dance”, then “Super Dance” and now “The Twister”. It’s actua;;y tilted at about a 45-50 degree angle
I dont really like spirial coasters or upside down ones, but, from just watching this ride on youtube makes me want to indure it myself!! 🙂
coasters are made for the thrill of it, and for once in your life to feel free! This ride looks awesome and amazing. Can’t wait to ride it over the summer with my camp!!!! 🙂
my favorite ride is nitro i dont care how long the line is for it i would wait all day if i had to to get on it. love the drops. i would go on that ride only when going there in the summer!! LOVE NITRO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 🙂
I loved Action Park! Thanks so much to the author of this site for creating a place for us to pool our memories of that infamous yet near-and-dear-to-our-hearts enclave of amusement insanity.
Anyone remember that little electric people-mover that would bring you from motorworld over the highway to waterworld and back? You’d sit sideways on it and it would run over this thin little metal rail.
Aqua Scoot was a lot of fun. You’d haul this heavy boat-like plastic thing to top of a tower, place it on a 45 degree angled slide that was made out of a succession of metal rolling pins, ride it down and get shot over a long shallow pool and skip along the surface at what felt like 25-30 mph.
How about that weird flume/boat ride thing they built into the mountain – I think it was called “Avalanche?” It was up the hill a bit from the cannonball slide. It was a pretty interesting flume ride that had several falls with the final one taking place entirely inside a pitchbalck tunnel with simulated explosion sounds. You used to see parts of that ride when taking the chairlift up for the Alpine Slide. That was one of my favorites for some reason. It was out of place for traction park though since there was seemingly no way to potentially kill yourself on the thing!
I remember the two serpentine slides – one was near the Kamikaze and was painted dark blue – the other was further down the hill and was bright green. That one had some hariy seams on it and if you happened to lose your mat you were in for a series of scrapes and briuses. Ouch!
I remember getting lost in the maze which was near motorworld but I was small enough to just crawl through the open spaces under the walls.
The battle tennis ball tanks were a lot of fun.
I was too young to drive the F1 racers but I do remember “graduating” from the go-karts you had to be 10 years old to drive to the ones you had to be 12 years old to drive (a bit faster and a longer track). Good times.
Thanks again for the site – a nice trip down memory lane!
🙂
Kevin
Some of my biggest regrets in life are not seeing Pantera or The Grateful Dead, never getting to smoke a cigarette in the mall or the movie theatre, and never knowing about Action Park. I suppose it’s more of a north Jersey thing. I grew up with Clementon Park, Great Adventure (six flags), and of course Wild Woods along with other beach-front attractions. But never new until it was too late about this master-park!! I haven’t seemed to shake the fantasy of being one of it’s many dice-rolling daredevils. I’m trying to go back to film school next fall. If i have it my way, eventually there will be a full length feature on the infamous park. The stories on here take me into the park and will eventually take millions into the park. And since it was 79 to 98 it would feature music by the Pixies, the Flaming Lips, the Ramones, among others. Hopefully, and with a little luck, one of these days i’ll be able to get it made. Maybe then i’ll get some lost remenants of the magic that swelled the now deceased park.
The best fair of 2011, is..as always, STATE FAIR MEADOWLANDS. And hands down, my all time fave ride is…without a doubt, The Zipper! 😀 I can’t wait for Winter to end and the Carnival season to return, For More -ZIPPER- experiences than last year!
Just get me informed on what carnivals/fairs will have the ride when Spring comes along, Thanks So Much.
Oh and can u start a FACEBOOK page for this site, too?
You know, I thought about it but decided not to because it would probably just end up like TheDoD3 Twitter feed, which really nothing more than a bunch of update postings. lol
can’t breathe when falling and it is a nice feeling too
I can remember driving to Action Park back in 1981 with 5 of my buddies.We left from Ct.and had the times of our life.Alot of the ATTRACTIONS WERE HAZARDOUS..But when ur 18..You dont really care…I loved that place,and am glad I got a chance to experience it before it closed…..
Six Flags Over Texas had one like this called the Texas Tornado. One day it stopped abruptly and banged up some people’s legs pretty badly. Now its called Gunslinger and doesn’t do all of the bending.
What about the Polka Festivals that were at the dance pavillone? My mom and I would go there a couple times a year and had a great time dancing and enjoying all the Polish foods and in particular when Jimmy Sturr played there. He drew the largest croud , no wonder because he is the best . I miss those days and it brings back so many wonderful memories. It was a time in my life I will never forget. My mom has passed on but I’m sure there is a Polka Band in heaven where she is dancing up a storm and eating some good Polish food.
Funny I was just thinking about this the other day, I had the pleasure of going to action park in the 90’s to a Sturr festival.
We stayed at a Pakistani hotel and it rained the whole weekend. All electrical rides were not running.
The only good thing was Happy Louie and the Ampolaires played that weekend and the beer was cold….
Also went to the home town of Jimmy Sturr, Florida New York which if I remember correctly, is not too far from Action Park.
The last comment is mine
I was one of the last riders to go on The Cannonball Loop… It was either 95 or 96 was the last year I went there and it was open. My friend and I stood there for a good 20 mins before we decided to go on it.. Funny part is there was never a line.. hmm wonder why.. All I can say my experience on it I will never forget. Between the ridges connecting each pipe hitting your back the ride down the dark tunnel was nice. Once you hit the loop it goes by in an instant. And then came the end, hitting the ice cold pool at the bottom and trying to stand up. I had a massive headache and a sore lower back for half the day after that ride from the whip of the loop.
Would I do it again if it was still open.. YEP =)
If it werent for MTV always broadcasting from there, I would have missed out on that wonderful place.
Great sunset picture of Ocean City! Hopefully, I can get down there this year.
LOVE this site and LOVE reading about Action Park! That place sounds awesome…. So much crazy stories!!! I wish I would’ve been able to visit it when I was a kid!! Where I live, in Europe (Holland, to be exact), we didn’t have waterparks like that… feel like I really missed out 🙂
The rides look frigthening but I guess the danger only made it more fun. It’s a shame these days everything has to be totally save and even the risk of a small bruise is considered almost a crime. Kids arent as fragile as most people think… getting hurt is part of growing up 😉
Too bad in the 80’s and 90’s there werent a lot of people walking around with video cameras, I would love to see more of the ”real action!” (especially the Loop-thing!)
On youtube, you can find an MTV episode with Alice in Chains in Action Park with actually some great footage of some of the rides (Surfers Hill, Geronimo Falls, wave pool, Colorado River…) along with a LOT of drunk people 🙂
Thanks for posting this, I had a blast reading about a place that almost sounds too crazy to be real 🙂
The Ring Of Fire was soo imtimidating to me 3years ago. The look of it the first time i ever saw that ride scared me straight and my grandma called me up the next day telling me how much of a whimp i was for baking out and not going on it. but last year i toughened up and went on the Ring Of Fire and LOVED IT!! it was freaking scary but i had to go on it and it was one of the best ride that i had ever been on and now im going this year too so im definently going on it!
Here are the dates of our eastern PA shows for the Spring.
Second Alarmers Rescue Squad Carnival, Abington, PA May 8 – 12, 2012
Morrisville Rotray Carnival, Morrisville, PA May 15 – 20, 2012
Hatboro Summer Fun Festival, Hatboro, PA May 25 – June 2, 2012 (Fireworks June 1)
I will send yopu our fall dates when they are finalized.
Thanks,
Bill George
Pennypack Entertainment
Thanks Bill! I’ve added them to the list.
Thank you. BTW: I forgot to give you the web address for the Seond Alarmers Carnival. http://www.sars.org/carnival
Thanks so much.
Cannonball loop opened, and then closed in the summer of 1983. My friends and I had just graduated high school and since we had been to the park many, many times before, this was to be our last hurrah before we went our separate ways to college. We went on he day they were introducing two new rides to the public. One was the cannonball loop. We were about twentieth in line when it opened to great fanfare. We were about eight in line when they closed it. Bummer. We went on to have a wonderful day anyway. I still carry scars on my elbows and knees from the alpine slide. Thanks for the story. I tell my kids about action park often, and I can tell they don’t believe the stories. The oldest argues about liability etc. my youngest(the daredevil) thinks I’m teasing him about such a wonderful place. “then take me” “sorry son, it’s closed” “yeah, I bet it didn’t exist, like fairy land or something” wait until I show him this story. Thanks again!
Hey there Brian, can u add this upcoming fair in Bayonne, NJ?
—St. Mary Star of the Sea Church Fair – Bayonne, NJ: April 10 – 15— (Less Than 2 Weeks Away!) 😀
Thanks 🙂
Added. Thanks for the heads up!
No prob. Btw, there will be the 1st stop in the 2012 season for Blue Sky’s newly-refurbished “Zipper”! U might wanna head over there and check it out, unless u want to wait a month for it to come to the OLP fair next month (hopefully)
I went to Action Park every summer in the early to mid 90’s. I was a teenager and it was a tradition to make the short drive from Connecticut.
I remember hanging out in the little area with the pools and the little cave near the cliff jump. That was one of my favorite areas to chill and watch girls lose their tops jumping into the icy water.
Parents loved it, too, because the place served ALCOHOL! Imagine this place full of drunk, loud people wanting to jump off cliffs and ride the alpine slide. I remember seeing more than a few people covered in blood from some kind of incident.
The hills were brutal. The wave pool was always fun and I saw several people get pulled from it’s deep end after underestimating the pull on the sides. I remember a group of us would scan the wave pool because there was always money floating around.
The craziest thing I ever saw at Action Park happened on the Aqua-Scoot. You have to realize the brilliant safety standards of this ride. From what I remember, you sit on a plastic sled with nothing strapping you in, only a handle bar, and you get pushed down a slide with metal rollers which empties out into a pool at the bottom. I saw a lady fall back, hit her head on the rollers, and slide all the way down ending up face down in the pool. She was unconscious with blood coming out of her head.
Several patrons helped the lady out of the pool because the “lifeguards” were very busy talking to their friends!
The action never stops at Action Park!
Oh and forgot the link to the source for St. Mary’s Fair this weekend.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/St-Mary-Star-of-the-Sea-Church-Bayonne-NJ/153598898023094?id=153598898023094&_rdr#!/event.php?eid=286032744796273&__user=100000376254218
Some up coming NJ Dates:
Ridgefield Carnival – April 25-29th Veterans Park Ridgefield NJ
Warren County Chamber of Commerce Spring Festival Hackettstown NJ May 3-6
Holy Trinity Carnival – Hackensack NJ – May 1st – 5th
Bound Brook FD Carnival – Bound Brook NJ – May 8-12
St. Virgils Church Carnival – Morris Plains NJ May 9 -12
Sea Brite FD Carnival – Sea Brite NJ – May 17-20
NY DateS:
Nassau County Strawberry Festival – Bellmore NY May 30- June 3rd
Thanks Mike, I’ve added them all to the list.
UPDATE from BSA on Facebook: “Unfortunately the Zipper will not appear at St. Mary’s this year. It’s still in the process of refurbishment. Remaining parts have not yet arrived, and waiting. Will keep you updated!”
The Sky diver (the illuminator) at Elitch Gardens in 1994 was the first ride I worked on it was a work out because you had to flip the car over pull out the cotter pin and place the lid in to a cradle to unload and unload the ride all without dumping the guests on the ground. At the end of the night myself and the operator crawled under the frame of the ride and collected $25 to $30 bucks in loose change each Elitch’s did not move it to the new park in 1995 due to safety
OMG i’m obsessed with the Cannonball Loop! I just saw it online a few days ago and i just can’t get it out of my head! Who would invent or build something like this, with such a small tube and loop?! It’s unreal and freaky I think. It looks like some fantasy creation..
But very interesting though! xxx Eva
Where are all the P0lka dancers from the Polka festivals, which were held about three times during the summer, in particular the Jimmy Sturr followers? Aren’t any of you guys out there to send a comment? Would love to hear from someone who attended the festivals. I left a comment on Feb. 29,2012 so look above and you will see it. Sure miss those good times. But like they say, all good things come to an end.
Like I said, somebody please comment!
Jeanne,
See my post below. We were regulars at the festivals, saw the Jimmy Stur Band several times. We used to play the small game stands they had set up by the tents and win various posters and stuff….I wish I still had my “Put a hole-a in the Ayatollah” dart board… Peace.
Cool read, I also used Coolpages many years ago, I us a lot of Dreamweaver these days and compared to Cool Pages it’s terrible, I love just being able to drag contents around such as Images and Text, now everything way to complex, resolution issues, tags and html is all over the place, I half suspect it going to get worse with HTML 5.
I see collpages is still out there on the web, am maybe thinking of buying the full version, I only ever done the trail.
There has never been a better ride than the surf hill at any water park. I remember going there in the early 80’s and saw someone land in the woods from lane 7. We would just fly off the jump and the crowd in the stands at the bottom would ooh and ah if you hit it right. Did you get a little hurt, sure, but who cared. Also the Alpine slide was crazy. I remember the first aid from people falling off the slide was to spray mecurichrome on the burns. I remember hitting my brother with the slide in front of me because he slowed down for someone and flying across the bridge and bouncing 4 or 5 times and spraining my ankle. The whole ride home all I could think about was when I could go again.
I remember seeing how many bloodied people I could spot around the Alpine Slide. AP must have bought Mercurochrome by the pallet – there was always someone getting messed up. I was the recipient of some of that once, and I suffered the stinging burn just like everyone else. The bad cases needed gauze. It amazed me that more people didn’t die. I still have mental images of rocks to the right of the right slide and to left of the left slide (which had a wider turn at the start, I believe, making that side the slower side). I recall the left slide had more swerves (checking the map – it does after it crosses over to the right). These swerves could cause your sled to rock more, perhaps leading to a flipover. In other words, the more winding, slower slide was more risky in my opinion.
When your sled would rock after first sliding up the side of a turn, you would need to actually ACCELERATE to reduce the swing. (It’s basic physics, similar to letting out the rope on a pendulum so as to reduce the amplitude of the swing.) I remember doing this, and it always worked. If you experienced instability/swinging, then adding brake action would actually make it worse. This surely caused a lot of accidents for people who think it makes sense to slow down when you’re losing control.
On the other hand, if you successfully used the acceleration to reduce your rocking motion, you would gain speed that would make your sled slide up even farther in the *next* turn. If you thought you couldn’t take that speed into the turn, you needed to brake *before* the turn (similar to high-speed driving, actually).
I’m almost disappointed that after several visits to Action Park, the worst thing that ever happened to me was a sunburn. I do not count getting kicked in the face on the Colorado River, pulling muscles in my arms from holding on to the tubes so tightly, and possibly getting scraped on an exposed screw on the Kamikaze slide. I never lost a tube or mat, and rode the Alpine slide without incident.
Meanwhile, I took my boyfriend to Mountain Creek for the first time in 2005. He lost his mat on the green slide and almost drowned in the wave pool. He’s refused to go back, but I’ve been back a few times since. The green slide (sidewinder) and kamikaze were finally shut down as of last year.
The only things that seem to be left over from Action Park that are still there and pretty much the same as they always were are the wave pool, Tarzan swing, and whatever they’re calling the tube ride by the cliff jump (I still call it the Wild River because that’s what it was when Action Park closed). The day they put the tube lift by the Colorado River ride was one of the greatest days of my life.
Still wish I’d had the chance to go in the Aerodium.
As the primary writer and editor of the oft-mentioned Wikipedia article, I actually have a similar story to yours.
I went to Action Park all of once, in late summer of 1986, when I was 18. I do not recall seeing the Cannonball Loop at the time (although it had apparently first been opened the previous summer). I had a good time, and neither got hurt nor saw anyone getting hurt.
However … that isn’t to say the potential for serious injury wasn’t obvious. I declined to do the taller, straight-down Geronimo Falls because I just didn’t see how you could do it safely. So I did the other one … which had such obvious potential for catastrophic injury since you started out on a gentle slope but then went almost straight down … at about 60 feet above ground, with the sides of the slide about a few inches high. You knew right then that you either followed the instructions they gave you (stay flat on your back with arms at your side) or you died (or would have wished you had). It always amazes me that there were no fatalities on that ride.
I stayed off Surf Hill. I was coming off a high school career where I played football and lacrosse and weighed about 230 pounds at the time. The sign on Surf Hill said the weight limit was 185, but one look at the people doing it and it was clear that wasn’t being enforced. If people like that, even heavier than me, were riding it, the chance of getting hurt was just too much.
The Aqua Scoot … it was fun but I only did it once because I was worried about accidentally putting my toes over the front edge of the sled, which would have caused some serious breakage by itself when they got caught in the rollers, not to mention likely getting thrown off the ramp and what would have happened from that. That seems to be about the only way people did not find to be injured on it.
I was lucky enough to be relatively by myself in the Wave Pool’s deep end when the waves went on. It was tough enough staying afloat; I can’t imagine what it would have been like in a panicked crowd of poor or non-swimmers.
I didn’t realize at the time that the park had already acquired a reputation. I got a hint of it afterwards when my mother related taking my brother to his doctors later (he had just been diagnosed with the cancer that would eventually take his life at the beginning of the summer, and the trip had been sort of a treat for him). They mentioned they’d taken him to Action Park the weekend before, and the doctors said “You took him WHERE?” and told her everything they’d heard from their colleagues about the place.
Now, just like you, I went back with my wife, son and my mother around the same time in the mid-2000s when it was Mountain Creek Waterpark. DW went on that one waterslide from AP that takes those gradual dips going down (forget what it’s called) before they had to close it that day because some of the surface had peeled loose. She got this softball-sized bruise on the back of her thigh that took weeks to heal. She says it was the worst thing that ever happened to her at an amusement park. I don’t think she wants to go back either.
They returned the rock-o-plane at my local fair. It seems to run much slower than it
Used to about 15 years ago when I used to go on it. It also seems to be much harder to flip on it.
The ring of fire Aka the Chicago loop has to be one of the junkiest rides ever. The one at my local fair even has a broken exit gate.
The zipper may look like trash but the ride on one is friggin awesome. It is much more insane than many other inverting rides.
Hey, I got another fair for the list! 🙂
D.A.R.E. is hosting a carnival at the Westfield Garden State Plaza in Paramus, NJ from May 30 to June 10!
I called the event manager for the dates and which traveling carnival company they’ll have over there. And it’s with
Reithoffer Shows. 🙂 (hopefully they’ll have my fave ride there)
The link for more info:
http://www.darenj.com/events.asp
-Robert “-Zipper- Addict” Mata 🙂
Thanks again Robert! I just added it and updated some of the TBA dates while I was at it.
When is the next ridde coming up for may ?
My friend and I waited overnight for Bruce Springsteen tickets (at the Meadowlands) and then hightailed it to Action Park. The first thing we rode was the Roller Slides. Yes, the thing you rode on was heavy and it was not fun to climb to the top while carrying that thing, but the slide was fun. Then the Grotto was at hand and I jumped this several times. I loved it, although I recall hitting bottom once or twice. When I visited in ’83 the bottom of this area was NOT painted lighter; instead it looked like a dark grotto. I don’t really recall doing any super adventurous until visiting a year or so later with a boyfriend and then I did everything (almost) with the exception of the Tarzan Swings and the cars. So, what that means is that he and I both went on the Cannonball Loop. I recall it being bumpy and very very scary. The only reason I didn’t do Tarzan Swings was that I knew I didn’t have the arm strength to not get hurt. I loved the alpine slide and want to ride the one at Ober Gatlinburg, TN near my current home. That last time in ’83 was one I recall fondly and although I wouldn’t do most of the rides again, I would visit again.
@ DoD3Brian
No prob. Hey Are U Planning To Attend The -Our Lady Of Peace- Fair this year? And here’s the photo of Blue Sky’s newly refurbished “Zipper” that will be there this year.
http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/470678_435740003105073_125286720817071_1662695_1953396033_o.jpg
It didn’t look like it was refurbished much, just the color change on the outer cages. But looks pretty good 🙂
I actually just went last night lol. The Zipper looked really nice I thought and even seemed to be a bit quieter then most other Zipper rides I’ve seen.
They lowered the noise on it? Aw that sucks. But looking forward to riding it with my lil nephew (He’s “Craving” to ride a “Zipper” Badly as much as I do lol)
And I’m ‘”training” myself like a “Naruto” ninja right now to ride it too, as it will be my 1st Ride/”Fight” on “Zipper” of 2012!! xD
-Wish Me Luck! 🙂
-Robert “-Zipper- Lovin Ninja” Mata aka “Neji Hyuga”
Well I think the new parts made it less loud. I can’t really say it’s quiet, it’s a Zipper after all, but compared to other models it seems like there’s less of a rattling noise.
Also, just a little tip, if you have a tough time parking by the fair try the adjacent high school lots or the New Providence Community Pool parking lot. Both have lots of spots and the pool parking lot rarely fills up all the way if the high school lots are all taken up. It’s a short walk to the fair from both places.
Oh, I meant the sound of its motors. Though, I agree with ya. 🙂
And thanks for the parking advice. it doesn’t matter, I like to walk a short distance between the fair and parking lot. I’ll make a note on that. 🙂
Was that you taking pics of the wheel on Wednesday night around 8-830?
Think I also saw you on your bike taking pics when we were setting up
Might have been, I think I got there around 8:30 or so that night. Guy on the bike was almost certainly me though.
You might see me hanging around there later on actually.
Like I told you in face book.. A refurbishment is more then just paint. The ride received all new bushings for the bracing and hbars, new k bar braces,, new telecopes(the pieces the cages hang on ) all new pins for the whole ride, all new hardware. All 4 motors were removed and rebuilt but hey color change and pretty lights (which we put all LED ligting on it as well) is all that matters I guess
Ah, ok I get it. Those are very nice additions to the ride u’ve made. Sounds like u guys made the ride more enjoyable, Safer, and more BEAUTIFUL than before! 🙂 Thanks for giving me that additional info. 🙂 I hope to see u, and the New “Zipper” at the OLP Academy in New Providence this Saturday! 🙂
Aww that’s pretty bad I feel like I wanted to curse all those people that had to do with! It has been a part of my fondest of childhood memoirs. My kids won’t live to see that now.
The front page of the mountain creek water park website says
“the action is back” i wonder if that means anything
also this is supposed to be opening
COMING SPRING 2012!
Come out and try the newest ride of its kind in the tri-state area! The Alpine Mountain Coaster is a cross between an alpine slide and a twisting rollercoaster and is the newest addition to Mountain Creek for the 2012 season. Ride alone or with a friend in our 2 seater coaster cars. You control your speed, with a unique hand-braking system as you twist, turn and dip through the trees and through the Waterpark rides back to the bottom of the mountain.
The sister ride Shockwave at Six Flags Great America was the first looping coaster I ever went on as a child (I’m 33). It was such an excellent coaster, really underrated. I never found it rough myself, despite such claims from others. The loss of these coasters is a shame. Newer, trendy coasters may be flashier, but I thought these delivered better thrills.
One of my most cherished theme park memories is riding Shockwave six times in a row, walking off and walking right back on because there was no line. There’s a rare POV ride video on youtube, taken before the youtube days, and I saved it so I can always remember the ride.
It might be white trash but about 35 years ago 4 friends and myself rode this all night and called ourselves the Scatt sisters. Now at 45 we still refer to ourselves as just that even on Facebook. What awsome memories lol.
Ahhh Yes! My 1st time Ever to attend this event, Along with my nephew, Christian, and my (our) first “fight” on -Zipper- of This Year in 2012! 🙂 (And I like saying “fight” because I’d like to express myself as a ninja, like the characters from the Awesome Japanese anime, “Naruto”. And when it comes to riding my fave ride at any carnival or huge fair, I always prepare/”train” like a ninja, to give my all to ride and “defeat” the forces and the wildness of the ride coming Saturday nights 🙂 )
-But before our match against the craziest ride at the fair, When we first got there at around 8:15 PM we went on the Starship Gravitron (only once). Once the entire ride started spinning fast enough to glue us to the wall (lying on our backs), I couldn’t move a muscle, especially when the seats rose up to the roof of the ride)
-Then it was the Himalaya. Though I wished they could’ve gotten a bigger model like “Musik Express” or made it a bit faster than normal. But it was kind of fun (and it played 2 of my fave songs while we were on it).
-Next was the Riptide. I’ve never been on anything like it in my life (though it looks kinda slow, and I didn’t want to spend $ for it). But while we were on it, I had the feeling I’ve missed out on such a ride like that 🙂 Once it goes downward to the side, it almost felt like a freefall. But that was quite fun, I’ll admit that 🙂
—AND FINALLY, (“dramatic music” Dun dun duunnnn!) 2 Rounds on The Craziest, Yet THE BEST RIDE EVER OUT THERE,..
O>>>>o<<<<O ZIPPER! 😀
I may have lost some chances of riding it at other previous fairs since the 1st week of May. (I roughly because I had to cancel on them for some reason). But It Was Worth The Wait (especially in that long line for the ride) I've finally helped my "craving" for it since the "not rough at all Winter season", I was suffering from such withdrawal, lol. It looked very nice, the guys at BSA did an Awesome job of making it more comfortable, enjoyable, Safer, and more beautiful than before. Last time you said it was fairly quiet. And I thought "Aww that sucks". I was thinking they got rid of the "legendary" noise of the motors. But they didn't, yay! I've gotten some offride shots from my phone (while standing in line, and it's an HD cam too). And on one of them. someone's loose change fell out of one of the cars that was flipping. And it was a good thing I carry around my lil "Dr. Dre Beats" bag that I normally store my earphones in. So I can safely store my loose change in it. That was smart of me, you would say lol.
As me and my nephew got on it for the 1st Round together, I told the operator (And I Always Say This To Them Whoever Locks Me (and someone with me) Inside. "Please Make Sure It's Locked Securely, And Tight" and they do, thank goodness. As they were loading up the last pair of cars on the cycle, we prayed, and braced ourselves for what's to come during the ride. (And again I did not have my phone/camera out to get onride footage on our 1st Round because I had to get used to the nature of the ride first). And as soon as it started, It Was A Knockout. We've been backflipped as much as 7 times in a row before we reached to the other side of the boom.
And as soon as the ride shifted direction, it made us got held Upside down for about 4 seconds. Wow, Something that I havent experienced on a Zipper last year. But gosh that was incredible! I wished I could've had the nerve to get it on video.
Then, our 2nd and Final round on it, it got me a bit jealous, as we got inside the Unluckiest Car Of The Ride. Though I managed to get onride footage in this round. I got a bit jealous, As the ride only made us rock Back and Forth, Especially when it swept us from one side of the boom to the other. I was mad like we got "ripped off" lol. But in my "ninja" side, It Was Weak! I wished I had more money to ride it again with my nephew for another 3 rounds. But it was almost time for the fair to close down anyway. We left at 10:30 PM (Half hour before closing) And on the way home, we picked up some "celebratory" Chinese food from my fave Chinese spot in Elizabeth (where we live), as a reward for my nephew's "bravery" on his 1st Ever Ride on Zipper in his whole life. And I thank myself (and Blue Sky) proudly for making it happen.
My Next "Fight" against -Zipper- will be at the Staten Island Mall Carnival from Reithoffer's BLUE unit. It's their only spot they'll play near me before they head Out Of State. And of course, I'm planning to go 5 Rounds on it, and yes, Onride footage as well 🙂 I hope the weather stays beautiful for This Saturday night, as it will be my 2nd "fight" against it of the 2012 Season. I'll even film some other rides they got there but I'm not sure if I'll be able to go on all of them. But I will try and see, and depends on the money I have for them.
THANKS SO MUCH FOR POSTING THIS, (my nephew would like to say Thanks to u too) And I Look forward to more interesting Trip reports of This Year. And of course, more Zipper rides at more upcoming fairs near me. 🙂
-Robert "Zipper" lovin' Leaf Ninja aka "Neji Hyuuga" of The Hyuuga Clan
Academy Student (White belt) ninja 🙂
P.S. “I Have No Blind Spots” (Neji’s quote from the anime)
-Practicing my “Gentle Fist”-
This ride is at my fair, and i want to know if its scary or not. I can handle the Avalanche and Ali Baba, do you think i can do this? Ive never been upside down, but i can do spinny rides. 😀
I don’t think it’s scary myself and if you can handle spinning then it should be no problem. Have fun!
Send fotos of a tempest and am Looking for a Viking ship and a travant or a round up
Immaculate Conception Church in Annandale will host its 11th Annual Parish Festival from June 20th-24th. Majestic Midways will transform the grounds into a magnificent playground complete with rides for all ages. Over 16 rides including some great ones for the thrill seekers. Paladin Amusements will bring awesome games for some extra excitement. There will be TWO FIREWORKS displays one on June 20th & one on June 23rd with a raindate of June 24th. We will have two wristband days one on June 21st and one on June 24th. Also featuring, nightly entertainment, fine food, raffles and a Tricky Tray. There will also be a Super 50/50 drawn on June 24th tickets are $2.00 each with a promise of winning a percentage of the gross proceeds. We will also be raffling off a Vacation Raffle Gift Certificate valued at $2000, a Nikon SLR Digital Camera Package, a Weber Grill, an Apple iPad, Disney Passes, tickets to One Direction and much more.
Easy to access off of Routes 78, 22 & 31. Follow the Ferris Wheel
For additional information: call 908-735-7319 or 908-735-9564
Just for Robert—-we will have the ZIPPER!
Hmmmm, I wish I could be there. But it looks pretty far from where I live (Elizabeth, NJ) I’m not entirely sure if I’ll make it there also. I know the one fair that’s closest to me for my birthday (I’m turning 22 this June 24th!) and that will Also Have My Fave Ride (Yes, “Zipper”) is -State Fair Meadowlands-. (They had it last year, and speaking with the President of the fair about them having it again this year) And they also do Unlimited Ride specials throughout the entire fair (June 22nd – July 8 with fireworks on July 3rd and 4th). There is also another fair in North Brunswick, NJ that’ll do that too, but I’m quite unsure of the name. I’ll have to look that up.
Though I thank you for providing me the information. Again I’m just not sure if I’ll make it there that day.
-Thank You.
Robert -“ZIPPER” Lovin’ Leaf Ninja- Mata aka “Neji Hyuuga” of the Hyuuga Clan
PS. “Majestic Midways” will also do another fair near me next month. I’ll have to find out about that too.
Oh hey, yeah Here It Is! Majestic will be playing at this year’s Burlington County Farm Fair in Columbus, NJ (just one exit over 7A on the NJ Turnpike) Looks like I’ll be going to this one, hopefully they’ll have the Zipper there (as they did last year) Here’s the link to the fair for more info about it.
http://burlingtoncountyfarmfair.com/
Runs from July 18 to the 21st
And sorry I was a lil bit late to tell you this, I just found out now.
I already have it on the list, all those Zipper rides must be getting to you. lol It’s in Springfield Twp. NJ though, they moved apparently.
@ DoD3Brian
Heyy! When it comes to livin’ life as a “Naruto” ninja, you know that the Zipper is my #1 fave ride to “fight”, don’t you agree? Plus their leather padding is so comfortable. (not to get too personal with the details, hehe) I’m going there tonight and try out Majestic’s ride this year.
And Reithoffer’s Orange Unit is doing N. Brunswick, NJ again this weekend. I believe it’s called the “Italian-American Fest” (never heard of it) but not sure if my ride will be there also. Plus I kinda don’t know where exactly in N. Brunswick will it be. But oh well, I’m not planning to go to both fairs in one night 2night, like i did with South Plainfield (Dreamland) and the Staten Island Mall (Reithoffer – Blue Unit) in the past month.
@FestivalQueen
I’ll Be There This Year! 🙂
There is a small annual carnival about a 15min walk from me. Last year, a carny told me that the zipper at this carnival (run by World’s Finest Shows of Ontario), was made in 1996 or 1997. Assuming this is true, can someone tell me how safe the ride is? It looks fairly good, (new paint job & all), but I don’t think it has the updated cages (ones with the z on the side of the cars). It would be greatly appreciated if someone could answer me ASAP.
Old or new, the cage’s locking mechanisms are all safe so I wouldn’t worry. I actually prefer the older model cages myself as they flip more easily. 🙂
Sure, that makes me feel a lot better, but what if the guy forgets to close the cage (you know, cause he’s smoking pot or something)? I mean, it probably won’t be an issue, as the show that comes to my town is one of the best in Ontario, but you never know… Is it just a risk that I’ll have to take, or is there a way to tell if they’re locking the cages right?
It would really help if someone answered ASAP, as the carnival is right near my house, and I may go in a day or two.
Thanks
You’re worrying about it too much. lol But to answer your question, the door closes, two locks engage simultaneously and then the ride op puts in a pin that acts as a third lock. On newer ones the door just closes, locks and that’s it, no pins or anything since the locking mechanism was rebuilt.
Now just ride it! You’ll be glad you did!
I just rode the zipper today. It was amazing, and so intense that I could barely walk off the platform! Beforehand, I had to wait about 45 minutes, having the carny kick me out 4 times, ’cause I couldn’t ride alone. Finally, after a long time of waiting, however, another carny who was on break volunteered to ride with me. I took the offer, and got on. The ride itself was like nothing I’ve experienced. It had EVERYTHING you’d want… REALLY high g- forces, floater air, ejector air… YOU NAME IT, IT HAD IT! Finally, as an added bonus, right as the ride stopped, our cage flipped an extra 9 or 10 times in a row, and the g-forces were INSANE. If you want to see what that looks like, type ””Crazy Zipper Ride 1″ into YouTube.
I remember riding the skydiver in 1969 it only had a piece of wood going across to hold you in, great ride. This ride was designed to be run at full throttle, giving you the effect of free falling. Over the decades through regulations the operators had to tame it down, that’s what I have been told.
Ah yes! I’ve had quite a “2 Course -Zipper- Meal” at both the South Plainfield (Dreamland) and Staten Island Mall -PART 2- (Reithoffer) spots. But which 1 of them is most fun. They felt quite the same to be honest lol. But Reithoffer’s -Zipper- spun/flipped me more times in a row than Dreamland’s in S. Plainfield. So I first got to this fair at around 7:30, rode Dreamland’s -Zipper- only twice, just for.me to save some money for the Staten Island Mall carnival (Part 2). I came to those 2 Places By Myself, and stood near the entrance of the ride, holding a sign that reads, “Lone Leaf Ninja Came Here Alone To Ride -Zipper-. But Ride Ops DO NOT ALLOW Single Riders On It. Willing To Ride With Someone Here. IF ANYONE INTERESTED TO RIDE WITH ME ON -ZIPPER-, PLEASE STEP FORWARD AND TALK TO ME ABOUT IT. THANKS (smiley)”
So Again, I rode only Twice on Dreamland’s -Zipper-, And went on Reithoffer’s ride. 3 Times (on one those rounds it back flipped me 7 Times In A Row!) It helped my “craving” A Lot! Thanks For Informing Me about the S. Plainfield spot, and like I said, I look forward to more (as well as State Fair Meadowlands) at the next upcoming fairs of this year! 🙂
-Stay “Zippin'” for me! Lol
Robert “-Zipper- Lovin Leaf Ninja” Mata
O>>>>x<<<<O
PS. Have you heard that Reithoffer has the new “Stinger” ride? That Ride Is Crazy! I was thinking about going on it, but I had 2nd thoughts lol (Plus it was too expensive. It costs 7 Tickets while it’s $1.25 per single ticket) I’ve even got some shots of it on my phone, if I can somehow start a new YT account and upload it to there so you can see it.
I forgot to tell you, there was actually ANOTHER Zipper over at the Corpus Christi Carnival in Chatham, NJ (next town over from New Providence where the OLP fair was.) This one was Tommy’s Midways’ ride I think. Could have gotten three different Zippers in one day…well maybe, that may have been a bit too many fairs to hit in one day.
And yes I’ve been wanting to ride Stinger since I heard about it last year. I’m hoping it turns up at a Reithoffer spot in NJ but I’m not going to hold my breath. NJ is notoriously strict with ride regulations and new rides have to go through a lot of red tape apparently. 7 tickets, lol thats almost as much as their Speed ride.
Well, I’ve only had enough money for just those 2 spots anyway, haha. Hmm, I’ve actually never heard of Tommy’s Midways. I wonder if they have a website so that I can follow them and ride their ride at a fair nearest me. I would’ve had a “3-Course -Zipper- Buffet” yesterday lol. Wow, I didn’t even know that for sure until now. Was it their last day there yesterday as well?
Yeah, it was at the Staten Island Mall there too. As well as the Pharaoh’s Fury (the Higher-swinging kind..went on it 3 Times on the ends, as it’s my 3rd fave ride on my list!), Orbiter, Kroon Giant Wheel, Cliff Hanger, Indy 500 Car mini-coaster, Avalanche (Moby Dick), Himalaya (Wisdom), and of course, my #1 Fave Ride On My List, -Zipper- (the yellow one, with red and blue cars). Though the toll to cross the Goethals Bridge getting there was kinda steep. $12 to get into NY!
