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Post by Robert K on Feb 19, 2005 1:26:12 GMT -5
It's a crying shame we lost Castle Dracula, I was in it and it was the best haunted attraction anywhere. Brigantine and Long Branch Haunted Mansion were better I heard. Not sure about Morey's Haunted House and Fun Pier's Castle Frankenstein (burned down, too-in 1984). But, I experienced the best days of Wildwood between 1980-1983. Yes, I experienced Hunt's Pier when Hunt owned it, rode the Golden Nugget, Pirate Ship, Jungleland, Keystone Kops, Ghost Town train. Missed the Whacky Shack. We saw all the old rides, piers, dark rides at the time. My father died in 1986 and we didn't go back until Aug 95 and I was saddened at seeing Hunt's Pier in it's half open-half closed state it was in before Dinosaur Beach. The Whacky Shack was still there, but closed. The following year it was removed, so I never got to experience the inside of it. But, I got to ride the Golden Nugget again. They put in stupid cheesy dinosaur props though and removed most of the original props. 95 was my first time ever in Castle Drac, since we didn't go in it in the early 80's but I can remember seeing the top of the castle from the boardwalk and the castle billboard. 96 was my first time on the 1919 Dungeon, since in 95 it was closed on the last day of our stay due to short staff. 98 was a pretty good year for Wildwood, but in 99 and beyond, things started going downhill besides the Morey's. Golden Nujgget closed and the old Photon/Casino building was torn down, and Nickels removed their rides. The following year a STUPID waterpark Spash Zone was built next to the castle. Then in 2002 the Castle burned. They replaced it with a STUPID thrill ride bungee trampoline instead of rebuilding it like they said. Now what's happeneing with the Nickels? Are they ever going to build ANYTHING at Cedar Av.? Hopefully something horror related.
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Post by Eunice on Feb 19, 2005 7:59:04 GMT -5
I didn't realize they took out the original props and added dinosaurs to the Golden Nugget. Thats not good. I wonder if they kept the original "old west" decor somewhere. With talk of restoring the ride, I wonder if they will be able to.
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Post by MMM on Feb 19, 2005 9:24:02 GMT -5
When the Castle burned down, IIRC the Nickel's weren't sure if the Castle would be rebuilt, then there were rumors that it would, but finally I believe the Nickel's said they would not rebuild it.
I don't know anything about possible new attractions there - I get the sense it's going to stay bascially the way it is, at least for the forsseable future - just a guess though.
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Post by Al Alven on Feb 21, 2005 14:35:52 GMT -5
I didn't realize they took out the original props and added dinosaurs to the Golden Nugget. Thats not good. I wonder if they kept the original "old west" decor somewhere. With talk of restoring the ride, I wonder if they will be able to. Eunice, I spoke to a Morey's employee a while back, and she reassured me that if the ride is re-opened in the future, it will be with its original theme intact. I cannot say exactly what percentage of the old props and interior decorations exist, but I do know that a strong effort will be made to return the ride to its glory at the height of the Hunt's empire.
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Post by Al Alven on Feb 21, 2005 14:38:10 GMT -5
When the Castle burned down, IIRC the Nickel's weren't sure if the Castle would be rebuilt, then there were rumors that it would, but finally I believe the Nickel's said they would not rebuild it. I don't know anything about possible new attractions there - I get the sense it's going to stay bascially the way it is, at least for the forsseable future - just a guess though. I seem to remember the Nickels' comments about possibly rebuilding the Castle being something of a kneejerk reaction. As far as I know, all of the original blueprints and casts for the Castle, its props and decorations were foolishly stored (and ultimately lost) within the structure itself. I'm sure if the original plans existed somewhere, it would make it much easier for the Nickels to either rebuild or sell the rights away.
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Post by MMM on Feb 21, 2005 15:00:00 GMT -5
I regret never actually walking through the castle. Even so, just seeing it on the boardwalk was a great thing. It really stood out. Thankfully I did go on the boat ride under the castle.
