Amusement Park Disasters (Volume 2) : Theme Parks

Summary

Morbid Podcast – Amusement Park Disasters (Volume 2): Theme Parks

Hosts: Ash Kelley & Alaina Urquhart
Air Date: June 22, 2026
Episode Theme: A deep-dive into infamous amusement and theme park disasters, blending true crime, history, and dark comedy.

Episode Overview

In "Amusement Park Disasters (Volume 2): Theme Parks," Ash and Alaina explore the chilling, often shocking history of calamities at beloved theme parks. From Disneyland’s tragic first fatality to the notorious lawlessness of Action Park, the hosts dissect both the human stories and the glaring lapses in safety behind these disasters. Throughout, their unique chemistry navigates both the horror and the absurdity of these incidents—balancing thorough research with genuine personal reactions and humor.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Ash & Alaina’s Perspectives on Thrill-Seeking

• Ash and Alaina open with a personal discussion: Ash is more risk-tolerant, while Alaina admits, “I am not one of those people who seeks risk in any way, shape or form, and I’m okay admitting that. I know that probably makes me a little boring, and that’s fine.” (02:27)
• They explore why some crave thrill and others avoid it, touching on parenting and astrology: “You are a Capricorn sun, so you are so rooted to this earth, you don’t want to go.” (03:25)
• Parenting heightens Alaina’s risk aversion: “You always have something to lose, obviously, but you feel like it’s even bigger. It’s just an inconceivable amount to lose when you add kids to the equation.” (09:00)

2. Disneyland: The Origins and Early Tragedies

• Matterhorn Bobsleds Accident (Mark Maples, 1964):
  • The world’s first tubular roller coaster; Mark Maples, 15, was killed after standing up mid-ride and being thrown head-first from the sled. (15:48)
  • Debate about responsibility: Was it horseplay, intentional unbuckling, or lapses in park oversight? Disneyland claimed, “the boy, if strapped in, couldn’t have fallen out,” but coroner’s investigation hinted at hazing rumors but found insufficient proof. (17:19–18:49)
  • Quote: “According to the report, there was no controls over the cart’s speed on the concrete track. And any number of factors, including whether the concrete was wet, could affect how the car performed…” (53:24)
• Monorail Death (Thomas Cleveland, 1966):
  • A teen sneaking into a grad night party was killed after climbing onto the Monorail track. Security guards saw him: “‘Get down! Jump! Get off of there.’ But the monorail rounded the corner at about 25 mph and struck him. He was killed instantly.” (20:59)
• Tom Sawyer’s Island Drowning (Bogdan Delarat, 1973):
  • Two brothers try to stay after-hours; the older drowns attempting to save the younger after swimming across the Rivers of America. (25:36–26:14)
• Columbia Ship Accident (Luan Fee Dawson, 1998):
  • Faulty docking procedure launches an 8-lb cleat into a crowd, killing Luan Fee Dawson and severely injuring his wife and a park employee. Police criticized Disneyland’s attempt to clean up the scene before investigation. (27:42–31:48)

3. Great America’s Major Incidents

• Willard’s Whizzer Brake Failure (Kyle Foss, 1980):
  • Malfunctioning brakes allow two trains to collide in the station: “He fell between the two cars and was crushed to death. Of the six passengers already seated, three were ejected from the ride and landed in a pond.” (34:44)
  • The park’s terse response heightened suspicion, eventually blaming a rare electrical misfire. (36:29–37:46)
• Top Gun Foot/Head Fatality & Mistaken Identity (1998):
  • A man fetches his lost hat from a restricted area and is killed by a passing rider’s dangling foot, breaking the rider’s leg. Later, it’s discovered the “victim” used a false identity; the real Hector Mendoza was alive, and the man’s true identity was Suarez Robles. (38:33–41:08)
  • Quote: “The man everyone had identified as Hector Mendoza was not who he seemed to be. The real Hector Mendoza was alive and living in Mexico.” (41:08)
• Drop Zone Free-Fall Fatality (Joshua Smurfit, 1999):
  • 12-year-old Joshua slips from the harness and falls 20 stories as his family watches. Investigation finds the ride worked as intended but is alarmed that the ride attendants were only 14 and 16 years old. (43:19–45:08)
  • Quote: “I’m sorry, I’m not putting my life in a 14-year-old’s hands.” (44:48)

4. Action Park: The “Human Zoo”

• Background:
  • Opened in 1978 by Eugene Mulvihill in New Jersey. “He wasn't embracing his risk. He was embracing other people’s risk.” (50:33)
  • No liability insurance, shoestring budgets, employees (and lifeguards) barely trained; patrons often teenagers.
• Slogan by Attendees: “Action Park—where you’re the center of the accident.” (51:18)
• Notable Deaths:
  • 1980: George Larson dies after being thrown from the Alpine sled—park blames victim: “The ride didn’t injure Larson. It was a rock 25ft away that hurt him.” (52:24)
  • 1982: Two fatalities—a 15-year-old drowning in the wave pool and a 27-year-old dying by electrocution on a water ride. Action Park repeatedly denies liability.
  • 1984: Donald DePass drowns after being thrown from a water slide–again labeled a “simple drowning.” (57:49)
  • 1987: Gregory Grand Champs drowns in the wave pool; lifeguards made no resuscitation attempt claiming ignorance: “We’re not quite sure he was not resuscitated.” (59:15)
  • Action Park closed in 1996 after bankruptcy due to lack of insurance. (60:23)
• Quote from Andy Mulvihill (owner’s son): “It was a place that admitted anyone—misfits to clergymen, rich and poor, young and old—and told them it was theirs to do with as they pleased. Never again would they have such freedom in their lives. But the price for its success was sometimes paid by visitors…Not all of whom came out alive.” (62:13)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Philosophy of Risk:
  • Alaina: “But when I say don’t seek out risk, I don’t seek out risk in any way. If something is risky, it’s a no for me.” (02:55)
  • Ash: “You seek out a different kind of thrill… You love a haunted house and a scary movie… you don’t need life-threatening thrills.” (05:01)
• Disneyland Accident Reactions:
  • Ash (about the Matterhorn accident): “I’m sorry, what? They just assumed the boys were joking?” (15:39)
  • Alaina: “Imagine if I, as a… medical examiner, had to go ride a roller coaster to do my job.” (17:20)
• Action Park Insight:
  • “Repeat visitors stuffed their pockets with Band-Aids and sported scabs and scars…None of those injuries seemed to keep people from attending the park.” (54:01)
  • “The New York Times called our father’s creation the area’s most distinctive expression of the amusement park in our age. They also called it a human zoo. Both of these things were true.” (62:07)
  • Alaina (wrapping up): “Life kind of feels like a human zoo.” (63:00)

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Important Timestamps

• Opening Banter/About Risk-Taking: 01:40–06:50
• Disneyland’s Early Tragedies (Matterhorn, Monorail, Rivers of America): 12:13–27:42
• Columbia Ship Accident: 27:42–32:43
• Great America (Whizzer, Top Gun, Drop Zone): 32:43–48:05
• Action Park Segment: 48:18–62:38
• Final Reflections & Fun Fact: 63:08–64:28

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Conclusion & Final Thoughts

The Morbid hosts expertly combine dark humor and genuine empathy, making sense of these tragic stories while questioning cultural norms around risk, safety, and the drive for thrill. Their detailed research and personal candor create a compelling narrative—a must-listen for true crime and history aficionados, especially those with a morbid curiosity about the dangers lurking behind the “happiest” places on earth.

