April | 2011 | Amusing the Zillion

Archive for April, 2011

Coney Island Has 64 Rides and 30 Weekends of Summer!

Posted in amusement park, Amusement ride, Visitor Info, tagged Coney Island, Deno's Wonder Wheel Park, Eldorado Bumper Cars, Luna Park, Scream Zone, visitor info on April 22, 2011| 10 Comments »

Coney Island's 64 Rides include Luna Park's Electro Spin and Deno's Wonder Wheel. Photo © Jim McDonnell via smugmug

This month marks the 2nd anniversary of Amusing the Zillion, which began on April 10, 2009 with a sweet first post on Coney Island ‘s Opening Day. The zings came in May and June with “Joe Sitt’s No Show Rides” (ATZ, May 17, 2009) and “Coney Island Ride Count: Veteran Ride Ops 40, Joe Sitt 10!” (ATZ, June 4, 2009). Back then, the dwindling number of rides and the empty lots had people asking “Is Coney Island Closed?” and gave rise to the marketing slogan “Coney Island: Really Fun, Really Open.”

We’re happy to report that Coney Island has come a long way since then with the opening of Luna Park (May 2010) and Scream Zone (April 2011) on land purchased by the City from real estate speculator Joe Sitt. As we head into Coney Island’s Easter weekend, which can be as busy as Fourth of July if the sun shines, the amusement area has a grand total of 64 rides! (Update: September 12, 2012… McCullough’s had to reconfigure the park and removed two kiddie rides in 2011. Scream Zone added two rides: Go Karts and a Skycoaster in 2012. Deno’s Wonder Wheel Park replaced two rides with the largest Bumper Cars in New York City. For the 2012 season, Coney Island’s parks had 63 rides plus the Megawhirl and a half-dozen or so carnival rides brought to Stillwell Avenue for the summer.)

Luna Park entrance and Cyclone Roller Coaster, Surf Avenue at 10th St. Photo © Jim McDonnell via smugmug

The ride count for the 2011 season is Luna Park (19), Scream Zone (4), Cyclone (1), Deno’s Wonder Wheel Park (22), Eldorado Bumper Cars (1), Polar Express and 12th Street Amusements (5) and McCullough’s Kiddie Park (12). Coney Island’s extended season stretches all the way to Halloween, effectively creating 30 weekends of summer fun.

Coney Island isn’t a gated single operator park like Six Flags or Disneyland. Visitors can move freely throughout the People’s Playground, where the rides and attractions are individually owned and operated by several different families. Here’s ATZ’s guide to Coney Island’s rides for the 2011 season.

LUNA PARK, THE CYCLONE and SCREAM ZONE

Zamperla's Prototype Air Race at Luna Park. Photo © Jim McDonnell via smugmug

Luna Park opened last May with a magnificent gate that pays homage to the original Luna Park. Operated by Central Amusements International, the park division of Italian ride manufacturer Zamperla, Luna Park features 18 Zamperla rides and a Reverchon water flume. Notable rides include the prototype Air Race, designed by Mega Disk’O creator Gianbattista Zambelli. The thrill ride sends riders upside down at up to 4 g forces and made its world debut in Coney Island last May.

One of Coney Island’s historic rides that inspired a modern counterpart in the new park is “The Tickler.” Zamperla’s spinning coaster model, the Twister, was renamed “The Tickler” in honor of Coney Island inventor William F. Mangels pioneering thrill ride that debuted in 1907.

Additional rides include the Brooklyn Flyer (Vertical Swing), Eclipse (Discovery Pendulum), Circus Coaster, Coney Island Hang Glider, Lynn’s Trapeze, Surf’s Up, Big Top Express, Happy Swing, Mermaid Parade (Kiddie Log Flume), Speed Boat and Tea Party.

The Sling Shot Ride in Coney Island's Scream Zone Thrill Park. Photo © NYCEDC via flickr

Also operated by Central Amusement International is the iconic Cyclone Roller Coaster, a New York City landmark that first opened in 1927. This weekend the amusement operator is debuting Scream Zone, a new thrill park on the Boardwalk. Rides include the Turbo Force, Sling Shot, Soarin’ Eagle Coaster (Volare), and Steeplechase Motocoaster, which pays homage to Steeplechase Park’s legendary horse race ride.

