I remember Castle Dracula like it was yesterday. I was 3-4 yrs old. I was scared shhh….less everytime we’d good past the absolute best section of the board walk. My Grand Parents had access to the 2600 build at the North end of the boardwalk . Friends of theirs were so kind and they would share their rooms there with our family I believe my my grand parents would share their house that’s located (to this day) on the bayside of Glenwood Avenue. Their house overlooked the South Bay and we would listen to Sunday with Sinatra and have breakfast while watchin the south bridge open early in the morning. This brought back so many memories. Eventually that all was built up and we lost the one time unbelievable view of the untouched landscape. We would be talking about the Castle Dracula for days before we would arrive in Wildwood. The excitement would grow and we all would scare each other all the way along the ride down Rt.55 south to 47 all the way to Beauna Vista Blvd. Even had a trailer at the Beach Comer Camp Ground because we wanted to be close to the Wildwood board walk (after the house was sold) and All the Rides and excitement. My family hearts bleed for you and shed tears for this iconic lose, Then and even now. Absolutely saving and downloading this for keepsake. Thanks so very for taking the time and sharing your story.
Wildwood has had a lot of devastating fires, but the fire that took Castle Dracula was the worst. This was an icon. I had been going to Wildwood since 1979, virtually my whole life. A lot of memories burned that day.
I grew up in Riverside,NJ. My Grandparents took me every summer to Wildwood and let me bring a friend. The first time I had seen Castle Dracula was 1981. I was 11 years old. It changed my life. I was obsessed with it. The only reason I loved going to Wildwood was because of the castle. I loved when the robotic Dracula would slide out and give his speech. I used to stand there and wait for him to come out. I recorded him with a tape recorder. I still have the audio recordings of the castle. I put them on a CD. I remember Castle Frankenstein. My Grandmom took a pic of me standing by it but it was not in operation. I am sure Castle Dracula was way better. Awesome memories we all have. Those 2 young teens may have taken away our castle but they can never take away our memories.
Anybody who was there knows, If you started at the north end of the boardwalk and made your way south, the creepy billboard seemed to summon visitors to the eerie red glow of the castle window while Toccata and Fugue in D Minor played on loop to the awesome foreboding structure that was Castle Dracula. I was happy taking pictures with 1989 Batman at the castle gates until I was "Brave" enough to enter. Thank you so much for a cherished childhood flashback!!!
What's creepy is 4 of the 4 lights I found you put in my house were resoldered to start a fire as you leave poems of love written by dead people from the area, who definitely didn't write poems
My dad worked there in the early 90's, he actually played Dracula. I've been there a couple of times in the late 90's but was pretty young to remember much. I showed my dad this and it brought alot of wonderful memories back for him as he put it. Thanks for bringing that back for him:).
My dad responded to the Mars ride fire and this one. Growing up, I could ONLY go into this ride because he knew the layout and he was more confident in the safety measures Castle Dracula took. I remember being told while still in class that it was on fire. We wanted to know who did it but consensus from our teachers and the adults who actually knew the jerks was that we had the potential to do some actual harm. And yeah, we would have. This place was pretty special. For a lot of us, we had friends and family that worked here for a summer or two. And I remember, without fail, every summer of being absolutely terrified while walking past the thing. The showmanship was great and what truly made it spooky.
Wow... I spent every summer in Wildwood from 1978 to 1985... I also worked on Morey's pier as Luke Skywalker on the Star Wars ride! Your Castle Dracula documentary was stupendous! I so recall that amazing ride and the simpler times and memories of being a kid on those boards! Thanks for sharing this and the memories it instilled.
Solo! The Force is strong in you! Give Chewie my regards!!! My two sons are super Star Wars fans! We were way ahead of our time. Warp Speed!!! May the Force be with you!
@@marshalljimduncancheck out the foam you stuffed in my speakers with resistors to start a fire in a contained box with no oxygen which makes combustion impossible, oh yea, you probably did last week when you stole my phone and my salt or the month prior when you filled an Altoids can with used motor oil
That was 1 of the best rides and sights of wildwood boardwalk. I remember as a kid seeing that castle how amazing it looked and how amazing the boat ride was and the walk through. I remember going into that castle a few times every summer at the shore. Such an amazing time and an amazing time in life. That castle was legendary
Some of my favorite memories are visiting the castle/dungeon ride as a child. I feel bad for people that are too young to have witnessed the golden years for dark rides. Great doc!
Boy the memories. 2 punks destroy that amazing legacy…for what? Nothing can bring it back now. Just sad. 2 nitwits, a flame…millions of folks lost their summer attraction. Great tribute video however. Thanks for the trip down memory lane.
@@garethmorgan8326 It's a long story. Shirt version is the owners of Splash Zone wanted the land to build Splash Zone. Owners of Dracula's Castle wouldn't sell. So they paid two delinquents to burn it down. After all, Splash Zone opened the following season
That castle was massive and it was just unbelievable to look at. It was amazing I still remember walking up to that castle as a kid and it was just unbelievable. It was my favorite ride on the boardwalk
I'm from Canada and wasn't even born when the castle was in full swing but your video seems to be finding the right audience of theme park enthusiasts! Great little doc about an attraction that must have been very loved. Great narrator's voice as well.
