Gillians Wonderland Pier

Gillian's Wonderland Pier

Slogan	Amusements with the family in Mind!
Location	Ocean City, New Jersey, United States
Coordinates	39°16′39″N 74°34′00″W / 39.277398°N 74.566757°WCoordinates: 39°16′39″N 74°34′00″W / 39.277398°N 74.566757°W
Owner	Jay Gillian
Opened	1929
Operating season	April to October
Rides
Total	31
Roller coasters	Runaway Train Coaster Whacky Worm (minor)
Water rides	10
Website	http://www.gillians.com http://www.gillianswaterpark.com

Gillians is a historic amusement park founded in 1929 by David Gillian, who first came to Ocean City in 1914.^[1] It is located on the ocean boardwalk of the New Jersey shore.

David 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,^[2] 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 Merry-Go-Round.

In honor of his 100th birthday in 1990, David Gillian donated a horse from the Merry-Go-Round to the Ocean City Historical Museum.^[3] 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 1957-1977. 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.^[4] 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 Blvd.

Gillian's Wonderland Pier is mostly famous for its 144-foot (44 m) Giant Wheel, one of the largest Ferris wheels on the east coast.

In 2009, Gillian's Wonderland Pier celebrated 80 years on the Ocean City, New Jersey Boardwalk.

Indoor rides at Gillians Wonderland Pier

• Carousel (Philadelphia Toboggan Company #75 1926)
• MonoRail- A Wonderland Pier tradition since 1965.
• Balloon Race
• Crazy Submarine
• Fire Engines
• Dune Buggies
• Jumbo
• Wet Boats
• Frog Jump Around
• Speedway Whip

Midway rides at Gillians Wonderland Pier

• Giant Wheel ~ 144 feet (44 m) tall, one of the tallest Ferris wheels on the east coast.
• Musik Express
• Raiders
• Trabant
• Tilt -A- Whirl
• Swings
• Galleon
• Bear Affair
• Bear Bounce
• Alien Abduction
• Wacky Worm roller Coaster

Lower Lot rides at Gillians Wonderland Pier

• Canyon Falls Log Flume
• Runaway Train Coaster
• Skooter Bumper Cars
• Moby Dick
• Kite Flyer
• Haunted Dark Ride

Upper Deck Rides

• Glass House
• Mini Skooters
• Airborne Shot
• Scrambler

1999 Accident

On August 28 1999, two people were killed and two injured when a roller-coaster car lost traction with the rails on a steep ascent and plunged backwards.^[5][6]

References

1. Archived November 23, 2010, at the Wayback Machine.
2. Archived August 8, 2014, at the Wayback Machine.
3. "Ocean City Historical Museum | Welcome!". Ocnjmuseum.org. Retrieved 2015-12-26.
4. "Mayor extends family legacy in Ocean City | Ocean Beats". Oceancitybeat.wordpress.com. 2010-11-30. Retrieved 2015-12-26.
5. Mcfadden, Robert D. (1999-08-30). "Roller Coaster Hurtles Wrong Way, Killing 2". Ocean City (Nj): NYTimes.com. Retrieved 2015-12-26.
6. "5 deadly roller coaster accidents". Globalnews.ca. 2014-07-08. Retrieved 2015-12-26.

External links

• Gillians Wonderland Pier
• Gillians Island Waterpark
• Gillian's Wonderland Pier at the Roller Coaster DataBase