DENO’S WONDER WHEEL AMUSEMENT PARK

Deno's Wonder Wheel. Built in 1920 by the Eccentric Ferris Wheel Company using Bethlehem Steel forged on the premises. Photo © brooklynnfoto via flickr

Deno’s Wonder Wheel Park has 22 rides and is owned and operated by the second and third generation of the Vourderis family. The Wonder Wheel, which is an official New York City landmark, celebrated its 90th birthday last year. A popular spot for engagement photos, the Wheel has a very romantic history: When the park’s founder Denos Vourderis was a hot dog vendor in the 1940s, he promised his sweetheart Lula that he would buy the Wonder Wheel for her as a wedding ring if she would marry him. She said yes and in 1983 when the Wheel was offered for sale, he bought it and built the park around it.

According to the history page on the Wonder Wheel’s site, it was “built in 1920 by the Eccentric Ferris Wheel Company using 100% Bethlehem Steel forged right on the premises. Each year, the entire 400,000 lb. ride is overhauled and painted to protect it from the elements of weather, wear and tear.”

The park’s adult rides include the legendary Spook-A-Rama dark ride, Thunderbolt, Bumper Cars and Tilt-A-Whirl. The Kiddie rides are the Carousel, Herschell Boats, Dizzy Dragons, Pony Carts, Jumping Motorcycles, Sea Serpent Roller Coaster, Mini Enterprise, Free Fall, Red Baron Airplanes, Willie the Whale, Fire Engines, Jets, Flying Elephants, Pirate’s Pond, Big Foot Trucks. Rio Grande Train, and Samba Balloon.

Carousel horse dedicated to Denos Vourderis, founder of Deno's Wonder Wheel Park. Photo © Deno's wonder Wheel Park via flickr

12th STREET AMUSEMENTS

The classic Saturn 6 ride is part of 12th Street Amusements. Photo © Jim McDonnell via smugmug

The Guerrero family’s 12th Street Amusements has 5 adult rides including the Polar Express, Bumper Cars, Saturn 6, Ghost Hole and Virtual Reality. The Saturn 6 is a classic flat ride. “Right now, I believe the only one in existence is at Coney Island,” writes one ride fan on the CoasterBuzz forum. “Some people think the newer Dartron Hurricane’s are the same thing but the Saturn 6 cars are fastened directly to the arm in a manner so as they do not pivot when they are raised. This is one of those rides you can hear from way down the midway. The loud pop of compressed air being released as the arms raise up & down.”

ELDORADO BUMPER CARS

Eldorado Bumper Cars on Surf Avenue. Photo © Jim McDonnell via smugmug

Coney Island’s disco palace of bumper cars, the Eldorado Skooters, is a family owned business at Surf Ave between Stillwell and 12th St.

As we say in the amusement biz, it’s the front of the show that gets the dough! The front of Coney Island’s Eldorado is famed for its lights and signage. On flickr you’ll find dozens of pix of the dazzling theater-style “Eldorado Auto Skooter” marquee and the sassy “BUMP YOUR ASS OFF!” signs by Dreamland Artist Club founder Steve Powers.

The Eldorado was hand built by the Buxbaum and Fitlin families and a carpenter named Rafael, according to Scott Fitlin. It opened on March 21st 1973 and the first record played was “Cisco Kid-War.” The bumper cars are old school Italian-made Soli cars. Stop by the Eldorado this summer to hear the legendary sound system and “Turn that Wheel!”

MCCULLOUGH’S KIDDIE PARK

More Rides at McCullough's Kiddie Park, Coney Island. Photo © me-myself-i/Tricia Vita via flickr

McCullough’s is a family owned park with 12 10 kiddie rides on the Bowery at 12th Street. The rides are the Bumblebeez, Ferris Wheel, Carousel, Swings, Motorcycles, Yellow Submarine, Dizzy Dragons, Himalaya, Ladybug, Frog Hopper, ~~Circus Train and Tug Boat~~.

According to his interview in the Coney Island History Project’s Oral History Archive, “Jimmy McCullough learned the carousel business from his father, James McCullough, who began his career working on the Steeplechase and Stubbman carousels. Working in Coney Island is a family business going back generations for Jimmy who is a descendent of both the Tilyou and the Stubbman families.”

