Mariner’s Landing Pier is the Center Pier and a Good Place to Start as Any!

Our View Of Mariner's Landing Pier as we approached our first ride of the day! It's go time!!!

What a great day in Wildwood NJ we had! My family and I arrived in Wildwood NJ around 12:30pm impressing Grandpop Harry, my father, when we picked him up in the amazing Hybrid Yukon Denali that was on loan to me from @GMNortheast for our Jersey Shore Vacation this year. My father lives in Wildwood year round, most times he gets stuck with the trek up for holiday gatherings and such, but when it comes to summer time, I find it in myself to drive down to visit him at least once a summer. What can I say, I’m a giver like that…lol. We scoop up my fun loving dad (read takes out his teeth to show them to my daughter) and head for the boards arriving at 1pm, found parking for $5 in a lot, got on the boards and headed towards Mariner’s Landing Pier.

We had an excellent view of Pop Pop Harry's balding head from on top of the airplanes.

With my daughter being Preschool age, the height requirement eases and she enjoys more thrilling rides with each new visit. Some rides she was able to ride solo and proud starting just this year were the Airplanes, the Convoy & the Pink Elephants. Accompanied by an adult this year, she got to ride even more rides including: the Doo Wopper & Flitzer, 2 moderate thrill rides that are considered kiddie roller coasters. If you ask my daughter, she would most likely tell you that she, “LOVES, LOVES, LOVES roller coasters”. I as her mom think it’s totally cute she is saying the LOVES 3x now to stress how much she LOVES something.

Jump Around is Hopper with Wheels Instead of Frog Legs!

I digress…afraid beyond my wildest imagination of roller coasters most of my entire life straight into adulthood, let alone as a 3 year old child, she must get this dare devil side from her Father. Roller coasters were just one of many terrors placed in this world to scare me, so clearly this courage and bravery for high thrill rides was not bestowed upon her from myself. I’m proud and happy she has this excitement along with the courage to try activities such as these higher thrill rides without being too afraid. She even convinced Me (aka Mama Chrissy) to go on The Great Nor’Easter. I’ve only dared to ride this upside down roller coaster, classified High Thrill Ride in the Inside’s Guide provided by Morey’s Piers, one other crazy time in my life a few years back just to be able to check a goal off of my life’s bucket list and to conquer a fear. At that time in my life, I had decided that fears deemed mostly safe by me, needed to be tried at least once in my life. I was sick of being the one that stood below and watched everyone else have fun, so I made some goals and had at them. For a few years in a row, each year I selected a different fear I had been carrying around with me. Some years I conquered high thrill rides, 1 year I rode jet skis and another year I had a conversation with someone I thought I would never go through with that involved me having to ask for an apology that I believed was long overdo.

Mama Rides The Great Nor'Easter

It was a GREAT feeling giving up all control, being FREE in the air as the heavy machine whipped us around like rag dolls. I could barely turn my head to look over at Al to see how he was handling it. Nothing I could say or do was or could have stopped that roller coaster machine, I was helpless and somehow that was exciting, thrilling, invigorating all rolled up into 1 minute of my life (which I knew would end in 1 minute). When I staggered off the Nor’Easter, getting my footing as I got back on solid ground I had a plastered smile on my face as I searched the crowd for my Daughter and my Dad to see their shocked and pleased looks on their faces. When my eyes finally met their eyes, I was greeted with those looks in addition to my daughter’s look of disappointment because I didn’t let her go on the roller coaster with me….lol.

Not gonna lie, my arthritic/fibromyalgia body took a beating on this ride, so I stopped at that one roller coaster because today was about my daughter having fun and I didn’t want Mama unable to move even though my mind was saying give me more.

The Insider’s Guide Was More Useful Than I Had Thought it Was Going to Be!