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Fun Fact Segment

• Fun Fact: “Cows have regional accents and they form tight friendships and get depressed if they’re separated.” (63:53)
• Ash: “So cows over here are just being like, mo, cad, mo…and then in England, they’re like, moo, you little swat.” (64:04)
• Tied back to the desire to “pet a Highland cow”—bringing the episode full circle.

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Summary prepared for those wishing to understand or revisit this episode’s key themes, discussion points, and unforgettable moments, without missing the hosts’ distinctive tone and insights.

Transcript

[A]

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[B]

And I'm Alaina.

[A]

And this is Mulbid.

[B]

This is morbid.

[A]

Morbidito.

[B]

This is gonna be a morbid one for sure.

[A]

Is it?

[B]

It is. What are you doing? Amusement park Disasters part two, baby.

[A]

She takes us here again. She takes us here again. I remember last time I went to Disney and I posted, everyone was like, damn. Didn't you say you were never getting

[B]

on another roller coaster again?

[A]

Yeah. Was like, no, I trust Disney.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

No, no, don't look at me like that. She just had the smuggest look on her big red head.

[B]

We're doing theme parks today.

[A]

You're doing theme parks?

[B]

Not just amusement parks. Oh, goodness.

[A]

I haven't. I haven't been to. I. I mean, it'll be a while, I think, before I go back to Disney. Because I was like just there.

[B]

Yeah. So for sure. That's. See, you know what? My thing.

[A]

Talk to me.

[B]

I'm realizing more and more that I. And this is not everybody's bag, obviously. I'm just like a little bitch when it comes to like not wanting to die, so. Well, that's good. I am not one of those people who seeks risk in any way, shape or Form. And I'm okay admitting that I know that probably makes me a little boring, and that's fine.

[A]

I don't think it necessarily makes you boring. I think you're exciting in different ways.

[B]

I think. Well, I try to be, but I'm certainly boring in that way, I think, because when I say don't seek out risk, I don't seek out risk in any way. If something is risky, it's a no for me.

[A]

I know that's where we've always differed.

[B]

Yeah, we differ violently in that, my

[A]

God, I was risky business as a

[B]

young man, and I've never been a risky business person. I've always had a really healthy, maybe unhealthy at times, respect for the. For my mortality.

[A]

Your chart in general, though, and it makes so much sense because even just, like. Even just looking at your big three, you are a Capricorn sun, so you are so rooted to this earth, you don't want to go.

[B]

Yeah. No.

[A]

You are a Virgo rising, so the older you get, even less likely you are to seek that out. And then you're a cancer moon. So you're like. Like, you're good where you are.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

You know what I mean? Like, you like your home. You like your things. You like your creature comfort.

[B]

I like my routines. I like my. Yeah, that's how that also, like, you're not.

[A]

I mean, you're a goat. You're a crab. I forget what represents Virgo.

[B]

A virgin. There you go.

[A]

Not willing to change. Stubborn and unwilling to change.

[B]

Yeah, that's me.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And it's. I think finally I've realized, like. Like, I'm like, all right. Yeah. That's just who I am. Because I've always been like, I know. I just don't like it, and I don't know why. Blah, blah. And then I was finally, like, I don't. I swear. You hit a certain age, and you're just like, oh, yeah. Fuck it, like. Because I was just like, oh, yeah. That's just. I'm boring. And that's okay.

[A]

I don't think you should say it like that.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Because I don't think you are boring.

[B]

I'm just not risky.

[A]

You're not a thrill seeker. I think that's really.

[B]

That's what you need to say, what it is.

[A]

You're not a thrill seeker.

[B]

I have absolute. When I tell you that not one cell in my body feels like I need any kind of thrill. I can't stress it enough.

[A]

Well, now. No, that's not true. That's not true at all.

[B]

No. But like, to seek out thrills. I feel like I have thrills.

[A]

But you seek out a different kind of thrill is the thing. Like I do. I personally, I really do think you require thrills because you love a haunted house.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And you love a scary movie. So that in and of itself is a thrill. It's just a different kind of thrill. I don't, I think you don't need like life threatening thrills.

[B]

No, I absolutely do not.

[A]

And I think some people, like, I also think like you're a very like. What is the word? Pragmatic. Like. Yeah, analytical. Like I think you think of the risks and the payoff for me is right. And I don't think necessarily everybody is as analytical as you or as pragmatic

[B]

when it comes to those things.

[A]

So they're, it's not that they need like a, like, they're not like, I would love to have a life threatening

[B]

experience a little freer with, with how they feel.

[A]

That's how I feel. Like I'm.

[B]

Which is not a bad thing. That's the thing.

[A]

No, I don't think it is either. Like, I think we're just different.

[B]

I think this makes me understand the other side of it a little better.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Once I understand because I understand my point of view a little better. Because for so long I've been like, I don't understand why you want to do these things and I still don't. Like, I can't like put myself in that place to understand it, but I can sit there and look at my point of view and go, well, it's just the complete opposite point of view. Well right now. So valid.

[A]

It is valid. Yeah. Whatever you want to do with your body, as long as you're not harming somebody else is valid. So like anybody who's going to give you a hard time.

[B]

Exactly.

[A]

But are we talking about like thrill rides right now? Specifically?

[B]

That are, that are risky business.

[A]

See, I think a lot of people, myself included, just are like, oh, that'll be so much fun. And people do that all the time. Like, what's the likelihood of anything going wrong? Whereas you actually think about like data. Yeah. And like probability and like you're getting out your marbles from like fifth grade when we learned about probability.

[B]

Your thought is, oh, what's the likelihood that anything could go wrong? My point of view is there's a likelihood that something could go wrong. There is likelihood, period.

[A]

Right.

[B]

Like yours is like, what's the likelihood there is though? Period.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And so it's like, those are two. It's so funny, like, the different ways

[A]

of thinking, what are the odds? And you're like, there are odds.

[B]

And I'm like, well, the odds exist.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I don't.

[A]

You're like, what if they're not in my favor?

[B]

Which is crazy.

[A]

See, I also just think. Well, and I think having kids has

[B]

a lot to do with this, too.

[A]

Yeah. Like, I think I've. I think you've gotten even. I. And I think that's probably why you're even more comfortable, like, with the way you are now, though, because you're like, well, I have kids.

[B]

Like. Like I've always been. I'm not gonna do. Be different with humans, but I do

[A]

wonder if I'll feel different because, like, even when we go to the beach, like, if, like, we go on, like, a friend's, like, boat or something like that, like, you don't want them tubing or, like, yeah. Like, you don't enjoy that. And I'm always like, oh, like, what? It's fine. I'll go with them.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And I know that makes you feel better.

[B]

Yeah. Which. Like. Which, like, I do so, like. Because I know that that'll be taken as, like, Elena doesn't. You know, she lets her kids do anything.

[A]

I go with them, and it's great.

[B]

I. What she. What Ash is saying is, like, I don't love it.

[A]

Like, you're scared of the experience.

[B]

I don't watch them doing it and be like, wow, how free and exciting. Yeah. My nervous system feels like I'm being hunted for sport during the whole thing. I'm always glad I did it because they had fun and whatever, but, like, I don't enjoy watching people I love do risky things. Yeah. No, you don't.

[A]

Like, I.

[B]

It's. I'm. I'm. I'm strange and.

[A]

But I don't. I don't necessarily think you are, because I think a lot of times when people become moms, they. They do change, like, their. Their views on a lot of stuff. So I wonder, because, like, two years ago, I'd be like, come on, Elena. Like, it's fine.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

But, like, the older that I get and, like, maybe the closer I get to having kids, I'm like, I wonder if I'll feel that way. And I think I might.

