This is a summary of notable incidents that have taken place at various European amusement parks, water parks, or theme parks. This list is not intended to be a comprehensive list of every such event, but only those that have a significant impact on the parks or park owners, or are otherwise significantly newsworthy.
The term incidents refers to major accidents, injuries, deaths that occur at a European park. While these incidents were required to be reported to regulatory authorities due to where they occurred, they usually fall into one of the following categories:[ citation needed ]
The ride closed at Blackpool in 2008, but continues to operate as Astro Storm in Burnham-on-Sea's Brean Leisure Park.
In July 2017, the ride was replaced by a ferris wheel due to the accident. The Jungle River Log Flume has continued to operate as Loki's Log Flume at Pleasureland Southport since 2012
Pleasure Beach Amusement Parks was fined £8000 due to breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act and were also made to pay £8000 of costs. [35] Surf Rider was removed and now travels around the London area as 'Ali Baba'. [36]
The ride was removed, and later operated at Pleasureland Southport as OMG between 2013 and 2015.
Water Chute was SBNO until 2000, where it was removed and scrapped.
As a result of this accident, Merlin Parks closed three of their rapids rides - Congo River Rapids, Rumba Rapids and Vikings' River Splash, of Alton Towers, Thorpe Park and Legoland Windsor respectively - whilst Splash Canyon underwent investigation. This was due to Conga River and Rumba Rapids both being manufactured by Intamin, as well as its similarities to Viking River Splash.
According to Drayton Manor's director, George Bryan, park staff responded immediately and rescued the girl from the water. The girl was airlifted to Birmingham Children's Hospital, but was proclaimed dead from her drowning soon after arrival. The park was temporarily closed after the incident, and the ride remained closed until summer 2021. [50] The ride reopened in 2021 after increasing its height restriction from 1.2 m (47 in) to 1.3 m (51 in) and barring those under the age of 14 from riding without a responsible person above the age of 16. The same updated restrictions were applied to adjacent water ride Stormforce 10.[ citation needed ] The ride was rebranded as River Rapids in 2021 and was refurbished to add 9 seats rather than the 6 which existed at the time of the accident.
The ride was permanently closed following the accident.
The coaster now operates as Rhaegal at Le Fleury, France.
This ride was removed in 2021 as part of a shift to aim the park at younger audiences. It is currently unknown where the ride is as of 2024.
After the 2019 accident, the ride was shut down for the rest of the season and was later sold, and currently travels with Emerson Edwards.
The Ultimate was SBNO between 2019 and 2023, before it was demolished.
Rat closed with Loudon Castle in 2009, and now operates as Käpt'n Jack's Wilde Maus at Eifelpark, Germany.
The ride was permanently closed following the incident and was removed in February 2017, eight months later. [103]
The attraction was closed down and removed from the park afterwards. It now operates as a travelling coaster in the UAE. [110]
Witnesses said the boy had got into difficulties and Hayley tried to help him, before both tumbled over the edge. [111] During the Coroner's inquest, the jury returned a narrative verdict stating that the victim died due to not being properly restrained. [112] In February 2008, Oakwood was charged by the Health and Safety Executive for park staff not ensuring that guests were properly and safely restrained. [113] On 22 May 2008, magistrates in Haverfordwest magistrates court rejected Oakwood Leisure Limited's request for an adjournment and directed that the hearing should proceed on the assumption of a not guilty plea. The magistrates declined jurisdiction and adjourned the case which was committed for crown court trial in Swansea Crown Court on 7 July 2008. [114] The magistrates' court was limited to fining the company £20,000, the crown court can impose an unlimited fine. [115] On 8 July 2008, Oakwood pleaded guilty under the Health and Safety Act 1974 for failing to conduct its business such to ensure that its guests were not exposed to risks. [116] In December 2008 the company was fined £250,000 plus £80,000 in costs. [117]
The ride was renamed Romus et Rapidus in 2008.
The ride was removed the same year and now operates in the travelling circuit with Troisne.
The ride closed in 2006.
The coaster did not reopen after the accident, and Rotunda Amusement Park (later known as Funland Park, Folkestone) closed in 2003.
The ride was scrapped in 2015.
Cobra was scrapped and is due to be replaced by Vinfald for the 2024 season.
It was dismantled and removed within the month. It is unknown where the ride is as of 2024. [168]
The ride did not reopen after the accident and was subsequently scrapped.
Alton Towers Resort is a theme park and resort complex in Staffordshire, England, near the village of Alton. The park is operated by Merlin Entertainments Group and incorporates a theme park, water park, mini golf and hotel complex.
Top Thrill 2 is a launched roller coaster located at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, United States. The ride originally opened as Top Thrill Dragster in 2003, becoming the tallest and fastest roller coaster in the world, as well as the first ever strata coaster – a height classification of 400 feet (120 m) or more. Designed by Werner Stengel, the Accelerator Coaster model from Intamin debuted with a height of 420 feet (130 m) and could accelerate from 0 to 120 mph (190 km/h) in 3.8 seconds. It was themed to Top Fuel drag racing, with the launch track designed to resemble a dragstrip, and it consistently ranked as one of the world's top steel coasters in Amusement Today's annual Golden Ticket Awards publication. Top Thrill Dragster's records were surpassed in 2005 by Kingda Ka at Six Flags Great Adventure.
