originally posted on 10/15/2021
Photo: Mark Davidson. View full-sized image.
Sometimes it works out to have ACE events in two places on the same day, in the same region, just 12 miles and half an afternoon apart. That’s what happened in southern New Jersey on Saturday, July 17. Following a joyous birthday party for Bubbles the Coaster at Storybook Land, ACE New Jersey members and guests had another party planned at the beach. Or boardwalk, actually — in Ocean City, home of Playland’s Castaway Cove and its four roller coasters.
Playland had its inaugural ACE New Jersey event in August 2019, with the promise of another welcome every summer to come. But again, 2020 being 2020, the second act had to wait until 2021 but lined up nicely as a late afternoon-early evening outing. The plan was simple: show your ACE card and get an all-rides wristband from 5 to 9 p.m. for just $10. For value perspective, a single ride on Playland’s biggest coaster, Gale Force, costs $10. For another value perspective, Playland normally doesn’t sell ride wristbands at all.
Gale Force.
Photo: Matt Kaiser. View full-sized image.
Ocean City, New Jersey, is, nevertheless, a curious place, mostly enjoyed by weekly visitors who treasure their traditions, savor repetition and arrive and depart on Saturdays. Then there are the rules: no games of chance, no outdoor music speakers, no amusements on the beach side of the boardwalk and absolutely no alcohol on the island (hence the name of the event). Still, it was a pleasant relief of at least eight degrees difference between the broil of the woods and the lighter air by the ocean. Further still, attendees were reminded that the all-at-once changeover routine means Saturday afternoons are notably laid-back along the boardwalk and its fun spots while tourists are turning over … but once everyone’s settled in, by 5 to 6 p.m., the crowds explode. It took a good 10 minutes to get all 42 attendees their wristbands and on their way to the coasters; this was about half the time it took for the midways to become mobbed with fun-seeking families. Alas, no group meetup or photo was possible. It had become so dense, even a smiling shot of the ticket line would be crowd–photobombed.
Photo: Mark Davidson. View full-sized image.
It should be noted that all four coasters at Playland’s Castaway Cove are less than nine years old. The senior member of the party is Pirates’ Gold Rush, a 2013 E&F Miler kiddie that looks similar to Sea Serpent, the park’s previous Miler, which was badly damaged by Hurricane Sandy in 2012 and replaced. Local ACE members did their best to spread the word that the chance to score another new coaster was right there, if they didn’t notice.
A full city block away, at the opposite end of the park’s expanse, stand the three coasters constructed together and opened over 2016-2017.
The colorful Whirlwind is New Jersey’s umpteenth Visa-SBF spinning figure eight coaster (seriously, at the time it was the sixth), which fills the corner once inhabited by the famed Flitzer, removed in 2015.
The big blue Gale Force towers over the 10th Street frontage of the park. It’s a full-circuit swing-launcher from S&S; has a single, odd, squat, 12-seat vehicle that somehow negotiates the ride’s sky-high twists and turns; gives a double ride every time; and is enjoyed only after a draconian process to empty every pocket of every rider is endured before boarding. It seems Gale Force is either loved or hated, both madly, for its extreme action as well as its quirks. A few have opined that it might be less jarring if the three highest turns actually did invert, rather than seeming to perform all sorts of acrobatics to avoid doing so. No one’s on the fence about Gale Force; they’d fall right off.
Surrounding Gale Force, and designed to do just that, is Wild Waves, another E&F Miler creation. While the company is best known for its kid-sized coasters, Wild Waves is on the higher edge of thrills for a coaster from Miler. It’s a twice-around oval in classic galvanized steel with a split lift reaching 50 feet high, and it runs triple-car trains (up to three at once). Don’t be fooled, though; the dips grow more intense and speedy, especially on the very visible last run. Wild Waves is a fun surprise for many, and with Gale Force gives Playland a solid pair of signature coasters.
Wild Waves
Photos: Matt Kaiser. View full-sized image.
Gale Force
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The one sad note of the visit — the massive Playland arcade with its spectacular rooftop pirate ship, which served as the gateway between the boardwalk and the amusement park, was destroyed in a March 2021 fire. Construction on its replacement had begun, but its presence was missed, not only for the fun and games inside, but also for its ability to soak up patrons on a busy weekend. Combined with the pandemic affecting two summer seasons, it’s been a rough ride for Playland’s Castaway Cove, but they’re determined to recover and carry on as always. Thanks were extended to Park President Scott Simpson and Vice President Brian Hartley for inviting ACE for another fun, thrilling time.
— Mark Davidson, ACE New Jersey Assistant Regional Representative
A new arcade is under construction to replace the one lost in the fire.
Photo: Mark Davidson. View full-sized image.
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