Wildwood’s Giant Wheel at Morey’s Pier to Undergo Renovation

The giant wheel at Morey's Pier in Wildwood, New Jersey, is about to undergo a significant facelift.

During the week of Nov. 3, crews began dismantling the 156‑foot Giant Wheel for a complete overhaul. Its main components are being shipped to the Philadelphia Navy Yard for refurbishment, according to The Cape May County Herald.

The Ferris wheel is being taken apart piece by piece. Spokes will be sandblasted in Wildwood, the center hub will be sent to Philadelphia for refurbishment, and all 40 gondolas will receive a refreshment.

An international team of experts is handling the delicate disassembly, using acetylene to free spokes and cranes to assist in the process. The Giant Wheel stands among the largest Ferris wheels in South Jersey.

Mike Granigan, director of construction for Morey's, said it's the bearings on the center hub that need the most attention.

“The last time they were replaced was 1999,” he said to CBS News Philadelphia. “Even though they're sealed to the elements, just the amount of weather and exposure they have, the atmosphere creeps in.”

In addition to the work on the hub, the wheel will be sandblasted and repainted white to contrast with the sky. The LED light strips on the wheel will remain part of its design, allowing seasonal and promotional images to be displayed. Two years ago, the ride's lighting was upgraded to LEDs to enable programmable seasonal displays, from Halloween pumpkins to NFL imagery and Alzheimer's awareness visuals, according to the Cape May County Herald.

Some may wonder why Morey's Piers is not going with a brand-new wheel. 

“It's a lot more expensive and time-consuming to buy a brand-new wheel,” said Megan Lonergan, the marketing coordinator with Morey's Piers, to The Cape May County Herald. “Buying a new wheel is many years in the making.”

Officials said the wheel will be reassembled and operational by May 1 of the next season. As CBS News Philadelphia noted, “The Ferris wheel, a defining part of the Wildwood skyline since 1985, will go back up like it came down, a pin and a spoke at a time.”