Coney Island (Luna Park / Deno's) Development Discussion Thread

I think if they were to get one, a Flash Tower would be the best option for a Zamperla tower. It's not very fast or very high, but from what I've seen in the videos, it looks like they can deliver some pretty neat ejector air! Here's a video of one of them in Thessaloniki:

I'm sure you never heard/acknowledged the existence of these ones before.

But the biggest ones, the Z Force towers look really underwhelming. Here's a video of their newest one, in Baghdad.

There's an SLC in Baghdad? Of course there is.

^Believe me or not, yes there is! And it's not one of the smoother ones either!

Back to the drop towers, which ones do you guys think would look better at Coney? Z Force (taller, more forceless) or Flash Tower (shorter but with ejector air)?

If it really had to be a Zamperla, a sky drop would be a possibility. People say it's a good ride.

Personally, I'd say that definitely, THIS:

Is miles better than THIS:

I agree the Z-Force shown in the video looks pretty lackluster. However, I rode the Z-Force tower that used to be at WWE Niagara. The ride looked incredibly slow off-ride, but the ride had stronger air than most S&S towers at the top. For anyone who has been on La Ronde's Orbite tower, the ride seems to do the same thing- stall for a sec and then shoot you down which creates a huge pop of ejector air.

^That's the same thing the Flash Tower does too. (Video is on previous page). I honestly think those ones are better, but no one here seems to have ridden one, sooo.....

Today I went to Adventureland and Luna Park. It was a short but great day, and I finally got my Cyclone credit! I'm going to just quickly go over Adventureland first.

Adventureland is a tiny park, but it's very nice! The landscaping is impressive and the compact layout gives it a great atmosphere. The staff was also really good, except the Turbulance crew was a complete joke. We were there for 1.5 hours and we had a good time. Definitely a nice hidden gem if you're in the area.

Frisbee - Fast spinning and a very long cycle.

Turbulance x 3 - Best spinning coaster I've been on. The drop has a nice forceful whip to it, especially in the back. Then that over-banked turn is tons of fun. The helix is pretty forceful, and the twisty Intamin-type turns are exciting and causes a lot of spinning. Every park needs one of these. We need more Macks!

Ghost House - Classic cheesy but really fun dark ride. The ride vehicles are so cool.

Ladybug Coaster - Just some credit whoring. The landscaping and theme is actually pretty nice though, and the Zierer kiddie coasters aren't totally useless since there's some laterals.

We were at Luna park for an hour, and I had leftover free ride tickets from Luna Park fest. The park has a good atmosphere as always, and it was cleaner and less crowded than my last visit. Even though this stop was also short, it was a fun time.

Cyclone x 2 - This is a great ride! I'm really glad that I finally got on it. This is heaven for fans of weird old roller coasters. It's pretty smooth while still having a classic feel, the laterals out of this world, there's plenty of wonderful floater air, and the layout and head hoppers are fun. Definitely the star attraction here. It's in my top 15 wood coasters for sure.

Thunderbolt - It was running a little rougher this time. But it's still a great little ride.

I took some pictures while leaving Coney Island.

A bunch of rides.

Nearly every hill and drop has some well-sustained floater air. Not that intense, but so much fun!

Into the brake run.

I love this picture.

Wheee! The drop is especially good near the back.

The first turn is great!

Deno's Wonder Wheel Park

View of the Wonder Wheel from Luna Park.

Luna 360 and Cyclone.

Pretty beach!

FYI, for those in the area that like the word free.

And to add to this, the Wonder Wheel will also be open and free on New Year's Eve with $5 rides on New Year's Day!

Too bad I already left New York. I'd love to rack up some rides on these without having to pay an arm and a leg. I wonder how crowded it will be because of that wonderful word "free".

The ride lines were absolutely insane last year. Wonder Wheel and Thunderbolt had multi hour waits.

I'm cheap, but not that cheap. Looks like I'll just pay for summer rides.

Just the thought of waiting hours for Thunderbolt, even if it's free.

