Fantasy Island is an amusement park in Beach Haven, New Jersey. The park has 19 rides, from bumper cars to a pirate ship and a giant Ferris wheel. The park is open from the end of May to the middle of September.
Fantasy Island opened in 1985 on the site of a previous amusement park called Hartman's Amusement Park. The new park kept ten of Hartman's old rides, including the bumper cars and merry-go-round. New additions included the Dragon Coaster and Himalaya. Over the years, other rides joined the park's collection, including the Sea Dragon swinging ship in 1989 and the Giant Wheel in 1994.
Fantasy Island follows a Victorian theme that was part of the design when it opened. Visitors come across old-fashioned custom-made lampposts and walk under elaborate arches marking the park's entrances. They sit on turn-of-the-century-style oak benches arches. The design also includes stained-glass windows in many of the park's buildings, and a Victorian-looking classic carousel enhances the park's old-world look.
The park has an arcade that resembles a casino complete with Tiffany lamps and plush casino-style carpets. There are games for both adults and children, including pinball, crane games and poker. Players can exchange points won on certain games for thousands of different prizes.
Fantasy Island has a food court that serves hamburgers, hot dogs, french fries and chicken fingers. The Sugar Shack sells cotton candy or popcorn. An ice cream parlor sells popular flavors and toppings. The ice cream is free if visitors book a kid's party at Fantasy Island, with a minimum of eight children at a cost of $20 a head.
As of May 2010, admission to Fantasy Island is free. Guests pay for rides as they use them. Tokens are available at two booths and cost 75 cents each. Certain days are Pay One Price Day (POP days) where visitors can ride all the rides for $15 per person.
Fantasy Island also has several shows, from magic performances to educational shows featuring snakes and alligators, to DJs spinning the latest tunes every Saturday and Sunday evening. The park also has a "Christmas in July" show for family fun and a chance to see Santa.
