The Great Nor'easter

Last updated
The Great Nor'easter
Nor'easter.JPG
Morey's Piers
Location Morey's Piers
Park section Surfside Pier
Coordinates 38°59′21″N74°48′08″W / 38.9893°N 74.8023°W / 38.9893; -74.8023 Coordinates: 38°59′21″N74°48′08″W / 38.9893°N 74.8023°W / 38.9893; -74.8023
StatusOperating
Opening dateMay 26, 1995
Cost$5,500,000 USD
General statistics
Type Steel  Inverted
Manufacturer Vekoma
Model Suspended Looping Coaster-Custom
Lift/launch system Chain lift hill
Height115 ft (35 m)
Drop95 ft (29 m)
Length2,170 ft (660 m)
Speed55 mph (89 km/h)
Inversions 5
Duration2:05
Capacity1200 riders per hour
Height restriction52 in (132 cm)
Trains2 trains with 10 cars. Riders are arranged 2 across in a single row for a total of 20 riders per train.
The Great Nor'easter at RCDB
Pictures of The Great Nor'easter at RCDB

The Great Nor'easter (formerly called Fly - The Great Nor Easter from 2006 to 2016) is a steel inverted roller coaster, a Suspended Looping Coaster model manufactured by the Dutch company Vekoma. It is located at Morey's Piers amusement park in North Wildwood, New Jersey. The track is colored white and blue and seats 20 people per ride in two trains. Riders are required to give 10 tickets or have a wristband in order to ride, and must be over 52" and under 79". Further restrictions are posted at the ride, and loose articles (cell phones, flip flops, etc.) are not permitted. [1]

Contents

The Great Nor'easter opened on May 26, 1995. [2] It was known by that name until 2005, and since 2017.

Refurbishments

2006

For 2006, the track and supports were painted white. Previously, they had been painted in a pinkish-red.

2008

For 2008, the coaster received a 1.2 million dollar upgrade, which saw new-style "Freedom Seats" cars installed. "The new train features an ergonomically designed seat making the ride experience more enjoyable by holding the rider firmly, while also providing unhindered vision in all directions as well as complete arm freedom. The design utilizes a lap bar and innovative vest, to comfortably restrain Guests during the ride. Add to that a redesigned station and all new red, white and blue color theme, and you have a brand new ride experience!” [3] The seats were originally used for two Suspended Family Coaster, but people enjoyed them so much they added them to Suspended Looping Coasters. [4]

2017

In February 2016, Morey's Piers revealed that $4 million would be spent on replacing 90% of the ride's track with new track that uses 'bending technology' to make for a smoother ride experience.

Incidents

Shortly after The Great Nor'easter opened, a 36-year-old worker was kicked in the temple by a passenger on a passing train and killed in August 1995. Shortly after this incident, Morey's Piers employed a new restricted area system for all their major rides, preventing anyone from being within those areas while the ride is in motion.

Related Research Articles

Vekoma Dutch amusement ride manufacturer

Vekoma Rides Manufacturing is a Dutch amusement ride manufacturer. Vekoma is syllabic abbreviation of Veld Koning Machinefabriek which was established in 1926 by Hendrik op het Veld.

Moreys Piers Amusement park in New Jersey

Morey’s Piers & Beachfront Waterparks is a classic seaside amusement park located on The Wildwoods' boardwalk in Wildwood and North Wildwood, New Jersey. The park has been family owned and operated since 1969 and is currently run by 2nd generation Morey Brothers, Will and Jack. Morey’s Piers has more than 100 rides and attractions across its three amusement piers and two beachfront waterparks.

Corkscrew (Cedar Point) Steel roller coaster

Corkscrew is a steel roller coaster built by Arrow Development at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, United States. Built in 1976, it was the first roller coaster in the world with 3 inversions. The coaster, which features Arrow's first vertical loop, was built during the same time period as The Great American Revolution at Magic Mountain. However, Revolution opened seven days prior and is therefore credited as the first modern-day coaster to feature a vertical loop.

Medusa, formerly known as Bizarro, is a steel roller coaster located at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson Township, New Jersey. Manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard, the ride debuted as the world's first floorless roller coaster on April 2, 1999. It was repainted and rethemed to Bizarro in 2009. Then, in 2022, it was repainted and rethemed back to Medusa.

Suspended Looping Coaster Type of roller coaster

The Suspended Looping Coaster is a model of steel inverted roller coaster built by Vekoma. There are at least 39 different installations across the world. The minimum rider height requirement is 130 centimetres. Vekoma is now marketing a Suspended Thrill Coaster as a successor to the Suspended Looping Coaster. The Odyssey is the largest, fastest and tallest SLC ever built at Fantasy Island in the UK.

Flashback (Six Flags Magic Mountain) Defunct roller coaster

Flashback was a steel roller coaster made by Intamin of Switzerland. The coaster was located in the Six Flags Plaza area of Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, California. The model of the ride, a Space Diver coaster, was intended to be mass-produced, however, Flashback was the only installation.

Scream (roller coaster) Steel roller coaster

Scream is a steel roller coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain. Manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard, the Floorless Coaster model was the park's sixteenth roller coaster and is located in the Screampunk District area of the park. The 150-foot-tall (46 m) ride consists of a series of roller coaster elements including seven inversions ranging from a zero-g roll to interlocking corkscrews. The ride is a mirror image of Medusa at Six Flags Great Adventure.

Nighthawk (roller coaster) Steel roller coaster

Nighthawk is a steel flying roller coaster from Vekoma located at Carowinds amusement park. The roller coaster is located in the Celebration Plaza section of the park. The roller coaster originally opened as Stealth at California's Great America on April 1, 2000. In 2003, Paramount Parks decided to relocate the roller coaster to Carowinds. It reopened as Borg Assimilator – the first coaster in the world to be themed to Star Trek – on March 20, 2004. After Cedar Fair purchased Carowinds in 2006, Paramount themes were soon removed from the park, and the ride was renamed Nighthawk. It is one of only two Flying Dutchman models still in existence from Vekoma.

