Jersey Coasters

I saw a list over the weekend of all the operating roller coasters in my home state of New Jersey. I was pretty stunned to discover I've been on only about half of 'em. The reason is simple, but the numbers still surprised me. The reason is that most of the ones I HAVEN'T been on are on the Atlantic Ocean amusement piers in cities like Seaside, Long Beach Island, and Keansburg. I can't usually plan ahead to take a day off during the week to go there, but in general, that's the only time they do POP, if at all. If you go on a weekend or when there's no POP, you'll pay around 5-6 bucks PER RIDE on an individual ticket basis. Cyclone at 8 bucks? Yeah, because I've made a special trip over to Coney. But 5-6 dollars for a Mouse or junior coaster just to get the "credit?" I'd have to be in a pretty good financial position, and I unfortunately am not.

Casino Pier on Seaside Heights has POP all the time during the regular season from 9am-7pm for $30 AND they have a lot of great rides on top of their 3 coasters (Stillwalk Manor, Enterprise, Rock-o-plane, Disko, flume, Dentzel/Loof Carousel). You'll have to shell out for tickets on the Funtown pier for their 3 credits but you can save if you buy them online in advance. (and don't forget to get the Salt Water Taffy and visit Flashback arcade!)

I wouldn't go to Keansburg without calling first to make sure the coaster is operating. It's down a lot.

Between December and Easter just about all the piers in some capacity sell discounted individual tickets, at 30-50% off. You could grab a bunch then, and make a pier-hopper trip on Saturday in June.

The hardest coaster to get is the Dragon Coaster (?) at Fantasy Island in Long Beach Island. Its one road in and out. Potentially some traffic issues there.

^IIRC, that Dragon is powered...for those that care. I was on LBI for family stuff anyway, and happened to pass by it - very small park, I doubt anyone "sane" would go just for that ride. ;)

I usually go to LBI and Fantasy Island a couple times a summer with my family, not for the coaster (I got that coaster credit when I was a kid anyway) but for the awesome arcade and usually go out to dinner after that. The pricing is horrible, even the kiddie rides are $2.25 - $3.00. The Dragon Coaster is $3.75. The biggest shocker is the carousel, $3.75 there yet Gillian's in Ocean City is $0.66 (1 ticket)

That's also 1 reason I don't have either credit at Steel Pier, the cost to ride the Crazy Mouse and kiddie coaster would be over $10 total (the other reason being I don't trust the safety so much).

For Morey's, I always try to go on a Tuesday in the summer for the $20 wristband deal from 12 - 6. Considering 1 ride on the SLC, Boomerang or Great White is around $6 - $7 in tickets, it is a great deal.

Eventually I am going to Seaside Heights and get the credits there, but it's hard to go there just for that when none of the coasters seem that great. I know the same could be said about Ocean City but since I am there a few times a summer anyway it wasn't a problem to ride all the coasters there (except for the Miner Mike)

I've been to Atlantic City multiple times, but still haven't ridden the Steel Pier coasters. I always seem to go during the winter or just before it opens in the spring. No big deal though, as I prefer to spend my time (and money) at the craps tables. :) That, and I don't really care for spinning mice all that much.

I have been confused about how many parks and how many coasters are on the Jersey shore all my life. I'm afraid that when I do take a trip there, I will miss a park.

It's in my future plans though.

The day we visited Seaside and Casino Seaside had a POP for ten bucks durring a noon to four, The coasters were unlimited (Two really unique) and it included one ride on the S&S shot tower and one go kart track.

Casino on the other had was Expensive as hell. but the one Miler and Haunted house are well worth a ride. We rode em all cause we were there.

Moreys is affordable and the food on the strip is too There is so much competition for the buck, Some of the off pier attractions are PPR..

Chuck

LostKause... The shore parks are definitely spread out. The piers in Wildwood and Seaside Heights are the best (in my opinion) with Ocean City coming in close behind. Never been to Atlantic City's Steel Pier. I'd venture to say that you could get Ocean City and Wildwood's parks in the same day (end with Wildwood), or get Wildwood by itself and get Ocean City and Atlantic City together. The rest can be done in 1 day. Parking is a beast in Seaside Heights (my old neighborhood), but if you park between the 2 piers at a metered lot, you can stop and feed the meter again while on your way from your first pier to the other. Don't pay for an all day spot unless you really want to spend the day. I haven't been to Point Pleasant in a few years, they had a powered Dragon (Tornado) and Flitzer last time I was there. Get those same day as Seaside Heights...

