Going to a water park is meant to be fun. It’s intended to be a great day out with thrills and excitement and some great memories to remember for years to come. A place to enjoy the water and let off some steam. It’s not a place where you would expect to get hurt, or worse. Yet even though this is how it’s meant to be, sadly, that’s not always the case; sometimes water parks can only be described as dangerous. Here are ten of the most dangerous water parks in the world; they’re far from a fun day out.
Action Park
Perhaps the most famous of all the dangerous water parks in the world is Action Park. Located in Vernon Township, New Jersey, this park opened in 1976. By the time it closed shop in 1996, its nicknames of ‘Traction Park’ and ‘Accident Park’ were probably more recognizable than its real one. Due to poorly designed and maintained rides, six people died at Action Park.
Schlitterbahn Waterpark
Schlitterbahn Waterpark is in Kansas City and is proud that one of its waterslides is said to be the tallest in the world. It is less proud of the death of a young boy, Caleb Schwab, on the Verruckt waterslide in 2016. He flew off the ride and was decapitated after hitting a pole. In 2014, a similar accident had occurred on the ride, but no one was killed.
Dreamworld Amusement Park
It can get very hot in Australia, so it’s no wonder that Dreamworld Amusement Park was always a busy place; it was ideal for cooling down in. In 2016, however, it also became a fatal place. Four riders enjoying a raft ride died after their raft flipped over into the rushing rapids. It happened due to a water pump malfunction.
Wet ‘n’ Wild
Wet ‘n’ Wild in Orlando, Florida, closed in 2016, but that might surprise a good chunk of people who felt it should have closed a lot earlier than that. One of its rides, the Black Hole, was particularly dangerous, and in 2000 a rider was so severely injured that they won a $1.73 million settlement.
Western Water Park
Western Water Park is in Magaluf, Spain, and has been declared one of the most dangerous water parks in the world by a variety of different visitors. Although no one has died there, many have been hurt, and it seems to be because the park gets too busy that safety precautions can’t be met.
Aqualandia
One of the most popular Spanish tourist spots, Benidorm, contains one of the most dangerous water parks in the world, Aqualandia. In 2019, David Briffaut visited the park and decided to try the Splash ride. Sadly he was left paralyzed after breaking his neck. The park blamed him for not following the rules, but other people have also been hurt on the same ride.
Lake Compounce
An outdoor water park in Connecticut, Lake Compounce, is where a six-year-old boy died in 2000. His inner tube flipped over while he was enjoying his day, but due to the lifeguards’ position, no one saw it happen, and he drowned.
Waterworld USA
Sometimes a problem at a water park is because of lax safety measures or design faults. Sometimes it’s down to the behavior of the guests. At Waterworld USA, California, this latter issue was the cause of the horrific 1997 incident wherein 30 people were injured, and one died. They had all tried to ride the slide together as a graduation prank, and it ended in disaster.
Calypso Water Park
Canada is known for its health and safety rules, but at the Calypso Water Park in Ontario, one ride in particular – The Steamer – has been the cause of several injuries. The park received 14 safety violations for this ride, and that was only in 2011.
The Peninsula Aquatic Recreation Centre
In Frankston, Australia, the Peninsula Aquatic Recreation Centre is pretty much safe. Unless, of course, you consider the many injuries that occurred to riders on The Aquasphere. Perhaps the worst injury was when two people hit their heads coming down the chute, causing major trauma. The slide was closed for ten months, but just days after it reopened, another woman suffered back injuries from this particular attraction.
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