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Amusement Park Disasters (Volume 2) : Theme Parks

Since the late nineteenth century, amusement parks have been providing countless hours of enjoyment for people all around the world. Often driven by the latest technology and advances in mechanical engineering, the thrill rides at parks like Disney Land, Great America, and other independent parks offer a controlled environment to experience terror and excitement.

While these rides, and the parks in general, are very safe and held to strict safety standards, there are times when the unthinkable happens—a cable snaps, a safety harness breaks—and the once safe ride becomes a nightmare for passengers. Far more often than not, tragic amusement park accidents are the result of human foolishness or, far less often, operator error. But other times, they are a bizarre fluke; a one in a million mechanical problem no one saw coming. Either way, the results can be shocking, horrifying, and even deadly.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

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References

Akst, Daniel. 1982. "Short circuit found in fatal amusement ride." The Record (Hackensack, NJ), August 5: 3.

Anaheim Bulletin. 1973. "D'land visitor drowning victim." Anaheim Bulletin, June 23: 1.

Associated Press. 1980. "Roller coaster death probed." Free Lance (Hollister, CA), April 3: 10.

—. 1998. "Disney visitor had no chance, surgeon says." Sacramento Bee, December 28: 4.

Brown, Lee. 1964. "2 youths tell story of fatal 'bobsled' ride." The Independent (Long Beach, CA), May 22: 17.

Daily News. 1983. "A ride to the courthouse." Daily News (New York, NY), July 3: 32.

Daily Record. 1982. "Electrical shock killed man on Action Park ride." Daily Record (Morristown, NJ), August 1: 2.

Fisher, Joseph. 1980. "Man who fell from alpine slide dies after several days in coma." Daily Record (Morristown, NJ), Juky 17: 1.

Futia, Michael, and John Mintz. 1982. "Death doesn't cut lines for thrill rides." The Record (Hackensack, NJ), August 2: 13.

Gaura, Maria. 1998. "Coaster victim's death witnessed by family." San Francisco Chronicle, September 11: 13.

Gaura, Maria, and Manny Fernandez. 1998. "Victim's kin mull suit against Great America." San Francisco Chronicle, Seoptember 9: 1.

Haefele, Marc. 1980. "Dangers cited by slide employees." Daily Record (Morristown, NJ), August 14: 19.

Hatfield, Larry. 1980. "Roller coaster crash caused by 'phantom'." San Francisco Examiner, May 1980: 3.

Hoover, Ken, and Sabin Russell. 1999. "Fall from ride kills boy at Great America." San Francisco Chronicle, August 23: 1.

Kiely, Eugene. 1987. "Prosecutor: Action Park drowning accidental." The Record (Hackensack NJ), July 21: 28.

Los Angeles Times. 1964. "Boy criticallt hurt on ride at Disneyland." Los Angeles Times, May 17: 3.

—. 1966. "He tried to join his friends." Los Angeles Times, June 19: 3.

—. 1964. "Inquest ruled out in fatal Disneyland fall." Los Angeles Times, May 27: 35.

Lyman, Julie, Kevin Fagan, and Bill Workman. 1999. "Questions linger in amusement park death." San Francisco Chronicle , November 6: 1.

Mulvihill, Andy. 2020. "Remembering Action Park, New Jersey's Deranged Theme Park, "Where You're the Center of the Accident"." Esquire, July 2.

Press-Telegram. 1964. "Boy badly hurt in tumble from Disney bobsled." Press-Telegram (Long Beach, CA), May 16: 13.

—. 1966. "Monorail victim crashing party?" Press-Telegram (Long Beach, CA), June 19: 4.

—. 1964. "Bobsled rider's death probed." Press-Telegram, May 20: 39.

Reckard, Scott, and Tracy Weber. 1998. "Autopsy sheds light on Disneyland fatality." Los Angeles Times, December 31: 31.

Soiffer, Bill. 1980. "Brakes suspected in coaster tragedy." San Francisco Chronicle, March 31: 3.

Stolztfus, Duane. 1984. "Water slide blamed for son's death." Daily Record (Morristown, NJ), August 28: 11.

Webber, Tracy. 1999. "Fatal accident at Disneyland in '98 still haunts family." Los Angeles Times, December 13: 110.

Yi, Daniel, and Robert Ourlian. 1998. "Man dies 2 days after being injured at Disneyland." Los Angeles Times, December 27: 76.

Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022)

Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023)

Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley

Listener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra Lally

Listener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025)

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