The Scenic Railway is a wooden roller coaster located at the Dreamland Amusement Park in Margate, United Kingdom. It first opened in 1920 and is the oldest roller coaster in the UK. The ride is distinctive compared to modern-day roller coasters, as a brakeman is still required to travel with the train to control its speed, manually applying brakes when needed. It is also one of only eight scenic railways in the world, and the UK's English Heritage granted the roller coaster Grade II listed status in 2002 and Grade II* listed status in 2011. The Scenic Railway was non-operational from 2006 until 2015 amid park closure and restoration following an arson attack.
Intamin Amusement Rides is a design and manufacturing company in Schaan, Liechtenstein, best-known for designing and constructing thrill rides and roller coasters at dozens of international theme parks, amusement parks and other establishments. The Intamin brand name is a syllabic abbreviation for "international amusement installations". The company has corporate offices across the world, including three in Europe, three in Asia, and two in the United States.
Son of Beast was a wooden roller coaster located at Kings Island in Mason, Ohio, United States. Built and designed by the now-defunct Roller Coaster Corporation of America (RCCA), the ride opened as the tallest and fastest wooden coaster in the world on April 28, 2000. Its record-setting height of 218 feet (66 m) made it the first wooden hypercoaster – a height class of 200 feet (61 m) or more. It was also the first wooden coaster in the modern era to feature a vertical loop and reached a record-breaking maximum speed of 78 mph (126 km/h). Son of Beast was marketed and themed as a sequel to The Beast roller coaster, one of the park's signature attractions that was built in 1979.
Morey's Piers & Beachfront Waterparks is a seaside amusement park located on The Wildwoods' boardwalk in Wildwood and North Wildwood, New Jersey. The park has been family owned and operated since 1969 and was run by second generation Morey Brothers, Will and Jack. Morey's Piers has more than 100 rides and attractions across its three amusement piers and two beachfront waterparks.
Rita, formerly known as Rita: Queen of Speed, is a launched roller coaster located in the Dark Forest section of Alton Towers amusement park in Staffordshire Moorlands, England. Designed by Intamin, the Accelerator Coaster model opened to the public on 1 April 2005. It features an acceleration from 0 to 98.3 km/h (61.1 mph) in 2.5 seconds. The ride is loosely-themed to a drag racing concept, which partly changed when the section of the park transformed from "Ug Land" into the "Dark Forest" in 2010, when the ride TH13TEEN was added into that section. It is now themed as an abandoned drag racer that is used as the escape cart to escape the Dark Forest.
Adventureland Resort is a theme park in Altoona, Iowa. It is marketed as the Home of Iowa's Best Thrills.
Xcelerator is a steel launched roller coaster located at Knott's Berry Farm in Buena Park, California, United States. Manufactured by Intamin and designed by Werner Stengel, it opened in 2002 as the company's first hydraulically-launched coaster and cost $13 million to construct. Following the early demise of Windjammer Surf Racers, a dueling roller coaster that briefly operated from 1997 to 2000, Xcelerator was soon announced as its replacement. It launches to a maximum speed of 82 mph (132 km/h) in 2.3 seconds and reaches a height of 205 feet (62 m).
This is a summary of notable incidents that have taken place at various United Parks & Resorts-owned amusement parks, water parks or theme parks. This list is not intended to be a comprehensive list of every such event, but only those that have a significant impact on the parks or park operations, or are otherwise significantly newsworthy.
The following article is a summary of notable incidents at the amusement parks and water parks that are operated by Six Flags Entertainment Corporation. In some cases, these incidents occurred while the park was under different management or ownership, such as legacy Cedar Fair parks.
This is a summary of notable incidents that have taken place at various Universal-owned theme parks, amusement parks, or water parks. This list is not intended to be a comprehensive list of every such event, but only those that have a significant impact on the parks or park operations, or are otherwise significantly newsworthy.
Coney Beach Pleasure Park is a small amusement park in Porthcawl, Mid Glamorgan in Wales, in operation since 1920. Throughout its history, the park's period of operation is from end of February of each year up until 5 November. Originally built to entertain American troops returning from World War I, the park was named as a tribute to the famous New York amusement park on Coney Island.
The Smiler is a steel roller coaster located at Alton Towers in Staffordshire, United Kingdom. The Infinity Coaster model from Gerstlauer set a world record for most inversions on a roller coaster when it opened in 2013, featuring 14 inversions that include dive loops, sidewinders, corkscrews, and other inverting elements. The ride was constructed in the X-Sector area of the park and underwent an extensive advertising campaign, during which it was codenamed Secret Weapon 7 (SW7).
M&D's Scotland's Theme Park is an amusement park located in Motherwell, North Lanarkshire, Scotland. Bordering on Strathclyde Park, the park contains two operating rollercoasters, two water rides, several fairground rides, and a arcade, a theatre, Cosmic Bowl and an indoor tropical house, Amazonia.
The Battersea Park funfair disaster happened in Battersea Park, London, on 30 May 1972; five children died and thirteen others were injured when a wooden roller coaster train came off its tracks. A report on the roller coaster after the crash found 51 faults on the ride. The ride manager and engineer were subsequently tried for and acquitted of manslaughter.
This is a summary of notable incidents that have taken place at various Legoland theme parks, amusement parks, or water parks. This list is not intended to be a comprehensive list of every such event, but only those that have a significant impact on the parks or park operations, or are otherwise significantly newsworthy.
A few weeks ago, it was believed that Scorpion Express at Chessington has a minor incident and caught fire, since then the ride has remained closed. The ride vehicles have since been removed and the exposed train can be seen in the photos below.
At the end of July 2022, reports of an incident began to surface. People claimed that the ride had caught fire. ... The ride is sadly still closed.
Scorpion Express | Closed until further notice