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2011


December 22, 2011
Hi guys. Sorry for the decrease in updates this fall! Needless to say, at times life can get in the way of even your biggest hobbies and passions!

As of now, we are waiting for the holidays to clear so we can begin to install the Phantasmagoria stunts, as well as a few brand new Scare Factory pieces (which by the way are AWESOME… but it’s a surprise). In all, Trimper’s Haunted House should have about 7 or 8 new effects for next year, the largest amount of additions since the Ghost Ship addition in 1988.

In the meantime, I would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a happy, healthy new year! Be safe all!

December 5, 2011
It's that time of year! Check out a few awesome pics taken last December of Trimper's Haunted House after a bad snow storm! So cool! Special thanks to John N. for the contribution!

November 27, 2011
A sight for sore eyes: Phantasmagoria stunts are on-site in Ocean City for their installation in Trimper's Haunted House! Here, a few pieces can be seen when they were first delivered. Some pieces went directly into the Haunted House for storage, and others went to a warehouse in West Ocean City until we are ready for the install.


November 26, 2011
I am always looking for cool Ocean City postcards, especially as they relate to the amusement businesses in town. Whoever designed this postcard surely had a thing for Trimper's Rides as five of their classic rides are featured, including Pirate's Cove designed by Bill Tracy. This is the only postcard I have ever seen featuring the Cove!

November 24, 2011
Happy Thanksgiving from Trimper's Haunted House Online!

November 16, 2011
You know the fiberglass rock panel above the waterfall at the exit? Well, if you think that's an original Tracy design, think again. That panel actually came from defunct Enchanted Warehouse in Virginia Beach, a venture that Doug Trimper, Granville Trimper's son, set out to embark upon back in 1991. The business would not last long as the leased building that housed the park was sold. Although Trimper attempted to find another location for his indoor park, he was unable.

Below, you can see the panel in Trimper's Haunted House (above) and the same panel at the Enchanted Warehouse (below) when it was used there. Sure is interesting where all of the bits and pieces came from to make up yours truly!


November 10, 2011
A special thanks to our good friend Kirk D. for spreading the word of our new spooky additions on his Secret Fun Blog!

November 2, 2011
I hope all of you had a safe and happy Halloween this year.

Please join me in sending condolences to the family of Don Snow, an artist who worked with Bill Tracy in the mid 1960s who passed away in early October. I have been in close touch with his daughter and I was just about to interview him when I found out the news. The likelihood that he was involved with scenic painting for Trimper's Haunted House was very high. Before his death, he was a legendary painter in the North East. You can read his obituary, which mentions that he worked with Tracy and specifies some of his projects in New England.

Keep tuned in with this website, as well as The Bill Tracy Project, for future developments regarding this artist.

October 24, 2011
Using all of your ideas and recommendations from the forum, I have come up with a master plan for the placement of stunts from Phantasmagoria and have submitted it to the management. So far, all signs point in a positive direction, and it looks like we will be able to execute it. In addition, I am going to try diligently to fix up the Birthday Party and Witch while these updates are taking place. Some stunts may be moved around, others may be removed from the ride completely. Either way, next summer should be one of the best in a long time in Trimper’s Haunted House. I will personally be on-site during the installation whenever it takes place, and I will bring you updates live if possible. Stay tuned!

October 20, 2011
Yours truly was mentioned in DelmarvaNOW! Check it out!

October 18, 2011
Well, I guess you could call us an “out-of-town buyer”…

A recent article out of Oklahoma mentions a show that recently took place showcasing some props from Phantasmagoria. Although many were interested purchasing the original Bill Tracy stunts, it was made clear that they were no longer for sale!

October 17, 2011
Give this some thought...

Not too many stunts in the ride are stagnant, but there are a few. If you could add animation or movement to the Upside-Down Room in Trimper's Haunted House, what would it be?

October 14, 2011
I have some exciting news to share with all of you Haunted House and Bill Tracy enthusiasts. Now, plans are not 100% secured as of now, however all of the preliminary arrangements have been made which is why I feel I can let you in on the information. Please be aware that this plan could change if something falls through.

