Keansburg 2024 - Waterpark OK - Ride Area Sinking to New Lows

I headed to the Jersey Shore Wednesday in the heart of a New York / New Jersey heatwave.

Got off to a later start than planned when I noticed that my oil was flashing 15%. Not a good way to begin. Turns out, my oil quality and level were fine, but my local guys forgot to reset the car when it was done two weeks ago. Soooo,... now I was going to travel closer then originally planned.

Started at Asbury Park to hit up some pinball. I figured the beach was there and I could just relax. Since there was a band at the Stone Pony that night, metered parking was very expensive. The lot is free during the winter. Stayed a couple of hours and figured I would go somewhere else.

Let me give Keansburg another shot. It's north which would keep me closer to the bridges that I needed and if I time it right...I would get there as day camps were leaving. (Smaller crowds)

Parking in the dirt lot was exactly what you would expect. An unmarked dirt lot...ya can't leave and return unless you want to pay again. Whatever. It's the Jersey Shore in the summer...ya gotta pay to park.

From the lot I could see that very few rides were moving. MOre on that later. My inclination was correct though...I saw three yellow school busses ready to take the day campers back to base.

The water park was going to close at 5 which gave me a two and a half hour window. At Keansburg's water park...that's more than enough. THis park has not received any upgrades in about ten years. That's ok. A lazy river, a dumping bucket and a few slides would be enough.

The staff was pleasant and the park was relatively clean. The water temperature was pleasant, but the filter let several bugs slip (float). One are of filters had a slime coating. It was refreshing enough and did the job.

There was a sign as I was leaving the park that said free wristbands for rides. Exchange your wristband from the waterpark to another one for the rides. This can be done in the game room. Ok...I'll try it. What-do-you-know, it worked. I enjoyed the signed that said "Stop by the (other) game room and wish Cherie a happy birthday."

OK...I did. That was kinda cool. But that's when things got weird...

The rides area was DEAD. Many, including the kiddie rides were stationary. Some had staff in t-shirts sitting on the ground drinking soft drinks. Some looked closed. I went on the bumper cars. There were only 3 of us in cars, and not one person "hit" another. We went around and the cars worked, but noone and nothing to hit. That never happened before.

The swings were down. The Pharoah's fury was motionless. Some of the kiddie rides had wires sticking out. Several of the restaurant stands were closed. Those that were opened had food that had been sitting out there a LONG time. Seriously, flies were landing on food. Moby Dick had one rider.

I took a walk to the pier and there was a series of warnings that EVERYONE must pay to enter. No more walk-ons. Very few people were there. I opted not to go.

The lifeguard-less beach looked dirty. A family was picnicking on the sand, but noone was in the water.

I struck up a conversation with one of the vendors and he gave me an earful. He said it's usually busy here, but business has been down lately. The camps from Lakewood come down during the week, but they don't eat any of the food for religious reasons. The owners of the park know that they need to upgrade the place, but when Sandy hit and the condos went up...it caught them by surprise. He told me that Point Pleasant and Seaside upgraded quite a bit over time, but Keansburg hasn't. Quite a bit of the new housing near the park was reserved for disadvantaged people and families.

Cherie at the arcade had one customer and the indoor carousel seemed to be inoperative. I started making my way back and I looked at the back of some of the rides. At one point, these were rolling down the interstate highways and byways of America. Now they sit...probably giving their last rides.

I hope this is somehow fixable...but I have my doubts.

Tick - Tick - Tick - Tick .....

Thank you as always for reading this.

Richie Reflux:

I struck up a conversation with one of the vendors and he gave me an earful. He said it's usually busy here, but business has been down lately.

I went two weekends ago on a Sunday, and the place was packed. I live about 20 min away.

Beach lot near the condos full, and all the beach was 3 rows deep. The water park was pretty full, and the crowds at the amusement area decent, but not crazy due to heat, and while a good few things down not an alarming number.

With some good LED light replacement a nice coordinated paint job, and 2 new exciting flat rides, and a large bucket of maintenance done on existing rides, the place could look a hundred times better for a relatively small investment.