Moreys Piers Discussion Thread

[boldikus]

Maybe we'll get lucky and there will be a few significant changes to the layout. Like the aforementioned transition into the inline twist, and also the first two inversions. I dunno. They are capable of altering a decent amount of the coaster. Morey's has been building rides on top of/interacting with other rides for years, most notable recent addition in that style are building the new Waveswinger on Mariners up above the boards on a platform, leaving more walking space below, and now the KONG flyers up on top of a store. I think they could change up the course a little bit, even with the minimal amount of room they have to work with over/around the waterpark/Zoom Flume.

Edited February 10, 2016 by boldikus

[coasterfreak101]

Seems to me like Gerstlauer could've squeezed a pretty interesting Eurofighter layout in there - Iron Shark, anyone?

 

I'm guessing it will be the track style they used on Battlestar Galactica

I'm curious about this. The different track style could also mean different support requirements - a bulkier track could even reduce the number of supports needed and free up some room underneath the ride. (Mind you, I'm not familiar with Morey's in the least, so I have no idea if that would give them enough space for an extra ride/slide.)

[timetrial3141592]

I don't really get the hate that has engendered towards SLCs. The layout is one of the most insane devised for an invert. Shame it's ruined by the rolling stock.

[A.J.]

I'm guessing it will be the track style they used on Battlestar Galactica

I'm curious about this. The different track style could also mean different support requirements - a bulkier track could even reduce the number of supports needed and free up some room underneath the ride. (Mind you, I'm not familiar with Morey's in the least, so I have no idea if that would give them enough space for an extra ride/slide.)

If they're replacing "90 percent" of Nor'Easter's track, they can't use the new-style track like Battlestar. I would guess that they aren't going to replace the station, brake run and transfer track. This probably means that the current trains are hanging around too.

[boldikus]

Some more new news.

New attractions and updates coming to Morey’s for 2016

Gigantic golf-course, a supersized go-cart track, and updates to other favorites planned this summer

 

Updated 3 hours ago

 

WILDWOOD – Morey’s Piers will have several new attractions as well as updates for summer 2016.

 

Adventure Pier is expected to gain a new go-cart track that is four-times the size of the previous one.

 

“We’ve been working for the last 10 years on evolving the personality of that pier. We’ve done it by consolidating our extreme rides into one location,” co-owner Jack Morey said. “Adventure pier is about extreme rides, street art, and music.”

 

Morey said they’ve also made significant modifications to the Clown Maze so that it will have an “urban-escapist” theme.

 

Morey said that the pier’s Art Box will also continue to grow.

 

“I’m excited to have David Macomber back,” Morey said of the pier’s artist in residence. School of Rock will also be making a comeback, he said.

 

“All of that is part of a master plan for each pier to deliver a different product, different look and different feel,” Morey said.

 

Those who have wondered how the Sea Serpent on Mariner’s Pier works, will now get an inside peak as they wait in line for the ride.

 

“Because of all the storms over the years, we continued to move the back of the house items from under the pier to on top of the pier to protect them from storms,” Morey said. “I just think this is a cool project even though it’s not an attraction.”

 

As guests wait in line for the ride, they’ll be able to see all of the pumps, hydraulics, motors, and electronics that keeps the ride functioning.

 

Surfside Pier will also see some changes with new chef, Betsy Garr.

 

The Surfside Pier Chef previously worked at the water park before Morey’s made the move to promote her.

 

“Our goal is not to compete with the boardwalk – it’s all about getting new [food] trials,” Morey said. “For years and years, parents go to the boardwalk essentially for the kids. We don’t want that ever to change. We do want there to come a time when kids are going to the boardwalk because parents want to go too.”

 

Off the boardwalk, summer guests can look forward to a brand new, 27-hole miniature golf course.

 

The bi-level course, which will be on Rio Grande and Ocean Avenue across from the Wawa, is what Morey calls a “gateway project.”

 

“Nine holes will have an ocean theme, nine holes will have a beach theme, and [on the] second level, nine holes will have sort of a boardwalk-rooftop, golf-throwback theme.”

