This was the ride that got me interested in exploring abandoned mines! We used to go to Wildwood every summer for a week in June and I remember riding this back in the mid to late 1970s. It really was a spectacular ride and unique. The later additions of the dinosaurs, crashed helicopter, and things like that kind of ruined the old western theme and made it somewhat visually jarring. Not too far from this ride on the other side of the pier was the Whacky Shack. Another great dark ride! I used to ride that too as a kid - it was my favorite ride on the pier! Always have been a big fan of dark rides and haunted houses. And horror movies.
I loved the fiberglass horses outside and have pictures of me as a kid ''petting'' them. I liked the old ''boot hill'' better myself. I really missed it and the Log Flume when they went. Was born in '67 and will always be grateful to Mom and Dad for making those vacations possible.
1:57 back in the 90s I was sitting towards the back, and someone up front dropped a killer FART right as we entered this got dam tunnel. And we was trapped in that stink no where to escape to! 😵
The Golden Nugget lives on as the Black Diamond at Knoebels. You Wildwood residents should consider coming to reunite with it. It's a wonderful park for all ages with world class coasters and old school rides. Best of all it's free admission and just pay as you go. You'll love it.
@Kathi Jordan that’s a pretty steep observation. Mining has a rich history in central Pennsylvania and Knoebels managed to take something existing, utilizing a vast majority of the ride and create something new to embellish, entertain AND educate in local history. They’ve done an amazing job.
I use to keep my eyes closed almost the whole time when I use to get on except when we were outside. LOL I miss the good ole days! This was a gem in Willdwood NJ.
I have made a virtual Golden Nugget in Planet Coaster. I’m attempting to build a virtual Dinosaur Beach circa 1996 as well as the three Morey’s Piers and what used to be Nickels Midway Pier with Castle Dracula. Castle Dracula burned down Jan 16, 2002. Most of it collapsed to the ground, only the front gate and the stands/games on the side were standing after the fire. Two minors were arrested by a nearby officer after they ran out and down to the street. The distance between piers is not to scale as there isn’t enough room. I left out Sportland Pier due to lack of room. It was basically go-karts and the shuttered Dr. Blood’s House of Horror 2 level dark ride by the 90’s anyway. But in the 60’s, 70’s to 1983 it was full of mostly imported rides. In 1984 Ted Snyder bought it and the rides sat rotting away for the rest of the 1980’s then most were removed and go-kart tracks built by 1992.
This was my favorite ride. It's wonderful that someone made and posted a movie of it. With adult eyes, it is really creative and must have cost a fortune to build.
Thank you so so so much for sharing this with so many. Does anyone remember how freaky the hooded figure with the red eyes was? Shame you cant really make him out. Anyone got pics?
Thanks so much for posting this. This video is a true rarity seeing the Golden Nugget in its Dinosaur Beach stage since that was only that way for a brief time
I can't thank you enough for this; I went last weekend to find this ride and they told me they tore it down because it was made mostly of asbestos! Lol
I'm not from the area but read about the move. Yes apparently asbestos was the downfall. That's why Knoebels only took the track, asbestos laws in New Jersey and Pennsylvania were to strict to deal with.
Thank you for uploading this! I remember going to this pier when I was 5 years old back in 1996. I for the longest time couldn't remember the name of the place but I looked up defunct amusement parks in NJ and Dinosaur Beach was listed! I'm glad to be able to see this ride again! Now I know for sure I didn't make the whole thing up!!
I rode the Nugget that year and 1998, as well as 1982-1983. I have vid on tape from June 1998 riding it. Now it operates again at Knoebel's which is 70 miles northwest of me. I live near Dorney Park.
@@ckel1579 Wrong. It's about coal mining overall. Some of its last scenes are a tribute to Centralia Pennsylvania, a very real borough that had to be evacuated due to a mine fire. Silent Hill was inspired by Centralia.
Wow....this was weird. I went on this as a kid and dont remember any dinosaur references whatsoever. I also have video of it in completion from 1993....ill have to dig through the archives and compare to this experience! One thing that stayed the same - the squeal on the turn after the first drop!
Black Diamond isn't based on Silent Hill. It's based on coal mining overall and has a tribute to Centralia Pennsylvania, a very real borough that had to be evacuated due to a mine fire. Silent Hill was inspired by Centralia.
