Castaway Cove, Gillian's & Steel Pier 6/20/08 (Day 7)

Not sure I have much to share for today, but in the name of pressing on to completion...

Today we hit Playland's Castaway Cove, Gillian's Wonderland Pier and Steel Pier. We left our hotel a little before noon and headed south for Ocean City, NJ.

- Castaway Cove didn't open until 5pm (!?) but I was still able to walk around and get photos. Looked like a cool little place. Not sure why they opened late. Especially on a Friday. Wish I'd have gotten the easy credits. (it would've been the third Flitzer in three days)

- Made our way four blocks north to Gillian's and found it hopping. All those people that couldn't ride at Castaway Cove were here. Good sense on the part of the folks at Gillian's. May they reap the rewards.

- Just rode the Runaway Train at Gillian's. Short but different. A quick glance at RCDB tell me it's an L&T Systems Compact Coaster 36 x 18 with final spiral curve and that there's two of these things operating and the other one's in Vietnam. No wonder it seemed like nothing I've seen or ridden before. That final spiral curve really made me dizzy...for real.

- It wasn't until a few moments ago that I realized I forgot to get pics of the two other coasters at Gillian's. D'oh!

- Three kinds of people go to Atlantic City:

• Old ladies who smoke a lot
• People who arrive on a bus
• Guys who've clearly been up for three straight days pacing in front of the casino while chain smoking and frantically talking to their buddy on a cell phone wondering what's taking so long to score another eightball.

- Steel Pier was a Photo & Go stop. The mouse coaster was 9 tickets and each ticket was 75 cents. Do the math for four.

- It was also full of game vendors doing a hard sell to everyone walking by and nothing turns me off more.

- Atlantic City is really a dump. Save your extra pennies and catch a cheap flight to Vegas.

- As we passed each street, I annoyed my family by reminding them what color it was on the Monopoly board.

- We got to our hotel pretty early and are just around the corner from the Echelon Mall so I wanted to stop by and see if Krazy City had opened because the mall's website says opening May 2008. (Krazy City's just says "oening soon") Turns out they're not even close from what I could tell. The sign in the mall says late summer.

- My hands are remarkably similar to Johnny Carson's in both shape and size.

The trip ends tomorrow with a short stop at Clementon and a long drive home.

Thanks for the advice Gonch, I've always heard so many mixed reviews about AC, but most point in the same direction as yours. If I ever were in NJ, it would be for SFGAdv and Clementon, (I've always heard pretty good things about it!).

Did it say anything about if they would get a family coaster at Krazy City? Just curious, we didn't get one here at the Cincinnati location, but there are some pretty cool flats.

I live on a little island connected to the Marina District of Atlantic City. The Boardwalk and casinos on the BW are without a doubt seedy as can be. However, the Borgata, Water Club and Harrah's over by me are really beautiful and close to a "Vegas" experience. I don't bother with the rest of AC except Steel Pier which is dumpy also but my son loves the Spinning Mouse coaster. We buy a couple BOGO ticket books at the beginning of the season, otherwise its too expensive.

Keep in mind Clementon Park is a dump as well. It's just that, thanks to the waterpark and coaster, it is a fun dump. Also, you can bring a bag of charcoal and a cooler full of food and drinks in the park so you're not wasting money on crappy food.

Too bad Playland was closed I always enjoy it there. The Runaway Train at Gillian's is quite unique. I wish they would let you ride twice though for the five tickets. It's too short otherwise.

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Lord Gonchar said:
Guys who've clearly been up for three straight days pacing in front of the casino while chain smoking and frantically talking to their buddy on a cell phone wondering what's taking so long to score another eightball.

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So... a lot of pool players is what you're saying?

If you think AC is a dump now, you should have seen it about 5 years ago. Ive lived in South Jersey all my life and growing up, we never went there for anything. Ocean City for the beach, Wildwood for the boardwalk. AC really has come a long way in a short time and its only gonna get better( only one way to go). There are 3 new mega casinos on the horizon and The Walk (shopping) just completed its 3rd phase. Not to mention The Pier @ Ceasars and The Quarter at Tropicana. I agree its rough around the edges, but its really improving at a fast rate.

Despite living at the shore for a lot of the summer for the past 8 season I don't have any Steel Pier credits. The price and more importantly the safety (they have had a few accidents over the years) have stopped me from getting on any rides there.

Tivoli Pier inside Tropicana used to be a nicer park but it closed around 10 years ago (it had a dark ride, bumper cars, Zierer Shoot The Chutes coaster, simulator, ferris wheel), and I agree about Atlantic City. The casinos are nice but go a few blocks away and it is horrible but as the above poster said, it is changing to be somewhat nicer.

Other than riding the coasters at Playland for the credits, you didn't miss much. Python is horribly rough (and I got a cut in my knee from riding in the front), Flitzer is over braked and Sea Serpent is just a kiddie coaster. The Double Shot is the only decent ride there. *** Edited 6/22/2008 3:39:16 PM UTC by YoshiFan***

Gonch, most of those old ladies who smoke a lot arrive on buses. So does that count as one or two types of people?

I heard a report recently that the AC casinos are drawing fewer people partly because of the slot parlors recently built in PA. Plus, thanks to our legislature "partial" smoking ban, those old ladies arriving on buses can still light up inside the casinos. :)