New Jersey water park at American Dream Mall closes after helicopter display injures four. Four people were injured when a decorative helicopter figurine came crashing down into a pool full of children inside New Jersey's American Dream mall Sunday.

The most notorious events in New Jersey water park history revolve around the original Action Park in Vernon, which earned the nicknames "Traction Park" and "Accident Park" due to its dangerous rides and lack of regulation in the 1980s. Six people famously died at the park from drowning, electrocution, and blunt force trauma. In 2026, the site operates under the name Mountain Creek Waterpark and is a modern, safe facility. However, in more recent news, DreamWorks Water Park at the American Dream Mall in East Rutherford has faced its own challenges. In February 2023, a large decorative helicopter fell from the ceiling into a pool, injuring four people. This incident led to a temporary closure and a massive safety overhaul. For 2026 visitors, both Mountain Creek and DreamWorks remain popular destinations, but the "legend of Action Park" continues to be a central part of New Jersey's cultural lore, serving as a cautionary tale for the theme park industry regarding the critical importance of safety engineering.