[B]

It might change it a little. Yeah, it might. It might not change it a lot. It might not, you know?

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Who knows?

[A]

But even, like, your fear of flying, I know that got so much worse after you had kids.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And I know. I've heard of a lot of other people like that happening to them. Because I'm not afraid of flying at all.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

But I wonder.

[B]

I always. You always have something to lose, obviously, but you. You feel like it's even bigger. It's just an inconceivable amount to lose when you add kids to the yeah equation. It's interesting, you know, so.

[A]

So that's how we feel about things.

[B]

Yeah, I just. I thought it was interesting because I always go into this being like this, in which, like, I still say this,

[A]

but see, and I go into this and I'm like.

[B]

You're like, ruin it for her.

[A]

I just don't want you to talk about a ride I've been on.

[B]

I don't think I will. Okay. I'm pretty sure. All right, I guess we'll see. Do we have business that we need to say?

[A]

Like, buy tickets to Radio City Music Hall.

[B]

Yeah, buy tickets to Radio City next Saturday, you guys.

[A]

The 27th. Like, it's coming up so quickly. There's still so much to figure out. And we're, like, stressed, but we're also so excited.

[B]

We're getting the butterflies, but we have

[A]

a really good show for you.

[B]

Oh, and we announced our time.

[A]

You listen to this, you will know that the special guest is the one and only Jonathan Van Ness.

[B]

Jbn.

[A]

Like, we also just have the perfect segment planned with him. It is going to be glorious.

[B]

It's going to be hilarious.

[A]

I can't wait. I can't wait.

[B]

So there's only a few tickets left. Yeah, there's not many, so snatch them up. And I also posted about the Butcher Legacy Tour. I'm excited for that. It's happening in August. That's going to be fun. But get your tickets to some stops on that because I'll be letting you guys know. Any updates? There might be some updates to that. That fun stuff. And pre order the Butcher Legacy.

[A]

And we're gonna try to get her to fly soon.

[B]

Yeah, I'll try to get to. Because I know she is really trying.

[A]

We talked about it this morning.

[B]

I had such a moment because I was seeing you guys be like, come to the South. Come to. You know, come to Louisiana. Like, come to. Come here. Come to. And I was like, I want to. And I. And I want to see you and I want to come sign your books and, like, do all that fun stuff. And I will. Yeah, I'm gonna. I'm trying to make it more of a priority to, like, fight through the fear.

[A]

I think you need to get hypnotized. I really do.

[B]

I feel I'm gonna try it. I'll try anything to get on. I need somebody, anybody know, because I want to go to Scotland. That's the next big thing I want to do.

[A]

We have to get to Scotland.

[B]

Scotland is calling me. So I feel like I want to

[A]

pet a Highland girl.

[B]

That's. I just.

[A]

And I do realize that I can do that here, but it's difficult. But I want to do it in Scotland. Please.

[B]

I just need to land in Scotland because I feel like the second I step on that soil, I'm gonna burst into tears.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I feel like that's where I'm supposed to be.

[A]

And then maybe never come back.

[B]

Then we'll just stay in Scotland.

[A]

Just ROSIE o' DONNELL it. So, yeah, she went to Ireland and it's just like, let's go. See ya.

[B]

But, yeah, so I'll figure that out. Everybody.

[A]

Everybody in the club going to Scotland.

[B]

I mean, they have been fucking taking over Boston.

[A]

I know.

[B]

And it's been sick. Let me tell you. Any Scottish listeners, we could not be happier to have you. Could not. Boston is trying to figure out a

[A]

way, just kind of say to have

[B]

Scotland come back every year.

[A]

Yeah. Our governor is liter working on it,

[B]

like, literally trying to figure out a way to entice you to come back every year because you have healed us in a way that I can't describe.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

So we love you.

[A]

Let's work on that.

[B]

We love you guys a lot.

[A]

So let's split some haggis.

[B]

Let's. Let's get to it, shall we?

[A]

I'm nervous for this one.

[B]

This one's crazy. So you said you should be. This is wild. Let's start with. With Walt Disney, shall we?

[A]

You bitch.

[B]

By the time Walt Disney conceived the idea of just, you know, a massive park where, you know, parents and children can play together in a world that was modeled by his, like, after his creations. Yes, amusement parks, or at least something like amusement parks, were definitely already part of the landscape around the world. But what Disney had in mind was something way more elaborate than like Coney island or Knott's Berry Farm. When it finally opened in July 1955, the Ride and attractions Disneyland had to offer were definitely a far cry from the hyper modern rides that were in parks today that we know. The early rides included the Disneyland Railroad, which was a scaled down version of a locomotive that carried passengers to various parts of the park, which they still have.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

There you go, Junior. Autopia, a miniature car race Track that operated on a rail, and the Astro Jets, a rocket themed spinning ride that lifted passengers into the air to simulate flying.

[A]

And they still have that too in Tomorrowland.

[B]

Wow.

[A]

It's not called the same thing. It's called something else.

[B]

Well, the park also included boat rides, a movie theater, animatronic shows, and the centerpiece of the park, a replica of Sleeping Beauty's castle.

[A]

Gorgeous.

[B]

Now, the construction of the castle alone created a significant amount of dirt and debris obviously, but rather than just like haul it away, the engineers at Disneyland were like, wait a minute, we could use this stuff to build other features in the park. And in the years that followed, the dirt from the excavation of the castle site was gathered together into a massive mountain used to hide one of the pylons of the Disneyland Skyway. They initially named the massive pile Holiday Hill. And then it was Lookout Mountain. And finally, after many design elements and details were added, it became the Matterhorn. Oh, named after the mountain in the European Alps.

[A]

I've never been on the Matterhorn.

[B]

The Matterhorn is a big pile of dirt. With that mountain complete in 1956, Walt Disney got a new idea for a new ride. This one would be designed to simulate a toboggan ride through a snowy mountain environment. It was like a combination between a roller coaster and a dark ride. The Matterhorn bobsleds quickly became one of the park's most popular rides. When it opened in 1959, it was also the world's first tubular roller coaster. They're called Tubular Hollywood, which allowed passengers to go through tunnels and holes in the mountain's exterior like interior, rather than stay on a singular open air track. Now, the first major safety incident at Disneyland occurred in 1964 on the Matterhorn, long, long ago. It was a little before 11pm on May 15, when 15 year old Mark Maples boarded the sled with his friends Doug Gibbs and Gary Payne. Mark was in the middle seat with his friend, seated in front of and behind him. The bobsled had reached the top level of the track at the top of the mountain. It was just about to begin the steepest descent when Mark was thrown violently from the sled head first and landed beside the lower track. Now, when the ride reached the terminal and the accident was reported, park attendants refused to believe the story and assumed the boys were joking.

[A]

I'm sorry, what?

[B]

Yeah. It was only when the two girls riding in the car behind them confirmed the story that they rushed to find Mark in the tunnel and called paramedics.

[A]

Jesus.