A few weeks back, a collector contacted The Bill Tracy Project from Oklahoma and informed us he had in his possession several stunts and miscellaneous props from the defunct Bill Tracy ride Phantasmagoria which previously resided at Bell's Amusement Park in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He had taken ownership of the stunts at an auction years back when the ride first closed and he was looking for a collector to buy them.

Check out a gallery of the stunts from Phantasmagoria that were being offered.

I informed Bill that I had no use for them, but in the back of my mind, I figured Trimper's Haunted House could use some updating with new effects, and what better effects than Bill Tracy originals!

I called my contacts and we were able to make it all possible, and a shipping company is in the process of bringing the Phantasmagoria stunts to Ocean City in the coming weeks.

Later this fall and over the winter, we will come up with a plan to incorporate the stunts into Trimper’s Haunted House, making the ride not only the longest Tracy ride left on the Earth, but the only ride that contains stunts from three Tracy rides in one; Ghost Ship, Phantasmagoria, and Haunted House.

If you have thoughts of where some of the Tracy stunts could go in the ride, please feel free to speak your mind in our forum. In the mean time, keep your fingers crossed that everything will work out with this project, and I’ll be sure to keep you in the loop.

October 5, 2011
Well folks, I write this update as officially a married man! We just returned from our honeymoon in Walt Disney World, and it was awesome! We were able to explore all of the parks, and enjoy a ‘Keys to the Kingdom’ tour which offers a behind-the-scenes look at the Magic Kingdom and provides tons of factual information regarding the park’s inception and how it operates. We were even able to explore the underground tunnels! It’s a very cool opportunity for all and I encourage you to sign up the next time you visit.

With that said, I would like to tell you a little bit about our wedding. The ceremony took place in Ocean City, Maryland on the 42nd street beach. I hired Ocean City’s famous sand sculptor, Randy Hoffman, to sculpt a custom piece for us on the beach which turned out incredible! He is an incredibly nice and decent individual, and I strongly recommend him to anyone who may be interested in adding the icing on the cake to a special beach event! Randy is the same artist the sculpts the masterpieces in the sand on the boardwalk near the Ocean Gallery on 2nd street.

The reception took place in the Sunset Room, located on 42nd street bayside. To my surprise, my wife contracted ‘Cake Art’ in Salisbury to custom make a Haunted House cake for our wedding. Even more surprising was the fact that my best man, Chris Trimper, presented to me the gift of a Haunted House replica car built to spec including the carvings, scrolls, and decorative ornaments of Tracy’s originals! The car was built with four caster wheels and we included it in the reception hall for our guests to take photos in. It was an absolute riot and needless to say the gift of a lifetime. I plan to bring the car into my collection by finding a nice corner for it in the basement! Stay tuned for updates regarding the car, and possible plans I have for it in our home! Check out some video of the car as it sat in our reception hall below.



Lastly, we were lucky enough to have our very own photo shoot with the wedding party prior to the ceremony inside of the Haunted House! Our professional photographers shot over 500 photographs, most of which were staged with Tracy’s stunts and involved different props. This was a first time experience for all of us, and as a special wedding gift from the Haunted House manager Scotty, the Bat was put back on the façade for the shoot! These photos won’t be released for some time, but stay tuned! Our other photo locations included the antique carousel and bumper cars in the Carousel House, and even Tracy’s Pirates Cove!

In all, it was the experience of a lifetime, and I’d like to thank my beautiful wife, Stephanie, and my best man, Chris Trimper, for making it all possible. Our friend Jenn Brown was our wedding coordinator, and her help was invaluable with pulling it off without a hitch. Stay tuned in the days to come for further updates and possible HH news for the upcoming year!

September 21, 2011
Tonight, we will make the journey to Ocean City to begin setting up for our wedding this weekend. I will be back in touch when I return from our honeymoon! In the mean time, please keep the forum and Facebook page alive, and I will see you on the flip side with great photos and stories to share, most of which will most likely be Haunted House related! -Brandon

September 17, 2011
I am happy to announce the newest addition to the official Haunted House collection. Presenting a scale model of Trimper's Haunted House produced by master artist and model maker Jennifer B. She produced the model several years ago and I am honored to have taken it off her hands. This masterpiece is so detailed, it's hard to believe it's not the real thing! Model measures 31" wide, 13" deep, and 20" high and was built with balsa wood and clay. Awesome!


