It stood there like a twisted, blue middle finger to the laws of physics. Cannonball Loop wasn't just a slide; it was a physical manifestation of the "anything goes" ethos that defined Vernon, New Jersey, in the 1980s. If you grew up in the Tri-State area back then, you knew the rumors. You heard about the kids who got stuck. You heard about the "test dummies" who came out decapitated—which, honestly, was a bit of an urban legend, but the truth wasn't much better. The action park looping water slide remains the most infamous failed experiment in amusement park history because it ignored how human bodies actually work.
It was a literal vertical loop.
Water slides are supposed to be about flow. This was about momentum, terror, and a massive amount of luck. Gene Mulvihill, the park's founder, reportedly gave employees $100 bills to test it. Think about that for a second. In the 80s, a hundred bucks was a lot of money, but was it "risk your spinal cord" money? For some teenage lifeguards, apparently, it was. They climbed the tower, took the plunge, and some of them actually made it through. Others? Not so much.
The Physics of the Action Park Looping Water Slide Went Wrong Fast
The fundamental problem with the Cannonball Loop was the shape. Most modern looping slides—like the ones you see at Great Wolf Lodge or various Six Flags locations—use an inclined loop, often called a "super loop." These are angled. They use centrifugal force to keep you pressed against the slide while gravity does the rest.
But Action Park? They went with a perfect circle.
If you remember high school physics, you know that entering a vertical circle requires immense speed to overcome gravity at the apex. If you aren't going fast enough, you don't stick to the top. You fall. Straight down. About 15 to 20 feet. Into a narrow pipe.
It was a math problem written in fiberglass and regret.
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Because the slide was enclosed, the friction varied wildly based on the rider's weight and what they were wearing. A skinny kid in nylon trunks might not generate enough speed. A heavier adult might go too fast and hit the top of the loop with enough G-force to cause a nosebleed. There was no "sweet spot." It was a gamble every single time the gate opened.
The Teeth in the Tube
Here is the part that sounds like a horror movie but is actually documented by former employees and park visitors. Because the slide was so steep and the loop so tight, sand and dirt would collect at the bottom of the curve. It acted like sandpaper. Riders would emerge with their backs shredded.
Even worse? The "teeth."
When the first few test subjects went through, they started coming out with scratches and lacerations. The engineers—if you can call them that—realized that people's jewelry, watches, and even loose teeth were being ripped off by the sheer force of the impact or getting snagged on the interior joints. Legend has it they eventually installed a hatch at the bottom of the loop just to clean out the debris left behind by human bodies.
That isn't a "fun day at the park." That's a forensic scene.
Why the Cannonball Loop Only Lasted a Month
The action park looping water slide was technically open for a very short window in 1985. It didn't take long for the New Jersey Advisory Board on Carnival Amusement Ride Safety to take a look and say, "Absolutely not." It was reportedly closed and reopened several times, but the injury rate was simply unsustainable. Even for a park nicknamed "Traction Park," this was a bridge too far.
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You have to understand the context of Action Park to get why this even existed. This was a place where the Alpine Slide was famous for skinning knees and the "Grave Pool" (the wave pool) required a dozen lifeguards on duty at all times just to keep people from drowning in the deep end. The Mulvihill family operated on a philosophy of personal responsibility. If you got hurt, it was probably your fault for not "riding it right."
But you can't "ride right" through a vertical loop that defies the structural integrity of the human neck.
The Modern Legacy of Looping Slides
If you go to a water park today, you’ll see "loops," but they are vastly different. Look at the "AquaLoop" by WhiteWater West. It’s a masterpiece of engineering. It uses a trap-door start to ensure every rider has the exact same starting velocity. The loop is tilted at an angle, usually around 45 to 60 degrees. This ensures that the rider is always pushed into the slide surface, never falling away from it.
The Action Park version lacked all of these safeguards. It had:
- No consistent starting velocity (you just shoved yourself off).
- No angle to the loop (pure vertical).
- No padding (just hard, often-damaged fiberglass).
- No way to exit if you got stuck at the bottom of the loop (besides the "escape hatch").
Honestly, it’s a miracle nobody died on that specific ride, considering six people did die at the park overall between 1978 and 1996. The Cannonball Loop stands as a monument to what happens when you have unlimited ambition and zero oversight.
Was it Actually Fun?
I've talked to people who actually rode it. The consensus isn't "joy." It’s "survival." Most describe the experience as a blur of dark water, a massive thud as they hit the loop, and a feeling of intense pressure on their chest. You didn't come out of the Cannonball Loop laughing; you came out checking to see if you still had your swim shorts and your dignity.
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It was basically a localized car crash that you paid for.
What We Can Learn From the Action Park Disaster
Today, Action Park is Mountain Creek. It's safe. It's professional. They have actual engineers. But the shadow of the loop remains. It’s a cautionary tale for the "move fast and break things" crowd. Sometimes, when you move fast, the things you break are people's vertebrae.
If you’re interested in the history of amusement park safety, the story of the action park looping water slide is the gold standard for what never to do. It reminds us that there is a very thin line between an "extreme" experience and a negligent one. The loop wasn't a triumph of imagination; it was a failure of empathy for the guest experience.
Lessons for the Curious
If you're ever visiting a vintage park or looking at a "new, revolutionary" attraction, keep these things in mind:
- Check the Angle: If a water slide loop looks like a perfect circle, run. Gravity doesn't like perfect circles in water slides.
- Velocity Control: Modern rides use sensors and trap doors for a reason. If a ride depends on you "pushing off hard," it's not a controlled environment.
- The Scuff Test: Look at the exit. Are people coming out with "raspberries" on their backs? That’s a sign of poor maintenance or bad surfacing.
The Cannonball Loop is gone now. It was dismantled and sat in the grass for years, a rotting blue tube that looked like a discarded straw. But in the world of urban legends and theme park history, it will live forever. It is the ultimate example of "just because you can, doesn't mean you should."
If you find yourself diving into the rabbit hole of 1980s nostalgia, look up the documentary Class Action Park. It features actual footage of the slide being tested, and it is every bit as terrifying as the stories suggest. You can see the tube shaking as the test subjects go through. It wasn't built for humans; it was built for a version of physics that doesn't exist on this planet.
To truly understand the impact, you have to look at the transition in the industry. After the chaos of the 80s, the ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) standards for amusement rides became significantly more rigid. The "Wild West" era ended specifically because of rides like the looping water slide. We traded the raw, unhinged thrill of Action Park for the ability to go to a park and actually come home in one piece. Most would agree that's a fair trade.
Actionable Insights for Amusement History Enthusiasts:
- Research the ASTM F24 Committee: This is the group that literally created the rules to prevent another Cannonball Loop. Understanding their standards gives you a new appreciation for why modern rides feel the way they do.
- Visit Mountain Creek: If you want to see where it happened, the park still exists. You can stand near the spot where the loop once loomed and realize just how small that space actually was.
- Study Centripetal vs. Centrifugal Force: If you're a student or a teacher, the Cannonball Loop is the perfect "what not to do" case study for a physics class. It illustrates the difference between theoretical velocity and the reality of friction and air resistance.
- Support Park Safety Inspections: Many states have varying levels of oversight for traveling carnivals vs. permanent parks. Check your local regulations; knowledge is the best safety harness.