[B]

When they found him, he was Unconscious, he was bleeding from several wounds. He was taken to nearby Palm Harbor Hospital, but he never regained consciousness and died from his injuries four days later. Oh, that's awful. He was only 15.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

When Mark's friends Doug and Gary were interviewed, they both claimed they had no idea what caused Mark to be thrown from the sled. Gary said, I was looking up, heard a noise, looked down and recognized Mark's sweater as he was falling out of the side. Oh, my God. Doug Gibbs was kind of like, in the similar vein. He said, I felt him bump into me, but there was no way to tell what he was doing. It's a bumpy ride. According to witnesses, it appeared that Mark, quote, stood up on the ride when it was about one third of the way down the course.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

In standing up, Mark's head hit the one of the concrete beams on the ceiling of the tunnel, knocking him out of the sled and causing severe head injuries. Yeah. Which were obviously exacerbated when he landed head first on the walkway beside the track. The official response from Disneyland executives stood in direct conflict to the theory that Mark was thrown from the sled. In their statement, Disneyland said Mark, quote, unbuckled his seat seat belt and stood up, then fell out. Okay. That's what the witnesses are saying. Okay. Now, on the day of Mark's death, the Orange county coroner, James Bisner, opened an investigation to determine the circumstances of the boy's death and whether Disneyland execs could be held responsible. The first step in his investigation was a visit to the park, and he actually rode the Matterhorn himself.

[A]

Wow. That was brave.

[B]

I. That would suck. Imagine if I, as a, like, if I was, like, the medical examiner and I had to go ride a roller coaster, too. I'd be like, I don't want to do that. No, don't make me do that.

[A]

And especially after seeing a poor young man who died from his injuries on that ride.

[B]

Yeah. Now, after completing the ride, Beisner determined, quote, the boy, if strapped in, couldn't have fallen out.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

In addition to riding the sled himself, Beisner had two employees about Mark's size sit in one of the sleds and attempt to stand or free themselves from the sled without unbuckling the belt. Neither of them was able to do it.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Now, according to Mark's friends, nothing seemed out of the ordinary while they waited in line to board the ride. And Mark gave no indication that he was planning to do anything reckless.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

But in the days that followed, the deputy coroner, Eugene Miller, reported receiving multiple phone calls Quote, which have indicated the accident resulted from a hazing. When asked about a potential hazing, Doug and Gary did admit that they were part of what they referred to as a, quote, boys social club.

[A]

Ew.

[B]

Called Phidias, I think it is.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

And two weeks earlier, they'd invited Mark to join, but he declined the invitation. Okay. Both denied any involvement in a hazing, that or any other night. Okay. Now, after the brief investigation, James Breisner concluded Mark Maple's death was purely accidental and a coroner's inquest was ruled out.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

In their statement to the public, the coroner's office said, quote, they found that Maples and two young companions had been engaged in so called horseplay, such as shoving each other, shouting at people, crowding ahead of others in. In the line. And that no proof has been found that it is part of any club initiation. Okay. Their conclusion was that one of the boys unbuckled the safety belt for no explainable reason, which ultimately led to Maple's tragic death.

[A]

That's horrible.

[B]

So it was simply just horseplay going wrong. Now, Mark Maple's death was just the first of several incidents in which park goers were injured or killed as a result of failing to follow the rules of the park. In fact, in the years that followed, there were several bizarre incidents, including park attendees not only violating the park rules, but also violating the law in order to like impress their friends or like achieve some sort of like social status or something.

[A]

Right.

[B]

Now, on June 18, 1966, Disneyland held an all night graduation party for the graduating class of a local high school.

[A]

Oh wow.

[B]

The plan was for the park to close to the public at 11pm but remain open the rest of the night for the graduating seniors. Can you imagine that?

[A]

I'm like, I feel like they would not do that now.

[B]

Oh no, I don't think they would.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And this was 1966. Yeah. Knowing that the party would be off limits to anyone outside the class of seniors and the chaperones, but still wanting to join his friends for the party, 19 year old Thomas Cleveland hatched a plan to sneak into the park and join the group. Assuming no one was going to notice that he graduated the year before that.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Now, around 9:20pm, Cleveland scaled the 16 foot fence at the northern edge of the park.

[A]

That's dedication.

[B]

Yeah. Then climbed one of the pylons in order to get onto the tracks of the monorail, which was the train that carries visitors to and from various parts of the park.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

It's unclear what his plan was beyond that. I guess we can speculate that he was planning to walk the length of the tracks until he reached an area where his friends were gathered. I guess whatever the plan was, it was quickly interrupted when Thomas was spotted by two security guards who shouted, get down. Jump. Get off of there.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

It must not have occurred to Thomas that the monorail would still be on operation as long as the park was open or somebody was in there. Because as soon as the guards yelled, he seemed to realize the danger he was in. But rather than jump to the ground below, he fell to the fiberglass canopy between the tracks and tried to conceal himself from sight. Just as he did that, the monorail rounded the corner at about 25 miles per hour and struck him. Oh my God. He was killed instantly.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

The driver of the monorail, Dallas Baker, never saw him on the tracks, but he did say he felt a bump after hitting him. Now, the coroner's office determined that Thomas Cleveland's death from crush injuries, it was purely accidental and Disneyland was not held responsible in any way.

[A]

No.

[B]

That said, the coroner's report did mention that just after Thomas was struck by a train, guards saw, quote, two other youths who had not scaled the Disneyland fence running from the area. They were never identified and they were presumed to just be additional friends of the graduating class.

[A]

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[B]

Now. Thomas Cleveland wasn't the only person who suffered serious consequences for trying to sneak into the park undetected. In June 1973, seven years after Cleveland's tragic death, 18 year old Bogdan Delarat and his 10 year old brother Dorian attempted to stay in the park overnight by swimming across the rivers of America and hiding on Tom Sawyer's island.

[A]

Oh God, I just think of alligators or crocodiles.

[B]

Well, and it's located in like that man made river. Now on the evening of June 22, Bogdan and Dorian took the ferry across to Tom Sawyer's island and hid from park security until after the park closed. Okay, so they were on the island once they were certain the park was closed and assumed everyone had left for the night. They entered the water and started swimming across to reach the shore. It appears that they probably misjudged the distance from the shore to the island because it's pretty far. Yeah. Because not long after they entered the water, Dorian became exhausted and told his brother he couldn't swim any further. Oh, I. It's so sad. In order to help him, Bogdan told his brother to put his arms around his neck and he would carry him across. Unfortunately, though, it became clear that his brother's weight was too much to carry and he too became tired. Around 10pm that evening, security officers heard Dorian's cries for help and took a boat out to find where it was coming from. It didn't take long for them to find Dorian, who'd managed to stay afloat by just like, treading water, like doggy paddling, essentially. But Bogdan was nowhere to be found. When they returned to shore, park security called Anaheim Fire and Rescue for help. And the following morning, just before 6am Bogdan's body was discovered, quote, lodged in the rapid section of the river. He had drowned at some point during the night. Oh, that's so, so sad. Now, while incidents like these are very rare, obviously they did continue to happen at the park. And in 1984, for example, two drunk visitors stole a maintenance boat and took it for a ride on the rivers of America.

[A]

Hello.

[B]

Not long after leaving the dock, the boat hit a rock and one of the men was thrown overboard. By the time his friend was able to get back to shore to help him, his friend had drowned. Oh, man. Following the drowning death of the man who stole the boat, Disneyland managed to avoid serious accidents and deaths for nearly 15 years. And when the next death did occur, it was not the result of recklessness, but of negligence on behalf of the park. Oh, no. On December 24, 1998.

[A]

Oh.

[B]

Luan Fee Dawson and his wife Liu Thuy Vuong visit were visiting Disneyland with their young son and were excited to go on the Columbia, which was a replica of an 18th century tall ship that was described as, quote, one of the park's tamest rides. As the boat approached the dock, Luan and the other visitors waited in line while an employee threw the mooring line around one of the ship's cleats, which is the metal bar where the line is tied. Before, the boat had stopped moving. Now, with the line tied securely to the dock, the weight of the ship pulling in the other direction, because it was still moving, it had not Stopped was too much strain on the cleat, and the bolts holding it down sheared off. No longer bolted to the ship, the 8 pound, 12 inch iron cleat went flying in the direction of the crowd with tremendous force. The cleat hit park employee Christine Carpenter in the leg, first, shattering her foot and breaking her ankle.

