Ocean City Arcade Set to Reopen Years After Devastating Fire
While the closure of Gillian’s Wonderland Pier has left a gap in Ocean City’s attractions, there’s now some exciting news to lift your spirits!
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After four years of rebuilding, Playland’s Castaway Cove arcade is finally set to reopen.
Playland’s Castaway Cove suffered a devastating fire in January 2021, which severely damaged its iconic pirate ship entrance and arcade.
Fortunately, firefighters managed to contain the blaze, preventing it from spreading to nearby rides.
Despite the extensive damage, the park partially reopened later that summer, but the arcade remained closed due to the destruction of the entire building.
Two months after the fire, investigators concluded that an electrical issue had caused the blaze.
Many visitors hoped the pirate ship would return, and soon official plans were announced to bring something big back to the space.
In December 2022, the Wildwood Video Archive reported that plans called for not only rebuilding the arcade and pirate ship but also to add a rollercoaster.
Few details about the coaster were shared online, leading visitors to assume it would be a long-term project.
While certain versions of the plans were approved, the park was able to prioritize rebuilding the main structure.
By April 2023, the construction of massive metal beams marked significant progress, and the building’s exterior was completed shortly thereafter.
Although summer 2024 passed without the building opening, today we learned that the arcade is officially set to open in Spring 2025.
Playland’s Castaway Cove shared the announcement on their Facebook page, stating, “We are so excited with the progress of the arcade that we wanted to share it with all of you! Things are really moving along, so we are shooting to re-open Spring 2025!”
The post included photos highlighting the ongoing work, showing concrete floors and wood paneling on the walls–a promising sign of the fun times ahead.
Are you excited to see Playland’s Castaway Cove arcade reopen? Let us know!