I made it a point to ride the Golden Nugget and go through Castle Dracula and Dungeon several times in June 1996 and 1998 because I knew they wouldn't last forever. At least Golden Nugget was rebuilt at Knoebel's. I rode this a week before June 23, 1996. They basically "Dinoized" it, adding dinosaurs to the scenes and the storyline was that you were archeologists on an expidition to find dinosaur fossils and you boarded mine carts to explore an abandoned mine and were ambushed by dinosaurs. The Escape from Dinosaur Beach dark ride, which was built on the former sites of Whacky Shack and Jungleland, was a decent ride. There were so many new things in Wildwood in 1996, including Great White on Morey's Wild Wheels Pier (former Fun Pier). The former Hunt's Pier in August 1995 was half shut with a wall across the pier, and kiddie rides on the front. The Golden Nugget, Log Flume, Rapids, and Hunt's Horror/former Whacky Shack were SBNO. The Hunt's Horror was pushed into a dumpster early 1996, but the props had been removed and were put into storage somewhere in Wildwood.
Seems like the Golden Nugget always had the longest lines. It seemed cool in the 60s & 70s. Hunts Pier was the best back then.
This was the ride that got me interested in exploring abandoned mines! We used to go to Wildwood every summer for a week in June and I remember riding this back in the mid to late 1970s. It really was a spectacular ride and unique. The later additions of the dinosaurs, crashed helicopter, and things like that kind of ruined the old western theme and made it somewhat visually jarring. Not too far from this ride on the other side of the pier was the Whacky Shack. Another great dark ride! I used to ride that too as a kid - it was my favorite ride on the pier! Always have been a big fan of dark rides and haunted houses. And horror movies.
I loved the fiberglass horses outside and have pictures of me as a kid ''petting'' them. I liked the old ''boot hill'' better myself. I really missed it and the Log Flume when they went. Was born in '67 and will always be grateful to Mom and Dad for making those vacations possible.
1:57 back in the 90s I was sitting towards the back, and someone up front dropped a killer FART right as we entered this got dam tunnel. And we was trapped in that stink no where to escape to! 😵
The Golden Nugget lives on as the Black Diamond at Knoebels. You Wildwood residents should consider coming to reunite with it. It's a wonderful park for all ages with world class coasters and old school rides. Best of all it's free admission and just pay as you go. You'll love it.
Knoebel's is a great. It ranks high among ACE members. Phoenix is considered on eof the greatest woodies of all time, and Impulse is pretty good too.
Yes I rode on it! However it's just not exactly the same..
Thanks
@Kathi Jordan that’s a pretty steep observation. Mining has a rich history in central Pennsylvania and Knoebels managed to take something existing, utilizing a vast majority of the ride and create something new to embellish, entertain AND educate in local history. They’ve done an amazing job.
Out of all my years going to wildwood n knoebels didn’t know this
I use to keep my eyes closed almost the whole time when I use to get on except when we were outside. LOL I miss the good ole days! This was a gem in Willdwood NJ.
The greatest ride ever!
I have made a virtual Golden Nugget in Planet Coaster. I’m attempting to build a virtual Dinosaur Beach circa 1996 as well as the three Morey’s Piers and what used to be Nickels Midway Pier with Castle Dracula. Castle Dracula burned down Jan 16, 2002. Most of it collapsed to the ground, only the front gate and the stands/games on the side were standing after the fire. Two minors were arrested by a nearby officer after they ran out and down to the street. The distance between piers is not to scale as there isn’t enough room. I left out Sportland Pier due to lack of room. It was basically go-karts and the shuttered Dr. Blood’s House of Horror 2 level dark ride by the 90’s anyway. But in the 60’s, 70’s to 1983 it was full of mostly imported rides. In 1984 Ted Snyder bought it and the rides sat rotting away for the rest of the 1980’s then most were removed and go-kart tracks built by 1992.
That sounds awesome
This ride lives on as Black Diamond at Knoebels
I’ve ridden that! That’s amazing nice to know riding a piece of history
Got my foot stuck in the OG Golden Nugget in 1983
They ruined it by adding, a crashed helicopter, and dinosaurs. What do they have to do, with a mining shaft??
You posting this is a true gift. Thank you for the flashback.
The original! EDIT: Oh, wait, this was the revamp w/ with all the Dino's...still cool though.
This was my favorite ride. It's wonderful that someone made and posted a movie of it. With adult eyes, it is really creative and must have cost a fortune to build.
Thank you so so so much for sharing this with so many. Does anyone remember how freaky the hooded figure with the red eyes was? Shame you cant really make him out. Anyone got pics?
Knoebels kept a few reminders of this rides past. The cart that comes at you from the left is still there but as a still object.
This n the escape from dinosaur beach ride were the classics
i can almost smell the old grease. thank you for posting ❤
God this took me back to the great memories back then.
Thanks for sharing the memories I can still smell the place 😂
Yes, there was something about the smell. Particularly in the part where the beam is breaking. Did it smell like tar?
I love this ride it need to come back and after the fire destroyed the whole ride😢
I just relived my childhood with this! Thanks for posting it!
Thanks so much for posting this. This video is a true rarity seeing the Golden Nugget in its Dinosaur Beach stage since that was only that way for a brief time
Back again, what an incredible, brilliant, amazingly designed ride. .