[A]

Oh, my God.

[B]

Then flew into the crowd, striking Liu in the face and Luan in the head. Oh, yeah. Park employees immediately called emergency services, and the injured were taken to the hospital for treatment. All three had suffered serious injuries. Liu had extensive damage to her face that caused nerve damage and paralysis.

[A]

Oh, my God.

[B]

But Luan's were way more severe. In addition to the blunt force injuries to his skull, the impact caused severe brain injuries and injuries to the blood vessels in his head. Dr. Richard Kim told a reporter a few days later that the injuries were both together. Made it unlikely he could survive. Yeah. By the time he arrived at UC Irvine Medical Center, Luan was already brain dead. He was placed on life support in order to give family time to come to the hospital and say goodbye. And Support was ended 11 hours later. The same day, Liu had extensive surgery to repair the cuts to the right side of her face, which, mind you, is Christmas Day. Yeah, that just occurred to me because

[A]

they were waiting on December 24th in line, and the next day, Christmas, their family has to come say goodbye to him.

[B]

Yeah. Oh, my God.

[A]

That poor family.

[B]

It's horrific. And in the months after that, Leo would have several more surgeries, but it was unlikely she would ever regain full control over the right side of her face again.

[A]

Wow.

[B]

And following the death, the coroner's office began an investigation. And an investigation was also opened by the Anaheim Police Department. In their official statement, Disney officials released a video. Pretty vague statement. Clearly intending to avoid, you know, incriminated language of any kind. They said, we're checking the Columbia's mechanical and structural components. And that was it. In the coroner's investigation, deputy coroner Richard McInalley determined that the accident had been caused by the Disney workers failure to follow proper procedure with regard to the ship's docking. McInally wrote in the report, the normal procedure when the ship is coming in too fast is to not secure the mooring line.

[A]

Makes sense. Sense.

[B]

Instead, Carpenter should have waited for the captain to overshoot the dock and slowly reverse into position at the dock.

[A]

Right. That makes sense.

[B]

Because she didn't know the captain was planning to overshoot. She threw the mooring line around the cleat too soon, and the tension on the rope essentially Created a high velocity projectile that was fired into the crowd.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

The police investigation into the accident also revealed somewhat troubling aspects to the park's approach to such incidents. Rather than being taken directly to the scene of the accident, when a detective arrived at the park, he was taken to a conference room where he waited for, quote, a considerable time before being met by a park official. By the time he was taken to the accident site, the entire scene had been cleaned up by park staff, and anything that could be collected was gone. Well, that's not good. A few days later, the debris from the accident site, which included the broken cleat that hit everybody and two teeth, were located in a dumpster and turned over to investigators.

[A]

Oh, that's up.

[B]

By the end of the week, the Anaheim police department did conclude that there was no attempt to destroy evidence or impede the investigation. Lt. John Harridan said, we determined that Disneyland didn't clean it up to destroy evidence of criminal conduct. They cleaned it up, in my opinion, because it was unsightly. Yeah. Which, like, that probably was the reason.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

More like morally. Is it. Is it? But maybe. No.

[A]

Put it away to, like, give to investigators.

[B]

Exactly.

[A]

You know, don't throw it in a dumpster.

[B]

Two years after the accident, Liu and her family settled with Disney, but the terms are not made public. Though it's not nearly as popular. We're moving away from Disneyland. Don't worry. Though, it's not nearly as popular. Well known as Disneyland, California's Great America amusement park has been a heavily attended park since it opened in the mid-1970s.

[A]

I've never been there.

[B]

Like Disneyland and many other parks, They've had their fair share of tragic accidents over the years. Developed by the Marriott corporation and open to the public in the spring of 1976, great America was just trying to capitalize on the growing popularity of amusement parks and compete with the parks like Disneyland in California and Kings island in Ohio. Although it never really reached that level of popularity, Marriott did successfully open a second park less than two months later, and eventually both were sold to Six Flags. Ah. Now, among the park's most popular rides was Willard's whizzer, A speed racer model steel roller coaster with a height of 70ft and a stop and a top speed of 45 miles an hour. Okay. Despite being the park's biggest and most popular attraction, the wizard had a myriad of problems from the start. Among the biggest issues was the ride's braking system. Oh. Which would occasionally fail to engage as quickly or fully as necessary.

[A]

Wow.

[B]

And trains would sometimes bump into one another at the terminal.

[A]

That feels like a big deal.

[B]

Feels like a big one. Between the opening of the ride in 1976 and an evaluation in 1979, it was found that the malfunctions had resulted in 11 reported incidents of injuries. But the extent of those injuries was not detailed. The first fatality occurred on March 29, 1980, under similar circumstances to those known to be problems on the Wizard. That afternoon, 13 year old Kyle Foss waited in line with friends. And when the car train pulled up to the terminal, he and the other passengers were given the go ahead to climb on board. Just as Kyle was climbing onto the last car in the train, a second train pulled into the station. Although it was only traveling between 3 and 6 miles per hour, when the second train struck the first. The velocity and weight of the train was enough to knock Kyle off balance and he fell between the two crane trains and was crushed to death.

[A]

Oh, my God.

[B]

Of the six passengers already seated in the train, three were ejected from the ride and landed in a pond.

[A]

Oh my God.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

The thought of being ejected from a roller coaster is one of the scariest things.

[B]

That's what keeps me off roller coasters,

[A]

I have to tell you. Like, nothing bad happened to me by any means. But the velocicoaster at Universal goes so fast and you go over water and you're like upside down and it's just, I thought I was a cool, cool girl who could do cool, cool roller coasters. I can't handle that one anymore. Because the thought of being ejected into a cool, cool pond.

[B]

No, no, no, no. I can't. See, that's my problem. I can't. The possibility is there, so I'm out.

[A]

I can't really. Fucks with water near rides.

[B]

It's a no.

[A]

Which like you would think, like, the thought of like plummeting to the ground is much worse. Which like obviously it is. But something about like a ride that goes like through the water or like something like that.

[B]

Well, it's like a plane. People on a plane. They say they're more scared to fly over the ocean.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Than land. When like in reality. Which one?

[A]

It would be a safer landing.

[B]

Yeah, it's just something about water.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

We all know we're not supposed to really be in it.

[A]

No, I know.

[B]

That's the thing. Like we know it somewhere in ourselves. It's true, but. So in their response to this tragedy, officials from great America were surprisingly terse. After confirming the death, the park released an official statement to the Press that read simply, quote, in order to avoid possible conflicting information, unnecessary speculation and any further confusion, we will not have any further comment at this time. Oh. Whether they wanted it to or not, speculation quickly followed.

[A]

Just gonna say.

[B]

And many started to blame the ride's braking system for the accident. Speaking on the condition of anonymity, one park employee told a reporter, quote, two systems had to break down for this to occur. The odds against that must be astronomical.

[A]

Yeah, I would think so.

[B]

After a two month investigation into the cause of Kyle's death death, the park reported that, quote, nothing was what was wrong with the wizard and none of its systems had malfunctioned. Not true though. Despite that, vice president of the park, J. Robert Schultz went on to say, quote, a false electrical signal made the Wizard's safety system think it was holding a train in an automatic braking system. At almost the same moment the real train signaled that it was coming into the same braking system.

