Just rode Coney Island Cyclone...

Just returned from a weekend trip to NYC with my wife. The main purpose of the trip was a combined Christmas/birthday present to my wife (tickets to Hamilton, Dear Evan Hansen and Waitress - all great!)

To return the favor, she insisted we take the train down to Coney Island so I could ride the Cyclone. I have always wanted to ride it, but in our previous trips to NYC we have never made it down there. We had done everything we wanted to do in the city, so we headed down there Sunday afternoon.

The weather was perfect and Luna Park was quite full - in fact, the boardwalk and beach were packed. It was fun to finally see this part of the area that I had always envisioned but never visited. Despite the crowds, the Cyclone was never more than a 1-2 train wait, so I got multiple rides on it.

To say that it exceeded my expectations is an understatement. The thing delivered in spades. I had multiple rides in various locations (front, middle and back) but my two trips in the back row were unprecedented. My wife sat those ones out, so I was the lone wolf riding back there, and I was thrown around like a rag doll by some of the most insane laterals I've experienced on a wood coaster. I also didn't expect it to have as much airtime as it did - but I had huge pops of air several times in the back row, and some in the other seats as well.

The fact that this is almost 100 years old and still runs this well is quite an achievement. I know there were many parks that tried to duplicate the layout with mixed success... but this thing is running quite well. I thought it would be rough, and expected some jack-hammer-y moments, but there really weren't that many. It is rough because of the layout more than anything, but it has been maintained exceptionally well. The operations for the most part were pretty good.

I was very happy with my rides on the Cyclone - not only for being able to check it off my bucket list, but for the incredible experience I had on a world-class coaster that I would love to visit again someday.

Interested to hear your thoughts on this classic...

Being a New York City native I love hearing/seeing people's reactions to their first rides on the Cyclone. It is truly a classic and I agree at your age it is amazing that it still delivers an out of control, airtime filled ride.

Being a New York City native I love hearing/seeing people's reactions to their first rides on the Cyclone. It is truly a classic and I agree at your age it is amazing that it still delivers an out of control, airtime filled ride.

It was a great day all around. I also rode the Thunderbolt and enjoyed the ride as well. I was impressed with Luna Park overall and just loved the ambience of the entire boardwalk area. I wish we didn't have to rush back to the city (we had play tickets that night) because I would have loved to have watched the sun go down as I hit more rides, and strolled the beach a bit. I really wanted to get something at Nathan's - but the line was insanely long... it looked terrific though!

So happy to hear you loved the ride! I used to go to NY almost every year and subway it over to Coney for some rides on Cyclone. For years, it was my #1. They (GCI) took the "snaps" out of the first and second drop, most notably... but the trade off is that it's also smoother and faster now. And more people like it. As much as I miss those snapping drops... well, can't have everything our way I guess. I never minded the bumpy ride, but most people prefer it more the way it is now.

Notice how every turn gets a little faster? Genius. That sort of varied pacing is lost on many of today's coasters. On Cyclone, you get to see the drops coming; you have a couple seconds to take it all in.

It really is a masterpiece of a ride, being duplicated so many times. Can't wait to get back. Now if they could rebuild the Tornado!

I have a friend who rode it in the 70s. He said out of the 3 coasters (Tornado, Thunderbolt and Cyclone) Tornado was his favorite. Had a nice winding tunnel before the lift.

So happy to hear you loved the ride! I used to go to NY almost every year and subway it over to Coney for some rides on Cyclone. For years, it was my #1. They (GCI) took the "snaps" out of the first and second drop, most notably... but the trade off is that it's also smoother and faster now. And more people like it. As much as I miss those snapping drops... well, can't have everything our way I guess. I never minded the bumpy ride, but most people prefer it more the way it is now.

 

Notice how every turn gets a little faster? Genius. That sort of varied pacing is lost on many of today's coasters. On Cyclone, you get to see the drops coming; you have a couple seconds to take it all in.

 

It really is a masterpiece of a ride, being duplicated so many times. Can't wait to get back. Now if they could rebuild the Tornado!

 

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I have a friend who rode it in the 70s. He said out of the 3 coasters (Tornado, Thunderbolt and Cyclone) Tornado was his favorite. Had a nice winding tunnel before the lift.

Thanks for sharing - your description of the speed and unrelenting pace of the coaster is dead-on. It truly seems to pick up momentum as the ride unfolds - maybe that's what was so surprising to me. I was also impressed with the insanely deceptive length of the ride despite the somewhat small footprint. Truly an inspired design. That would be great if they could add another wooden coaster and try and build a replica of some of the older coasters!

It is truly an amazing coaster for its age. GCI did a great job with the work they did. They were a few years where I did not want to ride it. I never complain about the strong laterals after a ride or two because there is so much padding.

I rode the Cyclone yesterday and I couldn't believe how smooth the ride was by comparison to when I rode it ten years ago! We only had time for one time on it but it was well worth the visit!

My experience is similar to the last few posts. I ride it around 2005(ish) and thought it absolutely sucked. I finally made it back last year and we loved it. They did a great job with it.

I'll have to ride it again. I rode it before the major refurbishment from GCI and absolutely hated it. It was painful, jarring and too much work to ride comfortably because I was bracing for everything.

I hear nothing but positive things about it now, so I'll have to make my way to Brooklyn and get on it

I love the Coney Island Cyclone. Back row rides are incredible. I remember the finale being pretty bad in 2016, but other than that I haven't found it rough at all.