September 16, 2011
For the past 30 years or so, when broken cars were removed from the track, they were stored in the first room near the Skull Banister where management had plenty of room to work on them and take all the time they needed. The section of track that is “removable” to allow management to take cars of the track has always been located near the entrance door which proved to be inconvenient because workers would have to literally scoot the 250 lb. car around from the work area to the track, wasting time and energy.

A few weeks ago, the management moved this “removable” section of track closer to the bang door to the second room. This allows Scott or whoever else is fixing cars easier access to put the car back on the track because once a car is fixed, they can literally set it down and line it up directly with the track. I will try to provide photos in the coming weeks of the modification, but from what I can tell, it certainly makes the process more efficient!

September 12, 2011
I can’t really put this past weekend into words… well, I probably could. But it would take too long and require too many adjectives. Let’s just say that it was AWESOME! A huge thanks to my best man, Chris Trimper, and the rest of the gang for putting together an amazing bachelor party weekend in OC for me. Despite the fact that some of my groomsmen were unable to make it, we prevailed and created memories that we can share with them. I am not going to give all of the specifics just yet, but being that I sort of enjoy Trimper’s Haunted House, I have some incredible stories and updates to share, but later.

In the mean time, I would like to report that the ride is in good shape. The one strange thing that I encountered over the weekend is that, for some odd and unknown reason, the music for the lobby has inexplicably started piping in to the Last Drop (bathroom) scene. Granted, the “Halp” sound still plays when triggered, but the lobby organ loop is constantly coming out of the same speaker. A wire has clearly crossed at some location causing this to happen, and hopefully it will get straightened out over the fall. Certainly a surprise! Also, the Bat is now inside for the winter despite rumors of it being put back on the façade after being removed for Hurricane Irene. Oh well, better inside than out in the elements, and we will have plenty of it to look forward to next year!

Lastly, I want to make a mention of the 9/11 10-year anniversary and express my sincere condolences to those lost in the tragedy, and to express how proud I am of us as a country. We have prevailed. You should all do yourselves a favor and reach out for old friends that you were once close with, despite any craziness or drama that may have fallen between you and the other, particularly if a large amount of time has gone by. As times change, people change, and we should all do our best to get along, rekindle old memories, and help each other. You never know, that person who you have written off just might be dying to hear from you!

September 6, 2011
One of the things I love most about doing web work is the enormous amount of web technology available to designers, and a large majority of it is free. One of the main tools I use is Google Analytics, which is a free tool that allows me to track my visitors and site usage to a T. Not only can I see simple data like how many views a page gets or how many pages a particular visitor sees, I can tell from what city they are viewing it from, what individual pages are looked at, connection speed (to allow me to optimize my site better), service provider (i.e. Verizon, or in some cases, the provider as in a business or institution name), and even what browser they are using.

All of this data is exciting because it confirms just how many people worldwide are aware of this ride, and how many people enjoy it on an annual basis. To best news is that even if people can’t physically visit the ride and experience its glory in person, they can experience it on the site. Thanks again to all for being committed visitors to this one-of-a-kind seaside treasure.

Do you love Trimper’s Haunted House and want to tell a cool story about a time that you visited? Submit your story and it just might appear in our memories section!

September 5, 2011 - 9:15 p.m.
Happy Labor Day from Trimper's Haunted House Online! As part of tradition, the Haunted House coffin cars are decorated with balloons today. Hope everyone is having an awesome day!


September 4, 2011
Yesterday I made my way up to Horrorfind 2011 in Gettysburg, PA and had the pleasure of meeting some of the biggest horror movie actors and actresses in the business, including John Russo, writer and director of the original Night of the Living Dead and Return of the Living Dead. Check out a photo gallery on our Facebook page.

August 29, 2011
It is with sadness that I share the news that Clifford Hudson, former Haunted House manager from 1965-2000, and father of current Haunted House manager, Scott Hudson, has suffered a small stroke and is currently recovering in a nearby hospital. Please keep Clifford and the rest of the family in your thoughts and prayers in hopes for a speedy recovery.