[A]

So that's a problem.

[B]

The specifics of the explanation are like, a little difficult to follow.

[A]

They are.

[B]

But essentially, when the system realized it had made a mistake, it released the braking system to clear out this fake train that it thought was there exactly as the real train was coming into the station. The fluke caused the system to be opened right when the real train pulled into the station. Although the braking system did catch the mistake, it only managed to slow the train down before it hit the car. Right where Kyle was climbing into.

[A]

Right.

[B]

The entire accident unfolded in like less than three seconds. Wow. In the aftermath of Kyle's death, the ride underwent several upgrades to its safety systems and seat belts were added to the cars.

[A]

I feel like seat belts should always

[B]

be in the cars. Kyle's parents filed suit against Marriott, asking $11 million in damages. The result of that suit is unknown. Okay. With the exception of an accidental drowning at the water park in 1989, Great America managed to avoid any catastrophes for almost two decades.

[A]

Wow.

[B]

Until a bizarre accident put them back in the spotlight in 1998. Now, around 2:30pm on September 7, 25 year old Hector Mendoza, his wife of two months and his brother in law rode the Top Gun roller coaster now called Flight Deck.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

During this, this experience, Hector's baseball cap was blown off his head and landed somewhere on the ground below. After getting off the ride, the three decided to retrieve the hat. So they either climbed or otherwise got past the security fence around the perimeter of the ride, either ignoring or possibly not understanding the sign ordering visitors to stay out.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

The area would have been dangerous regardless of the model of the ride, but. But as an inverted roller coaster in where, like, passengers hang from the rail in the seats, the danger was much greater here.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

It didn't take long for Hector to find his hat. But just as he went to pick it up, the coaster came around the corner and Hector was struck in the head by the dangling foot of a passenger. The force of the blow killed Hector and it also broke the passenger's leg.

[A]

Oh, my God. Holy shit.

[B]

The day after the incident, park inspectors tested the ride and determined that Top Gun in no way malfunctioned or experienced any other problems. A spokesperson, Tim Chenaud, told reporters this was a case of somebody that had entered an area off limits to park guests. We aren't entirely sure how Mr. Mendoza got into the area, but he went through a clearly marked gate and over a six foot locked fence marked with bright red warning signs. That's according to them, sure. Now, although the situation seems straightforward, Hector's family described things differently. A lawyer speaking on behalf of the family said, quote, the gate in the fence was either open or wide enough to go through very easily. There was no climbing or jumping on the fence. Okay. The discrepancy started a public dispute between the family and the great In Great America. In response to their claims, Shenaud gave another public statement explaining, two of our employees were the first to respond to the incident, and the first thing they had to do to get to the victim was unlock the gate. In fact, the investigation by Santa Clara police backed up his version of events. Sergeant Anton Marek said, the first maintenance person tried to unlock the gate but didn't have the right key. They had to wait for the second maintenance person to arrive. Okay, what's bizarre? Because I'm sure you're like, where's the bizarre part about this?

[A]

I'm wondering.

[B]

It's very sad. A week after the accident, it was reported that the man everyone had identified as Hector Mendoza was not who he seemed to be. The identification had been made based on interviews with the family and the man's documents found in his wallet. However, they turned out to be fraudulent, and the real Hector Mendoza was alive and living in Mexico.

[A]

What?

[B]

The man who died at Great America was eventually identified through fingerprints as Suarez Robles. What? Following the identification, his body was released to his family, who returned to bury him.

[A]

What?

[B]

Isn't that just.

[A]

What, so, like, the family fighting and saying like, no, like the gate was open.

[B]

I don't know what became of that.

[A]

Was a man who's. Who was alive?

[B]

I suppose so.

[A]

What? Yeah.

[B]

Isn't that just bizarre.

[A]

Yeah. But it's like, I didn't know where you were going with that.

[B]

Yeah. And I feel bad for the. The woman whose leg hit this person as well. Like, obviously I hear, I feel horrible about the person who died. Yeah, duh, Suarez. But I feel like the person whose foot leg hit his head and he died.

[A]

Yeah, that's.

[B]

And then her leg broke in the process. So it's like to have to deal with all of that emotional and physical toll of all of that.

[A]

Right.

[B]

The whole thing is just bizarre and sad. You're like, holy shit. And so avoidable. You're like, oh, I wish somebody had stopped them.

[A]

Yeah, I know.

[B]

That's the thing. Like, oh, it's just a really wild one.

[A]

Yeah, that's wild for sure.

[B]

Now, the operators of Great America had been fortunate to experience a very large gap between the deaths of Kyle Foss and of Suarez Robles. The next tragedy, though, occurred less than a year later. And this time it wasn't the result of any kind of like reckless behavior. Okay. On the afternoon of August 22, 1999, 12 year old Joshua Smurfit and his family were winding down their visit to Great America when they decided to ride Drop Zone. It's a free fall tower ride where riders are taken to the top of a 224foot tower and then dropped.

[A]

Those are like some of my favorite rides.

[B]

Could not pay me.

[A]

I love those rides.

[B]

After settling into the four seat coaches, the ride attendant checked the seal safety harness on each rider and confirmed they were all locked in place. Then the car began its ascent to the top of the tower. When the car reached the 207 foot mark, it began its first big drop. At which point Joshua slipped out of the seat and fell 20 stories to the ground below.

[A]

Oh my God.

[B]

As his family watched in horror from the waiting area. According to spokesperson Tim Chenade, the harness was checked and locked before the coach started. We simply don't know what happened.

[A]

That's not settling.

[B]

That said, he did acknowledge that Joshua was among the last of the riders that afternoon as the ride was being taken out of commission for what they referred to as an unrelated maintenance problem with one of the other cars. Okay. He said there is absolutely no way it could have contributed to the accident. Okay. During a months long investigation into the incident, it was determined that the ride had not malfunctioned during the ascent or descent. And they determined there was no problem with the safety harness itself.

[A]

But then how did he fall out of the ride?

[B]

Unfortunately for all the things the investigation ruled out, experts were unable to identify how Joshua had managed to fall out of that safety bar. Still, the investigation did raise serious concerns about potential violations that could have contributed to his death. Among other things, the 900 page incident report describes poor training procedures and other potential problems at the park. One of those problems was that the ride attendant working the drop zone that day was 14 years old.

[A]

Oh, my God. What?

[B]

Yes. And the other attendant who checked the safety harness was 16.

[A]

No.

[B]

Like, I'm sorry, I'm not putting my life in. 14 year old. And obviously, like, people riding have no idea how.

[A]

You're supposed to know. You're not going to be like, excuse

[B]

me, how old are you? Like, that's holy.

[A]

That is. That would send me. I'd be like, and we're not riding that ride. Like, if I. If I knew.

[B]

Safety harness was not found to be malfunctioning. But was it secured properly? We don't know.

[A]

Is the question

[B]

like that?

[A]

Wow. Yeah.

[B]

Oh, and he's 12 years.

[A]

12 years old.

[B]

And his family watched that. Yeah.

[A]

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[B]

from Bea to you. In response to her son's death, Joshua's mother, Tammy, said she had no plans to sue the park, nor did she believe that they were solely responsible. She later said, all I can say is treasure every moment with your child because you never know when you might lose him. Oh. Joshua's father did not rule out a civil suit. He said, I'd like to see this report before I speak about it. But he, a lawyer on behalf of Terry, the father said, but I'll say this, if the child were strapped in properly, the accident wouldn't have taken place. It's a matter of gravity, Right. Ultimately, they did choose not to sue Great America.

