Moreys Piers Discussion Thread

[coasterfreak101]

^I think what they mean by "re-shaped" is that they installed the new trains last year?

[terdferg]

The new trains have been on for a few years now. If you click the link in the nor' easter part of the blog post, there is a reference to some track work being done.

[ernierocker]

^Yeah, new trains were installed in 2008. You have to give the park credit for doing everything they can to make the ride more comfortable but at the end of the day, it will still be an SLC.

Edited November 16, 2011 by ernierocker

[VinTheAttendant]

What an honest report! It's great that the park cares so much about their rides. As far as I know, they are the only park I've been to that has worked tirelessly to get their SLC to not suck (when I rode it this summer, it was very bad). I love how they are upgrading Sea Dragon, I love how they are keeping Sky Scraper, and I love how the blog acknowledges its flaws rather come up with some whimsical explanation as to why they are not up to par (i.e. admitting Adventure Pier is somewhat uninspired). I think Morey's Piers is moving in the right direction and I look forward to my next visit.

[larrygator]

Glad to see Jersey Junkyard go if it paves to way for a better dark ride. I actually liked Curse of the Mummy walk through.

[beatle11]

Glad to see Jersey Junkyard go if it paves to way for a better dark ride.

 

That was cheesier than Spook-A-Rama!

 

^Yeah, new trains were installed in 2008. You have to give the park credit for doing everything they can to make the ride more comfortable but at the end of the day, it will still be an SLC.

 

Despite the new trains, the ride was brutal in August. They definitely need the maintenance. Glad to see them making improvements.

[cal1br3tto]

I kinda enjoyed Jersey Junkyard the first time I rode; perhaps my expectations were simply too low and therefore automatically exceeded. The second time, though, I saw it for what it was: short and fairly generic.

 

I did like Curse of the Mummy, though. I was properly nervous throughout the attraction and the actors got in some good scares. I might even label it underrated, although it matters little now since we have the excellent Ghost Ship.

[YoshiFan]

The new trains caused less headbanging but I noticed a rattle/vibration throughout the entire ride the entire circuit when I rode the coaster in 2008 and 2009. It was so bad that I didn't go for re-rides on either trip even though it was a 1 or 2 train wait. I hope to get there next year to try it.

 

I won't miss Jersey Junkyard. I waited almost 20 minutes for it in 2005 and couldn't believe how short the ride was and not that great. I will miss Curse of the Mummy a little but not too much. I'd like to see Morey's get an interactive dark ride at some point though.

[WFChris]

For some reason, The Los Angeles Times has added an article about the announced coaster.

 

By Brady MacDonald

Los Angeles Times staff writer

November 15, 2011, 3:22 p.m.

A $12-million pier-spanning wooden roller coaster that will dive beneath the boardwalk and race across a cantilevered bridge before navigating a series of high-speed twists and turns is expected to open in 2013 at Morey's Piers seaside amusement park on the Jersey Shore.

 

> Photos: New wooden coaster at Morey's Piers on Jersey Shore

 

The Wildwood, N.J. waterfront park describes the new coaster as an "air in your face, down and dirty Jersey Shore experience." The Morey brothers have yet to decide on a name for the new coaster: Jack likes Wildwoody while Will prefers Boardwalk Flyer.

 

The one-of-a-kind ride by Great Coasters International will top 50 mph and pull 4 Gs over 3,100 feet of track.

 

After climbing to the top of a 110-foot lift hill, riders will descend down a twisting first drop that dives beneath the Surfside Pier into a high-speed tunnel with a left-right surprise.

 

Rocketing back above the boardwalk, the Millennium Flyer-style trains will cross a pier-spanning bridge featuring a low camelback hill.

 

Inspired by the work of Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava, the cantilevered bridge will look like the main sail on a boat with guy wires descending from a central spire.

 

On Hunt's Pier, the twisting and turning coaster will take riders through a series of zero-G camelbacks and extreme banked turns before heading back across the bridge. For the finale, the train traverses a short bunny hop before plummeting into a tunnel that offers one last surprise dip.

 

The twister-style coaster joins more than 100 rides and attractions at the beachfront park, including the 1996 out-and-back Great White wooden coaster.