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Post by Robert K on Feb 21, 2005 15:20:18 GMT -5
MMM, did you check out www.darkinthepark.com ? They have pics of every room inside the castle. Plus a blueprint. At least you got to ride the oldest ride in Wildwood, the Dungeon boat ride was originally the Old Mill which was built in 1919, the same year the Jack Rabbit roller coaster was built, it was torn down fall 1984 because of high maintenance costs. The Nickels renamed it Scream Machine in 1976 then Dracula's Screem Machine a few years later. There's pics of the sign on the web somewhere, and I have pics, too. I have a bunch of old postcards and pics of almost everything. The walk-through part was more of a "show", where live actors would give a speech in each section, there was a few scares along the way where an actor would hide out in a corner and jump out. The front room was the best, where an actor would jump out of the Dracula painting onto the fireplace mantle after a speech. Also, creepy organ music played in the background in the front room, and organ music played elsewhere in the castle as well, and outside Bach Tocatta and Fugue D minor would play continuously when the castle was open. But, I'm sure it got annoying after a while for the pier workers nearby, and the fast food workers, etc. Now there is no organ music playing all day, it must be strangely quiet along Cedar Av. Now all you hear are the screams of riders on the bungee tramp if it's still there. I wonder how many of those bungee riders realize what ground they're jumping on, that a castle once stood there.
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Post by MMM on Feb 21, 2005 15:22:23 GMT -5
MMM, did you check out www.darkinthepark.com ? They have pics of every room inside the castle. Plus a blueprint. At least you got to ride the oldest ride in Wildwood, the Dungeon boat ride was originally the Old Mill which was built in 1919, the same year the Jack Rabbit roller coaster was built, it was torn down fall 1984 because of high maintenance costs. The Nickels renamed it Scream Machine in 1976 then Dracula's Screem Machine a few years later. There's pics of the sign on the web somewhere, and I have pics, too. I have a bunch of old postcards and pics of almost everything. The walk-through part was more of a "show", where live actors would give a speech in each section, there was a few scares along the way where an actor would hide out in a corner and jump out. The front room was the best, where an actor would jump out of the Dracula painting onto the fireplace mantle after a speech. Also, creepy organ music played in the background in the front room, and organ music played elsewhere in the castle as well, and outside Bach Tocatta and Fugue D minor would play continuously when the castle was open. But, I'm sure it got annoying after a while for the pier workers nearby, and the fast food workers, etc. Now there is no organ music playing all day, it must be strangely quiet along Cedar Av. Now all you hear are the screams of riders on the bungee tramp if it's still there. I wonder how many of those bungee riders realize what ground they're jumping on, that a castle once stood there. Yes, I had seen it before. Some nice pictures there. Thanks.
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Post by RobertK on Feb 21, 2005 15:45:08 GMT -5
If you think I'm the only one rambling about dark rides you're wrong. www.themeparkcritic.com/scripts/ViewRide.asp?RideID=1401 Look at Cookietime's review. Even Anthony posted on there. Wildwood sucks now. Den of Lost Thieves is being sold. Golden Nugget move has been delayed. No new Castle Dracula or anything while the Nickels and Weiner's are at legal battle. Dante's according to the review is even worse than it was but hopefully will get it's final interior renovation soon. Jersey Junkyard is an appropriate title, it belongs in the junkyard. Pirates the former Dark River has a lame family-friendly storyline, but looks better than before. What's wrong with the old horror theme? Morey's don't want to scare kids? Dr. Blood's is rotting away like it's been doing for the past 22 years. Zombie World and Curse of the Mummy I never did since they were added after my last visit several years ago but Mummy is just a stupid tent probably a lame 5 min. walkthrough with glow paint on the walls, and Zombie is just another shooting dark ride but looks more sinister than Den of Thieves. I've been on better dark rides than Wildwood's current ones. I have a feeling Wildwood is going to the dogs. I'd hate for it to be the go-kart, waterslide, and extreme thrill ride capital of the east coast with less than 4 good dark rides. Unless Bill and Jack Morey, Ted Snyder, and Angelo, Steve and John Nickels have some tricks up their sleeves.