[A]

Big people.

[B]

Big people. Now, the relatively limited number of accidents and deaths at parks like Disneyland and Great America and is due in large part to like, really high safety standards.

[A]

Yeah, of course.

[B]

But in the history of amusement parks and theme parks, there's one name that is so notorious for low standards that the risk of injury associated with part with the park actually became part of its allure during its 20 years in operation. I've never heard of this.

[A]

Tell me.

[B]

This is insane.

[A]

What was it called?

[B]

Oh, I'm going to tell you. Okay. In 1976, New Jersey businessman Eugene Mulvihill was looking for a way to make money during the off season when his Vernon Township, New Jersey ski resort, Vernon Valley, was closed. Inspired by the success of parks like Disney and Six Flags, he found a new company called Great American recreation. And in May 1978, he opened Action park in Vernon.

[A]

I get so many tiktoks about Action Park. Yes.

[B]

Now, Mulvihill's son, Andy Mulvihill, said before he opened Action park, he had no experience of any kind running an amusement park. He said, in contrast to Disney's carefully conceived fantasy lands, my father pieced together a series of ambitious and often ill advised attractions on the side of a ski mountain in rural New Jersey that he had come to own virtually by accident. That's his.

[A]

That's a, that's a hefty statement.

[B]

Yeah. At first, the park amounted to little more than a few go kart tracks and miniature racing rides. But he quickly expanded to include water rides, boat rides, and musical shows like those at larger parks, but on, like, a smaller budget and almost no time at all. Action park grew from a few hundred visitors in its first season to millions in the year or two that followed. Andy said, we went from selling off brand soda and taking out local newspaper ads to getting a Pepsi sponsorship and seeing our logo on McDonald's tray liners. Wow. The key to Action Park's notoriety was in Mulvihill's own theories about American society in the late 20th century. Andy said, my father seized upon the idea that we were all tired of being coddled of society, dictating our behaviors and lecturing us on our vices in order to reject that supposed coddling. Eugene embraced risk as part of his brand, which is. This is a nightmare to me.

[A]

Yeah, like what?

[B]

He wasn't embracing his risk. He was embracing other people's risk.

[A]

Is that even allowed when you own an amusement park?

[B]

Well, rather than strap riders into the boat on a wave pool, visitors would simply have to cling to the raft lest they be thrown from the boat boat. Likewise, riders on an alpine slide style ride weren't confined to a track. They could control the speed of their car and its brakes.

[A]

Wow.

[B]

Of course, with a guiding principle based on increased risk rather than safety and family fun, it was only a matter of time before someone got hurt.

[A]

Yup.

[B]

Andy said, it was not long before our visitors reworked our advertising to better reflect their experience. That new informal slogan, action park, where you're the center of the accident.

[A]

Oh, my God.

[B]

The first serious accident came in 1980, just two years into the park's operation. In July, 19 year old George Larson was riding the alpine sled ride at the park when about halfway down the slide, he was thrown from the car he was riding in, rolled down an embankment to landing 25ft away and smashing his head on a rock in the ground.

[A]

Oh, my God.

[B]

When emergency crews arrived a short time later, Larson was unconscious. And soon he lapsed into a coma. He died a few days later on July 16th. That's an awful. George Larson's family and friends contend that the lax safety protocols at the park were entirely responsible for George's death. But Mulva Hill in Action park spokespeople saw it a different way. Spokesperson Wesley Smith told reporters. This is an Action park where people are doing physical things to themselves. Their situation is not totally in our control. But Smith went a step further in denying any responsibility, saying the ride didn't injure Larson. It was a rock 25ft away that hurt him. That same thing could have happened to someone falling off a bicycle.

[A]

How did they get insurance for this?

[B]

She smiles now. Despite Smith's assertion that George Larson knew the risks of the ride and had in fact ignored several safety warnings, others at the park were far less convinced it was operator error.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

In an investigation into the accident by the Office of Workplace and Compliance at the State Department of Labor, investigators spoke to several park employees who had previously voiced concerns about public safety at the park. And on that slide specifically, one of the summer attendants said, we knew something would happen. It could have been any of us. Oh, my God. According to the report, there was no controls over the cart's speed on the concrete track. And any number of factors include including whether the concrete was wet, could affect how the car performed, none of which was taken into consideration by the park. The park was cited for seven violations of safety standards, including having no access road for emergency vehicles to arrive.

[A]

You gotta be fucking kidding me.

[B]

But ultimately, George's death was ruled an accident.

[A]

Wow.

[B]

Now, in the weeks and months that followed Larson's death, reports of injuries began to pile up. Up. Andy Mulvahill, remember Eugene's son, said they careen down towering water slides that spit them into shower pools at such velocity that sometimes overshot and landed them in the dirt. Laughing or bleeding, Sometimes both. They often lost their grip on swinging ropes and plunged into the freezing mountain. They emerged from lakes stinking of spilled diesel fuel from the overworked motorboats.

[A]

This is a nightmare.

[B]

Repeat visitors stuffed their pockets with band aids and sported scabs and scars along their ar arms and legs. And yet none of those injuries seem to keep people from attending the park.

[A]

This feels like. Like an episode of Jackass.

[B]

Yeah, like truly. On the contrary, the rumors of heightened risk seem to be one of the reasons people were so enthusiastic to come in the first place. Then, in the summer of 1982, two years after George Larson's death, it happened again. In late July, 15 year old George Lopez drowned in one of the wave pools. That same week, two men filed civil suits against the park, alleging serious injuries suffered on a water slide two years earlier. Then in August, 27 year old Nathan Langenthal collapsed while riding the whitewater kayak Experience. Langenthal was rushed to the hospital, but was pronounced dead when he arrived. In a statement to the press, action park spokesperson Diane Beauchamp said there are reports of a possible electric shock, but no evidence of electrical malfunction has been found at the ride yet.

[A]

Hello?

[B]

Despite the park's Repeated denials that Langenthal's jet death was due to their negligence. The Orange County, New Jersey, coroner determined that Nathan's cause of death was, quote, heart failure by electrocution.

[A]

What the.

[B]

Still, Action park refused to acknowledge reality, saying they tested all 11 fans that produced the waves and everything was in perfect working order.

[A]

Something has to be wrong.

[B]

Yeah, yeah. Operations manager Adam Ringler told a reporter, at this point, there's absolutely no malfunction. We would say it's not electrocution at this point, but, like, there's nothing wrong with the ride. But the coroner literally said that's the cause of death.

[A]

Argue with the coroner like you're an

[B]

operations manager, not a doctor. Kooky, kooky amusement park with no safety standards, and you're telling the coroner you are wrong.

[A]

It's like in Widow's Bay. The doctor that's always just like, where did you go to medical school? I love that guy.

[B]

Are you sure it's not an animal wound? Does it look like it could be an animal wound? No, not to me. I love that.

[A]

So funny.

[B]

Watch Widows Bay, everybody.

[A]

Oh, you gotta. I watched it all in one day, so good.

[B]

So, yeah. In the state's investigation of the ride, however, investigators discovered a short circuit in one of the fans. Imagine that. Action park said, no problems.

[A]

Yeah, of course not.

[B]

Although they could not definitively say that was what caused the death, they acknowledged it was likely what caused the electrocution.

[A]

I would think.

[B]

In response to the coroner's report, Eugene Mulvihil said, nothing wrong with the ride and he had no marks on him. He probably had some kind of stroke or something.