Oh, I forgot, 2 Saturdays ago I also went to the North Jersey DARE Carnival in Paramus, NJ (Reithoffer’s voluntary event..as I don’t know what unit they were travelling on). There it had the Chance Giant Wheel, Super Himalaya (Musik Express), Sky Flyer (larger version of the Vertigo), Tango, Wild Mouse, Yo-Yo, Power Surge (they GOTTA fix the ride to make the whole arm rotate as it should), Starship 2000, Orbiter, Pharaoh’s Fury (it wasn’t as high as it should be, they gotta fix that too), and Freak Out! There was no -Zipper- there unfortunately. This is their last day there as well before moving to, probably N. Brunswick. I’ve also asked the Reithoffer crew on their FB page, “Will the -Zipper- and of course the Huss Flipper (Tornado) be at the N. Brunswick Fair this year?” I’ve got no response from them yet, but I’m willing to try their Huss Flipper (Tornado) ride there, and hopefully their Wild Claw (KMG Afterburner/Fire Ball) as well. That’s if…They’ll All Appear at the N. Brunswick Fair this year.
Yeah the Corpus Christi carnival ended yesterday.
I can almost guarantee that the NBYSF will have a Zipper there, Tornado, not so sure. They didn’t have it last year and considering how large the ride is (3 or 4 trailers I think) they might just reserve it for the biggest of the big carnivals now. See what they say though. Power Surge has had a non-rotating arm for years now, I doubt they’ll ever fix it since it gets the same ridership regardless.
Hey I just got Good News from the Reithoffer FB page. They’ve just said that the Tornado will appear at the NBYSF This Year! (and I hope they mean the Huss Flipper, and not just the Wisdom kind, where you spin the 4 seater cross cars, but that is kinda fun though hehe)
PROOF (hope the link works): http://www.facebook.com/ReithofferShows?id=287979712222&_rdr#!/photo.php?fbid=10151020526767223&id=287979712222&set=a.437430942222.222783.287979712222&__user=100000376254218
Robert, Our Zipper will be making an appearance in Hawthorne NJ @ St Anthony’s Church Carnival. 6/13-6/16
I’ll see if I won’t have any problem to attend there. But I will make a note on that now. Thanks! 🙂
Hey there Mike I was there and, I was trying to find U at the fair tonight. I seems as though you might’ve been at another spot your company is playing. I was finding you to tell you “Thanks” and how much I love the “Zipper” ride! 🙂 Hope I’ll see you there Saturday night, along with more of my “cravings” for -Zipper- 🙂
ALSO OPENING THIS SUMMER AT MOUNTAIN CREEK: They;re REOPENING SURF HILL!IT IS CONFIRMED on their website, and on their Facebook page, its opening in the same exact place as the old one.
I can’t believe they rebuilt this ride, and it is still fast. Ride it while you can, because once someone gets hurt the state will probably close it.
I was there all night LOL we must have just missed each other. i was running around all over the place.. I hope to meet you on saturday.
Yeaah 🙂 Oh and just to give u a heads up, I’ll be the big fella wearing either Blue Denim shorts or jeans, mainly with a black “Naruto” shirt (with either the main character with yellow hair popping out on the foreground/front, or one that reads “Strictly For My Ninjas”) and/or with a red or blue headband with the carved “Leaf” symbol on the metal plate. Probably either alone (holding a sign over me) or with my lil nephew (if he won’t have other plans 2morrow night) And I’ll/We’ll be near the big rides. that’s the Starship Gravitron, Ferris wheel, some small looping ride, the Round Up and of course, “Zipper” (mostly the “Zipper”) for most of the evening for a better chance for us to meet =)
lol the small looping ride is a Eyerly LoopOplane .. new to the show 3 weeks ago.
Ooh nice! You know, I’ve never been on a Loop O Plane before, but kinda pretty much too tall for me to ride it now lol. Plus I’ve seen And rode a bigger kind before. it’s at the State Fair Meadowlands (which I go there every year for my birthday, and the 4th of July for the fireworks) each year since its debut in 2008. It’s an open seated, floorless Fabbri Kamikaze called “Banzai” (Although I’ve seen..or, there used to have been a few of the original “closed cabin” versions of the ride when I was younger, but never rode one at all)
Hey now, you guys got a Loop-o-Plane? I haven’t seen one of those traveling around here in a while.
Robert, I’m not sure how tall you are but I’m like 5’8″ and I could probably still fit into one of them. I’d guess if you’re nearing 6 feet then it would be getting pretty tight. Also, I just saw one of those older style Kamikaze type rides at the Warren Lions Expo. It’s a one armed version called Screamer (ARM model?) owned by McDaniel Brothers Shows.
@DoD3Brian
Oh, I’ve seen that company before. They used to play every summer at some field across Elizabeth High School every summer. I remember they had a “Skydiver” and some old style swing ride. And they still do the Waterfront Latin Music Festival every Memorial Day weekend at the Elizabeth Seaport (just a couple of blocks from where I live) This year they had the Screamer there as well. But I wasn’t planning on riding it for some reason lol. I’d rather stick to “Banzai” @ the Meadowlands Fair. Hehe. 🙂
@BSAMike
Hey there Mike! Once again I’ll be at the at the St. Anthony’s Feast in Hawthorne, NJ 2nyte! And if u can find me, I’ll be the big fella wearing either Blue Denim shorts or jeans, mainly with a black “Naruto” shirt (with either the main anime character with yellow hair popping out on the foreground/front, or one that reads “Strictly For My Ninjas”) and/or with a red or blue headband with the carved “Leaf” symbol on the metal plate on me. I’ll be attending alone, which I should probably arrive around 8 or 8:30 (holding a sign over me that reads “Lone Leaf Ninja Came Here Alone To Ride -Zipper-. But Ride Ops DO NOT ALLOW Single Riders On It. Willing To Ride With Someone Here. IF ANYONE INTERESTED TO RIDE WITH ME ON -ZIPPER -, PLEASE STEP FORWARD AND TALK TO ME ABOUT IT. THANKS =)”) because my nephew will be going to a wedding party in Edison, NJ. Ah well, I guess more “Zipper” fun for me. 🙂 And again, I’ll be near the big rides. that’s the Starship Gravitron, Ferris wheel, some small looping ride, the Round Up and of course, “Zipper” (mostly the “Zipper”) for most of the evening for a better chance for us to meet =)
See Ya There 2nyte! 🙂
-Robert -“Zipper” Lovin’ Leaf Ninja- Mata
Awww man I was a little too late to find out about this one. And I think I know where that “Zipper” came from. It was from an East Rutherford, NJ defunct carnival company called “21st Century Shows”. I can tell because from the former show’s website (before it got closed) it had the Epic, Symbolic “Zipper” logos on the back of the cages if you look closer to the pics with the backs showing. And in one of these pics you’ve posted here, It’s The One I’m Talkin About! 😀 Though yes, I was a little too late (and had just not much money for this fair as well) to find out about this fair. Thanks for posting these. I can’t believe I missed out on this one lol.
Yeah that sure does look like their old Zipper. I had to look up their page using the “Internet Archive” (archive.org) to see and the cached site crashed my browser like five times. lol But I managed to see it in that massive collage they put on the front page (that thing must have chewed up bandwidth like crazy.)
Looks like they also had a Loop-o-Plane, wonder if that’s the one BSA picked up.
Wow… GREAT article. I, unfortunately, only visited the park once growing up. (Although went to VV many times for ski season) It was probably in the mid-late 80’s, so I would have been about 15 or so. The icy cold water is something I’ll never forget…. Going down the cannonball (when we went it was part underground and had the 90 degree turn) and being shot out falling in to the ice cold water below. Good times… good times. 🙂
I don’t remember a lot of the rides… the tarzan swing, the cannonball, alpine slide, couple of the raft rides. I think a few others. The Cannonball Loop was not opened when we went, and I still have a picture of it someplace in a box. 🙂
No one mentioned it, but back in 87 or so there was a ‘sister’ park to Action Park down in Pine Hill, south jersey. For many many years it was a ski resort called Ski Mountain, and then at some point they teamed up with AP and added a water park. For the first year, they had the same name – Action Park. But then they changed it to Action Mountain. Had the same font and colors in their logo. They had about a dozen rides… Tarzan swing, alpine slides, go carts, a river raft ride… cannon ball ride (both for adults and one for kids) a non-wave pool… bumber boats… few other rides. I have more pictures from that park since it was 10 min from my house, and when I was 16 I worked there for a summer as a ride attendant. (As did a bunch of my friends)
It wasn’t as dangerous as AP, but it wasn’t super safe. The water was much warmer, since it was heated (but still on the cool side).
I don’t know if this link will work but he is a pic of my shirt:
(after the name change)
http://www.azclan.net/pics/action-mtn.jpg
That park, both the water and the ski resort, eventually closed. They owed a ton of money in back taxes, and they jacked into the water system of an apartment complex that was right along side of the park. (So they were stealing the water)
On Friday and Saturday nites they held dance parties for a couple months to try and make some money to pay the back taxes… but it didn’t work and the place was shut down for good.
I wouldn’t trade my childhood for anything. Between AP, AM, the stabbings and other violence at Great Adventure… the 80’s were just an awesome time!!!!
-R
(roach@azclan.net)
Hey there Brian! Guess what? I’m sure you’ve met BSAMike at OLP this year. I’ve Finally Met Him As Well..@ St. Anthony’s in Hawthorne, NJ 🙂 And yes I came alone, and a police officer tore up my sign because they said I’m “creeping out” ppl, especially little kids like that. WTF? How am I even scaring ppl like that, just for holding a sign that’ll attract someone to ride the -Zipper- with me? How can it “cause harm” to anyone?? I came over there just for that, and of course, meet Mike. They’ve only got down my info/ID (my address on my drivers license, my phone #) into their little “notepad” in case they see me do that again so they can take me “downtown”. Those pricks, but I didn’t want no more probs with them. So I stood near the ride almost all night, and then a carny who was putting the locks on the ride asked me “Have you found Mike yet?” I said I didn’t yet. So he took me to the Loop O Plane for me to see him there. Once I’ve finally got to meet him, I thought he’d look more like one of the “rough” types. But he’s alright, hehe. We had a decent conversation about a bit of our lives, and how the they used to have a Kamikaze before the new Loop O Plane they’ve just got. He offered me a ride on it but I said “I’d rather stick with the “Banzai” (or “Footloose” they call it as well, I’ve heard) better. Plus he was operating it for the night because the guy who was supposed to operate it didn’t show up. And so I’ve waited til he finishes with the Loop o Plane (they named it “Dragon Loops”, medieval themed) and right to the time the carnival shuts down, we went on the “Zipper” together and even though I’ve bought the tickets for it, he let me ride with him, For Free! 😀 I’ve had a bit of a sucky time but once we’ve met, my night got awesome. I can’t wait to hopefully see him again in Bayonne (yep, they’re doing there again but at a different church) and the ride there as well. I’ll see if my nephew on can come with me on Friday night (the night before I get to the NBYSF on Saturday night) Yep it was amazing and I’ve recorded it on my phone to hopefully make a good vid of it when I get my laptop fixed. And if I come alone, maybe we’ll do it again but I’ll just see if I can be there Friday night.
And Mike (if you’re reading this) Thanks for making my Saturday night in Hawthorne better! 🙂 And I forgot to ask while we were in Hawthorne, will the “Zipper” appear at the next church in Bayonne? If so, give me the address to where it’ll be and I’ll make sure I’ll ask my nephew before Friday night, if he won’t have other plans for that night. Thanks 🙂
Heh, you could try my trick for getting on Zipper in the event you go to a fair alone. Basically I’ll just hang out in front of the ride and wait for a single rider to be turned away (it ALWAYS happens even with a sign posted.) When I see the exchange happen between the ride op and rider, I’ll walk up near the exit and ask the rider if it’s ok to hop on with him. Now I’ll be honest, I’ve only done it once but I ended up waiting like 5 minutes total and then got to go through the exit gate, negating the entire line.
Sounds like you two had a good time. I did meet him briefly during the OLP fair during the day on Saturday and he seemed like a pretty down to earth guy. Unfortunately later on that night when I stopped by briefly (picking up zeppolies lol), I walked right past him as I’m absolutely horrible with faces. It was only once I got back to my car that I was like “hey…that guy that looked at me strange was Mike I think!”
I’m going to have to stop by at another BSA spot to see this Loop-o-Plane and Mike (if I can recognize him that is lol.) I don’t know when though as I’ve been pretty busy lately.
Hmmm, well last night I’ve been standing leaning beside the railing (behind the operator and the control box) and I haven’t seen Any single rider, especially when they’re in line. And I’ve even asked the assistant who was putting on the locks if he could let me know or get a single rider so I can ride with them. “I’ll see if it’s possible” he said. And it got kinda pretty unlucky for me. And if I had not met Mike, I wouldn’t have got my ride last night. But for now, I don’t have to worry about going by myself because, I’ve asked my nephew if he can go with me on Friday night (since we both have other places to go on Saturday night) to their Bayonne spot and I’m glad he said yes..because there won’t be anything good on TV that night. I don’t want this weekend for me to get boring, especially when I’m turning -22- this Sunday (I hate not having my birthday on a Friday or Saturday lol)
Oh and have you already the NBYSF yet? If so, is my fave ride there? I’m going with 2 of my 3 older sisters (who’s birthday Also falls in on the same week as I do) and their friend to celebrate and we’re all gonna ride the “Zipper” if it’s there, even though on Reithoffer’s FB said they do.
Jeez, I guess I got lucky then. I remember it was a three person group when I got on that Zipper; the first two went on and their friend was turned away. And no, I didn’t go to the North Brunswick fair yet, I might go Tuesday night.
Hope you have a happy birthday btw!
Ugh, it sucks having that “No Single Riders” rule. Before that they didn’t have that rule. I wonder why..
Hmm, why not come Saturday? On Saturday nights they’re doing Dazzling and Spectacular fireworks shows @ 10pm. Maybe u could capture some footage of it, as well as the rides, and make it an awesome, epic and fun montage. And perhaps we’ll meet as well if u come this Saturday night 🙂
And thanks. When’s your birthday and how do u celebrate them? I’m so glad I was born between the North Brunswick fair and State Fair Meadowlands (which I have gone there to celebrate my birthday since I turned 13. Before then was Chuck E Cheeses lol) I’ll be having a 2-Part Celebration this year! 😀
Sorry man, I’m busy Saturday, I’m going to visit my friend down in south Jersey. As for the Zipper rule, it’s because if a person turns sideways they can slip out from under the bar and go tumbling around the cage. Even after Chance made the suggestion to not allow single riders some places still allowed them (namely Coney Island.) It wasn’t until everyone started suing for stupid crap that all Zipper owners started clamping down for fear of some idiot slipping under the bar and then suing them because the manufacturer suggested that there be no single riders.
And my birthday was in May; I celebrated by going out with friends and getting hammered. lol
Awwwwww, it would be great if u did. But, I see. I visit my friends on Saturdays as well, but mostly during the day (and at night only during the Fall and Winter seasons) And on Sundays (even some of them attend church so I visit them after they get back from church) And mostly on Saturdays nights in the SprUmmer season (notice it’s Spring and Summer together) I plan to take my friends (or anyone I know) to the fairs. 🙂
Wow..how could someone be dumb enough to slip under the bar, and not facing the proper direction? Or is it by accident?
And lol wow. As for me in seriousness, I don’t get drunk (or drink any alcoholic beverage, I’m a Non-Alcoholic. Also a Non-Smoker) and Never Will because I do love driving to a lot of these fairs with my Top 3 Fave Rides (Zipper, Ring of Fire, and Pharaoh’s Fury, I haven’t quite thought of others yet lol) And I don’t EVER want to get a DUI and get my license suspended nor revoked. I have A Lot of common sense. And those that do that stupid stuff are just plain stupid, plain and simple.
Nope. They sold their loop o plane before we could get it (it was in VERY good shape too) the Loop we bought was from All County Amusements on Long Island
I saw their website and I see they also have a “Zipper”, do they? Just curious cause I don’t think can drive.all the way that far to ride their ride lol.
LOL you guys are to funny. Robert, glad you enjoyed the zipper. Glad i struck you as a “rough” type LOL We will be in St. Henry’s in Bayonne next week (zipper and loop o plane will be there) however i will not be. I will be on Long Island (HOME SWEET HOME) for the week. If you go enjoy your time there.
Awww, well thanks for the info. And my nephew (his name is Christian btw) will be going with me this time, We’ll both be attending this Friday night (as Saturday night I’ll be at -Reithoffer-‘s North Brunswick Fair with my 2 older sisters to celebrate my and one of my sister’s birthday, which falls on the same week as I do. And my nephew has other plans on that night as well) Thanks again, and U enjoy your break at home 🙂
Haha, Zipper does strange things to people Mike. I remember there was some dude hanging around this site for a while who wanted to break the record for time riding on the Zipper. In every single post he made he left his email and other contact info hoping a show would contact him. Don’t know what ever happened with him…
Well, a while after Michael Jackson passed away, I’ve heard on TV or somewhere on the internet saying that he has a World Record time on that ride. He rode for -35 minutes- straight. Geez and I ain’t crazy thinking about doing it yet. I’m just not quite that famous now as he was lol. Maybe the guy (Bruce Bell, I believe his name was?) here wanted to beat Michael’s record for good lol.
Proof: http://www.michaeljackson.com/us/news/did-you-know-5
Check out the comments section of what ppl said about it. 🙂
LOL Brian that guy emailed us a few times hoping we would let him do it.. We never replied to him
yea the carnival is pretty awesomee … n this year its going to be amazing.. wednesday is suppossed to be the best day to go (6/20/12) because there is supposed to be a bollywood dance school performing at around 7:30.. so yea it’ll be greatttt
Yes they have a zipper (a little scary) lol the closest they come to you is Queens, NY
Wow, when do they come there? And how is it scary unlike the ones I’ve been on before? Are their ride Faster or Crazy or something? 😀
Great write up as usual.. thanks Brian!
I remember Waterworks too – I think it was 1978 when I first went – no mats were used back then, just you and the fiberglass slides! They added mats shortly after though.
There was another waterpark nearby, it had concrete slides built into a landscaped hillside. I can’t recall the name though. Waterworks was way better anyway.
Rainbow Rapids
For the record, 1978 predates waterworks by at least half a decade. While I do not know the exact year, I’m 100% certain it couldn’t have been before 1983, the year my family moved down to the Jersey shore; because I remember going to rainbow rapids then when it was the only game in town before waterworks was established. And I think it was several years after that in fact.
no just older, more beat up looking lol
i believe they will be in Queens again in a week or two.
Wow! Then I guess I changed my mind lol. I’m not riding ones that don’t keep up with maintenance on Zipper rides like you always do. 🙂
Btw, I was planning to go to the St. Henry’s in Bayonne with my nephew 2nyte. Unfortunately due to the wet and dangerous weather earlier, we canceled it. And also because he has something else to do 2nyte (will it still be open on Sunday and what time will they close early?) Plus I don’t wanna go alone 2nyte also and there ain’t nothing good to watch on TV 2nyte, ugh.. So yeah, today Sucked big time. But 2morrow will be better for me, my 2 older sisters, and their friend for us to go to the North Brunswick Youth Sports Fest to celebrate my birthday (which is on Sunday. It sucks not having it on Friday or Saturday lol) to ride Reithoffer’s “Zipper” along with the other big rides there together til it closes at midnight and watch the fireworks! 😀
All County Amusements has some pretty cool rides it looks like. I don’t know if I’d go to Queens just to check them out though. I typically only venture over there to see the Mets if I can help it. heh
they have a good selection of older rides, the newest ride they have is the Sizzler from around 2002. Their kiddie rides are much nicer then their majors
Bayonne will be open Sunday but i am not sure what time it is open until
I’ll just call the church’s office to find out.
Hey there Mike, I didn’t go to the Bayonne church carnival last Sunday, because I know it closed early. So instead I went to the North Brunswick fair for another 2 rounds on Reithoffer’s -Zipper- and one final round on their Tornado (Huss Flipper) ride. It drizzled a bit but it didn’t hurt my night (my actual birthday)
hey does anybody know how tall cannonball loop was?!? from the ground to the point of entry otherwise known as the station or the front of the queue (from the grass to the top of the staircase) ?
Thanks if anybody knows I would appreciate it.
I can’t find any reliable resource on the height, so I examined an image myself and determined about how tall 6 feet was in the picture (based on the average height of a man) and tried to measure from there. My measurement method gives me roughly 48 feet from the top of the platform (which is on a small hill) down to ground level.
theres a new one cald alien obduction i love it it is so fun XO
Thanks for the memories! I used to go there frequently 20 years ago, then it seems they just let everything go and the place turned into a dump. Unfortunately there is nothing around here like it today.
Cool site. It’s funny because my nephew was recently talking about how sick Six Flags in Mass was. I started laughing and said “that’s nothing, you should have seen Action Park”. He laughed and thought I made up the name.
I’m from CT and we used to go twice each summer from 1980 till it closed. I’ve been on every ride there. By the end of the day, you were definately beat up. I know there is a video that one of my friends shot from 1990. I don’t know if he still has it but it basicallly chronicled our weekend at the park. I would love to see that once again. The rides were fast and harsh, the water was freezing (especially when you were waiting for you turn and the stoned attendants hosed you down for a minute with frigid water until they said “GO”) and the alpine slide had more skin on it than track.
One of my first times there, I was too short for the INDY cars at Motorworld and the guy turned me away. I took my socks, balled them up, put them in my shoes near the heel and got back in line. It was painfully obvious that I was trying to make myself taller, but the guy still let me go on. Funny how you could sometimes beg your way onto any ride in the park. If you rode the smaller go-carts, you could manipulate the governor by pressing on a bar on the right bottom edge of the car. Still today, any time I jump on a cart at a park, it’s the first thing I look for, and I’m 42 :)Thank you AP.
Looking back now, it was a dangerous place, but we loved it. All the stories I’ve read are so true that it brings me back to that young kid in the 80’s who was basically a test dummy for the weekend at AP. I’m very suprised that more people didn’t lose their live’s at that place.
I was in NJ in the area around 1997. I went to see what happened to the place and it looked like something out of horror movie. The rides and slides were still there but everythinng was overgrown. I needed to see more so we found a way in and checked it out for one last time. Really creepy.
If it was still around and was operating as it did in the 80’s, I probably wouldn’t let my kids go there.
Is the breakdance in Morey’s Pier still around? I surely miss the one in Coney Island. That was my favorite. Oh man they need to have that ride on the east coast for sure!
This Is My 2nd Fave Ride On My List! 😀 I Was Hoping That It Would Be at the Meadowlands Fair. But sadly, it’s not there this year..
I was one of the lucky people that got to ride the cannonball. I had gone there so many times as a kid until Action Park shut down in the 90s. Anyway I would always stare at it and wonder why it wasn’t open. Originally the loop was smaller than the one you have in the picture. It was actually modified to the bigger loop you have in the pic. I remember the first time I saw it was bigger and thought they’ll finally open this thing but they didn’t. Then one day i was walking by and there was a life guard sitting there but no one was really riding. So i went up and sure enough it was open. However it had tight weight restrictions. Like 130-225 pounds. The reason I remember is my brother and dad who were with me couldnt ride it because my dad was too heavy and my brother was too light. Anyway I rode it and somehow your body twisted over as your rode through the loop as I asked the lifeguard what happens to you as you go through. It was fast as hell, I was dizzy as hell after and had no idea what happened to you. That was the only time I rode it. It was the only time i saw it open. But it was worth it.
The first time I saw the sky diver was at a carnival in Virginia Beach.It looked so scary for me being 12 at the time.I would not ride it until.I was 20.I clearly remember the ride operator cranking up The Rolling Stones “Tumbling Dice” loud as hell as it hit top speed.
No review about the North Brunswick fair from u this year?
Around this time of the year I usually start falling behind on trip reports. lol
Oh haha, that’s nice. 🙂 Can’t wait to go to the Meadowlands Fair on the 4th with my best friend! I hear they have the Zipper again This Year! 🙂
Yes they do, Strates brought their Zipper to the fair again. They also brought Enterprise which was a surprise to see at the fair. I was kind of hoping they’d also bring Top Spin but guess that was wishful thinking. Top Spin and Space Roller on the same midway would have been a sight to see.
Yeah that would. But hopefully the Top Spin would be there next year. And I see there’s no Ring of Fire this year. I was expecting it to be there since it does appear at the fair every year.
I honestly doubt Top Spin will show up at the Meadowlands again. That thing only goes where the Strates train goes and Meadowlands isn’t one of their stops anymore. I actually think it’s been sitting in a Middletown, NY train yard since April, awaiting to be setup for the Orange County Fair. That’s just how rarely they use it!
Wow..that sucks. Why would they wait that long until it comes time to set it up at the Orange County Fair? Strates should do a stop for the Meadowlands Fair every year
I’m not sure if I’ll be at another Strates event this year but I’ll just have to plan and see. And I have rode the Top Spin once at Six Flags Great Adventure. But it didn’t run as intense as it used to since its debut
Great article. I spent summers in Vernon and went to Action Park every summer, repeatedly. (We’d sneak in with used wrist bracelets for free.) I was probably one of the first riders on the Alpine Slide. It was the first ride built and I still remember these psychedelic themed posters, advertising it around town. No matter how careful you were, there was a chance of being badly hurt. If you went too fast. BAM! You’d fall off. If you went too slow, BAM. Person in back of you, crashed into you and now you’re both hurt. Best to take your chances and go as fast as you could go. By the time I was in my late teens, most of my friends worked there and had no interest in stepping foot in their workplace on their day off. So I stopped going. Besides, people weren’t getting bruises there. They were being maimed. I had a scar on my left from going down the Alpine Slide without a cart. I crashed on a turn. Then continued sliding down the slide, without a cart to protect me. The slide was fiberglass and it burnt the skin off my leg. That’s the only way I can describe it. Not cut, not scraped, not bruised, burnt. And I had the scar for years. I’d show it off like a badge of honor.
There is a great carnival in Mount Olive starting Wednesday, July 11, 2012 and running through Sunday, July 15, 2012 (with Fireworks on Saturday July 14, 2012. Definately worth going too! It will be at Turkey Brook Park.
Where is the coney island breakdance going? I know they sold it but dont know where!
Ahhhh, Action Park memories. I was there a few times in the 80’s with my family and one particular time with my sister and our now husbands. On that occassion we were going down the Kamakazee (spelling?). Anyway as I’m launching myself, I feel my one piece suit “catch” on a protruding nail. Between that and the speed of the wedgie maker the entire “butt” of my suit was torn out.
When I reached the bottom the lifeguard was insisting I get out. Explaining I couldn’t because my rear was torn out of my suit, the terd didn’t care.
Thank God my sister had her shorts near by for me to put over my then exposed butt. We went to file a complaint and surprise surprise, they didn’t do crap about it. They wouldn’t even replace my torn suit with one out of their shop, I had to buy a new suit there!!!!
My family passes this place every year on our annual Wildwood vacation! We always used to wonder what was up with that weird gorilla, and no one ever seemed to be at the park even when it was still operating. One year we saw the gorilla on the ground minus the slides, and then the next year he was gone. Now the only thing that’s left of the place is some old go kart tracks.
here’s a made-up song to sing on this ride: it feels so weird to me right now(from calvin harris’ feel so close only i changed the words). kinda strange trying to breathe if you pay attention to that stuff:)luv it! went on it at local carnival and going on it as much as i can every time it comes!!! the only thing that sux is u can’t ride alone:(
Orbiter is strange in that there’s some that have a no single rider rule but many others that don’t.
Yay! About time lol. Well yeah, sounds like you had a pretty good time there..during the day I see. Yeah, this year’s fair there got a bit better..though they could’ve had the Wild Claw there but Freak Out is kinda the same experience..only smaller. Wowee! I went on the 2 Final nights of the fair, well of course it was my birthday weekend ya know. 😉
—————
So My 1st time was Saturday night (June 23rd..the night before my birthday..and which they also were doing a spectacular fireworks show that night), I went with my old cousin (she’s hot btw) who returned home to Elizabeth after spending 4 years And Graduated from some major college in Miami, Florida. Along with 3 of her guy friends. One of them named Oscar has his own car and drove all of us there. We planned to arrive at 8:30pm (the time the sun sets and the rides’ lights turn on) but we got caught up on some heavy traffic along the NJ Turnpike. So better 15 mins late then never I suppose. And parking wasn’t that harsh either. As we all got to the entrance, my cuz and her friends all paid $4 to get in. But since I got their MegaPass (Official discount ticket that’s good for Free Admission and UNLIMITED RIDES..which were sold @ Walgreens a month prior to the event) I had no problems getting in. Once I’ve set foot past the entrance gates, I went to one of the nearest ride ticket booths, so I can exchange my MegaPass for the Unlimited Ride wristband. Then we all walked around the fair for a bit to see what this year’s fair had in store..and to see how much tickets each ride there cost. I was excited to to see the Tornado and Zipper in action when I first got near them.
So my cousin’s friends (except my cousin, sadly) bought a few tickets for the rides and my first ride of the night, was 1 round on “Zipper”. I went on with Oscar and it was his 1st time ever lol. It was weird that the ride only loads one car at a time, with the cars Facing the Giant Wheel. (its LED light patterns were beautiful) On the ride’s counter-clockwise rotation, the ride flipped us about 6 times in a row before we reached the other side of the boom. In its clockwise rotation, it didn’t front flipped us at all. But at least he had fun lol.
After our 1st round on “Zipper” Oscar and my cuz’s other friends decided to go the “Tango”. Even my cuz tried to get me to ride it but I refused to go on it lol. But Then I said, if the ride does appear at this fair next year, I’ll ride it with my best friend. And the ride started, Me and her chuckled and laughed at the guys riding it, holding onto the bars and one yelled “My Balls” in Spanish lol. My cousin shouted “punks!” at them as the ride ended, haha. I felt sorry for one of the guys xD And that was the only ride they went on. (except for Oscar who also went 1 round on Zipper with me) After that, Oscar and the other guys head back to the car to chill while me and my cousin are still at the fair. So I figured, I got the wristband so I might as well have fun on the rides myself while I’m here celebrating my 22nd birthday. So I then went on the Orbiter, then Wild Mouse, Pharaoh’s Fury (lucky I got on one of the ends of it hehe), and of course, the ride I was daring myself to ride since it last appeared there 2 Years Ago…TORNADO! 🙂
Though I went alone, which was kinda sad for me but at least I got to to enjoy it. So I sat in on car, with no other 2 riders next to me. And as soon as the ride started, I started yelling OMG, why am I doing this?? xD The ride went like a wild bronco, with the power of an 80 degree angled HUSS “Break Dance” (which I never rode in my life) combined with the speed of an “Enterprise” or “Round Up”. I didn’t think it looked fast while I was in line for the ride. But myy goodness, was it FAST! The worst was when it lasted for about 3 minutes lol! But wowwweee what a ride! I loved it 🙂
And after that, I went on the “Freak Out”..which kinda made me a lil sad that the “Wild Claw” wasn’t there this year. But “Freak Out” does give an experience like it, only less seats and lower height while in full swing. And what was weird about the ride was how it ran. After the 1st round, the ride slows down, the floors go back up, and you’d think it was over and the harnesses will release you. But after about 5 seconds the floors go back down and you’re still strapped in for another short round. Worth a ride I suppose. 🙂
And as I got off the ride, the fireworks started shooting into the clear night sky over the Giant Wheel, such an epic sight. My cousin wished me a “Happy Birthday” (even though it was the night before lol) and gave me a kiss on the cheek. I blushed lol. And we watched the entire fireworks show together until it ended. After the amazing fireworks finale, it was time for me to go on one more ride, and it was The Last One OF The Night because my cousin wanted us to leave soon so she could get some shuteye for work the following early morning. Which was a bit of a downer but at least I had fun. 🙂
So my last ride of the night was one Last Round on “Zipper”. We walked up towards the ride’s overhead lighted sign and my cousin asked this young good-looking male ride op if it would be possible for him to get someone to ride with me. “I’ll see what I can do. Have him stay right by the exit gate and I’ll let him know.” We thanked him of course. 🙂 And once the ride op finally got me someone to ride with I sat next to a young male teenager. We both had a lil chat and asked ourselves if we’ve been on the “Zipper” before. We both said yeah and we were a bit surprised, hehe. And then finally the ride started in a counter-clockwise rotation. Then ride has us back flipped only twice. The teenage boy’s face hit the cage door..and I saw that happened haha. Then in its clockwise rotation, it felt hard! It held us upside down for about 3 seconds then wildly front flipped us about 4 times. My goodness, that felt hard! Though that’s one of the reasons why the “Zipper” is my #1 fave! 🙂 Though I felr sorry for the kid who bumped his head on the cage door.
And as I got off of it. My cousin laughed at me and said “OMG, that was scary! How was it? I got a lil dizzy after watching you go through all of that” hehe. I told her, “Maybe next year you’ll ride it with me, huh?” “We’ll see” she replied. But wow, what a perfect way to end the night. And so after that, we walked up to some food court near the fair entrance, and bought myself a beef shishkebab (small chunks of grilled meat on a stick..and boy they were small)..with some bbq sauce on it..it’s too bad they didn’t include some bread with that. But what also got me a lil iffed, was that it costed me $4. My goodness, $4 for such small chunks of grilled meat on stick? “Carny food” sure is expensive nowadays. Then we head back to the car to meet up with Oscar and the guys, for Oscar to drive us back home safe (and glad I did. He speeded like he was “Speed Racer” on the Turnpike. Lucky no cops didn’t pull us over.) And got home, ate some leftover pizza from last night, watched TV and fell asleep. 🙂
BUT THAT’S NOT OVER YET..STAY TUNED FOR -PART 2- (MY ACTUAL B-DAY AT THIS FAIR) COMING SHORTLY.
Haha, you need to start up a Blogspot blog of your trips as they’re pretty good reads.
And what the heck man, you didn’t go on Tango? I rode it without holding on and I came out fine. The seats actually have handles around where your thighs are; holding on to those (instead of the metal harness part) helps a lot more. I think too many people tend to lean forward on this ride as well, getting your butt on the bike seat helps.
i really want to ride this thing bad!!
Oh it’s great! I don’t know where you are but this ride normally travels up and down the east coast.
looks like sooo much fun!
—VIDEO— Alice in Chains at Action Park!
Alice In Chains 1993 MTV HBB Special- Action Theme Park in Vernon, NJ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=tYrDcjgZzSw#t=362s
–AUDIO– discussion
JRJR Show #46 – Action Park, World’s Most Dangerous Waterpark
Published on May 28, 2012 by jeffrubinjeffrubin
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkmI9xZXQjo
Heh, Hey thanks, that sounds like a good idea! But I got some questions about it though..Do you get paid to run and post updates to this site? And is it very likely that I could get paid to do a blogging and carnival/fair ride site similar to this? I’d like to do this kind of thing to earn a little extra money, since my job fairly pays not as much but it’s been pretty much sustainable. I work Mondays (sometimes Sundays) to Fridays from 6am to 4pm and it pays me $8.75 an hour.
And wow, heh..well lucky for you. 🙂 I don’t know how you’ve managed to gone through the “Tango” with a bit of pain (since I hear it’s been a bit of a “ball buster”), but wowweee! I just wasn’t quite ready for it this year. 🙂 All that mattered to me about that ride, was the “after” part. As many guys’ “eggs” got scrambled during the ride. I’ve been hearing them saying that as they exit the ride lol! Hmm, if I were to really go on it next year..with my best friend perhaps I should have a “cup” on me for it..just in case, hehe. And besides that, with the metal bars, would the ride’s full forces cause your head to jam left and right onto the sides of the metal bars? I’d like to know if that could happen. I’d like to hear others’ “Tango” experience before I finally get to try it out firsthand. And I wish I still had my old bike now. My mum had to sell it to help pay for my “always drunk” stepdad’s 1st DUI charge. :-/ (it’s a long story)
I don’t get paid anything, this is just a personal site. I have some ads running but unless you have a site that gets a ton of traffic (as in 1000s of hits a day) then they don’t really make much. Something like Blogger (Blogspot is Blogger now apparently) is free so there’s no loss and after a while it might turn into something big. I think you can add Google Ads to Blogger as well.
As for Tango, no cup is needed. Just hop on and enjoy, it’s not as bad as you think it is. Just make sure to hold onto the handles and not the metal harness thing. And no, you won’t hit your head on the bars as they’re pretty far apart. They don’t actually hold you in anyway, all they do is hold two seatbelt type straps that rest on riders’ shoulders.
Being a child of the late 80’s, I am envious of the recklessness that abounded at Action Park!! Here in central Ohio we had NOTHING like that , just Wyandot Lake, a waterpark in Columbus that catered to old people and small children.
