Casino Pier - Seaside Heights, NJ

Casino Pier
Seaside Heights, New Jersey

Casino Pier and Water Works is situated on a pier that extends about 300 feet into the Atlantic Ocean. It got its start in 1932 when Linus Gilbert purchased a small fishing pier. He placed a 1910 carousel there which featured some figures dating back from the 1890s. He soon built the Seaside Heights Casino around the carousel. Gilbert sold the pier to John Fitsgerald and John Christopher in 1948. The pier was severely damaged by fire on June 10, 1965, but rides were replaced and the pier was rebuilt. After several owners, the pier was sold to the Storino family in 2002. The park now has a few dozen rides and a unique miniature golf course located on the roofs of five concession stands.

Hurricane Sandy battered the park in October 2012, but Casino Pier was rebuilt. The new park is mostly on the land as opposed to the old park which was in a pier. The next summer, a huge fire destroyed a major section of the New Jersey boardwalk on September 12, 2013, but Casino Pier narrowly escaped the blaze.

Five coasters have left the pier:

Jet Star (1972-2000) was a 45-foot tall Schwarzkopf "Jet Star" model that ran at various German Fairs in 1968. It operated at Palisades Amusement Park in Cliffside Park, New Jersey from 1969 to 1971. It was demolished after 2000 when it could not be sold.
Wizard's Cavern was originally called Love Bugs (sometimes listed as Luv Bugs) when it opened at Casino Pier until it was renamed in 1989. It was demolished in December 2003. This steel coaster from Mack was very similar to Pirates Hideaway (see pictures below). The ride started in 1959 on the German Fair circuit where it ran under the name Broadway Trip. It kept the same name as it ran in 1962 at Fun Forest Amusement Park in Seattle, operated for a few years around 1964 at Cedar Point in Sandusky, and ran a couple more years at Palisades Amusement Park in Cliffside. Its name changed to Love Bugs in 1968. It briefly went to Toronto's Canadian National Exhibition in the early 1970s before coming to Casino Pier.
Wild Mouse operated here from the late 1950s until 1969.
Star Jet (pictures and details below) ended up in the ocean after Hurricane Sandy hit the park on October 29th, 2012. A huge section of the pier collapsed during the storm.
Wild Mouse was dismantled after Sandy hit the park, and parts of the ride were shipped to the Scandia Family Fun Center in Sacramento, California, but the ride has yet to be rebuilt.

Hot Tamale

Pirate's Hideaway

Star Jet

Wild Mouse