Yeah, I skipped Fantasy Island didn't I... Well, that's between Atlantic City and Seaside Heights but close to neither one... Good luck! Anything north of Point Pleasant isn't known territory for me. I wish I could say anything north of Asbury Park, but that's another sad, sad story (R.I.P. Tilly).

Unless your a total credit ho, I wouldn't even make the drive into Atlantic City for Steel Pier, Yeah the Casino's are there and Steel Pier is right behind the Taj Mahal. Bout the only thing we did there that we liked was Hard Rock Cafe, The Pier is almost a joke and the spinny mouse for eight bucks didn't even spin on my car. FAIL.

The Crazy Mouse was rehabbed this past winter. Track work, new paint job, looks pretty good now. Hadn't ridden it yet this season.

AFAIK, the only two coasters in Jersey I've yet to ride are Bubbles and Hot Tamales (broken x3)...then again, with so much family there, I spend a lot of time in the, er....Garden State. ;)

Go to Long Beach Island for awesome Bee Sting Breaded Wings, Fries and and Cherry RC Cola at the Chicken Or The Egg! Can't wait until it opens for the season! It's right down the street from the park. I don't have the credit either but I don't need it. Still haven't been to Land of Make Believe or Bowcraft, but I've been to Storybookland three times. It's a great little park and Bubbles is a hoot. Great place to visit around Christmas time.

There's been a local ACE event at Funtown Pier the last couple of summers. It's a fantastic deal if you want to get unlimited POP for under $20. The start attraction is Stillwell Manor and I love the Miler Star Jet. The mouse is... interesting.

When I got the Steel Pier credits, the pin dropped leaving the station and we wobbled up the lifthill and then spun like mad until the final brakes. Best spinning mouse ride I've ever had.

Morey's is THE place to be though on the shore. It's easy to spend an extended weekend there without getting bored. So much to do and some fantastic rides to repeat over and over again. Coastin' By The Ocean is THE time to get the most bang for your buck.

I wonder if that awesome NJ ACE rep could arrange a spinning session on the Mouse - got the credit but we were underwhelmed - or, in Jill terminology..."that was no Opa!" ;)

jshorerzd said:
"Yeah, I skipped Fantasy Island didn't I... Well, that's between Atlantic City and Seaside Heights but close to neither one... Good luck! Anything north of Point Pleasant isn't known territory for me. I wish I could say anything north of Asbury Park, but that's another sad, sad story (R.I.P. Tilly)."

Yeah, I miss the Palace, too. I took a girl through Asbury Park last summer because I wanted to show her the Stone Pony and the Palace site, but I couldn't even place where it was.

I must have missed Bubbles The Coaster by a few weeks or months at the most. RCDB says it opened in 2000 and my last trip to Storybook Land was in 2000 either in July or August. As much as I'd like to add another coaster to my count, I can't see paying $20 to get in just to ride the coaster.

Keansburg is a great way to spend a summer day, but it's not really a place for a whole day of riding...unless you have very young kids.

The best thing about it is the free beach towards the east end of the main parking lot and the HUGE fishing pier towards the west end (Last year it was 8 bucks to fish and a slight fee just to walk....it's half a mile long!) Last year I caught quite a few snappers in August and bigger fish chase bait through the area every so often. Parking was 10 bucks for the day.

The Wildcat takes a lot of tickeks, but it's worth it...once...especially if you are on during a sunset, the Moby Dick ride is intense and they have a working Chaos as of last year.

The water park is small, but has a few nice slides. If you go in the later part of the afternoon, you can do ok as camp crowds leave.

The food (I had some pizza) was good at about $2.50 per slice and there a few outside taverns for those who like to partake.

Another note about Fantasy Island, on the neighboring block is a small water park, with 1 giant tower/deck, with about 6 slides, all short, but aggressive. They also have a crazy lazy river, with wave makers in a few locations.

Added with the great beach, the original Ron Jon Surf Shop, it makes a pleasant afternoon.

When the economy was better there was plans by Donald Trump to close the Steel Pier and develop it. Now that the economy is bad I think the Steel Pier is safe but I would take the hit and ride the two coasters. I did those about 2-3 years ago.