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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.
| Previously known as Wilbert Morey, Bill Morey | |
 | |
| Location | 3501 Boardwalk, Wildwood & North Wildwood, New Jersey, U.S. |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 38°59′08″N 74°48′34″W / 38.98557°N 74.80932°W |
| Status | Operating |
| Opened | 1969 |
| Owner | Wilbert Morey II |
| Slogan | America's Boardwalk |
| Operating season | April – October (rides and piers) May – September (waterparks) |
| Website | www |
Description
edit
Surfside Pier
editSurfside Pier is located at 25th Avenue, in North Wildwood. It was the first of the three piers, opening in 1969 with a giant fiberglass slide that cost 25 cents to ride. The slide was closed at the end of the 2010 season and refurbished as a waterslide at the pier's water park, Ocean Oasis. Surfside Pier includes the Zoom Phloom, AtmosFEAR, The Great Nor'easter, and Runaway Tram.
Mariner's Pier
edit
Mariner's Pier, located at Schellenger Avenue in Wildwood, is like a traditional amusement park, with classics like the Super Scooters, Teacups, Musik Express, Ignis Fatuus, Sea Serpent and the Giant Wheel, a 156-foot (47.5 m) tall Ferris wheel built by Vekoma, which opened in 1985.[1] In the early mornings of the summer, breakfast can be eaten on the wheel.[2][3] In June 2011, 11-year-old Abiah Jones died after falling from the Giant Wheel. Since then, a "no single riders" policy was created for when guests ride the ferris wheel to ensure the safety of the guests.
Adventure Pier
editAdventure Pier, located at Spencer Avenue, includes Grand Prix Raceway and the famous wooden coaster The Great White, the Skyscraper ride, a The Spring Shot ride, a Screamin' Swing, a Skycoaster, a maze, helicopter tours, and various shops and eateries.
Ocean Oasis Water Park + Beach Club
editOcean Oasis Water Park + Beach Club is on the beach behind Surfside Pier. It includes water slides, a lazy river, a hot tub with bar access and a kids area.
Raging Waters Water Park
editBehind Mariner's Landing is Raging Waters Water Park. It includes two unique kiddie play areas at Shipwreck Shoals and Camp KidTastrophe along with speed slides, a lazy river, Shotgun Falls and an activity pool full of challenges.
History
editSurfside Pier
editIn 1969, Bill and Will Morey Sr. purchased two lots of boardwalk in North Wildwood at 25th and 26th streets. They called it Morey's Pier and opened that summer with a giant fiberglass slide called the Wipe Out. Guests paid 25 cents to slide down the ride in burlap sacks. Sometime in the mid-2000s, what was referred to as Morey's Pier was rebranded Surfside Pier by management and continues to go by that name to this day.
Mariner’s Pier
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The Moreys extended their operation in 1976 when they purchased Marine Pier and renamed it Mariner's Landing. At the time of purchase, the pier was fire-damaged and seven of the existing 12 rides on the pier had to be thrown away. However, the pier kept growing. In 1984, the Moreys purchased the Sea Serpent roller coaster. The late-2010s brought new attractions to the pier, such as a permanent biergarten, a new family friendly rollercoaster called “The Wild Whizzer” and the renaming of Mariner's Landing to Mariner's Pier. The new branding is now being used by Morey's Pier Management.
Raging Waters and Ocean Oasis Waterparks
editIn 1985, waterslides were installed on Mariner's Landing and called Raging Waters waterpark. The project was masterminded by designer and architect Fred Langford. A second Raging Waters was built on Surfside Pier in 1988. This park was overhauled and relaunched as Ocean Oasis Water Park & Beach Club in 2006 and features Bonsai Beach, Endless River and various new waterslides.
Adventure Pier
editFun Pier was purchased and renamed Wild Wheels. The Morey's described it as an "interactive amusement center" with active participation by customers. This pier became home to The Great White, the Skyscraper ride, a The Spring Shot ride, a Screamin' Swing, a Skycoaster, a maze, batting cages, and the Grand Prix Raceway. In 2006/2007, in conjunction with the new Surfside Pier branding at 26th Avenue, Wild Wheels became Adventure Pier. In 2012, the Skyscraper was relocated to the pier from the old Hunt's Pier, replacing two rides. The pier began removing smaller rides off the pier around this time as well, such as the Snake Slide, Apache Helicopters and a Carousel. In 2016, the Chambers of Checkers Maze was moved and rebranded to make way for a larger Grand Prix Raceway that will now occupy most of the back pier. In 2020, Morey's announced a gateway project that includes the removal of boat tag, the existing Kohr Brothers' custard stand, and the old "SkyRide" station. In the place of these structures, multiple recycled shipping containers will be retrofitted and home to multiple new eating establishments, including a Curley's Fries and a new Kohr Brothers building. No dates were given, but it is expected to be completed in 2021 or 2022.
