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Posts Tagged ‘Deno's Wonder Wheel Park’

Video of the Day: Restoration of Grandma’s Predictions

Posted in amusement park, Artifacts, video, tagged antique, arcade, Bob Yorburg, Cleveland Grandma, Deno's Wonder Wheel Park, Grandma's Predictions, John Papa, National Jukebox Exchange on May 7, 2013| Leave a Comment »

Grandma’s Predictions and Zoltar at Deno’s Wonder Wheel Park, Coney Island, July 2012

The venerable, circa 1923 “Grandma’s Predictions” has been telling fortunes under Coney Island’s 1920 Wonder Wheel all her life. A couple of seasons ago a brand-new Zoltar was brought in to keep her company and proved very popular with visitors to the arcade. Hurricane Sandy soaked both of them, and decapitated poor Zoltar. A new Zoltar Speaks machine was promptly ordered and is already here, but Grandma, an irreplaceable antique as well as a good luck charm for the three generations of the Vourderis family who have owned the park, was sent off to be restored.

Last night these riveting videos of Grandma’s wax head getting “eye surgery” at National Jukebox Exchange appeared on YouTube. The octogenarian tarot card reader is also getting new wax hands cast from the original mold, according to arcade restorer John Papa. He appears in the video along with fellow arcade restorer Bob Yorburg, who told ATZ that Grandma will get a new wig, dress and cabinet, too. The rare arcade piece is known as the “Cleveland Grandma” by collectors since she was built by the William Gent Manufacturing Company in Cleveland, “Grandma’s Predictions” is expected to come home to Coney Island on Mother’s Day, where a welcome home party will be held at Deno’s Wonder Wheel.

Coney Island 2013: New Ghouls Mingle with Old in Rebuilt Spook-A-Rama

Posted in Amusement ride, Photo Album, Photography, tagged Coney Island, dark ride, Deno's Wonder Wheel Park, Scarefactory, Spook-A-Rama, Superstorm Sandy on March 13, 2013| 2 Comments »

Spook-A-Rama Under Reconstruction. Deno’s Wonder Wheel Park, Coney Island. February 22, 2012

This veteran imp from Spook-A-Rama survived Sandy and is peeking out at the scary new creatures from Scarefactory, a design and fabrication studio which specializes in haunted attractions. As ATZ reported in November, Coney Island’s oldest dark ride, which dates back to the 1950s and is part of Deno’s Wonder Wheel Park, was severely damaged due to flooding during Superstorm Sandy. Park owners Dennis and Steve Vourderis vowed to rebuild. Construction is well underway and the ride, which is adjacent to the Wonder Wheel, is expected to open on March 24th, Coney Island’s Opening Day.

These photos from late February offer a sneak peek at a few of the new ghouls. You’ll also be happy to see some of the old-timers were rescued. These flood-damaged props original to Spook-A-Rama and other historic dark rides are being restored and will be put on static display. Some will get new electronics. The exterior artwork and restored Pretzel cars and tracks will remain.

Coney Island Shooting Gallery from 1940s Makes Comeback

Posted in Amusement Game, tagged antique shooting gallery, Coney Island, Coney Island USA, Deno's Wonder Wheel Park, Dick Zigun, Mangels shooting gallery, shooting gallery, Vourderis Family, William F Mangels, Wonder Wheel on February 28, 2013| 9 Comments »

A rare vintage 1940’s Coney Island shooting gallery that used to be under the Wonder Wheel is about to come out of retirement and make a comeback on Surf Avenue. Last night Dick Zigun, artistic director of Coney Island USA, announced in a series of tweets that the iconic shooting gallery, which had operated for many decades next to Spook-A-Rama on Jones Walk, would reopen at 1214 Surf Avenue.

Thank You to WonderWheel Park's Vourderis Family for caring for their Mangels Shooting Gallery even in storage & now letting us reopen it!

— Dick Zigun (@DickZigun) February 28, 2013

Zigun said that the historic shooting gallery will be a “major working exhibit/game fronting CIUSA’s new Art/Culture gallery formerly Denny’s Ice Cream.” The nonprofit arts organization bought Dennis Corines’ ice cream shop and building next door to Coney Island USA’s headquarters last March for $1.3 million. Unfortunately, Denny’s was one of the first casualties of Superstorm Sandy in Coney Island’s amusement area. The building had to be gutted and there was talk of replacing the ruined ice cream machines with a paintball game, mini-golf or a roller rink. The idea of using the Mangels shooting gallery in storage at Deno’s Wonder Wheel Park came up when it had to be moved during renovations after the storm.

Pictured above in a 1975 photograph by Coney Island History Project director Charles Denson, the gallery has cast-iron targets in the shape of soldiers, paratroopers and torpedo boats. It was manufactured in Coney Island by William F. Mangels, the inventor of such early 20th century thrill rides as the Whip and the Tickler, and the builder of the mechanism for the B & B Carousell. Researching a story on antique carnival pieces for Games Magazine a few years ago, we learned from a collector that Mangels held the most patents on shooting gallery targets. From the early 1900s until 1969, well after other manufacturers had gone out of business, his shop on 8th Street produced a wide variety of targets.

Morphy Auctions

Intact Mangels shooting galleries are exceptionally rare since most were long ago sold for scrap metal or broken up by antique dealers. Last April, ATZ wrote about this Mangels’ paratrooper target up for auction in Pennsylvania. It appears identical to the large paratrooper seen in Charles Denson’s photo. The price realized for the single target was $1,020. In 2009, an intact Mangels mechanical shooting gallery installed at Duke Farms and used by heiress Doris Duke during parties at her home sold at auction for $43,200!