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Gillian’s Wonderland Pier was a historic amusement park founded in 1929 by David Gillian, who first came to Ocean City in 1914. It was located on the ocean boardwalk of the New Jersey shore.
History[]
Roy Gillian started his career in the orchestra at C. Elwood Carpenter's Dance Club (aka The Casino), located over the Moorlyn Theater on the old Boardwalk. In 1917 he transferred to the Hippodrome pier, where he played with Robin Robinson's Orchestra. The Hippodrome had a movie theatre, vaudeville, dancing and amusements for children.
In October 1927, a fire destroyed the Hippodrome,[1] after which the burned boardwalk was replaced in 1928. In 1930, David Gillian opened a Fun Deck at Plymouth Place and the Boardwalk. The two main attractions were a Ferris wheel and a carousel. The Fun Deck was transformed into a water park (today known as OC Waterpark) after 1987.
In honor of his 100th birthday in 1990, David Gillian donated a horse from the Carousel to the Ocean City Historical Museum.[2] David Gillian died in March 1993 at the age of 102.
In 1957, David Gillian retired and his sons, Bob and Roy took over from 1957 to 1977. In 1965, Roy left the family business and started Wonderland Pier at 6th Street and the Boardwalk (where Stainton's Playland had burned down 10 years prior), with 10 rides and a parking lot.
Roy became mayor of Ocean City in 1985, and retired from politics in 1989.[3] In 1994, Roy became the president of IAAPA (International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions). His son, Jay Gillian, became mayor of Ocean City in 2010.
The Gillian family decided to expand their business beyond Ocean City by opening Gillian's Funland of Sea Isle City, located on JFK Boulevard. In January 2021 Gillian's was under foreclosure but the Gillian family announced they would still be open for the 2021 season.[4] On March 30 they announced they were teaming up with Icona Hotel owners to enhance the park.[5]
Gillian's Wonderland Pier is famous for its Giant Wheel, one of the largest Ferris wheels on the east coast.[6]
Closure[]
On August 9, 2024, owner Jay Gillian announced that Gillian's Wonderland Pier would close its doors after the 2024 season.[7]
On October 13, 2024, Gillian's Wonderland Pier closed for the final time. [8] The closure would spark opposition and a petition was created to save the pier from its demise.[9]
On November 13, 2024, 1 month after the park's closure, property owner Eustace Mita revealed his plans to convert the property into an Icona resort, dubbed Icona in Wonderland. The proposed resort consists of 252 rooms, retail space along the boardwalk, and keeping the Carousel and Giant Wheel attractions from the closed pier. Mita plans to start construction in early 2025 and be ready to open it by 2027.[10]
Past roller coasters[]
| Name | Manufacturer | Type | Opened | Closed | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| City Jet | Schwarzkopf | Steel-Sit-Down | ~1981 | 2004 | Relocated to All Star Adventures |
| Miner Mike | Wisdom Rides | Steel-Sit-Down | 1998 | 2010 | Relocated to Harvest Tyme Pumpkin Patch |
| Wacky Worm (1st) | Fajume | Steel-Sit-Down | 2005 | 2010 | Relocated to Alabama Adventure & Splash Adventure |
| Runaway Train | L&T Systems | Steel-Sit-Down | 2006 | 2018 | Relocated to Atlantic Splash Adventure |
| Fiesta Express | Zamperla | Steel-Sit-Down | 2011 | 2011 | Relocated to Austin's Park |
| Wacky Worm (2nd) | Fajume | Steel-Sit-Down | 2012 | 2024-10-13 | Removed |
| Dragon Wagon | Wisdom Rides | Steel-Powered-Kiddie | 2022-07-09 | 2022-08-27 | Removed |
References[]
- ↑ Photobook. Archived from the original on August 8, 2014.
- ↑ Ocean City Historical Museum | Welcome!. Ocnjmuseum.org. Retrieved on December 26, 2015.
- ↑ Mayor extends family legacy in Ocean City | Ocean Beats. Oceancitybeat.wordpress.com (November 30, 2010). Retrieved on December 26, 2015.
- ↑ Coleman, Julie (January 26, 2021). Shore landmark Gillian's Wonderland Pier is in foreclosure (en). Retrieved on July 5, 2023.
- ↑ Vitale, M. (March 30, 2021). Gillian's Wonderland Pier Announces Partnership With Icona Resorts (en-US). Retrieved on July 5, 2023.
- ↑ Boardwine, Andrew (May 11, 2022). Concrete Collapse Caused Worker's Fatal Fall off Ferris Wheel (en-US). Retrieved on July 5, 2023.
- ↑ Gillian's Wonderland Pier in Ocean City is closing (en). www.inquirer.com (August 9, 2024). Retrieved on August 9, 2024.
- ↑ McCormick, Kaitlyn. A closing date is set for Gillian's Wonderland Pier on the Ocean City boardwalk (en-US). Retrieved on October 26, 2024.
- ↑ Ocean City group wants your help to save Gillian's Wonderland Pier (October 24, 2024).
- ↑ Ocean City developer hopes to turn shuttered Wonderland Pier into 252-room hotel. 6 ABC (14 Nov 2024). Retrieved on November 14, 2024.
External links[]
- Gillian's Wonderland Pier official website (archived 2024-08-04)
- Gillian's Wonderland Pier at the Roller Coaster DataBase
- Gillian's Wonderland Pier at Wikipedia
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