Theme Park Attractions That Had to Close Because They were Dangerous (2026)

Theme parks sell controlled adrenaline. The promise is simple: you get scared, you get excited, but you come out unscathed. However, throughout history, that promise has been broken too many times. Attractions that cracked, cables that failed, maintenance that was never done and design decisions that, with hindsight, seemed suicidal. This article covers theTheme park attractions that had to close because they were dangerous—some after fatal accidents, others by miracle before the worst happened. It is not a ranking. It is a list of lessons that the industry should have tattooed.

1. VertiGo (Cedar Point) — The tower that cracked before opening

Cedar Point, Ohio's quintessential "roller coaster park," installed VertiGo in 2001 as an S&S Power launch tower that shot riders up to 250 feet in the air at 50 mph. The idea was spectacular: a kind of vertical rocket with free space at the top that made you feel as if you had been shot into the sky without a net.

The problem is that the tower was never open to the public on a regular basis. In January 2002, during the winter months of inactivity,one of the three support columns cracked. Engineers discovered metal fatigue cracks in the structure. It was not a minor failure: if that crack had progressed during operation with people on top, the consequences would have been catastrophic.

Cedar Point made the right decision: it completely dismantled the attraction before the 2002 season. VertiGo went down in history as one of the most short-lived attractions at a major park—installed and removed without a single visitor truly enjoying it. The tower was never replaced with a similar model, and Cedar Point learned that innovation cannot bypass structural stress testing.

2. Perilous Plunge (Knott's Berry Farm) — The Deadly Aquatic Plunge

Perilous Plunge was a shoot-the-chutes at Knott's Berry Farm, California. It opened in 2000 as one of the highest of its kind, with a drop of 37 meters and a monumental splash that soaked the riders and half of the park.

On September 21, 2001, a 40-year-old woman fell from the boat during the final fall and died. The investigation revealed thatthe fastening system was insufficient: The ride used seat belts that did not prevent ejection during the steep drop. The force of the descent combined with the impact of the water caused the woman to be thrown.

Following the accident, the attraction temporarily closed and reopened with upgraded safety bars. But the shadow of the incident never completely dissipated. Knott's Berry Farm closed Perilous Plush permanently in 2012, and the space was subsequently used for other attractions. It was one of the cases that showed that water attractions, which many people perceive as "gentle", can be as lethal as any roller coaster.

3. The Smiler (Alton Towers) — The accident that changed British industry

If there is an accident that marked a before and after in European theme parks, it is that of The Smiler in Alton Towers, United Kingdom. This Gerstlauer roller coaster opened in 2013 with 14 inversions—a world record at the time—and aggressive marketing based on "mental deprogramming." Ironically, it was the attraction itself that caused actual brain damage.

On June 2, 2015, a train loaded with 16 passengers was sent onto the track while an empty train remained stuck in the inversion section. The security system should have prevented dispatch. He didn't do it.The full train hit the void at 80 km/h. Five people were seriously injured. Two of them – Leah Washington and Vicky Balch – had to have their legs amputated.

The subsequent investigation revealed that the operator had manually bypassed the safety interlock system multiple times that day, following procedures Merlin Entertainments had established to keep the attraction operational with recurring failures. The company was fined £5 million. The Smiler reopened in 2016 following security changes, but the British public's confidence in theme park safety took a hit from which it took years to recover.

The most outrageous thing: The Smiler's flaws were known. The attraction had had technical problems since its opening, including an incident in 2013 where a group of engineers were trapped upside down for 30 minutes. The 2015 accident was not an unforeseeable failure. It was the result of a culture that prioritized operations over safety.

4. Rough Riders (Coney Island) — The deadly coasters of the origins

To understand the dangers of themed attractions, you have to go back to the beginning. At the beginning of the 20th century, Coney Island was the world's epicenter of amusement parks, and safety was, to be generous, a suggestion.