[A]

Again, guys, where did you go to medical school?

[B]

The literal coroner, whose job is to determine cause of death by actually looking inside of his body, said the cause of death was heart failure by electrocution.

[A]

Eugene said, nah, it's a stroke.

[B]

Nah. Do you understand how different heart failure and a stroke are?

[A]

Yes.

[B]

Those are two different parts of the body, babe.

[A]

They sure are.

[B]

Now, despite the near constant injuries to park goers, the popularity of Action park continued to grow day after day. In the park's wave pool, swimmers were pummeled by waves that were stronger than they should have been for an amusement park.

[A]

Wow.

[B]

Andy Mulvihill said when the waves hit, their force caught our guests unprepared. Powered by the insulation sucking fans, the waves struck with the same violent menace originally meant to create a mini. A series of mini shippers wrecks.

[A]

What?

[B]

Yeah, the. In fact, if there was any attraction more notorious for causing Injuries at the park. It was the water slides in the wave pool. In August 1984, 20 year old Donald DePass drowned when he was quote, overcome by the water after rocketing from a 10 foot high water slide into the pool.

[A]

Holy.

[B]

In response to the death, our guy Adam Ringler there said told reporters it was quote, a simple drowning and the lifeguards were adequately trained. Okay. However, several park goers were less convinced, including one man who told a reporter the lifeguards on duty quote, definitely need a little more help.

[A]

That's one thing that you don't want your lifeguard to need is help is more help. Yeah.

[B]

A few years later, in the summer of 1987, another death occurred.

[A]

When did the place stay open for so long?

[B]

Well, this was when 18 year old Gregory Grand Champs drowned in the wave pool. As always, the park went on the defensive. Marketing director Vernon Merritts said there was no indication that the wave had anything to do with it.

[A]

But he drowned.

[B]

There's actually like a pretty big indication of that.

[A]

So.

[B]

Yeah, when you're drowning in a wave pool.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

He also called the death a quote, basic drowning. Yeah. Although they were not held liable for the death during their investigation, the prosecutor's office discovered that after being pulled from the pool, lifeguards didn't attempt any life saving actions like cpr.

[A]

Aren't they literally trained to do that?

[B]

That's part of their job. Yeah. When asked about that fact, Merritt simply said, quote, we're not quite sure he was not resuscitated.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

I'd ask is everyone okay there, but I know the answer is absolutely not to answer. Idk. We're not real sure why they didn't try to save his life. Life.

[A]

Why?

[B]

Why? The life guards did not attempt to recess.

[A]

Life.

[B]

His life. Yeah. Despite the park's wild popularity, by the late 1980s, state and local officials had grown kind of tired of the constant, the constant injuries and the constant deaths related to activities at Action Park. Andy Mulvihill said the state of New Jersey had never seen anything like it and had little idea how to control it.

[A]

It.

[B]

My father loomed large in the small town of Vernon, keeping hundreds of people employed and using his political savvy as well as his sometimes questionable legal means to make sure his passion project remained afloat.

[A]

I love this kid. Just reading. His father reading.

[B]

Action park remained open for 20 years despite injuries being a near hourly occurrence.

[A]

His, his son said 20 years this place was open.

[B]

Finally in 1996, the year Ashkel came. I said shut it down.

[A]

Shut it down.

[B]

She said, shut it down, everybody.

[A]

I said, I like a safe amusement park.

[B]

Action park was forced to close, period. Not as a result of accident or death, but because the company's creditors forced them into bankruptcy when they learned that they were not carrying any liability insurance.

[A]

So that's why you smiled at me when I asked. I was sitting here being like, how the would any insurance company sign on to. To rep this place?

[B]

Exactly. In the years since the park's closure, more information has come to light that explained, at least in part, some of the problems experienced at Action park in the 20 years. In addition to limited testing of new rides, the development of those rides was often undertaken by complete non experts.

[A]

Oh, good.

[B]

And they were almost always built on very small shoestring budgets where corners were constantly being cut.

[A]

Fantastic.

[B]

There was also a serious problem with training. Many, if not most of the park's employees were just local teenagers who received completely inadequate training on the operations of the rides. Safety protocols, life saving techniques. But more than anything else, it was likely the libertine attitude of the park itself that contributed to the accidents. With a park built on a enter at your own risk ideology, patrons and employees were almost encouraged to behave recklessly.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Without regard for their own safety, much less the safety of anyone around them. Andy Mulvihill said that approach made us national news. The New York Times called our father's creation the area's most distinctive expression of the amusement park in our age. They also called it a human zoo. Both of things were true. That's what his son said. A human zoo, which it kind of is.

[A]

I mean, that's like.

[B]

Like you're seeing people at their most base behavior.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Like truly.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

In reflecting on his father's creation and its legacy of risk and chaos, Andy Mulvihill summed up Action park like this. It was a place that admitted anyone misfits to clergymen, rich and poor, young and old, and told them it was theirs to do with as they pleased. Never again would they have such freedom in their lives. But the price for its success was sometimes paid by visitors years. Not all of whom came out alive.

[A]

Wow. I feel like America kind of feels like Action park right now.

[B]

It absolutely does.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

That's a absolutely. We are actually now and we gotta get.

[A]

Because that quote, I was just like. He was like, never again in their lives. I was like, ah, they made it

[B]

this far, they'll see it again. Yeah.

[A]

Life kind of feels like a human zoo.

[B]

Yeah. That. That is Amusement Parks part two, period.

[A]

Wowza.

[B]

Yeah. So those are Some crazy.

[A]

Well, I'm happy that I've never gone on any of those rides.

[B]

No, you won't go to Action Park.

[A]

No, I wouldn't. I would not be. I would not be trying to go to Action Park. I don't. I like safety precautions. I like a thrill.

[B]

I love safety precious.

[A]

I like a thrill with a safety precaution in backing it up.

[B]

Place, you know, that's. That's what. I don't love a thrill, but I love safety precautions.

[A]

But you like a haunted house scary movie thrill.

[B]

Yeah. Yeah. A thrill that does not cause me bodily harm.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Yes. Wow. All right. Well, that was a fun episode.

[B]

Pretty intense.

[A]

Do I have to get us a fun fact?

[B]

Yeah, I guess I get a goddamn fun fact. All right.

[A]

Cows have regional accents, and they form tight friendships and get depressed if they're separated.

[B]

So cows over here are just being like, mo, cad, mo.

[A]

Get out the way. And then in England, they're like, moo, Moo, you little swat. Moo.

[B]

Yeah, I love that.

[A]

I'm obsessed with it. Funny, because this all just came full circle. I'd like to pet a Highland cow.

[B]

There you go.

[A]

I cannot do a Scottish accent, though. I am quite Scottish. I've never been able to.

[B]

Never been able to, like.

[A]

I really only do British and southern.

[B]

It's. It's a hard one to do.

[A]

I got three accents and that's it. All right. We love you. We hope you keep listening and we

[B]

hope you keep it weird, but not

[A]

so weird that you separate cows and it makes them sad.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And then they have to moo in their different languages or have really no

[B]

safety protocols at a park you open.

[A]

Yeah. Open a safe park, if anything.

[B]

Yeah. Or just don't open one. We have enough. She doesn't want you. We have enough. It's fine. Hey, it's Sydney Sweeney.

[A]

Sid for short, for summer.

[B]

I'm in the mood for comfortable. What am I wearing? Where am I going? What's the vibe?

[A]

The short answer, American Eagle shorts.

[B]

They're cute and go with everything. They just work. It's Sid for short. An American eagle for summer.

[A]

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