By Cindy Christy Fertsch
Gillian’s Wonderland Pier, a fixture on the Ocean City Boardwalk for almost 100 years, will permanently close in October. The amusement park, along with its adjoining business, 6th Street Pizza, will shut down following Indian Summer Weekend on Oct. 12-13, according to an announcement made on Friday, Aug. 10.
In a letter shared on social media, Mayor Jay Gillian, whose family has owned Wonderland for 94 years, explained that he had “little choice” but to close the park and retire after 47 years. “I tried my best to sustain Wonderland for as long as possible through increasingly difficult challenges each year,” Gillian wrote. “But it’s no longer a viable business. We will terminate our multi-year lease in a couple of months. Wonderland and 6th Street Pizza will remain open through Indian Summer Weekend to give everyone plenty of time to use up their tickets.”
Jay Gillian is the third-generation owner of Wonderland, which was founded by his grandfather, David Gillian, in 1929. The business was later passed down to his father, Roy Gillian, before Jay took over.
The park’s most iconic attractions include the swings, roller coasters, a log flume, and its towering 144-foot Ferris wheel, visible from the Route 52 Causeway as you enter Ocean City. Another beloved feature is the carousel, which dates back to the 1920s.
Despite its long history, Wonderland has faced financial difficulties in recent years. In January 2021, the park nearly went to auction after Gillian defaulted on $8 million in mortgage debt. However, he was able to prevent the auction by securing financing from developer Eustace Mita, the owner of Icona luxury resorts.
In his letter, Gillian noted that he no longer owns the Wonderland property and cannot predict its future. “The property itself is no longer mine, so I can’t speak to its future,” he said. “But I’ll always have a lifetime of priceless memories, and I hope you will too. Thank you for all the amazing years and for being such an important part of our journey.”
In 2023, Mita proposed a $150 million plan to transform the Wonderland site into a luxury hotel with 325 rooms. However, the project did not move forward, partly due to Gillian’s opposition and existing city zoning laws that prohibit hotel development on the Boardwalk.
Wonderland’s history also includes tragic incidents. On May 2, 2022, a subcontractor died after falling while working on the Ferris wheel. On Aug. 28, 1999, a mother and her 8-year-old daughter were killed in a mechanical malfunction on Wonderland’s Wild Wonder ride.
News of Wonderland’s closure was met on social media with an outpouring of love and gratitude for the generations of cherished family memories. Some expressed concern or frustration about tickets purchased before the announcement. Many also voiced displeasure at the possibility of a hotel or condominiums being built on the property.