Rough Riderswas a roller coaster that operated at Steeplechase Park and then Luna Park during the 1910s. It was named after Theodore Roosevelt's Rough Riders, but the experience was rougher than anyone expected. In 1910, an accident caused the death of several passengers when the brakes failed and trains collided in the station area. Safety regulations at the time were practically nonexistent: there were no regular inspections, operators did not need certification, and braking systems depended on the most basic mechanics.

Rough Riders wasn't the only deadly Coney Island coaster. Thederby racer(1911) caused at least three documented deaths, including a young man who was thrown off a curve. TheDeath Dip(literally "the fall of death") lived up to its name. At that time, riding a coaster was a genuine leap of faith. There were no modern safety bars, seat belts were optional, and the idea that a ride could be "certified" as safe was science fiction.

These early accidents were what prompted the first safety regulations for fairground rides and parks, although it would take decades to become widespread. Each tragedy was one more brick in the regulatory building that today allows us to ride 150-meter coasters with reasonable peace of mind.

5. Fujin Raijin II (Expoland, Japan) — The accident due to negligence

On May 5, 2007, a public holiday in Japan (Children's Day), the roller coasterFujin Raijin IIat Expoland, Osaka, derailed. A 19-year-old passenger was killed and 21 other people were injured. The cause was as avoidable as it was scandalous:a wheel axle had broken due to metal fatigue, and had not been properly inspected for more than 15 years.

Investigations revealed that the ride, built in 1992, had never undergone a full structural inspection to the manufacturer's recommended standards. Those responsible for the park simply did not carry out the inspections required by the maintenance protocol. The axis weakened for more than a decade and a half until it suddenly gave way.

The accident led to the closure of Expoland and a massive review of safety at all Japanese parks. The Japanese government has tightened ride inspection legislation and increased penalties for negligent operators. Fujin Raijin II never operated again, and Expoland closed permanently. The case is a brutal reminder thatmaintenance is not optional: Skipping an inspection for 15 years is not carelessness, it is criminal negligence.

6. Inferno (Terra Mítica) — Structural problems in Spain

Terra Mítica, Benidorm's theme park inspired by Mediterranean civilizations, has had a turbulent history since its opening in 2000. Among its most iconic attractions wasHell, an inverted roller coaster located in the Rome area.

Inferno had problems practically from the beginning. The attraction had excessive vibrations, abnormal noises and structural wear greater than expected. In several seasons, the coaster had to be temporarily closed due to mechanical problems. Visitors reported unusual shaking and rattling that was not consistent with an attraction in good condition. In a way, Inferno became a symbol of Terra Mítica's general problems: an ambitious park built in haste, a tight budget, and chronic maintenance problems.

The attraction ended up being dismantled. Terra Mítica changed hands several times, went through bankruptcy, and was reborn as a free-entry, pay-per-attraction model. Inferno no longer exists, but its story is an example of how structural problems in Spanish parks are not something that only happens "in other countries." Lack of investment in maintenance is a universal problem.

7. Mind Scrambler (Rye Playland) — Security breach in New York

Rye Playland, in Westchester, New York, is one of the oldest amusement parks in the United States, operating since 1928. ItsMind ScramblerIt was a scrambler-type attraction—those rotating platforms with arms that rotate in opposite directions—that in 2004 caused the death of a 7-year-old girl.

The girl slipped under the safety bar and fell from the moving ride. The investigation revealed thatthe operator did not verify that the bar was closed correctlyand that the girl was sitting inappropriately. But beyond operator error, the ride's design allowed a small body to slide under the restriction.

The accident sparked a review of all ride restraint systems in New York State and a debate over the minimum age and physical restrictions needed for certain rides. Mind Scrambler reopened with modified restrictions, but the tragedy underscored something that should be obvious:a safety bar that does not take into account the smallest children is not a safety bar.