The Old Hunt's Pier
editHunt's Pier was also eventually purchased for more rides and attractions. Hunt's Pier went defunct in 1990 and became Conko's Party Pier in 1991, Ocean Pier in 1993–1994, and was leased by the Catanosos in 1995 and called Atlantic Pier with kiddie rides on the front and the rest of the pier closed off with a white wall, and 1996–1998 Dinosaur Beach with the Golden Nugget Mine Rescue, Long Neck River Log Flume, and Raptor Rapids as the three surviving rides from Hunt's Pier to be reused for Dinosaur Beach. Dinosaur Beach permanently closed September 1998 and was then used for maintenance, storage, and tram-car parking with go-kart rides. The Golden Nugget remained on Hunt's Pier until 2009, when it was relocated to Knoebels Amusement Resort and reopened as the Black Diamond. As of 2021, no announcements have been made to add any attractions, and the pier is instead home to various shopping and eating establishments, a maintenance and storage facility, and a "Ripley's Believe It or Not!"-themed mirror maze.
Rides and attractions
editSurfside Pier
edit| Name | Opened | Manufacturer | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AtmosFear | 2005 | Larson | Drop Tower | |
| Balloon Race | unknown | Zamperla | Balloon Race | |
| Carousel | unknown | Bertazzon | ||
| Convoy | 2018
Unknown (Mariner's Landing) |
Formerly located at Mariner's Landing. | ||
| Cycle Jump | unknown | |||
| Cygnus X-1 | 2008 | Wisdom Ind. | Gravitron | |
| Dante's Dungeon | 2005 (as Dante's Dungeon)
1981 (as Dante's Inferno) |
Bertazzon
Anton Schwarzkopf |
Dark Ride | Originally known as Dante's Inferno |
| Doo Wopper | 2005
1998 (Adventure Pier) |
Zamperla | Zig Zag Coaster | Relocated to Surfside Pier & Replaced by Screamin’ Swing at Adventure Pier in 2005 |
| The Great Nor'easter | 1995 | Vekoma | SLC | Re-tracked 2016–2017 |
| It | 2011 | KMG | Afterburner/Fire Ball | Replaced Wipeout |
| Jump Around | 2005 | Zamperla | Jump Around | |
| Happy Feet | 2012 | Zamperla | Happy Swing | |
| Hotwizer | unknown | Bertazzon | ||
| Kang'A Bounce | 2012 | Zamperla | Replaced Condor, Replaced By Kong in 2015, before returning & Replaced SkyCoaster (Surfside Pier) in 2016 | |
| Kiddie Boats | unknown | Bertazzon | ||
| Kong | 2015 | Larson | Flying Scooters | Revival of the 1970s ride of the same name, Replaced Kang’A Bounce until its return in 2016 |
| Magic Bikes | 2008 | Zamperla | Magic Bikes | |
| Rock and Roll | 2001 | Bertazzon | ||
| Rockin' Tug | 2004 | Zamperla | Rockin' Tug | |
| Runaway Tram | 2019 | Zierer | Force | Replaced the Flitzer |
| Tilt-A-Whirl | unknown | Sellner | ||
| Tiny Tea Party | unknown | S&W Amusements | ||
| Wacky Whip | unknown | Zamperla | Speedway | Formerly located at Adventure Pier |
| Zoom Phloom | 1985 | Hopkins Rides | Log Plume | No Single Riders. (Since 2010) |
Mariner's Landing
edit| Name | Opened | Manufacturer | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airplanes | unknown | Zamperla | Mini Jet | |
| Baby Venice | unknown | SBF Visa Group | ||
| Flying Galleons | 1997 | Zamperla | Suspension Monorail | |
| Balloon Race | unknown | Zamperla | Balloon Wheel | |
