Beloved Jersey Shore Amusement Park Shuts Down After Decades of Family Fun

OCEAN CITY, N.J. (AP) — For many families who have visited Ocean City over the years, the striking 140-foot “Giant Wheel” has served as a welcoming beacon from afar. Its impressive height signifies that they are nearing the Jersey Shore town known as “America’s Greatest Family Resort,” where family-friendly beaches, playful seagulls, colorful seashells, and a bustling boardwalk filled with treats—like pizza, ice cream, and cotton candy—await.

At the heart of this lively scene was Gillian’s Wonderland Pier, an amusement park steeped in history, operated by the family of Ocean City’s mayor for nearly a century. The current version of the park, Wonderland, opened its doors in 1965, continuing a proud legacy of family-oriented entertainment.

However, a somber cloud loomed over the park as it closed its doors for the final time on Sunday night, unable to survive the financial repercussions worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic and the devastation caused by Superstorm Sandy.

“I did everything I could to keep Wonderland alive through mounting challenges each year,” Mayor Jay Gillian stated in August when he announced the closure. “It has been my life, my legacy, and my family’s heart, but it can no longer sustain itself as a business.” Mayor Gillian has not responded to multiple requests for comments in the past week.

Sheryl Gross brought her two children and five grandchildren to the amusement park on its last day. “I’ve been coming here forever,” she reminisced. “My daughter is now 43, and I started visiting with her in a stroller when she was just 2. Now, I’m here sharing this experience with my grandchildren.” Gross cherishes the memories created throughout the decades, noting the excitement on her family’s faces as they enjoyed the rides together.

On the park’s final day, long lines formed for beloved rides like the Giant Wheel and the log flume, as visitors used the last of their ride tickets, unaware that they were witnessing the end of an era.

Meanwhile, there is hope for the park’s future. A local non-profit organization, Friends of OCNJ History and Culture, is actively fundraising in an effort to save Wonderland, ideally under new ownership that would be willing to invest financially. Bill Merritt, a leader of the non-profit, reported that they have raised over $1 million to help meet what could be a $20 million acquisition cost for the property.

“Without this cherished attraction, Ocean City will change significantly,” Merritt voiced. “This town thrives on its family-friendly image, and the park, aptly named ‘Wonderland,’ offered rides that appealed to children.”

The amusement park property is currently owned by Icona Resorts, which had previously proposed a luxurious $150 million, 325-room hotel elsewhere on the Ocean City boardwalk, but those plans were rejected by the city.

Eustace Mita, CEO of Icona Resorts, announced earlier this year that he would take time until the end of the year to determine a future use for the amusement park site. He acquired the property in 2021 after the Gillian family faced potential default on bank loans tied to it.

During a community meeting last month, Mayor Gillian revealed that the park struggled to recover from Superstorm Sandy in 2012, the pandemic in 2020, and the significant increases in New Jersey’s minimum wage, which doubled his payroll expenses and left him with $4 million in debt. Mita intervened to prevent a sheriff’s sale of the property, allowing the mayor three years to rehabilitate the business—a deadline that has now passed.

As the park’s future remains uncertain, Merritt and others can hardly imagine Ocean City without Wonderland. “You look at the situation and feel a deep loss of cherished memories and history; how can you allow that to disappear?” Merritt lamented. “Then you consider how integral this park has been to the town’s economy; how can you let that go?”

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