August 28, 2011 - 9:15 p.m.
Only several hours after Hurricane Irene departed from Ocean City, Trimper's Haunted House is open for business!


August 28, 2011
Trimper’s Haunted House Prevails! Not many reports of damage to the city, just some sand blown in and a little wind damage. Time to celebrate! We made it!

August 26, 2011
The town is quiet. People are gone. Only the waves can be heard. Owners have done as much as possible to prepare for the storm, and now we all must just wait it out. Let's keep our fingers crossed and hope for the best. I will make updates as I learn of the condition of the city, assuming we have power. My gut tells me that majority of the state will lose power for several days, if not longer. If that is the case, this is me signing off! In the mean time, stay tuned on the Facebook page, and watch the inlet webcams. Good luck all.


August 25, 2011 - 8:30 pm
Just got off the phone with Scotty, Haunted House manager. The Bat will be taken inside and all cars will be moved inside the attraction to higher ground (around the Rotating Barrel and Upside-Down Room area). Scott will also screw the doors on the balcony shut in hopes that it prevents wind from ripping them open during the storm. The Zipper will be laid down tomorrow, and the sign on the Avalanche will be laid down also. Crews have already removed decor from the new Rock & Roll ride, and the classic canvas roof on the Himalaya has been removed.

The park is open currently, but not for long. It will not be open tomorrow, duh.

August 25, 2011 - 4:00 pm
Well, so much for that! Phase 3 is in effect for OC, MD meaning residents must evacuate the city which means I will NOT be visiting! Only emergency personnel will be able to enter the island. Am I nervous? Extremely. We as a people have not seen a storm like this for decades, and while many buildings have held up to harsh storms in the past, 100 mph winds are nothing to mess with. A storm surge of 6 feet above average high tide is expected meaning the inlet, boardwalk, and all low-lying areas will get flooded. The lobby of the Haunted House will get flooded, as will the Carousel House which houses the 1902 carousel. Stand by for further updates.

August 25, 2011
So, my bachelor party is scheduled to take place this weekend, in no other place than good old Ocean City, Maryland! Oh, by the way, there will be one of the strongest hurricanes coming up the coast in several decades. No big deal. But, when your Best Man happens to be one of the owners of Trimper’s Amusement Park, things can certainly get interesting. Especially since he will most likely need to activate processes to dismantle some rides, remove signs and awnings, and perhaps board up some windows along the boardwalk front ahead of the storms wrath.

In any event, we are still planning to head into town this evening and ride out the storm until Sunday (unless the town evacuates, of course). Being that I will already be down there enjoying myself, I figured I would document Hurricane Irene through images and video. I will try to update the Facebook page and Flickr site regularly with live storm preparations and updates for those OC lovers that are worried or curious about what exactly is taking place. It is easier for me to update FB and Flickr because I can do it directly and remotely from any location.

Let’s keep our fingers crossed for a safe weekend, and let’s pray that our favorite town AND favorite Haunted House are safe on Monday morning.

August 23, 2011
As if the earthquake wasn't enough to shake everyone up along the east coast, we now have Hurricane Irene to deal with. There is no doubt Trimpers will prepare in some ways, including taking in the Haunted House bat down off the facade and taking down small awnings and signs, but major ride dismantling will not occur unless the management feels extremely nervous, which as this time they don't. I will be down OC this weekend, and will document anything I see. In the meantime, check back for updates.

August 20, 2011
Check out a rare view of the underneath of the RIP gravestone in the graveyard! This gravestone is not a Bill Tracy original, and although the manufacturer of this stunt is unknown, it has been in the attraction since it opened.



August 17, 2011
As if this summer hasn't already been weird enough in Trimper's Haunted House, this one tops them all. The Aladin's Lamp character that was added to the ride a few years back, otherwise known as "Chuck Norris" to many fans, has mysteriously come up missing. Where it has ended up is a mystery. Perhaps he is back at the Aladin's Lamp funhouse?


The character in its original funhouse location can be seen in the lower right of the 1980's brochure.

August 15, 2011


August 14, 2011
Trouble in paradise folks! One of the gravestones in Trimper's Haunted House was recently vandalized leaving behind a pile of broken styrofoam! The good news is that the manufacturer still makes the same product, and in recent years, they have modified their design so the headstone is hard plastic.