| Carousel | unknown | Bertazzon | ||
| Crazy Bus | unknown | Zamperla | Crazy Bus | |
| Giant Wheel | 1985 | Vekoma | No Single Riders (Since 2011). | |
| Ghost Ship | 2010 | Morey's Piers | Walkthrough | |
| Henekee | unknown | Henekee | ||
| Kiddie Swings | unknown | Bertazzon | ||
| Kite Flyer | 2002 | Zamperla | Kite Flyer | |
| Mini Scooters | unknown | Bertazzon | ||
| Moby Dick | 2000 | Wisdom Ind. | Genesis | |
| Musik Express | unknown | Bertazzon | Musik Express | |
| Pirates of the Wildwoods | 2004
1992 (as Dark River) |
Reverchon Ind. | Dark Ride | Formerly Dark River |
| Pink Elephants | unknown | Venture Rides | ||
| Riptide | 2012 | Chance Rides | Pirate Ship/Pharaoh's Fury | Replaced Sea Dragon |
| Rollie's Coaster | 1999 | Pinfari | Zyklon | |
| Sea Serpent | 1984 | Vekoma | Boomerang | The first Vekoma Boomerang in the United States |
| Seagull Cycles | 1997 | Zamperla | ||
| Sunny's Lookout Lighthouse | 2005 | Heege | ||
| Super Scooters | 2009 | Bertazzon | Bumper Cars | |
| Tea Cups | unknown | MACK Rides | TeaCup Ride | |
| Waltzer | unknown | Empire Amusements | ||
| Wave Swinger | 2014 | Zierer | Wave Swinger | |
| Wild Whizzer | 2018 | SBF Visa Group | Spinning Coaster |
Adventure Pier
edit| Name | Opened | Manufacturer | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Prix Raceway | 1993 | Creative Karts | Go-Karts | |
| Great White | 1996 | Custom Coasters Inc. | Wooden Coaster | |
| Screamin' Swing | 2005 | S&S Power | Screamin' Swing | |
| SkyCoaster | 1994 | Skycoaster Inc. | Skycoaster | |
| Skyscraper | 2012
2000 (Surfside Pier) |
Gravity Works | Booster Ride | It was operating at the Old Hunt's Pier (labeled a Surfside Pier ride), Relocated to Adventure Pier & Replaced Curse of the Mummy 3D & Jersey Junkyard in 2012 |
| Spring Shot | 2002 | Funtime | Slingshot | No Single Riders (Since 2022) |
Former rides
edit| Name | Opened | Closed | Manufacturer | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Breakdance | 1985 | 2005 | Huss | Breakdance | |
| Carousel (Adventure Pier) | 1996 | 2015 | Chance Rides | 28-Foot Carousel | |
| Castle Dracula | 1977 | 2002 | Nickels | Walkthrough | Destroyed by fire |
| City Jet | 1975 | 1984 | Schwarzkopf | City Jet | Destroyed by fire |
| Condor | 1988 | 2011 | Huss | Condor | Replaced by Kang’A Bounce in 2012 |
| Curse of the Mummy 3D | 2000 | 2011 | replaced by Skyscraper | ||
| Can Am Raceway | 1993 | 2018 | Creative Karts | ||
| Dante's Inferno | 1981 | 2005 | Bertazzon
Anton Schwarzkopf |
Dark Ride | Renovated into Dante's Dungeon |
| Dark River | 1992 | 2003 | Reverchon | Dark Ride | Replaced by the Pirates of Wildwood |
| Enterprise | 1977 | unknown | |||
| Fireball Express | 2002 | 2004 | Replaced by Sea Dragon | ||
| Flitzer | 1983 | 2018 | Zierer | Flitzer | Replaced by Runaway Tram |
| Gravitron | 1983 | 2007 | Wisdom Ind. | Gravitron | The first Gravitron ride ever built, replaced by Cygnus X-1 |
| Haunted House | 1972 | 1984 | Jim DeMusz/Fred Mahana | Walkthrough | |
| In Concert | 1975 | unknown | |||
| Inverter | 2000 | 2009 | Chance Rides | Inverter | |