This is a great tribute to the great late Castle Dracula. I was sick to my stomach the day it burned. I found out when I went to the now defunct Anthony's Boardwalk site and saw the news and picture of it smoking from the air. At least I went through it and the Dungeon boat ride several times in the mid-late 90's. And audio taped the inside in Aug 1995 and June 1996, and videotaped the outside at night in June 1998.
What a great tribute to such an attraction that was undoubtedly the best of them all with narration by family members that through time, helped change the face of Wildwood, attracting hundreds of thousands of tourists through the years and giving them fond memories of the excitement of the Wildwood boardwalk. I remember fighting the fire as a volunteer fireman and the tragedy that took place that day when losing a fixture of the Wildwood boardwalk. The documentary was well orchestrated and to that end, thank you to the Nickels family for sharing.
I live in Philly and was born in 1970 ... My entire youth was spent down in the Wildwoods and Castle Dracula and Brigantine castle were awesome .. Such great memories ...
This was the greatest haunted castle I've ever been in. I am saddened that I was never able to take my nieces to this amazing experience. Thank you for priceless memories.
Im 54 and I loved Wildwood back in the day! I've been in Dracula's Castle many times so many great memories at the beach and on the boardwalk.. man!..those were the days! Thanks for the memories!
Doggone it ! This was my favorite haunt in the early eighties. Fast forward to 2009, I wanted to take my new Bride to the Castle on our honeymoon. I hadn't been to WW since '85. Didn't know about the fire, the Castle website led me to believe it was still in operation. We walked up and down the whole boardwalk looking for it. No dice. Asking locals and learned it had burnt down. Heartache. Thanks for the video trip down memory lane ! Wife now sees what I was talking about all those years ago. As a haunted attraction afficionado, Castle Dracula will always be the benchmark I compare others to, and none has ever met the mark.
Very nice to see this. In about 1980 or so, my dad was a performer here. He worked the castle walkthrough part and said that his favorite thing to do was be the guy who leapt out of the portrait in the front opening.
Thank you for putting together this incredible tribute to one of the happiest memories of my childhood. This place was an absolute treasure! The photo of the man and the little boy (26:53) was taken by my grandfather... the little boy is me, and the man in the Rolling Rock shirt is my dad. I almost teared up when I saw it. Thank you again!.🧛♂
Thank you so much for the generous donation to our channel! Are you Bill S? If so, you sent us that photo back in 2008. I'm glad we were able to help you relieve some cherished childhood memories. Take care!
William Schweitzer... that's me. I remember that I sent you guys a bunch of photos from my family's Wildwood vacations. If I find any more, I'll be sure to scan them and submit them.@@DarkinthePark
I used to go to cape may/ wildwood every summer growing up. My fathers family helped build much of cape may, but every time we went to wildwood i always had to go to the castle then the dungeon. Was an amazing attraction and was very sad when i heard about the fire. Awesome video. Brought back so many forgotten memories
That is me at 6:59 working the picture frame in the front room. I was 17 and now am 64. That was by far the most fun job I ever have had. I started upstairs in the rat hallway , I used to wear a hang mans rope and would take it off then strike the metal grate on the floor while screaming at the people , they would run to get away . After a while they moved me up front to the picture frame. After my short speech on the mantle , often times I would jump off the mantle and land into the group , wearing heavy boots {loud thud} then remove my heavy hang man rope from my neck and pound the floor with it. My favorite was every now and then a person would faint , many times they would run out of the room screaming with me right behind them.
Grand documentary! I hope you find the time to do many more like this one; I could feel the excitement of when the castle project was just getting started, this is pure gold 🙂
Man that was my childhood we had a beach house in the villas In New Jersey all through the 80, s and early 90's I use to love wildwood so much and this Dracula ride man I remember it like it was yesterday I miss it so much
Great job with the documentary! My parents started going to Wildwood with my family when she was pregnant with me in 1979. We spent every summer there until 2001. I am glad that in the mid to late 90s I got up the courage to finally go in with my friends. Unfortunately, I only went through a handful of times. Maybe one day we will see a recreation.
I went through the castle and dungeon boat ride every year from the late 70s until it's final year. I went on tubes of terror and loved the castle shooting gallery as a kid. Never did the water park
I wish they would find somewhere to build it back , that would be so great and the kids who werent there to experience it or not know anything about the castle's legacy would love this
This was part of Wildwood, a landmark! It will always be remembered! Every time I head to Wildwood seeing this when it was still standing, one beautiful ride! Awesome attraction!
Wow, what an awesome documentary that was so well done. I can’t believe it. Brings back all the memories of my childhood. They just don’t have things like that anymore and that’s a shame.
Amazingly terrifying ride! They dont make them this great anymore ! I remember getting yelled at to keep my hsnds in the boat lol. Movie production level of FX ..