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Post by RobertK on Feb 21, 2005 15:47:43 GMT -5
For those of you that don't know me I'm Robert William Krasinski from Allentown, PA 2 miles west of Dorney Park. I was born Jan 1974. My father Robert Edward K. was killed Mar 1986 by a car hitting him. He worked at Bethlehem Steel. My mom, Charlotte is alive. I have a brother, Brian Charles, born June 1978. You know I'm a dark ride fan, the first dark ride I rode was the Bucket O' Blood at Dorney Park in early 80's. I also had the opportunity to experience "old" Wildwood at that time and rode several rides that have vanished like Jungleland, Keystone Kops, Pirate Ship, Lost World, Crazy House. More recently I visited several parks from NY to Ocean City, MD with dark rides. I would say that the dark rides at Playland, NY, Knoebels, Ocean City, MD, Rehoboth Beach, and the late Castle Dracula are/were the best traditional dark rides around. It's a shame that many small family parks closed, especially around the 1988 time, and many dark rides vanished within just 20 years, but what can you do? Life goes on. Sure today's, tomorrow's kids will be unable to experience what people experienced in the 60's, 70's and 80's, but at least websites like this will keep the memory of the old dark rides alive. Perhaps parents will show their kids this stuff and say I went in this back in 1970-1980 something and pass on the memories to their kids who knew nothing about this before. I talked to quite a few people I know face to face who knew nothing about Castle Dracula, and some of them even went to Wildwood! This teen girl at my church went to Wildwood a few years ago she wasn't sure the year and I showed her my photo of the castle and she said "I don't remember it". Guess some people are ignorant or uninterested in certain things that they would miss the Castle on their Wildwood visit. I visited the Castle Aug 1995, June 1996, and June 1998. I rode the Dungeon June 1996 and 1998. I wish an attraction like Skull Kingdom would be built closer to home. I would like to go to Niagara Falls Canada sometime and visit all the dark attractions there.
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Post by Al Alven on Feb 21, 2005 16:20:03 GMT -5
Robert, I am a huge dark ride fan like yourself.
Growing up during the 1980s, I saw Wildwood at its height as far as amusements go.
There were great dark rides all over the Boardwalk, a sharp contrast from the few, watered down laugh-in-the-dark attractions we have today.
I was a bit too young to ride Dr. Blood’s, The Morey’s Haunted House, Frankenstein’s Castle or Hitchc ock (ha! Got ya, filter!) Manor, but everything else I remember in vivid detail.
So much was lost when Hunt’s Pier fell by the wayside. I have heard people state that Hunt’s only contained one true dark ride (the Whacky Shack), but that is not true! The Golden Nugget, the Pirate Ship and even the Jungle Ride were incredibly unique attractions that all had “dark ride” elements.
Like so many others, the Golden Nugget is my all-time favorite ride. There was just nothing else like it. If they never even built the expansive and wonderful mining theme dark ride around the original steel frame, you would have had one heck of a coaster ride there in itself. With it, however (and through the magic of the Hunt’s Pier crew and a number of great Bill Tracy props), you had a combination that still blows people away today just thinking about it.
Castle Dracula was my second favorite attraction for two reasons…<br> #1 – The atmosphere of the place, both interior and exterior was incredible, vivid and so, so memorable.
#2 – It was truly scary. Both the main, walk-through and the boat (“dungeon”) ride provided plenty of thrills, chills and legitimate anxious moments.
I really could go on and on about the Wildwoods’ dark rides of old. It is a shame that the current trend has moved toward the almost exclusive marketing of “extreme”-type thrill rides. I have absolutely no problem with rides like this, but I just wish there was a little bit more diversity.
Man, what I wouldn’t give to see a major new dark attraction pop up on one of the piers these days.
That would truly be incredible. Perhaps a write-in campaign to the Moreys would, at least, let them know how much us “old time” Wildwood nuts miss the dark rides, and how we would like to see more added (or perhaps even re-created) in the future…
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Post by DooWopper on Feb 21, 2005 19:50:31 GMT -5
A write in campaign may be a good idea.
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Post by MrBoardwalk on Feb 23, 2005 20:00:11 GMT -5
[glow=red,2,300]The Golden Nugget still has many props left over inside it from it’s Hunt’s Pier days. A few dinosaur props were added and some old props fitted and/or moved to accommodate the dinosaur theme. The interior of the ride is in remarkable condition in my option. However the exterior especially the façade is falling apart and it seems faster then ever. The loading station is weathering as well and of course a huge hole in the stucco wall of lift hill is not good either. [/glow] AC
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Post by FlyinGN on Feb 23, 2005 20:04:37 GMT -5
Welcome Robert!! Good points and I too loved the dark rides as a child too..
Frank
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Post by AnthonyV on Feb 23, 2005 21:11:30 GMT -5
Used to like THE MONSTERS DEN in Seaside when I was younger...
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