13 Theme Park Attractions That Got Shut Down for Safety
Sometimes, the thrill of a ride crosses a line, and safety pays the price.
- Alyana Aguja
- 4 min read
Theme parks promise fun, but the risks lurking behind faulty brakes, weak structures, and poor oversight have sometimes led to devastating consequences. These 13 attractions serve as grim reminders of what can go wrong when adrenaline meets engineering error. In every case, the decision to shut down was driven not by thrill but by the ultimate responsibility to protect human lives.
1. Action Park’s Alpine Slide (New Jersey)
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The Alpine Slide at Action Park earned a reputation as a concrete death luge. Riders controlled their speed down a steep track with flimsy brakes, often resulting in crashes, burns, and even one fatality. The ride was eventually shut down in the 1990s after too many lawsuits and injuries piled up.
2. Mission: Space (Disney World, Florida – Original Version)
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Before it was toned down, Mission: Space used intense centrifugal force to simulate a Mars launch, causing nausea, fainting, and two guest deaths linked to preexisting conditions. The G-forces were so extreme that barf bags were installed in every capsule. Disney eventually introduced a less intense version to prevent further incidents.
3. Verdugo Plunge (Six Flags Magic Mountain, California)
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This high-speed water slide was closed shortly after a rider was thrown from the flume during a sharp turn. Safety checks revealed design flaws that made the slide unstable at higher speeds. The attraction never reopened, and the park quietly removed it from maps.
4. The Mindbender (Galaxyland, Canada)
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This indoor triple-loop roller coaster derailed in 1986 after a wheel assembly failed, causing a fatal crash. Three people lost their lives, and several others were seriously injured. Though it reopened later with modifications, the ride was permanently closed in 2023 due to its dark legacy.
5. Haunted Castle (Six Flags Great Adventure, New Jersey)
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In 1984, a fire broke out inside this popular walkthrough horror attraction, killing eight teenagers trapped inside. Investigations revealed inadequate fire exits and the absence of a sprinkler system. The disaster prompted a nationwide reassessment of amusement park fire safety standards.
6. The Big Dipper (Battersea Park, London)
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This wooden roller coaster ended in tragedy in 1972 when a train detached from its lift chain, rolled backward, and crashed, killing five children. Maintenance issues were blamed, and the ride was never repaired. It was dismantled shortly after, leaving behind a somber legacy.
7. Son of Beast (Kings Island, Ohio)
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Touted as the world’s only looping wooden coaster, Son of Beast was plagued with structural issues and a violent ride experience. Multiple injuries were reported over the years, including a broken neck due to excessive G-forces. The ride was closed in 2009 and finally demolished in 2012.
8. Dueling Dragons (Islands of Adventure, Florida)
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This dual-track roller coaster once thrilled riders with near-miss moments between trains. However, after two separate incidents of flying debris injuring guests in 2011, the park stopped running the trains simultaneously. It was eventually shut down in 2017 to make way for a Harry Potter-themed ride.
9. Thunder River Rapids Ride (Dreamworld, Australia)
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In 2016, a catastrophic malfunction caused a raft to flip, killing four people. The tragedy rocked the nation and led to a massive overhaul of ride safety regulations in Australia. Dreamworld permanently closed the attraction out of respect for the victims and legal liability.
10. Superman: Tower of Power (Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom)
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A 13-year-old girl lost both her feet in 2007 when a snapped cable lashed through the air during the ride’s descent. Witnesses were horrified, and the ride was shut down immediately. It was later removed entirely from the park.
11. The Smiler (Alton Towers, UK – Temporarily Closed)
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In 2015, a horrific crash injured 16 riders, including two women who each lost a leg. Investigators found that human error and system override failures caused two trains to collide. Although it reopened after major safety upgrades, it has never shaken its notorious reputation.
12. The Original Ghost Ship (Morey’s Piers, New Jersey)
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A fire in 2008 gutted the ride, which was already under scrutiny for safety concerns due to its aging structure. No injuries occurred, but the incident raised concerns about the safety of older attractions and fire prevention. Rather than rebuild, the park decided to retire the attraction for good.
13. Tsunami (M&D’s Scotland’s Theme Park)
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In 2016, a derailment on the Tsunami roller coaster sent a train plummeting to the ground, injuring several children. The horrifying crash led to a complete investigation and the removal of the ride from the park. It never operated again after that day.