 

For now, the miniature golf course is nameless but Morey said the $1.2 million course will feel like it’s a “part of public space.”

 

“It will be unmistakably Wildwood and doo-wop, no question about that,” he said.

 

In September 2015, Morey’s Pier was named “Best Seaside Park” in the world by Amusement Today. The pier’s amusements and water park will open for the summer season on Memorial Day, May 30.

[Jcoaster]

I really hope this rumoured GCI finally happens at some point. That with an "improved" Nor'Eastet and Great White would be pretty sweet.

[terdferg]

The ride is about 20 years and sits next to the ocean. it goes through brutal winters and doesn't have much shelter from the elements. There was probably significant track work that needed to be done for maintenance anyways.

 

They are also making moves with rides and buildings on the pier, making room for the future woody.

[Jcoaster]

As for the woodie, I know its been a rumored GCI for forever but I think I'd prefer a gravity group. Something like Ravine Flyer II around the piers.

[boldikus]

Well, I surprised my better half for her birthday this weekend with a pair of tickets to Breakfast In The Sky. We've both been wanting to do this since they started it and I'm glad we'll get the chance this summer. Should be interesting enjoying breakfast 156feet in the air overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. If you don't know what I'm talking about.

 

Up and at 'em! Start your Jersey Shore morning right, with our exclusive and unique “Ferris Wheel Breakfast." Imagine a picnic in the sky complete with white linens and china with culinary delights created by our Executive Chef, Wally Jurusz."

More info and menu at the link I posted ^.

 

 

 

Also, for anyone planning a trip this summer, Morey's is also having their spring sale right now with tickets and wild card passes on the cheap.

[I Like Theme Parks.]

Here's a small trip report from my visit today. I was with my dad and brother in Wildwood today to do some work at our small condo in the Wildwood Crest. Mariner's Pier is the only pier open so far, but we stopped in for a half hour anyway. A lot of rides were closed, but Maelstrom (which was having technical difficulties) and Ghost Ship (which doesn't have enough staff yet) were the only major rides that were closed. But it's not the summer yet, so that's okay. There is also some maintenance work being done on some of the rides and signs. It also looks like there's some new wood on Great White, but that might just be me seeing things. I'm not sure what's going on with the Nor'Easter, and I honestly don't care. Here's what I rode:

 

Sea Serpent - I went on the 7th row, right seat (the smoothest spot on Vekoma boomerangs in my opinion). The ride's still one of the smoothest boomerangs out there, and it's really fun! The new queue line is nice, and it seems like they're working on a new sign. My brother rode the Musik Express during this time, which is actually missing the tent part right now.

 

Rip Tide - We got in the second highest row. This is definitely the best swinging ship I've done. This actually has pretty well-sustained floater air. And it ran a really long cycle. It reached its highest point at least 10 times. Nice family ride!

 

Waltzer - It was a fun tilt-a-whirl. Not the best out there, but I got some great spinning in some parts. It needs to be re-painted, though.

 

Moby Dick - It's a lot better at night, but it's still a good ride for families. It's just really fun!

 

Tea Cups - These tea cups are beautiful, and the pavilion it's under is nice. It was running a really fast program, but the cups were really hard to spin. So it ran more like a scrambler.

 

So overall, this was a short and relaxing, but fun trip. It made me a lot more excited for the real season.

[PixelRush]

So are they going to be taking suggestions on a new name and colors for Nor'Easter like Screamscape said they would? I'm really interested in that...

[boldikus]

Any fellow TPRers gonna be in Wildwood this weekend? I'd be down to meet up for some rides if anyone is around (though fair warning: Adventure Pier/The Great White/Screaming Swing/Skyscrpaer/Go-Karts/etc will be closed til mid-May). The other two piers (Surfside and Mariners - both pictured below) are open. I'll be down for Mothers Day but definitely trying to get a few rides in on something. Itching to smell the salt air, eat Macks Pizza and get my Kohr Bros custard on.

