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Posts Tagged ‘American Eagle’

First Pieces of Zamperla Flying Coaster Arrive at Coney Island’s Future Scream Zone

Posted in Amusement ride, Redevelopment, tagged American Eagle, amusement park, Coney Island, flying coaster, Luna Park, Scream Zone, Volare, Zamperla on November 11, 2010| 3 Comments »

Just Arrived: Supports for Zamperla's Volare Flying Coaster in Coney Island. November 7, 2010. Photo © Bruce Handy/Pablo 57 via flickr

Over the weekend, the supports for Zamperla’s Flying Coaster (aka Volare) arrived in Coney Island and were unloaded on the lot behind Beer Island. The supports were the first pieces of equipment to arrive at the future Scream Zone, which will be built on City-owned parcels on Stillwell Avenue. As ATZ reported last month, the Flying Coaster from Denver’s Elitch Gardens was bought back by Zamperla with the intention of refurbishing it and installing it in Coney Island in 2011.

The Flying Coaster along with a Steeplechase-themed Moto Coaster, Sling Shot and Turbo Force will be set up on the east side of Stillwell behind the Boardwalk buildings occupied by Nathan’s, Cha Cha’s and Ruby’s. The entrance to Scream Zone is expected to be where Shoot the Freak is now.

Just Arrived: Supports for Zamperla's Volare Flying Coaster in Coney Island. November 7, 2010. Photo © Bruce Handy/Pablo 57 via flickr

In September, ATZ attended a panel discussion in which Zamperla USA’s CEO Valerio Ferrari unveiled a rendering of the flying coaster “American Eagle” aka the Volare in a presentation about new rides slated for Coney Island’s Scream Zone. On Zamperla’s website, the coaster is called Volare, which means “to fly” in Italian. You can watch a YouTube video of the coaster in action here.

Zamperla's American Eagle Coaster aka The Volare will be the second coaster in Coney Island's Scream Zone. Photo © Jim McDonnell via smugmug

The Elitch Gardens Flying Coaster was a prototype that made its debut in May 2002 and has been SBNO (standing but not operating) since 2008. The Coney Island Rumor Mill had been speculating for months that the Elitch Gardens coaster would come to Coney. Zamperla flying coasters can also be found at Rye Playland (“Super Flight”), Canada’s Wonderland (“Time Warp”), Vienna’s Wiener Prater, Genting Theme Park in Malaysia and Kaeson Youth Park in North Korea, among others.

Coney Island to Get Flying Coaster from Denver’s Elitch Gardens

Posted in Amusement ride, Redevelopment, tagged American Eagle, Elitch Gardens, flying coaster, Luna Park, Volare, Zamperla on October 17, 2010| Leave a Comment »

The coaster that NY1 described last week as a “new, cutting-edge roller coaster” coming to Coney Island may be relocating from a park in Denver. Theme park website Screamscape reported on Saturday that the Flying Coaster from Elitch Gardens was bought back by Zamperla with the intention of refurbishing it and installing it in Coney Island in 2011.

Zamperla calls the coaster the Volare, which means “to fly” in Italian. The Elitch Gardens coaster was a prototype that made its debut in May 2002. The ride has been SBNO (standing but not operating) since 2008 and since the cars were removed coaster fans have been tweeting that it’s headed for Luna Park. The Coney Island Rumor Mill had speculated for months that the Elitch Gardens coaster would come to Coney. Zamperla flying coasters can also be found at Rye Playland (“Super Flight”), Canada’s Wonderland (“Time Warp”), Vienna’s Wiener Prater, Genting Theme Park in Malaysia and Kaeson Youth Park in North Korea, among others.

Last month, ATZ attended a panel discussion in which Zamperla USA’s CEO Valerio Ferrari unveiled a rendering of the flying coaster “American Eagle” aka the Volare in a presentation about new rides slated for Coney Island’s Scream Zone. Zamperla/CAI’s Scream Zone will be located on “Parcels B & C, ” the City-owned property at Stillwell and the Boardwalk.

When Scream Zone is completed, Coney will have four of the 12 variations of coasters shown on Zamperla’s website: Luna Park already has Zamperla’s Twister Coaster (“The Tickler”) and Speedy Coaster (“Circus Coaster”). In addition to the Volare, Scream Zone will have a Pony Express-configured Moto Coaster (“Steeplechase Cavalry Coaster”).The thrill park is expected to open in 2011.

Zamperla's American Eagle Coaster aka The Volare will be the second coaster in Coney Island's Scream Zone. Photo © Jim McDonnell via smugmug

According to Elitch Gardens’ original press release for the flying coaster in March 2002: “If you’ve always wanted to skydive or hang glide…or just want a unique thrill that is really out of this world this is it. This one-of-a-kind thrill is perfect for Guests who want to be the first in the world to experience a ride like this. They’ll flat out FLY!”