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Post by Robert on Feb 18, 2006 3:49:04 GMT -5
OK, Afish, since when did you all of a sudden jump on this board and reply to my post from last year? I bet I could scare you more than you could scare me. I had fun scaring all the Castle Dracula actors by just walking by them. You must have been a great vampiress back in the day. I was terrified of the Castle back in 1980-83 and I didn't go in. I was under 10, you know. The first time I set foot inside the Castle was Aug 95. The last time I was in was June 98. The Castle didn't rely on high-tech effects to scare you, just good old fashioned scares. Well, it's late and I got to get a bite, I'm looking for the right neck, and I must return to my coffin before sunrise.
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Post by Afish on Feb 18, 2006 12:41:42 GMT -5
OK, Afish, since when did you all of a sudden jump on this board and reply to my post from last year? I bet I could scare you more than you could scare me. I had fun scaring all the Castle Dracula actors by just walking by them. You must have been a great vampiress back in the day. I was terrified of the Castle back in 1980-83 and I didn't go in. I was under 10, you know. The first time I set foot inside the Castle was Aug 95. The last time I was in was June 98. The Castle didn't rely on high-tech effects to scare you, just good old fashioned scares. Well, it's late and I got to get a bite, I'm looking for the right neck, and I must return to my coffin before sunrise. Since when?? Well Duh, look at the time stamp. Dude, you act like no one has ever been in the place 'cept you. I KNOW how the scares worked..I helped create some of the spots and scares. ..and Dude...you couldn't 'scare' your way out of a bag...much less scare me.
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Post by Robert on Feb 18, 2006 18:49:15 GMT -5
Well the Dungeon really terrified my mom, she rode it with us and was in tears once the boat got inside. she was saying to us, "why did you take me on this?" like she was mad at us or something. She made it all the way through, though. The year before we took her and her male friend through the castle and she got a bit scared in the dark parts. She doesn't really like those scary rides and she's afraid of being touched by monsters. However, Dante's was nothing to her compared with the castle.
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Post by Afish on Feb 18, 2006 18:55:35 GMT -5
She made it all the way through, though. . Well, DUH! What did you think she would do? Get OUT of the boat and walk?
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Post by Fish Fan on Feb 20, 2006 10:47:35 GMT -5
Love that handbook. Great stuff. It seems like Jack Tripper in Meatballs that those rules were thrown right out as soon as you guys got them. I miss the good ol Castle days.
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Post by crazyaboutwildwood on Feb 20, 2006 23:34:14 GMT -5
I miss the castle too! Wildwood is so different when you walk up on that side of the boards and its not there! There is always that hope for something big to happen again down there and not just with the moreys.The theaters being gone to changes the whole skyline in that area. When I was at the landmark a couple of weeks ago you get a coplete differnt view of the boards with mariners and nickels!
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Post by crazyaboutwildwood on Mar 29, 2006 7:48:37 GMT -5
I hate to see this area just rot away! Now that the theaters are gone splash zone looks weak and tired. Something has to be done in this area. I keep watching this area and nothing ever happens.
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Post by crazyaboutwildwood on May 10, 2006 16:00:43 GMT -5
Splash Zone sucks! Splash Zone sucks! So does Ted Synder! HA HA HA HA.....................
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Post by clnancy50 on Jul 5, 2006 15:35:39 GMT -5
Could someone please tell me what is there where Draculs's Castle was? Is it just an empty spot?
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Post by robert on Jul 5, 2006 16:03:21 GMT -5
YES!!! There is nothing there! There will probably be nothing there in 5 years! The castle will never be rebuilt! I'd better go to some other haunted castle. Like at the falls, etc.
