Obsession? Addiction? Ocean City.

Three parks, one city, one day. 

Oh wait, did I mention that it was actually 4 parks.... And I had driven non-stop from Orlando?

Because it seemed like a really good idea to go from my house in Orlando... to Busch Gardens Williamsburg to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge–Tunnel system (bucket list!)... to Jolly Roger Amusement Park to Jolly Roger at the Pier to Trimper's Rides and finishing the day in Hyattsville, MD. (and I might as well mention the stop at South of the Border too!) You know, your typical 1,100 mile / 17 hour drive... With a sunburn so bad that rides were ripping your skin off.... But it was worth it. I guess? maybe?? 

And this is supposed to be a vacation.

Stop 1 - Jolly Roger Amusement Park
I had been to all 3 of these parks once before, back in 2008 on a crazy road trip I did with friends. While not really out of the way, I never really saw myself coming back here... But with a few new-for-me coasters to pick up, here I was.

A rare Watkins Heart Flip.
I've only ever seen it once before, at Lakeside in Denver.

Flying Dutchman

Spyder

One of my favorite flat rides.

New-for-me Credit #1
Sea Serpent

Opened here in 2015

And featuring this terrifying first drop.

But uh, credit? right? that's a thing people care about it?

The Ferris Wheel looked like a Barbieri model, I don't remember it being here my last visit.
 I couldn't ride it. #SingleRider

New-for-me Credit #2
Wildcat 

This coaster actually had a no-singles rule as well and I ended up having to wait around for a few minutes for some other riders to show up so I could go. The park wasn't very busy in the afternoon since most people were still at the beach itself.

Some of the rides at the park are concessions owned by different traveling showmen, so the ride lineup is constantly changing and rides sometimes end up being replaced with identical models...

Example:
This wonderful Schwarzkopf Wildcat, Wildcat operated here from 1999 to 2001 before going into storage for 14 years. In 2008, the park opened Avalanche, a different Schwarzkopf Wildcat that operated here until 2014 (I rode that one back in 08), and then in 2015 the park brought back the 1999-2001 model Wildcat, sending the 2008-2014 coaster to Peru.

This particular model dates back to at least 1970 and was located at 2 other amusement parks, as well as the two different rounds here.
Not a bad ride for a steel coaster nearing 50!
(the removed model dates to at least 74' and at least one other park location.)

This European style Swinger ride seemed new since my last visit as well.

Oh, and the parks other coaster, Wacky Worm
(skipped, already ridden)

Stop 2 - Jolly Roger at the Pier
I didn't ride anything here this time.. Although I was tempted to spend a few dollars on the Drop Tower... my shoulders said no.

Hurricane, looking nice and semi-flashy.

Looping Star.
SKIPPED.
Thanks to the worst sunburn I'd ever had... I didn't feel the need to give it the pity/courtesy ride

Although it was sporting a new paint job since I was here last.

Ouch.

Had never seen this 'Sky Race' ride before.

This Zamp Power Surge was new since my last visit.

And the large Ferris Wheel had also been repainted.
Couldn't ride, #SingleRider
(but I have ridden this one before.)

Annddd.... Stop 3 - Trimper's Rides
Only stopped here for the SBF Spinning Coaster but made a quick photo-lap and came across a flat ride I had to try.

Tidal Wave, the parks Vekoma Boomerang

While plentiful now, especially on the east coast... It was the second one in the country, when it opened.

Sooper Jet

Chance Zipper. Rare to see in a park
("park")

Woo. The SBF Spinning Coaster.
New-for-me Credit #3

Because... +1

But at least its fun?

1 of 56 (known) SBF Spinners to have popped up since 2014
(and that's not counting the 15 larger models!... or the few traveling ones)
 ((I've racked up 11 so far))

KMG Freak Out

Wacky Worm, already ridden.

Zamp Balloon Flight Ferris wheel. I had seen the 'debut' of it at IAAPA and rode one at the Florida State Fair... just for the because.

The only other ride I rode here was Endeavor, a ride that had debuted in 2016.

(I had seen parts for the one going in at Scream Zone / Coney Island in 2015. Despite the fact my visit there was in august... all that had arrived at that point were the seats.)

Here at Trimper's it replaced a Chance Wipeout and was pretty much shoehorned in between the cobra roll of Tidal Wave, leading to some wonderful visuals both on and off the ride. 

It's Zamperla take on the classic Enterprise ride.

Despite it having OTSR's it runs pretty good and looks nice too, a flaw in some Zamp rides.

When both Endeavor and Tidal Wave run at the same time it looks pretty cool.

Trimper's model features single seat rows with 2 seats per 'car' although Zamp is now selling a 2 seat per row / 4 seat per car model now popping up at some Six Flags parks.

I was also lucky enough to have Tidal Wave fly past while riding Endeavor <3
Pretty awesome foot chopper effect and surprisingly good ride overall.

(Hmm, I didn't realize Vine was still live.... So here's something.. extra)

https://vine.co/v/5WEJBhEnpH3

I also drove past Baja Amusements on my way to Yatpay's house ...but didn't stop since I already had the kiddie credit, nothing was new there, and I was sleepy/hungry and still had another 150 mile drive to Hyattsville. <3
Worth it?

Keansburg Amusement Park, gross.

And yet somehow... This was my third time visiting this place.... If they could just stop adding new-for-me coasters, I could just stop coming here.

Yeah, cause I totally had to come.

Ew
If only Sandy had finished it off.....

In 2012, Hurricane Sandy did some major damage to the park. 4 years later, they were still in the process of recovery.
But also, it didn't look terribly different than my visits in 2005 or 2007

Wisdom Tornado

Haunted Manor dark ride.

Chance Pharaoh's Fury

<3 my beloved Loop-O-Plane <3
(insert near-death-story here)

What the hell is this?! A Chance Chaos?!
(it was closed..... :( )

Sellner Tilt-a-Whirl

Not really sure what was up with the Wisdom Gravatron.

Not sure if this is post-Sandy.... Or just super classy Keansburg.

S&S Double Shot.

This Wave Swinger seemed new. Almost out of place with the rest of the park being in a sort of operational decay.

uh, Sea Serpent, took me two visits to get this credit... luckily it could be skipped this time around.
Unlike..........

Looping Star. 

Just... awful.

Ah, the Pinfari ZL42, because who wouldn't wanna ride a garbage can through a 30 foot loop
(to be fair.... some of these ZL models can be tolerable... but not this one.)

And while new for me here in New Jersey... I had actually seen this coaster in one of its previous homes... missing half its track, while standing in a field in Kentucky some 10 years earlier.

q u a l i t y
quality

Check....Credit...
and lets never speak of it again.

Bitching aside... its worth noting that somehow this tiny park has managed to operate some 115 years. Opening in 1903
(just a year after my beloved Canobie...)

Also, also, later in the day... Rob drove me around so I could get my final New Jersey County Credit, Cumberland, completing the state <3