Oh bad news, this year’s Union County Fair/MusicFest has been CANCELED
http://www.nj.com/suburbannews/index.ssf/2012/03/union_county_musicfest_and_uni.html
Would’ve been a nice opportunity for -Blue Sky- (maybe with some lame McCafferty rides..but mostly Blue Sky) to run the midway for this kind of event this year.. -_-
Aww, that sucks. But speaking moneywise, I thought it would be a good investment. Oh and I I found more info about some blog sites that Does “Pay Per Blog”
http://www.ehow.com/how_2100793_paid-blog-paid-blogging-networks.html
And I’m kinda having trouble finding the handles you were talking about in one of these pics? Can you put up some good picture of Tango’s seats with an arrow pointing to the part I need to hold on? So that I’ll know when I’ll finally ride it with my best friend next year. 🙂
I forgot about this comment!
Look at this picture: http://www.domainofdeath3.com/news/wp-content/gallery/2012-nbysf-1/tango5.jpg
The handles are sticking out of the pink section at the bottom of each seat. They don’t look like much but they help a lot.
I recently had to move back to my family home, into the basement. These little bastards have been my sworn enemy since I was a kid. I’ve done battle with them for years. I’ve tried everything…but lately I find the best, most accurate and effective method is my trusty old 5 iron. You can whack them good and fast. The action of the club slicing through the air and coming down on them is swift enough that they don’t see it coming…and they’re toast. Meantime, I’m planning to bug bomb a storage area where I’ve discovered they’re congregating, and then spray the perimeters of the basement, outside and inside. That ought to teach those little f’ers.
I saw a lot of commercials on TV about Action Park but never went to it because my parents never took us to any amusement parks, only to zoos and museums.
But I never knew what a dangerous place it is until I happened to pick up a copy of Weird NJ vol 2 and came across a section on Action Park.
I mean, is this place for real? It seems that everyone who went there got bang up, and kept going back for more. Are there anybody out there who went to Action Park and return in one piece?
HAHA Surf Hill… LOVED it and yes, as a kid I worked my way up to expert LOL… My mother loved it too, except her favorite part was resting in the peanut gallery at the base and watching big tough dudes conquer the expert hills, only to be left red faced when they stood up and realized they had lost their shorts in that last fly over ramps.
My worst injuries occured in the Rock Pool, the years before someone decided it would work to add pads between levels. Before that you had to slide down bare rock.. OUCH!!!! I also remember being denied the chance to chicken out of the cliff dive and was forced to jump when I was about 8 and scared out of my head HAHA
On the Alpine slide, racing the sis, either I got the instructions wrong, or the guy running it got them reversed, but the whole way down, instead of break ON I was break OFF… anyone else ever pull offa full double into the pads at the bottom after nailing them at full speed? Thank god I was just a kid and didn’t weigh TOO much, or end up with a lifetime reminder in road rash scars. But hey, I did beat the hell out of the sis 🙂
As for tarzan, well, as a little kid it sure was an education in upper level curse words, in any language that was in the park HEHE… ya, I guess the water is a little chilly? (umm standing there watching guys try to fish certain body parts back from their stomach was an interesting intro to what happens when the water is a little cold 😉 )
I still wonder what on earth mom was thinking taking us there over and over…. Not sure I could handle taking my own kid LOL. I must have been a real brat.. think she was trying to off us by way of Traction Park 🙂
Thanks for the memories 🙂
HAHA the Gauley! That one actually scared the hell out of me. Sliding in darkness with no clue what’s coming, at HIGH speed! The only light came from periodic slats that acted like a strobe light. Then you come out into the sun, think you’re safe, the WOOPS.. down another tunnel just to shoot out into a pool where you were destined to SLAM BANG into someone just innocently wading there (who would generally proceed to yell at you, as if you had anything to say about where or when you popped out of the darkness… again.. good times LOL
I remember riding the Alpine slide as a teenager. We got to the point that we could ride the whole length of the track with the stick in the cars forward. My friends and I would start slowly and gather around the first turn in the woods to let the track below us clear for each run, then race, rotating base on whether we had to wait for the person in front of us.
I also remember the very attractive women that worked the chairlift and lined the tracks. we always assumed they were refugees from the playboy club working on tans for their evening shifts…
Overall. Awesome amusement park for older kids. I miss it
The zipper is my favorite. The kamikaze was floor less????? The ring of fire is always fun:)
The former Magic Isles amusement park that closed in the late 80’s had one but I’m not sure which company made theirs. They had a DJ in the booth that would play modern rock songs of that era. One operator/DJ loved to play “Freeze Frame” by the J. Giles Band every other hour or so. Very cool ride for a young teen especially at night with the lights came on!
Best Zipper on the US East Coast – Trimper’s Rides in Ocean City Maryland. Well maintained – and runs full speed ahead unlike many of the anemic Zipper rides with the traveling carnivals. You can clearly see this in the video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzAt6Fow4Lk
I ‘m 56 and will never stop riding the Zipper as long as I have the ability to get in the cars. I’ve learned not to hold onto the bars, but rather to fold my arms so that my forearms are resting on the pad above the cage door. This gives you a higher center of gravity and causes you to flip more. Also if the cage door were to fly open you might have a chance to stay alive…LOL.
Honestly – its a smooth ride, not jerky and harsh. Of course there are occasional moments when you are flung upside-down and face first….at the ground – which generally indicates some outrageous flipping action to follow.
Good for your cardio-vascular system too!!!
How about a reverse freefall coaster with no tower at the end. It
Would just launch out and crash
I remember my cousin and I going on this only we would try to be completely silent through out the whole ride instead of yelling and screaming. The silence intensifies the rush you already get since you’re holding everything in.
Ah, I see. That would be quite a challenge for me to keep my grip on those, haha. Wowee, I can’t wait til next year. Thanks for the info:-)
AND FINALLY, HERE’S -PART 2- (June 24..my birthday).. Sorry It took me a while to finish it. I had a lot of things to handle but I finally get to finish this once and for all. Enjoy 🙂
Ok, so I woke up at around 9am, my parents called me to say “Happy Birthday” over the phone, and asked me about my plans for that day. I told them it was gonna be nothing much, even though Sundays are really work, church, and “chill” days. So I watched an “On Demand” movie. And after that I just showered, got dressed, and drove to the Woodbridge Center mall for a 2-hour stroll and “gawk” (window shopping) at some cool stuff in some of the best stores of the mall. There was nothin good to watch on TV during the day so I figured, “why not?”
Then, around 3pm my best friend texted me “Happy Birthday” and asked me what I’ll be doing to celebrate today. “I’ve already celebrated at the fair last night” I texted back to him. Then, he texted “Well, I just got out of church now. Why don’t come over to my place in 30 minutes so we could chill together?” “Sure that sounds cool! I’m exiting the mall right now. I’ll be there in about 30 minutes as well.” I replied.
I drove back to Elizabeth without any problem on the way, I got to my friend’s place just in time as he arrived just a minute later. “Dang, how’d you get here so fast?” he said with a chuckle. “Hey, I got here a minute before you did” 🙂 Heh, we never stop “being bros” to each other hehe. So I went in to his place and stayed there for a while, and watched him play CoD (Call of Duty)
At around 6pm that evening. my friend’s parents got an phone call that someone on the phone told them to come to some location in East Orange. Apparently, that felt a bit of a downer, as I thought I could stay at his place until he goes to bed at midnight. Then he and his parents got dressed and left to wherever in East Orange to need to be.
I went back to my house..watching BORING TV..for another hour or so. And then something in me shouted “Hey! What am I doing watching boring TV? Even though it’s a Sunday, today’s still your birthday! You gotta do something fun tonight at least! Why not go to that fair again tonight?” “That’s right, I’m going there again” I said to myself.
So I finally shut off my TV, grabbed my blue “Naruto” headband (stuffed in my pants pocket), my car keys, my cell phone and my wallet, then drove off solo to the fair via Route 1 & 9 (mainly, Route 1) and just a mile before I got there, it began in rain a bit and I said to myself, “Ohhh no..say it ain’t so..Not tonight, please don’t rain tonight..” I’ve arrived around 8:45 PM and Just as I finally parked my SUV in the parking lot (just a little closer to the entrance this time) and exited my vehicle the rain stopped. Though the sky was kind of overcast, which is alright..only if my real night didn’t get rained out.
I finally got to the main entrance, paid $4 and stepped past the security gates with no probs. I walked towards the Tornado (Huss Flipper) and saw that the back wall (the ride’s scenery) has been taken down, perhaps to prepare for the scheduled “tear down” by 11pm. I then purchased 5 individual tickets at a tickt booth near the ride and went for one, final round on Tornado. It felt weird to me that the ride ops don’t play any good music as they did the night before and that the ride has no background at that time. I went solo on one car. Rough..But it still was a Great ride, no doubt about that! I do hope it’ll come back again next year’s NBYSF 🙂
I then walked over to ticket booth near the Tornado again, just to buy 8 individual tickets for 2 Final rounds on -Zipper-. As I head towards the ride, I see about 50 in line for the ride. “My goodness, look at the line. I doubt I’ll find someone to ride with me tonight” I then head towards the ride op, and asked the guy “Today’s my birthday, though I came here alone. I was hoping if you could find me someone to ride with.” “Just walk up to any person and ask someone who can ride with you”, he replied. “Ok I’ll try that” So I walked up to any person in line, from the 1st person in line, to the last person in line.
I then head towards to ride op and he asked me, “No luck?” “Nope”. So he then told me to stand near the exit gate for about 15 mins, and finally he found me a “Zipper buddy” lol. So went through the exit gate, put on my blue “Naruto” ninja headband and stepped inside the cage, with a young Afro-american teenager. It was his first time. Hehe. As the ride was still unloading and loading more passengers..one car at a time (with the cars facing the Giant wheel)..I don’t know why ride ops do that instead of just filling in 2 cars at a time.
So we chatted a bit, as the young teenager next to me was kinda nervous hehe. “Hey, I felt the same way on my 1st time as you do. Now I’m a -Zipper- Addict :-)” I told him. The cable finally started rotating counter clockwise, as it hurled us up, over the top of the ride before the boom started rotating clockwise as well. Followed by a series a back flips once we reached from one end to the other. And the teenager made some shrill screams (like a girl terrified) as he held on to the bars tightly. And I was going “Oh yeah! Lovin’ this!” and of course, letting out my inner ninja by making “grunt” sounds 🙂 Then, the ride got wilder. As the whole started changing direction, our car just started doing multiple front flips. And it was funny how the teenager screamed on every flip we’ve been through. And the worst was the ride “dive bombed head first” to the ground as we pass around one end. the another series of front flips. Then our car did a couple more flips as the ride finally stopped. What a “fight” for me! As for the teenager, he loved it too. Though he did felt a little nervous once we’ve stopped at the top of the ride, as more people are unloading and loading.
Well that felt great indeed, I thanked the ride op for getting me on it with the teenager, and I went towards him again I said, “Hey, today’s my birthday, on this final night of the fair, can you get someone else for me so I can get on it..just one last time?” “Sure, no prob.”, he replied. Thanks ever so much, let me go buy 4 single tickets again ” “Hurry back.”
I ran to the nearest ticket booth, which was right beside the Tornado and Freak Out. I stood in line for about 3 minutes and got my last 4 single ride tix for my one final round on Zipper. I then hurried back to the ride’s exit gate for the ride op to tell me to get on once he has found someone for me to ride with. And after a ten minute wait, the ride op, yet again has found someone for me to ride with. And this time, it’s with a young adult male (in his 20s, maybe), who had to work until 9:45 and arrived to the fair before the final hour. He too, came alone.
It was also his 1st time ever on the ride. Though he had tried to get on it before but he couldn’t find anyone to ride with him. Lucky for us that we both got to ride it together. As soon as the ride op made sure the locks were finally secured, the ride finally started (the boom first then the cable) rotating counter clockwise. Though it was only one back flip, the rest of that rotation kinda didn’t got rough. And in its clockwise rotation, it just did 2 front flips. “The worst part of the ride is the front flips!” “I agree, but I love this ride nonetheless!” And it stopped us near the ground or platform.
Once we’ve finally got off, we “hi 5d” and thanked each other. And the ride op told me “Have a nice birthday..hoped you enjoyed it” “Thanks for making it happen. Hopefully I’ll see you and this ride next year with my best friend. “Yeah”. He was surely inj a good mood I’ll tell you that. Then I finally left the gate and drove back home about 45 minutes before the fair shuts down and tear down begins. It was a nice 30 minute drive and got home safe and prepared for bed for work the following morning. Wowweee! And I then finally realized that I rode the Zipper twice on Saturday night, and again..Twice on my birthday. 2 and 2..22! Isn’t that epic?! 😀 I guess you can say, that my birthday weekend got “Zipped”..the right way! 🙂 Happy 22nd to me! 🙂
Remember the TV commercials? “ACTION PARK! Where you’re in the center of the ACTION….PARK!!” I remember when the owner first bought the lodge, alpine slide was put in. I was young, maybe 10 years old and my parents and friends used to enjoy the Jimmy Stur Band at the festivals and us kids would wreak havoc. We used to go every year, I watched the park evolve and as I got older, the attractions got more and more intense. Reading what people say here about nothing in the world before or since was/will ever be close to the lunacy of AP. I remember Surf Hill was new and I joined two of the owners sons on an oversized mat in lane seven of eight…flew high into the air, and over the little section intended to slow you down and hit hard at the crash barriers. Hurt my elbow and shoulder pretty bad. The go-carts were beyond anything to be found at a cart track today. The Indy track was amazing, although they did sideline me once for going off the track and onto the grass… I remember hearing the thumping and noises from inside the looping slide as the riders would go through…I think that lasted one season…or less. The Alpine Slide was fun, used to wait as long as the attendent would allow to create enough space for a high speed death run…I crashed on one occasion, off a turn and into what can only be described as a boulder field…seriously, you were in charge of your own destiny here, serious injury or death was a possibility on many of the attractions and AP was home for adrenaline junkies. In no particular order: One year, a friggen loop, the next: a vertically mounted high powered fan to simulate skydiving, the next year: bungee jumping, the next: virtually unsupervised cliff jumping… high speed go-carts with an advanced lap timing system, mini speed boats, kamakazi, another smaller kamakazi type slide where you rode down on small sled-boats and skipped across the water- remember that? Doubtful that a place like that would ever be licensed in this day and age.
If you ever earned your stripes at Action Park, I salute you!
Wow I ve been to action park bout 15 times in late 80’s. It was in short a thrill seakers paradise. I can’t remember one visit were there was not a injury circulating throughout the park. I will always remember how frightened I was on every ride but that feeling was bliss and I trooped on with anxioty and excitement. I recall every ride like it was yesterday. The Alpine slide wich I mastered on the expert track will always be the most incredible fixation for me to date. However so many injuries were always reported. I remember waiting on line for the alpine slide and adjacent to me was the newly opened bunggee jump. That day was the first and last time I saw it open. The attendent said to the guest just jump and aim for the air bag directly below. Now human error or pride made this guest beer up and jump past the air bag. The bunggee broke and he missed the bag and broke his back. I have stories bout every ride. I refuse to go to mountain creek cause don’t wana feel crappy bout wat used to be. The pics posted on this site R money but much more can be addressed. I prob could explain in a short novel how awsome Action park was and how dangerous. Also I never saw the cannon ball loop in operation. Oh and mini golf in motor world was incredible.
I finally got my best friend to ride this with me @ the Middlesex County Fair last Saturday night! We arrived at the fair at around 9:30 pm..a little late but better than never I suppose lol. And it was pretty crowded too once we’ve got there. Although there were some potential threats for severe thunderstorms to hit the area, but luckly they didn’t hit us or caused the night to be “rained out”. It was just a light drizzle as soon as we got in. I brought in $30, enough for fair admissions for me and him. And enough for 3 rounds on -Zipper-. (while each single ride tix only cost $.75 and the ride costs 4 tickets) It could’ve been just 2 rounds cause my friend wanted us to ride the “Pharaoh’s Fury” (the end seats) but he let me decide. So instead, we went on -Zipper- for 3 rounds. My friend admitted that he was a little nervous about it but after the 1st round, He Absolutely..LOVED IT! And it was the best one yet because of the black, comfy leather padding inside the pods that makes us want to fall asleep in..When The Ride Isn’t Running lol. Our first 2 rounds on it was the most brutal. I wish I could’ve gotten them on video if I still had my smartphone with me. (which fell out of my pocket while riding the Gravitron @ State Fair Meadowlands..further details later) On our first 2 rounds we went on the pods that will do front flips. (since they only operate the ride in only one rotation..which was counter-clockwise) And on the last round, it got kinda weak. As we were put in a car that will do back flips. We’ve only been flipped just twice. Most of the time was just rocking back and forth. But sure he loved it. 🙂 And we left the fair 10 minutes before it closed at 11pm. Then we headed back to my friend’s place to chill for another hour and a half before he has to sleep for church the following the day. Surely we had a great time and I’m glad we made it happen. 🙂
I visited AP in the early 80’s. I’m saddened to see how many ‘rides’ they added that I never got to use.
Never saw Jimmy Sturr at AP, but he was still going in 2007. I saw him then at Hunter Mountain while there for a wedding. (Remember those late night polka record ads?)
Bruce, In answer to your comment, regarding Jimmy Sturr playing at the polka festivals in AP , you missed some great polka music as only Jimmy Sturr can play. He draws a large crowd wherever he performs and has a huge following, but you were fortunate to see him in Hunter Mountain. Was he the wedding band at the wedding you attended? He is a great guy as well as a great band leader! We wonder how an Irishman and not a Polish guy got his band together – maybe he has some Polish blood in there somewhere.
If I need a little uplifting, I go on utube and watch his videos and it perks me up. He has several to pick from and I have watched about all of them. What good musicians he has in his band! I love when his fiddler plays his country tunes.
What else can I say – he is the best, and I hope he contines for many years to come ……. 🙂 🙂
Breakdance has been a favorite since I first rode it at Adelaide Show in the early 90s. Its become a staple travelling ride they have every year (like the Gravitron and Matterhorn). Looking forward to having another ride at the Adelaide Show in a couple of weeks 🙂
Love the Gravitron! First rode one in the mid 80s when I was 9. I took my autistic son with me on it when he was 8 and he loved it. Apparently autistics like the feeling on rotors/grravitrons so I tested the theory and they were right.
A word of warning for the more heavy-set people out there. I’d gained a fair bit of weight since riding one before I rode one a couple of years ago. It made me feel a little short of breath while it was going and you feel those G forces even harder!
I still plan on riding it at this year’s Adelaide Show anyway.
I rode a rim driven model in the 80s. My sister and I were terrified and screaming with our eyes closed for most of the ride. She was on the outside, and her leg brushed against a tree branch on the way down every rotation. This was one of the scariest rides I’ve ever ridden, but I was 9 years old. It was at my local fair every year growing up, and I never rode it again. Maybe I’ll try it again as an adult.
Hey there Brian..Long time no talk!
I have another fair you could add to this list… Though I found out about it just now.
It’s the Mercer County Italian-American Festival at Mercer County Park.
It runs from September 27th through the 30th and Majestic Amusements will have their rides there.. Hopefully their “Ring Of Fire” and “Zipper” will be there as well.
And it may be…. THE LAST FAIR OF 2012 IN NJ!
Here’s the website for more info:
http://www.italianamericanfestival.com
I was at a Majestic spot in Scotch Plains earlier in the month and they had Ring of Fire but not Zipper. They did have a Sky Diver though. Of course the lot didn’t have a lot of room so that could be why some of their other rides weren’t there.
Oh, I have heard of that particular spot in Scotch Plains, though I’ve never gone there. Perhaps next year I hope. But sucks that they didn’t include the Zipper. Well, I don’t have to worry because all of Majestic’s rides will be there this weekend. And I’m not going alone either. I’ve had this planned with my best friend but he then canceled on Monday. So, I asked my nephew if he can..hopefully. But yeah, I’m really having the “craving” the “fight” the Zipper like a ninja this Saturday lol. Oh, and there will be fireworks there on Saturday night also. 🙂
Plus, I really craving to ride their Ring of Fire, which it Did Not appear at this year’s State Fair Meadowlands like it had in the past. Idk why..
Friday (in two days) there will be a funfair in my town and they will have the dominator (inversion)
I will ask if they keep the breaks of the chairs disabled
There should be a catagory for most delayed park attraction for next year. Cedar Fair is always late in getting their additions on line in the first year they are built.
I actually think Knoebels would win that category for the whole Flying Turns fiasco. lol
How about Knott’s? They delayed their WindSeeker a bunch. And SFMM could be an honorable mention for Lex Luthor: Drop of Doom.
yay..glad to see this return..i want to add my vote for the 2013 lead tickets award already to Cedar Points Gatekeeper for the worst name ever!..kinda agree with Steve..a “we waited for that?!” category would be fun for delayed lame rides.
I rode this twice, about one hour apart at night time. Fantastic ride and a decent time length as well. Rare to see such a ride with a traveling show as this one was.
Lol, I got beat up by my friends phone in the car since it fell out, the back cover came out and the battery fell out of the car and he couldn’t find it again. Plus his phone got like 5 more dents.
WELL…THAT’S IT, Carnival Ride “junkies”! It’s October, and the 2012 Carnival Season is OVER for NJ (NY? PA?) and another Long winter season is just ahead. Have a nice, safe and healthy Fall and Winter this year. There’ll be more fun with carnival rides in Spring -2o1E-! (backwards “3”)
WOW brings back memories, I remember coming home with my Friends and having that pink cream all over my legs and arms, you always knew who had ridden the alpine slide by seeing that , I also remember my girlfriends top coming off on the surf hill ride, along with many others 🙂 , that was the our favorite hang out spot during lunch/taking a break. I wish I had gotten to ride the lopping tube, it was never open when i was there at anytime and being the daredevil that I am I would have been 1st in line to try. I haven’t been there in god knows how long, thinking of taking my kids there now.
wow..how does six flags great america come in 3rd for worst coasters??…shenannagins!!!!
It’s them Cedar Fair fanboys I bet. lol
fan boys ruin eveything:(
Hated the ride, threw you around like a rag doll and slammed you into your other passenger in a tiny claustrophobic space. Not even that exciting. The only exciting part was getting off that monstrosity.
I’ve loved this ride ever since I was a kid. I always have loved to turn upside down and sideways on the wall in these things. Want to up the ante on the thrill factor? Then doing the very thing mentioned above is what you should try. You will impress everybody else on the ride and cause them to get a kick out of you (in other words you will be the life of the party). You better make sure the operator is cool with it before you try it, though. Often times, especially nowadays the more fussy operators make you stay upright and will often bark at the beginning of the ride: “No going upside down!” When the ride has an operator like that, those found breaking the rules will usually be seriously warned, and the ride can be stopped to kick the offending riders off if the operator deems it necessary. So I guess just make sure the operator is chill and in a good mood before you go upside down.
The one of these I’ve gone on pretty regularly is the one at Lagoon amusement park north of Salt Lake City, Utah. It’s called ‘Centennial Screamer’ there. Other places I have been on it is the one at Dorney Park (pictured above), and the one at Cedar Point, where it’s called the ‘Witches Wheel.’ I have also been on a Schwarzkopf model one at Six Flags Great America called ‘the Orbit.’
After hearing horror stories of how rough this ride was, I was pleasantly surprised to actually find this ride kind of fun. Sure, there are bigger and better coasters out there, and this coaster is a bit harsh on the shoulders, but if you’re in the Vegas area, it’s worth at least one go. The coaster I found really rough was the Desperado, located at Buffalo Bill’s Resort hotel/casino 40 miles down the road in Primm, on the Nevada/California state line. Naturally Arrow-built hyper coasters are typically a little rougher because they’re older than hyper coasters built by other companies, but that one really beat the snot out of me leaving me thinking I was on a rough wooden coaster that didn’t age well (Desperado apparently didn’t age well).
Have you heard about what happened to this place, this week??
Aww man, I can’t believe how such a huge hurricane would wipe out all the fun, exciting, and amazing things the Jersey Shore has to offer.. this is an amazing post to remember by. And we may not be seeing all this Next Summer…thanks to Sandy for ruininng the precious things what made Seaside Heights, NJ beautiful.. 🙁
“Lest We forget”..
Here’s the videos of the Aftermath of SANDY..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_T_fkAhWVzY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rf-4fgUOUE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_macRN-YHs
For everybody’s information the Demon Drop that resided at Cedar Point from 1983 to 2010 is now at Dorney Park. The scariest air-powered tower I’ve been on has got to be the ‘Big Shot’ at the Stratosphere Tower in Las Vegas. Basically it is a space shot ride which is located at the very top of the tower. It’s a whole different ballgame from riding one of these at ground level because you are already 921 feet above the street at the start, and then it shoots you up the spire another 160 feet at 45 mph and 4 Gs. Those with a fear of heights beware! It really is ten times as terrifying when you are already over 900 feet up. I never hollered so loud in my life and I did it without an once of shame.
Then I went on the tallest drop tower in the world this summer. This is Lex Luthor: Drop of Doom at Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, California. It is attached to the Superman: Escape from Krypton tower. It takes you up slowly to 400 feet, parks there for several seconds, then without warning drops straight down at 85 mph. Sometimes a Superman car will come racing up the tower around the corner from you whil you’re going up. This causes the tower to sway a couple of feet in each direction.
When I was a kid, my summer camp would go there two or three times a year. Highlights we’re the break dancing contests ( yeah, I’m that old), watching the girls bikini tops getting washed off on the various slides, cigarette machines, and lots of fellow metal heads. My buddy, Scott, and I would go to motorworld in hopes that the (UN)attendant at the raceway with the formula cars would be drunk enough to let us on. We went to the boats all the time and NEVER saw a snake. Perhaps that was later in the nineties but I’m sure if we had seen some, we would have caught them to bring back home. Boys.
As a Jersey boy of a certain age, I’m glad to have been a part of a NJ legend. As a father of a HUGE 8 yr old, I’m glad it’s no longer the scab factory it once was.
Anybody remember the off road go karts and track they were working on ? Also, anybody know what happened to those LOLA (formula) karts?
i have lived in the same house for 18 years ad i just not started seeing them like last year i am terrified of small crickets and nearly shat myself when i next to my wife and I’s bed to see this thing. my wife thought hey let throw things at it BAD MOVE THEM THINGS CAN JUMP LIKE NO OTHER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i thought that thing was gonna eat me not for real but the ppl who have seen them kno what i mean. my wife and i were talking when i see this thing jump on the wall.. now im not a girly girl but she wont let me live this down i screamed like a girl… when i saw it i screamed and ran out of the room and her sister mom and dad (who we are staying with till i finish skwel) started laughting so she caught it aand she walked over to her dad, him being all big and bad… yea seeing that thing HA! he fell out of his chair and ran to his room.
Wow, that storm was No Joke.. As soon as I heard about it coming here I was thinking “Wow, maybe it would be just the same as Irene. No big deal” But, Sandy did prove us wrong. I could never imagine summer without everything that made Seaside Heights iconic. Until Sandy came and made that nightmare come alive. This was truly heartbreaking, especially after seeing several rides go underwater.. that’s just sad.. Who knows if there’ll be a fun summer season at Seaside in 2013? The place will Never be the same after what has happened..
Thanks Sandy.. 🙁
Plus, glad to hear you and your loved ones are still alright.
Man…it crashed the whole coaster under water.
🙁
The best Break-Dancer is in Germany. They have +/- 40 Breakers.
There also 3 Break-Dancers 2
http://www.kinzler.de
Visit this site, is the best ride ever…
Great site 🙂
Thanks! Also my sister is named Sandy so I’m already teasing someone else about it. lol
i love this rollercoaster
the hi roller is not a rider freindly ride you do get bumped around but it is not a puke machine i have been running hi rollers for about 8 years and have had only two people puke if i would want to i could really hurt people in the ride i found you dont need to run the ride fast to make a good ride i can hold the ride on its side to add a little thrill to it.It is a hi maintance ride and you need a guy that is will to get up early and go through the ride to make sure it is up to par i will be running a roller in texas this coming season
I grew up just over the border in Orange County so I spent a whole lot of summers at Action Park. My buddy and I were two of the few souls that consistently rode the sketchy skatepark that was just up from the parking lot, It was the smoothest concrete we had ever seen surrounded by asphalt. The drains actually did the opposite of drain and let water flood the one bowl, the “halfpipe” and the lower sections of the three somewhat unrideable snake runs… We rode every ride they had to offer! We got in good, befriended the ride attendants, claimed we “worked” at the skatepark and never paid after the first summer. They closed the skatepark in the mid eighties but we could always find someone we knew to let us on the rides or grab us some passes. I have so many stories…girls…injuries….We once put a small set of blue Kryptonite skate wheels on one of the alpine slide cars. They were of a slightly larger diameter than the stock wheels. This rendered the brakes almost useless. The only way to slow was to nosedrag the car into the fiberglass run by leaning forward. You waited for the run to clear ahead of you and then took it at full speed plus! We would wear full pads and helmets and remember to tuck into a ball and roll clear of the cart when you’d fly out of the channel. You would sometimes spin the cart sideways across the channel. In deference to the skateboard trick-we called this a “cartslide”….Good times! If my memory is correct-the whole place was run by kids…I can maybe recall some college students and maybe two adults being around but it was a youth worked operation and it showed! If anyone that reads this remembers the skatepark days, respond here and I’ll pm…
🙁 🙁 🙁
Here’s to a very successful 2-0-1-3! 🙂
Can’t wait to “fight” this monster all of 2-0-1-3! 🙂
I worked at Action Park during the summers of 1985 and 1986 on the Speed Slide/Geronimo ride (what they called it back then). Best job in the world. Never saw so many missing bathing suits in my life. And money, my oh my. On weekends it was nothing to find anywhere from $50-$100 in bills floating at the bottom of the slides from the force of the water pushing it out of people’s pockets. We used to have to take ropes and go hand over hand down the slides once a week looking for cracks or rough places on the slide to make sure to keep the injuries to a minimum. Surf Hill was the best. Take 5 or 6 mats, get a running start and hit the big ramp as fast as you could go. Always gave the crowd a thrill. And yes, they had thier share of hurt people, but when someone from the city comes to your ride (especially on the Cannonball) and tells you he/she can swim, and then hits that cold water and sinks like a stone because they have never been swimming in thier life, what are you suppossed to do? I can’t speak to things after I stopped working there, but for the two summers I worked, we took our jobs and our work seriously. Haven’t been back since, probably better to remember it as it was.
I hope they make the same design as great american scream machine in later future in NJ six flags we will never forget this amazing ride it will be remembered forever Rip great american scream machine also i think it was the best ride in the park it’s so retro of a ride we will miss you 🙁 🙁 🙁
A little late but Merry Christmas and Happy New Year bud! We’ll be @ OLP sooner then you know it! lol
The thing about the Alpine slide (I went on it in the 70’s when it was called “Vernon Valley Great Gorge”) was not so much the speed of the little carts, as it was the insane layout of the track. There was one part where the track literally dropped 5-10 feet in front of you. Probably a 45 degree angle, but if you were going too fast your cart would literally *fly*. And then you hit the track with a bone-crunching *CRASH* at speed.
I shit you not. Several years later in the 80’s when we went back they had a sign up saying “SLOW” at that point. Right. Being older and bigger, that drop would probably have driven my spine into my skull.
Overall the results were good: My brother smashed his head, and I got a burn from my shoulder to my elbow on it. But it was totally worth every pint of blood spilled on that track; I fear no ride or cab anymore.
Nowadays when I go to Gatlinburg I tell them “It’s ok, I was at Action Park”. They understand. Gatlinburg is a nice, safe slide. The Alpine Slide was…
Not.
CZ
SOOO TRUE CHRIS !!! LMAO !!! KK 😉
yay for new sexy look
Glad you like it MJ!
Indeed, hope you both have a great 2013!
Awesome post. Yeah, I always go to NYC whenever I’m bored. But I do however, go to Times Square to watch the ball drop every New Year’s Eve 🙂
The city is great, there’s so much to explore. Never been to Times Square for New Years though. Maybe I’ll head over one year just to say that I’ve been there for the ball drop.
Just because someone puke in your seat doesn’t mean is not a half decent ride! This is the best ride I’ve ever ridden.
Oh god, but the sticky feeling! But really, I think it’s the combination of swinging back and forth (that makes me nauseous) and having to be trapped inside of a small space with other people that irks me about this ride.
Realy realy realy gotta visit dorneypark…..
Maybee next year…. this year florida is my destination.
Use to run an Orbiter years ago and loved every minute of it. Made me sad when the show owner sold it. As I’ve gotten older, it’s one of only a small handful of rides I’d ever get on.
Yes – thanks for posting these descriptions of the slides – they bring back memories. I think the park that Mark refers to was called Rainbow Rapids a long time ago. We were at Seaside every summer growing up.
wow..each one looks more awful then the rest..the tumbler of death is just on a whole other level..altho id give it a shot..lol
I’d definitely take a spin on it as well, just to say I’ve been on it. I’m sure I’d come off nauseous, but that would be a small price to pay. lol
Oh God, I’ve been laughing for nearly 2 hours with your reviews on the WTCR, thanks for making my night much better.
And yes, Brazil has LOTS of WTCR, I’ve been on tons of death defying rides over here!
I’m sharing some good Tagadas videos with you:
In Brazil (of course), our “Samba” spinning and shaking full force:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7OLSyqE9aI
In Mexico (probably), the ride operator just wanted people to make out while riding:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7zt5RyN3ao
And finally, in Buenos Aires a girl falling from her seat and fainting:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNnLDptmxEU
Hope you like it 🙂
Glad you enjoy the site man! Those videos are great; Tagada videos never get old! I really need to find a Tagada to ride one day as they actually look like fun. There used to be one on the Jersey shore back in the 90s but it had seat belts. What’s the fun in that? lol
Also, check this Tagada video out. The guy in the white shirt is insane! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcHoPFRGxig
I remember my father bringing me when I was 7 years old to the tarzan swing. I stood in awe at the crowds that gathered to watch crazy people flipping wildly and smashing down into the freezing water below. Finally we arrived at the front of the line. The life guard looked down at me since i was about three feet away from being able to grab the bar. My father picked me up into the air to grab the bar and off I went. Im sure in this day and age this would not be allowed and dyfus would be called on my day. I got a huge applause from the crowd being the smallest child to go off the tarzan , what a day
looks fun..even tho im a coaster nut i do wish parks would build more new flat rides like this
I guess I kinda feel the same way..to me and probably most of the seasoned park nuts..Im just looking at them as just new steel coasters with wooden supports..which I like for old west theming purposes..but like you said, they will be marketed as wooden looping coasters and the general public will see them as that.. although Hades will be the only true wooden looping coaster..so if a park wants to build a new one out of scratch its fine by me..but what I fear most is that parks will use the re profile gimmick ( Texas Giant, Iron Rattler) as cheap ways to improve an aging wooden coaster instead of really putting work into it to keep it running like new as we are seeing every year with rumors of other older six flags woodies possibly getting rebuilt.
I actually don’t mind rehabbing to the ‘Iron Horse’ track style that Rattler and Texas Giant have gotten. Mostly because those two coasters were at the point where re-tracking probably wouldn’t have done much. Even if it did, they still would still be seen in a negative light by the general public because re-tracking means nothing to them. lol
Now, if they start turning Rolling Thunder, American Eagle, or Colossus into steel coasters, then they’d be going too far. It’s like it needs to be reserved for those massive wooden coasters that have aged poorly. Mean Streak at Cedar Point comes to mind as a coaster that would do well with a steel makeover. Hercules at Dorney Park would have also been a great one to turn steel, but that’s been gone for nearly 10 years now.
I definatley agree about Colossus and American Eagle.that would be just awful.. wouldn’t mind Mean Streak getting a make over..maybe The Boss too..Son Of Beast may have been a good candidate too
I think I’d keep The Boss the way it is. Re-tracking and some new trains would probably serve it well. Maybe put on some Timberliner trains. As much as they look like they should be on steel coasters, they’re apparently pretty smooth. I have a feeling Six Flags will just let Rocky Mountain Construction have a go at Boss though.
as long as they dont lay a finger on Screaming Eagle!..lol
I don’t think that the classic wooden coaster is being threatened by these new versions. They will always be around and (hopefully) parks will keep building them. I see it more as a hype. It is new and everyone wants one.
Yeah, it probably won’t hold up in the long run but in the coming years it could be a dominant trend. We’ll see I guess.
I have a feeling State Fair Meadowlands is gonna suck (with just Amusements of America) this year. They won’t have my fave ride and they won’t have another ride company with a few select rides as last 2 years with both AoA and Strates. I’m hoping they won’t hold back like they did back from 2006 to 2010.
We’ll see. If Meadowlands is still doing the independent midway setup, then other operators may be booked in along with AoA.
