HISTORY OF OCEAN PLAYLAND

A view of Ocean Playland during the construction phase. Tracy's Ghost Ship can be seen in the upper left of this photo. An aerial view of Ocean Playland taken in 1965. An aerial view of Ocean Playland taken around 1970. An aerial view of Ocean Playland looking east. Photo taken in late 1970's. A view of Ocean Playland at night looking toward the miniature golf course and their wooden coaster, The Hurricane.

OCEAN PLAYLAND QUICKFACTS

• Ocean Playland, as the park was originally named, was later re-branded as simply “Playland.”
  
  
• The large pirate that stood at Ocean Playland’s entrance was built by the International Fiberglass Company and is similar to the one at the entrance of Jolly Roger Amusement Park. Originally, the figure was painted to resemble a pirate, but in later years, it was changed to resemble a clown thanks to some new paint and a hat.
  
  
• Ocean Playland operated as a concessionaire park—businessmen and women would come from all over to set up their equipment and pay a percentage of their earnings to the park as a concession.
  
  
• Ocean Playland offered free admission and a pay-one-price riding system.
  
  

An advertisement from The Resorter showing a view of Ocean Playland. Tracy's Ghost Ship façade can be seen in the left of this photo. An ad from the Salisbury Times from June of 1966. An ad from an Ocean City visitors guide from 1969. Seems like quite a deal for an afternoon of fun, even for the summer of 1975! Article from Salisbury Times from April 15, 1964 when a permit for the park was being sought. The true story of how Ocean Playland came to be, including a list of the park's rides which mentions a "(Tracy) Dark Ride." When Playland closed in 1981, O.C. purchased the land to use for city government facilities. An ad from an Ocean City guide book from 1977. Ghost Ship can clearly be seen in the aerial image of the park. Above is the full article about Ocean Playland in National Amusement Park Historical Association - Vol. 24, number 6.

GHOST SHIP ACQUISITION

Bill Tracy's original façade for Ghost Ship at Ocean Playland Amusement Park in Ocean City, Maryland. Many pieces of the façade were reused as wall decorations in the Haunted House when the addition was complete in 1988.

Ghost Ship's façade skull and ship while being constructed in Bill Tracy's warehouse. An original photograph of the Hush-Puppy car used in Ghost Ship at Ocean Playland. Trimper's warehouse in West Ocean City is home to the remaining cars not used in the Haunted House fleet. They have been sitting in the woods deteriorating for nearly two decades.

GHOST SHIP QUICKFACTS

• Ocean Playland’s Ghost Ship was a double-decker dark ride which included an outside balcony similar to the new layout of Trimper’s Haunted House.
  
  
• Clifford Hudson, former Haunted House manager from 1965 to 1999, and a small crew ventured to 65th street with several trailers on hand to tear apart Ghost Ship.
  
  
• All of Tracy’s Ghost Ship stunts were removed from the ride, as well as the track and Hush-Puppy cars.
  
  
• Ghost Ship’s rotating barrel, which is currently used as the rock foliage for the Train Tunnel in the Haunted House, was also dismantled and transported.
  
  
• All stunts, track, and cars were taken to Trimper’s warehouse in West Ocean City to be stored after being removed from Ghost Ship.
  
  
• All of Ghost Ship’s contents were stored in Trimper’s warehouse from when Playland closed in 1981 until the Haunted House expansion in 1988.
  
  
• All of Tracy’s Ghost Ship stunts were moved into the Haunted House as-is without repainting or repairing. The only stunt that was touched up was the Headslinger—red paint was added to the neck to resemble blood, according to Cliff Hudson. The way the stunts originally looked in the Haunted House was the way they looked in Ghost Ship seven years earlier.
  
  
• Three of Ghost Ship’s Hush-Puppy cars were converted into the Coffin Carriages for the expansion.
  
  
• Cars 9, 10, and 11 were built with original frames from Ghost Ship, although they needed to be extended to fit the longer coffin shell.
  
  
• The Hush-Puppy cars that were not used are still stored at Trimper’s warehouse to this day.
  
  
• The Headslinger, which was originally in Ghost Ship and later implanted in the Haunted House, was removed in the early 2000’s and is currently sitting outside behind one of the Trimper warehouses.
  
  

GHOST SHIP REMNANTS

A large angry crab with spring—loaded legs would rise approximately two feet as your car passed. 2-dimensional seaweed cut out of plywood covered the pneumatics and platform for this stunt. Crab was nearly four feet wide. Backdrop included old boards from Ghost Ship’s interior. Because this stunt was not cased in a diorama, it often suffered destruction from vandals as they would pull it forward onto the track, only to be run over by the following car. Stunt was overhauled in the late 1990s and removed in 2006. A large diorama featured the backside of a pirate, who was leaning over the railing of the boat deck. The stunt was entitled “Seasick Pirate,” although one would argue that he was intoxicated due to the sliding beer bottle on the railing. Stunt was overhauled in the late 1990s, a removed in 2006. This creepy character rocked forward and backward over a large counter. A large cake with a skull adorning the top sat to his right and some shelves were mounted on the backdrop. A disoriented man steps outside and begins to walk down a flight of stairs as his head becomes detached from his neck and floats out over the rider. Stunt was removed in the early 2000’s and replaced with “The Leaper” from Scarefactory. Three clowns have a party while a severed head decorates the top of a birthday cake. Stunt included a nautical backdrop and large ornate table. Was originally located where the Electric Chair is located today. In 1995 it was moved to above the downhill and animated. In 2001, it was relocated once again to the hill immediately after the Upside-down room minus one character. Stunt is no longer animated and is in need of repair. One of only two stunts left from original installation. As rider passes underneath, beam breaks in half. A sound byte saying “Watch out for the falling beam” accompanied this stunt when it was originally installed. Often nicknamed the “Seashell” by those who worked in the Haunted House, this Mermaid figure was stationed in a large diorama and turned 180 degrees to face the rider upon activation. Today, the diorama still exists in original location but Mermaid has been relocated over near the Electric Chair. A Vampiress stunt purchased from Morris Costumes hangs in its original location. This stunt was built in-house with use of the Ghost Ship’s rotating barrel. Instead of rotation it, however, crews made it stationary and added to front of a locomotive at the end. A sound byte of a train accompanies this stunt making for a pretty thrilling surprise near the ride’s ending. Nearly identical to the Rat in the first room, this Rat leaps at you as you descend near the ride’s ending. A drunken man lies in a flooded cellar with barrels of wine. Original stunt was in a large diorama and included running water. Stunt was removed in late 1990’s and replaced with miscellaneous props purchased from Morris Costumes. Most of the wall scenery on the second level also came from Ghost Ship, including the seaweed-like decorations, fish skeleton plaques near the balcony exit, and dock posts across from the Torture Chamber.