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Post by clnancy50 on Jul 6, 2006 16:20:29 GMT -5
YOU MEAN THAT WHOLE CORNER IS JUST EMPTY? What a waste! And when did it burn down again? I think the last time I was there had to be 2002 or 03. And I KNOW it was still there then. Well, all I can say is everybody better wake up because things never stay the same. I look at all the old pictures of the piers at Wildwood, Atlantic City, etc. and all I can do is remember the way it was. Now everything is high-tech, faster, brighter, MORE thrilling, etc. Anything to draw the people of this generation. When I looked at some of those old pictures of parts of rides and rides just laying somewhere and rotting, it really made me sad. That's why I've always like Knoebels; there's so much original stuff. But the young people of this age don't think nothing of what's there now; until they get older and they'll be saying,"Remember when this or that was there?" And, believe me, it will happen. Everything now is all funny and carefree but you can't stop change and someday they'll be looking back and remembering what WAS there and is no longer. <end of lesson for the day>
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Post by clnancy50 on Jul 6, 2006 16:29:55 GMT -5
Oh, another thing, I go on alot of sites of abandoned property, and what actually happens here is property is left to sit and deteriorate and rot for ages and even if someone THINKS about trying to save it and fixing it up, by that times it costs way TOO much money so that's where the old wrecking ball comes in. And that's the same with rides or anything; even old piers. Nobody cares until it's too late. Unless you get someone like MR. Donald Trump, who just bought the Steel Pier; not that he's going to think of rides or "family entertainment". He'll be thinking of BIG BUCKS, like any business person is going to think. Now HOW will I make the MOST money? It doesn't matter how WE feel; we're just the "little" guy.
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Post by robert on Jul 6, 2006 23:37:42 GMT -5
nancy, the castle burnt down Jan. 16, 2002. Summer 2002 was the first time since 1975/76 without the castle and the first time since 1918 without the boat ride. The boat ride opened 1919, along with the wooden coaster which was torn down fall 1984, and the castle opened 1977. For two years they had a bungee trampoline ride there in the sand pit where the boat ride was and the castle on top. Yes, like you said, an "xtreme thrill ride" for the "now" young generation. It didn't last, though and was removed around 2004. I guess at $8 a pop (the equivalent of one castle walk and one dungeon ride combo) people weren't willing to pay for a few cheap thrills. I'd take a dark ride anyday over a cheap dumb thrill ride.
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Post by clnancy50 on Jul 7, 2006 2:38:57 GMT -5
Then it must have been the summer of 2001 (where does the time go?). Well, that was the last time I saw it then. I've asked this before; seriously, robert, how do you know so much about all these rides and areas? I read tons of books about this stuff and you STILL know so much! The times I was in Wildwood, Dracula's Castle was always full. EVERYONE wanted to go in there! You would think, since it used to bring in money, that they would replace it. I don't know the whole story about the fire, but something doesn't seem right since they didn't rebuild it when I think it was pretty popular. Isn't that what it's all about, making money? They probably suffered a big loss then. I guess we should just be glad that most of the piers are still there. Look at Atlantic City; that's a wasteland! It's pathetic!! Alot of the piers have changed; rides come and rides go. Yet the lay-out is basically the same as what I remember as a child. These businessmen probably have to change with the times; and go wherever the money is. Maybe they're planning something for that corner (hopefully?). Who owned that area? Couldn't you find out? Sometimes for things to happen, they need a little "push". Alot of times that's how things get down. You seem to know a great deal about the area and the history, robert, couldn't you talk to someone?!?
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Post by robert on Jul 7, 2006 7:08:22 GMT -5
I think what happens is as places disappear, even if they were there 25 years or more, the public in general will forget about them and move on to other things. Like the motels, I'm sure people have forgotten what was where by now, and as the amusements shut down or disappear, people will be forced to go to other amusement places. Look at what happened with Hunt's and Sportland, for example. They declined to the point where they are now nothing more than go-kart piers with closed dark rides. It was all because of the original owners selling their properties, the new owners at the time didn't want to continue running a full amusement park. So, they sold off rides, demolished rides, and scaled back operations. It used to be in the 70's that every pier was individually owned and every one had regular rides. Now, it's basically the Morey's with the rides, and the others with go-karts and other non-ride attractions. Maybe the new dark ride on the boardwalk got more business after the castle burned down. Perhaps there were people who were new to WW and never even heard of Castle Dracula before since they never saw it. I wish someone with the vision would come along and build a really scary attraction that would make Castle Dracula seem like a walk in the park.
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