 

The new wooden coaster replaces two classic Morey's Piers rides, the Wipe Out giant slide on the Surfside Pier that marked the start of the seaside park and the 1960 indoor Golden Nugget mine train coaster on Hunt's Pier that was relocated to Knoebels in Pennsylvania as Black Diamond.

 

Family-run since 1969, the proudly tacky Morey's Piers has been voted one of the world's best seaside amusement parks by Amusement Today.

 

In 2010, the park added the $3-million Ghost Ship walk-through haunted maze with audio-animatronic monsters and 20 live "scareactors."

[AndrewRnR]

Take it for what you will but word around IAAPA was that the park actually expects the ride to open in 2014 and the paper jumped the gun with the date.

 

Just some food for thought. Not saying its 100%.

[cal1br3tto]

^Yeah...I had feared the article contained outdated or otherwise inaccurate information. Hopefully that's the final layout, at least. Sounds pretty creative and I'm hoping this will be towards the Prowler side of intensity for a GCI.

[chadster]

Well, International Rides Management has for sale a Condor. The pictures they have of a Condor on their website are a match for Morey's. An example of one? Doubtful.

 

Yes, I know the Album is a bit dated, however as QueerRudie pointed to me, its now listed as available IMMEDIATELY!.

 

So, couple this with all of the other rides they are dumping, and I'd say my theory of them moving stuff around to get ready for the woodie could possibly be spot on.

 

www.facebook.com/#!/media/set/?set=a.159157834098056.41185.159151417432031&type=3

looks like Morey's

Smells like Morey's

Must be Morey's!

[jedimaster1227]

 

Check out this gorgeous artist rendering of what Wipeout will look like at Ocean Oasis this summer. Who do you want to race?

[jzoole]

As awesome as the highly-detailed and realistic computer generated renderings of new attractions they make today are, there's something to be said for beautiful hand-drawn renderings like this one.

[belo777]

That looks like a really fun ride. I think it will be a good addition to Ocean Oasis'. Being at the park many times, I plan on returning back in 2012. I'll definitely be going on Wipout. Hopefully construction pictures will be posted somewhere soon.

Edited January 24, 2012 by belo777

[larrygator]

I'll defiantly be going on Wipout.

 

Occupy Morey Piers.

[palmerleeberry]

Here's to another Water Park getting another speed slider -

 

By the way, I know the secret of going very fast on those speed sliders: with your mat on the slide, only ride on the mat with your knees and elbows. You see, less contact on the surface means less friction, and less fiction means more speed. Also, being heavy doesn't hurt your speed either.

 

True Story - on one of those speed sliders, I had a very bad start and everybody else was down the first hill already by the time I finally got my mat going and - believe it or leave it! - I actually crossed the finish line first!

 

I think I said enough to move this post back on the top of the topic lists.

 

"Why don't you do me a favor and move me to your "Do first thing first" list?"

[vacoaster09]

I wonder if the GCI wooden coaster is going to be pushed back now. I would think so due to new restrictions likely to come from the wake of Sandy.

[larrygator]

Sandy did not hit Wildwood very hard. However, the wood coaster still has not been signed off on. Hopefully, the Morey family approves the coaster this summer and then it is expected to bean 18 month project.

 

http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/breaking/morey-s-pier-splash-zone-water-park-in-wildwood-planning/article_d6ac81e6-5d00-11e2-954f-001a4bcf887a.html

 

Morey's Pier, Splash Zone Water Park in Wildwood planning upgrades for summer 2013

Posted: Sunday, January 13, 2013 12:00 am

By TRUDI GILFILLIAN Staff Writer

 

WILDWOOD — Every winter, the Morey family prepares to unveil its latest attractions for summer.

 

The changes can be small, such as a new picnic area, or more substantial, such as a redesign for an existing ride.

 

Or, in some cases, they can be transforming, such as the plan for a new wooden roller coaster that will one day traverse the beach and run between two seaside piers.

 

“If we want to differentiate ourselves, then the tools to do that are larger, one-of-a-kind attractions,” said Jack Morey, vice president of Morey’s Piers.

