Mountain Creek Waterpark facts for kids
| Previously known as Action Park (1978-1996, 2014-2015) | |
 |
|
| Location | Vernon, New Jersey, United States |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 41°11′26″N 74°30′27″W / 41.19056°N 74.50750°W |
| Status | Operating |
| Opened | 1978 (as Action Park) 1998 (as Mountain Creek Waterpark) |
| Closed | 1996 (as Action Park) |
| Owner | Mountain Creek |
| Operating season | June to September |
Mountain Creek Waterpark is a fun water park located in Vernon, New Jersey, United States. It's part of the Mountain Creek ski resort. The park mainly has water rides and opened in 1998.
Before it became Mountain Creek Waterpark, it was known as Action Park. This park was open from 1978 to 1996. Action Park was very popular, but it also faced challenges with ride safety. Despite these issues, many people loved visiting the park. It attracted thrill-seekers from all over the New York metropolitan area.
In 1998, a company called Intrawest bought the park. They made many changes to the rides to make them safer and better. The park then reopened as Mountain Creek Waterpark. Later, in 2010, the park was sold again to a group led by Eugene Mulvihill. He used to own the area before. Under his new ownership, the water park's name changed back to Action Park in 2014. However, just two years later, the name was changed back to Mountain Creek Waterpark.
Contents
History of the Waterpark
Action Park: The Early Years (1978–1996)
The idea for the park started in 1976. Eugene Mulvihill, who owned the Vernon Valley/Great Gorge ski area, wanted to make money in the summer too. So, he built a long alpine slide down one of the ski trails.
In 1978, Mulvihill added two water slides and a go-kart track. He called this new place the Vernon Valley Summer Park. More attractions were added by 1980. The park grew into a big destination with 75 rides. This included 35 motorized rides and 40 water slides.
During the 1980s, over one million people visited the park each year. On busy weekends, as many as 12,000 visitors would come. However, Action Park became known for its ride safety issues. Some people even gave it nicknames like "Accident Park."
Some rides were closed down in the 1990s. This was because of problems and rising costs. Fewer people visited the park during this time. By 1995, the park faced serious financial difficulties.
Action Park closed for the season on September 2, 1996. It was expected to reopen the next year. However, in June 1997, the company announced it was closing all its operations. This included Action Park.
Mountain Creek: A New Beginning (1998–2010)
After Action Park closed, a company called Praedium Recovery Fund bought the resort in 1997. They planned to invest money to improve the ski resort and remodel the water park.
A Canadian park company, Intrawest, bought the park in February 1998. The water park section of Action Park was completely updated. It reopened for the 1998 season as Mountain Creek. The new owners wanted to create a different image. They wanted to be known for safety and fun.
During this time, Mountain Creek was no longer the biggest water park in New Jersey. Other water parks had opened in the region. This meant more choices for visitors. Intrawest, being a ski resort company, later leased the water park to Palace Entertainment.
Because of past issues at Action Park, New Jersey made its amusement park rules stricter. At Mountain Creek, rides had big signs. These signs explained what the ride involved and how deep the water was. They also showed the best age for the ride and its state safety ID number. Safety rules were strictly followed at the new park.
Changes and Name Reversions (2010–Present)
In 2010, Intrawest sold the Mountain Creek ski resort and water park. The new owners were the same people who owned Crystal Springs Resort. The water park stayed leased to Palace Entertainment until 2011. Then, the resort owners took over running the water park themselves.
This meant the Mulvihill family, who had owned the park before, got control of the area again. In April 2014, the Mulvihill family changed the name of Mountain Creek back to Action Park. However, on May 29, 2016, it was announced that the Action Park name was retired again. The park went back to being called Mountain Creek Waterpark.
Exciting Future Plans
In the summer of 2014, a new ride called Zero-G opened. It's a double-looping slide located on the same tower as the H2 OhNo ride.
In 2015, plans for even more new attractions were announced. These included a new lounge area and pools. There were also plans to move the batting cages and build a temporary go-kart track.
A very exciting ride called the Sky Caliber was also being developed. This was planned to be a vertically looping water slide. Unlike the old Cannonball Loop, riders would be in special bullet-shaped cages. The slide would be taller and steeper, with a unique teardrop-shaped loop. There were also plans to bring the world's longest water slide to Mountain Creek. This inflatable slide was first made in Waimauku, New Zealand, in 2013.
Images for kids
-
Chair lift to the top of the alpine slide at Action Park, August 1994.
.jpg)