Photo from Morey's FB page.

[Steveg1988]

Long time no post, it's weird to come back.

 

From reading about the upgrades, it feels like that Vekoma may be testing out some stuff on this ride. Probably in anticipation for a next generation SLC. I predict that it will be simlar to Steel Phantom's Upgrades. Parts that are in low-stress areas will remain the same, such as the end brake run, the station, and the lift hill. New track will take over once the lift hill deposits you onto the first drop, where it switches from double tube to single tube track. I predict the layout to have most of the current one intact, except having the transitions start sooner, and go on for longer, since with newer bending technology you can have it start sooner than later. The SLC looks like it uses 1980s Arrow bending designs, which wasn't state of the art even in 1993. Since they are starting with a ride that has known variables, and a well defined "off" season, with space around it to store parts, and a customer that has always tried to keep their vekoma rides in top-notch condition....i predict this will turn out well. What other SLC Operator would swap out the cars or the revised ones? What other Boomerang Owner that isn't a major chain would swap out the cars for non arrow-style ones on a nearly 30 year old ride?

[BlahBlahson]

Just bought tickets for my 3rd consecutive year at the Wildwood Beach Ultimate tournament last weekend of July! Going to explore Ocean City pier and see the new Playland but might take a ride on the Great White and definitely hit up Fascination on the boardwalk while at Morey's.

[boldikus]

^ Don't skip the drop ride (Surfside pier across from Nor'easter and the flume). Thing is nuts.

 

Also if you're into Screaming Swings, stop by while you're at TGW. SS never has a line, its an upcharge w/ wristband, or 8 tickets. Sit on the side facing the pier (not the beach) since when you swing out backwards you swing out over the beach. Love that ride, especially on that side.

[Steveg1988]

Do they still have the under-boardwalk go-karts? i always thought that was neat.

[boldikus]

The "Formula One" track under Surfside is gone, presumably to make room for the long delayed GCI project, as its tunnel would go in that exact spot. The track on Mariners under the golf course/Ghost Ship is still there, and is better anyway. Apparently the course on Adventure Pier has been extended, we'll find out by how much in a couple weeks when that pier opens.

[I Like Theme Parks.]

So today I had a great day at the park, but a lot of the operations were horrible. Seriously, I'm so lucky that the piers were empty. I went with two friends, so I went on some rides by myself that they were too scared to go on, but we rode most of them as a group, and it was a lot of fun. But there were a lot of negatives, such as the HORRIBLE staff that they had. I don't know if we just got unlucky, but usually Morey's Piers has pretty good workers. They were slow, and weren't very helpful, and gave off a Six Flags-vibe. For example, we couldn't get on the Ghost Ship because we were sitting there with a huge crowd of people waiting for it to open, even though it was twenty minutes after the scheduled opening of it. When we left the park around 6, it still wasn't open, and none of the workers there had any idea what was going on. Another ride I couldn't get on was It. It was officially the first time I ever got rejected from a ride for being too fat. Now I'm a pretty fat guy and all, but I've lost a lot of weight since last season, but I rode it too many times to count last year. And there were fatter people on it, but for some reason I couldn't ride. The ride operator was foreign and didn't speak much English, but I'm really confused at what happened, since I'm still able to fit on many rides that many people get rejected from with no problem. Here is the list of rides with some updates:

 

Moby Dick

Sea Serpent - row 7 - it rattled a little more than usual, but no headbanging. Still one of the best boomerangs out there.

RipTide - Best traditional swinging ship out there.

Maelstrom - The ride was a bit creaky, with a lot of friction between the joints. Not one, but two lights actually flung off of the ride! I'm planning on calling the park to inform them of the light issue and fix it. It's not too serious, but just in case a GP gets hit and they report it to Fox News.

Rollie's Coaster - I don't know why they have OTSRs, but it's not that rough, so it's okay I guess.

Musik Express

Waltzer

Tea Cups - These tea cups run pretty fast, and we got them spinning very well.