 

This summer, plans for the pier include a complete renovation of the log flume, development of an art colony made from shipping containers, new seating and shaded areas at Mariner’s Landing Pier complete with benches that will carry QR codes for smartphone users interested in the amusement company’s history. The plans also include a “super secret” project involving software that will allow riders to keep track of just about everything they do, from the number of times they go upside down to how many rides they’ve been on.

 

The Moreys aren’t the only ones planning new attractions. Splash Zone Water Park is also planning a new attraction that spokeswoman Erin Ruppenthal said would be the largest single expenditure in its history. The nearly $2 million attraction has not yet been unveiled.

 

The company is also planning to revamp its season pass program with larger discounts for passes purchased prior to April 1, Ruppenthal said.

 

At Morey’s, many of the new ideas can be traced back to trips to places such as Disney World and New Zealand and other parts of the world, but the trick is making them for Wildwood.

 

“We’re forever trying to sculpt an environment that can really only be found in Wildwood,” Morey said.

 

And while it’s still in the planning stages, discussion can’t help but turn to plans for the new coaster, a $12 million investment that would measure 100 feet tall at its peak and stretch about 3,500 feet from start to finish between Surfside Pier and the former Hunt’s Pier.

 

“The beach crossover is definitely iconic,” Morey said. “It will be scenic to ride it and scenic to watch it.”

 

The coaster has been in the works for several years, and once word leaked that the company was planning to build the new attraction, the calls started coming.

 

How often does he hear from coaster enthusiasts about the ride? “Too often,” Morey said. “I almost wish we would have kept it secret.”

 

Plans for a new coaster began as Morey and his brother, Will, president of Morey’s Piers, talked about what they could do next.

 

Will Morey also is chairman of the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions, a volunteer position once held by Wildwood amusement icon Bill Hunt. Hunt was one of the early amusement pier operators, purchasing what was then Ocean Pier in 1935 and creating Hunt’s Pier, which featured a roller coaster and Ferris wheel, among other rides.

 

“We wanted to do something big. We were due. Then the question was, what should it be?” Jack Morey said.

 

The brothers and other company representatives regularly travel to amusement parks around the world looking at what works and what doesn’t.

 

Trips to parks in England and Spain led to the idea of a spinning coaster, but “we couldn’t make it fit right,” Jack Morey said.

 

They then turned to the wooden roller coaster, a combination of a traditional seaside attraction built with modern engineering.

 

“So we chose wood, and then we fought like dogs on how to do it,” Jack Morey said.

 

The fight led to a coaster that will move between two piers and make use of a tunnel, complete with dark spots under the pier, and the scenic views provided by the island’s expansive beach and Boardwalk.

 

“The high-thrill family ride,” Jack Morey said, “merges the past and future together.”

 

“It’ll appeal to kids who are riding a coaster for the first time. It’ll appeal to coaster aficionados, and it might be their 10,000th ride,” he added.

 

Mayor Ernie Troiano Jr. said the new coaster is bound to be a draw that sets Wildwood apart in a competitive tourism market.

 

“I think it’s real important that you’re always trying to be a leader. Anytime you can be a leader with attractions it’s important,” Troiano said.

 

Cape May County Director of Tourism Diane Wieland said new attractions in Wildwood generate excitement and visitors.

 

“It’s always good because people are looking for something new and different,” she said.

 

The name of the new attraction, however, is still on the drawing board.

 

Jack Morey offered two options, jokingly calling his brother’s suggestion the more boring one.

 

The Boardwalk Flyer is Will Morey’s idea, he said. The Wildwoody is his.

 

Great Coasters International Inc., based in Sunbury, Pa., will manufacture the ride.

 

Now, the question is when can construction begin?

 

“It is likely we will decide sometime in the middle of summer,” Jack Morey said. And once construction starts, it should take about a year and a half to build.

 

“It’s about overall confidence in the business climate as well as being satisfied that we have appropriate long-term unified plans for parking,” Jack Morey said.

 

Parking is a concern, particularly because the pier operator expects the new coaster to draw a significant number of new visitors.

 

A feasibility analysis by Economic Consulting Services anticipated an increase of 300,000 visitors to the island over a 10-year period, and those new visitors will need places to eat, shop, stay and park

[coasterbill]

Well, International Rides Management has for sale a Condor. The pictures they have of a Condor on their website are a match for Morey's. An example of one? Doubtful.