My company serviced the fire alarm system for the castle at the time of the fire. Every winter the power was turned off to the castle so the fire alarm system shutdown once the back-up batteries "died". The sprinkler system was originally set-up as a "dry" type with air in the pipes unless a sprinkler head opened, a local plumber converted to a wet system once the power was shut-down for the winters as they didn't want to cover the electric costs to keep the air pump active. In hind site, if the sprinkler system was not converted and the power was left on for the fire alarm the castle may still be standing today!
Thanks for your insight. Do you remember when the system was converted to a "wet" system? Was that initiated by the Nickels or Wild Waves? You would think they would have left the fire dector system on a separate circuit that would have been left on at all times.
@@DarkinthePark It was done under the Nickles long before I was involved, so sometime back in the 1990's. As they say "hindsight is 20/20". Yes to an extent if the alarm remained active, the fire department may have been there sooner. If memory serves me correct, the fire alarm was local notification only and was NOT monitored 24/7.
That was awesome! Thanks for sharing. Such great memories and a huge part of my family vacation in Wildwood every August in the 80's. Was heartbroken when Castle Dracula burned to the ground. I will never forget the boat ride and how scared I would get going into that attraction but I did it every summer!!
This video popped up on my feed. I remember this castle so well. I was young and scared going through it but loved it. Thank you for sharing this video
A lot of memories there and its unfortunate when I think of the new memories that could have been made for myself as well of thousands of others. Thank you for posting this ❤
I'm very happy to see this. I visited only once, in 1999 when I was 30, but it made a big impression on me. We paid for both the walkthrough and the boat ride, which were separate admissions. The walkthrough was more minimal than what's described here, and the walls didn't move in the crush room. The guillotine effect was very impressive, though. I don't remember any animatronics or props in the boat ride. I think it was just an empty space with a few goth teenagers walking through it and mostly disregarding the visitors. This video shows it was once very cool, but by the time I experienced it there was almost nothing left.
Yes...the quality fell off in the later years. If it didn't catch on fire, it would have probably been demolished once the new company took ownership in 2005.
I was born in 1976 1 year before the castle opened. I was born and raised in south Jersey we visited Wildwood sometimes. That castle scared the heck out of me as a child just looking at it. I unfortunately never got a chance to go inside before it burnt down.
I just discovered your channel and have to compliment your filmmaking skills ! Every video is so well-produced, thoughtful, and charming. As a Wildwood local I’ve learned so much I never knew !!
I was there every summer in the 70s and 80s as a little girl. I was one of the “too scared to go over the drawbridge”. I vividly remember being terrified just walking by, that skeleton hanging off the side of the castle and those red windows and it was SO big! Thanks for the memories!
I was almost 10 when the castle opened. I loved both parts. I still have a Dracula's Castle pamphlet and a mini flyer that looks like a $10 bill on one side and castle advertising on the back.
I remeber as a kid in the 90s being absolutely terrified of this and Dante's Inferno haha. I never even went through either attraction, just the outside was enough for me. Maybe one day I'll get the chance to step through a remade castle. Thise red windows and music are a weird fond memory of what it meant to walk down the boardwalk.
That was probably the most memorable attraction in my life. Scared sh** first time through both dungeon and walk thru. (About 9 yrs old) After you got the idea of the dungeon, you knew damn well, as soon as you get thru the tunnel, someone would pop out and scare the heck out of you. Man I miss that Castle. Definitely in my heart forever. THANK YOU for such a great documentary! I've searched forever for clips and vids of this iconic place.
Excellent documentary! Started going to wildwood in the late 80s.. I was a young kid and my parents would take us down every year for the fireman’s convention in early September.. we would walk the boardwalk every night and we would have to walk past castle dracula on the way to Photon. When we would get to the corner of the boardwalk and we could see the castle we used to get a pit in our stomachs from the excitement and fear . The music playing is something I will never forget and just hearing it in the beginning makes me feel like I can smell the boardwalk .. It brings back such great memories of spending those days with my family and friends .. Thanks for the great memories!
OMG thank you for making this. This was the first haunted house I ever went into at the ripe old age of 5 years old. I was terrified of it for years…but it began my obsession with everything horror. Thank you again for this trip down memory land
I live in Canada, but I went to Wildwood twice in the late 80s/early 90s when I was 8-9 years old, and Castle Dracula was one of the most memorable things of those two summers! I remember there were some blank white mannequin head that had moving faces projected onto them in a few spots, and something about how weird/surreal the effect was freaked me out as a kid!
I was very lucky to have gone through once in summer 2001. My friends and I went to Wildwood a few weeks after High School graduation and it was so much fun. I wish so much it was still there. I grew up hearing about Brigantine Castle (which I was never able to go to), so it was special.
OMG thank you for this trip to so many wonderful memories at the castle. Every summer in the 70s 80s and 90s my family vacationed at Wildwood. My favorite was the dungeon ride!
Thank you for this. I was there many times. FLASH Back. For the time, this place was super High Tech. This is one of the things that lead me down my engineering path. Only if we could bring it back
Fantastic Documentary. Brought back so many memories for me as a kid. This, by far, was one of the most unique attractions Wildwood had to offer!! Take care and God Bless.
