My, it's been a long, long time!

Hello! 

Perhaps the Class Action Park documentary led you here, or maybe Andy Mulvihill's book Action Park: Fast Times, Wild Rides and the Untold Story of America's Most Dangerous Amusement Park. Regardless, welcome! Please pardon the dust. Poke around a bit, and thanks for stopping by.

And while you're here, please check out my Action Park special on WFMU, the Freeform Station of the Nation, (featuring interviews with Andy Mulvihill AND Class Action Park narrator John Hodgman!) and a recent chat I had with the two fine ladies of the Fuckin' Jersey podcast.

Recommended reading: 

Traumatic License: An Oral History of Action Park

The Dangerous Return of the World’s Most Insane Theme Park

Remembering Action Park, America's Most Dangerous, Daring Water Park Action Park, America's Most Dangerous, Daring Water Park

And remember, you are responsible for maintaining the speed and balance of your cart.

More Photos of Abandoned Amusement Parks

Photo by Chris Grabert, via io9

Is that an inverted Rebel Alliance logo on the cat's forehead? Regardless, io9 compiled some AMAZING photos of abandoned amusement parks. Check them out here. 

Fire!

What's that? You want a disaster porn image of the old Lodge on fire? I am here to oblige, sicko:

Insane, right? It burned down in October of 1999 and was replaced by the space port tents. Fortunately, no one was killed. As far as I know, they never figured out exactly what started it. But I have to say, the place was a tinderbox and it's a wonder it didn't go up years before it did. There was speculation at the time that the fire was not accidental. When questioned in December of '99 by the New York Times (I love working for a company with a ProQuest account) , a Park spokesperson replied, ''It's far fetched but it's easy to rule that out. Had we been thinking like that, we would have burnt it down in April.''

Time for a trip in the Way Back Machine

Further back than usual, that is. I just found these links, which give a great overview of the history of Vernon Valley and Great Gorge, before and after they merged into one ski resort. A lot of it was new to me, especially the part about Vernon Valley's penchant for all-girl lift attendants in its early days. Very 1960s. (You know what was also very 1960s? The Playboy Club that was located across the valley from the resort. Swinging! )

I got a litle misty seeing images of the old lodges:

Here's Vernon Valley's lodge, which burned down in the mid-90s and was replaced with a collection of horrible, industrial-feeling domed tents. Seriously, they make you feel like you're in some sort of refugee camp. Or maybe a space port.

And here's the old Great Gorge, or South, lodge. It had three bars!!! It was also kinda creepy and to rumored to be haunted. I remember Phil, the director of security, saying he hated going there at night because "There's monstahs down there!" Phil ruled.