August 8, 2011
Are you a fan of Paul McGehee’s classic Ocean City artwork? Check this out!

He is now offering a limited-run series of one of his pencil drawings of Trimper’s Haunted House. There will only be 500 made so hurry and get yours today!

August 6, 2011
Are you on foursquare? The next time you are at Trimper's Haunted House, be sure to check in! I am currently the mayor, no surprise.

July 28, 2011
Has anyone noticed that some rooms of Trimper’s Haunted House aren’t as bright this year? Does it seem like the black lights aren’t doing their jobs? Well, there is a reason for it.

Every now and then, the ride’s safety inspectors demand that the management install safety sleeves over some of the black light tubes in the ride to protect patrons in the event that a tube breaks. Although the sleeves are clear, they often diffuse the black light and cut down on the amount of glow for some stunts as a result.

I guess safety should be the top priority, but I’m sure Bill Tracy would be disappointed to find out his stunts aren’t being seen as vividly. Bummer, huh?

July 25, 2011
Cool! A CD was recently released entitled “Sounds of Ocean City, Maryland.” Surprisingly, the #10 track of this CD is entitled “A ride through Trimper’s Boardwalk Haunted House!” I am curious as to whether the producers recorded their own track or used one of our clips. Check out their Facebook page, or order the CD online!

July 21, 2011
Oh no! Last checked, the vintage orange wig that accompanies the main pirate character of Tracy's Birthday Party stunt was missing! Was it stolen? Lost? Borrowed?

The hair piece, which was original from Ghost Ship, never was secured very well. It's no surprise it is off his head, but where is it? We need to get it back!


July 14, 2011
Up for your viewing pleasure is a brand new feature presentation:
Salvaging the Wreck: Ocean Playland's Ghost Ship is Brought to the Surface. Enjoy!

July 5, 2011
When the addition was built on to Trimper's Haunted House in 1988, Granville Trimper adjusted the track in the lobby slightly.

Instead of the entrance and exit being on seperate sides of the building allowing a U-shaped track queue, he moved the exit door to beside the entrance to allow more cars to be in queue, thus more riders per hour. Granville got this idea when he and his crew dismantled the Ghost Ship attraction at Ocean Playland on 65th Street. That ride, also a Bill Tracy classic, had both doors beside one another and he immediately realized how many additional cars he could have in his fleet if he made the change.

Although Trimper's Haunted House was originally built with the entrance and exit apart, many of Tracy's attractions of the era were built with them together such as "Whacky Shack" at Waldameer Park in Erie, Pennsylvania and "The Castle" at Lake Winnie in Rossville, Georgia. In the photo below of Ghost Ship taken in 1965, you can clearly see the track set up in the lobby that Granville replicated. Cool, huh?


June 28, 2011
Phantom Vibrations

Alright, so for those that have not witnessed Trimper’s Haunted House go into “theatrical mode” after complete silence, it is quite the sight. With only the flip of a few switches, all lighting and animation in the two-story attraction take over and turn Gloom House into a frightful sight. But, one aspect of the “theatrical mode” that a lot of folks don’t realize or experience is the blatant but powerful humming and vibrations that overwhelm the concrete structure of the ride.

Due to the fleet of 11 cars and their motors, and the multiple track transformers at locations all around the ride, particularly in the lobby area, riders can feel the ride “breathing” in the form of vibrations while standing to get on the ride. Based on my vivid memory from being an employee in the ride almost a decade ago, I remember this being the case on the second story also, where the floor is built with primarily concrete instead of mostly wood as the first story is. It certainly is cool and part of the experience.

Whether or not the vibrations are “phantom” is up for debate, but it certainly adds character to one of the country’s oldest and most prestige dark rides.

June 27, 2011
More good news! Due to popular demand and an increase in customer interest, the two primary Haunted House t-shirts (OCHH.NET and Eat, Sleep, Ride) are now available for purchase at the Haunted House in the lobby. The shirts are displayed in the lobby area. To purchase, ask for the ride's manager, Scott!

June 20, 2011
Good news! The car breaking system at the final hill of the ride is currently being redone! Learn more about the breaking system and how it works in the track section.