Well, only time will tell. Maybe they might have Reithoffer there this year. Who knows? If you happen to go there before the July 4, let me know what’s there 🙂
Yes! Now the Tropical Dance is on my bucket list! 🙂
Nice post which Mega Whirl in the middle of a deserted open lot surrounded by fencing. Mega Whirl is a strange whip type ride made by Gordon Rides and Larson that debuted in Coney this season.Thanks a lot for posting this article.
i have respect for you sir, i’m against Hades 360 for their whole, ‘let’s make a ‘new’ ride out of something old’ and IMHO it should be a crime to turn a tradtioinal wooden coaster into a looping one,and Mount Olympus is my home park BTW and Zeus NEEDS work done, after getting off of Zeus the first time i thought that i had broken a rib.
and then there’s the name, really, couldn’t you come up with something better than slapping 360 onto the name, how about ‘Wrath of’ or ‘Revenge’? And when i hear 360, i don’t thnk of inverts, i think of the SINGLE nolbiest thing in Call of Duty, trickshotting where people take sniper rifles and jump from a places and spin around WITHOUT aiming and fire a shot and almost always get nothing, and show their lucky shots as ‘beast’ clips, heard of a 720 no-scope?
And BTW Cyclops is my current #1, and if they throw the old trains on it, they ae dead to me.
But aside from ‘Noob 360 no-scope’, I like wooden loopers in general, and i’m VERY sure that there will be a place for traditional wooden coasters since they are SO fun, if they are well-mantained (unlikeMount Olympus except for Pegasus and Cyclops), Phonex is a perfect example of this, it ranked fifth in the world , up there with El Toro, Voyage, and the other Inta in pre-fabs, while i haven’t ridden it, i want to. So I don’t think that classic woodie design is dead, but is NOT the only option anymore, and as long as they don’t star slapping loops onto already existing woodies (ie, GG building one from scratch insted of taking something like Boardwalk Bullet), I’m fine with that.
That’s a reasonable take on things. I just don’t want inversions to replace double ups or sideways airtime bunnyhops because of the perceived notion that an inversion would hype a coaster more. Like, previously if a park wanted a “thrilling” wooden coaster, the designer would add said elements along with whatever else. Now, a “thrilling” wooden coaster may be one with inversions in place of multiple airtime elements. Down the road it’ll probably shift more towards traditional layouts but in the coming years I’m sure we’ll see inverting wooden coasters of various quality springing up. Hopefully they’ll be more like Outlaw Run and not something like Hades 360.
You’ve got it backwards. The button controls the rim drive and the arm raises and lowers the ride
All I want to know is: WHY IS THERE A TWO-PERSON RIDER RULE!? All I’ve wanted to do for years is ride this ride again….but not having any willing friends, I go alone to fair rides….this damn two rider rule seem ridiculous, especially for average sized adults!
There’s a no single riders rule because of the risk that a person could lay sideways on the seat and slip out from under the lapbar. This was pointed out by the manufacturer, Chance Rides, so not going by their recommendations leaves the show wide open to lawsuits if a single rider were to get hurt on their Zipper. Honestly, a person, especially an adult, would have to be horsing around to slide under the bar. But rules are rules.
I was put on this ride in 1971 with my little brother by my father in Nova Scotia. This event should never have been permitted. I was not quite 6 and my brother had just turned 4. We both slipped under the bar and were tossed like salad inside that cage of terror. Our shoes came off and cracked us in the head and this was the day I discovered that god was a lie and was never going to save us. lol the simple joys of childhood.
This was pointed out by the manufacturer because they probably read a couple of Internet discussion board comments from Zipper ride enthusiasts (some who referred to themselves as “Zipperheads”) that the best ride for them was to turn sideways and get one leg OVER THE LAPBAR with the other leg still kept safely under the lapbar. In that case, half restrained plus whatever grip or push they could get against the vertical door handrails: UNSAFE! Not how the manufacturer designed the ride, that’s for sure, even with a single position lapbar that had all rider weight on it and the door the bar was attached to when it ocurred. So, rather than implement a seat divider that would limit the rider width of two people in the cage just so one could ride alone, it makes sense: NO SINGLE RIDERS. Of course, I have recently seen a promotional sheet about a new model Zipper that includes individual shoulder bars (and front hinged “lobes” in the front of the cage to help make them more front-heavy), but if they still do NO SINGLE RIDERS it will be if a rider figures out how to get partly unrestrained by the bottom part of the shoulder bar (because otherwise, a rider would be individually restrained by the shoulder bar with no possibility of turning sideways enough to get a leg over the lap bar (if it’s still equipped).
You can see Casino Pier’s reconstruction progress on their Facebook page
http://www.facebook.com/casinopier
The best way to get these guys is to place those sticky mice traps around the areas they hang in. They are attracted to them and get stuck on there and die and then you just throw away the trap. The traps will be COVERED in them. Works like a charm.
DARE NJ has finally posted a DARE Carnival, but this year it’s at Mercer County Park with Reithoffer Shows! 🙂 More info here: http://www.darenj.com/events.asp
Oh and btw, There won’t be a Paramus carnival this year.
The tops of the cars always reminded me of M&M’s LOL
I hate cedar fair cuz they dethemed the paramount parks
They have one of these regularly at the Maryland state fair ever year, but I’ve never been daring enough to try it myself.
Oh darn I wish I’ve known about this fair. I’d love to ride their Scat and Ring of Fire . Didn’t Campy’s have a Skydiver before?
It’s still listed on their site and appears in some photos on their Facebook page, but I’ve never seen the ride at any spot they’ve done. Cobra is also listed on their site but that too I’ve never seen in person. That one doesn’t even show up in Facebook photos!
That’s odd. I wonder if that company would ever get a Sky Wheel (Double Ferris Wheel)…I’d totally love to see it back in NJ and ride it
Hey Brian are you familiar with the NYC Electric Daisy Carnival? It first ever last year at MetLife Stadium. And this year it’s at the Citi Field (formerly Shea Stadium)
Dreamland Amusements hosted their rides for that event as you can see their pics and vids from last year’s event.
I’m not sure if this counts as a carnival to you..though it’s an 18 or over event
http://www.electricdaisycarnival.com/NewYork
A glimpse a last year’s EDC/trailer for this year’s EDC:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4GLGtvcztQ
Nah, that’s basically a rave with some rides. It’s a $119-139 bucks to get in. Not worth it for some carnival rides and certainly not worth it to hear some annoying, popular electronic. lol
Back in the 80 s there was a carnival at the Masonic homes called the Masonic picnic. It was put on by the Masonic lodge they had a himalaya ride there and the operator Would play one of elo’s songs about once an hour . Can’t remember the name of that song for nothing .does anyone know the songs name?
Great post as usual. Been checking here ever since we left! LOL. Himalaya cars/trailer/framework had been painted this offseason, it also got new tarps all around. The lighting has some issues because we are waiting for parts that have been back ordered for what seems like forever. The Dragon Loops was new to the show last year (first spot was Memorial Day weekend on Long Island). We outfitted it with LED light tubes the week before OLP. They are much brighter and hopefully more durable then the old school fluorescent lighting. Thanks again. Sorry we missed each other this year.
That’s all right, Mike. I might catch you guys at another spot before the season is out. All of the rides are looking great. Probably the best looking show in the area. Thanks for linking the video on BSA’s FB btw!
Blue Sky’s “Zipper” was at Sea Bright this year. I did got the chance to ride it the weekend before this fair, at St. Virgil’s in Morris Plains for with my best friend for his 21st birthday 🙂
How was it? Did you get a good ride?
Hey there Mike! 🙂 Yeah I (We) sure did. We went 3 rounds on it. And our 3rd round was the craziest 🙂 and as soon as the place was closing we got ourselves some free cotton candy. Thank goodness it wasn’t a total washout but we made it happen :-). Now it’s my turn lol. June 24.. at this year’s Huge -North Brunswick- fair, with Strates running the show 🙂
There used to be a great version of one of these ay Miracle Strip amusement park in Panama City Beach, Florida. It was a standard Trabant, but it had been enclosed within an interior space and themed as “Dante’s Inferno.” When the ride started, they turned the lights off (so it was pitch black) until the ride built up speed, then when it started to lift up, a strobe light would go start. It was really amazing. (The park did the same thing with two other rides: the tilt a whirl and the scrambler. The scrambler, in particular, was unforgettable because it was placed in a room full of mirrors).
I miss that park. It was such a cool place. The haunted attractions were my favorite
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yay i”m testing
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Doh it again!
How many times is this going to nest??
I have pix of me stumbling from the Cannonball loop splash pool after slamming my head during the loop. They are somewhere in my parents house on Long Island. Next time I visit, I will scan and send to prove the horror was real.
Oh man, I’d love to see those pictures Joshua!
I just drove by OVERLOOK PARK in Ridgefield Park, NJ and saw that they are setting up a nice big Carnival… anyone know anything about it? Noticed no listing of it here or anywhere online when I googled it.
Just did a little Googling myself. Might be the DARE carnival at Overpeck Park. I added it to the list along with a link. Here’s the info though:
DARE NJ Presents The New Overpeck County Park Carnival
June 6-9 & June 13-16
Two Big Weekends
Weekdays 5pm-10pm
Weekends 5pm-11pm
Challenger Road/Ft. Lee Road
Free Admission & Free parking
Games/Rides/Food
$10 all you can ride Thursdays
Aww they didn’t bring their Zipper ride there this year.. I guess the Rock O Plane there was kind of the substitute for the Zipper as I can see the Rock O Plane cars get flipped around too
Rock-o-Plane is interesting in that the riders get to dictate their own ride. There’s a brake lever in the pods so if a rider wants to go upside down, they pull the lever and the pod stays in that position until they let go. It’s pretty fun!
It does sound interesting. Perhaps I may ride it the next time I see it, unless if I have to find someone to ride it with me. Although I’d rather have the forces of a ride to flip me uncontrollably, like the Zipper. No ride can top that 😀
The Cliffhangeris definitely the best out of these models.
I have ridden so many rides growing up and this cobra ride is extremely dangerous..I know because it fractured 2 ribs from the g-force.After the many attempts to reach the manufacturer and they just blew me off n said “their ride” was safe and they have never heard of anyone fracturing ribs from the ride.STAY AWAY FROM THIS RIDE!!!
Sorry to hear about your injury, but I think I have to side with the ride manufacturer on this one. If the ride was designed poorly, then injuries like this would be common, forcing shows to remove Cobra from their lineup.
I call BS. I ran two Cobra’s, on Conklin Shows and West Coast Amusements. The ride has four 3hp Rueland Electric motors. 2 for the boom, and 1 for each end. Given 3hp divided over the six seats on your end on the ride you were under a half horsepower of force? Broken ribs? REALLY?
Next time don’t stand on your tippy-toes beside the *you must be this tall to ride* sign. LOL
I went to see the rides being being at the State Fair Meadowlands site just yesterday and to my amazement, THIS RIDE has made its appearance at this year’s fair! Along with a few other rides from Reithoffer Shows 🙂
I heard someone mention that they heard that Reithoffer may be booking into Meadowlands so I guess they were right. Guess it’s going to be another good midway Meadowlands!
Hey Brian, just found your site. Love it. For those of us with bad eyes and feeble minds, any way you could post a listing by date? It would be so much easier to add events to my calendar, especially since the list is alphabetized by actual names, most of which have nothing to do with their locations. PS – did the No. Brunswick Fest yesterday (Thu) for the first time. I was pretty impressed with rides and food. Will definitely do it again next year.
I think you’ve been reading my mind, since I’ve been thinking of doing exactly that! I’ve changed the listing to list by date and also broke it up into months so it’s not one, giant list.
Saw strates a few weeks ago when they were here on Long Island. I thought their ticket or scan card system was the coolest thing! Even the wristbands had bar codes on them.
Come to think of it, I did notice that the ride ops were equipped with bar code scanners. I’ve seen a similar system at Zamperla’s parks in Coney Island and Morey’s Piers in Wildwood, NJ but never a show. If it’s like the other two, then I guess Strates uses cards with bar codes instead of tickets now?
Waterworks was awesome. I’m disappointed to hear they’ve gotten rid of the double twist. I was planning on going back there this year; I haven’t been there in years. I wonder if it’s still worthwhile. I remember the last time I was in Seaside Heights seeing that it had been taken over by Jenkinson’s and I was disappointed because I’ve never liked the homogeneity of Point Pleasant, where Jenkinson’s owns everything. I was thinking uh oh, they’re taking over Seaside Heights, too.
lol I remember the one and only time I went on this ride as a little kid I started screaming my brains out when the whole track started flipping. Now I’m a major roller coaster junky. But I’ve never been so genuinely terrified on a ride since. Thanks Hi-Roller
Getting a good ride on one of these is absolutely phenomenal so it’s too bad they can be in such clunky condition but I don’t think I’ve ever felt as giddy as when my friend and I rode this and, going down, he yanked the wheel and we did this crazy vertical spin. The loading process is a total nightmare, though. I’d love to see an upgraded version that loaded horizontally, so everyone could get on at once, and then spun and rose horizontally like an Enterprise.
THE HUSS TORNADO LOOKS LIKE A BADASS RIDE TO GO ON. I THINK WE NEED MORE OF THE EUROPEAN RIDES AT FAIRS HERE IN THE STATES. I’M WILLIN TO BET MONEY THAT ANY GERMAN OR EUROPEAN MANUFACTURED RIDES LIKE THE HUSS TORNADOS OR TOP SPINS WOULD OUT-GROSS ANY TILT-A-WHIRL OR CHANCE PHAROAH’S FURY AT ANY FAIR OR CARNIVAL HERE IN THE U.S.
I think Alton towers may have nicked some of your “oh hell” land ideas for the smiler!!
Nice little article!
I’ve ridden one of these once – if you ever see me near another, you have my permission to shoot me!!
On the small show I grew up on in the ’70’s and ’80’s, the Diver was a Spec and top of the food chain, along with the Flying Bobs. All the hottest guys worked them, and they had the best music on the midway. At 17, I could get 3.5 car revolutions from fence to fence riding alone, which would have gotten me in big trouble had the foreman caught me. I loved this ride and it deserves this #1 ranking! Very cool site you have here, my first time visiting.
If anybody’s interested, I have a video of Campbell Amusements zipper on youtube, along with quite a few other ride vids to check out.
Here’s the link to the zipper vid:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4s8duyYJ-Q
In addition, I should be able to get some footage of a local carnival in a month or so, as well as my latest RCT3 coaster, Excentria, up on the channel as well.
Thanks, and please, rate, comment & subscribe! 🙂
ultradude306
OMG !!! LMAO !!! LOVE THIS DESCRIPTION OF ACTION PARK !!! OK , My Mom and I went at Least 2 times every Summer , Being from Long Island, NY !!! I was about 9 the 1st time we went , But had already been going to Wet n Wild a few times !!! FESTIVE ….. ??? I am Proud to say that My Mom and My Self NEVER Used the Brake on the ALPINE SLIDE ….. AND NEVER CRASHED !!! Bonus !!! WOW , The Bloody Massacre’s we saw from that slide , Bones broken through Skin , Skin completely Torn off , I remember We used to Count how many Ambulances were lined up in front of the park waiting for the NEXT MAJOR INJURY’S , We used to Laugh at how many were there ??? SICK ??? But when I was Like 12 , I decided I wanted to do I Flip Off The TARZAN SWING …. FREAKIN ‘ BRILLIANT !!! My Mom then dared Me , So I had too !!! With A large Audience of people waiting on line , I talked to the Girl working the Swing about how easy it looked when I saw Teenage guys doing it and knowing the Diving Lessons I took , And what i could do off diving boards , after 15 minutes of debating , I went for it …. WELL !!! I Ended up DRAGGING MY FACE UNDER WATER < ASS UP AND NOT LETTING GO AT THE RIGHT TIME , DROPPED IN THE WATER , STARTED SWIMMING THE WRONG WAY , WHEN I LOOKED UP AT EVERYONE APPAULDING MY WORK OF ART , CHEERING , AND YELLING AND POINTING , THE OTHER WAY …. YOUR SWIMMING THE WRONG WAY !!! I Then made it to the ladder …. MY MOM LEFT , DUE TO EMBARRASSMENT !!! Thanks Mom !!! 😉 I NOW had to walk Past All these People who saw MY EXCELLENT PERFORMANCE !!! AWESOME !!! LESSON LEARNED !!! THAT PARK WAS THE BOMB !!! WE WERE TOUGHER KIDS BACK THEN !!! Thank you , You Brought back Some Awesome Memories
for Me !!! RIP MOM !!! I LOVE U !!! KK 😉
I SOOO REMEMBER CANNON BALL LOOP, BACK IN THE DAY WE WORKED FOR NEWSDAY AND WOULD TAKE TRIPS UP THERE !!!. I REMEMBER THE GOING ON THE TARZAN ROPE GRABBIN DA TRIANGLE, AND IWOULD PULLL MY PANTS DOWN AS I SWUNG TO GIVE A NICE MOOON SHOW TO THE CROWD LOL. ME AND MY BOYS WOULD GO ON THE COLORADO RIVER AND GO 20 DEEP , ALLL AT ONCE AND CREATE A DAMNIN TRICK WIT ALL DA TUBES LOLOLOLOL WE’D DAMN IT RIGHT BEFORE U ENTER THAT LIL TUNNEL AREA LOLOL SO HERE YOU COME AND YOU SEE SEEE OUTTA NO WHERE BAM! ALL THESE TUBES AND PEOPLE , CRASH INTO US BREAKIN THE DAMNING IT BE LIKE A TIDAL WAVE LOLOLOLLLOLLL SOME MEMORIES I GOT FROM THAT PLACE MAN !!!!!!!!
SURF HILL IS BACK – the people who now own Mountain Creek – the original owners of the park in the Action Park days, IIRC, RE-OPENED SURF HILL last summer [right at the end] – UNMODIFIED, BEAUTIFULLY RESTORED.
I’m one of those assholes who actually managed to sit “upright” on the wall, even STAND on the wall while it was spinning, and it is fun as hell to do so long as you re-position yourself in time when it slows down. Danger I laugh at it [especially as someone who grew up with Action Park in Vernon, NJ :D]
I was there the summer of 1995 and I know that the cannonball loop was open since one of the boys from our group rode it. He was tiny and I was shocked he weighed enough to make it through the loop. We stood at he bottom waiting for what seemed like five minutes from the time he started on the slide until he came out. You couldn’t psy me enough to go on that slide.
I survived action park(But had to have surgery because of it)!
I had only been to AP one time and that was enough to scar me for life (Literally) I was abut 10 years old when we made our trek from Bridgeton NJ. I don’t recall how far Vernon is from here but I remember feeling like the ride took FOREVER. The first ride i went on was the cement slide of death, I actually managed to escape that one with a minor skinned elbow, nothing traumatic so I was cool. I enjoyed the wave pool, and water scoot, and had fun running around enjoying the day, it was until my fateful ride on the Gauley. I do not know how this managed to happen but my raft literally slid up and over the wall and i was thrown down a hill into a bunch or jagged terrain and brush. I know I laid there screaming with a gaping hole in my knee for what seemed like over an hour, until help came. I was rushed to the emergency room and ended up having to have surgery to REPLACE my kneecap! (looking back, my idiot parents should have fucking sued, I could be well off right now LOL) Anyway, Long story short, I have a permanent scar on my knee, a lifelong reminder of my one fateful day at the infamous Traction Park. I hear is open and back under the original ownership, I should totally take my kids there (No, seriously, I think I will)
This is awesome to read about; sadly, never went to Traction Park as I’m living in the wrong country. I come from England and once when I was looking up an old water park I used to visit as a kid (Fantaseas, which closed down cuz it was sinking, in case you’re wondering) a site about Action Park popped up. I checked it out and had a good laugh; Fantaseas had a bad safety record but was a Health and Safety darling compared to Action Park! XD
I would never have dared go on the loop ride, that looks dangerous. One thing I remember about Fantaseas is waiting for my brothers by the splash pool and seeing a pair of swimming trunks slide down one of the flumes and plop into the pool. Bet in Action Park, that happened a lot. XD Anyway, thanks for the experience and the great stories about the park. Too bad that Health and Safety has ruined all this for everyone now!
Ha! Ha! Was it your brother’s swimming trunks that came down themselves or some other unfortunate lad?!? What did the kid do? How funny!
Just uploaded a video of a gravitron at a local carnival. Hope you enjoy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IH2-gBVBk0
Hey guys, just managed to get some nice Offride footage of a roundup called Zero Gravity at a local carnival. Hope you like it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvZv05Aj2KM
Funny that the accidental nudity isn’t mentioned in the post. My most vivid memories were sitting on the bleachers with my Mom at the end of Surf Hill watching people fly down not realizing that the impact of hitting the water in the end would 90% of the time rip off their swim suit. I can still hear my mom laughing and pointing at ” the full moon” while some poor,mortified kid tried to pull up his swim trunks…O the memories!
I have those same memories! My little brother was one of those “poor, motified” kids who “tried to pull up his swim trunks”!
You all need to add the Reverchon Himalaya and the Chance Morgan’s Flying Bobs type rides . They are classic rides .
No way, Reverchon Himi is awesome! Chance’s Alpine Bobs and definitely Thunderbolt (I’ve never been on a smooth Thunderbolt in my life) could make the grade, but the old school, Allan Herschell Flying Bobs are ace.
Good call man!!!!
Tyrone May
Reverchon Himalaya’s BIGGEST fan!!
I went on the cannonball loop. There was a minimum weight . It was 140 or 150 pounds. I remember this because I was 3 pounds under. I was not weighed before the ride. I was 17 at the time. It was the first ride we went on when we got to the park. Basically, as a 17 year old, you had to go on that ride. They advertised it. It’s like going to great adventure and not going on lightning loops. So this ride was a must. A grown man, about 40 years old, went ahead of me. When he got to the end, he stumbled and fell down twice!! I went on the ride. It was pitch black. I don’t really remember much other than it hurt. That was basically the theme for the day, everything in that park was painful. After that, we went on the aqua scoot. You rode a cart down a hill of metal rollers and skid across a pool of water. It was extremely bumpy and painful. That was the thing with this place. Everything looked awesome, but when you actually did it, it hurt! The crazy thing is, how many people actually rode the cannonball loop? 5,000? I spoke to someone the other day and he told me I was the first person he met that actually rode the thing, that’s kind of cool. Crazy place!
that will be insane..might have to make my return to Great Adventure next year after many years of skipping
I hate the name tho..is “Drop of Doom” really necessary??..makes it sound cheesy and generic..good job six flags
Haha, yeah it’s really gimmicky sounding; Six Flags are the masters of uninspired names. Also, people on other forums have noted that Zumanjaro is an African inspired named while Golden Kingdom and Kingda Ka are Asian themed. Way to go SF! lol
heh heh..yeah I didnt even think of that
DOES ANYBODY HAVE INFORMATION regarding “Pocono Action Park (and Motor World)”? Apparently it was a spinoff of Action Park, same company [Great American Recreation]…and from what little information I could find it offered a scaled down Waterworld, Motorworld w/ slides, bumper boats, an alpine slide, batting cages, LOLA car and go-kart racing, and even an alpine slide… but I have little to no specifics.
Please help me fill in this little known piece of information on Action Park.
Hey there Brian sorry I haven’t had the time to come on here for a while, kinda been busy lately..but I’m here now 🙂
And wow this carnival sure looks kinda boring don’t you think? The only good ride I see is the Octopus. I wonder what happened to McDaniel’s Screamer ride? I’ve haven’t seen it since last year.
Also, this isn’t the final fair/carnival of this year. The final one is the Mercer County Italian Fest at Mercer County Park near Trenton..and Majestic will host their rides there for the 2nd year in a row 😀 Hopefully they’ll bring the Zipper, Wipeout, and Ring of Fire again this year 🙂
Hey Robert! Well, a fair is a fair I guess. Tempest is a pretty awesome ride if they actually run it fast but I have no idea if they do.
True, it’s not the last fair but it’s probably going to be the last fair for me as I’ll be focusing on going to Six Flags (I have a season pass that I haven’t used up until last week!), Dorney Park, and probably Coney again.
Did you get to any good fairs this year?
Well, the Tempest would be better if the whole thing spins fast in the same rotation 🙂
Wouldve been worth the hour and 15 minute drive for you just to check it out but I see you’re gonna try enjoying more of Fright Fest at Six Flags before..Mother Nature could potentially ruin..yet another Halloween huh?
Oh and yes I have been to some but not all of them this year..cause some of them I couldn’t afford it. The only ones me and my bff Chris went to were the St. Virgil’s Church Carnival (We celebrated his 21st birthday there riding Blue Sky’s Zipper for 3 rounds), The North Brunswick Youth Sports Fest (we celebrated my 23rd birthday on a Friday..wasn’t really that crowded cause it got rained out a bit but wasn’t a complete washout thank goodness, but I went 2 Saturdays alone to watch the fireworks)
And the ones I went alone are State Fair Meadowlands on the 3rd and 4th of July for the fireworks and boy was it Packed! I rode the Reithoffer’s Tornado (Huss Flipper) twice..to me it’s probably much worse than the Space Roller lol. I went to the Freedom Fest to meet the Lizard Lick Towing (towing show on TruTV on Monday nights), took a photo with them too. Reithoffer’s white, orange, and blue Zipper there is always intense. It also appeared at the Carnevale Italiano, which I had the chance to go there this year because I felt bored at home, and there was probably nothing good on TV that Saturday night I went.
I had to miss out on the Middlesex County Fair this year cause there has been some car issues.. :-/ And the most recent one I’ve been to was on Labor Day weekend (Saturday of course).and that was the day I was in Allentown, PA the entire Saturday 🙂 I went to Dorney Park for a while until probably 6 or 7pm I don’t remember, lol it was around sunset 🙂
And then I was at the Allentown Fair until 11pm, the time the fair closed..wow, and last year it closed at midnight on a Saturday.
Though I did went to Six Flags once during the Spring and Hurricane Harbor once this summer. And I’ll probably do Six Flags again once or twice this October 🙂
Shame that Rolling Thunder will be demolished for the new drop rides next year..but hey it’s all old and beaten down like all other woodies nowadays
Sounds like you got to quite a few fairs! I thought about going to Freedom Fest (probably would have done a split, Six Flags/Freedom Fest trip) but didn’t get down there. Allentown Fair was pretty good, I was there on Friday, August 30th. Did you notice if Rock Star was running that night? The ARM Ali Baba ride with a rock theme? That was one of Powers’ new rides but It was down all night on Friday.
Well you already know I love going to huge fairs with the Zipper ride, fighting it like the “Karate Kid” Daniel LaRusso (yes the 1980s trilogy with Mr. Miyagi in it) more than going to theme parks..cause I sure don’t like to deal with 2 hour long lines a lot..just to ride a 30 second coaster lol. Funny thing that Freedom Fest has Six Flags as their sponsor every year
Yeah Allentown Fair was surely awesome. One thing I liked was the Wave Swings ride, they played my favorite song, perfect for the Zierer Wave Swing rides at night called “Mirrors” by Justin Timberlake, “It’s like I’m a mirror..My mirror staring back at me..” Such an awesome song..and he killed it at the VMAs this year
It was played tthroughout the entire ride while the LED lights were changing colors that night..I Loved It..really made my life complete The carnies running that kind of ride at the NBYSF this year played that song too but they stopped it on the final chorus -_-
Oh and yes the Rock Star was running on the Saturday night I was there. Probably because they were doing some high quality maintenance on it on the Friday night you went. Though I miss their Spin Out and Sky Wheel (double ferris wheel)
Hey there bro,
I’ve just been informed while talking with Mike (Blue Sky Amusements) on FB and he told me their next spot will be in Kearny, where they played earlier this year in the Spring. It’ll run from October 10th through the 13th.And even better news for me, the Zipper is scheduled to be there. Although I’m looking forward to it. Yep, the Mercer County Italian Fest won’t be the final fair of 2013! 🙂
Hmm, interesting. Where is the fair in Kearny?
Mike told me it will be at the small park, next to Applebee’s on Passaic Ave (between Afton St and Bergen Ave) right alongside the Passaic river
The same spot where the Kearny VFW Annual Carnival was held early this year.
ugh..i see they are still doing those awful ad wraps on trains..didnt notice any at the other SF parks i went to this year..Great America, Texas and Fiesta Texas
Oh man, if you want awful, I need to take a picture of the wraps on the Runaway Mine Train next time I go. They don’t even have some theme, it’s just the company plastered onto the train!
🙁
I rode this many times. Its terrible. And, in Florida march 2013, some kids were on it and it BROKE. That was the carnies story of why it wasnt at out local fair for which it was a favorite, and sure enough, its true. http://www.winknews.com/Local-Florida/2013-03-19/Lehigh-carnival-ride-accident-sends-one-to-the-hospital#.UlSXFFCUTjY
i love this ride!!..I hope funtown pier will purchase another top spin for 2014!!
it had everything you mentioned except alpine slide.the alpine slide was up the road at camelbak mountain.they now have a mountain coaster.
The Reithoffer’s Tornado should have a mic man to make the ride more enjoyable. Already it’s a fun ride but I think the man in the controls that yells “Put your hands in the air!” and “If you wanna go faster let me hear u screeeeaamm!” would make it even better 🙂
wow..those wraps on the mine train are horrible!..who ever Oked that needs to be fired
Luckily, it’s only one train, as is the case will all other coasters featuring ads. Good thing B&M’s have open trains or I’m sure they’d have crap all over them by now.
I was there on the 26th and man what a nightmare, the place was freakin PACKED! All the years i’ve been going to SF i have never seen that park so packed this late in the year. I then realized that was the last operating day. What a way to go out. I think we rode 5 rides (and had a flash pass) ::facepalm::
Five rides even with a flash pass? Man, that’s brutal! There was a time when Fright Fest had normal to low crowds, but in recent years the park has been getting huge attendance in October. I remember hearing that the final Saturday in the 2011 season had around 40,000 guests.
Yea it sure was brutal… I’ve never saw it so busy. Oh well. Live and learn lol
I remember this being at our local county fair when I was about 6. My sister, two years older and 3 inches taller, was able to ride, and it aggravated me that I was unable to ride it. Come next year, I was tall enough to ride, but they removed the ride. I probably waited 5 years for that to come back to experience the “thrill ride of a lifetime”, as my sister put it. Glad to know it isn’t one of those memories that your brain creates when you’re rather young to make up for the lack of memory…^^”
Still speaking of tallest things…
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/oct/31/new-york-staten-island-ferris-wheel
Considering I’m sure that this will be delayed somehow, I wonder which will open first: Staten Island Wheel or the 290 foot one at American Dream Meadowlands? lol
The place was really nuts but I loved ever second there.
I would love to see more old pictures/videos of this place. It’s so fascinating to me. I was born in 1995 and am from Oregon, so I never went. I would have probably been too scared anyways if I was a kid in the 80’s! Death risk terrifies me. I think the cannonball loops just looks like a disaster waiting to happen. Even now people are STILL getting injured.
DO NOT SUPPORT THIS FEAST…THE PEOPLE RUNNING THE FEAST FROM THE T CARMEL SOCIETY ARE UNETHICAL PEOPLE THAT STEAL MONEY FROM THE PROCEEDS FROM THE FEAST. THEY RUN ILLEGAL CARD GAMES IN THE LODGE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, SERVE MINORS LIQUOR AND RUN ILLEGAL FOOTBALL POOLS AS WELL. A REAL CLASSLESS GROUP OF GUYS IN THIS SO CALLED SOCIAL CLUB!
The very first Power Surge made is at Magic Springs in Arkansas. I worked for the park, sort of. The only way I can describe the ride would be a ferris wheel on acid
SFOT had one for years. It was behind the Southern Palace Theatre. I love this ride, even after the accident at the Texas State Fair.
ive taken many cold rides during the october over the years..this Nitro ride sounds like a similar experience once with my last ride of the season on Millennium Force a few years ago..low 40s with a slight drizzle…good, cold ass, times.
93mph in some drizzle, now that sounds part awesome and part sting-a-rific. Out of sheer, morbid curiosity, I’d love to do a rain ride on something like Kingda Ka, but I think they close that sucker in anything above a light mist. lol
yeah its a bit stingy…they also close dragster in any kind of rain also:(
Love the Sky Diver!! I remember as a kid when the travelling fair came to town and set up at the local mall, I could see the top of the SD from my grandmas house and I would watch it out her window all night long! Every year I tried to get on it, but I swear that they kept raising the required height every year! SH*T! Took 3 years, but I finally was tall enough, and must have went on it about a dozen times that first year!
If I win the lotto, I am going to get Chance to build me a custom one! Then I will invite everyone to come ride it for free!! 🙂
I almost fell out of this as a kid. My dad was holding me by my legs as I was hanging out the damn thing. It was the scariest thing that ever happened to me. So be glad they raised the height. I was was too small at age 5-6 yrs old. They shouldn’t have let me go honestly.
Remember one year at the local fair, I was waiting in line to get on the Zipper with my brother and we were next in line. One of the people had puked all over the next car that we were to get into, and they were covered in it as well as the car. The operator unloaded the 2 people and ran off. He came back with a 5 gallon pail full of water and splashed out the car and told us to get in. We said no and had to get to the back of the line and wait again. I bet you any car that you get into on the Zipper, has been puked in when you think about it! 🙂
You can always hear the sound of change dropping when its suspended upsidedown for a few seconds! LOL
There sure were alot of rides based on the tea-cup concept.
Nice pick! I’ve always wanted to try a coaster at freezing temps!
Have you tried Goliath at SFOG? I feel like its an exceptional to the rule of B&M hypers lacking high G’s. The helix at the far end of the track pulls some serious G’s.
Regrettably, I can’t say that I’ve even been to SFOG let alone been on Goliath. The ride looks a lot of fun, though. Seems like it has some nice pops of airtime from what I saw in a YT video. I’ve also heard that SFOG is a pretty nice park overall; it’s certainly a park I need visit at some point!
Any idea what the Sea Dragon Ride was in Italy?
I just looked into it. I can’t find any photos of it, or even remember the ride myself, but reading around makes me think it was a Mack Sea Storm Ride (http://www.flatrides.com/Ride%20Index%20Pages/seastorm.html). It was apparently taken out around 1998, possibly to make room for Apollo’s Chariot.
cool..i couldnt find any info on it either
This year is gonna be Another Great Year for me and more #Zipper rides than last year 🙂
I think ARM’s Quasar can beat Matterhorn. Like the Matterhorn family rides. it’s head-to-tail chasing in a circle. Unlike them, the central axis is jacked to an angle that then counter-rotates to the cars’ direction. And it goes in reverse, too.
Well, I chose Matterhorn over something like Quasar or Explorer because that latter two are meant to do that motion from the get go. On something like Matterhorn, they’re typically run on a mild cycle in order to be a family ride. However, if the speed is cranked up, it turns into something very wild!
looks like it would be fun
Yeah it doesn’t look too bad. A smaller version of this ride could fly today, I bet. Actually, after seeing some crazy Russian built rides on YT, I wouldn’t doubt there’s already something like it floating around!
It was ! I got to experience the Tumbler at Rye
Playland in the 70’s ! Words can’t describe how
Much fun it was, and how scary ! It’s sad that Coney
Island let this ride rust away after it was disesembled
Chance should make a new Tumbler so everyone
can enjoy it !
Get an A on a report card, get in for free! Best deal ever! Thanks water works
I remember my first trip to Coney Island in 1973….I was 14. I am a native NY’er and during this period CI was considered dirty and dangerous, especially at night. I went one night with my brother and nephew, and we went on The Bobsled…I believe it was the last year this ride was open. It was a open wooden curved track and scary at night. I remember seeing the Tumbler and thought it was a very unusual looking ride. I remember the top wheel continued to turn while the one on the bottom loaded. The pods appeared to be a bit smaller and more squared than the Sky Diver pods,. I can’t say I remember seeing the ride run it’s cycle, just the load up. Years later (77?) when I returned to Coney, it seemed the center portion of the ride (everything but the 2 wheels containing the actual seats) including the yellow wheels that were on the sides and the blue center double cone shaped column were rusting in a heap next to the also abandoned Wild Mouse ride. The Mouse actually had vegetation growing throughout it….That wasn’t unusual for CI during this period…there were literally like 6 city blocks of rides, functioning ones standing alongside ones that were in disrepair and long out of service. When I first started driving I would head there (’77-’81) ….Some of the rides looked downright dangerous…The Thunderbolt roller coaster was running and looking very ill.. The Tornado coaster had experienced a fire, and was still standing….
There were many different Himalaya type rides on the different blocks.
A old Himalaya with the painted red letters on the front of the canopy, the legendary Polar Express (Still operating?) that seemed to have wooden cars and they faced towards the right, and the track appeared to have steeper banks, Lot’s of people enjoying the sound system on this ride and dancing (doing the Robot!) in the street….It seemed like every ride op was playing Trans Europe Express…a Super Cat that was a Caterpillar, a Cortina Bob in the Steeplechase section where you had in line seating in metallic jewel toned seats, and was very uncomfortable when the ride went fast- you felt like you were being thrown out sideways, and the newest and rumored to be the fastest Music Express down by the Cyclone in Astroland.
