{"id":59165,"date":"2021-05-27T17:35:45","date_gmt":"2021-05-27T22:35:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.coaster101.com\/?p=59165"},"modified":"2022-08-08T07:28:06","modified_gmt":"2022-08-08T12:28:06","slug":"a-history-of-roller-coasters-in-myrtle-beach","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.coaster101.com\/2021\/05\/27\/a-history-of-roller-coasters-in-myrtle-beach\/","title":{"rendered":"A History of Roller Coasters in Myrtle Beach"},"content":{"rendered":"
With the recent addition of The Funplex’s Fun in the Sun<\/a>, the newest roller coaster in Myrtle Beach, we got to thinking about the history of roller coasters in the area. While amusement parks have traditionally been an “afterthought” for many of the area’s 19 million annual tourists, and there aren’t many operating roller coasters in the immediate area today (just five!), roller coasters have actually been a part of Myrtle Beach’s entertainment offerings for 70 years.<\/p>\n As with any historical look back at Myrtle Beach amusement parks, the story begins with The Pavilion. If you\u2019re not familiar with \u201cThe Pavilion,\u201d it was an 11-acre Myrtle Beach amusement park whose roots dated back to the early 1900s. According to\u00a0MyrtleBeach.com<\/a>, the spiritual predecessor to the Myrtle Beach Pavilion was first constructed in 1908. This pavilion was a one-story, open-air wooden building that was part of the Seaside Inn property, Myrtle Beach\u2019s first hotel, which served as a gathering place for its guests. While this pavilion (and the pavilion that followed it) burned in 1920 and 1944, in 1948 the Myrtle Beach Pavilion Amusement Park was officially built.<\/p>\n The park’s first roller coaster was known as Comet Jr., and was built by the National Amusement Device Co. Not much is known about this wooden coaster, other than it was considered “pint-sized.” Alongside the other rides at the Pavilion, it thrilled riders into the late 1960’s before closing. Comet Jr. was the only roller coaster in Myrtle Beach for nine years, prior to the opening of a large B.A. Schiff Wild Mouse at the nearby Gay Dolphin Park, located just across the road from the Pavilion. The Gay Dolphin park was part of the greater Gay Dolphin Gift Cove, which featured a small gift shop, minature golf course, and several hotels. The Gay Dolphin has since evolved into one of Myrtle Beach’s largest gift shops.<\/p>\n1951-1979: The Early Years<\/strong><\/h3>\n