I love this video so much! The castle was such a big part of my childhood. I want to thank the Nickels family for all they did to bring the Castle to life and for being such a huge part of my childhood. Also, I agree, those young men got a slap on the wrist!
Oh this is just an AMAZING video! I was mostly interested in the creative engineering animatronic but i left loving the whole attraction itself! Such a horrible thing that those teens did :(
I miss Castle Dracula. It was awesome. Just watching this video made me relive my summers as a kid. On the Wildwood boardwalk and Brigantine Castle. Haunted rides were always my favorite.
I visited Wildwood last summer specifically because of the legacy of this ride, it intrigues me so much and I always wish I could’ve experienced it. Thank you for this excellent documentary!
Wonderful, wonderful documentary Bill!! It nearly brought me to tears. Hands down the greatest boardwalk haunt ever, I still "see" it everytime I'm in Wildwood, I still "hear it" too. So bummed I chickend out and never went in as a kid. The year I told myself I'd go in, is the year it burned down. Alas, it has always been my favorite part of the boardwalk and I have so many fond memories of interacting with the staff, my family going in and telling their experiences, and more. I'd love to see The Ghost Ship converted to Castle Dracula somehow, with the former Go Kart area beneath as part of the ride too. Fire codes would already be in place. I think it'd be worth the probably costly conversion. Heck, this video has 22k views in less than a week- that tells you something about the attraction's popularity!!
What a great documentary! I remember vacationing in wildwood many summers so long ago and Castle Dracula was a long awaited experience every year. Also a huge fan of the Nickels Supercade and that horse racing game right at the front. Many a night was spent listening for the "free race, sit down" chant from, I believe, Angelo nickels enticing the crowd to play. Still have a few of the giant stuffed animals and a grand weekly prize of a camera. And who can forget that the "skeeball championships are now going on in the back of the arcade" for a chance to get into the money bonanza machine. Those were the days....😊
as a heavy metal, horror movie loving teen in the 80s, Castle Dracula was my spot! i don't remember it being particularly scary as much as it was super cool. we had come to vacation in Wildwood from NY and i always though how awesome would it be to work in Wildwood for the summer and especially at the castle! great fun
I remember Castle Dracula like it was yesterday. I was 3-4 yrs old. I was scared shhh….less everytime we’d good past the absolute best section of the board walk.
My Grand Parents had access to the 2600 build at the North end of the boardwalk . Friends of theirs were so kind and they would share their rooms there with our family I believe my my grand parents would share their house that’s located (to this day) on the bayside of Glenwood Avenue. Their house overlooked the South Bay and we would listen to Sunday with Sinatra and have breakfast while watchin the south bridge open early in the morning. This brought back so many memories. Eventually that all was built up and we lost the one time unbelievable view of the untouched landscape.
We would be talking about the Castle Dracula for days before we would arrive in Wildwood. The excitement would grow and we all would scare each other all the way along the ride down Rt.55 south to 47 all the way to Beauna Vista Blvd. Even had a trailer at the Beach Comer Camp Ground because we wanted to be close to the Wildwood board walk (after the house was sold) and All the Rides and excitement. My family hearts bleed for you and shed tears for this iconic lose, Then and even now.
Absolutely saving and downloading this for keepsake.
Thanks so very for taking the time and sharing your story.
Wildwood has had a lot of devastating fires, but the fire that took Castle Dracula was the worst. This was an icon. I had been going to Wildwood since 1979, virtually my whole life. A lot of memories burned that day.
Ironically despite the fires its home to NJ’s annual firefighter convention
I remember the year Thay opened. It was a huge draw . Like code violation big lines
@@aaronvurgason8547And it’s one hell of a party
You are that older paralegal across the street. Wtf is wrong with you
@@donkeyboy585I heard it's in your mouth and everyone's coming 🤔
I grew up in Riverside,NJ. My Grandparents took me every summer to Wildwood and let me bring a friend. The first time I had seen Castle Dracula was 1981. I was 11 years old. It changed my life. I was obsessed with it. The only reason I loved going to Wildwood was because of the castle. I loved when the robotic Dracula would slide out and give his speech. I used to stand there and wait for him to come out. I recorded him with a tape recorder. I still have the audio recordings of the castle. I put them on a CD. I remember Castle Frankenstein. My Grandmom took a pic of me standing by it but it was not in operation. I am sure Castle Dracula was way better. Awesome memories we all have. Those 2 young teens may have taken away our castle but they can never take away our memories.
Hey , grew up in Riverton , here ...Aint been there in 18 years
Bob Dorian, the voice of Dracula in the attraction, was also the voice of the recording in Evil Dead that started the haunting.
Very cool!
oh shit wait he was Dr Knowbey or the "JOIN USSS" demon?
@@realmoviefactsnotfakeHe was Dr Knowby on the tape.
@@caligulathegod fuckin sick dude.