When I returned to CI after a long absence in 2000, it was nice to see the area had been cleaned up significantly.
Awesome post! Coney has definitely been cleaned up since things hit a low in the late 80s/early 90s. Maybe a little too cleaned up with all of these polished parks going up. Polar Express is indeed still going strong and I believe is the only Himalaya in Coney currently. If I remember correctly, the Musik Express that Astroland had prior to the park’s closure was leased from Strates Shows. Those rumors of it being the fastest were probably true as Strates still runs that thing at an incredible speed!
I…have never seen one of these before. I love thrill rides but I’m not sure I’d get on this one.
we’ve got the bear affair one, a cutesy puke-inator lol
I hate Bumper Cars I always had the misfortune of getting into the one car that never worked even if I’d seen it work in line. I don’t do them anymore.
What a great post! and some wonderful photos. I also found it very enjoyable to visit off season for walks. I started going to Wildwood 2X a year for 5 nights in 1986. Early June from Mon-Thurs at the time still yielded a feeling of desertedness when compared to the seasons height…I continued that until 1994. I made myself a vow that when I got to be a certain size or a certain age going to the beach would become a thing of the past. The size came long before the age did. I did however, return for 2 nights in 2010 sandwiched between a 2 night free stay in AC and and a free stay with a friend and his family at a Cape may house rental.
Wildwood had changed very much. Thank God they started the preservation of the doo wop architecture….so much of it is already gone. I used to love walking around Ocean Ave at night and looking at the different lighting on all those little motels. The Northern end once had many, many tall rooming houses. I stayed at the Maple Leaf
the first 2 years, and then moved on to the immaculately clean and well managed “Heart Of Wildwood” motels for the rest of my stays, which is still ocated at the foot of the southernmost pier. In healthier times I loved long walks, and I would walk north almost up to the lighthouse in Anglesea, and then the next day walk deep down into the crest. These days I don’t walk that much in a month! (gotta change that)
On one trip, I got off the parkway in North Wildwood and discovered the abandoned yet to be torn down houses on the right side of the road that were merely built with the front steps on land and the remainder on pilings in the water in the area known as Grassy Marsh. You could see the wallpaper thru the missing front doors, and I always wondered what great stories had once lived there. I remember when the Seaport shopping pier was just built. The entire area had a very noticeable (dirty diaper) bad pungent odor and there was a sign stating the lumber had been harvested from S. America and it would loose the fragrance over the first season. I remember when they built the massive rollercoaster on the former Hunts Pier….even for Wildwood, that was quite an impressive installation and I was surprised it only lasted a brief period of time. It was on my last trip there in ’94 I realized I was getting old. I was able to handle the Zipper at Seaside after a pint of Southern Comfort at 18, but finishing chewing a Gyro while getting on line for Breakdance was not a good idea at 35. The ride lurched forward and the seat dipped and whipped back, and I knew I was in for at minimum a difficult ride. I managed not to get ugly but got off totally sick! Ocean City seems to be the most traditional and least commercial of the remaining shore amusement areas, and the architecture is wonderful to boot. Seaside Heights was wonderful in the late 60’s to mid 70’s. The Swiss Bob was my favorite ride….it was right in the front on the Casino Pier and very very fast and the operators always gave you the full experience. Later it was moved to the left side of the pier right before the rise to the now missing back section. The 2 seasons that I went when the Turbo was there the ride was out of service both days….pity for me. I saw standing but never moving with my own 2 eyes! Even not moving it looked very devilish and unique…. Please continue with the postings and this site….I find it great fun and applaude your efforts. Thank you!
Garry G / Staten Island NY
Glad you liked the post Gary! Got to say, I really enjoyed your own writeup as well. It’s nice to know that there’s other people that enjoy the shore during the off season. It really has such a different vibe during the winter than during the peak season.
I’ve definitely noticed the changes over the years in Wildwood as well. When my family used to head down there, we’d always do a ride around on the first day to see what was different from the year before. I think three of the motels that we’ve stayed at in the past are gone now (Town & Country, Breezy Corners, and Pink Orchid if I remember correctly.) A lot of them were torn down in a span of a few years for condos which ended up not selling as well as they had hoped thanks to the housing market crash. It’s a shame.
I remember the coaster on Hunts Pier also. It was called Kamikaze and lasted from 1989 to 1991. It was actually relocated to Six Flags Over Georgia and goes by the name Ninja currently. Here’s an on-ride video of it if you ever wanted to take a spin! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIbxlpMBkww
If forgot Seaside had a Turbo. I want to say Wildwood did too at one point, but I’m not entirely sure. That ride does indeed like wild. Kind of reminds me of a sideways Zipper of sorts.
Take care!
Very cool
Neat theme for a Rotor. I think it could still fly. Maybe not as “Hell Hole” though. lol
I remember seeing a mini motorcycle stunt show in a decommissioned Jersey Shore Rotor ride somewhere around 1990….I cannot remember if it was Casino Pier in Seaside or a Pier in Wildwood.
The tidal wave does not go to the new jersey state fair and neither does the starship 3000 the enterprise goes
I’d wanna take a spin on the Toy Liquifier, my only fear is that it’d be a puke machine
Hey, that Dean Davis Zipper is really cool, went on it a few times a few years back but they sold it and it no longer runs shows here anymore 🙁 I think it was called the Mean Mother Zipper, which kinda fits the speed it runs haha.
I totally love this ride! I’m 30 and will still ride one of these at least once, if not twice, a year.
I like ten minutes from fantasy island and can remember the old devil’s hole ride, but just from the outside… I was only about 8 years old when it was removed so i was never big enough to ride it… But I remember always t
Tying to imagine what the inside was like and thinking it was scary
I was scared of it too, just watching from above for a few years, but I eventually started riding it around the time I was 12. It became my favorite ride. I can see how kids were scared of it with the darkness inside, the loud metal music playing and the fact that the whole metal structure shook when the ride was spinning.
Hey there Brian! 🙂
I personally would think your vid of This Year’s OLP Fair would go great with Eddie Money’s “Baby Hold On” in the background. 🙂
Btw, Me and my best friend celebrated his 22nd Birthday on that Saturday night (May 10). We had an Epic Saturday together with an intense karate session during the rainy Saturday early afternoon. Then after that we went to the fair to go 5 rounds on the Zipper (and at least 1 or 2 rounds on Round Up and Riptide)
We practiced our karate shouts as our cage surely flipped 22 times (in honor of my best friend’s age now) and counted them in Japanese. Then as the fair started to close at 11pm we got ourselves some cotton candy, and finished the night with a chicken Alfredo dinner and 7-11 slurpees 🙂
That was surely his “Best Day Of His Life” (as the way the song by “American Authors” goes)
Now my birthday (June 24) isn’t going to be at the NBYSF this year, cause it’s only in early this June. The only fair that will play around my birthday this year is at the Meadowlands State Fair. And I so look forward to it 🙂
Cool, sounds like you guys had fun! And you know, I think the Meadowlands might be a better place to celebrate your birthday being a much larger fair and all.
Also, Eddie Money and the video, check it out: http://youtubedoubler.com/cuiq
Here is the DUMBEST way to ride the Round Up (note: this was in Russia, not surprisingly)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1os9oB2gj8U
Thought you might want to add that to this ride review 🙂
Hey Indeed it will. Cause just been announced on their FB Page (they mentioned about you and shared your SFM trip report from last year too, big thanks to them I suppose) They’re bringing the Zipper back this year! (Could be from either Reithoffer or Strates) Plus the Spectacular Rides there will include the Banzai, Enterprise, Fireball (KMG I suppose), Full Tilt, Gravitron, Himalaya, Musik Express, Orbiter, Ring of Fire, Rock ‘n’ Roll, Sizzler, Skyflyer, Space Roller, Tilt-A-Whirl, Tornado (could be either the Huss or Wisdom kind), Wave Swinger, and YoYo
The roller coasters that’ll be there will be the Zyklon (Strates I suppose) and the Crazy Mouse.
Boy It’s Gonna Be One Heck Of Fair This Year For My Birthday Celebration On June 28th with my best friend, my older sisters and cousin, and our karate sensei will join us too, in celebration of the 30th Anniversary of the 1st Karate Kid movie (with Ralph Macchio as Daniel LaRusso and Pat Morita as Mr. Miyagi in it) which was released on June 22, 1984. So our sensei will be me and my best friend’s Mr. Miyagi as we’ll all take turns riding the Zipper with him 🙂
“Wax on. Wax off” 🙂
Sunday was added due to closing a few days before hand due to the weather.
Usually when you add extra days it sucks, big time. We actually had a decent crowd on Sunday afternoon from what i was told. ( I was on Long Island working at our shop)
Thanks for another great write-up!
That’s good to hear. I remember Cookes Amusements added a couple of Sundays at OLP way back when. One of them did really well, like it seemed comparable to a normal Saturday. The other, well…I headed over at around 3pm and saw them tearing everything down. Guess it didn’t do so hot. lol
Hilarious article. The statistical overview on your defensive tactics and success rates is completely amusing. Light-hearted fun at a very fearsome opponent. I am from the Midwest and have never seen or heard of anything like these creatures that I have found have taken up residency in my recently acquired old Victorian home near the Delaware River in Bucks County, PA after my recent relocation. Three have found their way onto the first floor in the past two days, and it is now war. They messed with the wrong Midwest Farmer’s Daughter! 🙂 If pesticides and traps don’t finish them off, I figure I can offer them some arsenic laced cheese curds 😀 . Thank you for lightening the mood and making me not feel like the biggest wuss on the planet for being absolutely terrified by these gruesome alien invaders. Keep up the good work and you are not alone in this war. We shall conquer & they shall perish. 🙂 lol
That really is a nice Cliffhanger ride. I wonder how long it’ll be until half the bulbs are busted lol
Well, those bulbs get knocked around a lot while on the road, so it’s not too unusual to see some out by the end of the season.
hello did you manage to find parts for the ride
Curious to ask lol, exactly how long did Dreamland’s “Zipper” ran in each cycle?
And did the Corpus Christi church carnival has the Zipper there as well?
I didn’t time it, but it seemed to go for a good 4+ minutes on the night I was there. Each way went for like as long as a full cycle on some other Zippers. lol
I didn’t see a Zipper at Corpus Christi, but then again I barely stuck my head into the lot. However, since they had Rock-o-Plane then they probably didn’t have Zipper there.
Ah, well recalling back in 2012 it did, as I was looking back at your 2012 Trip Report of the Corpus Christi church from 2 years ago. Would’ve been nice to see that one from Tommys Midway again. Makes me wonder now if the traveling carnival company still have it to this day.
According to their website, they do. Could be outdated though. http://www.tommysmidway.com
And btw, I’ve Just Won A Pair of Free Admission Tickets to State Fair Meadowlands by participating in one of their FB contests. Happy Early Birthday To Me! 😀
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10152457841052403&id=350030462402
Parking is always horrendous at this fair on Saturday nights. Luckily I live within walking distance of the fair and that’s how I traveled to and from the fair this year, which happened to be the same night you went. I felt like an outcast in my jacket and jeans while 90% of people were in shorts and light shirts, but it was a bit chilly that night and I felt comfortable.
A few extra notes I think are worth sharing:
*Whoever was working Music Express the night I was there took the “music” out of it; despite it being one of the faster Himalaya-type rides out there, lights, music, and special effects are a big part of the experience of this type of ride, and it was sorely missing here.
*Club Scene may very well be the only Fun House in existence where the rotating barrel is at the ENTRANCE.
*The fireworks show was amazing and lengthy as usual. North Brunswick does not have any 4th of July celebrations so the fireworks at this carnival are our “de facto” 4th of July fireworks. (Carnevale Italiano also does fireworks but that carnival sucks now)
I’m glad I was wearing jeans and a hoodie, I saw plenty of people in shorts and t-shirt shivering their butts off as it got later!
I could have sworn that I heard music on Musik Express when I was by it that night, although I was only by it a couple of times all night. I do agree with everything else though, Strates doesn’t really have strobes/horn or anything on Musik Express. On the other hand, their older Himalaya (which was next to the ferris wheel last year) does, which is kind of funny.
There’s another fun house I see around that has a barrel at the entrance…but it’s the same model as Club Scene, only with a different theme lol. Here’s a photo: http://www.domainofdeath3.com/news/wp-content/gallery/2013-state-fair-meadowlands-2/funhouse1.jpg
I’ve always thought about going to Carnevale Italiano, but I guess it’s not that good from what you say. What do they usually have there?
Back in the day, before the NBYSF existed and before the High School was expanded, Carnevale Italiano was the big fair in North Brunswick, held next to North Brunswick Township High School. It had a decent sized midway with a good amount of rides and various Italian-American themed concessions.
The fair is now held in a smaller lot at the corner of Route 130 and Apple Orchard Lane. It still has rides and Italian-American concessions, but because of the smaller lot, there are a lot less of them. Probably not worth the drive.
My first ever time I went to the Carnevale Italiano was last year..And I didn’t knew about until then. But they had some pretty good rides by Reithoffer Shows, the traveling carnival I don’t get to see often in NJ. They had the Zipper (My #1 FAVE as u can tell lol), Pharaohs Fury, and the Full Tilt. I’d say it wasn’t really that bad unless what matters to me if the Zipper is there 🙂
Reithoffer does a few spots around here that you might be able to catch. Reithoffer Blue does NJ State Fair up in Sussex County and their Orange unit does Freedom Fest State Fair down at the Horse Park near Six Flags along with Carnevale Italiano.
They also did Staten Island Mall and Kings County Fair in NY (both blue) and they also have orange in Levittown, PA where they bring in the Dutch Wheel.
Ah, ok. Eh, I don;t know, I might check it out one year just to go. It’s always fun going to new fairs, even if they’re not so hot.
Oh man, I LOVE This Fair 😀
I’ve been going there for 4 years now. Though I kinda miss Reithoffer having the spot..would’ve been awesome if Strates and Reithoffer shared the spot.
And btw, this is actually the “warm up” fair to the Biggest Fair of NJ, STATE FAIR MEADOWLANDS 😀
I see Meadowlands not only has their usual wheel, but Strates’ Giant Wheel as well. Looks like there’s also a Zamperla Disk-O type ride…don’t know who’s that is!
Hey guys,
Reading all your comments is great but why not turn this into reality. For those of you who don’t know, Action Park has reopened. On Saturday, June 28, 2014, we will be having an AP Reunion for former employees. Check out http://www.actionpark.com/reunion for more details. Hope to see you there! There’s nothing in the world like Action Park!
Where you’re the center of the action!
I bet this summer is just the beginning of a major paradigm shift for the park. 😀
Disk’o belongs to Jeremy Floyd (just purchased this season) who also owns the Space Roller.
Thanks! I had a feeling it was an independent book in. Looks like Reithoffer is booked in as well with at least Tornado and Yo-Yo. Meadowlands has quite the ride lineup this year!
I’m working for a TV production company out of NYC and we’re looking for people who grew up at the park and are excited for the return! Please contact me if you’re interested!
plywoodie, I worked as a Security Guard at Action Park from 1987-1989 and was present for, among other things, the 1987 drowning in the Wave Pool. I would say about 90% of the stories I’ve read about the park are true but there are few exagerations and some things that went on behind the scenes that the average ride attendant didn’t get to see. If you are legit, I might be interested in sharing some stories.
Check it out… the Cannonball Loop in action (at about 8:20)::
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDHqfhyCbbM
Video also has lots of great memories from the early days.
Also 1987 video of various rides:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0iJoL1Q9FY
and 1991 video of various rides:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xXcQdVr1Zg
Action Park is infamous, and Gene Mulvihill wanted it to be that way, or he would not have built the extreme rides. Let’s hope his son Andrew can bring back the risk and thrill that has never been known anywhere else… get people to sign waivers when entering the park if necessary, and let visitors have all the fun they can, even if it means a few cuts, scrapes and bruises!
Great video!
Thanks Rudie!
At these smaller fairs, do you ever ride any of the rides?
Unless there’s a ride that I never see and want to ride, then no. I’ll usually see these types of rides included in a larger fair, so sometimes I’ll just ride them there along with the rides that I do want to ride.
I’m a 15 year old girl and tried to ride this ride but I was to large. I weigh less than 200 pounds! I have never been so embarrassed. Then need to change their restraints because I’m not that big! Yes I’m overweight I will admit but not big enough not to be able to ride a ride! I have never had any trouble with any other ride EVER.
How intense would you say air race is?
I wouldn’t really say it’s very intense compared to something like Zipper or a Fireball/Wild Claw type ride. It doesn’t have high Gs or anything but you probably go upsidedown about 20 times over the ride cycle. To me it’s more nauseating than intense but on a scale of 1 to 10 with ten being the most intense, I’d probably go with a 4.
I am interested in purchasing one of the wheels of chance in Seaside. Do you remember what store was selling them?
I wish I remember the exact place. It was a couple of blocks south of Casino Pier if I remember correctly, some storefront selling T-shirts and other items…which I guess doesn’t help too much as basically every store sells t-shirts and other items. Haha
I discovered a carnival in Malibu that has one of these complete with the old style lighting scheme I really want to ride it now.
We just put the LEDs on our Smaller Wheel this year, they were actually not working right when you saw them, the master light controller that runs the whole package was bad so we had just jumped them out to be solid for the time being.
Ah, I see. So they’re supposed to change colors and/or go through patterns I guess?
Yea just a smaller version of our big wheel lights. obviously the patterns aren’t the same because they are just in a shape of a star.
Added a short video to our facebook.
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=852686341410435&set=vb.125286720817071&type=2&theater
Yeah I actually saw that while on FB the other day. It looks really good!
Great report! As usual.
I HAVE in fact seen carnivals call their super loops coasters. Just this past spring, at a local carnival, my friend asked the op running the fireball if it was a “coaster”. He then went on a lengthy rant/discussion on how it was. In the end, my friend ended at the conclusion that super loops were coasters.
I’m still not so sure though, myself. I guess you could call it a type of powered shuttle coaster, and they certainly are more of a coaster than the sky master/Kamikazee rides that essentially do the same thing, however, I’d say that’s pushing it.
Personally I’d call it a hybrid of coaster and flat.
But wait, as I type this, I’m thinking.. “Why the hell do I even care?!?!!????!!!” I HATE super loops! After one ride at the fair this spring, I was done, and immediately headed over to the far superior larson manufactured ride on the other end of the midway… Tha ARM/Larson Super shot !… Absolutely kick@$$ airtime whoops painful, unsafe WTC feeling (even though it was a brand new super loop) hangtime any day!
Suck it super loops!!!
I don’t think it’s a coaster because it doesn’t really have a rolling stock. Roller coasters have trains with wheels that travel down tracks. A Superloop ride is a train attached to a conveyor belt of sorts that spans the inside of the loop. If the train had wheels underneath and was propelled by tire drives or something (like Schwarzkopf’s Katapult coaster) then I’d be more inclined to say that it’s a coaster.
I’m not a huge Superloops fan either, but I’ve been on some pretty awesome ones where the ride ops let the ride go at full bore. They can get surprisingly fast; far faster than Kamikaze type rides! I doubt SF will run their’s at such speeds, but I still think it’s an all right addition nonetheless. I don’t like how they’re calling it a coaster, but for a park that needs flats, I’m not complaining.
a lot of these look really cool! I’d love to try the tango which looks like a giant wind mill, energy storm, spinball, stargate and vortex
the blender rides look so cool! south America is lucky.
I had my first visit back to Great Adventure in a few years just this past August and was impressed with the park..I was not so impressed with my previous visits( those were the days of all the “new” flats never being open and Batman and Robin never being open along with Viper)..kind of a shame the way to improve the park was to get rid of everything and not fix them but oh well it makes that park seem complete now..heavy crowds but I did have fun still..as for the Kingda Ka/Zumanjaro operation..i read on another site that when the state inspected the new ride..they deemed it unsafe to operate both rides at the same time for some stupid reason so that why they take turns..worried about falling objects from the coaster..bs i know
They’ve stepped it up in the past several years. It’s a shame they had to get rid of all those flats (didn’t want to spend the $$ hiring more so they just left them closed) but I feel like they’ve done a lot of good in that area as well as cleaning the park up in general. There’s still some legit gripes, like neglecting Movietown and not having the path between Golden Kingdom and Plaza del Carnival open (which might change next year) but complaints about Looping Dragon or not getting [insert coaster type here] are nuts.
About KK and Zumanjaro, that seems likely. NJ is one of the toughest states regarding amusement ride inspections. Insurance is probably another factor. Something hitting anyone would be an easy lawsuit if someone wished to pursue it. It’s so bad that Zumanjaro even has these flap things that rise up to form a roof over passengers getting on the ride. Although, I guess after seeing the roofs around Sky Screamer, maybe it’s not such a crazy thing to have. lol
I did wonder why there is no path from the kingdom to carnival or at least the “other” part of the golden kingdom before you enter the plaza del carnival..hopefully they add more to that area to make it look as nice as it did when it first opened..just looks bare and incomplete now..yes movietown is in need of a re-do..would be nice to just make it Gotham city and expand into the old old world area thats closed off now
Funny enough, the path between the two areas was one of the more ornately themed areas of the park with temple walls, shrubbery, and plexiglass windows that looked into the tiger enclosure. They ended up removing the tigers and closing a small children’s area on the path which left it barren of any attractions. It kind of does open during Fright Fest, but as a walk through haunt.
Movie Town and Old Country are my biggest gripes right now. I guess they can get away with having Old Country closed off, but Movie Town literally just has Batman and the Dark Knight with a ton of space to plop something, anything, in. Again, the area sees more life during Fright Fest as they put the Dead Man’s Party stage near the abandoned Batman Stunt Show arena. They also open up the path to where Chiller was as a walk through haunt and shows at the Showcase Theater are back there.
i guess its good to use the empty areas for fright fest but still a massive revamp is needed for movietown and golden kingdom..and a way way more colorful repaint of twister too while im at it..lol
Six Flags did make it more colorful by adding the Twix ads. What more do you want? lol
ugh..do not get me started on the six flags ad wraps!
since this carnival had a full sized wave swinger, no parks are allowed to have any since its a carnival ride
Oh, but this is a Bertazzon model. “Real” amusement parks have Zierer Wave Swingers. lol
oh i see..lol
Hello everyone, it’s my first visit at this web site, and article is in fact fruitful designed for me, keep up posting such posts.
At least the Raëlians are vigilant?
I’m surprised he didn’t think the cop was a reptilian shapeshifter or something.
heh heh..maybe he was…
I don’t like Thunderbolt at all, while the ride itself looks good I feel that it’s a giant middle finger to the legacy of Coney Island (pardon the fairly extreme comparison). While I get that the place is owned by Zamperla that doesn’t mean they have to use just their designs, how about getting say Gravity Group to bring the original Thunderbolt back to life instead, or have Rocky Mountain do something (I consider Outlaw Run and similar rides to be wooden coasters) really amazing.
I feel that the legacy of Coney Island is being wasted and I’m afraid of what they’ll do to pay ‘tribute’ to the Coney Island Tornado.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/37416464@N04/6782319864/ (POV of original Torando/Bobs)
https://www.flickr.com/photos/37416464@N04/6782339038/in/photostream/ (POV of original Thunderbolt)
I know that there are several people who will disagree with me but that’s just what I think, if it was built somewhere else I’d consider the ride to be better, but due to location and name it’s degraded because of how bland it is to the legacy of Coney Island.
I see where you’re coming from and agree to a certain extent. It’s true that the Coney of old is being slowly replaced with a sanitized version of the “Coney Island” thats more akin to Times Square rather than having the charm and attitude the area once had. That being said, CI has also come a long way from 2009 when Astroland, along with the area from 12th Street to the baseball stadium, was basically just barren land. I’m really just glad to see anything amusement related go on the lot. Considering what Joe Sitt was planning to develop in Coney Island, it could be much worse.
This is the best roller coaster ever!!!! My complete favorite!!!! OMG I love it!!
It is smooth flowing,not bumpy and shaky.
It was my first high,extreme,looping coaster,and I loved it!!!
So I’m not the only one who knows about the ejector airtime hill on Runaway Mine Train. Just wondering, have you ever gotten Nitro’s C train, because it has the worst rattle out of any coaster I’ve ridden.
Yes, I have been in Nitro’s C train. At least I think I have considering that I’ve had the occasional rattly Nitro ride. It was pretty bad, but the rattle when riding the back car on Kingda Ka takes the cake for me!
I’ve always tried to avoid Kingda Ka’s rear car. The dark blue train actually isn’t that bad now since its refurbishment. Rolling Thunder’s front car on the blue train was another one of those trains you wanted to avoid.
See, I always thought that everywhere was bad on Rolling Thunder, especially the right track. lol Ho-lee crap…I got my ass soundly kicked one time when I not only rode the right side, but in the back seat. Funny enough, I kind of miss that coaster along with Scream Machine, another butt kicker.
Rode the Hell Hole at Conneaut lake many times. Towards the end of the last season it operated. They let you stay on the ride as long as you wanted. I stayed on the ride for an hour and a half one day. When there was enough room you could position yourself upside down as the ride was running, as long as you were careful enough to get back in standing position before the ride started slowing down to stop. That ride was a blast!! Wish I could ride one again.
I never had a problem with RT’s right side. It was the ridiculous amount of jackhammering on the left side, especially after they wrapped the trains in adds. I miss going to RT after deciding not to wait in the insane El Toro line on crowded days.
BO and ass adds to the theme..duh!
I guess hobo piss would also be a likely smell in an access tunnel. Back in the day they actually had what amounted to trash in that fenced in area to the left of the queue switchback. It’s been cleaned up, probably because it looked too real.
speaking of dirty and dingy..I hated that they repainted all the batman rides bright yellow and blue in some parks..should have kept the faded blacks and greys..thats what gotham city is!
I have to say, the original black with gray rails looked awesome. The yellow made it look similar to Nitro. Occasionally I’ll overhear someone at the park say something like “this ride (Nitro) has loops! I’m not going on that!”
ha ha..id want to slap that person
that kong flying scooters ride looks awesome…for a carnival ride that is..lol
I want to see Great Adventure get a Tilt-a-Whirl next year, just to see the outrage.
im gonna complain next time i see a coaster at a carnival
The ’70s rides rocked! Love that old postcard of King Kong ride
Great article on the Turbo, Tricia! I love those old WW postcards as well, there was actually a store on the boardwalk selling those old postcards up until the early 2000s. I remember buying a stack of them but don’t know where most of them are now. A damn shame I tell ya’!
Hey,
One of my fellow Six Flags Over Georgia fans has posted a video of Six Flags c. 1969.
It has the Chance Tumbler in it.
Chance Tumbler segment starts at 8:41, best viewed in HD.
*This is NOT my video.*
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10202571881958784&set=vb.1248488808&type=2&theater
Oh man, that is an awesome video! Looks like there’s even a bit of an on-ride video at the beginning. Thanks for sharing!
What a great video! To my knowledge, that’s the only film I’ve ever seen on the Wheel Burrow (a.k.a., the Tumbler). What memories!!
2014 was a nice coaster year for me..had a few nice visits to my local parks Cedar Point and Kings Island..Banshee is pretty bad ass..took my first trip ever to Indiana Beach..Cornball Express is the highlight there..great little coaster..took a trip to Dorney Park and Great Adventure..hadn’t been to those parks in a while..was glad to see Great Adventure, at least visually, in better shape than my last visits years ago..then just earlier this month had an awesome trip down to Universal Resort in Orlando..was VERY impressed with the Harry Potter areas and other new stuff they’ve built since my last visit there..gotta start scouting places to visit in 2015
Seemed like you got quite a bit in this season! How did you like Dorney Park? I missed out going these past two seasons, but I always found it to be a pretty well rounded park with a decent lineup of coasters and a great collection of flats and water rides. Plus, the dry park almost never has lines.
Dorney was fun..even tho the sight of the STOLEN impulse coaster from my home park Geauga Lake made me angry each time I passed it..but yes, there were almost no lines on anything..also them adding Demon Drop was still a silly decision.
Nah, Geauga Lake just got rid of that and X-Flight so that they would have two less things to tear down at the end of 2007. lol…
Demon Drop was kind of a silly addition, but I think it was more like “we have this ride and Knotts doesn’t want it…uh, just send it to Dorney.” I like the ride though. It’s strange and retro…I like that.
yep..stolen:(
The loping quadro and tornado do actually look like fun..when I first saw and rode Xcaliber at Six Flags St.Louis( finally got to ride it after seeing it ALWAYS closed at Great Adventure) I thought it would be better if it spun slower so the cars can flip like that..would be nice for one of those to come to the US….As for that bungee contraption..wow thats ain’t right.
I actually thought the larger Evolutions were more like the smaller versions, where the pods face upward mechanically and spin slowly, before I saw it in person. Unfortunately, I never got to ride Evolution when it was at Great Adventure. I saw it operating once but wasn’t feeling that well that day after eating something bad that morning. It’s the only remaining Nauta Bussink Evolution operating…can’t believe I missed out on it at GAdv!
I’m not too surprised to see the Crystal Beach Cyclone on the list, but i’m surprised not to see the Airplane Coaster at Playland Park in RYE, any of the lost classics at Coney Island in New York (Thunderbolt (1924 version, not the 2014 abomination), Tornado, Bobsleds ect.).
For me I don’t have a proper list, but here’s my picks, in no particular order, some of them have the lifespans.
Riverview Park Bobs/any wood coaster at Riverview Park when it closed in 1967 (1924-1967 (Bobs) everything else ranging from 1920 through 1963-1967)
Coney Island Tornado (1926-1977)
Veince Amusement Pier Giant Dipper (1926-1946)
Cyclone Racer (1930-1968)
Airplane Coaster Playland Park (1928-1957)
Big Bad Wolf (1984-2009)
Hades (when the ride was good as well as pre Mistake 360)
Coney Island Thunderbolt (1924-1982)
Bobsled Coney Island (1941-1974)
Wildcat Coney Island Ohio (1924-1964)
Big Dipper Geauga Lake (someone better save the thing) (1925-2006)
Idora Park Wildcat and Jack Rabbit (1914-1984 (Jack Rabbit 1930-1984 (Wildcat)))
Purita Springs Cyclone (Ravine Coaster)
Savin Rock Thunderbolt (1925-1938)
Revere Beach Cyclone (1925-1969)
Meyer’s Lake Park Comet (basically a taller Phoenix with one less air-time hill, a shorter tunnel and possibly a curved station, you honestly can’t go wrong with that)
Cedar Point Cyclone (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CaCU7j4T94 NoLimits1 recreation) (1929-1951)
You’ve got some good classic coasters on that list. I was actually thinking about adding Airplane myself, because that coaster did look pretty neat. If I did a 10 coaster list, Airplane and Tornado in Coney Island likely would have been on it. Thunderbolt always seemed quite similar to Cyclone to me, so that wouldn’t have made the cut. I’d also add in The Bat at Kings Island, the 1981 version, to an expanded list.
If you can’t tell i’m a big old wooden coaster nerd, and here are some videos on the same channel as the Crystal Beach Cyclone footage if you didn’t know this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbjPAM65AvI (both the Idora Park Wildcat and Jack Rabbit)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8KaOFp4mk2w (Wildcat only)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amLldcXWf8E (Airplane Coaster 1)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9Xv_wiVeOw (Airplane Coaster 2, near end of video)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47BmnGVZiuo (Meyer’s Lake Park Comet, the Phoenix before Phoenix was built)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wTZTX_2yrw (Triple Racing Coaster Texas State Fair, I didn’t name this one but the footage is something)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qp9gu2p9i_k (Cyclone Racer from 1936 movie, very humorous to watch)
All of this is rare footage, so enjoy.
I really liked that Wildcat coaster at Idora, seems like it lived up to its name. lol I remember seeing that triple racing coaster video before. I like the 4 bench cars it has, like what Coney Island Cyclone still runs. You get launched over the drops when sitting in the back seats of those things.
Thinking of just the active coasters during my coaster nut lifetime..my top choice would be Drachen Fire as well..my first visit to BGW was one of the years the ride was still standing but was closed..it was torture knowing it was closed..I too love arrow loopers and that thing looked pretty bad ass.
I just can’t believe they got rid of it so fast. I mean it was torn down in 2002, but they left it abandoned from 1998 onward. It makes me wonder how much longer Loch Ness Monster will stick around for as that thing is over 35 years old now.
I think a lot if not all of old arrows can get a little new life out of them with new restraints like vekoma has put on some of their loopers that dont cause headbanging
Even the older Vekoma trains might work. I remember Sea Serpent at Morey’s Piers was awful with its original Arrow train, but then they slapped on a new Vekoma train in 2000 and it made the ride a LOT smoother. It has some shake again now, but not nearly as bad as it was.
I rode it in the Magic Seat five times at dusk before having to even get off. I had gotten very lucky that day, as it was a Friday at Fright Fest, and we had just arrived in New Jersey.
That “mexican” ejector hill was SOMEthing! In the back, the ejection grinds your head and is nearly painful! I’ve been on 131 coasters, and never have I seen such a glorious ejector hill.
In the front, it still ranks as supreme airtime, but is taken much quicker. My only time I rode the front was before leaving after-hours on our last day, and I’m very glad I ended my trip as so. We waited in line till after the park had closed, and pleasantly found the front as a entirely new animal (pun intended). It was VERY fast, with an extremely relentless pace.
Im so sick of people that live near amusement parks or whatever thats been there for MANY MANY years before them and then complain about noise and traffic..one of the many reasons nothing will become of my former home park Geauga Lake..and Cedar Fair’s evilness
The way I see it, Seaside is already so full of guido “Jersey Shore” types during the summer that the sound of a pneumatic cylinder from a shot tower or screams from a ride would be the least of one’s worries. lol
However, I can kind of see the argument if a park had been there for years with flatrides and then suddenly built a loud ass pneumatic drop tower (which is what happened with Funtown Pier in the late 90s.)
it can’t be that much more from an already existing busy park..lol
I don’t know. Like a park makes noise, but I think it would be mostly background type of noise after a while. Things like pneumatic tanks being released or B&M track with no sand in it would stick out from the background noise and become more annoying. But, still, if they’re living in Seaside then they should know that the place becomes a zoo 4 months out of the year, so why even complain?
Hey guys! I can confirm that the Dean Davies Zipper definitely was faster! I live in country Victoria, Australia and it toured everywhere when I was a kid as The Zipper with scary airbrush artwork around it with a massive sign that said “Mean Mother”
It was incredibly fast and the most vicious zipper. I rode it between the ages of 15 and 18, then it turned up at the Traralgon show and I rode it again when I was 23 in 2010. This beast is old and nasty. I rode the zipper a few times in between and I just thought I was older now and that rides aren’t actually scary anymore, but this zipper is not like zippers you see now, it was far beyond terrifying. You could feel the whiplash effect of reaching the end of the boom every 4 seconds, which was the count you’d scream when we were all teenages. It would go “1, 2, 3, Faaarrrkkkk! 1, 2, 3, Help Me!!!” It had yellow framework and the cars were yellow and red. It also had a motor with tyres that spun against the beam cables to make the ride actually work and break for stopping which was hideous and terrifying to watch. The carnie attendants were hard nuts and always played the hardest trance music and if you rode it before 4pm each ride lasted about 6 mins. They would leave the first 2 or 3 people on the ride in for up to 10mins to attract everyone to buy tickets and get in line. Every year at school we would compare bruising on our legs because you were actually assaulted, and it was stock standard to watch young girls come off it with eggs on their foreheads and be bleeding. this zipper was also notorious for vomiting and they would regularly hose the cages out before you got on. sooo insane!!!!
yep..sticking with the old work horse thats is RCT2
I think I like RCT2 the most also. At least I can play that and RCT1 on my laptop without it melting down like it would with RCT3.
heh heh..rct3 would not even install on my pc back then
Ahahaha few years later found the photo with the ??? and was confuzzled. Then realized what you were trying to say. The clown balloon thingy had popped and said buh-bye.
As a carney I ran this ride from 1989 to 1997. We nicknamed it the “Vomitron”… vomit being the key syllables. One single hot and humid day in Peterburough Ontario my Cobra had 35 people barf from riding it.
Most people are fine with the ride running forwards. Backwards really makes the weak stomached turn green. 😀
The “No Single Riders” policies are tyranny! They are designed to keep the single population out of sight and out of mind! Man, have American carnivals gone to the dogs! American carnivals are in the toilet! Soon it’s going to be “No Adults 18 or older” and similar type policies.
Thanks for confirming my memory of the injury photos shown at the top of the Alpine Slide. They scared me too!
I keep just missing the chance to ride the batman coasters backwards..even tho im not a fan of the whole gimmick, I would like to check it out at least once..I did get to ride American Eagle and Viper backwards at Great America..and I guess Mr Freeze if you want to count that at SFoT(yawn), but I was NOT a fan or Viper backwards..that ride is an underrated piece of awesomeness just they way it is,,doesn’t need a silly gimmick like that.
