Rick's Road Trip: Wildwood, NJ preparing for a busy summer

WILDWOOD, New Jersey (WPVI) -- Rick's Road Trip wouldn't be complete without a visit to Wildwood along the Jersey Shore.

For now, all is quiet at Morey's Piers, however, that will all change when the rides and boardwalk booths open on Friday, April 29.

Workers from as far away as Holland are inspecting rides. The sound of chainsaws, hammers, and drills can be heard as finishing touches are wrapping up on the piers and boardwalk.

Meanwhile, managers are busy trying to hire those seasonal workers who are a necessity in shore towns like this. Morey's Piers needs 1,500 employees to ensure a smooth summer.

Never fear, the spring breakers are at the shore too, taking full advantage of the lack of crowds. They're happy to escape on a vacation.

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Campers get to go on scavenger hunts and attend tie-dye classes. And don't forget the nature walks and, of course, feeding the farm animals.

The arcade is already open, and a popular place to be.

"The beach is free. The hotels are nice. Everybody's just friendly. Yesterday we were by ourselves," said Lisa Skorewics from Duchess County, N.Y.

She brought her family to Wildwood for a visit.

"I'm off from school and I just get to have fun with my family and friends. I am absolutely having a good time," said Skorewcs' young niece Kylessa Coddington.

Before Morey's officially opens in about two weeks, there's still a lot to do: from improving parts of the boardwalk to prepping the big Ferris wheel.

Amusement park officials say this summer should hopefully be quite a ride.

"It's very nice to be looking at Covid-19 hopefully in the rearview mirror. There's some learnings from it. There's some improvements from it, but ultimately it feels like a much more normal summer. We're happy to be back to that and to be looking forward to a great season," said Denise Beckson, vice president of human resources for Morey's Piers.

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Hotel and rental bookings are already up, and restaurants and shops are desperately trying to hire more people for the summer crush.

Most restaurants and eateries have yet to reopen, but those that are, have been cashing in on the spring break crowd, hoping it's just a taste of what the summer will bring.

"As soon as the weather breaks like today, a beautiful day, people are coming out. It's really nice. That's a good thing, that's a great thing," said Tony Franconi, owner of Franconi's Pizza.

Hopes are high for the summer season and weather like this will surely bring a boost this spring.