Wonder Wheel, Ghost Hole & Astrotower in Winter. January 29, 2012. Photo © Tricia Vita via flickr
On West 12th Street in Coney Island, the Ghost Hole Demon is still hibernating in his plastic shroud, but preparations are well underway for opening day of the 2012 season.
Next door in Deno’s Wonder Wheel Park, the kiddie rides have been reassembled, the Wonder Wheel is being painted, and the Spook-A-Rama Cyclops opened his eye and looked around. Putting the cars back on the Wheel is the last bit of business before Palm Sunday. Coney’s traditional opener is early this year. It’s on April 1st–yes, April Fool’s Day!–but some of Coney Island’s rides and attractions are expected to open for the weekend on Saturday, March 31st.
If you’re curious to see the demon on the Ghost Hole’s facade, here he is calling in customers courtesy of a 2009 video by magicalthemeparks. Formerly called “Geister Hohle”, the German dark ride came to Coney Island from Trimper’s Amusement Park in Maryland in 1999. The facade was updated and the demon was added by 12th Street Amusements in Coney Island.
Amusing the Zillion 
Wow! But let’s get our “demons” straight here. The animated alien? Hmmm….Okay, I guess, but:
“Barfing and Shitting Man”?
Truly horrifying, and more like the demons that beset Coney-goers who spend too much time at Cha-Cha’s when they should be home under the covers!
I must ask Susie D. If that guy was modeled after Ronnie in his (and my) bad old days…
For those who are wondering, since Susan’s last name actually begins with a “G”, back in the day, when the Polar Express was on the Bowery at Stillwell Avenue, Everyone who worked the ride (Paulie, Caesar, Black, Freddie, Richie, Odell, etc) was given the hip-hop tag “D”, so Ronnie and Susan both were known as Ronnie D and Susie D (at least by me, yo…)
LOL….The toilet guy (more recently a gal?) is still in winter storage too
The music you hear is from the next door Polar Express.