I think it’s an all right gimmick, at least in that I feel like it’s a unique coaster to have backwards. I don’t think I’ve ever been on a full circuit coaster that went backwards, just shuttle coasters which don’t really count.
Did you ride any of the rides?
Nah, at these smaller fairs I don’t unless there’s something really good. Campy’s Amusements has a Cobra according to their site; if they brought something like that then I’d totally take a spin!
Thats an awesome story. I worked for cooke amusements back when i was 17 now 40 lol. Had a lot of fun working that ride at the time we had an all time fav operator name DOC was one of the badest operators for the hang ten. Was really an awesome show we put on with the hang 10. I remember one of his favorite lines. If u puke it up you gotta scoop it up… lol thanks for the memory flash of hood ol carny days
I know this page is about the zipper, but have you ever been on a Chance Turbo before? They look pretty cool from what I’ve read/seen, but there doesn’t seem to be anything about the ride here on this site.
Not only have I not been on one, but I’ve never even seen one in person. I don’t think there’s any operating currently. One went up for sale and was bought by Playland up in Vancouver and then sent to Chance for refurbishment, but they decided to re-sell it after learning how much work it needed. So now it’s awaiting a new owner at the Chance plant, I guess. Here’s an article about it over at Amusing the Zillion: http://amusingthezillion.com/2015/01/21/playland-vancouver-to-re-sell-rare-1970s-turbo-ride-instead-of-refurbing-it/
I also rode the Hell Hole at Conneaut Lake Park many times. My dad worked for General Electric in Erie, PA and the union had their annual picnic at the park every summer…so I was there every year from the mid 80s to the early 90s. I was really disappointed when they took it out with all the problems the park has had for the last 20 years or so. I have never seen another ride like that anywhere. The guy running the ride would always say “do not turn upside down” but there was always at least one person who would do it. They never enforced that rule…they probably had to say that for insurance reasons. Like the other person said, if it was a slow day, they kept the ride going for an extra long amount of time and you could pretty much stay in there as long as you wanted too.
Hey Matt. This is your brother evan
I have to say, I can’t believe my friend/training partner and I missed out on this fair this year. Not only because of some financial issues.. but also weather related. We also planned to go on the last day of the fair which was Saturday, May 16 after our usual Saturday afternoon karate session. But I had feeling that the fair was going to get completely rained out. I checked the hourly forecast on my Weather Channel app and it said from 7pm (The time we plan to be there) to midnight.. 50-60% of thunderstorms and heavy downpours. Almost 6pm and we were thinking either risking going to this awesome fair and get ourselves soaked at the event. Or stay dry at home on a Saturday night playing Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Revolution Storm on my friend’s PS3 with him, knowing that the event will get washed out. At around 7pm Mike (Blue Sky Amusements owner) sent me a FB message saying that the rain has came down hard and there’s a good chance that the fair may come to an early close. And I knew I made the right choice cause while it was storming over there, so as in Elizabeth (Where me and my friend lives).
So instead of getting ourselves soaked at this event, I just enjoying battling against my friend in this awesome fighting game while it was raining cats and dogs. And at around 9pm the rain subsided and we got us boneless ribs, beef fried rice, and fries from the best Chinese takeout place in town. And he slept over at my place. And that’s how we pretty much spent that Saturday night together.
So then we decided we should celebrate it at the North Brunswick Youth Sports Fest. Since it’s a 2 week long event and they have unlimited ride wristbands from Walgreens, which went on sale just yesterday until June 13. And Reithoffer Shows (Orange Unit) will do this fair this year. Again I was hoping both Strates and Reithoffer do the same spot..but guessing it wasn’t in the cards this year. But oh well, while I was looking at pics of some fairground stuntman stuntman walking on top of the Dutch Wheel, I asked them if the wheel (that looks quite similar to Strates) is going to appear at the NBYSF this year, guess what? The Dutch Wheel already got approval to play at any large fair in NJ. Though crossing my fingers hoping that it will be there..as well as the ride I’ve been fearing the most, the KMG Tango..oh and of course their Mets (or Knicks)/Yanks colored Zipper as well.
https://www.facebook.com/ReithofferShows/posts/10153465478437223
Good choice on not heading over. After the tornado warned storm went through, it just kept raining light to moderately until 10pm. The worst storm actually missed (the worst of it went over the neighboring town to the west) but it was bad enough to clear everyone out I’m sure.
I’m kind of glad Reithoffer is doing North Brunswick again. I like Strates and they have some nice rides, but I do like Reithoffer a lot more. On their Dutch wheel, I know that it normally plays St. Michaels Fair in Levittown, PA, which is June 23rd to July 5. So I don’t know if it would be at NB as they might be cutting it close since NB ends on the 21st.
And you need to go on Tango. It’s a blast!
Back in the 1980’s I rode a ride that made the Zipper look like a Scrambler. I have never seen one since or even photos of one. It consisted of a apparatus that looked a lot like a double ferris wheel. There were rotating circles holding seats almost identical to the Zipper seats . The center axis would rotate the two wheels at either end of a long bar so to speak. Then each circle would rotate on it’s own. And the seats would go upside down. So there were 3 different axis points on the ride for each seat including the center rotating bar, the rotating wheel and the seat itself. The ride was operated at significant speed so that the circles would gain momentum from the bar and the seat would gain momentum from the circle and the bar. And what’s worse is they would reverse the direction of the center axis (the bar) causing a whip effect that would sent the circle structures spinning at high speed and if they happened to catch the seat at just the right momenty it would spin that seat like a top. That ride was insane to be polite. The operator warned us that no one ever rode it. My sister would have it no other way than for us to try. The reluctant operator said we should empty our pockets because they would be empty before the ride was over. Then he said just scream when you’ve had enough. Once the thing got up to speed it was like being inside a washing machine inside another washing machine and both at the end of a whip. I’m surprised it didn’t kill everyone that tried to ride it. Within 30 seconds my sister was mumbling “make them stop” and of course it was up to me to do the screaming. The bad part was it took at least 2 minutes to slow the ride down much less stop it. We had to be on that ride for 5 minutes at least. I had left a small amount of change in my pocket to check the story about losing everything and sure enough it was all gone. I’d love to see a photo of that ride now. I don’t think they built many of them because humans could not endure that ride. It was by far the worst ride I’ve ever been on and I’ve been to some of the big amusement parks and ridden every ride they had to offer. NOTHING I’ve ever seen compared to that carnival ride. If anyone would happen to know anything about that ride I’d love to hear about it. It truly was insane to even think about riding it.
Sounds like you are talking about the Chance Turbo.
http://www.ride-extravaganza.com/thrill/turbo/
It sounds like a ride I rode once in the early 70s, called “Space Tumblers.” I had never seen it before, nor have I ever seen it since. It was just as you described it, with a double ferris wheel type structure, though not nearly as large as an actual double ferris wheel. I have never been able to find a photo of it, and yours is the first mention I’ve heard of anyone else riding it. I do remember it being quite intensely flipping, with that elastic face-stretching kind of g-force effect. I was able to find a ride patent https://patents.google.com/patent/US3294398 with some technical drawings and descriptions of a ride called “Space Coupe.” The structure is exactly the same as the ride I rode (and the one I believe you rode too), though the original design had an additional lateral free-spinning hub inside the seats already subject to flipping with the force of gravity and the whipping motion. I imagine that element was left out of the actual manufacture of the ride, considering how incredibly intense it is even without it. Take a look at that page, if you have a chance, and tell me if that was the same ride you rode. It had kind of a gentle-sloped ramp leading up to it, that you can see in the drawings. You’re the first person, besides my buddy from middle school who rode it with me, that I have ever heard of riding that ride. Small world, huh?
Steve Mariman
Portland, Oregon
I forgot to mention, celebrate my best friend/karate training partner’s birthday at the New Prov fair on that wet Saturday night. But at least we had an awesome karate session as usual that day. After that the students, the sensei and I threw him a Ninja Turtle viewing pizza party..watching an episode or 2 of the Nickelodeon animated series while we’re all chowing down on a slice of pizza. I’d say that was a “Shell-tastic-ally” epic party at the dojo huh?
And in the video link below, there’s a little sneak peek of the initial setup of the rides being built in the muddy field near DeVry University, featuring the Tango!
https://www.facebook.com/nancyandbuddy/videos/996290987070646/
I’m guessing This Would Be The Year For Me To Conquer It. Considering that I’ve been kicked in the groin before during some of my sparring matches..I have a feeling how that would feel like riding that European mechanical torture device.
You know you should really consider on getting a Facebook page for this website. Tell you what, how about this? If I can get a video of me, my best friend (I call him my best bro too, never really had a real brother in my life just 2 older sisters) and 2 of our other friends on the Tango this year, then you would have to create a FB page for this site too. Deal? 😉
I’d rather not because I know that I’m not going to administer it and it’ll turn into a wasteland of updates and the occasional share like my Twitter. You’re going to like Tango a lot more than a barely updating Facebook group anyway. lol BTW, weren’t you going to start a website at some point?
I figured that it’s too much time and work for me to do my own carnival/karate blog site. I sometimes don’t know what to say when I type and I sometimes either make a typo or leave out some words. Plus I won’t earn much money doing it unless if some people makes a small donation to my so-called site. And lastly, I don’t want to steal your thunder/spotlight from having this site if you know what I mean.
And like I said, this is the year. I’ve been kicked in the groin a few times during some karate belt exams and competitions. So I have a feeling that I’ll be feeling that same discomfort on that ride.
Brian i;am still trying to find out whether the strates shows will have booked rides in the the Meadowlands fair. Do you know anything about it? I was wanting to know if the strates shows will be having a carnival at the Staten island mall in July Is there any truth to the fact that they have purchased a new wheel?
The Fabric Jr. Booster ride is called Vortex.
Oh man this is a great article, I wish I could go back in time (and space) to this place and witness this craziness first hand. Though at least we have some video of it, things like 5:05 in this video nicely demonstrate the insanity this place must have been:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDHqfhyCbbM
I estimate that jump was at least 30 feet horizontal distance before they came back down. I hope those kids got the mad props they deserved for hanging on!
Thanks for the great read!
Brian give me some info, I found nothing on the orange county fair. I need to know what rides were there, if there were any news ones or what. My new email address is [omitted]. Try to back if you will please.
seems like a low capacity nightmare for that park
Most likely. At least it’ll move constantly if they keep pumping out trains every 20 seconds or so. I think my gripe about the ride is that the location should have been saved for something better. Maybe like a GCI or RMC that would just fit nicely in a lake setting.
they seem to be going for simple cookie cutter coasters for the moment..i think the “move rides around to different parks” program is on a comeback:(
They can ride rotate Superman Ultimate Flight if they want. lol
not a fan?
Well, the ride itself is a cookie cutter coaster. The layout isn’t very good. It breaks down quite a bit. I got stuck in the flying position on the brake run for about a half an hour once, that didn’t win it any points. The line is always long because of slow dispatches, even on slower days. It’s pretty much a parking lot coaster with the bare minimum for landscaping.
The GP love it though, so it’ll never leave.
Must be a NJ thing..I was just at Great America over the holiday weekend and even with only one train operating they were moving pretty good on their Superman Flyer..but based on all my visits to SF parks, Great America is THE TOP BEST SF park in terms of operation..its been rare to see rides closed and lines move very good even on busy packed days like this past weekend.
As for Total Mayhem..I haven’t been on the S&S version yet, but based on my ride on Green Lantern at Magic Mountain, which is the worse ride ever, i just don’t see this being any better or worse and just dont think its a good move for a park like Great Adventure..a small local park somewhere sure, but not for a huge nationally visited park.
I don’t know what it is. Maybe operations. Maybe sheer number of people in line all the time. Maybe both. The line is just always slow moving and longer than other coasters.
I think Total Mayhem, as far as ridability, will be all right. It’s kind of a one trick pony though. The capacity is an issue but it almost seems like Six Flags doesn’t care about that; as long as it brings people to the park, then mission accomplished.
I’ve heard a lot of people not liking Green Lantern at SFMM, mostly due to being painful. What’s the deal with that one? Is it the restraints that are painful or is the ride too forceful or something else?
A little bit of both..has the same restraint system as kingda ka with the jerky movements of the seat..SLOOOW moving line all adds up to fail in my book..specially considering on the other side of SFMM is a much better and bigger 4d coaster..perhaps if it had the newer softer otsr’s like Intimidator 305 and Maverick..it may be a little bit more tolerable but still as a whole the total experience just sucks and is not worth it
It was kind of a bummer the both Zipper and Super shot were down.
A little bit. The fair had a lot of other rides, so wasn’t too bad. At least it wasn’t Khaos that was down or I would have been kinda ticked!
Khaos was a big deal.
Excellent site you have here but I was curious if you knew of any user discussion forums that cover the same topics discussed here?
I’d really like to be a part of online community where I can get
responses from other experienced people that share the same interest.
If you have any suggestions, please let me know.
Thank you!
I survived cannon ball loop in the 90’s before they shut down I was only like maybe 13 or 14 me a my step dad were the only ones to go on it there were a ton of people gathered around to watch we both ended up with our backs scratched up and bleeding and I remember people being so shocked that they allowed people to actually ride it , it was awesome !!
i think this ride is so round people enjoy this.
Cool video. You got some great shots.
Thanks Rudie!
I really want to ride one!
You should want to. It is so much fun! I would ride it 1,000 more times if I could.
You should not want to ride it. My head got banged around. Just trying to help you out so your head does not hurt.
I never have before!
Boycott the Zipper!!!
Boycott the tyranny with “No Single Riders!”
Stop carnival CRUELTY towards singles!
Before 2006, the Zipper was a really fun ride and an all time favorite of mine. I personally have ridden single on the Zipper and can tell you that a single rider my size CAN NEVER turn sideways and slip out from under the lap bar! In fact, I even tried a number of times to position my legs into an “Indian Style” position under the lap bar to change my center of gravity so the gondola would spin more. But hard as I could try, I was NEVER able to do an “Indian Style” position with my legs with that lap bar tight against my lap! In fact, I could spread my thighs no more than maybe 60 degrees apart (about 30 degrees from vertical per thigh) and I could only position my lower legs into an “X” position.
But today, the Zipper has become a total abomination to all American and Canadian carnivals with it’s tyrant “No Single Riders” garbage! It has become a symbol of the intense, burning hatred American society has developed towards singles, as well as a reminder that singles in America have far fewer rights/freedoms than popular people in families and in tight knit cliques, and that American freedom continues to die rapidly. On most other rides (Sizzler, scrambler, orbiter, Alpine Bobs, Spider, Tilt-A-Whirl, Himalaya, and such), the lap bar in fact is waay far looser than on the Zipper, plus you are not enclosed in a steel cage like you are on the Zipper! Often, on rides like the scrambler/sizzler, Himalaya, orbiter, etc, there is about 4 to 8 inches between your lap/legs and the lap/restraint bar, easily enough room for someone to turn sideways and slip out from under it. But do you see those rides with “No Single Riders” garbage? And in fact, do you see people turning sideways on those rides and slipping out from under the lap bars? No! And in fact, when was the last time anyone has ever heard of someone turning sideways on the Scrambler, Sizzler, Orbiter, etc, slipping out from under the lap bar, and flying out of their seat? You certainly WOULD NOT see them flying out like water droplets flung off a spinning wheel.
RIP old Zipper. 1968-2005. Even if the Zipper is completely eliminated from the fair by all carnival companies due to the boycotts, so be it. Whether the Zipper goes the way of the dinosaurs or remains with “No Single Riders” signs, it’s a lose-lose scenario. As long as the “No Single Riders” tyranny remains, the Zipper really may as well not be there.
Looks pretty nice..wish the parks up here ( NE Ohio) were open for xmas..been a mild winter so far would be nice to get another ride or two in still.
really digging the carousel photos too..should keep that look all year
I was thinking the same thing. During the normal season the building and carousel look nice during the day, but at night it’s way too dark. The lighting really brought some well deserved attention to it.
Some of them might if SF starts opening more northerly parks during the holidays. I could see Cedar Point doing something. I’m actually kind of surprised they don’t do anything already.
I know Kennywood in Pittsburgh has Christmas events..I think Kings Island down in Cincinnati used to have events for the holidays, I dont know why they stopped. As for Cedar Point, altho so far its been mild here this year, normally winters out on the lake can be pretty brutal so that could be a big factor why CP does not do it…Also Cedar Fair murdered Geauga Lake so that wont happen either 🙁
Welp, it’s a start…kind of lol: https://www.cedarpoint.com/blog-article/online-fun/Park-Updates/
ha ha..true
Hi, I’m looking for any images or videos I can find of The Crazy Outback “fun house” amusement from the 2015 NJ state fair. I noticed you have one shot posted but wondered if you have any others, no matter how “bad” you think they may be. Video would be great too. If so, please email me. If this message gets posted publicly and anyone else has a photo or video please post something. Thanks so much, Melissa
I rode Coney Island’s Hell Hole once, in my mid twenties….that was enough for me! I’m so glad I found this, because no one believed me when I told them about this ride…. I was pinned to the wall, unable to breathe, sure I was going to die….when the ride slowed, people were yelling at me to slide down. I simply could not. Three people came to my rescue and peeled me off the wall, so I wouldn’t fall.
I sat outside trembling and breathless for an hour…during which I read the medical warning posted on the ride … something to the effect of : “Do not ride this ride if you are pregnant or have a pacemaker. ” THAT was IT! Nothing else, for instance, bad back warnings, asthma/emphysema/COPD warnings, etc….you get the idea. I had no foreknowledge of the ride ….thought it was going to be a haunted house type ride. Was I ever shocked!!!! By far the most frightening ride I’ve ever experienced. Not surprised by the end of its story. Sad so many were hurt.
There is an identical coaster to Laser at Lagoon amusement park in Utah. It is called Firedragon. It was installed in 1983 after a tour through Europe’s traveling carnival circuit. It is still in operation. Great ride for such a small footprint. At the end, when you hit the brakes after that last ground level helix, I always almost black out. Can’t do this ride twice in a row because of that! What a head rush!
Great site, by the way! I enjoy your thoughts and opinions, esp. the WTCR, which are some of my favorite classic rides! I love some of the descriptions you have for them!
Gary
Another Great ride at Lagoon Park in Utah. It is called Samurai. Very wild and unique ride. Each ride on it is is different from the last. Kind of like a ride on the Zipper. Very unpredictable but crazy fun!
You know, I was always the one who gently would catch the normal crickets and let them go free outdoors, and THIS is the thanks I get? A lifelong battle with the most horrifying, terrifying and disgusting creatures known to mankind? I have never and I mean NEVER seen anything move so damn fast! I just want to share my most recent event of disgust. Okay, I am sitting here tonight watching one of my favorite shows and the room is dark other than the light of the TV. Out of the corner of my eye, I see movement and I already know what it is. Yeah, you guessed it! A large Cave Cricket is climbing up my shirt! Slowly, I turn the desk light on and Thank God I have a cricket Killin terrier! I make my eww, get em boy, and it is lights out for that thing from Hell! Good luck to my unlucky friends!
thanks for the update…..some wonderful pictures you took for us there! I am a big fan of deserted parks and boardwalks….I sat on the boardwalk by the southernmost pier in Wildwood at 4 AM many summer mornings when I vacationed there…I liked watching the sun come up and the slow shift in light, and enjoyed watching the place wake up! then I’d go to bed for a few hours. I stayed at Heart of Wildwood which was right near the entrance to the boardwalk, so this was very convenient for my nocturnal serenity rituals…I returned to Wildwood in 2009 for the first (and only)time since 1994…..a very big visual change in the Architecture…thank God for preservation leagues…..when I used to go regularly (’87-’94) I used to get off GSP and drive in thru North Wildwood in what was then called Grassy Sound….there were all these abandoned houses supported on stilts in the water off the main road. And I can remember construction of a new bridge and roadway at some point. I guess things are very different there now. One positive thing I did note was the redevelopment of that southernmost Amusement Pier….it had quite a few fires and was for the most part vacant (save for a Bungee crane at one point and a much longer lasting and popular attraction called Boat Tag that fronted the boardwalk) most of the time I vacationed there….there was this iconic sky ride observation tower that stood long after the ride was removed and I believe you have pictures of the removal here in your site. Hopefully Funtown in Seaside will resurrect….in my opinion between both piers, Seaside’s ride selection peaked in the ’69-’75 period…. I continued to go there every year thru 1992….
Glad you enjoyed the pics Gary! I also love the deserted boardwalks, windswept shores and such, which is why I always try to make it down there during the winter months. It’s neat seeing how different it is during winter months compared to the summer. I actually wish it was a little colder on my trip so that it would really feel like the off season, haha. I think that patch of land near North Wildwood/Angelsea is still called Grassy Sound but the stilt houses are gone it seems, the abandoned ones at least. Looking at Google Earth, It looks like there still are some houses on the north side of the island. On one hand, that looks like an awesome place to have a house, on the other hand I’d hate to ride out a storm there!
I remember going on the southernmost pier, Adventure Pier, this past summer and they took quite a lot of rides off it. Seems like Morey’s are turning it more into an upcharge and non-ride attraction pier. I did like how they displayed things from past rides around the pier. For instance all of the benches are seats from the Sky Ride. They also have some Condor pods placed around the pier along with the ride’s condor ornament peached atop a post.
Casino Pier in Seaside seems to be doing very well after Sandy. I remember reading that they wanted to expand north of the pier, acquiring a portion of the beach through some deal. Not sure where that stands as of now. There’s been rumblings that FunTown Pier still wants to rebuild, but there’s no sign at all of development. You wouldn’t even know a pier was there if you didn’t know about it beforehand.
the dance party button has me sold!
NOW WITH 10 HOURS OF SANDSTORM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ha ha..nice
Palace Playland in Maine once had a Tristar, their website now shows a ride called “Superstar” which looks to be a refurbished Tristar. Cool ride and I hope to ride it once they open for the season!
I just checked out their site. Looks like Superstar is a Troika (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=numpZCrTwX4), another pretty rare Huss ride. Never been on one but looks like a lot of fun!
i wish parks nowadays cared more about flat rides..i like coasters and all but every year more of theses classics are dissapearing
Yeah, the classics are usually only seen at smaller parks, although Cedar Fair isn’t bad either. Dorney still has an old Whip and they refurbed their Monster ride several years back. I saw that Carowinds is adding in a bunch of classic flats like Troika and Break Dance next year. Six Flags on the other hand…seems like even classic wooden coasters are doomed at SF. lol
Max air plus ring of fir… Cool
I have seen pictures of a vintage one at Coney Island from the 1940’s or 50’s and it appears the cars held about 8 people…..I first rode this in ’74 on the Casino Pier in Seaside Heights….it was called Saturn 6 and it was a great ride, very fast, lots of sweep movement.
A photo of a Ben Hur taken at a German Fair in 1983
http://ride-index.de/include.php?path=content&type=2&contentid=1461
Awesome! Thanks for the link, David!
Does any one remember a New Revechon Himalaya came to Coney Island in 1976, 1977 and 1978 on the corner of Stillwell ave. and the Bowery, behind Nathans Hot Dogs? Then it was replaced with a Revechon Matterhorn called the Disco Express 1979 and 1980. These rides at the time were the Newest Rides to come to Coney Island, Fantastic Lighting and a Spectacular Sound System, a nice Smooth Fast Exciting Ride.
Indiana Beach has one.
Many Vertigos have shown up to many fairs. It is no surprise that there would be a new vertigo.
It is becoming the main attraction at fairs.
I rode that ride in 1968 — I have been to many fairs- amusement parks many times through the years. Six flags over Ga. 20 plus times Walt Disney World opening year and 15 plus times though the years. I was 10 years old when I rode the Wheel Burrow. The most terrifying ride I have ever been on. Completely out of control spinning. When you started going up it was impossible to hold the steering wheel therefor you spun out of control almost the whole ride except when they were unloading the other wheel then the horror continued until you got to the bottom. Banging all
around in that cage the whole time. Look at the wire mesh that is industrial grade. But hey, my wife and I are headed Six Flaggs today to ride the rides. But every time I walk though the Lick Skillet area and look to the right where that thing was the memories of that one ride always come back. I have been over it since 5 minutes after I regained my senses after getting it THE WHEEL BURROW. My description of the ride if mild compared to many others I have heard.
I also got to ride the Tumbler, at Playland
Rye NY, and there will never be anything
That can compare to this amazing ride.
I am so glad that I was fortunate to have
Had that experience , and I’m glad
that there are other people out there,
That shared that same experience .
In a way, it makes us privileged !
It’s sad that the Tumbler isn’t
around anymore. The last actual
Photos of the Tumbler were taken
At Coney Island, after the ride was
Dismantled, and left on the ground
to rust away ! I wish Chance would
Bring this ride back, so all
Future generations can have the same
Experience . RIP Tumbler , you will
always be in our memories.
at least 2 “Disco-Round” still exist. One is at Chelyuskinites Park ( Парк Челюскинцев ) in Belarus with good looking new colors (I think it’s the one that used to be at Safaripark Stukenbrock in Germany ) image : http://www.holiday.by/files/blog/af7f9ca71ff89f32a348cbf299de5886-thumb-690×353.jpg
and the other one, owned by Lorenz in Germany until recently, is now owned by Ralph Gusowski and getting completely re-themed as “Turbine”. It will not be enclosed anymore, as it will be operated without any roof or walls. Here is the facebook page : https://www.facebook.com/Turbine-by-Ralph-Gusowski-545260818956066/
Thanks for the info, Jean-Philippe! I really like the open look of Turbine; it almost looks like a completely different ride.
I used to work at Oaks Park back when Funtasic ran the park back in 1983, 1983 was my rookie season at Oaks Park, I was honored by Oaks Park/Funtastic in 1983 for saving around seventy people’s lives when the park had a black out on one of it’s busiest days of the year.
On July 3rd 1983 on one of Oaks Parks busiest days of the year the park had a blackout, a transformer in kiddyland blew up, it was on fire, and the power lines going to it were also on fire!
Everyone in kiddyland was at the risk of being electrocuted, and it was so dark in that park you could not see your feet or hands, and there were around forty to fifty people in kiddyland at this time!
I was running the Boat ride when the transformer blew up and the park went dark, and the transformer that blew up was right above my ride, I got everyone off my ride as fast as possible, but then realized after that that everyone that is still in kiddyland is still under the risk of electrocution!
I began ordering customers out of kiddyland and directing their flow of traffic away from the danger area, I was hoping the other ride operators would help me but they did not, instead of helping me they just assumed they were supposed to leave kiddyland along with the customers, so I had to clear everyone out of that area on my own!
After I got kiddyland clear I scoured kiddyland to make sure no one was left back there, when I was satisfied that there was no one left back there then and only then did I leave kiddyland!
Once I was out of kiddyland I approached the first ride operator I seen that was standing around in confusion and doing nothing and I told him “YOU! Your now guard! DON’T LET ANYONE IN THIS AREA UNTIL THEY SPEAK TO ME FIRST!” and then I told him I am going to check to see if anyone else needs help!
I went to check the rides that would most likely have customers trapped, the Monster Mouse and the Ferris Wheel, I checked the Monster Mouse first because it was closet to kiddyland at the time, and I discovered that the ride foremen were already on the scene at that ride!
So I thought to myself “OK they got help, so I better check the Ferris Wheel!” so I went to check on the Ferris Wheel and discovered NO ONE was helping the Ferris Wheel and that the ride was filled with customers that were trapped on it, so I went to where the need was the greatest and went to the Ferris Wheel!
I offered myself to the Ferris Wheel operator as his assistant in order to get the ride unloaded, and the Ferris Wheel operator profusely thanked me for arriving to help, and then he proceeded to tell me someone else showed up before I did and that person took off and left and never came back, and the Ferris Wheel operator was afraid I would do the same thing!
I told the Ferris Wheel operator “Wild horses can’t drag me away from here! I ain’t going anywhere until this ride is unloaded!” the Ferris Wheel operator was scared and in a panic, and I had to take charge of the situation and ordered him to accept me as his assistant so that we can get these customers off the ride!
I saved around forty to fifty people in kiddyland from electrocution, and then I rescued around twenty five to thirty people that were trapped on the Ferris Wheel!
That was once again my rookie season!
I continued to work at that park after Funtastic pulled out of that park in 1984 after the park was surrendered over to the City of Portland, all the years I worked in that park I was recognized as a go-to person and as a reliable and trusted person.
In the late 1980’s before Dick Connor’s retired he trained the at the time current maintenance men on how to balance the Monster Mouse ride and shortly afterwords Dick Connor’s retired.
Dick Connor was the last manager left in the park that was from the Funtastic era of the park, all the other managers in the park were hired by the City of Portland!
At the end of that season after Dick Connor’s was gone management ordered the maintenance team to have the Monster Mouse moved to a new location in the park.
I noticed as the maintenance team was resembling the Monster Mouse at it’s new location that they had left ALL THE BOARDS IN PLACE ON THE POSTS as they assembled the ride.
I already knew that when Dick Connor’s and Funtastic balance that ride they always remove the boards during the dissembling part and thought it weird they left all the boards on the posts.
I did not suspect foul play because I was giving the maintenance team the benefit of the doubt they were going to properly balance it after they assembled the ride, but I thought they were stupid for leaving all the boards in place because it would make the dissembling and reassembling of the ride much more difficult.
The maintenance team did not balance the Monster Mouse they used a cheat and lied claiming they balanced it, the cheat they used was to leave all the boards in place on all the posts, that way after the ride is assembled the boards will already be in place and appear balanced when in fact it is not!
The maintenance team did this at the end of the season, and it was not until the next year when I got rehired back as a ride operator that I noticed the Monster Mouse was not properly balanced.
I reported this to Tim Greeley of the maintenance team and he just grinned at me in a evil manner and said “Well,,,,well get around to it.” and after a couple of weeks went by the Mouse ride was still not balanced, and I realized I was being ignored by the maintenance team!
So I reported it to the lead ride foreman Bill, and he told me he will take care of it, and it was right after that that the ride foreman permanently stuck me on the Ferris Wheel and would not give me any days off and would not allow me to run any other ride!
The Ferris Wheel at Oaks Park at the time was the hardest ride in the park to run, and it is a burn out ride if your stuck on it all the time, so the ride foreman Bill was trying to force me to quit with his treatment of me!
Telling the foreman about the problem on the Mouse ride never accomplished anything, and after a couple of weeks went by the Mouse ride is still not balanced properly, I reported it to other ride operators and asked them to report it because I was being ignored by the maintenance team and by the foreman!
By this time I had my own problems to deal with, the Ferris Wheel is a burn out ride and I was stuck on it seven days a week with no break from it, and I was forced to give Bill the ride foreman a two week notice and quit if he does not get anyone else trained on that ride!
Two weeks later Bill never trained anyone on it so I quit, as I walked out of the park I was approached and asked by the at the time ride manager Mary Beth Coffey not to quit and instead just take a couple days off, so I reluctantly agreed.
After I came back to Oaks Park I discovered the manager fired Bill the ride foreman and hired a new lead foreman named Jim and the manager wanted me to be an assistant foreman to Jim, so I quit only to be rehired as a foreman.
As an assistant foreman I do not have a ton of power/say at the park, I can give orders to ride operators and that’s about it, and since now I was a assistant ride foreman I took it upon myself to start filling out ride reports on all the rides that have problems with them!
I filled out eleven ride reports on various rides that had problems that needed reported to the maintenance team, none of the rides was broke down, but they all had problems that needed reporting!
I discovered the next day the maintenance supervisor named TC took my eleven ride reports and burned them, it was him that told me to my face he burned them, and he told me he did not need any help from me and to not ever fill out a ride report on a ride ever again unless the ride is broke down!
So I was not welcome to report any problems with the rides unless they were broke down, in other words known problems that do not cause the rides to go down are no longer to be reported in writing!
The maintenance team at the time was deemed the Golden Boys by managers at the time, managers and the maintenance team members would regularly hobnob with each other, and for the most part managers ignored their ride team, so I was under the impression no one in management would care I got treated badly by the maintenance team!
I should not have to point this out to people, common sense alone will tell you this, to have an atmosphere at an amusement park where no one is welcome to report problems with rides is dangerous not only for customers but also for employees!
At the beginning of the next season near the beginning of the season I discovered a track on the Monster Mouse ride was cracked all the way through and that the track was separating as the cars go over the track!
I shut that ride down in the nick of time, saving dozens of kids lives and possibly a ride operators life and prevented a bloodbath from occurring, and I got on the radio and told my superior Jim the lead foreman the Monster Mouse is down for the remainder of the day and to please notify the ticket booth so that they don’t sell tickets for it!
I am not allowed to say over the radio what the problem is I can only say the ride is down, or I can say the ride is down for the remainder of the day, saying the ride is down for the day is code warning managers/maintenance team that the ride is f##ked!
I was following Oaks Park policies and procedures over shutting down that Monster Mouse, the fact that the track was completely cracked and separating is enough to prove maintenance incompetence, which is why I reported to the foreman first, and THEN I reported to the maintenance team!
When the maintenance supervisor TC showed up he was with the CEO of the park Joe Norling, they both were approaching the Monster Mouse together, and as they got about forty feet away TC began berating me for shutting down the ride, he did this loudly so others can hear, and I noticed that the CEO was grinning while TC was berating me, so the CEO was of the same mindset as the maintenance supervisor!
I was mad and angry at this treatment but said nothing and stayed professional and waited for the both of them to get onto the ride and to stand next to me, as they approached me and was standing right next to me TC said “Alright,,,,,what’s wrong with it?” in a sarcastic manner, and I stated flatly and bluntly in return saying “The track is cracked,,,the tracks is separating as the cars go over it!”
I was gauging both the maintenance supervisor and the CEO’s reaction to the news because they both are giving me reason to suspect foul play and sabotage, the CEO’s reaction was shock and horror on his face and his face turned immediately ashen, and he was staring at the maintenance supervisor as though he was seeing him for the first time as some kind of monster!
The maintenance supervisor’s reaction was to go into immediate cover his butt mode,no shock, no horror, but fear on his face!
The fact that the ride is in this condition is proof of maintenance incompetence, and TC knows this, so he immediately began giving his men the blame for it as a way to cover his own butt!
In the process of TC giving his men the blame he dug his own grave by making it known he and his men already knew about the crack and that they slagged it with wielding slag!
The wielding slag they used to hide the crack with was on the ground below where the crack is!
Now I am deeming TC as well as his maintenance team as criminals and as dangerous!
The maintenance team already knew about the crack and was hiding it with wielding slag and opened the ride up to the public and did not tell anyone on the ride team about the crack!
Can you say SABOTAGE!
I reported this to my superior Jim the lead foreman and he acted as though he was completely misunderstanding how serious this is, he seemed not bothered by it!
The CEO did not fire the maintenance team the team continued to work at the park the whole season!
I was under the impression that the CEO was not involved in this sabotage at first but when the CEO did not fire the maintenance team and he made it known their not going to repair that track section and instead are going to spend fifty thousand dollars on a used Mad Mouse ride and use that for parts to REPLACE the SABOTAGED section of the Monster Mouse with, I then suspected managers were behind this sabotage as well!
One week after I shut down the Monster Mouse saving dozens of children’s lives I was being gang-stalked by several people I did not know, the park was closed and I was clocked out and heading to my car to go home!
Several people I do not know walked along with me heading in my direction and they were openly verbally praising me for shutting down the Monster Mouse and praised me for saving lives!
What’s makes this bad is the fact these seemingly organized people were praising me in a sarcastic manner!
Is that enough to suspect the City of Portland wanted the disaster to occur so that the city can justify shutting down the park so that the city can use the property for other MORE PROFITABLE PURPOSES?!
It was enough for me to know a ton of people were involved in this sabotage and that their not happy I know about it and don’t like the fact I saved a lot of lives!
The Monster Mouse ride was down the entire season, the Mad Mouse Oaks Park purchased never arrived until after the season was closed and no one around to witness the Mad Mouse rides arrival into the park!
Oaks Park maintenance team that sabotaged the Monster Mouse quietly replaced the sabotaged section on the track with a Mad Mouse track section!
After the SABOTAGED section of the Monster Mouse ride was replaced management pretended they hired a new maintenance supervisor and claimed they fired the old maintenance team, they did not fire them but they lied to me telling me they fired them, they were actually laid off and they came back the next season!
After management pretended to hire a new maintenance supervisor the new supervisor as well as management wanted me to help them in this so-called crisis of no experienced maintenance people and they wanted me to transfer over to the maintenance team claiming I am the only one the CEO trusts!
I knew THAT was a lie I already know he was grinning while the maintenance supervisor was berating me for shutting down the Monster Mouse, and I never got an apology from ANYONE in that park for being berated for shutting down a death trap and saving lives and following policies and procedures!
While the season was over with I helped out with maintenance until the next season, I was re-transferred back over to the ride team at the start of the new season!