That was my favorite ride growing up back in the 60'S and 70's, thanks for the memories 💖
So it’s a mine-themed ride, with military vehicles crashed on the top, haunted skeletons inside AND dinosaurs? I’m so confused!
I can't thank you enough for this; I went last weekend to find this ride and they told me they tore it down because it was made mostly of asbestos! Lol
It was actually moved and had a massive overhaul when it was put into knoebels in elysburg, pa. Its now more horror and pa coal mine themed
@@tonierbuckle0202
Yeah, the guy told me. It's three hours away from me now! 😫
I'm not from the area but read about the move. Yes apparently asbestos was the downfall. That's why Knoebels only took the track, asbestos laws in New Jersey and Pennsylvania were to strict to deal with.
@@randomtraveler9854
Thank you for that! I appreciate your input 🙂
@@BonBon4U78 No problem
Sad this ride is no longer around 😥
The track was used to build a coal mining theamed dark ride called Black Diamond at Knoebels in Elysburg Pennsylvania.
The dinosaur beach ride too
Thank you for uploading this! I remember going to this pier when I was 5 years old back in 1996. I for the longest time couldn't remember the name of the place but I looked up defunct amusement parks in NJ and Dinosaur Beach was listed! I'm glad to be able to see this ride again! Now I know for sure I didn't make the whole thing up!!
It's operating at Knoebles as Black Diamond. They built a new building and changed it to a coal mine theme.
I rode the Nugget that year and 1998, as well as 1982-1983. I have vid on tape from June 1998 riding it. Now it operates again at Knoebel's which is 70 miles northwest of me. I live near Dorney Park.
Rob Krasinski Oh shit, you're lucky. I live near Great Adventure, but I'd kill to live near Dorney.
This ride is now the black diamond At Knoebels Pennsylvania. It is an indoor coaster themed about silent hill.
They moved the track.
@@ckel1579 Wrong. It's about coal mining overall. Some of its last scenes are a tribute to Centralia Pennsylvania, a very real borough that had to be evacuated due to a mine fire. Silent Hill was inspired by Centralia.
A lot of things are different from what I remember from the early 80's but the track is the same. Great ride.
Wow....this was weird. I went on this as a kid and dont remember any dinosaur references whatsoever. I also have video of it in completion from 1993....ill have to dig through the archives and compare to this experience! One thing that stayed the same - the squeal on the turn after the first drop!
Loved that ride rode as kid and took my kids on it been on the kneel version not bad when the dinosaur craze hit wildwood it ruined it
This ride is now the black diamond At Knoebels Pennsylvania. It is an indoor coaster themed about silent hill.
Black Diamond isn't based on Silent Hill. It's based on coal mining overall and has a tribute to Centralia Pennsylvania, a very real borough that had to be evacuated due to a mine fire. Silent Hill was inspired by Centralia.
Still can't believe its gone. Rode it at Knoebels, awesome awesome job, but it should have stayed in NJ right where it was.
What year was this taken and how old were you at that time and what year
Such great memories of this ride on Hunts Pier.
Remind me when I go wildwood and old man pay me $200 touch his bird in bathroom morey pier.
Did it have feathers 🙄
It was about a 4 minute ride and got your money worth! I rode on that ride many many times back in the 60'S and 70's 😁
Memories of me on this with Mom in the 80s
Just tried this with virtual reality glasses and bone conductor headphones - awesome wow!!
This needs to make a comeback
It has. It's currently operating as Black Diamond at Knoebels.
Do you remember escape from dinosaur beach? And the log flume with the long neck dinosaur that spit water out of it's nose at you
Got stuck on here once.
I made it a point to ride the Golden Nugget and go through Castle Dracula and Dungeon several times in June 1996 and 1998 because I knew they wouldn't last forever. At least Golden Nugget was rebuilt at Knoebel's. I rode this a week before June 23, 1996. They basically "Dinoized" it, adding dinosaurs to the scenes and the storyline was that you were archeologists on an expidition to find dinosaur fossils and you boarded mine carts to explore an abandoned mine and were ambushed by dinosaurs. The Escape from Dinosaur Beach dark ride, which was built on the former sites of Whacky Shack and Jungleland, was a decent ride. There were so many new things in Wildwood in 1996, including Great White on Morey's Wild Wheels Pier (former Fun Pier). The former Hunt's Pier in August 1995 was half shut with a wall across the pier, and kiddie rides on the front. The Golden Nugget, Log Flume, Rapids, and Hunt's Horror/former Whacky Shack were SBNO. The Hunt's Horror was pushed into a dumpster early 1996, but the props had been removed and were put into storage somewhere in Wildwood.
Loved this ride but hated the loud breaks