And the host of AMC/TMC classic movie channel
Anybody who was there knows, If you started at the north end of the boardwalk and made your way south, the creepy billboard seemed to summon visitors to the eerie red glow of the castle window while Toccata and Fugue in D Minor played on loop to the awesome foreboding structure that was Castle Dracula. I was happy taking pictures with 1989 Batman at the castle gates until I was "Brave" enough to enter. Thank you so much for a cherished childhood flashback!!!
What's creepy is 4 of the 4 lights I found you put in my house were resoldered to start a fire as you leave poems of love written by dead people from the area, who definitely didn't write poems
I just remember some type of King Kong by the Castle Dracula sign and the creepy planters peanut guy.
My dad worked there in the early 90's, he actually played Dracula. I've been there a couple of times in the late 90's but was pretty young to remember much. I showed my dad this and it brought alot of wonderful memories back for him as he put it. Thanks for bringing that back for him:).
My dad responded to the Mars ride fire and this one. Growing up, I could ONLY go into this ride because he knew the layout and he was more confident in the safety measures Castle Dracula took. I remember being told while still in class that it was on fire. We wanted to know who did it but consensus from our teachers and the adults who actually knew the jerks was that we had the potential to do some actual harm. And yeah, we would have. This place was pretty special.
For a lot of us, we had friends and family that worked here for a summer or two. And I remember, without fail, every summer of being absolutely terrified while walking past the thing. The showmanship was great and what truly made it spooky.
Wow... I spent every summer in Wildwood from 1978 to 1985... I also worked on Morey's pier as Luke Skywalker on the Star Wars ride! Your Castle Dracula documentary was stupendous! I so recall that amazing ride and the simpler times and memories of being a kid on those boards! Thanks for sharing this and the memories it instilled.
Thank you for the comments!
Skywalker...this is Solo! We were so ahead of our time, Galaxy's Edge wishes it had the heart we did!
The Star Wars ride that used to be Star Trek vs Planet of The Apes?
Solo! The Force is strong in you! Give Chewie my regards!!! My two sons are super Star Wars fans! We were way ahead of our time. Warp Speed!!! May the Force be with you!
I went on that Star Wars ride all the time in the 80s. I remember Luke Skywalker, it was probably you
This is by far the best amusement park documentary ever!
Thanks! Check out our Brigantine Castle Documentary too! ua-cam.com/video/4r2mkdWLRs0/v-deo.htmlsi=Qjm1eYxvLjtd1U5y
also check out Kennywood memories
@@marshalljimduncancheck out the foam you stuffed in my speakers with resistors to start a fire in a contained box with no oxygen which makes combustion impossible, oh yea, you probably did last week when you stole my phone and my salt or the month prior when you filled an Altoids can with used motor oil
@@HackedbyapacheWriter wtf, I never stole your salt!
@@marshalljimduncan Whatare you going on about, doctor beat?
That was 1 of the best rides and sights of wildwood boardwalk. I remember as a kid seeing that castle how amazing it looked and how amazing the boat ride was and the walk through. I remember going into that castle a few times every summer at the shore. Such an amazing time and an amazing time in life. That castle was legendary
Some of my favorite memories are visiting the castle/dungeon ride as a child. I feel bad for people that are too young to have witnessed the golden years for dark rides.
Great doc!
Boy the memories. 2 punks destroy that amazing legacy…for what? Nothing can bring it back now. Just sad. 2 nitwits, a flame…millions of folks lost their summer attraction. Great tribute video however. Thanks for the trip down memory lane.
They'll never say never. Sure, it can be restored.
It's rumored the owners of Splash Zone paid them to do it.
@@davel9252 The more I hear the details the more it looks like Arson.
@@garethmorgan8326 It's a long story. Shirt version is the owners of Splash Zone wanted the land to build Splash Zone. Owners of Dracula's Castle wouldn't sell. So they paid two delinquents to burn it down. After all, Splash Zone opened the following season
*short
That castle was massive and it was just unbelievable to look at. It was amazing I still remember walking up to that castle as a kid and it was just unbelievable. It was my favorite ride on the boardwalk
I wish I could’ve had the privilege to see this attraction in person.. sadly I wasn’t born yet 😅
I'm from Canada and wasn't even born when the castle was in full swing but your video seems to be finding the right audience of theme park enthusiasts! Great little doc about an attraction that must have been very loved. Great narrator's voice as well.
Thanks!
Agreed. Fantastic narrator
This is a great tribute to the great late Castle Dracula. I was sick to my stomach the day it burned. I found out when I went to the now defunct Anthony's Boardwalk site and saw the news and picture of it smoking from the air. At least I went through it and the Dungeon boat ride several times in the mid-late 90's. And audio taped the inside in Aug 1995 and June 1996, and videotaped the outside at night in June 1998.
Thanks Robert!
What a great tribute to such an attraction that was undoubtedly the best of them all with narration by family members that through time, helped change the face of Wildwood, attracting hundreds of thousands of tourists through the years and giving them fond memories of the excitement of the Wildwood boardwalk. I remember fighting the fire as a volunteer fireman and the tragedy that took place that day when losing a fixture of the Wildwood boardwalk. The documentary was well orchestrated and to that end, thank you to the Nickels family for sharing.
Thank you!