Once the park was opened I discover that the old maintenance team was not fired at all because they were hired back into the park, that means I was lied to by management and that they lied about needing my help on maintenance!
From this point forward I was getting auto-blamed for everything that happened in that park, if the maintenance messed up the train ride I would immediately get blamed, behind my back, and management was going along with this pretense as well as the maintenance team!
Oaks Park managers had no intention of firing or prosecuting their sabotaging maintenance team, they wanted instead to set up and blame everything on the witness to the sabotage, me!
The Squirrel Cage ride was sabotaged and I was almost killed by it, one of the cars just came right off the ride and slammed into the railing three feet from my controls, and the ride was still turning and the other cars on the Squirl Cage were smacking into the car that came off and was rolling that car into my direction!
I turned off the power to the ride and frantically yelled at the customers on the ride to keep their arms and hands and legs inside the ride, each car that passed the car that came off was smacking right into the car that came off and I had to franticly muscle that car away from the other cars, my own life is at risk!
The next day I told the maintenance team what happened and I was met by them all grinning at me, they all thought it was funny!
The next week the maintenance team designed an additional safe guard to the ride, by adding another bolt system to the ride, so that there are now two bolts instead of just one large bolt holding the cars on the ride!
The maintenance team named this new bolt system the “Terry-Bolt” and they grinned and admitted they named it after me!
They named it after me because their setting me up to get the blame for THEIR SABOTAGE!
I got fed up with this auto-blaming me for everything in that park so I quit being a ride foreman and went back to being a ride operator, but the blaming continued!
I was running the Monster Mouse on my last day in that park, and on that day the Ferris Wheel operator had an accident, the loading ramp got torn apart because the Ferris Wheel operator screwed up, and I got blamed FOR THAT even though I was on and running the Monster Mouse at the time!
So saboteurs at Oaks Park are protected by management while Hero’s and witnesses to sabotage are gotten rid of!
I have been a target of police/sheriff sting operations ever since I shut down that Monster Mouse ride, and I was under the impression the new maintenance supervisor the park hired was a county sheriff sting operative hell bent on setting me up to get the blame!
I don’t think they realize just how many people I already reported to in regards to the Monster Mouse not being balanced, in other words there are too many people that know they never removed the boards on the posts and there are too many people I told that the ride was out of balance!
The Monster Mouse was so badly out of balance you did not even need a level to see if it was out of balance, just looking at the ride was enough to tell, THAT’S HOW BADLY OUT OF BALANCE THE RIDE WAS!
Dozens of posts would have severe give to them, when a car would go over that section of track you can visably see the posts give to the weight of the cars and the posts as well as the track would have like a two to five inch give to them as the cars went over those areas on the ride!
ANYONE WITH WORKING KNOWLEDGE OF A MONSTER MOUSE WILL TELL YOU THAT’S BAD! REAL BAD!!!
Terry Wagar
wifepoisonedme@yahoo.com
Oh, I went to this fair! Mouse Trap was only there that one time. At the 2010 fair, I really wanted to go on because my mother and my brother went on it the year before, but it wasn’t there.
As for the most insane rides I’ve been on? The Full Tilt (which is Ali Baba re-themed) at a Greek Festival in Tenafly, NJ in 2014, as well as the Orbiter, Crazy Mouse, and Pharaoh’s Fury at the 2016 State Fair Meadowlands. I know, they’re mostly tame. I don’t do wild rides yet.
Update: I rode the Air Race at Seaside Heights last August. That was my first outdoor upside down ride. It was insane.
I rode it for the first time at Kennywood in Pittsburgh in 1970. Loved it! Then not again until the 80’s with my kids at Conneaut Lake. My grandsons are coming for a visit and wondered if Waldameer or Conneaut had the Hell Hole that their Dad had talked about. I was really surprised to read about the accident at Coney. Always thought it was fantastic.
I found one on my dresser and went to kill it and it jumped. No idea where. I had bug spray so I sprayed it. Will the bug spray help kill it I am freaked out.
In case anyone is wondering bug spray doesn’t work.
If you are ever out here in the Seattle area in September, be sure to visit the Puyallup (WA State) Fair! It’s super awesome and HUGE, and it has its own classic woodie that only operates twice a year. Check out my trip report from the spring fair this year! http://www.themeparkreview.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=71750
Oh yeah, I’ve heard about the Puyallup Fair! Looks like a great fair with lots of impressive rides like the wooden coaster and that steel coaster. Nice area too, I’d totally love to do a fair/backpacking trip.
Nice fair! Although it does seem kinda far up north from my hometown.
But wished I could’ve gone there to experience the Power Surge!
Btw, did the arm of the ride actually rotated while the wheel spun?
Nope, the arm didn’t revolve. It did last year when I saw Majestic in Hillsborough. If you’re looking to ride one that does revolve, Luna Park in Coney Island has one along with a Zamperla Endeavor, Zamp’s take on Enterprise.
Brian, you don’t sound like an asshole at all. Dealing with angry, ignorant, irrational, and often tired/heat exhausted people is a miserable and thankless job. (So is dealing with hungry people, so food service jobs suck too.) You’d think they’d care more about their kids’ safety but they just don’t want to deal with their kids’ whining… so they whine to you instead. I’m sorry that people gave you shit for wanting to do the right thing. I hope you are doing something more rewarding now.
Orbiter belongs to Thomas Lauther, it travels mostly with Reithoffer shows and was refurbed this winter. The second tilt also belongs to him and his father..
Thanks for the info, Mike! I had a feeling Orbiter was independently owned, surprised that Tilt was too. Any idea where Space Roller was this year?
I have ridden Extasy several times. Quite insane ride but always enjoyed it.
Probably because I regularly do headstands for some minutes, I hadn’t any problem about being upside down for 20 seconds.
There is a relevant difference to Energy Storm rides seen in Youtube that Extasy changes the direction of rotation in the middle of the ride between clockwise and counter-clockwise, I think this is why a ride can last 4-5 minutes without mass of riders being sick.
I want Dinosaur Beach to come back but somewhat different as a big indoor dinosaur themed oceanfront theme park and all dinosaur themed with all different dinosaur themed attractions like some roller coasters! Please contact Wildwood to bring back dinosaur beach as an indoor oceanfront dinosaur amusement park!
We had this ride around when I was about 9. Unlucky I was to short to go on it, and the next year they removed it so I settled for the zipper instead.
But luckily I was not on it when it got stuck. By older brother about 16 and his two friends got stuck on it mid loop through. They didn’t hang upside down for the usual couple seconds, instead they hung there for around 30 minutes while they were trying to fix it. Some people even started blacking out from the heat and hanging upside down.
This year I thought they were bringing it back from the six year absence. I found it sitting in a storage place near where the fair grounds usually are (it’s an original blue and white super loops, with green seats). But it has not been set up, and doesn’t look like it will be sadly. It must be someone else’s as all rides are set up, even if they don’t work.
Although the fair here has two, (the newest and the oldest) they may be bringing the newer one here next year, which is great because the original model looks terrifying. That’s the bad thing about little carnivals, everything is always slightly broken to some degree.
this is the worst ride known to man. I’m left with pain for weeks in my knee. for all I kno I could of snapped my leg on that stupid standing up ride not forgetting the pain between the legs. whoever designed this needs to be fired. …
Honestly, one of the best rides ever!
I don’t ever try to tip the carts though because me tipping them makes me sick, but the ride doing it doesn’t. Weird, I know.
I’m 15, and refuse to go on my rides. But this one is a favorite. I first got on when i was about 9, and loved every second of it. My second experience was horrible, since the person in the opposite carts through up and I was stuck up top for about 40 minutes while they were cleaning (was 10 then).
This was all on the original model type. I could feel since there is only one lock and they are extremely easy to rock and flip. Move a half inch and your cart tips a bunch XD.
My latest experience was 4 days ago. They did the backwards motions for my positioned cart first, did only a double backflip. Going forward though we did 6 front flips, and tipped up halfway for a good ten seconds and tipped back down. That was in a row, without trying.
Then I got stuck on the top for about 3 minutes, and then we start moving again. I guess once wasn’t enough when there is a 100 foot line? So we went for a second round, and then got stuck on top again. Then we finally unloaded.
I’m kind of glad they did the ride twice, it made it worth wait since it was night and the lines get huge.
Also on a side note, this is not as bad as it seems. I used to start crying when i got on because it was so shaky, but the ride is much more satisfying because it is very smooth. I usually laugh all the way through once it starts going.
This is coming from the scaredy cat of most rides! I’ve ridden bunches of rides, but don’t like a lot either, so zipper is definitely a ride to go on if ill go on it.
If you rock your car at the bottom and lock it while your feet are up and you’re on your back, then keep it locked as you ride to the top, you’ll be upside down. Just as you are about to start the down side (but your car is still at the top and you’re upside down) release the lock and your car will spin head over heels all the way down. This is one ride that can be mild or WILD if you know how to work it!
I liked to lock it so you’re upside down while coming down the back side. Other rides sometimes make me sick but never the Rock-O-Planes. My mother made my father ride with me once when I was very small, and he threw up. Another time I went to the fair with my friend in fifth grade. I had a suede purse that had fringe on it. That was the style around 1970. Anyway, I had gathered up all the change I could find in my parents’ coat pockets and in the sofas etc. My purse was loaded with change. It didn’t have a zipper or button,just a flap that went over with the fringe on it. Well the first time we went upside down all that change came out. It was bouncing around inside the cage during the entire ride. Some of the coins fell out and landed on the ground beside the ride, but the creepy looking operator told me I couldn’t go pick it up because he didn’t want me near the machinery or something like that. I’m 62 now and still love the Rock-o-Planes❤️
I rode the space roller while travelling in Florida & absolutely loved it. I may even like it more than the KMG Tango. I wish I saw this ride more often. The space roller at the clay County fair in Florida was by Deggeller Attractions. I love that ride!
Space Roller is sporting new paint and is all LED now. Perhaps this was the time refurb was happening?
Found an “old carnival seat” at a sale a while back. Could not find a picture online. set it aside.
Looked it up and found you. It is yellow rusted, heavy metal (steel?) with the word THUNDER B O L T and two lighting strikes beside the word. On line they want to call it Carnival Art. Was it used in Coney Island between 1925 an 1983? That would be really neat.
I am trying to price it where it should be. Thanks for any help.
My friend and I counted 105 flips all together at the twin falls 100 th year anniversary
If I remember correctly, the rumors were that Pat Croce and family bought Dinosaur Beach after the third year with an offer that the owners couldn’t refuse. Their plan was to develop something that would compete with the Moreys, but that fell through. Either the Moreys then paid Croce enough money worth walking away or he wasn’t able to get the right management in place as he was busy running the Sixers and trying to keep Allen Iverson in line.
Not sure if any of that was true, but it was the big rumor in the late 90s.
Maybe Morey’s Piers could bring it back as a fourth amusement pier or maybe an oceanfront amusement resort on the boardwalk and there should also be some more Morey’s amusement resorts with some massive indoor oceanfront amusement parks on the boardwalk and even some oceanfront water parks as well! I might want all this to happen like a revived/reimagined dinosaur beach!
The Morey’s purchased the Pier and had a great plan for a roller-coaster that would start at Morey’s Pier (25th st) and cross to the old Hunts Pier going under the Pier at some point. From what I understand the Monopoly laws are not allowing the Morey’s from putting any amusement attractions on the Pier.. currently it’s a maintenance Pier for the Morey’s
I rode the Dominator in Geneva Switzerland in 2012 and the individual cars swung around wildly and the assembly that all the cars were attached to also rotated. So while you’re being tossed around back and forth by the big center arm, all the cars were also spinning together in a direction and then the individual cars were also being flipped around. Honestly it was awful. Way too much for me. And it is ridiculously long. I couldn’t wait to get off that thing.
Hey can you please get in touch with me. I love your Condor photos. I have lost most of mine , I’ve been looking and saving ones I like . I was head operator of the Morey’s Pier Condor from 91-95. Thanks
I have a question…I am in germany and Top Spin is a common ride on german fairgrounds. you wrote it weight to much for US highways, if i understood it right, but why?
greetings from germany
chris
Hey Chris!
I’m not too knowledgeable on the topic, but it is because different states have different restrictions on how heavy a load can be. If a load is over a certain weight then they must purchase a permit to drive through that state (and purchase a permit for every state they plan on driving through.) Also, different states have different maximum weight restrictions in which they may not issue a permit if it is above that maximum weight. Many Huss and Mondial rides go above the maximum weight limits.
This ride used to go to Tewkesbury mop fair (UK) during the late 80s and 90s. I’ve love to see it return! if you’re the owner reading this, or you own a working traveling rock-o-plane. Please get it to the tewkesbury mop again!
I even have a facebook page for this https://www.facebook.com/groups/345217462492683/
I remember working on a 1966 version of this ride! 150 maintenance steps of which only 25 were performed after unloading it from
the trailer and setting it up, then having to wait for the state inspector to clear the ride for patron use. the entire 150 steps
were only performed when setting it up at a large event such as a State Fair. To say this ride was a snap to assemble by the book
was a gross understatement. 3 different modes of operation. best mode required boom to be raised and locked so the operator could
go inside the center of the ride to make adjustments. A fun machine to ride but more difficult to maintain than
other rides of the show, with the exception being The Super Himalaya.
I use a broom!!!!
Apparently, Modern Midways is the only travelling carnival that has a Touchdown.
Greetings from the UK. We have loads of these ARM Touchdown attractions travelling the UK. However, they have 10 pods and are run slightly faster. I believe that there is one of these models in the USA owned by KT Enterprises known as “Twister”. The Touchdowns over here are themed around and named “Superbowl” with a giant (American) football in the centre.
Odyssey is actually really smooth compared to the other “Hang n Bangs” out there. Another SLC, which gets a lot of shit thrown at it due to its roughness, in the UK is called Infusion and is located at Blackpool Pleasure Beach, which is about a 90 minute drive from me and it looks absolutely beautiful (Suspended over a lake with fountains and blue lighting in the lake) but makes a car crash seem smooth
This was right before Raleigh when the Street Fighter 360 mopped the floor with Khaos on the second weekend. The new sheriff is in town, son. Street Fighter rules! Khaos drools!
Makes sense I guess. Street Fighter 360 has a slightly higher capacity and I personally think it looks like the more thrilling ride (even though Khaos is the more intense of the two.) Khaos by itself is a big ride, but when surrounded by other big rides it starts to look a bit insignificant.
I USED TO WORK ON THE ROTOR FOR CANADAS CONKLIN SHOWS IN THE MID 80S TAKING TICKETS WAS THE GREATEST BECAUSE WHEN YOU HEARD THAT BLOOD CURDULLING SCREAM COME OUT OF THE BARREL AND THEY ASKED WHAT WAS THAT YOU SAID THE FLOOR JUST DROPPED FOR SOME REASON YOUR LINE GOT SHORTER LOL
I am hoping that you will review the newly designed Zipper this coming season! Hopefully you will get the opportunity to ride one. I am sure looking forward to giving it a go when I encounter one! Love your site!
I spent my summer of 2000 in WaterWorks as a Lifeguard. That was something really amazing and fun. I was exchange student from Poland and I must say that the atmosphere of that place will stay with me…
I worked on all of the rides that you mentioned here. Many nice memories and souls saved 🙂
I was there last year, well it’s not the same
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Space Roller was getting new paint with LEDs. They had LEDs on the sign for it, but they wanted to finish the job
Im surprised there’s not a portable roller coaster here, as there is at least one at every state fair.
I have never been to this fair, but I did go to the Coastal Carolina Fair once in 2011, and it was an Amusements of America Carnival.
They had these rides:
Giant Wheel
Crazy Mouse
KMG Fireball
Nemesis 360 (KMG Inversion)
Rock N Roll Matterhorn
Wave Swinger
Scooter
Tornado
Moby Dick
Zero Gravity
Sizzler
Spin Out
Pharaohs Fury
Tilt-A-Whirl
Trapeze (Chance Yo Yo)
Ring of Fire
Sky Wheel
Spider
Extreme Orbiter
Fun Houses x3 (Mardi Gras, SpongeBob, and Hard Rock Palace)
Dark Ride (Haunted House)
Merry-Go-Round
Dizzy Dragons
Super Slide
Wacky Worm
Elephants
Samba Balloons
Speedway
Helicopters
Monkey Mayhem
Raiders
Dragon Wagon
Truck Stop
Hampton Umbrella x4
Wild West Train
Peter Paul Dinos
Here’s the rides they have at the South Florida Fair, which is my hometown fair.
MAJOR RIDES:
Chance Giant Wheel
Hit in 2000 (Mack Musik Express)
Dragstrip Mega Slide
KMG Fire Ball
Magic Maze
Spider (named Tarantula)
Twister
Yo Yo
Street Fighter Revolution
Ring of Fire (named Free Bird)
Mondial Fighter
Centrifuge (Gravitron)
Spin Out
Zipper
Orbiter
Rock Star
Typhoon (Wisdom Himalaya)
Sizzler
Super Cyclone Coaster(Pinfari Zyklon model)
ARM Vertigo
Mulligan Wheel
SDC Pirate
Techno Power
Extreme
Music Express (ARM Quasar, not a Himalaya-style version)
Magnum
Space Roller
Zombie Apocalypse
Mighty Mouse Coaster
Alpine Bobs
Genesis
Khaos
Wipeout
Cliff Hanger
Tilt-A-Whirl
Zero Gravity
Scooters
Mega Drop
KIDDIE RIDES:
Wacky Worm
Jungle Twist
Silver Streak
Light House Dive
Berry Go Round
Avenger Kid Raiders
Happy Swing
Monster Trucks
Super Slide
Lolly Pop Swings
Beach Shack
Hampton x2
Silly Safari
Up Up & Away
Daytona
Submarine
Jumping Star
Puppy Roll
Circus Train
Construction Zone
Merry-Go-Round
Rumble in the Jungle
Haunted Mansion
Marioland
Apple Ride
Helicopters
I use a three-pronged approach. First, I got a cat. I put sticky traps by the door inside the storage room. Next, I cut a piece of screen and covered the sump pump hole so they can’t come up from there. Lastly, I let my cat go down into the basement at night. She loves to kill anything that escapes the first two methods.
I worked at Waterworks as a lifeguard from 1996 until 2000. Had so much fun and made many friends there. My favorite times were when the park used to throw parties for the employees a few times after hrs each summer and we’d get to slide in the dark. I miss all the original slides especially the double dive and the big twist. I remember having to jump into the big pool at headchair or fairside many times to save people especially when there were day camps arriving with nonswimmers going down the octopus slide after not reading the warning signs before hand that clearly said deep water not suitable for nonswimmers lol. Great times great memories with many wonderful people.
These were the best! I worked there around that time too!!
Help!!!
I recently moved into an old house that was rehabbed and vacant for a long time. After having a lot of scary encounters with these guys, I knew it was war!!! My 3 cats love them but never seem to kill them. So, I have found that Peppermint oil mixed with Vinegar in a spray bottle helps a lot. I spray the perimeter of the inside and outside along with the inside of the vents. Since my first spray, I have only seen 1 as oppose to the 4 to 8 I was seeing daily. So, I re-sprayed last night. If you try this method, it is non-toxic to dogs but can be deadly if cats ingest it. GOOD LUCK!
OHHHH and when I have to pick up and dispose of a partially dead one, I spray it directly with my peppermint oil and vinegar and then use toilet paper with needle nose pliers to pick it up and then dump in the toilet…..
This ride is so boring.
I do wnjoy the Ring of Fire, but Amusements of America’s Ring of Fire needs some work. I rode it at the Ohio State Fair and the Delta Fair and i hated being crammed in the cage. I prefer Wade Shows’s Ring of Fire, because it has an open air train, and surprisingly its still called Ring of Fire instead of Fireball.
@DoD3Brian I found the list for the 2017 Meadowlands Fair. Space Roller will be back, and there will be more rides from AoA’s other unit.
MAJOR RIDES:
Giant Wheel (AoA)
Giant Wheel (Strates)
Zyklon
Crazy Mouse
Fire Ball
Space Roller
Pharaoh’s Fury
Rock & Roll
Musik Express
Sky Flyer
Vertigo
Enterprise
Trapeze
Banzai
Chaos (Street Fighter)
Spin Out
Wave Swinger
Tornado
Century Wheel
Cliff Hanger
Starship 3000
Ring of Fire
Zero Gravity
Orbiter
Sizzler
Scrambler
Tilt-A-Whirl
Flying Bobs
1001 Nachts
Rock & Roll Funhouse
Hard Rock Palace
Mardi Gras
Crystal Lil’s
Dark Ride
Tomb of Doom
Scooter (AoA)
Scooter (Strates)
KIDDIE RIDES:
Wacky Worm
Carousel
Go-Gator
Bumble Bees
Dizzy Dragons
Super Slide
Rockin Tug
Silver Streak
Wet Gators
Monkey Mayhem
Elephants
Far West TraIn
Speedway
x4 Hamptons
Hog Wild
Windjammer
Construction Zone
Rainbow Rock
I found the ride lineup for the 2017 Meadowlands Fair from the Vivonas, they sent their first draft.
Giant Wheel (Strates)
Giant Wheel (AoA)
Zyklon
Crazy Mouse
Fire Ball
Space Roller
Disk’O
Chaos (Technical Park Street Fighter)
Rock & Roll
Pharaoh’s Fury
Wave Swinger
Sky Flyer
Vertigo
Enterprise
Ring of Fire
Cliff Hanger
Orbiter
Spin Out
Trapeze
1001 Nachts
Flying Bobs
Musik Express
Reverchon Himalaya
Starship 3000
Zero Gravity
Tilt-A-Whirl (Strates)
Tilt-A-Whirl (AoA)
Sizzler
Scooter (Strates)
Scooter (AoA)
Bumper Boats
Tornado
Hard Rock Palace
Mardi Gras
Dark Ride
Tomb of Doom
Wacky Worm
Carousel (Strates)
Carousel (AoA)
Go-Gator
Monkey Mayhem
Dizzy Dragons
Speedway
Hog Wild
Construction Zone
Windjammer
Rainbow Rock
Bumble Bees
x4 Hamptons
Frog Hopper
Elephants
Wild West Train
Kiddie Bumper Boats
Berry Go Round
Sponge Bob Funhouse
2017 MEADOWLANDS FAIR RIDES LIST:
Alligator
Banzai
Bumble Bee
Bumper Cars
Carousel (Strates)
Carousel (AoA)
Cliff Hanger
Construction Zone
Crazy Mouse
Dino Go Round
Dizzy Dragon
Duck Boat
Elephant
Experience
Family Swinger
Fireball
Frog Hopper
Fun Slide
Giant Wheel (Strates)
Giant Wheel (AoA)
Go-Gators
Hampton Motorcycles
Hampton Quad
Hampton Sea Doo
Hampton VW
Hard Rock Palace FH
Haunted Mansion
Kiddie Scrambler
Mardi Gras Glass
Merry-Go-Round
Monkey Mayhem
Musik Express
Orbiter
Pharaoh’s Fury
Rainbow Rock FH
Ring of Fire
Rock N Roll
Rockin Tug
Scooter
Sizzler
Sky Flyer
Speedway
Sponge Bob FH
Starship 3000
Super Slide
Tilt-A-Whirl
Tomb of Doom
Tornado
Truck Stop
Vertigo
Wacky Worm
Wave Swinger
Wild West Train
Windjammer
Zero Gravity
Zyklon Coaster
No Space Roller nor Zipper this year??
That’s gay! Lol
And No Enterprise?
Boo! 👎
Michael posted another ride list over here that does have Space Roller and Enterprise: http://thedod3.com/trip-report-2014-north-brunswick-youth-sports-festival/#comment-51346
Seems like an OK lineup. Where did you find this list?
The Vivonas sent it to me
NEW JERSEY STATE FAIR RIDE LINEUP:
Giant Wheel
Super Himalaya (Bertazzon)
Music Express (Wisdom)
Wild Claw
Pharaoh’s Fury
Fireball (Larson)
Yo Yo
Sizzler
Zipper
Tilt-A-Whirl
Cliff Hanger
Orbiter
Enterprise (Starship 3000)
NEW JERSEY STATE FAIR RIDES LINEUP:
Giant Wheel
Galaxy Coaster
Super Himalaya
Tidal Wave
Music Express (Wisdom Himalaya)
Wild Claw
Sky Flyer
Orbiter
Fireball
Pharaoh’s Fury
Zipper
Sizzler
Cliff Hanger
Tornado
Enterprise (Starship 3000)
Flip ‘N’ Out
Stinger
Power Surge
Tango
Tilt-A-Whirl
Yo Yo
Orient Express
Wacky Worm
Elephants
Carousel
Mardi Gras
Ice Palace
Dizzy Dragons
Fun Slide
Hampton Quads
Hampton Cycle Jump
This is the only ride where I feel it’s doing something very bad to me internally. Something just seems so wrong about it.
NEW JERSEY STATE FAIR RIDES:
Giant Wheel
Wild Mouse
Super Himalaya
Tidal Wave
Music Express
Pharaoh’s Fury
Fireball
Wild Claw
Sky Flyer
Power Surge
Zero Gravity
Enterprise (Starship 2000)
Orbiter
Sizzler
Cliff Hanger
Tornado
Tilt-A-Whirl
Stinger
Storm
Yo Yo
Zipper
Surf City
Scooters
Carousel
Western Mouse
Orient Express
Family Swinger
Crazy Outback
Magic Maze
Super Slide
Flying Tigers
Hampton Quads
Hampton Cycle Jump
Bumble Bees
Elephants
Raiders
Dizzy Dragons
Rockin Tug
Kite Flyer
Hmm. Dark ride. Was it the ride parked in the very corner? If so that was the monkey maze.
Scrambler is new to us this year. It will be painted and lit with LEDs eventually lol
Yeah, it was in the back corner under the trees. I could have sworn I saw like bats and spooky-type artwork on the side. I don’t know, I guess I was just seeing things lol.
It’s sad that Kermisweb private his videos. I wonder what that video was like.
hello
looking for blue prints of the rock o plane to build a scale model made of brass.
any info would be a help
thanks
chris
You forgot the pro wrestling on select nights at the amphitheater!!
Just spent the day at Breakwater beach today. I also remember water works from 15 years ago. I couldn’t believe that the “cork screw”, the cannonball falls, and the double dive is gone. I told two people about WW and the cool rides they used to have. I had to come home and look it up, I got excited lol. Great times in the ol’ waterworks, great thread to bring us all some memories.
strates shows they been coming to our fair for 92 years they at the best
Which fair?
So, Did they bring in two Music rides not including the Mini himalaya in Kiddie land, your ride list has the wisdom 1 trailer himalaya, yet the pictures show the Blue unit’s Tidal Wave themed Thunder Bolt. I see both in your video clip of the midway
Yeah, they had both Tidal Wave and the Wisdom Himalaya there; looks like I forgot the add Tidal Wave to the ride list lol. Unfortunately I didn’t get any good photos of the Himalaya, so I didn’t include them.
Waterworks was the best! We used to go early in the morning every year to get a free t shirt and get the “three hour admission” for the price of the 2 hour admission. Best waterpark ever. Those go karts really need to go-they need to beef up breakwater beach-it has nothing on the old waterworks.
OMG!!
Did you hear or saw the news about what happened yesterday at the Ohio State Fair with this same KMG Afterburner that was presently at the Meadowlands last month??
I couldn’t bear to watch the horrifying eyewitness video.
I certainly did and saw the video as well. Just terrible.
Prayers to those affected in that tragedy..
😑🙏
Did you ride it at the Meadowlands this year? I think the last time I went on it was six years ago or so but it’s still a little weird to know that I was on a ride that eventually had an accident.
Well you shouldn’t feel weird that you last went on it half a decade ago. Although still thinking about I certainly have that weird (although sometimes uncomfortable) feeling since the day after the tragedy took place..
Because of course I was on that ride (in fact, twice this year, once in my 2 visits to the State Fair Meadowlands. The night before the 4th with my best friend/karate partner & another close friend of mine, and on the final night with my nephew)
Although after watching this radio interview that our current NJ governor was on (which you deleted from your 2017 State Fair Meadowlands vid)
It made me feel somewhat better. Because if his heavy, Heavy inspections on the ride that was presently at the Meadowlands didn’t occur, the tragedy might’ve occurred at the Meadowlands while I’m on it. Then the end result I could’ve been dead being thrown 50 ft away from the ride while still being harnessed to the seat, or limping out of the ride with severe injuries.
https://youtu.be/Dh2fD-r2QVc
#ThankYouChristie
#ThankYouDCA
Man, I’m glad it didn’t happen while you guys were on it! I’ll be very interested to see the final report coming from this incident.
I disabled the comments on that Youtube video. I just didn’t want the comments section to fill up with people talking about Fireball. Your comment was fine, but you know how some Youtube commenter’s can be.
Yeah thank God for the DCA!
Still kinda shook up since that tragedy but hopefully soon after final report on the victim (18 years young and recently enlisted in the Marines. That broke my heart.) and the recently troubled ride (what the cause was but I’ve been hearing in one report from Ohio it’s probably metal fatigue) things should return to normalcy. Although at this point the family of that young victim is filing a wrongful death lawsuit.
https://youtu.be/u-Amfc8WRbI
Just wondering, are you planning to update the KMG Fire Ball ride review page with the section that includes your article of the tragedy that took place at OSF last week? And if they want to talk about that ride they can comment only on that page. Although the comments section on the ride reviews has been disabled too.
I don’t know if I’ll update the page or make a separate post instead talking about it. If I do, it’ll be after the report comes out. I enabled comments again, however, as hits to that page have waned. That page was getting thousands of hits in the days after the accident.
9.5/10 because the first drop is awesome but when you go sideways I think I’m going to hit my head and I’m also literary jumping out of my seat!
Wow over 1000 views?? That’s hard to imagine since no comments we’re posted since that OSF tragedy.
Hey you planning on going to the Middlesex County Fair this year?
*were
*Stupid auto correct lol
I closed the comments early on; it got like 5000 views the day after it happened. I don’t think I’ll be able to make it to Middlesex this year, but who knows.
I might not make it this Saturday either. Forecast calls for PM rain, which could be in the late afternoon, evening, or throughout the night.
And just recently reported that the OSF Fire Ball fatality was due to -Excessive Corrosion-
http://www.carnivalwarehouse.com/brnews/newsarticle.asp?ID=1090#.WYioR6YQ2tQ.facebook
Kind of what I thought happened after I saw the damage photos. Now we’ll see who gets the blame for it.
I hope it’s all right on Saturday, I’m going to the State Fair that day with some family. Wunderground has a chance of a storm mid-day, but not some all day rain like today.
At first I thought from watching that eyewitness video it was because the loading platform rose up while the ride was in action. And that ripped out the gondola beam apart. Though bottom line, it’s such a shame that happened. And glad the Dutch maker of the ride are taking preventative measures to make sure nothing like that ever happens again.
Oh you’re talking about the one that farther up Northern NJ right?
The rock of plane is one of my most favorite rides. I am 66 years old and first rode this fabulous ride at our local Coffee County Fair in middle Tennessee at the age of 11. There is definitely an art about flipping your car and timing it so you are totally upside down at the loading level. The ride left the midway for many years but has recently returned and I ride it several times. I have at times been traveling and come across little carnivals in shopping center parking lots and most of these have this ride. Yep, you guessed it. I always pull over, park and ride the ride. Once in Nashville Tn at the Sam’s wholesale club, I was the only one on the ride and the operator said that he would let the ride run while he went to get something to eat. I stayed on the ride about 15 minutes all by myself and loved it. Best ride ever!!!! Now if they would bring back the bullet too!
I had no idea about the “single rider only” policy until today at the fair, when I was unceremoniously turned away from the ride by the operator. My brother was out of tickets, and he was too scared to go on it anyway, so I guess…hopefully I’ll ride a zipper someday before I die? I need to find some friends who like carnival rides, because mine don’t. :/ My sister might have gone with me, but she was too scared to go this year because of that one accident that happened on a carnival ride that our fair doesn’t even have…
Great article though! Loving this site!
I rode one at the Santa Clara County Fair with half of the graphics panels missing and exposed and burnt out light bulbs. Kinda being an idiot but I touched one of the lights on the satellite and got shocked. Luckily it was probably only 5v cause it was a led.
Wasn’t there dinosaur-themed mini-golf as well? Or am I imagining that?
I don’t know if Dinosaur Beach itself had a golf course, but there was a dinosaur themed mini-golf place in North Wildwood on Surf Ave & 25th I think – like a block from the boardwalk. I forget the name, but my family would always eat there and play a round of golf before heading back home at the end of our vacations. I think it closed in 2007 or so.
There is a dinosaur themed mini-golf course in North Wildwood called Jurassic Golf!
I want a dinosaur-themed mini-golf course for the newly revived/reimagined Dinosaur Beach amusement park!
I went on the zipper once and once was more than enough. I can go on any carnival ride but the zipper is different. I had to go on with a complete stranger, because I already wasn’t nervous enough. I had my eyes shut as tight as they could shut and held in to the bars as tight as I possibly could. And even though I was hanging on, I still somehow bashed my face off the door. I was shaking so so much and I just hated it. I can go on any ride no matter how fast or how high up it goes, but once my body is flipped upside down I’m done.
OMG yes I remember this ride as a kid. The line was always crazy long to get on it because it took them forever to load it and I remember the painful smashing while stuck on it waiting for them to load the rest of the cars. I thought the ride would be fun and scary, but it just hurt. I wanted to get on that ride so bad but I was over it after the first ride.
hate it its to slow going up the hill!!! 0/10
I wished they still had the Huss Enterprise ride (the one that was originally from Coney Island, NY)
Before Sandy struck, their Huss Enterprise ran faster than Strates Shows’ Enterprise. I loved it.
And I remember seeing one of the cars from the old Bertazzon Rock n Roll ride being washed up. It literally broke my heart and saddened me. And sure there’s Music Express. But it’s definitely not the same without DJ Charles running it. He was always full of energy and knows how to amp up not only the riders. But to also those that were standing in line next to ride. The last time I talked to him on FB was over a year ago. He suddenly then disappeared. I wonder if he might’ve dropped off the face of the Earth after being let go from CP. I felt bad for him after that news came out. He would gone great to join an NJ traveling carnival to run similar rides like the Music Express in SH.
Things have definitely changed for the worst after Sandy. It’s like Jenkinsons in Point Pleasant now 😑
I remember seeing that DJ Charles guy operating the Wave Swinger on the pier early in the 2014 season, week after Easter I think. He was working the mic pretty good for like 8 riders and a handful of people on the pier. lol I think he said that he worked on Polar Express in Coney Island way back when, but I might be getting him mixed up with someone else.
Riverside Park (now Six Flags New England) in Agawam, MA had a TriStar beginning in the mid-80s (1986?) through the late 90s. Rode it many times.
Thats what led me to this page. It is so hard to find pics or video of the ride at Riverside, but it was such a right of passage to get on there. The ride had the tallest height limit in the park at 60 inches.
I have severe whiplash from riding el toro the first drop was great but what follows is a series of sudden turns that are more painful than anything ugh im laying here icing my neck wishing i didnt get on el toro
awesome its the only floorless ride in PA
i love making roller coasters in roblox but steel force is the worst roller coaster i have ever seen in roblox and in real life i is so freakin stupid
i meant so stupid and my rating is 3/10 because going up the hill is so much fun
There’s been a Scorpion travelling in Switzerland for some years now. (It used to be in Germany before.)
It’s called Flipper because that’s the German word for pinball – hence also the theme. 😉
Ha, that makes sense; thanks for the info!
I use a battery operated fly killer that looks like a tennis racket. It fries them and you can actually smell them burning. They freak me out I have lived in my house over 50 years and this is the first year I have seen them. I will try Sarah’s recipe and see how that works too. UGH ALIEN CRICKETS
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Hello, yes i agree with you that seaside heights has not been the same since sandy and the fire. as far as the musik express goes its just a waste now, i mean ya physically it may be fun but DJ Charles always new what music to play, mic work etc. sadly he was fired in 2015 http://lavallette-seaside.shorebeat.com/2015/08/fans-of-longtime-music-express-dj-ride-operator-rally-after-his-firing/ . it seems that some old people agreed with that one comment on that article about him being fired was a good thing written by that jack guy, probaly because its a news site and old people don’t like rap, (no offense if your old @thedod3) from an emotional standpoint though its really a crying shame because charles really loved that ride and so did i. i will say that the pier does look nice with those lights, also in case you didn’t know funtown pier will not be rebuilt so in case u wanted to know heres a link, http://www.app.com/story/news/local/ocean-county/sandy-recovery/2016/07/27/owner-funtown-pier-not-rebuilt/87606678/ . also sorry for the long links i’m not sure if there’s a way to shorten them. take care. and thanks for the post and pics.