Remembering Coney Island’s Jumbo Jet Coaster 1972-2002

Posted in Amusement ride, tagged Bobsled, Coney Island, Flying Turns, Jumbo Jet, roller coaster on April 21, 2011| 1 Comment »

We’re thrilled that Coney Island has two exciting new roller coasters– the Soarin’ Eagle (Volare) and the Steeplechase Motocoaster–in Scream Zone as well as the Tickler in Luna Park. But we were taken aback by the claim in the City’s press release: “Debut of First New Roller Coasters Since the Cyclone Opened in 1927.” It’s simply not true. Either the City does not know about the Flying Turns and Jumbo Jet or they are dismissing them as not worthy of consideration.

A cursory Google search of Coney Island Roller Coaster History reveals that there have been at least three coasters built here since the Cyclone. Now history is being revised by a slew of headlines like “Coney Island gets first new roller coasters in 80 years” (Reuters) and “Coney Island Unveils First New Roller Coaster in 84 Years” (WNYC). Is fact-checking out of fashion? Nearly 40 years is more like it if one considers Anton Schwarzkopf and the Jumbo Jet.

The last new roller coaster built in Coney Island was the Jumbo Jet (1972-2002) operated by Norman Kaufman in his new Steeplechase Park. As swampfoxer says in the video which he made in 1992:

It was designed by Anton Schwarzkopf, a German engineer responsible for many steel coasters and amusement rides all over the world. This coaster had a unique spiral incline which took the 2 car train to a height of approximately 56 feet. The first big drop was followed by a sharp 90 degree high speed turn followed by more hair raising drops and sharply banked turns. After 30 years of operation, the coaster was eventually closed and dismantled.

Flying Turns Construction at NY World's Fair, 1939-40. The ride was moved to Coney Island after the fair. New York Public Library, Manuscripts and Archives Division

Coney Island also had two bobsled style “flying turns” wooden coasters. The Flying Turns (1934 – 1939) in Steeplechase Park was destroyed by a fire after only five years of operation. The Bobsled (1941 – 1974) was originally built for the 1939 New York World’s Fair. After the fair, the ride was moved to Stillwell and 15th Street in Coney Island. Charles Denson tells the story of the Bonsignore family, who operated the Bobsled, in his book Wild Ride: A Coney Island Roller Coaster Family. Since 2006, Knoebels in Pennsylvania has been at work on the world’s first modern flying turns coaster.

Coney Island Scream Zone’s Official Opening Set for Today

Posted in amusement park, Amusement ride, Photography, tagged Bruce Handy, Coney Island, MotoCoaster, Scream Zone, Steeplechase coaster, Zamperla on April 20, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Zamperla's Steeplechase Motocoaster Under Construction in Scream Zone. April 19, 2011. Photo © Bruce Handy/Coney Island Photo Diary via flickr

On Wednesday at 1 pm, Mayor Bloomberg and other electeds, officials and guests will celebrate the “Grand Opening” of Scream Zone. The new thrill park in Coney Island will open to the public on ~~Thursday~~ at 12 noon. (UPDATE…. On Thursday, Luna Park’s Facebook page said “Scream Zone will open to the public this weekend. We appreciate your patience and enthusiasm as we work on the finishing touches.” Coney Island Fun Guide updated the event page for Saturday, April 23rd. As of April 30, all of Coney Island’s 64 rides, including Scream Zone, Luna Park, Deno’s Wonder Wheel Park and the Cyclone are open Saturdays and Sundays through end of May, when the summer schedule begins.)

Which one of the park’s four rides do you suppose will appear in the photo op? We wouldn’t be surprised to see the Mayor and officials sit astride the “Steeplechase coaster” horses still under wraps in the above photo. Zamperla’s Steeplechase MotoCoaster takes its name from Coney Island’s signature horse race ride that made a circuit around Steeplechase Park. But it does differ quite a bit in design. Most notably, the horses are part of a single train instead of racing against each other on multiple tracks. Another big difference: The ride’s seating design and restraint system are new and improved to comply with current-day safety standards.

At last year’s opening of Luna Park, official “Lunatics” took a group picture on the Electro Spin, though they did not actually go for a spin. We don’t expect them to go for a ride on the coaster, which is still getting finishing touches. But perhaps one of their assistants will be daring enough to try the Sling Shot, which has already been tested and is ready to ride?

Here’s a look at Zamperla’s Pony Express-themed MotoCoaster at Knott’s Berry Farm courtesy of Ryan Childers via YouTube…

UPDATE 8pm…As it turns out the Sling Shot provided the photo op. Mayor Bloomberg and Brooklyn Borough Prez Marty Markowitz pulled the switch to launch a couple of daring 12-year-old kids into the air. Here’s the video!