| Jersey Junkyard | 1996 | 2011 | Hollingsworth | Dark Ride | replaced by Skyscraper |
| Jet Star | 1973 | 1999 | Schwarzkopf | Jet Star | |
| Jumbo Jet | 1975 | 1987 | Schwarzkopf | Jet Star 3 | |
| Katapult | 1985 | late 1980's | Schwarzkopf | Katapult | |
| King Kong | 1971 | 1980 | |||
| Luna's Lost Labyrinth | 2016 | 2021 | Minotaur Adventures | ||
| Maelstrom | 2000 | 2018 | KMG | Spin Out | Replaced by a basketball game |
| Petersburg Schlittenfahrt | 1985 | unknown | |||
| Poseidon Adventure | 1974 | unknown | |||
| RC-48 | 2000 | 2004 | Pinfari | RC48 | Sold to Wade Shows |
| Sea Dragon | 2005 | 2011 | Pirate Ship | Replaced by Riptide following a 2011 incident where the mast broke off | |
| Seal Flume | 1990 | 2008 | Zamperla | North Pole | Destroyed in the 2008 Mariner's Landing fire |
| Shark Bite (Surfside Pier) | 1999 | 2018 | Zamperla | Pounce and Bounce | |
| Shark Bite (Adventure Pier) | unknown | 2013 | S&S Power | ||
| Sky Ride | 1997 | 2011 | Chairlift (3-CLF) | ||
| SkyCoaster (Surfside Pier) | unknown | 2015 | Skycoaster Inc. | Skycoaster | Replaced by the Kang'A Bounce in 2016 |
| Star Trek: Journey to the Planet of the Apes | 1975 | unknown | |||
| The Storm | 1999 | unknown | Moser | Super Loop on Top | |
| Tilt-A-Whirl (Adventure Pier) | unknown | 2011 | Sellner | ||
| Tornado | unknown | 2016 | Wisdom Ind. | Tornado | replaced by Luna's Lost Labyrinth |
| Wave Swinger (Original) | 1977 | 2013 | Replaced by an upgraded version of the same ride in 2014 | ||
| Wipeout | 1969 | 2010 | Mat Slides | Refurbished as a water slide and relocated to the water park, Replaced by It | |
| Zipper | 1970 | unknown | Chance Rides | Zipper | |
| Zyclone | 1988 | 1989 | Pinfari | Zyklon | |
| Zyklon | 1967-1969 | 1999 | Pinfari | Zyklon | Replaced by Rollie's Coaster |
| Wild Mouse | 1957 | 1966-1968 | B.A. Schiff & Associates | Wild Mouse | |
| Boat Tag | unknown | 2022 | Unknown | Boat Tag | Replaced by Curley's Fries & various other stands; sold to Malacari's Produce & Deli |
| East Coast Helicopter Tours | 2014 | 2019 | |||
| Hangry Seagull | unknown | S&S - Sansei Technologies | Frog Hopper | Formerly Jack in The Box |
Refurbishments
editIn the 2004–2005 winter the Flitzer was taken down to be refurbished. They also changed the theme of the ride from space themed to surf themed. The ride was also moved when the RC-48 was removed from the pier. The Doo Wopper and the Flitzer was put in place of the RC-48.
Other Flitzer coasters
editAmong several other installations of the Flitzer roller coaster, two existed at Playland's Castaway Cove in Ocean City and Jenkinson's Boardwalk in Point Pleasant Beach. Playland's Flitzer was initially sold to Deggeller Attractions but was later scrapped, and Jenkinson's Flitzer has been relocated to Jolly Roger Amusement Park in Ocean City, Maryland under the name Barracuda.[4] As of 2021, the only other permanent Flitzer model left in operation (in addition to Barracuda) worldwide is Speed Track at Rand Show in Johannesburg, South Africa.[5] Other surviving Flitzer models also operate in traveling fairs, including Racing and Indy Racer Coaster (Reithoffer Shows).