Wave Swinger

Pirates of the Wildwoods - I haven't been on this ride before, but it's a cute little dark ride.

KONG - This had the most snapping I've ever gotten on a Larson flyer. And by that I mean I got a slight wobble while it was windy on top of a building.

AtmosFEAR!!!!!

Cygnus X-1

Doo Wopper

Flitzer - One of the best kiddie rides ever.

Zoom Phloom - I haven't been on this log flume before this visit, but it's one of the best log flumes I have ridden! The interaction with the SLC and water park kind of reminds me of Coal Cracker, another great flume.

Tilt-A-Whirl - By far the best tilt-a-whirl in my experience.

Rock N' Roll - Not quite as intense as the one at Quassy, but still nice.

GREAT WHITE X 5 - front, back, and many other rows - Oh my god, it is running AMAZING! I think there is some new wood and maybe even track-work done. It is even smoother than last year, and it is going faster than ever. Were there trims that they removed? This thing was flying better than it ever has. We got some great pops of airtime that were never usually there over the years. Especially on the first drop and some other parts. Still has crushing laterals. Seriously, you guys HAVE to ride Great White this season. Later in the season it may enter my top 10 wood by beating Jack Rabbit and Lightning Racer. That's pretty insane.

[boldikus]

^ It DID get new wood, and its running almost as good as brand new. If you look back a couple pages it was discussed there was pretty extensive retracking work done over the off season. It's never had trims anywhere so there were none to remove.

 

While I'm stoked about all that, I have to digress for a moment. I made the unfortunate decision to visit Wildwood over the holiday weekend, something I swore off years ago and haven't done since. I was reminded why, and that'll be the last time I do that for a very long while. I really only went to get a TGW fix since it was closed earlier this month when I was down, and also to again see my sister who was up from Georgia visiting my folks as well. Man, does it get seriously ugly on holiday weekends. I forgot about that. Just major overcrowded and thug life style crowds. Groups upon group of teens loitering with nothing to do but stand around and talk sh*t. You get this mid summer at nights at times, but this was all weekend, day or night. Ugh.

 

Luckily that never translated into long lines for rides but I was avoiding walking on the boardwalk and mostly just staying on the street and walking right on the pier. Wildwood had a pretty rough reputation for a while there, but has gotten a lot better than it was 10-15 years ago but seriously? Do yourself a favor and STAY FAR AWAY on Memorial Day, July 4th and Labor Day weekends. Horrible crowds, day and night. Friday and Saturday nights up there were downright scary at times - but not on the piers/rides, just on the boardwalk, it was strange yet kinda nice but made me fear leaving the piers late at night alone. I did feel safer on the street.

 

As far as operations, they were, from what I could tell, very shortstaffed. Not that the lines were bad, I didn't wait for anything really (15 minutes for TGW Saturday night at 10:30pm was probably the longest all weekend and it was because they were taking the blue train out of rotation) but it felt like a skeleton crew on everything all weekend, with a maintenance guy running the Screaming Swing Saturday night, and none of the internationals arriving as they always do by this time of the year. Not sure why that was, but I noticed. One other thing that stuck me was that they have yet to finish the extending of the go-karts under/next to TGW. They are doing work, but I thought it was strange they wouldn't have an upcharge like that ready to go on a holiday weekend. The construction was rather unsightly, I took a few shots.

 

Back to The Great White - I wish they had just done the whole ride and really pushed it, since its 20 this year and all - but the spots they did - the bottom of the drop up into and through the first turnaround, the 3rd turnaround (before the bunnyhops) where it REALLY needed it, and then the last turn into the brakes, all feel brand new. It really flies up the first hill and around the first turnaround. "Crushing laterals" is a good way to describe TGW, and I agree I was getting more airtime than I have in years. And they banked that last turn a little bit more so its not as brutal. Overall its definitely running faster and better than it has in years. Especially that 3rd turnaround, it was jackhammering so bad late last year, and it feels brand new butter smooth and F*CKING FLIES around that turn now, giving serious laterals and then glorious air down the first drop along the beach. If you ever wanted to ride TGW go now.