June 18, 2011
***JUST FOUND!*** An original photo of Ocean Playland taken October 8, 1965 from the air! Bill Tracy's Ghost Ship is clearly visible! This is the first year the park was in operation on 65th street bayside. Many stunts in Trimper's Haunted House came from Playland's Ghost Ship! (original photo is 8" X 10")

June 17, 2011
If you love Trimper’s Haunted House, then that means you love OC nostalgia. Check out a photo from October of 1983 right after Tropical Storm Dean threatened the coastline. You can see Morbid Manor on the pier with little else around it. And, vintage Ripley’s Believe it or Not occupies the Pier Building during this time period! Cool!

June 17, 2011
Rumor has it that the same artists that repainted the entrance and exit doors will be refurbishing some of the scenery inside the ride this summer! Question is, what do YOU think should be touched up or repainted? Let us know in the forum. Stay tuned for updates!

June 14, 2011
My buddy Wayne and I recently had the opportunity to contribute content from our website, The Bill Tracy Project, for a newly-published book called “Hunt’s Pier.” It is published by Arcadia Publishing and was written by Wildwood historians and enthusiasts Al Alven, and Rob Ascough with a foreword by Ralph Grassi from Funchase. The book has a large focus but there are areas that deal with Bill Tracy and his great works of the 1960s. You can currently pre-order the book on Amazon for delivery in late June! For any Bill Tracy fan, this will surely be an interesting read (and even more interesting images of Tracy and his works!) Become a fan of the book on Facebook or order online!


June 13, 2011
The project of repainting both sets of lobby doors is complete!

June 10, 2011
Halleluiah! The exit doors are finally being painted to look like their old selves after years of not being painted to match Bill Tracy’s original styling!



June 9, 2011
Wazzzz Upppp? Check out some new fan art by forum member Spookyrider. He has perfected Tracy's style in his work as he continues to draw some of Tracy's classics from parks all over the East Coast. Bravo, Spooky!

June 8, 2011
For all you Haunted House lovers out there, I have a little surprise.

The sound for the Old Mill (Tracy's most controversial stunt that involves a damsel in distress being cut in half) has been lost for over a decade. The reason it was lost is because the original tape broke and was never replaced. Furthermore, a few of the digital sound repeaters were struck by lightning a few years back which caused more havoc with the sounds in the ride. Even though the sound has been lost, I can remember it like it was yesterday; a loop of a sequence of three loud screams of a woman. Well, I have since located the original Tracy sound byte that was used for this stunt when it was installed back in 1964.

I have already added it to the sounds section at the bottom. Happy listening!

(PS: The Reaching Bale character in the ride before you exit onto the balcony has been fixed and is now "reaching" again!)

June 5, 2011
Remember Tracy's Wine Cellar stunt that was near the ride's exit until it was removed in the late 90s? After some careful comparisons with Bill Tracy's catalog photo of the stunt, it turns out that the stunt in Trimper's Haunted House (and formerly Ghost Ship at Ocean Playland) and the catalog photo are actually one in the same! You can tell the two are identical by looking at the cuts in wood, positioning of props, and how the body is positioned, even after over 30 years of wear and tear! You may remember that the Seasick Pirate that used to reside on the second level was also used in a catalog photo. When folks say that Trimper's Haunted House is a virtual Tracy catalog, they are not kidding!



May 30, 2011
Hi folks. My apologies for the lack of updates over the past six weeks or so. Wedding planning and other things have been impeding on my ability to successfully provide HH updates. Who would have known? But as I try to get back on track, let me first say that the holiday Memorial Day weekend in OC this year was a hoot; huge crowds and lots of fun!

In HH news, let me first start by saying the ride looks incredible. The letters on the sign and star were freshly painted last week, and the Bat was hung on the balcony on Friday in preparation for the weekend. This is the Bat's second year with its new paint job, and it looks better than ever. Furthermore, you all might remember that the entire facade received an overhaul with paint last summer, and it looks sharp and spooky, just the way Bill Tracy built it back in 1964.

Within the next week, both the entrance and exit doors of the ride will be completely repainted. Their last paint job was back in 1988 or so when the addition was added (the entrance door may have been touched up a few times here and there, but nothing major). This in itself is a huge step in the right direction as one of the exit doors was replaced a few years back and simply painted black!

