After nearly a century of joy and laughter, a historic amusement park on the Jersey Shore has closed its gates for good.
Gillian’s Wonderland Pier, renowned for its iconic 140-foot-tall Giant Wheel, officially shut down on Sunday after delighting visitors for 94 years along the Ocean City Boardwalk.
A Family Legacy
The park had deep roots in the community, managed by Ocean City’s mayor, Jay Gillian, and his family for generations.
Unfortunately, financial difficulties—exacerbated by the ongoing impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic and the devastation from Superstorm Sandy—led to its untimely closure.
The latest version of the park, known as Wonderland, was established in 1965, as reported by AP News.
In August, Mayor Gillian expressed his heartfelt sentiments about the park’s closure, saying, “I tried my best to sustain Wonderland for as long as possible, through increasingly difficult challenges each year.”
He reflected on how the park was intertwined with his family’s history but acknowledged that it was no longer a viable business.
A Bittersweet Farewell
The final farewell took place at 6 PM on October 13, with hundreds of visitors traveling from various places to commemorate the occasion.
As the sun set over the pier, bagpipers Alan and Ian McGill played haunting tunes while the rides made their last spins.
Long lines formed for the Giant Wheel, the log flume, and other favorite attractions, as guests utilized their remaining ride tickets purchased earlier in the season.
Sheryl Gross, a devoted visitor, brought her two children and five grandchildren for one last day of fun.
“I’ve been coming here forever,” she reminisced, noting that she had visited since her daughter was just a toddler.
“Now I’m here with my grandchildren.”
For her, the memories created over decades—filled with smiles and excitement—made the park feel like a true family haven, and its loss would leave a significant void.
Cherished Memories Shared
Laura DiSilvestro, visiting from Monroeville, snapped a final photo of her children enjoying the boat ride.
“We haven’t been back since Labor Day,” she said, eager to savor the last moments before the park closed.
She fondly recalled how she and her brother had shared countless joyful days at Wonderland with their grandparents.
“All the great times we had with our family; going to the beach, the boardwalk, and just being around our family—it was a wonderful time,” her brother Dave Zeck added.
Local resident Beverly Ayott also expressed her sadness, saying, “It’s sad. It’s very, very sad.”
Many took to social media to share their sorrow about the closure, with one user stating, “Devastating is an understatement.
I hope someone buys it to continue the legacy of such a perfect family place.”
A Community’s Effort to Save the Park
In response to the closure, a local non-profit group called Friends of OCNJ History and Culture is raising funds in hopes of preserving the amusement park, possibly under new ownership.
Bill Merritt, a leader within the organization, shared that they’ve raised over $1 million toward what could be a $20 million price tag for the property.
“Ocean City will be fundamentally different without this attraction,” he warned, emphasizing the park’s importance to the town’s family-friendly reputation.
Merritt’s emotional appeal underscored the community’s connection to the park.
“You look at it with your heart and say, ‘You’re losing all the cherished memories and all the history; how can you let that go?'” he remarked, also highlighting the economic impact.
“They are the reason this town is profitable; how can you let that go?”
The Future of Wonderland
Currently, the amusement park’s owner, Icona Resorts, has proposed developing a $150 million, 325-room luxury hotel elsewhere on the Ocean City Boardwalk, though those plans were rejected by the city.
Eustace Mita, the company’s CEO, stated that he would take time to propose a new use for the amusement park property.
He purchased the park in 2021 after Mayor Gillian’s family faced financial difficulties and was unable to meet bank loan obligations.
At a community meeting last month, Mayor Gillian explained that the park could not recover from the challenges posed by Superstorm Sandy in 2012, the pandemic in 2020, and the steep increase in New Jersey’s minimum wage, which doubled his payroll costs and left him with $4 million in debt.
Mita provided funds to avert a sheriff’s sale of the property and allowed the mayor three years to turn the business around, a deadline that expired this year.
As the curtain falls on Gillian’s Wonderland Pier, the future remains uncertain, leaving many to wonder: what will come next for this beloved piece of Ocean City history?
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