Despite looking intimidating, I always found the courage to ride this when it was prevalent in the 90s. It’s strange how the cars go the same rate of speed no matter how fast the track is revolving. I always wondered how the cars never seem to fall off.
Even I have been brave enough to get on this 3 different times in high school. It’s like a sauna; it’s hot at first but eventually you get used to being flipped over and over and over. LOL. There’s 2 scary scenarios on this ride, (my opinion) 1. When you go over one of the edges while your edge is at the top like you “hop” over the edge and your face hits the cage in front of you. 2. The edge when you’re at the very bottom and it feels like you’re going to glide across the ground.
“…as if the car were full of lit firecrackers rather than coins…”
I screamed out laughing when I read that. Brian your humor is killer.
I just stumbled upon this article…interesting stuff! I have a couple of things that may be of interest. Firstly, I believe that a Huss Tristar is still operated as “The Tide Travelleer”, at the Pleasurewood Hills Park in the UK. A video of it I saw, a little while back, seemed to suggest it was no longer functioning as it should, but it was, at least, operating. I rode one of these at the old Bembom Brothers Park in Margate many years back (quite possibly the same ride). It was different, but not that exciting. I’m not surprised to learn that few were built.
I also rode a Ben Hur a couple of times. It was very much Huss’s take on the classic Skid rides that have been a feature of UK fairgrounds for years (they’re not so common now, but some can still be found). So, whereas Skid rides have a foot pedal that (very effectively) generates the back-and-forth motion, the Ben Hur had the rope. I guess this was because the cars themselves didn’t rest on a track below, as Skids do, so a pedal wouldn’t have been possible. My first Ben Hur ride was at Blackpool Pleasure Beach. Surprisingly, it turned out to be one of the most crazy and violent rides I can remember ever doing. As you might expect from a Huss ride, it was able to go very fast – much faster than any Skid that I’ve seen. This speed actually seemed to render the rope to be pretty much useless, as the forces made it hard to swing the car in any way at all. However, that wasn’t why the ride was crazy. The unexpected part (I’m not sure if Huss really intended this…) was that the ride would very suddenly come to a stop, causing the cars to slam hard to one side. It would then go through a short sequence of sudden direction changes (again, slamming the car back and forth each time…), before then setting off at speed again. On the ride I had, this cycle of speed-then-slamming happened a number of times. I kinda liked it…it was (obviously) memorable….but others got off in tears, probably crushed by others in their car. Some years later, I found (what I assume to be…) the same ride in Margate. Unfortunately, it just ran slowly in one direction, so was a complete waste of time. I’m not sure if the ropes were even still there. So, a shadow of what it had been, although I’m not entirely surprised. Still, I like that I actually got to experience this ride when being operated to its full(?) potential.
The Tri Star @ Pleasurewood Hills is not the same machine which operated @ Dreamland, Margate. Margate’s Tri Star was new to Walter Rick (D) in 1977 and appeared at Margate at the end of 1982. The Pleasurewood Hill machine came from de Vries (NL) (new 1977) and was sold to Alton Towers at the end of 1988. It went to Pleasure Island (Cleethorpes) when they opened in May 1993 and then moved to Flamingo Land at the end of 1994 and moved to Pleasurewood Hills ten years later.
The Ben Hur at Blackpool Pleasure Beach was owned by Albert Manning and arrived in April 1983. It moved to the American Adventure Park (Nr. Ilkeston) at the end of 1988 and advertised for sale by John Armitage in 2008 and possibly sold back to Huss. Dreamland, Margate also had a Ben Hur from March 1984 which also possibly ended up with John Armitage. There were only three Ben Hur rides manufactured and the third, new to German Showman Kallenkoet in 1982, was sold to Pleasureland, Southport at the end of 1983 and its fate is unknown. http://ride-index.de/include.php?path=content/content.php&contentid=1461
I hope you keep your promiss and is it going to be the same as before
I rode this w/my son at the Florida State Fair, Tampa. Shortly after loading, we rotated (the whole wheel) upward just past 1/4 of the way up. The car then slightly rolled counter clockwise so that my son( on my right) slid into me. Beings that we were still loading people, we just sat there with NO way to upright the car and get relief. I was pinned to the car’s cage wall with my son kinda on top of me and neither one of us could move! That’s when it happened! I felt a pop then quickly another pop! I broke 2 ribs!!! Needless to say, It was was the longest ride of my life…w/2 broken ribs!! Anyhow, I was working on my car the other day, pulling very hard on a wrench w/that same side of my rib cage against the car and pop! It brought back this memory. I was actually looking to see if anyone had a similar experience (broke a rib) on this ride?
No broken rib but I did almost fall out of it at 5-6 yrs old. Way too small to ride it but they still let me get on it. I slid right out from under the bar and was going right out the open window part in the front. My dad was holding me by my feet. I was so scared. Definitely my brush with death lol
Wasn’t this ride in the Sandlot
Yes, yes it was
i was head op. of the morey’s pier condor from 91 -95. youve got some great pics thanks
I rode Coney Island’s Hell Hole many times, I remember being able to stay on the ride for as long as I wanted to because no one else wanted to ride it even for free. I tell my kids about this ride all the time especially my son who loves all amusement park rides.
….rode rock -o- planes from 1957/1977 from west view park (pennsylvania) to marine pier, wildwood (new jersey)….one of my favorites!
Hi A.T.-
I operated that Marine Pier Rock O Plane in 1974 along with other rides on that Pier. Miss those rides andthat Pier.
My favorite as a kid as well. Found at most moving carnivals through the 80s. Even then, many looked like they had seen better days. Some didn’t even have the belt strap- rather the steel bar would come down further and that was your restraint! Also been in one that replaced the seats with plywood. Okay for a pre-teen but not very comfortable for an adult,
now I know how a zipper feels
Do you have any pictures of Oktoberfest? The band or dancers?
Operated and moved a trabant up and down the east coast for years . Beautiful ride and best ride on the midway imo.
I was close to riding the Hell Hole back in 1995 with my sister, but my grandmother told us not to. The ride we would have gone on happened to be the ride that fell apart that day. One of those people could have been me and my sister if we didn’t listen and got on the ride in Coney Island.
I was lucky to experience Hunt’s Pier in 1982 and 1983. I returned Aug 1995 and the pier was half shut with kiddie rides on the front and it was called Atlantic Pier. The old Whacky Shack which was retitled Hunt’s Horror in 1989 was sbno in 1995 and behind a tall wooden white wall across the pier blocking access to the back of the pier. It was removed early 1996 during the remodeling into Dinosaur Beach. I returned June 1996 to see the new Dinosaur Beach and ride the Nugget again and ride the new dinosaur dark ride called Escape from Dinosaur Beach. I went back again June 1998. I had no idea it was going to close, they had a ten year lease on the pier. Also in 1995-96-98 I went through Castle Dracula and Dungeon boat ride on Nickels Midway Pier which burned Jan 16, 2002 by two young guys trespassing inside and lighting matches or lighters to see and they accidentally set it on fire, ran out, and were arrested down the street. They got a slap on the wrist. It was the last of the old 1970’s NJ shore haunted attractions with live actors. Now Morey’s has a walk through Ghost Ship attraction with live actors.
I rode this at the Greeley Stampede in Greeley CO when I was probably 12 or 13 with my best friend. I will never forget the sheer terror we experienced being thrown around in that car.
It was a blast until my head hit something sharp in the car. Ended up with a couple stitches but I’d still say it was worth it 15 years later. So much fun.
Love this ride and in general , Huss rides are massive , flashy , fast and much better than the rides that come from Chance , Wisdom etc . Take the Rainbiw , Enterprise, Pirate , Swinger (the one with the nice decorations ) and all there rides would and so our gross the other lame rides the US companies make ! More
Of those rides need to be here in the US !
Hahaha I was on the condor when there was the major malfunction that almost resulted in a rope rescue. They did manage to get the ride down safely after about 45+ minutes. To think that was 8 years ago and the condor had been since removed, I’m in awe.
Hi-just a it of correction regarding Sportland Pier’s Rotor ride. It originally started as The Rotor. Fascade was painted with a Comic strip theme featuring characters from ‘Little Iodine’. In the 60’s it was transormed to The Hell Hole and remained as such until Sportland Pier’s demise. The Whirlpool ride was another Rotor ride operating at the area known as Casino Arcade close ro Cedar Ave. It was introduced about 1971 and only remained for a few years. The Hell Hole had rubberized walls while The Whirlpool had a textured laminate-type that was hard and not enjoyable to ride. I rode both and The Hell Hole was a much better experience. I hope this info helps.
I operated a Rock-O-Plane that was located at the end of Marine Pier In Wildwood NJ. It had been repainted so many times over the years that the brake lever was never really secure in the notches. One evening, while locking and unloading a car with 2 teenage girls, the first girl tripped on the platfom while exiting the car. The brake slipped out of the notch and the ride began to run with the 2nd girl still in the car and the door open. I managed to stop the ride but the car was over 6 feet off the platform. There was no reverse. I had to use a high stool on my tip toe and thankfully was able to reach and close the door but I could not pin lock the door. The poor girl had to endure another rotation going upside down since the car was locked for unloading. It was a frightening ordeal but thankfully a good ending. The sad thing is I initially stopped to let the girls off early in the ride as the 2nd girl was screaming for me to stop the ride and let her off as she was frightened to death her friend was going to make her go upside down.
I operate a permanent Rock-O-Plane at a local theme park and it’s definitely a favorite. It’s always running compared to the 8 other rides in the park and it’s good for all ages. Glad to see all the comments.
If anyone is curious, if you use Google Earth (not Google Maps), you can look up Mountain Creek and use the Historical Imagery feature to find USGS aerial photography of Action Park from 1991 and 1995. It’s black & white and pretty grainy, but you can easily see the tracks of the Alpine Slide and of Motor World, and flip back and forth to modern imagery to see where they were. It’s funny to see how the man-made lake/rivers for the motorboat attractions are still very obvious today if you know where to look.
Sad to see the park is a shell of its former self. The Go carts and golf really do not belong.
Brian this was one of the best trip reports you ever made. This state fair was one of the greatest events ever held any were on the planet I enjoyed the other attraction like the high dive tank and other original shows. I remember when i was young over 60 years ago American exposition or Gooding’s Amusement had a high dive act and plenty of motor cycle drivers. Cetlin @ Wilson had an unbelievable motor cycle drone that was spectacular there were a lot of sideshows on the midway & burlesque shows. The big top circus tent contained anything or everything you could imagine freaks,performers,pit shows & menagerie. Did you see any sideshow attractions beside the ones you listed. What impressed you the most at this event.Our amusement park (Kenny wood) had a new attraction (Thomas’Town Train) it derailed, the pirate, swung wildly, and the Phantom got stuck. Sometimes these things do happen at are recreational spots that discourage people from coming out to are fairs, carnivals and to relax at our parks. I hope this Meadow lands enjoys another year just like the one it enjoyed this year, and on into the future, a great and successful event.
Hi there, don`t know if anyone will read this but I have an update on the Coney Breakdance-A UK showman has bought it and is going to refurbish it so it can travel
Thanks for the update, Charlie! Nice to hear that it will be on the road again.
Oh right looks like we have a few eqalified engineermachinery inspectors who don’t know what the fuck they are talking about I hoe they can sign off in the rides logbook to rove they have done a full inspection
you legs will hurt after the ride
I operated that Disco Express after it moved to Wildwood, New Jersey in the summer’s of 1982 and 1983. It was on Mariners Landing Amusement Pier (Pier was owned by Morey’s) and the ride either belonged to or was being leased by Tom and Jerry Amusements. It was located next to the wild mouse-style roller coaster. I have not been able to track that ride down and am left to assume it was either rebranded or junked. Nor have I had success in tracking down Tom and Jerry Amusements. I heard they were based in Florida, but that’s all I know. I can’t even find pictures of the ride when searching a variety of keywords.
If you know more about this ride, I would love to hear from you!
HI john IN 1983 I worked on the himalaya that belonged to Tom and JERRY. They ended up in Point Pleasant. Became very good friends with TOM (THEY WERE TWINS). sadly Tom passed in 1993 in Jupiter FlA .Dont know about Jerry. Great people.
Hi Brian. I’m the “crazy dude” showing off the plasma globe. My name is Tom Interval, a magician in San Diego (@intervalmagic). I’m originally from Pittsburgh and, in 1988, worked as a strolling magician for Busch’s Live Entertainment department (referred to by employees at the time as “Live E”). The inset photo of me was taken in Wizard Works, the magic shop located in the Hastings, England, section of the park, which is now Ireland. The location in the photo behind the inset is Banbury Cross, just across the bridge from Hastings. With Hastings’ transformation to Ireland, Busch renamed the magic shop Pot O’ Gold, which may or may not still exist (good luck trying to find anything on Busch’s website). Anyway, thanks for the laugh and for posting this stuff.
Great report and VIDEO is AMAZING!
Endeavor looks like the same ride that was on the Casino Pier in the early 90’s called Force 10….it may have been the only one in the USA at the time. For some reason (later I read)permits weren’t granted to run Force 10 in the USA.
I was thinking the same thing, Garry; not as intense looking as Force 10, though. I had heard about the permit thing but Blue Sky Amusements in Long Island had a Force 10 for one season in 2016 or 17, so I guess that was just a rumor. I wish I could have seen it person!
it is really cool, i like it very much!
We have a fly-o-plane at our http://www.miracleofamericamuseum.org, in Polson, Montana.
Serial # 5020-M. Where can I find out the history of this unit as to who pre-owned it and where all it was used, etc? Our contact phone is on our website.
I generally can’t ride spin rides due to my weak stomach, but I have ridden a rim-drive Paratrooper a couple times. Pretty fun ride.
Come visit us at Saint Matthias this year! We’ve upgraded a few more rides, sold a few, gained a few and of course… upgraded some of those lackluster lights you were talking about. Hope to see another updated post and looking forward to hear what you have to say.
I actually went more recently in 2017. Really nice fair!
And you also forgot to mention,
“..the lack of having Spin Out like last year”
And it seems as though for every OLP every year, it always tend to get rainy on the Saturday of the fair.
Though, it was supposed to be the night to celebrate my best friend/dojo mate’s 26th birthday at the OLP fair.
Oh well, the only thing we did pretty much as karate together that afternoon. And then we went to see Avengers: Endgame later that rainy night.
I think people were commenting about the wheel because it’s been there for years; not as “good” as Spin Out, but a staple of the fair. Rain and the OLP fair does seem to go hand in hand, though. lol
At least they had the Zipper. That’s the only “ferris wheel” type of ride there was.
And I think the OLP fair is never fun without it. 😀
By the way, I biked past OLP today and Polar Express and Sizzler are still hanging out in the lot.
Wow. Were they racked in their trailer?
Racked. I remember years ago, before BSA started doing the fair, the Hang Ten ride was left setup in the lot for like 3 days one year. It was strange seeing it sitting there with cars parked around it for church services. lol
Gee, I wonder what happened to that #HangTen ride, which I only rode 3 times in my entire life at State Fair Meadowlands in 2006 and 2008?
Last I heard it was owned by Robbie Megerle and setup in Carolina Beach, NC. He owned it while it was at the Meadowlands as well. When it was at OLP it was owned by Cookes Amusements, at least that’s what the scenery panels had on them.
Wherever it is or whatever happened to it I’d say…RIP..
Although I saw a newer version of Hang 10 somewhere online that’s currently owned by Deggeller Attractions.
I worked in Motorworld during the summer of 1986. I was on the Super Lola cars, which I’m pretty sure you couldn’t un-govern. What I find amusing is if a patron was going too fast, they would go off the track and hit bails of hay. Our job was to sprint to the “crash” and quickly turn the car engine off so it wouldn’t catch the hay on fire! We would then pull the car back on the track and restack the hay.
I also worked on the speedboats. That was super fun and there was an accident there when some moron was fooling around and stopped their boat in the oval loop that everyone was supposed to travel. The stopped boat acted like a ramp for another boat and one of the boats literally jumped another. I don’t remember anyone getting too hurt during that incident, and I don’t remember ever seeing any snakes in the water at all.
Great article!
Loved The Devils hole at fantasy Island. It was riddled with graffiti on the wall and really scary inside. I have a Photo of myself posing next to the devil that was on the top after they took it down. Haha in the photo you can see that the devils hairy testicles were exposed. It’s kind of funny to know that they had that up for so many years.
I was the Pilot of this ride from Memorial Day to Labor Day on Morey’s Pier Wildwood, NJ 1986, 87 & 88 which was the 1st one in the country! It was refreshing to see it in Stranger Things and brought back MANY, MANY very good memories from my youth. Miss you April(John & Roy M.)! Metal Heads ride for free! Yes, that was me 35yrs ago.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/video/t/the-carnivals-in-town-ride-with-thestreet-on-the-gravitron/vp-AADOfBG
I had know idea I was actually Piloting the VERY 1st 1 until this article! WOW, BLOWN AWAY!!!
gravitrondude@gmail.com ANY pictures anyone has from those years at that location would be much appreciated, Thanks! JG (Eagles, Flyers, Phillies & 76’ers for life!)
it was scary omg i was frozen after coming off i was spooked
Hydra makes my head feel like a cracked egg. Never riding again. At first it was fun, second time I sat in the back and it rocked me a bit. Third time, it’s just too bumpy. Definitely doesn’t deserve a 7. If they could improve the bumpiness, it would earn a 7. Unless you have no brain, this ride is a once or maybe 2 times and done. I made the mistake of trying to ride again today. Lots of cool turns and the jojo roll really makes it, but it’s just not worth the brain damage. Your advice is right though, riding the talon after makes you wonder what the hell happened to B&M? Talon and the great bear at Hershey Park are some of the best.
We had help issues this spring, we didn’t get our h2b workers until June which caused a lot of issues with putting up and moving the bigger rides. The polar express sat set up there until the following Wednesday.
I was personally moving the rockstar, vertigo, spin out and orbiter (when we were on Long Island bc it’s not approved for NJ yet)
I figured that may have been the case; didn’t want to put out speculation though. Your Orbiter looks pretty badass, you think it’ll be in Jersey next year?
The Bertizzon Musik Express of Casino Pier now plays Barry Manalo! I kid you not! Hardly anyone was riding it. I’m not at all a fan of post 1992 rap music, the stuff shifted from party and political to violent gangster music. I think the best and most appropriate music for a music ride is dance music and classic metal. Unfortunately Casino Pier does not like dance music, I know for a fact.
I went on The Zipper this past weekend with my best friend’s nine year old sister. Craziest ride I’ve ever been on I could only hold on to the bars with one hand because she was flying around so I had to hold her with the other. Our shirts kept flying up with each flip and there were no less than eight of those! My tummy is bruised but it was worth it to see her excited face. However, definitely a one-and-done here!
This. Is. Dope. Very good ride so excellent my friend threw up on me one year haha but it is ok he gets dizzy easily
Thank you for posting this!! I went to Dinosaur Beach when I was 5 back in 1996! I remember Escape Dinosaur Beach and riding in the Jurassic Park-esque Jeeps and the animatronics were of course grander in my memory because I was a child and everything looked huge to me. I remember when the ride was done and it jus let’s you out into the gift shop, I recall that even at a young age I thought it an odd way to end the ride. I remember the Golden Nugget! I found a YouTube video of first person footage riding the mine cave styled ride. The memorable part for me was the helicopter on the top tier. I remember the water slide with the long neck dinosaur that spit water at you from it’s nose.
Again thank you for this post!!
I got off a Zipper at a carnival somewhere one night and I was surprised I was still alive. During the ride I thought I’d been flung across the parking lot and was flying straight into Hell. I was 100% sure I was going to die any second.
I was the second cab to unload and I just zombied off walking toward the line waiting to get on. I’m a white guy and there was this sincerely concerned looking black women at the front of the line just staring at me. I tripped almost right into her and as she stopped my fall she looked at me and screamed, “Damn! You look white!” It was perfect, and when she realized the comedy in what she’d just said she grabbed me and gave me a gnarly hug. Then she straightened me up and sent me on my way. I must have been pretty pale for that to happen. The Zipper rules!
Do you know who the tilt a whirl was owned by
“I also remember the ‘lifeguard’ at the top of the slide telling me to do a cannonball as I fall into pool to splash the other lifeguard at the bottom of the slide.”
Yes that would be me. I worked there from ’94-’98 and that was definitely a thing for us to tell them to do the cannonball at the bottom if we knew the guard. At one of those employee parties the Irish Exchangers all ganged up 4 or 5 together on Supertwist and all bumped out at the bottom onto the concrete. The water slide park before this was Rainbow Rapids 2 blocks over but once Water works chopped up the Olympic Pool and added all the blue tubes and other slides in the late 80’s Rainbow Rapids was doomed.
I came across a single berry-go-round near Topeka KS.
Wondering if people would buy it and how much its worth.
it’s time to get the fun out!
That’s amazing!
I was a child of the 80s and my parents, although they didn’t have a copious amount of residual income, took me to Coney Island for the very first time and gave me the option of what ride to pick. I chose the Hell Hole not knowing what it was. It’s still a running gag in my family that I screamed my whole way through it and they heard (thanks to the attraction’s external speakers). I remember the dim nature of the ride, the ground lowering and the float-down like it was yesterday… no ill effects, dizziness or lingering problems surprisingly. I would seriously do it again!
My parents used to buy a ton of waterworks tickets each season on a sale that they held every Easter Sunday on the pier.
Had a lot of fun at that place. Your memory of it is much better than mine. So much of the park that I realized when reading this that I had completely forgotten. The corkscrew “Speed slide” as you say is the only slide name I remember. It was maybe the fastest slide in the park. The seams of the blue enclosure tube would actually start to rip your back up a bit. The slide running along the north end of the back of the park with the three dips was notable for the “air”’ you could get by intentionally timing a quick jerking of your torso forward and lifting your back off the slide just as approaching the third dip.
JacksonNHHigh Point
At the Alameda County Fair in Pleasanton California, June 1967. I was 18 . It was a traveling Rotor. I was wearing my Mod short shift and turquoise stockings. Me & Stanley watched the previous riders, and then took our places.The walls were like rug. When the “thing” started spinning and the floor dropped down, I slipped out of my dress and it bunched up under my arms. I was exposed for all to see waist down. I was trying to grab Stanley’s hand pleading with him to help me. People above were pointing and laughing. When the floor started coming up in jolts, I thought it was going to engulf me. I was crying. Then my hippy beads broke all over the floor when the thing finally stopped. A girl picked them up for me. That meant allot as everyone else got a big kick out of it.
I got out of there with my life–that is how it felt. I have never again gone without wearing a slip!!!!!
I was fortunate enough to go to Ukraine 2 years ago, and rode the “clown” ride in Odessa. It was horrifying. No regrets riding it, as It was such a unique experience, but the negative Gs on that thing paired with the painful restraints make it a very dangerous ride in my opinion. I thought for sure I would get hurt! Must have a strong stomach and neck to survive this one!
You forgot to mention venture rides a their own version of the ride call the cobra looks like a paratrooper with the same skillet seats except both wheels spin at 5he same time.
Can the viper load both satellites at the same time as the cobra can only load one
Viper can load both at the same time.
Hopefully the pandemic will ease up for 2021 season. I miss making moves up and down the east coast with my carnival family. Nice page you got here. Keep up the good work. BTW I move a trabant, a hi roller, a sidewinder and a drop tower for inners shows out of Franklinton nc.
what the update on polar express ride is it returning or is it moving to another site in the area cause that the first thing I go too in coney island
I used to go to the small carnival in Florida when I was a 12 years old and I saw this ride named the ice storm and it looked liked the arctic circle from wisdom ride industries and I did some research and it the ice storm was from wisdom ride industries here is the link to the image
https://intermarkridegroup.com/images/used/major_family/wisdom_himalaya_4.jpg
My brother-in-law, Ronnie Guerrero owned the Polar Express at Coney Island. The ride was installed there in 1973. When I visited in 1974, Ruben Santos, the founder of the Homicides gang was the operator and DJ. My sister and Ronnie were there each day, selling tickets and managing the ride. What I remember most were the dancers in front of the ride, doing the Spanish Hustle. I have since learned that the ride’s music played a part in the development of break dancing, particularly the Fresh Kids who hung out there in the 80s. The ride apparently was moved to another Coney Island location and operated by Ronnie’s second wife Susan after his death in 2007.
The original crew on the Polar Express, was Jacko, Paul Bobby, Hippy,Severn Green Eyes, Melvin, Felix and Brian/aka Preacher. in 1974 Bobby, Hippy and Green Eyes were gone Rebel, Freddy,George and Bigman (Ruben) started working on the ride. You’re correct Bigman was the leader of Homicide Inc. Severn was the leader of the Brooklyn Brothers, Rebel was a member of the Devil Rebels and Preacher ran a crew within the Homicides known as the Homicide Brothers or HBz. I remember Ronnie, he was a cheap bastard and his wife at the time blonde hair always kind and friendly when speaking to me. Ronnie drove a green Eldorado and spent most of his time in the travel trailer behind the polar. we utilized one of the two tractor trailers, as a place to sleep, have meetings and fuck.
Willie’s was across the ally and the Polar was to the left of the Thunderbolt, the tunnel of love was also across and to the left of the polar. I worked there from 1973 until 1977 the year,I joined the Marine Corps. at the time of employment the polar was located on the Bowery between West 15th and 16th respectively.
Additionally: Mario and Caco worked there around 75/76 and were still there after my leaving. Ronnie I think was from Florida wish would explained the shirts he always wore. I started working on the Polar in 1973 I was 12 years of age and the Polar always drew the largest crowds
I worked the Tumbler at Rye Playland in 1972. This is a true story. 4th of July. A guy named Ralph (I think) was the operator, I was working the deck. A hydraulic hose let go in the booth and sprayed fluid everywhere and the ride stopped with both wheels full of people. We were a bunch of kids. The owner wasn’t in the park but they got in touch with him and he was going to come with the new hose. In the meantime, there is a line a mile long who we have to tell the ride is closed so they are angry. We got the people off the bottom wheel, but the folks were still stuck up top. Only one thing to do. Release the brakes and let them go. Man, that wheel came down and just kept going almost all the way back to the top. People were screaming and then it went backwards and past the deck and up the other side and back and forth like a pendulum until it stopped and we got the people off. Wallets, purses, bodily fluids falling from the wheel. We were scared to death at the time, especially when it sped past the deck on its way, but it is one of the craziest things I ever saw. The owner got there about 7 PM, put in a new hose and refilled the hydraulic fluid and we were back up before the day was out. Just another day at work LOL.
I remember operating and setting up and tearing down one of these years ago it was the best time of my life
I rode the Hell Hole in Coney Island as a kid in the 70’s! It was, bar none, my favorite ride. My brothers and I would make a beeline right to it. My mom said we were all like flies stuck to the wall. It’s been a thousand years ago, but I can absolutely remember how it felt, especially when the floor dropped. And all the screaming. It’s the ride from my childhood that I remember most vividly. I remember having to wait a little extra once or twice so maintenance could bring in some sand and clean up after some poor soul. I came close to being that poor soul a few times, myself. I’m actually sad it’s gone. We moved to the Midwest in the late 70s, and I never got to ride it again, sadly. I do remember reading about the accident in the paper, and it was pretty horrible. My mom said she wasn’t that surprised.
I remember Devil’s Hole at Fantasy Island. I just loved that ride as a kid. Nothing quite like sticking to the wall while the pink devil looks down at you from above. Sylvan Beach has a rotor ride that they are restoring and hope to have open before Summer’s end. I hope that they finish it soon and that I am still brave enough to give it a whirl.
As soon as I had the guts to go upside down I fast became… King of the Rocko’s. I would take the unsuspecting co-passenger and drop us both on our heads at the bottom. This was a true skill to balance the cage just so that we could be in the unlocked position, at maximum weight, free-wheeling, upside down at the bottom. Best scream in anguish you ever heard. “Noooooooooooooo Ahhhhhhhhhhh”!
I remember Water Works well. On the big slide my butt would feel weird because so much water shot out. On Tuesday’s and Thursday’s they gave you a free t-shirt. I still have the shirt from 2001 and use it as a “running shirt” or one I wear to play sports. Not sure what year it closed? Was it early 2000s? I know it was around at least until 01 though because I have the shirt. The corkscrew ride was pretty awesome and I loved the little kid ball section. I’d go in there as a teenager and launch balls at kids and laugh. I also remember the reasonable price. I’d go at 9 am and get 3 hours until Noon. It was $12 per person and we usually saved a $1 from the Seaside coupon book. So I would go with my dad and brother and we spent about $35 for 3 people. Now it might cost $35 or more per person. I also remember the annoying camps would show up around 10:30 lol. Like the lifeguard said I do recall going to the Seaside boardwalk in the evening and seeing employees using the slides after hours, and then even had these vicious guard dogs.
When it closed down and changed it was awful. Same thing happened to Seaside. Seaside had amazing rides like the Zipper, Kamikazee, Force 10, Jet Star, looping rollercoaster, Log Flume, etc. Now it has nothing.
I rode the Hustler today at an outlet center parking lot in NC. I immediately felt sick (the Sizzler I rode prior had no ill effects on me). I should have known by the narrow, rickety ramp and the 40-year-old Chevy seat belts that something was wrong, here.
This thing spun so fast and was so rough.
Ended up hurling into a shopping bag on the drive home. Haven’t vomited in over 10 years. Never again. Will be sticking to modern rides, thanks.
I leave in the United States and I go to my carnivals and fairs in town and we have the same ride has Break Dance but it’s called Crazy Dance and do I love this so much now would like too own one.
I’m from MD and a lot of times, when I was young, we’d visit family in Northwestern PA and we would go to Conneaut Lake Park. I LOVED the Hell Hole ride there!
the worst fucking ride in existence. dont ride!!!! it crushes ur thigh if you ride with 2 people and is on the outside. DONT RIDE THIS IS YOUR WARNING
I’m currently got an issue with the rides brake system. The cable snapped and we cannot get the Boom to rotate. Would it be possible to get a diagram or repair manual?
There is a simular version in California called the Insanity 360° only this version is a bit shorter on ride time and the seats rotate after doing 6 complete loops
i remeber the fair i always go to in north carolina & at the the carolina classic fair known as the dixie classic fair if you lived in north carolina but any way i always wanted to ride the fireball
know called the ring of fire & i finally get to ride it after all these years because i was finally tall enough i was scared to death when i got on the ride & i remeber it stopping at mid air and going in circles & stopping at the time & when it was moving up i thought i was going to fall out but i didn’t because i was brave enough to do it.
people still do this stuff?
aww, do you still post on this blog? you should. idk y but i like this format better
it’s sad when rides are closed down. old rides r so cool!!!
Hello, there is a Lead fest Fair At The garden state plaza mall in Paramus New Jersey Bergen county, It’s there may25th to June12th 2023, They have a lot of interesting rides that you can film on YouTube because a lot of people are interested. Hopefully you get this message Thanks
This is for the Lead fest fair At the garden state plaza in Paramus Nj
I operate a loop-o-plane and they are quite fun to ride or run. I haven’t mastered stopping it upside but I have gotten plenty of screamers 😂
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Jocko, Severn, Preacher, Hippie, Bobby, Paul, Felix, Green Eyes, George, Freddy, Rebel, Bigman, Original members of the Polar Express. 1972-1977
Hi Judah … I’m an old half-assed Coney Island historian and I’m trying to learn more about the Polar Express. I’ve been trying to learn when it first appeared on West 12th Street, and I think you just answered me. Did it first arrive in 1972? I sometimes hear this ride was originally the Super Himalaya on Stillwell Avenue and Bowery Street. Is there any truth to that? I would love to hear more about its early days. I appreciate your post very very much. Thank you!!
Yes.. it used to be next to the old thunderbolt roller coaster on the Bowery, the early 80s, after that part of Coney Island was closed, they moved it one block over on the Bowery where the original Nathan’s, is in the mid 80s, then moved to 12 street.
Don’t count on finding one of theses with fluorescents. This used to be a regular at my county fair, until Belle City got a SkyWheel in 1984. About the only photo I remember at the fair before I started taking my own was a picture of the SkyDiver in the junior fair building looking like a bull’s eye with its red, white, and blue lights (yeah, the photo got a blue ribbon). A few years later, they brought it back, and they probably shouldn’t have. Our fair has a tendency to get rain at least one day out of the six, and every so often, you’d hear this loud boom–another fluorescent had fallen off the SkyDiver and hit a water puddle. Dumb luck they didn’t hit anyone in the head.
This was EXTREMELY informative. Thank you so much for sharing this!!
Another thing I have heard is road models of this ride apparently have a no single riders policy. This policy makes it harder for people who come to the midway by themselves or in an odd numbered group to get to ride. All the park models I have been on don’t seem to have this rule, which makes the rule seem stupid and even ridiculous where they do have it. Having this rule for a ride like the Zipper I sort of get it. But on a ride that can clearly be ridden single, they should let anybody who wants to ride ride.
What a great article, thanks so much! We are relatively new owners of Jurassic Adventure Golf in North Wildwood and never knew all this about Dinosaur Beach. A great read!!
consists of the book itself
There is also a version of the Crazy Dance where the entire turntable rises up beyond its original incline. It was at the Kentucky State Fair in the mid to late 90’s, but I haven’t seen it since.
This one worked by going both clockwise and counterclockwise during each ride cycle, and during each direction the turntable would start to rise in the back next to the backdrop. Once it reached its highest incline, you would hear the air release, and it would immediately come back down to its original position. This would repeat several times in each direction. At it’s highest incline you were up to the top of the backdrop next to where the letters C R A Z Y D A N C E and flags were.
A ride cycle would start in one direction, then build up speed, then rise and fall several times, then reverse direction, then build up speed again, and then rise and fall several more times before the cycled would end. A full cycle usually lasted anywhere from 5 to 10 minutes each with half of the time going in the starting direction and the other half going in the reverse direction. Each direction usually had 4 or more rise/fall repetitions.
I don’t know if this was a specific model/version of the Crazy Dance, but I feel fairly certain it was a Fabbri make. I can’t remember if it had 4 satellites of 4 gondolas each (32 rider capacity) or if it had 6 satellites of 4 gondolas each (48 rider capacity), but the turntable was very big around. I also can’t remember if it had the tall structure of 3 dice in the middle of the turntable or if it had the stacked disco balls.
What I do know is the years it was at the fair back in the mid to late 90’s was the only time I had ever seen this unique model, and when it stopped coming I never saw it again. I’m guessing it stopped coming because Kentucky Kingdom had gotten a Break Dance 3, and that last year both were there at the same time. The Crazy Dance blew Kentucky Kingdom’s Break Dance 3 out of the water because of the rising turntable feature the Crazy Dance had, and the spin action was much more intense with many more spins per ride cycle on the Crazy Dance. The turntable rising and falling was much like the prior Tip Top ride which also did that. The next year the Super Bowl/Touchdown replaced the Crazy Dance, and that particular one has never been seen since.
The Crazy Dance, especially that particular model/version was, and still is, my all time favorite ride, and I would love to see it come back if it still exists!
Horrible ride. Nearly cost me my life. Slid into the side of the car, wife slid into me on the other side, compressed my rib cage, unable to breath for like 3 minutes, until they got the ride stopped. Blacked out and had convulsions. Bad experience.
Wayne Thompson’s owned a R.Himalaya in the 70s-1986. His son Terry Joe Thompson,was supervisor and mudd, ran the Himalayan, Stork,Joyce, Ray Jay,Bruce and Shelly, Roy. Many more worked on this amazing Rivishon spelling..They were out of Tennessee. The Himalaya played Memphis Cotton carnival, midsouth fair, Ohio, Indiana, Kansas. Many many places won’t ever forget the good ole days, & rock and roll 🎶 played on that ride. If anyone knows any of these people give a shout. We’re on Goodind million dollar midways, a lot, and many many more. Carl Noerpers in St. Louis.
Manufactured by Eyerly Aircraft in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. No, Eyerly never manufactured airplanes, but were only located at the edge of the Salem, Oregon airport. Founded by Lee Eyerly, a friend of my grandparents (and a pilot). Operated later by Jack Eyerly (Son). Inspired me to get an engineering degree. They also owned a Volkswagen automobile dealership in Salem. Gone now.
One of their engineers spun-off his own company that manufactured portable carnival rides called Frank Hrubetz & Company, famous for the ride called the Roundup. Gone now.
Oh thank goodness I’m not the only one terrified of these seventh level of hell bugs. I can’t handle spiders of any kind. I ha horrific experience with spiders and water bugs when I was 9. Scarred me for life. I really enjoyed your article. A bit of humor to take the scars away a bit.
We are here in 2024 rapidly approaching 2025. I rode one when I was 10 years old at the Local Mitchell Bros. Fair in Covington Louisiana. That was the first and last time I ever rode that ride as the opportunity never came again as the ride was sold off and replaced by the Kamakaze. If by chance I was going through town and I see a fair that happens to have one or know of a fair fairly local that has one it will be the first thing I ride.
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