If you grew up in New Jersey in the late 70’s or early 80’s, you’ve more than likely heard of Action Park, aka “Accident Park,” aka “Class Action Park,” aka…well, the nicknames can go on and on. Action Park was a cultural touchstone for many Generation Xers who grew up in North and Central Jersey, as well as nearby locales in New York and Connecticut. It was so reknowned that it even made a chain email of “You Know You’re from New Jersey When…” facts that circulated. The clue: “You’ve been seriously injured at Action Park.” That’s because Action Park, a small-sized amusement park that was formerly in Vernon, N.J., is more or less known as the world’s most dangerous amusement park.

Approximately six people were killed there and many more were injured on rides such as the Alpine Slide, which threw helmet-less riders down concrete, mountainous tracks on dilapidated sleds, and The Cannonball Loop, a loop-de-loop waterslide.

Yes, that’s right: A waterslide that goes upside down. Here’s a photo!

Needless to say, Action Park was more or less a death trap…and I didn’t even mention the electrocution yet! (It happened.)

Mashable’s Seth Porges got together with a documentary crew from the video site Dailymotion to put together a short two-part doc all about Action Park and its mainstay reputation in Northern Jersey back in the day. From drunk and stoned teenage employees with little-to-no regard for safety, to Cannonball Loop injuries and drownings in the wave pool, this amusement park was absolute chaos – a sort of Adventureland-meets-Kamp-Krusty deal that didn’t close its doors until 1996.

Check out the entertaining two-part doc below. (Bonus fact: The old Action Park grounds is now the home to Mountain Creek water park…and I went there a few years ago. They even have some of the same features! Yikes.)

I just can’t believe this ever existed. With all of the safety regulations and lawsuits and liabilities of today, it’s shocking…and highly amusing…that Action Park actually got away with it all. The wildest part – people remember it fondly and would go back to it!

That is nucking futs, though I guess if you made it out alive, it was quite the party.