I live in Philly and was born in 1970 ... My entire youth was spent down in the Wildwoods and Castle Dracula and Brigantine castle were awesome .. Such great memories ...
Bs. You live at Harvey's lake 183 Queen of peace if anyone needs to know who super root is
@@HackedbyapacheWriter what ate you talking about? Who is this in reference to?
Storyteller narrates about Dracule castle? What a day!
I live in Wildwood. This castle is still sorely missed. Most of the kids I grew up with, at one time or another, worked at the castle.
Back in the 80s a guy jumped in our boat. It was just me and a friend. When the boat exited the dude got fired. We felt terrible.
What happened to the two kids who did this?? Wildwood is not that big, I imagine you guys have to know someone who knew them?
This was the greatest haunted castle I've ever been in. I am saddened that I was never able to take my nieces to this amazing experience. Thank you for priceless memories.
That castle has proven to be irreplaceable. But I’d love to see a new spooky castle inspired by Draculas.
He says it's bran
Im 54 and I loved Wildwood back in the day! I've been in Dracula's Castle many times so many great memories at the beach and on the boardwalk.. man!..those were the days! Thanks for the memories!
Doggone it !
This was my favorite haunt in the early eighties.
Fast forward to 2009, I wanted to take my new Bride to the Castle on our honeymoon. I hadn't been to WW since '85. Didn't know about the fire, the Castle website led me to believe it was still in operation. We walked up and down the whole boardwalk looking for it. No dice. Asking locals and learned it had burnt down.
Heartache.
Thanks for the video trip down memory lane !
Wife now sees what I was talking about all those years ago.
As a haunted attraction afficionado, Castle Dracula will always be the benchmark I compare others to, and none has ever met the mark.
THE MEMORIES!!! THANK YOU
Very nice to see this. In about 1980 or so, my dad was a performer here. He worked the castle walkthrough part and said that his favorite thing to do was be the guy who leapt out of the portrait in the front opening.
Well then your dad scared me several times when i was a kid!
Thank you for putting together this incredible tribute to one of the happiest memories of my childhood. This place was an absolute treasure! The photo of the man and the little boy (26:53) was taken by my grandfather... the little boy is me, and the man in the Rolling Rock shirt is my dad. I almost teared up when I saw it. Thank you again!.🧛♂
Thank you so much for the generous donation to our channel! Are you Bill S? If so, you sent us that photo back in 2008. I'm glad we were able to help you relieve some cherished childhood memories. Take care!
William Schweitzer... that's me. I remember that I sent you guys a bunch of photos from my family's Wildwood vacations. If I find any more, I'll be sure to scan them and submit them.@@DarkinthePark
Yep, you sent us several great photos. If you find anymore, please email us! @@neonrocketship
Awesome Bro
I loved the castle. It was a must every time I was there as a kid. It’s missed big time.
Great narrator. Fascinating documentary
I used to go to cape may/ wildwood every summer growing up. My fathers family helped build much of cape may, but every time we went to wildwood i always had to go to the castle then the dungeon. Was an amazing attraction and was very sad when i heard about the fire. Awesome video. Brought back so many forgotten memories
That is me at 6:59 working the picture frame in the front room. I was 17 and now am 64. That was by far the most fun job I ever have had. I started upstairs in the rat hallway , I used to wear a hang mans rope and would take it off then strike the metal grate on the floor while screaming at the people , they would run to get away . After a while they moved me up front to the picture frame. After my short speech on the mantle , often times I would jump off the mantle and land into the group , wearing heavy boots {loud thud} then remove my heavy hang man rope from my neck and pound the floor with it. My favorite was every now and then a person would faint , many times they would run out of the room screaming with me right behind them.
I grew up in Wildwood. this is and will forever be my favorite dark ride and the thing I looked fwd to most every summer
Grand documentary! I hope you find the time to do many more like this one; I could feel the excitement of when the castle project was just getting started, this is pure gold 🙂
Man that was my childhood we had a beach house in the villas In New Jersey all through the 80, s and early 90's I use to love wildwood so much and this Dracula ride man I remember it like it was yesterday I miss it so much
Great job with the documentary! My parents started going to Wildwood with my family when she was pregnant with me in 1979. We spent every summer there until 2001. I am glad that in the mid to late 90s I got up the courage to finally go in with my friends. Unfortunately, I only went through a handful of times. Maybe one day we will see a recreation.
The greatest attraction in wildwood history
This was one of the best mini docs on a dark ride I have ever seen. What a loss we can't go through it now
@@CarlLovesTopps Thank you.
I worked at the castle in 93’ and it was the best summer of my life
I went through the castle and dungeon boat ride every year from the late 70s until it's final year. I went on tubes of terror and loved the castle shooting gallery as a kid. Never did the water park
I wish they would find somewhere to build it back , that would be so great and the kids who werent there to experience it or not know anything about the castle's legacy would love this
As a little kid, I remember the TV commercials. They scared the crap out of me.
