By Sarah Fertsch
Staff Writer
If you’ve ever walked on the Ocean City Boardwalk, you’re familiar with Playland’s Castaway Cove.
As soon as you enter the park, you hear the rush of the roller coaster as it races across the tracks, and the giggly screams of the brave passengers. A carousel spins slowly as the scene opens up in front of you, transporting tiny tots up and down on classic wooden horses.
As you wander through the labyrinth of amusements, a claw ride hoists riders side to side, spinning them as they fly toward the setting sun. Families make memories as they enjoy the rides, play carnival games and enjoy refreshments.
There’s so much to do, between the Ferris wheel, bumper cars, kiddie speedway whip and many more attractions.
Will you relax on the old western train that circles the park, or get drenched by the multiple drops of the log flume? Will you cling tightly to your harness on Air Race, the spinning plane ride that thrusts fearless folks upside down, or question your senses as you explore the oddities of the fun house?
There’s so much to do at Playland’s Castaway Cove, the premier amusement park on 10th and Boardwalk in Ocean City. The park is always updating itself, ensuring that guests feel thrilled and welcomed at the family-friendly establishment.
The pier opened in 1959 as a joint venture between David Simpson and a partner who eventually sold his equity to the Simpson family. At that time, the park boasted a carousel and a few small rides. The arcade underneath the giant pirate ship included a bowling alley and a few classic carnival games.
By 1992. Playland offered upward of 20 rides and opened its most ambitious attraction, the Flitzer roller coaster. The park was small, and with the new roller coaster, Simpson knew that he needed more space.
In 1996, Simpson bought the second half of the modern property located directly behind the Flanders Hotel. This allowed the park to add a kiddie roller coaster, a train and swings.
Operating an amusement pier proved to be a difficult task. City ordinances made expansion difficult. Simpson was required to lobby the Ocean City mayor and council so he could keep expanding Playland.
Brian Hartley, Castaway Cove’s vice president, has worked for the company for 31 years. He manages all operations of the park, including advertising and hiring seasonal workers.
“We always try to keep things fresh,” Hartley said. “This year we added music to enhance the ambiance on the pier, and it’s great to hear families singing along and having a good time.”
In 2021, Castaway Cove suffered a tremendous loss. An electrical fire consumed the arcade and the giant pirate ship as well as office spaces.
Playland is rebuilding, with plans to return the iconic pirate ship and arcade space to their former glory. Hartley said they hoped to finish construction by the summer of 2022, but because of worker shortages and inflation in the price of materials, the project has taken longer than expected. As of now, Hartley reports that the ship will be back by approximately spring 2023.
“The original pirate ship and arcade were featured at the 1938 World’s Fair, and were shipped to Ocean City in pieces, so the space had a lot of history,” said Hartley.
In May of 2017, the first large-scale roller coaster was built at Playland. The S&S steel launched coaster has excited coaster enthusiasts and casual thrillseekers alike. The 125-foot-tall ride runs at a top speed of 64 mph, exposing riders to a maximum of 4 Gs. Gale Force, as the coaster is named, is the biggest, most impressive ride in Ocean City history.
At the same time, Playland introduced two more coasters: Wild Waves and Whirlwind.
Wild Waves, which also opened in 2017, is a more traditional medium-thrill coaster manufactured by E & F Miler Industries. It wraps around Gale Force and was originally going to be painted white, but time constraints left the ride unpainted. Whirlwind, opened in 2016, is a spinning family coaster on a small track with a figure eight layout.
“Our most popular attraction by far is the Double Shot,” said Hartley of the 85-foot tall drop tower ride. “We replaced the older version with a new identical model a few years ago, but now we have parents, who rode the ride when they were young, screaming alongside their teenagers, making the ride a part of their family traditions.”
Castaway Cove is so much more than just rides. The Simpson family also operates Seaside Village Mini Golf (the course with the massive artificial great white shark) and the Seaside Speedway, a go-kart experience beneath the Boardwalk. Two more 19-hole mini golf courses owned by Castaway Cove are the Golden Galleon Pirate Golf courses, featuring a snarling mechanical crocodile and singing parrots.
“We are always striving to improve,” said Hartley. “We listen to our customers and try to give them what they want.”
“We plan to have the same footprint and modernize in a few different ways. Eventually we want to build a roller coaster on top of the pirate ship.”
Hartley also addressed Playland’s commitment to the well-being of the community. Castaway Cove prides itself in supporting local causes, such as the Ocean City Humane Society. A few weeks ago, the business donated almost 200 ride pass wristbands to people with developmental disabilities through the non-profit Heart of Surfing.
Check out the brand-new carousel and park music when you visit the park with your family this season. And of course, have fun!
