Inside Shoreline Pier

The Refreshed Attractions: A Coaster and Flat Rides

Shoreline Pier’s collection of five attractions dot the new midway. Six Flags relocated four rides from the now-shuttered Six Flags America park in Maryland, with a fifth ride relocated from within Great America. "We were able to bring in a lot of medium-sized rides that appeal to families and younger kids. Many of these attractions have lower height requirements than our major coasters,” says Mike Fehnel, park president. 

• Barrels O’ Fun: Spinning family coaster designed in a wild mouse style (Reverchon). 
• Wave Swinger: Classic swing ride (Zamperla).
• Flying Scooters: Classic interactive ride where riders control their own scooter (Larson International).
• Hypno-Twister: Modern Italian flat ride known for its rotating arms and floating airtime effect (Zamperla).
• Super Round Up: Classic centrifugal wall spinner ride  by Hrubetz. 

The supporting experiences for the five attractions include pop-up entertainment showcases on a stage in the area, as well as a new food and beverage program focused on boardwalk eats like disco fries (traditional french fries with brown gravy and melted mozzarella cheese) and funnel cakes.

Strategic Park Design: “Park Within a Park” 

“This is like a park within a park… this is not just rides—it’s a quality statement,” says Fehnel. Shoreline Pier, he shares, was designed to rebalance guest distribution: “The park had become very right-handed, and Shoreline Pier helps balance that out.”

Derek DiPasquale, entertainment manager, shares that the park "...really wanted to lean into the Cirque-style entertainment. After seeing such a positive guest response during our Safari Spring Break event, we built Boardwalk Nights around multiple shows that all come together in one big finale at the end of the evening."

Attention to Quality and Details

Chef Jeremy Hacker, executive chef, knew that if they were going to do a New Jersey boardwalk, “We needed fresh-cut fries. I grew up going to Wildwood, and for me, it always came back to those kinds of food memories. And yes, it makes a difference. Fresher just tastes better.”

As for advice, Fehnel offers to other operators considering building a new area of a park."Lean into your brand and embrace it—and go big with it. No idea is too small. Guests love interacting with the little details, whether it's themed signage or playful messages. Those fine touches really matter,” he says. 

Six Flags Great Adventure will announce phase two of Shoreline Pier on July 28. Construction on a new roller coaster continues, even after the ride reached its full height of 382 feet, becoming the tallest structure at Six Flags Great Adventure. Codenamed Project Purple, the brand-new ride sits adjacent to Shoreline Pier. While construction has reached several key milestones, the park has yet to reveal the attraction's official name, theme, ride vehicles, manufacturer, or anticipated opening date in 2027. 

A shipping container located in the new area became the subject of discussion when it appeared in a teaser video released by the park. The codename supports and brings awareness to Project Purple, a nonprofit organization dedicated to funding pancreatic cancer research and supporting patients and their families.

When the official announcement is made, IAAPA News Daily will have all the details. IAAPA members can sign up to receive the newsletter, covering all constituencies across the global attractions industry, here.