8. Batman: The Ride (Six Flags Great America) — The Deadly Restricted Zone

This case is different because the attraction itself was working correctly. The problem wasthe safety zone around it. In 2003, an outside maintenance worker at Six Flags Great America in Illinois died after being hit by a Batman: The Ride train while walking through a restricted area under the track.

Batman: The Ride is an inverted coaster from B&M where passengers hang below the track with their feet free. The train, with dangling passengers, passes at low altitude in several sections. The areas under the road are strictly marked as restricted, and there are clear protocols to stop operation when someone needs to access those areas.

The accident occurred because the employee violated lockout/tagout protocols and entered the risk zone while the coaster was still operating. The case was a reminder to the entire industry thatrestricted zones exist for a reasonand that security protocols are not bureaucracy: they are the difference between returning home for dinner and not returning.

Similar cases have been repeated in other parks. In 2008, a teenager at Six Flags Over Georgia was decapitated after entering a restricted area beneath Batman: The Ride to retrieve a hat. These accidents are not failures of the attraction: they are failures in respecting safety limits.

9. Superman: Tower of Power (Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom) — The Cable Accident

On June 21, 2007, a 13-year-old girl named Kaitlyn Lasitter climbed Superman: Tower of Power at Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom, a 50-meter free fall tower. What should have been a day of fun ended withamputation of both feet.

During the climb, a steel cable from the lift system broke and wrapped around the legs of Kaitlyn and other passengers. When the tower made the fall, the taut cable acted like a guillotine. The girl's feet were practically severed. Although doctors managed to replant his right foot, his left foot could not be saved.

The investigation revealed that the cables showed excessive wear that should have been detected during regular inspections. Seis Flags was sued and the case was settled out of court. Superman: Tower of Power was decommissioned in 2008. The accident prompted reviews of cable systems at drop towers across the country and showed thatDrop towers, which many people perceive as "gentle," can be just as dangerous as more extreme coasters.

10. Action Park (New Jersey) — The entire park was a danger

No list of dangerous attractions is complete without Action Park. This water park in Vernon, New Jersey, operated from 1978 to 1996 and rightly earned the nickname "Accident Park" and "Class Action Park":at least 6 people diedon its attractions during its years of operation, and non-fatal accidents were part of the daily experience.

What made Action Park so dangerous? Practically everything. The attractions were designed by people with no training in safety engineering. TheCannonball LoopIt was a slide with a complete vertical loop—yes, a loop—that was built without the necessary calculations and that wrapped the riders inside the loop like clothes in a washing machine. They opened it, closed it, reopened it with modifications, and closed it again. Teenage employees (hired with no real training) operated rides that would have made any safety inspector cry.

TheTarzan SwingIt was a rope that you swung to jump into a frozen lake from several meters high. People hit rock walls, drowned due to the depth of the water, and suffered from hypothermia. TheAlpine Slide—a trackless sledding course—allowed riders to take curves at whatever speed they wanted, with predictable results: fractures, cuts, and at least one death from head trauma.

The park's culture was so unusual that employees had a sort of informal "point system" for the injuries they saw each day. There was an infirmary that treated more than 100 wounded people on a typical summer weekend. Insurance eventually refused to cover the park, which was the beginning of the end.

Action Park closed in 1996, reopened under new management in 2014 with real security and is now a conventional park. But the legend endures: books, documentaries and podcasts have been written about what could possibly bethe most dangerous amusement park in American history. The lesson is simple: if your park has legal nicknames like "Class Action Park," something is very wrong.

11. Galaxi — The coaster that caused multiple closures

GalaxyIt was not a single attraction, but a portable roller coaster model manufactured by S.D.C. (Southern Dipper Company) that was installed at dozens of fairs and parks around the world during the 1970s to 1990s. It was a compact coaster with tight turns and moderate drops that, in theory, was a family attraction.

