Morey's Piers

Morey's Piers & Beachfront Waterparks
Slogan America's Boardwalk
Location Wildwood & North Wildwood, New Jersey, U.S.
Coordinates 38°59′08″N 74°48′34″W / 38.98557°N 74.80932°W / 38.98557; -74.80932Coordinates: 38°59′08″N 74°48′34″W / 38.98557°N 74.80932°W / 38.98557; -74.80932
Owner Wilbert Morey II, Jack Morey
Opened 1969
Previous names Wilbert Morey, Bill Morey
Operating season April – October
Website www.moreyspiers.com

Morey’s Piers & Beachfront Waterparks is a classic 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 is currently run by 2nd generation Morey Brothers, Will and Jack. Morey’s Piers has over 100 rides and attractions. It includes three amusement piers and two beachfront waterparks.

Overview

Surfside Pier

Surfside Pier is located at 25th Street 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. Surfside Pier includes the Zoom Phloom, Fly – The Great Nor'easter and Flitzer.

Mariner's Landing

Giant Wheel
Giant Wheel at night

Mariner's Landing, located at Schellenger Avenue in Wildwood, is like a traditional amusement park, with classics like the Super Scooters, Teacups, Musik Express, 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] 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

Adventure Pier, located at Spencer Avenue, includes Grand Prix Raceway and the wooden coaster The Great White, the Skyscraper ride, a The Spring Shot ride, a Screamin' Swing, a Skycoaster, a maze, a Sky Ride, a Scrambler (ride), a boat tag game, batting cages, a Carousel and other kiddie rides.

Ocean Oasis Water Park + Beach Club

Ocean 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

Behind Mariner’s Landing is Raging Waters Water Park. It is inspired by shipwrecks. 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

Surfside Pier

In 1969, Bill and Will Morey Sr. purchased two lots of boardwalk in North Wildwood at 25th and 26th streets. They called it Surfside 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.

Mariner's Landing

Giant Wheel at night

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.

Raging Waters and Ocean Oasis Waterparks

In 1985, waterslides were installed on Mariner’s Landing and called Raging Waters waterpark. The waterpark opened a day early due to the ocean pollution. 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 a different version of Rocket Raft Run and various new waterslides.

Adventure Pier

Fun pier was purchased and renamed Wild Wheels. The Morey's described it as an "interactive amusement center" with active participation by customers. This pier was later relaunched as Adventure Pier and became home to The Great White, the Skyscraper ride, a The Spring Shot ride, a Screamin' Swing, a Skycoaster, a maze, a Sky Ride, a Tornado (ride), a Scrambler (ride), a boat tag game, batting cages, Grand Prix Raceway, a Carousel and other kiddie rides.

The Old Hunt's Pier

Hunt's Pier was also eventually purchased for more rides and attractions. Hunt's Pier went defunct in 1990 and was then used for maintenance, storage, and tram-car parking. The Golden Nugget remained on Hunt's Pier until 2008 when it was purchased by Knoebels' Amusement Resort and restored in their park as the Black Diamond. Plans are currently in the works for a new wooden coaster that will begin on Surfside Pier, plunge under the boardwalk, travel across the beach via suspension bridge and twist throughout Hunt's Pier before returning to Surfside Pier over the bridge.

Incidents

The Great Nor'easter

In August 1995, a 36-year-old employee 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 rides while it's in motion.[3]

Sea Serpent

In 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.[4]

Giant Wheel

On 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.[5]

Her parents, Twanda and Byron Jones, subsequently filed a lawsuit against the ride's operator.[6]

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.[6]

Sea Dragon

On 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.[7]

For the 2012 season, the Sea Dragon has been replaced with a newer model of the same ride called Riptide.[8]

References

  1. ↑ Ride experts call 11-year-old Pleasantville girl's fatal fall from Wildwood's Morey's Pier Ferris wheel a freak occurrence
  2. ↑ Morey's Piers & Beachfront Waterparks - Breakfast in the Sky
  3. ↑ Employee killed in freak accident
  4. ↑ 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.
  5. ↑ Wildwood Ferris wheel accident kills girl from Pleasantville
  6. 1 2 Parents of N.J. girl who died on Ferris wheel sue ride's operator
  7. ↑ http://abc7ny.com/archive/8317665/
  8. ↑ http://www.moreyspiers.com/media-relations/press/whats-new-this-year-at-moreys-piers
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