Ninja (Six Flags St. Louis) Roller coaster

Ninja is an Arrow Dynamics/Vekoma steel roller coaster located in the Studio Backlot section of Six Flags St. Louis in Eureka, Missouri. It was originally built for and located at Expo 86 in Vancouver, British Columbia, operating as Scream Machine from May to October 1986. It began operating as Ninja at Six Flags St. Louis in 1989. The coaster was started by American manufacturer Arrow Dynamics, but when Arrow fell into bankruptcy during construction, it was sold to Dutch manufacturer Vekoma, who finished it.

T3 (roller coaster) Roller coaster at Kentucky Kingdom

T3 (stylized as T3; pronounced "T-three", "T-cubed", or "Terror to the third power") is an inverted roller coaster at Kentucky Kingdom in Louisville, Kentucky. Previously named T2, the Suspended Looping Coaster model manufactured by Vekoma opened on April 8, 1995. The amusement park closed in 2009 due to financial difficulties, but later reopened under new ownership in 2014. The roller coaster was refurbished and renamed T3, which reopened to the public on July 3, 2015.

Batwing (roller coaster) Steel flying roller coaster

Batwing is a steel flying roller coaster built by Vekoma at Six Flags America in Prince George's County, Maryland. This is nearly identical to Nighthawk at Carowinds, however that ride has a slightly different ending, and different paint scheme. The ride is also a clone of the now-defunct Firehawk at Kings Island.

Firehawk (roller coaster) Former roller coaster at Kings Island

Firehawk was a flying roller coaster located at Kings Island in Mason, Ohio. Manufactured by Vekoma, it originally opened as X-Flight at Six Flags Worlds of Adventure on May 26, 2001, billed as the Midwest's first and only flying roller coaster. Cedar Fair purchased Worlds of Adventure in 2004 and began efforts to downsize the park. X-Flight was relocated to Kings Island following the 2006 season, where it reopened as Firehawk on May 26, 2007.

Roller coaster elements are the individual parts of roller coaster design and operation, such as a track, hill, loop, or turn. Variations in normal track movement that add thrill or excitement to the ride are often called "thrill elements".

Goliath (Six Flags Fiesta Texas) Steel inverted roller coaster

Goliath is an inverted roller coaster located at Six Flags Fiesta Texas in San Antonio, Texas, United States. Designed by Werner Stengel and Swiss manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard, Goliath initially opened in 1995 at an amusement park in Japan, and has been operating at Six Flags Fiesta Texas since 2008. It stands at a height of 105 feet (32 m), reaches a maximum speed of 50 mph (80 km/h), and features multiple inversions.

Superman The Ride Steel roller coaster

Superman The Ride is a steel roller coaster at Six Flags New England in Agawam, Massachusetts. Built by Swiss manufacturer Intamin, the hypercoaster opened to the public as Superman – Ride of Steel in 2000. It features a 208-foot (63 m) lift hill, a 221-foot (67 m) drop, and a maximum speed of 77 mph (124 km/h). In 2009, the park changed the name to Bizarro, named after a DC Comics character portrayed as the antithesis of Superman. In accordance with the theme change, the coaster's track and supports were repainted with a purple and dark blue color scheme, and other special effects were added. In 2016, the Six Flags reverted to the original theme, but instead of restoring the name, it was changed to Superman The Ride. A virtual reality feature was added the same year, which created an optional 3D experience for passengers, but was removed prior to the 2017 season.

Wild Eagle Roller coaster at Dollywood

Wild Eagle is a steel Wing Coaster built by Bolliger & Mabillard at the Dollywood amusement park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. It is the first of its kind in the United States and opened to the media on March 23, 2012 before opening to the public on March 24, 2012. The roller coaster reaches a height of 210 feet (64 m) and reaches speeds of 61 miles per hour (98 km/h). In September 2012, the ride was voted as the best new ride of 2012 in Amusement Today's Golden Ticket Awards.

Kumbak is a Dutch amusement ride manufacturing company. In addition to manufacturing its own rides, the company primarily specialises in changing existing rides and attractions, originally made by other manufacturers.

The Great White (Moreys Piers) Roller coaster

The Great White is a sit-down wooden/steel roller coaster made and built by Custom Coasters International.

Sea Serpent (Moreys Piers) Steel roller coaster

Sea Serpent is a steel roller coaster at Morey's Piers in Wildwood, New Jersey. Opened in 1984, it was built by Vekoma, and was the first boomerang-style coaster to be built in the US. The coaster's installation was part of a redevelopment of the Marine Pier into a new Mariner's Landing area in 1984. The Sea Serpent currently sits in the middle of Mariners Landing and serves as an icon for the pier along with The Giant Wheel.

Runaway Tram Steel roller coaster at Moreys Piers

Runaway Tram is a steel family roller coaster located on Morey's Piers' Surfside Pier in North Wildwood, New Jersey. The attraction replaced the aging Flitzer roller coaster and required the reconfiguration of several rides on the pier and represented a total investment of $4 million. Runaway Tram spoofs the Wildwood Sightseer Tramcar, a local yellow-and-blue trackless train service.

References

  1. "The Great Nor'easter (Morey's Piers)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
  2. "Memorial Day cool spell can't stop holiday crowd". Daily Record. May 27, 1995. Retrieved September 27, 2020 via Newspapers.com.
  3. [ permanent dead link ]
  4. "Parkworld_Magazine_July08". Archived from the original on 2012-10-24. Retrieved 2012-09-06.