In addition, the last two remaining cars have returned to the ride after being restored during the winter. That means that the entire fleet of 11 cars is now fully restored to their former glory. The restoration started in 2007 and three cars have been leaving the ride every winter until all 11 were finished. The lineup is very sharp and I am sure you will all be very please to ride in the newly-painted vessels!

I am also pleased to say the Cliff Hudson, father of manager Scott Hudson who managed to ride from 1965 until 1990 or so, is now back operating the ride! I was thrilled to walk past and see him "on the buttons" wearing one of our famous OCHH.net shirts. Welcome back Cliff, and hope you can stay a while! It's so cool to see two generations of Hudsons running the ride!

In terms of the interior, all is well with the exception of the disc at the end of the rotating barrel which will soon be fixed with a new motor. Everything else is working beautifully! I think all of you will be very pleased with the ride this year, it looks awesome.

In other news, I am excited to offer congratulatory wishes to my good friend Chris Trimper, his brother Brooks, and their wives in the opening of The Pour House, a bar/eatery on Wicomico Street next to the Bearded Clam. They spent the entire spring renovating the establishment after buying the property that was formerly Snappers. I had the honor of creating their bar's logo which can be seen here and there throughout the establishment. Please become a member of their Facebook page in support of their venture and stop by this summer for a cold one!

In park news, the rides are up and running beautifully with the exception of the Zipper which went out in the winter back to Chance Manufacturing for a repair and has not made it back to the park yet. It should arrive shortly. In the meantime, a basketball game takes its place. The Merry Mixer was freshly painted over the winter and new decals were attached to the cars. The park's newest ride, "The Happy Swing", can be seen over near the Freak Out.

Phew, that is enough for now. I will be in touch with other cool news now that summer is here! Stay tuned...

April 17, 2011
Obviously, it wouldn't be hard to lose something in Trimper's Haunted House due to its sharp turns and high speeds. The most common item to get lost is sunglasses! Check out the "Graveyard of Glasses" in the ticket booth. They are collected throughout the summer and kept there in case the owners ever return to claim them. Other items that can be found in the ride after a long day of operation are cameras, camcorders, cell phones, and wallets.

April 9, 2011
Who loves useless Haunted House facts? I do!

The two large plywood columns that are currently in the back of the lobby near the loop in the track are original Tracy pieces from 1964 (with original paint, I might add) and were originally in front of the ride near the entrance line! The grease and dirt on the columns about mid-way up are from nearly 25 years of customers leaning while waiting for their adventure into Gloom House. If you love nostalgia and original paint, these columns are for the scrap book.


April 4, 2011
Did you know?

As more and more famous dark rides are being lost into history, I wanted to remind all fans of Trimper's that Pirates Cove turns 40 this year! Built in 1971, it was one of Tracy's later attractions but it still contains mostly all original stunts and floor obstacles. We can thank the Trimper family for devoting decades of maintenance to keep the attraction operating in top shape! Learn more.


March 26, 2011
Did you know?

Although the majority of the original Tracy stunts in Trimper's Hauned House are made from fiberglass or celastic, a few are actually mannequins, including the woman in the Upside Down Room and the two shady figures in the dummy car at the end of the spinning barrel.

Due to Tracy's relationship with Macy's during this time period, he had very easy access to mannequins and often used them when damsels required little alteration. Examples of this can be seen in many other Tracy dark rides through the early 1960s.

Cool, huh?


March 19, 2011
March 15, 2011
Good news! The Tidal Wave Roller Coaster has been put back together after a winter of refurbishment! In addition, the rides are being set up for another season of fun!

March 12, 2011
Bill Tracy's Flying Bat stunt lives on at Trimper's Haunted House! This winter, the Flying Bat underwent an extreme makeover. The broken wing was reattached and he received a brand new paint job in Tracy style! This will be the stunt's 47th year in operation in Trimper's Haunted House.


