The Great Nor'easter
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]
| The Great Nor'easter | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Morey's Piers | |
| Location | Morey's Piers |
| Park section | Surfside Pier |
| Coordinates | 38.9893°N 74.8023°W |
| Status | Operating |
| Opening date | May 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 |
| Height | 115 ft (35 m) |
| Drop | 95 ft (29 m) |
| Length | 2,170 ft (660 m) |
| Speed | 55 mph (89 km/h) |
| Inversions | 5 |
| Duration | 2:05 |
| Capacity | 1200 riders per hour |
| Height restriction | 52 in (132 cm) |
| Trains | 2 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 | |
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.
References
- "The Great Nor'easter (Morey's Piers)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
- "Memorial Day cool spell can't stop holiday crowd". Daily Record. May 27, 1995. Retrieved September 27, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Parkworld_Magazine_July08". Archived from the original on 2012-10-24. Retrieved 2012-09-06.
External links
- Fly – The Great Nor'easter's POV: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zqca7VuWDZU
- Morey's Piers homepage