Action Park
For those
who are aware of what Action Park was/is,this blog is for you.
Especially if you never went there.
Action Park has been in the news more these days than
it was back in the 1980's. Movies, documentaries, blogs etc... have all been reminiscing
about the good/bad old days of Action Park. Krude went to the infamous
water park a dozen times back in its real heyday. And never got hurt. Thus
begins my Action Park experience Krude Experience blog. Sponsored by Betadine solution
Going to Action Park was a yearly
event for me and my New Jersey living friends from 1983-1991. The other major
theme park in NJ, Great Adventure is the more conservative place to spend
a whole day. So trips to Action Park were always meant to be a physically
taxing day of water themed bliss. You knew that you would be walking up
mountain sides (barefoot on canvas mats on top of sizzling asphalt) and
climbing 5 story wood staircases to the taller water slides. All in direct
sunlight hovering around 95 degrees. Being young and in shape had its benefits
when going to AP. I couldn't even think about doing a day there now. I would
probably do the speed slide once then hang out at the lodge bar for the rest of
day. Krude bones be spent. Mahalo.
The attractions at Action Park are
what made the park stuff of legend. Kamikaze,Cannonball, Tarzan
Swing, were the most popular water
attractions there. I preferred the Speed Slide. Though it was a wise
choice to clinch butt cheeks on the way down (to avoid 20 gallon enemas). It
was awesome. The Alpine slide was great as well.Concrete track and a
plastic sled. You had to take a ski lift to the top of the mountain to ride
back down on the sled. Me and my friends never wiped out on the Alpine slide.
But we did see people who did. I guess they forgot how to brake.
The Cannonball slide was cool.
Actually very cold. The water you ended up in was freezing. Plus, before you got
on the slide, a barely teenage kid who worked there would hose your backside
with the same freezing water. Then you would slide at top speed in an
darkened, enclosed tube until you saw daylight. Then a 20 foot plunge into very
cold water. Damn.That was fun. I miss that.
Across the street from the water
rides was Motor World at Action Park. This area included Mini Indy
Cars, Bumper Boats, Go Karts and tanks that fired tennis balls,among other
things. The Mini Indy cars were the tits. You had to have a drivers license
(and pay a little extra) but it was worth the line you would wait on. Bumper
boats were ok. Go karts were cool. But the overall area of Motor World was
super hot and reeked of fuel and exhaust fumes. It was tough to wait on line in
that area. Best to go here early in the day before the temperature started to
rise.
The Wave pool area is the most
notorious of all Action Park attractions. People drowned due to overwhelming
waves being created there. Very sad to hear that news in the 80's. I went into
the Wave pool twice over the years. It wasn't something that I really wanted to
do at Action Park. Though most people seemed to like it.
Another bonus to going to Action
Park was the booze stands throughout the park. It was always easy to get a cold
beer from anywhere in the park. Even if you were underage, getting a coldie
wasn't an issue. Somebody older would spot you. We did the same once we became
21 years old as well. Gotta pass on the tradition....
And that leaves Krude down to the
biggest enigma at Action Park: The Looping slide. The Looping slide was built
in the mid 80s. And stood in its location for as long as I went there. Yet,I
never saw the ride open. Every time we went to AP, we would walk over to the
Looping slide and ask an employee about its availability to be used. We always
heard the same speech: "it's not open yet today, maybe later". There
was no later. Ever. I never got to go on the Looping slide. Though we heard the
stories about the people who lost teeth testing the ride. That didn't bother us
at the time. Doesn't bother me now either.
I hear Action Park has been
reopened for a few years now. Maybe I'll take a ride there and check it out.
And I'll buy some 17 year old kids some beer for old time's sake. Cheers!
Lived to tell,
KK
@kapn_krude
Tags:
krude experience