So many memories!!! I'm a young kid All over again after watching this! Part of my past forever
My favorite atttraction of Wildwood. I miss Castle Dracula.😢
This was part of Wildwood, a landmark! It will always be remembered! Every time I head to Wildwood seeing this when it was still standing, one beautiful ride! Awesome attraction!
Wow, what an awesome documentary that was so well done. I can’t believe it. Brings back all the memories of my childhood. They just don’t have things like that anymore and that’s a shame.
@@MrJommins thanks!
Amazingly terrifying ride!
They dont make them this great anymore !
I remember getting yelled at to keep my hsnds in the boat lol.
Movie production level of FX ..
I was there that opening summer. My gosh the memories, forever in my heart. A simpler time.
My company serviced the fire alarm system for the castle at the time of the fire. Every winter the power was turned off to the castle so the fire alarm system shutdown once the back-up batteries "died". The sprinkler system was originally set-up as a "dry" type with air in the pipes unless a sprinkler head opened, a local plumber converted to a wet system once the power was shut-down for the winters as they didn't want to cover the electric costs to keep the air pump active. In hind site, if the sprinkler system was not converted and the power was left on for the fire alarm the castle may still be standing today!
Thanks for your insight. Do you remember when the system was converted to a "wet" system? Was that initiated by the Nickels or Wild Waves? You would think they would have left the fire dector system on a separate circuit that would have been left on at all times.
@@DarkinthePark It was done under the Nickles long before I was involved, so sometime back in the 1990's. As they say "hindsight is 20/20". Yes to an extent if the alarm remained active, the fire department may have been there sooner. If memory serves me correct, the fire alarm was local notification only and was NOT monitored 24/7.
That was awesome! Thanks for sharing. Such great memories and a huge part of my family vacation in Wildwood every August in the 80's. Was heartbroken when Castle Dracula burned to the ground. I will never forget the boat ride and how scared I would get going into that attraction but I did it every summer!!
This video popped up on my feed. I remember this castle so well. I was young and scared going through it but loved it. Thank you for sharing this video
One of my favorite attractions when I was a kid.
Luved this, my dad and me luved this in the 70s.
A lot of memories there and its unfortunate when I think of the new memories that could have been made for myself as well of thousands of others. Thank you for posting this ❤
I miss this castle and the boat ride too! 💜😎
I'm very happy to see this. I visited only once, in 1999 when I was 30, but it made a big impression on me. We paid for both the walkthrough and the boat ride, which were separate admissions. The walkthrough was more minimal than what's described here, and the walls didn't move in the crush room. The guillotine effect was very impressive, though. I don't remember any animatronics or props in the boat ride. I think it was just an empty space with a few goth teenagers walking through it and mostly disregarding the visitors. This video shows it was once very cool, but by the time I experienced it there was almost nothing left.
Yes...the quality fell off in the later years. If it didn't catch on fire, it would have probably been demolished once the new company took ownership in 2005.
I was born in 1976 1 year before the castle opened. I was born and raised in south Jersey we visited Wildwood sometimes. That castle scared the heck out of me as a child just looking at it. I unfortunately never got a chance to go inside before it burnt down.
I just discovered your channel and have to compliment your filmmaking skills ! Every video is so well-produced, thoughtful, and charming. As a Wildwood local I’ve learned so much I never knew !!
Thank you!
I spent many summer vacations with my family in Wildwood and would always visit Castle Dracula.
I was there every summer in the 70s and 80s as a little girl. I was one of the “too scared to go over the drawbridge”.
I vividly remember being terrified just walking by, that skeleton hanging off the side of the castle and those red windows and it was SO big! Thanks for the memories!
I was almost 10 when the castle opened. I loved both parts. I still have a Dracula's Castle pamphlet and a mini flyer that looks like a $10 bill on one side and castle advertising on the back.
I remeber as a kid in the 90s being absolutely terrified of this and Dante's Inferno haha. I never even went through either attraction, just the outside was enough for me. Maybe one day I'll get the chance to step through a remade castle. Thise red windows and music are a weird fond memory of what it meant to walk down the boardwalk.
Great memories,. What a devastating loss.
That was probably the most memorable attraction in my life. Scared sh** first time through both dungeon and walk thru. (About 9 yrs old) After you got the idea of the dungeon, you knew damn well, as soon as you get thru the tunnel, someone would pop out and scare the heck out of you. Man I miss that Castle. Definitely in my heart forever. THANK YOU for such a great documentary! I've searched forever for clips and vids of this iconic place.
Awesome documentary .... Castle Dracula was a must see everytime I went to Wildwood as a kid.....Miss it alot!
THANK YOU FOR THIS!!!!!! I SO MISS THIS PLACE!!!!!
Thanks for the memories❤️🤘
Excellent documentary! Started going to wildwood in the late 80s.. I was a young kid and my parents would take us down every year for the fireman’s convention in early September.. we would walk the boardwalk every night and we would have to walk past castle dracula on the way to Photon. When we would get to the corner of the boardwalk and we could see the castle we used to get a pit in our stomachs from the excitement and fear . The music playing is something I will never forget and just hearing it in the beginning makes me feel like I can smell the boardwalk .. It brings back such great memories of spending those days with my family and friends .. Thanks for the great memories!