The Insider’s Guide was super for finding the rides that were best geared toward my daughter on each pier. Of course maps of the piers are shown with rides numbered, which makes finding information, such as height requirements and thrill level a breeze. I would love to see a small description on some of the rides that I just couldn’t figure out from the ride’s name what kind of ride it would be, like the Doo Wopper. Clearly everyone knows what the Tilt-a-whirl goes a round and a round, but the Doo Wopper, that could have been anything. In their defense it does sort of look like a roller coaster in the guide now that I’m looking back…ha! That was the only confusing part of the guide for me. The weekly specials are worth your time to check out for two reasons. 1. if you are looking for a deal, stay tuned for savings and/or 2. if you are looking to go during non peak times, don’t go on the biggest deal day which appears to me to be Tuesday. You can find all this information on www.MoreysPiers.com as well. Happy Riding

Morey’s Piers Parent Friendly Program Thrills Parents!!

I liked seeing “The Parent Friendly” Program where parents ride free on select rides if the child doesn’t met the exact height requirement. Very cool to see Morey’s Piers acknowledging that 1. Parents don’t want to buy wristbands and/or tickets for themselves just to be able to ride a child’s ride = so not cool and 2. Gives the child more respect by saying we recognize you’re not quite tall enough for this ride, but if you can convince an adult to get on, you can get on too.

Morey’s Piers Official Height Measurement Program Saves Parents Stress on Fun Time Days!!

Also, if you would like you may visit Guest Services to have your child’s height officially measured and a wrist band issued noting your child’s height in case their is a case of question at the ride. Nice to see this option available for those children that are failing right in between the cutoffs of most rides, which seems to be 36″, 42″, 48″or 56″. So instead of causing Mama or Papa Bear to ask for re-measurement (read holding up the lines and annoying everyone including themselves and their child) and assuring the ride attendant your child is tall enough, you can save yourself the stress and have this little measure done before setting out for the days amusements. I myself LOVE this idea. I haven’t tried it out yet for ourselves, because my daughter is clearly over 36″, but not anywhere near 42″. I will use this program when necessary, but didn’t want to overburden the system just to try it out.

What’s New in 2011 for Morey’s Piers?

Courtesy of Morey Family Archives, Photo by Rob Kulisek

New Pier Attractions – “it” on Surfside Pier, Jumbo’s Boardwalk Grille & Eatery gets a face-lift and now serves a selection of beers, wines and specialty drinks.

New Events- The Wild Half Marathon, Morey’s Fears: Terror on the Boardwalk Halloween event, Souper Sunday Chowder and Chili Cook Off

Breakfast in the Sky, Morey’s Piers, Wildwood NJ

Did you know that since 2010 with an advance reservation, on specific days in July & August you can have breakfast on the Ferris Wheel? Yes, you read correctly. You can have a meal while enjoying breathtaking views of the ocean along with the amusements and boardwalk at the same time. How amazing is this? Ok, you’re thinking they throw together some cheap food and call it a meal and send you on your way. Think again, because this meal is prepared by their executive chief, served on china that’s placed upon fresh white linens. Pricing is on par with such a treat, but it’s not out of line for the exclusive experience. Click Breakfast in the Sky Reservations to find out prices and click Breakfast in the Sky Details to see the food selection, along with available time slots and FAQ.

Dreams Do Come True in Wildwood NJ

Pop Pop Harry & Jenna On The Way to the Boardwalk

All in all this day reminded me of my childhood and coming to the boardwalk every summer with my family, mostly my dad who dreamed of living in Wildwood since he was a little boy. A few years back his dream became a reality. Now, each year that I visit the Jersey Shore with my daughter I’m sure to pick my dad up and take him with us to walk the boardwalk (his favorite park every time we went down), rides and enjoy the day with his granddaughter, who thinks he is the hoot he sets out to be, teeth or no teeth! The boardwalk still feels the same to me, only I’m different. I’m grown up, with my own child and my own life. I really enjoy these trips and enjoyed writing this review.

Disclosure: These thoughts are of my own opinions even though Morey’s Piers provided me with a pass to review the piers.

Love Mama Chrissy

Publisher for MamasLittleHelper.org
Columnist for Parents Express Magazine
Writer for Examiner.com
Wildwood New Jersey