April | 2010 | Amusing the Zillion

Archive for April, 2010

Evicted by Thor, Coney Island’s Zipper Ride Thrills in Honduras

Posted in Coney Island Redevelopment, film, tagged Amy Nicholson, Coney Island, documentary film, Honduras, Last Day of the Zipper, Thor Equities, Zipper on April 12, 2010| 2 Comments »

Zipper, Coney Island. Photo © brooklynnfoto via flickr

A tweet from zipperfilm, aka documentary filmmaker Amy Nicholson, made us feel happy and sad at the time: “On our way back from shooting in Honduras. The Zipper is alive and well and scaring the crap out of kids on a beach there. Viva la Zipper!”

It makes us smile to think Coney Island’s beloved Zipper ride, which was evicted by Thor Equities in September 2007, has found new life as an expat. It makes us sad that nearly three years after the Zipper was dismantled and trucked away, its spot on West 12th Street remains empty and devoid of fun. Call it Thorland instead of Coney Island because real estate speculator Joe Sitt has managed to erase amusements from the property and blight the block.

Before Thor: View of W 12th Street with Go Karts and Zipper. April 15, 2006. Photo © frankko via flickr

The Honduras footage will provide a satisfying coda to “The Last Day of the Zipper,” which Nicholson and cinematographer Jerry Risius have been working on for the past three years. We’ve been looking forward to their film ever since we met the duo on the last day of Coney Island’s 2007 season. A synopsis posted on twitter says “A small-time carnival operator is forced to sell his ride and vacate his lot when he becomes the victim of a power struggle over the future of Coney Island.”

On the Zipper film’s newly launched website, the intro shows Zipper operator Eddie Miranda uncannily disappearing and reappearing on the empty lot. “A story about politics, greed, land use and public policy, Last Day of the Zipper chronicles a critical period in Coney Island’s history and examines the impact of redevelopment on a place that has always provided affordable entertainment for the masses. In a market driven world, where revenue and profits often trump nostalgia, Eddie and his Zipper may only be the beginning of what is lost.”

We don’t expect THE Zipper to ever come back to Coney Island, but wouldn’t it be nice to see some kickass carnival rides including a replacement Zipper and Go-Karts on Thor’s empty lots this summer? Let the countdown till Summer of Hope 2 or Dreamland 3 begin!

Thorland, August 2, 2008. Photo © Tricia Vita/me-myself-i via flickr

Photo Album: Yes, We’re Open! Easter Sunday in Coney Island

Posted in Photo Album, tagged Coney Island, Coney Island 2010, Coney Island is open, Easter on April 6, 2010| Leave a Comment »

Easter Brunch at Paul's Daughter on the Boardwalk. Photo © Tricia Vita/me-myself-i via flickr

On Sunday, Coney Island enjoyed the busiest Easter in memory! Thanks to the perfect weather– sunny and in the 70s– the New York tradition of the masses coming out to Coney to celebrate springtime is alive and well in 2010. Tweeps were saying “its poppin out here. Just like old times.” We kept an eye out for “Easter fresh” outfits.

Easter Sunday Best on the Boardwalk. Photo © Tricia Vita/me-myself-i via flickr

Bunny headgear won bonus points. The kids walked away with the prizes. More pix in our flickr set Easter in Coney Island 2010.

Bunny Baby in Coney Island. Photo © Tricia Vita/me-myself-i via flickr

Astroland closed in 2008, but your kid can still ride the USS Astroland on the kiddie boat ride in Deno’s Wonder Wheel Park. Coney Island currently has 40 rides including the Cyclone roller coaster, Deno’s Wonder Wheel Park (22 rides), McCullough’s Kiddie Park (a dozen rides), the Polar Express and 12th Street Amusements (5 rides) and the Eldorado Bumper Cars.

People's Parade: On the Boardwalk in front of Deno's Wonder Wheel Park on Easter Sunday 2010. Photo © Tricia Vita/me-myself-i via flickr

The Boardwalk was a People’s Parade on Easter Sunday. Lines were long at ticket booths and rides were jam packed from noon till nearly midnight!

Deno's Wonder Wheel Park on Easter Sunday. Photo © Tricia Vita/me-myself-i via flickr

Coney Island USA staged their first freak show of the season and Lola Star reopened her boutique on the Boardwalk. “Yes, We’re Open!” a defiant sign planted on Jones Walk proclaimed. Never mind that several stands on the Walk including Thor Equities’ property on the west side remain shuttered. Joe Sitt, the Grinch who stole Coney Island with the Christmas Eve Lockout of 2008, did not steal Easter 2010.

Jones Walk: Yes, We're Open. Photo © Tricia Vita/me-myself-i via flickr

Rest assured Good ol’ Coney Island is on the verge of an historic rebirth. On May 29th, Central Amusement International’s Luna Park is scheduled to open on the former Astroland site with 19 exciting rides including the Air Race and a Wild Mouse roller coaster from Zamperla. A banner on the Boardwalk gate of the new park exclaims “Thrill is nothing without speed!”