Cancelled rides
edit| Name | Intended Opening Date | Manufacturer | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boardwalk Flyer | 2013 | Great Coasters International | Wooden Coaster | Would have crossed between Surfside Pier and the former Hunt's Pier. |
Incidents
editThe Great Nor'easter
editIn August 1995, a 36-year-old employee, Dallas White, was picking up trash in a fenced area beneath the ride and was struck in the head by a passenger's foot and killed. Shortly after this accident, Morey's Piers employed a new restricted section which prevents anyone underneath the ride while it is in motion.[6]
Sea Serpent
editIn June 1998, the Sea Serpent roller coaster suffered its first ever accident, injuring 14 of the 23 riders on board, some of whom were stranded upside down. According to Will Morey, chief executive officer of the Morey Organization, the accident was thought to have been due to a wheel coming off a rear axle, causing the coaster train to jerk to a stop midway through the ride, as it was looping backwards.[7]
Giant Wheel
editOn Friday June 3, 2011, 11-year-old Abiah Jones, a student at PleasanTech Academy Charter School in Pleasantville, New Jersey, died after falling between 100 and 150 feet from the Giant Wheel. She fell at about 12:30 p.m. and was pronounced dead at 1:14 p.m. at the Cape Regional Medical Center.[8]
Her parents, Twanda and Byron Jones, subsequently filed a lawsuit against the ride's operator.[9]
Investigators were unable to determine how the girl, who was riding alone, got out of the gondola. A report by the state Department of Community Affairs found the ride's restraints to be working properly and suggested that to get out of the car, a passenger probably would have had to stand. The report recommended that children be forbidden from riding the Ferris wheel alone.[9]
SpringShot
editIn July 2021, a 13-year-old girl from Weatherly, Pennsylvania, was struck in the face by a seagull during the ride, but was not injured.[10]
Sea Dragon
editOn August 20, 2011, five people were injured as a result of the center mast on the Sea Dragon breaking. One person was sent to the hospital with non life-threatening injuries, while four others had minor injuries that were treated at the scene of the accident. The spokeswoman for Morey's Piers and Beachfront Waterparks did not answer questions from the media regarding the incident.[11]
For the 2012 season, the Sea Dragon has been replaced with a newer model of the same ride called Riptide.[12]
Zoom Phloom
editOn July 2, 2010, a child was severely injured on the ride when he had a seizure, which caused him to strike his head on the car he was riding in, making him completely unconscious. Shortly after, the Morey's Piers management forbade guests to ride Zoom Phloom alone.[13]
Bomb Threat
editOn June 6th 2021 at 7:40 PM, a bomb threat was delivered to Wildwood Police Department via 9-1-1 call targeting all three Morey’s amusement piers. A mass evacuation was ordered and a major emergency response followed, among the agencies and resources to respond were the Federal Bureau of Investigation, K-9 units from Atlantic, Cape May, and Cumberland Counties, Atlantic City Police Department Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit, and the Cape May County Department of Health Hazardous Materials/CBRNE Team. A meticulous search was conducted and finished at 12:30AM June 7th 2021 with no explosives or Weapons of Mass Destruction found. Business promptly resumed the next day with no enhanced security or preparedness measures. Multiple other venues across Southern New Jersey including Jenkinsons Boardwalk in Point Pleasent reported similar bomb threats during that week. Story link.
References
edit- ^ Degener, Richard; Good, Dan (June 5, 2011). "Ride experts call 11-year-old Pleasantville girl's fatal fall from Wildwood's Morey's Pier Ferris wheel a freak occurrence". Retrieved May 18, 2017.
- ^ "Eat · Morey's Piers & Beachfront Water Parks". www.moreyspiers.com. Retrieved May 18, 2017.
- ^ Breakfast in the sky offered on Wildwood Ferris wheel
- ^ "Barracuda - Jolly Roger Amusement Park (Ocean City, Maryland, United States)".
- ^ "Roller Coaster Search Results".
- ^ "Archives - Philly.com". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on August 6, 2014. Retrieved May 18, 2017.
- ^ Urgo, Jacqueline L. (June 30, 1998). "Investigators Seek Cause Of Ride Mishap It Was The Wildwood Attraction's First Accident. It Will Stay Closed Until Officials Finish Their Work". Philly.com. Interstate General Media. Archived from the original on April 27, 2014.
- ^ "Wildwood Ferris wheel accident kills girl from Pleasantville". Retrieved May 18, 2017.
- ^ a b "Parents of N.J. girl who died on Ferris wheel sue ride's operator". Retrieved May 18, 2017.
- ^ "Seagull hits teen in face while on SpringShot ride in Wildwood, NJ".
- ^ "5 hurt after NJ amusement park ride collapses". Retrieved May 18, 2017.
- ^ /humans.txt. "Media Relations · Morey's Piers & Beachfront Water Parks". www.moreyspiers.com. Retrieved May 18, 2017.
- ^ "UPDATE: Child Injured on Log Flume Ride in North Wildwood". Cape May County Herald. Retrieved August 2, 2018.
Further reading
edit- Wright, Jack (2009). A wild ride: the story of Morey's Piers, Planet Earth's greatest seaside amusement park. Cape May, N.J: Exit Zero Publishing. ISBN 978-0-9799051-5-5. OCLC 430841404.
External links
edit