That music and that castle will always been engraved in my mind. I remember seeing it when I was 3 and it terrified me! 😄
Amazing documentary!
Thanks!
Sad that nothing like this exists today that isn’t at Disney or universal. Wish I was alive to see this when it was there
Independent amusement parks still exist :) as well as unique roadside oddities and attractions
OMG thank you for making this. This was the first haunted house I ever went into at the ripe old age of 5 years old. I was terrified of it for years…but it began my obsession with everything horror. Thank you again for this trip down memory land
Thanks for this. Many great memories from Wildwood. 👍
I live in Canada, but I went to Wildwood twice in the late 80s/early 90s when I was 8-9 years old, and Castle Dracula was one of the most memorable things of those two summers! I remember there were some blank white mannequin head that had moving faces projected onto them in a few spots, and something about how weird/surreal the effect was freaked me out as a kid!
This, along with the Goldmine ride, was amazing. We went on vacation there every year for a week. Loved it, such happy memories!
I was very lucky to have gone through once in summer 2001. My friends and I went to Wildwood a few weeks after High School graduation and it was so much fun. I wish so much it was still there. I grew up hearing about Brigantine Castle (which I was never able to go to), so it was special.
I still remember this from the early 80s. I loved going to this every summer!
Thank you for this! I’m a lifelong NJ resident and I went here when I was a kid.
looked like my kinda place. we need more things like this......
OMG thank you for this trip to so many wonderful memories at the castle. Every summer in the 70s 80s and 90s my family vacationed at Wildwood. My favorite was the dungeon ride!
Thanks for the memories I was there
Oh boy. New theme park channel
And velvety smooth voice?
*instant subscribe*
I LOVED this as a kid!!
Thank you for this. I was there many times. FLASH Back. For the time, this place was super High Tech. This is one of the
things that lead me down my engineering path. Only if we could bring it back
Grew up in North Wildwood in the 70's and early 80's. What a time and place to be a kid!
This brings back a lot of memories. We went to Wildwood pretty much every summer. Never had the courage to go to Castle Dracula. Terrific video.
I love this so much! I wish I had been to Wildwood when Castle Dracula was around.
Fantastic Documentary. Brought back so many memories for me as a kid. This, by far, was one of the most unique attractions Wildwood had to offer!! Take care and God Bless.
THIS video i give 2 thumbs up and rate 5 stars! One of the best produced stories about the castle i have watched. Bring back the castle!
Thank you!
I love this video so much! The castle was such a big part of my childhood. I want to thank the Nickels family for all they did to bring the Castle to life and for being such a huge part of my childhood. Also, I agree, those young men got a slap on the wrist!
Oh this is just an AMAZING video! I was mostly interested in the creative engineering animatronic but i left loving the whole attraction itself! Such a horrible thing that those teens did :(
Really cool. Wish I could have gone. Great video! thanks for making this
I miss Castle Dracula. It was awesome. Just watching this video made me relive my summers as a kid. On the Wildwood boardwalk and Brigantine Castle. Haunted rides were always my favorite.
I visited Wildwood last summer specifically because of the legacy of this ride, it intrigues me so much and I always wish I could’ve experienced it. Thank you for this excellent documentary!
Excellent story! I still hope that the Castle will be rebuilt for a new generation of fans.
Wonderful, wonderful documentary Bill!! It nearly brought me to tears. Hands down the greatest boardwalk haunt ever, I still "see" it everytime I'm in Wildwood, I still "hear it" too. So bummed I chickend out and never went in as a kid. The year I told myself I'd go in, is the year it burned down. Alas, it has always been my favorite part of the boardwalk and I have so many fond memories of interacting with the staff, my family going in and telling their experiences, and more. I'd love to see The Ghost Ship converted to Castle Dracula somehow, with the former Go Kart area beneath as part of the ride too. Fire codes would already be in place. I think it'd be worth the probably costly conversion. Heck, this video has 22k views in less than a week- that tells you something about the attraction's popularity!!
Thanks for your comments...glad you enjoyed it!
What a great documentary! I remember vacationing in wildwood many summers so long ago and Castle Dracula was a long awaited experience every year. Also a huge fan of the Nickels Supercade and that horse racing game right at the front. Many a night was spent listening for the "free race, sit down" chant from, I believe, Angelo nickels enticing the crowd to play. Still have a few of the giant stuffed animals and a grand weekly prize of a camera. And who can forget that the "skeeball championships are now going on in the back of the arcade" for a chance to get into the money bonanza machine. Those were the days....😊
Wooow! That's really is sooo wild. this documentary showed up in my feed and hit me with a serious nostalgia bomb!! What great memories dude, thanks.
Great documentary
Such an absolutely outstanding documentary on such a fascinating subject. Thank you.
Thank you!
as a heavy metal, horror movie loving teen in the 80s, Castle Dracula was my spot! i don't remember it being particularly scary as much as it was super cool. we had come to vacation in Wildwood from NY and i always though how awesome would it be to work in Wildwood for the summer and especially at the castle! great fun