March 4, 2011
Not earth-shattering, but kind of neat. We have already established in the April 2, 2009 update that this catalog photo is the actual stunt as seen in the Torture Chamber in Trimper's Haunted House. But, until last night, I failed to realize that yet another member of the Torture Chamber is featured in this photo as well! Take a close look to the left of the Damsel in Distress, and you'll see a figure with ripped pants, hunched over backwards with no shirt. You guessed it, it's actually the victim being hung upside-down in the Torture Chamber! Close comparisons of features prove this, and I have done a quick comparison to show you. Pretty neat, huh? To the right of the photo in the background, there appears to be a diorama getting ready to be shipped. Could this be the Mermaid?

March 3, 2011
Help support the return of Head Slinger!

February 28, 2011
As we approach the three-year anniversary of the Marty's Playland fire on March 30, let's not forget the unbelievable story of remarkable teamwork, recovery, and commitment to get the establishment back in working order for families to enjoy as they have for over 50 years. FIRE: A Story Untold

February 24, 2011
Well, it's February... and the question has been asked once again. What can we do to enhance or improve Trimper's Haunted House this year? Thoughts race through my head. But, while I understand there may be opportunity to improve it by restoring what's inside or purchasing new effects, I also understand that there is always a budget, and we are running out of room!

My ideas for this year:

Paint the exit doors in the lobby so they both match (currently, one door is black that was replaced a few years back)

Repaint the 2-D plywood cutsouts of timbers going up the Falling Beam hill. They haven't been touched up since 1988 and are covered with markings from vandals.

Replace the Borecon Trolls on the first floor with something greater. The Trolls are melted, and it's a HUGE corner!

Restore Headslinger and find it a location inside of the ride as it's only one of two left in existence. Perhaps back on the second story, or maybe even the first floor?

Do something simply to separate the spaces on the second level with additional bang doors or walls, rather than allow it to continue as a clear open passage. I remember this being talked about several times in the forum.

Go to the forum and tell us what you think!

February 6, 2011
It was an emotional week down on Ocean City’s boardwalk as Lloyd Jester Jr. officially retired and sold his share of the Sportland Arcade. After 60 years, 4 months and 12 days in the amusement business, Lloyd Jester Jr. decided it was time to hang up his hat, bringing an end to three generations of the Jester family working on the Boardwalk. The Jester family previously owned Jester’s Funhouse that housed the famous Laffing Sal that closed in 1972. Check out an article that covers the story!

February 3, 2011
One of the stunts in Trimper’s Haunted House that I’ve always been curious about is the Rat in the first room and at the downhill, mostly because I have never seen them in any other Tracy rides while doing research…until recently, that is.

Check out some images I found from an attraction originally called Hour 13 located at Miracle Strip Amusement Park in Panama City, Florida. This attraction had many classic stunts, including a stunt nearly identical to the first room rat (sans ears and arms) and the Scientist/Bartender stunt that came from Ocean Playland’s Ghost Ship. The people in these photos were folks exploring the deserted ride before it was demolished. Whoa!

January 30, 2011
Hi guys. I recently had the honor of building a brand new website for Marty's Playland Arcade and Apartments in Ocean City. Check it out!

January 25, 2011
Check out a gallery of photos taken this past October underneath the ramp leading out from the Upside-Down Room showing the remnants of a vintage pulley/hoist system that was used to pull the Hush-Puppy cars off the track back when the ride first opened. Before the addition, the cars were removed from the track and worked on back near the Upside-Down Room, and this steel structure allowed workers better leverage while handling the cars, which each weigh about 250 lbs. Although it doesn't look like much today, it was a crucial tool in the ride's operation 45 years ago!

January 20, 2011
Check out a really neat vintage image from 1983 during construction of Trimper's Inlet Village. The store being constructed is currently a gift shop.

January 16, 2011
For those who love Trimper's antique 1960s shooting gallery in the carousel house, I found an almost identical gallery still operating at Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. Check out some pictures! Photos of Trimper's gallery can be seen here.

January 15, 2011
Happy New Year folks! There have been a ton of exciting things happening including new discoveries. First off, it turns out Bill Tracy’s Kooky Kastle Dark Ride at Paragon Park in Nantasket Beach, Massachusetts also had Hush-Puppy Coffin Cars in use, just as Trimper's Haunted House! Check out a photo from the 1970s of their version of the classic dark ride car!





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