 

I was so blown away by it that I more or less spent my weekend walking back and forth between my folks (eating/drinking) and up to Adventure Pier to ride TGW and Screaming Swing (where they ops even nicknamed me by Sundays rides lol). I did take one quick lap on the Larson tower (Atmosfear) on Saturday afternoon where I noticed the soundtrack changes with each ride now, as it was different than what they played a few weeks ago. Nonetheless, it makes it harder to predict when the drop is coming.

 

I don't have a big trip report, but I did take a bunch of photos so have a look. I didn't go down on the beach so I wasn't able to get good close up shots of the new wood, but most of my boardwalk pics are of the coaster since thats all I really did up there.

I got into town late Friday but with the piers still operating until midnight, I walked up. This was my first view. As you can see they have a giant sling shot and skycoaster, I'm just here for the woodie and swings.

And I headed straight for this.

The nighttime station lighting is that weird blue fluorescent, it kinda bugs me out.

Red train was not running Friday night but I did get multiple rides on both trains throughout the weekend. Blue train rules, was running so much better/faster than the red, even heard the crew complaining to one another about how long it was taking to come back when when they were only running the red Saturday night.

Such a great night ride. If you're not familiar most of it resides on the actual beach so its tough to get up-close pictures of it from the pier.

There should be one of these at every park. And in my backyard.

I love the maintenance guy running the thing Saturday night asking if I wanted my restraint tighter. Can you actually make it looser, sir? He LOL'd. I offered him $20 to run it for 5 minutes straight which had him rolling. Apparently I need to break out the Benjamins for these dudes. There was no line. Come on dude. How much to get you to fix the light?

Oh snap I forgot to mention it was the International Kite Festival!

So on Saturday we went to the boardwalk/convention center and checked that out. Yes, those are kites.

And some of them were HUGE.

I really should have taken some shots of how crowded the boardwalk was, its been ages since I've seen it like that. Apparently the beach was bad too, I never once stepped foot on it all weekend.

Too preoccupied getting here.

And then here.

Duh.

Crane game junkies (anyone else call them "grabbing machines"? We always did growing up.)

We played a round of mini golf at "The Island", a newer course that opened off the boardwalk (@ Davis & New Jersey, in case you are wondering) a few years ago.

I am terrible at mini golf. That fact remains true. It was a nice course. I got sunburned.

On Saturday night I went back to the boardwalk but didn't take any pics. I did on Sunday afternoon though.

Running so well.

Shooting out of the tunnel up the lift. You can see the work being done on the go-karts under/next to TGW. Really weird these weren't up-and-running for such a busy weekend.

So yeah, if you've always wanted to ride a classic CCI right on the beach...

... now is the time, folks.

[djcoastermark]

Screaming Swings are the best. I too, need one in my backyard. Can't get enough of them. TGW looks great too. Never been to Morey's but we're hoping to later this summer. I love seaside parks.

[Satans Hockey]

Great white looks awesome, I gotta try to get down there. I haven't been to wildwood since I was a kid.

[Jcoaster]

Great pictures. Great White is a really fun, awesome ride.

 

Now I just wish they would add a new coaster to compliment it. Also, is there any progress on Nor'Easter?

[boldikus]

^ It's funny because I was right across from it and even rode Atmosfear facing it and didn't even notice if it was running or not. Since the whole locker/wand fiasco TGNE is dead to me lol. It always did have the best view on a first drop on any SLC ever anywhere. I am interested to see what they do to it.

 

But there was definitely no work being done, that I would have noticed, not to mention they will likely have to close at least half the waterpark (and flume) to do it since the lazy river and a handful of slides are under and intertwined with it. I'd say its a safe bet that will happen once the waterpark closes, which is usually Labor Day weekend.

 

As always, I'll be down in the off season at my folks. I'll be able to get some good updates then since you can walk along side it on the beach.

[tanthonyam]

What the hell is a fluffy, fluffy bunny filled with medicine and goo???

[boldikus]