Since the July 4th demolition of the Astrotower, the last remnant of Astroland in Luna Park, readers have been asking “What happened to the rest of Astroland’s rides?” and there has been speculation on the Coney Island message board.
Astroland’s rides were taken down and removed from the property by the Albert family at the end of 2008 and the majority were sold to other parks, both in the U.S and abroad. ATZ spoke with Mark Blumenthal, former operations manager of Astroland, who has overseen the sale of the rides. The biggest surprise for readers will be that Neptune’s Water Flume, which was widely assumed to have been scrapped after being disassembled, was sold to a park in South America.

Astroland’s last night, water flume ticket booth. September 7, 2008. Photo © me-myself-i/Tricia Vita via flickr
The only Astroland ride currently in Coney Island is the Barbieri bumper cars with their psychedelic artwork and rainbow-trimmed pavilion. The ride was refurbished by Deno’s Wonder Wheel Park and brought back home to Coney Island in 2012 with new cars added post-Sandy. You can catch a glimpse of the ride in the “I Love New York” TV commercial about New York’s beaches in which Wonder Wheel Park is featured.

Bumper Cars at Deno’s Wonder Wheel Park, Coney Island. May 15, 2013. Via Deno’s Wonder Wheel Park flickr
Here’s a rundown of the Astroland rides new locations, courtesy of Mark Blumenthal. He now manages Adventurer’s Park in Brooklyn, where the Astroland Teacups and Circuit 2000 have found a new home.
Dante’s Inferno, the Tilt-A-Whirl and the Scrambler are still for sale, he says, along with the Bonanza Shooting Gallery, which was next to Gregory & Paul’s on Surf Avenue.
The Topspin relocated to Seaside Heights, New Jersey, where it survived Sandy and has since been sold to Deggeller Attractions, a traveling carnival.
The Enterprise at Casino Pier in Seaside Heights also survived Sandy but is not running this year due to damage to the pier.
The Pirate Ship and Breakdancer went to Costa Rica. The Kiddie Coaster is in Australia.
One of the Astroland stars from the Surf Avenue gate is in the collection of the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum. The 8-foot by 7-and-a-half-foot lighted star will be on display with other space-age icons in the Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center after construction is completed.
UPDATE January 20, 2015:
Remember Astroland’s Scrambler? It’s back at home in Coney Island at Deno’s! The Scrambler will be located between the Wonder Wheel and the Barbieri Bumper Cars, which also hail from Astroland and were refurbished and returned in 2012.
Coney Island 2015: Deno’s Wonder Wheel Park Adds Scrambler, ‘Twist & Shout’ Drop Tower
UPDATE January 6, 2014:
BLAST OFF! Today the Coney Island History Project announced: “In late December our proposal for the return of the Astroland Rocket was approved by the City and we’re now planning an extensive exhibit about the rocket and space-themed Coney attractions of the past. Ownership of the historic Rocket will be transferred to the History Project and the Vourderis family will provide a permanent home for it in Deno’s Wonder Wheel Park.”

Astroland Bumper Car Pavilion in Deno’s Wonder Wheel Park, Coney Island. June 21, 2013. Via Deno’s Wonder Wheel Park flickr
Related posts on ATZ…
July 9, 2013: Photo Album: Remembering the Astrotower (1964-2013)
July 3, 2013: Long Live Coney Island’s Swaying, Singing Astrotower!
March 16, 2012: Rest in Peace: Jerry Albert, Co-Founder of Coney Island’s Astroland Park
May 21, 2009: Astroland Closed But Your Kid Can Still Ride the USS Astroland This Summer!
Ok… I am confused about the Water flume. Were the logs sold to South America plus some other parts?? The Water Flume itself was one of two rides that Carol left on the land when she left it. The other being the Astrotower. The Water Flume was cut apart in a manor that maybe put back together, but Joe Sitt/Thor Equties did that, not Carol. So Mark knows what Sitt did with the rides tracks??
Yes, everything was sold to the buyer in South America. They cut the trough at the seams, took pictures and numbered it so that it could successfully be put back together. It was sold by Thor Equities, because it had been left behind when Astroland vacated the property. Carol sold the logs flume seats, pumps and anything else that had been removed.
[…] Tricia Vita was of course not immune to it, and like someone looking up some old exes, she went looking to see where the old Coney rides went. They’re here and there, and in real cool news, a […]
Oh man, Top Spin!!! One of my fondest moments in Coney was taking my little brother to Astroland and going on Top Spin together. Unlike the Cyclone (where we were only able to scream) we laughed the entire time. Glad to know they went to places where children (or *ahem* adults) can continue to enjoy them