Escape From Dinosaur Beach Is Coming Back!
Do you reminder the short-lived theme pier Dinosaur Beach? It opened in 1996 on the former Hunt’s Pier. The folks who currently own the Steel Pier in Atlantic City wanted to take their chances on the Wildwood Boardwalk.
It opened with a few unique dinosaur-themed rides such as The Log Flume, Raptor Rapids, Thunder Lizard, and the iconic Hunt’s ride Golden Nugget.
It turns out one of their rides, Escape From Dinosaur Beach, is coming back!
The ride, Escape From Dinosaur Beach was a safari Jeep ride through a lifelike dinosaur holding compound with life-sized animated dinosaurs. As the brochure said, “you will survive the ride but you will never escape the memory of this journey through the past.“
Unfortunately, Dinosaur Beach closed in 1998, (I think we escaped) and Morey’s Piers purchased the pier and their rides.
Some of the rides were sold off, like the Golden Nugget, (now at Knoebels as the Black Diamond) the flume was donated to Arnold’s Park, and some rides were put into storage.
Right now we are doing a ton of research on Dinosaur Beach. When this news broke it was quite fitting that we were already looking into it.
Amusement Today made the announcement that IRM Rides sold Escape From Dinosaur Beach and that it will be resurrected…. in a different form.
Santa’s Village Azoosment & Water Park in East Dundee, Illinois has purchased the ride and has plans to install and open a new version of the ride for the 2022 operating season. Santa’s Village will provide a new theme for the attraction.
It’s cool to see that old Wildwood history is still kind of around!
Do you remember this ride? Do you have photos and videos from when Dinosaur Beach was around?
We are currently collecting videos and photos from them for our history video of Dinosaur Beach. Shoot us an email at the WildwoodVideoArchive@gmail.com
Check out our video below talking about the resurrection of Escape From Dinosaur Beach (plus some throwback video)
Check out these other Wildwood videos and articles
N. Wildwood Holiday Beach Bonfire!
NWBP Chief Tony Cavalier Announces Retirement