WILDWOOD — The Morey’s Mariner’s Landing Pier was quiet on Oct. 6, except for the eerie sounds of carnival music being piped over the loudspeaker.
The broadcast was a test for the soundtrack that will play during the company’s first Halloween themed event, Morey’s Fears: Terror on the Boardwalk.
Morey’s Fears runs Oct. 14 to Oct. 29, Friday and Saturday nights in October. And if the music is any indication, prepare to be scared.
The Halloween event is the first of its kind for the Morey organization, but has been something they have wanted to do for over a decade.
“Halloween is a huge aspect of the amusement industry,” said Dino Fazio, director of pier operations. “We’ve wanted to do something for 10 years, but we felt like we didn’t have enough of an anchor attraction for a Halloween event.”
Fazio said that the company could finally move forward in earnest after the Ghost Ship was built last year. The Ghost Ship is a 15,000-square foot walkthrough ride shaped like a cargo ship with actors and animatronics.
“That [the Ghost Ship] was the permanent successful attraction we needed,” he said.
With the Ghost Ship getting rave reviews from guests, Fazio said the company felt confident to move forward with their plans to expand their scare tactics to an event.
“We researched attractions from all kinds of parks,” Fazio said. “We learned what worked and what didn’t. Some ideas from other parks we’ve incorporated into our event with our own twist and some are unique to Morey’s.”
The result are characters like Felix the boardwalk barker, CarnEVIL, a clown themed zone filled with scary circus performers and CornStalkers, a corn maze built on the beach.
According to Fazzio, the corn maze was the most challenging new attraction to build.
“Corn stalks have been coming in by the truckload for three weeks now from local farms,” Fazio said.
The maze can be completed in about 10 minutes, he said. Maybe less if you run, he joked.
However certain obstacles may frighten guests enough to have them turned around.
“The whole purpose is to confuse. This isn’t a maze for the faint of heart,” Fazio warned.
The Ghost Ship will also be open with a new show with many more zombies on the ship, Fazio said.
Rides like the Sea Dragon, the Super Scooters, Tea Cups, Pirate’s of the Wildwoods, Rollie’s Coaster, Moby Dick and Musik Express will also be open with a Halloween theme.
Guests may even recognize the actors roaming the pier in the ghoulish makeup.
“The vast majority are full time Morey’s Piers employees,” Fazio said. “Seasonal workers are primarily staffing the rides.”
All Morey’s Piers employees got through ride orientation and safety training. But for this event, there was a third level of actor training.
With the help of Terry O’Brien, manager of the ghost ship, and other employees who have worked on the piers live action rides like Dante’s Dungeon and Pirates of the Wildwoods, the staff went through a scare-boot camp.
“There were classes on how to walk like a zombie or direct guests to the bathrooms in your zombie groan,” Fazio said.
Just like a cast in a play, costumes and make-up are a must. Fazio said that makeup artists will be using airbrushing, creams and latex for the various characters. Some costumes were bought, but most were created by the employees specifically for the event.
Over 60 actors will be lurking throughout the various attractions.
However, he noted, the most prominent will be Felix, a rhyming boardwalk barker character created to greet guests and move the story of a haunted amusement pier along.
“We’re Felix’s real identity a secret,” Fazio said.
Lindsey Young, marketing manager, said that the admission price of $25, or $22 online, is for all the open attractions on the pier, as many times as the guests want to ride.
Advance ticket sales have been good, she said, but expects most sales to be made the day of the event.
“It could be an impulse buy,” she said.
Young stressed that the event is not geared for children under 8 years old.
“Younger kids should sit this one out or check out some of the other events on the boardwalk,” Young said. “We will be trying our best to deliver a scary experience.”
Young said that as normal, all ride and attraction requirements will be strictly enforced and guests who arrive to the event in costume and makeup will not be admitted.
“Leave that to the professional zombies,” she said.
After Souper Sunday on Oct. 9, the day when the piers traditionally closed for the season, Fazio said the employees will be in nonstop rush to prepare for Morey’s Fears.
“We have about four days to get everything ready,” said Fazio. “But we’ve been looking forward to it for so long, we can’t wait.”
Local businesses are also looking forward to a large Halloween event to bring visitors to the area.
In addition to Morey’s Fears, Morbid Manor, a haunted attraction on Sportland Pier, located at 23rd Street, will be open weekends throughout October, as will the Dragon’s Lair mini golf and Adventure Mirror Maze and Palace of Sweets on Hunt’s Pier. Jumbo’s Restaurant on Morey’s Piers is also open during the event and added special Halloween treats to their menu.
Young added that a number of hotels have remained open to accommodate out-of-town guests.
“This event definitely has a positive impact on the surrounding local businesses,” said Patrick Rosenello, director of the Special Improvement District that oversees many boardwalk operations including the tram cars. “Especially in the surrounding area of Schellenger Avenue, business owners are using Morey’s Fears to stretch their season.”
“Most of those stores would have been closed after this weekend, but if the weekend was any indication how busy it could get, it is going to be very successful,” Rosenello said. “The boardwalk was absolutely mobbed.”
Rosenello said that tram cars normally stop running the last weekend in September and would not be running during the weekends in October.
“However, after what I saw this past weekend, when we end tram service is going to be something we are going to look out for next year,” he said.
“If the weather is good and there is something to do, businesses are learning that people will keep coming,” Rosenello added.
Seeing the tourists out in force was good news for Fazio, who said that one of the biggest hurdles has been “retraining people that we are open.”
“For years, Morey’s Piers closed the beginning of October. With a brand new Halloween event, we’ve been doing everything in our power and our budget to convince people we’re open,” Fazio said.
A positive review and high turnout could lead to the piers investing in another permanent ride, like the Ghost Ship, he said.
Although he expects something of a learning curve, Fazio said he has high hopes that Morey’s Fears will become a well-known tradition.
“Morey’s Fears is not going to be a one time thing. It may take some time, but I think people are going to add a trip to the boardwalk on their Halloween event list,” he said.
Lauren Suit can be e-mailed at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or you can comment on this story by calling 624-8900, ext 250.
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