New WildTrax app turns Wildwood boardwalk thrills into a social media game
The spinning, swinging "it" ride on Surfside Pier. (Amy Z. Quinn/ NewsWorks)
A recently-launched iPhone app from Morey’s Piers in Wildwood will keep track of how many times you got stuck at the top of the Giant Wheel or had your brains scrambled on “it.”
WildTrax scans a barcode on your ride wristband, turning your thrill-ride habit or family vacation into a social game, with badges and photo-sharing. It lacks some of the utility of apps that are now essential on a visit to a Disney park, such as dining reservations or take-out food pre-ordering — and that line at Curley’s Fries can be a test.
A wait time guide could also be handy, though even on the busiest summer night, it’s possible to hit a half-dozen rides in Wildwood before you’d make it to one Disney attraction.
Though released into the App store on May 31, WildTrax seems to be in a soft launch, so those other features could be coming. The Morey’s folks were still preoccupied with the recent ArtBOX installation (and sushi!) when I asked about WildTrax last week, and the only advertising I saw for the app was on a receipt.
This past weekend, my 12-year-old son took WildTrax on a test-drive during a visit to Surfside Pier, which didn’t reveal any obvious bugs. We’re still playing with the social and photo-sharing tools. But if nothing else, WildTrax seems terrific for keeping track of how many times you rode the Sea Serpent before losing your Mack’s pizza. We’ll stay tuned in the coming weeks, as Morey’s publicity folks said there would likely be an official launch coming.
Have you used the WildTrax app?
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