 

Yes, I know the Album is a bit dated, however as QueerRudie pointed to me, its now listed as available IMMEDIATELY!.

 

So, couple this with all of the other rides they are dumping, and I'd say my theory of them moving stuff around to get ready for the woodie could possibly be spot on.

 

www.facebook.com/#!/media/set/?set=a.159157834098056.41185.159151417432031&type=3

 

That's too bad. Maybe it's just me but I think Condor's are great and I wish there were a lot more of them. I never understood why these rides aren't more popular than they are.

[SoCalCoasters]

^It's my understanding that most HUSS attractions can be basket cases for parks, needing a great deal of maintenance and experiencing a lot of downtime.

[Rai Fox]

Hey all, question for anyone that knows this park. How bad does it get on weekends, as far as crowds? I've been wanting to get here for several years, and I'm thinking about sticking it on to the beginning of my annual cross-Pennsylvania trip this summer. If I do, though, I'll have to hit it on Saturday or Sunday, at the very end of June. I generally try to avoid going to any park on weekends in peak season if I can, but it might be the only chance I have to get here for a while, and I might just take it anyway. Good idea, not so good idea, or TOGO-standup-bad idea?

[yankeeman311]

Hey all, question for anyone that knows this park. How bad does it get on weekends, as far as crowds? I've been wanting to get here for several years, and I'm thinking about sticking it on to the beginning of my annual cross-Pennsylvania trip this summer. If I do, though, I'll have to hit it on Saturday or Sunday, at the very end of June. I generally try to avoid going to any park on weekends in peak season if I can, but it might be the only chance I have to get here for a while, and I might just take it anyway. Good idea, not so good idea, or TOGO-standup-bad idea?

 

Compared to larger parks, Morey's Piers is empty pretty much all the time. Nothing should be more than a 20-30 minute wait and that's on the busiest days so you're good.

[Rai Fox]

Hey all, question for anyone that knows this park. How bad does it get on weekends, as far as crowds? I've been wanting to get here for several years, and I'm thinking about sticking it on to the beginning of my annual cross-Pennsylvania trip this summer. If I do, though, I'll have to hit it on Saturday or Sunday, at the very end of June. I generally try to avoid going to any park on weekends in peak season if I can, but it might be the only chance I have to get here for a while, and I might just take it anyway. Good idea, not so good idea, or TOGO-standup-bad idea?

 

Compared to larger parks, Morey's Piers is empty pretty much all the time. Nothing should be more than a 20-30 minute wait and that's on the busiest days so you're good.

 

Oh, perfect! Sounds like there's no reason to pass on the chance for a few new credits, then. Thanks!

[Metsfan0618]

Hey all, question for anyone that knows this park. How bad does it get on weekends, as far as crowds? I've been wanting to get here for several years, and I'm thinking about sticking it on to the beginning of my annual cross-Pennsylvania trip this summer. If I do, though, I'll have to hit it on Saturday or Sunday, at the very end of June. I generally try to avoid going to any park on weekends in peak season if I can, but it might be the only chance I have to get here for a while, and I might just take it anyway. Good idea, not so good idea, or TOGO-standup-bad idea?

 

Compared to larger parks, Morey's Piers is empty pretty much all the time. Nothing should be more than a 20-30 minute wait and that's on the busiest days so you're good.

 

Saying this is the nicest way possible, you have no idea what you're talking about. A LOT of things are more than 30 minutes, crowds get ridiculous during the summer and even to the point where its hard to navigate some of the time. Morey's is a full scale park. I guess you've never been to Morey's during the summer, huh? Morey's is really never 'empty'...The less crowded times are April and early May but it is never in any shape or form empty.

 

If you are going to visit on a weekend during the summer and are looking to get a lot of credits, I recommend going during the day if you do not want to wait like you would at night, but still expect waiting some. Adventure Pier doesn't open until 4 normally so no credits there until 4, but the other 2 piers are open. I love the atmosphere of the piers at night myself, but like I said, it gets ridiculously crowded and you will be waiting for rides.