Coney Island Development Discussion Thread

[COASTER FREAK 11"CACTUS SHARP!!"]

Thanks for the update Larry!

[jynx242I prefer to mate with donkeys over humans!]

I'm very happy about the new additions to the park! Especially the Steeplechase coaster (Which I presume is a moto-coaster?) and the Zamperla Flyer! I actually rode that flyer at Elitch Gardens back in 2006, so I'm glad I have another chance to ride it. Still one of the few people that enjoy those "death traps."

Cannot wait to stop by this summer. I really hope they don't replace the trains for the Cyclone... Or do any extensive track (No Topper Track from Rocky Mountain) because I feel like that would damage a lot of history in the coaster. But whatever needs to be done to keep the coaster another 100 years, I'm all for.

Jeremie - remind me to ride the Cyclone with you this summer . Actually, I agree with you about not changing it, but the Cyclone is...well, it''s amazing but BRUTAL! One back seat ride you'll see what I mean. I'll definitely ride it as many times as possible because it is wild, out of control and kind of scary, but pain killers will be in order.

David

[Big MikeTPR's Friendliest Guy]

That Zamperella factory that you have pictured in the sign in Boonton NJ is right up the street from Big Mike World Headquarters!

Lots of rides there.


Peace, Big Mike

[RoCoBonafide Donkey Expert]

...but the Cyclone is...well, it''s amazing but BRUTAL! One back seat ride you'll see what I mean. I'll definitely ride it as many times as possible because it is wild, out of control and kind of scary, but pain killers will be in order.

David

I must completely agree with this, but I'll take "Cyclone Pain" over "Zamperla Flying Coaster Pain" in a heartbeat.

[coast4airtimeDonkeys give me orgiastic scream!]

I hope that they don't over price their Slingshot. I think that $15 per rider is enough for a ride.

[larrygatorObsessive Overlord of the TPR Park Index]

I hope that they don't over price their Slingshot. I think that $15 per rider is enough for a ride.

It will be $20

http://www.lunaparknyc.com/rides-credits.html

[jedimaster1227Open Up Happiness]

YouTube Videolink



YouTube Videolink

[milst1Jason X versus the Robot Space Donkey!]

Mayor Bloomberg's office issued a press release yesterday that annoyed me. (You can read it here)

It said, in the big headline, that the two new Scream Zone coasters are the first new roller coasters at Coney Island since the Cyclone was built in 1927.

What? Two seconds of browsing rcdb reveal that, including those built last year, there have been (at least) 8 roller coasters introduced at Coney Island since 1927.

Not surprisingly they have led with the inaccurate but flashy headline. Later on, buried in the text of the release it qualifies the claim and says that these are the first new major roller coasters since the Cyclone in 1927.

Okay, the revised claim ignores the Bartlett/Miller Flying Turns coaster that was at Steeplechase Park in the 1930's. Seven of these were built in the 30's and '40's. If Knoebel's ever gets theirs going, this generation of fans can decide if it was "major" or not.

The qualification also implies that Zamperla builds "major" roller coasters. Ugh. I guess what this shows is that Coney Island, the birthplace of the archetype of the American amusement park, has fallen on such hard times, and for so long, that the addition of a Zamperla Volare is considered historic, by no less than the Office of the Mayor of the City of New York.

Did you see the video (thanks for posting, Adam) of Mayor Bloomberg "releasing" the slingshot? A gaggle of sophisticated New Yorkers who've never seen an attraction that can be found at downscale beach boardwalks. And they think this transforms Coney Island into a world class attraction?

One reason I voted (again) for Mayor Bloomberg was the brilliant Coney Island re-zoning and the defeat of Joe Sitt and the Thor Equities plan to bulldoze the history and turn Coney Island into a mall. But the administration's rhetoric implying that Zamperla is the be all and end all of amusement manufacturers and operators is maddening.

The only thing world class about Coney Island right now is its history, which the Mayor's Office found fit to ignore entirely. Don't get me wrong, it's my "home park" and I love being there. But Zamperla was not the choice to create world class experience, at least not in the near term. I hope I'm wrong and they go on to build the Zamperla version of Mack's Europa Park. That would be fine by me if Zamperla steps up their game and starts building and installing serious rides. But even the Macks put in a B&M.

Thanks for listening to my rant.

[larrygatorObsessive Overlord of the TPR Park Index]

^Well we did get AirRace. More show piece flats like AirRace would have been nice.

I don't love the current state but feel this is much better (and long term viable) versus anything Joe Sitt would have done.

[MooseWhy do I still have a donkey title???]

It's all political posturing. Saying that this is first coaster since the Cyclone sound a hell of a lot more impressive than there were a bunch of other coasters but they are all gone now. They don't care if it's accurate, as long as it's impressive.