In practice, Galaxi had incidents in multiple locations. Recurring problems includedfaulty braking systems, train collisions in the station area and inadequate security restrictions. At several European fairs, versions of Galaxi were closed after accidents. The compact design, intended for frequent assembly and disassembly, suffered from accelerated wear that trade fair operators did not always detect in time.

Galaxi is an example of how the same design can be lethal when operated without proper maintenance. It wasn't a "cursed" attraction; It was an attraction operated in a context—travel fairs—where economic and logistical pressures often pushed for cuts in security. Many of the Galaxi that survived ended up in better-maintained fixed fleets, where they operated without incident for years.

12. Grand National (Blackpool Pleasure Beach) — The recent accident

TheGrand NationalIt is one of the most iconic wooden coasters in Europe. Inaugurated in 1935 in Blackpool Pleasure Beach, United Kingdom, it is a racing coaster (two trains compete in parallel) with more than 85 years of history. But even legends have bad days.

In recent years, the coaster has had incidents that put its future in doubt. In 2022, a train got stuck in the uphill chain, leaving passengers suspended for almost an hour. But the most serious incident occurred previously, in 2019, when two trains collided at low speed in the braking zone, causing minor injuries to several passengers. The park temporarily closed the attraction to investigate and make modifications to the braking system.

What's interesting about the Grand National is the debate it generates: when does a historic attraction become too old to operate safely? The wooden coaster has been renovated multiple times, but the base structure is almost a century old. Purists defend its heritage value; Pragmatists argue that no amount of nostalgia justifies avoidable risk. The Grand National continues to operate, but each incident renews the question.

13. Other cases that deserve mention

Space Journey / Incidents in PortAventura

PortAventura has not had fatal accidents at its main attractions, but it has had notable incidents. In 2012, a maintenance worker died after falling from the attractionHurakan Condor(drop tower) during night inspection work. The case did not involve visitors but highlighted occupational risks in maintaining attractions. As forFurius Bacchus, the fastest launch coaster in Europe (135 km/h), has had minor incidents with loose objects impacting passengers, but no serious accidents. PortAventura maintains a reasonably good safety record, although like any large park, work incidents during maintenance are a reminder that risk does not disappear when the park closes to the public.

Hydrolift and water attractions with accidents

Water attractions have an underrated accident history. Thehydroslides with vertical drop, white water rafting and wave pools have caused serious injuries and deaths in parks around the world. Wave pools in particular have come under scrutiny following multiple drownings — most famously, the deaths of three people in the Action Park wave pool in a single summer. The false perception that "the water is safe" leads visitors to relax precautions that they would take on a roller coaster. Modern water parks have much stricter regulations, but accidents still happen, especially in less regulated parks in Asia and Latin America.

Are theme parks safe today?

After reading this list, you might think that theme parks are death traps. They are not. The statistics are clear:the chance of suffering a serious injury at a theme park is extremely low. According to the IAAPA (International Association of Attractions and Parks), the rate of serious injuries on fixed attractions is approximately 1 in every 16 million visits. To put it in perspective: you are more likely to be struck by lightning than to have a serious accident on a roller coaster.

But "low probability" is not "zero probability." And the accidents we have reviewed in this article share worrying patterns:

• Deferred or negligent maintenance(Fujin Raijin II, Superman Tower of Power)
• Security protocols ignored or surpassed(The Smiler, Batman: The Ride)
• Designs that did not consider extreme cases(Perilous Plunge, VertiGo)
• Organizational culture that prioritized operations(Action Park, The Smiler)

The good news is that each of these accidents prompted regulatory improvements. ASTM regulations in the United States, European regulations EN 13814 and national legislation have been tightened. Redundant safety systems, mandatory inspections and operator training are much more rigorous today than 20 years ago.

The bad news is that the economic pressure still exists. Parks want to maximize the operation of their attractions, and the temptation to delay costly maintenance or overstep a "just this once" protocol never fully goes away. Theme park safety is not a permanent state: it is an ongoing fight against complacency.