Just the thought of waiting hours for Thunderbolt, even if it's free.

For me it's the thought of those $15 tolls getting in & out of NYC.

I just take the train to Penn Station and hop on the Subway.

The city is accepting RFPs to build on the last big remaining piece of undeveloped around the current amusement area. Based on the map in the article it appears there will be 5 small parcels. Two parcels would be between the Thunderbolt and MCU Park. Three other smaller parcels appear to be current streets Stillwell Avenue, West 12th Avenue and West 15th Avenue. It appears the streets would no longer run along the sides of Scream Zone and be and turned into amusement areas. I'm sure the RFP process will just be a formality for CAI unless Deno's is willing to pony up some money to expand a little. In my opinion I don't see the city letting another vendor in.

https://commercialobserver.com/2017/02/city-looking-to-add-more-fun-in-coney-island-with-new-rfp/

City Looking to Add More Fun in Coney Island With New RFP

By Liam La Guerre Feb. 6, 2017, 2:58 p.m.

Coney Island will be getting another amusement park if the city has its way.

As a part of the city’s redevelopment plan for the Brooklyn neighborhood, the New York City Economic Development Corporation and the city’s Department of Parks & Recreation released a request for proposals, or RFP, today for the creation and operation of new rides, games and other attractions in the entertainment area.

The RFP includes 150,000 square feet of space on five vacant parcels along the boardwalk between West 10th and West 16th Streets. Proposals are due on March 17. The city is hoping the new amusements will be opened by summer 2018.

“Coney Island just keeps getting better,” the new NYCEDC President and Chief Executive Officer James Patchett said in a prepared statement. “The de Blasio administration is working to grow jobs in the amusement district, build affordable housing and invest in critical infrastructure. It’s all part of our effort to improve quality of life and expand opportunities for Coney Island residents while preserving the unique culture of this historic destination.”

Following decades of deterioration and closings of various independently owned rides, the Bloomberg administration partnered with Central Amusements International (CAI), a subsidiary of Italy-based amusement park operator Zamperla, for the construction of Luna Park in Coney Island in 2010.

That first year CAI opened 19 new rides in the new amusement park. A year later, CAI opened the Scream Zone, a sister park with additional rides. And then in 2013 the company won the RFP to build the Thunderbolt roller coaster, which opened in 2014. Today CAI operates about 30 rides in Coney Island.

A representative for Zamperla did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Coney Island has long been a home to amusement rides. The famous Deno’s Wonder Wheel opened in 1920 and the Cyclone in 1927.

At nearby Luna Park, Joseph Sitt’s Thor Equities sold the 3.1 acres to the city in 2009 for $95.7 million, retaining about 55,000 square feet on land off the boardwalk. Thor has used the site for its twice annual art show, but has plans for a hotel and movie theater someday, as CO previously reported. Sitt did not immediately respond to an inquiry seeking comment about the RFP, according to a company spokesman.

Local Councilman Mark Treyger called the RFP a “victory that benefits all.”

He added: “Expanding the already exciting array of activities in the iconic Coney Island amusement district means more employment opportunities for local residents and more reasons for New Yorkers to continue making the ‘People’s Playground’ one of our city’s premier recreational destinations.”

One improvement I can think of off the bat would be for Deno's and CAI to team up on a single payment system for the entire amusement area or for CAI to just purchase Deno's.

One improvement I can think of off the bat would be for Deno's and CAI to team up on a single payment system for the entire amusement area or for CAI to just purchase Deno's.

I would like CAI to offer a better Combo package between Luna Park and Scream Zone rides first. But they are doing very well with their current pricing structure.

Awesome, this is great news for rides but not so great news for the already horrible parking situation.

Not sure the area is big enough for a new coaster, but we sure can dream.

Awesome, this is great news for rides but not so great news for the already horrible parking situation.

 

Not sure the area is big enough for a new coaster, but we sure can dream.

A Star Flyer seems a no brainer, wrap a steel coaster like a custom euofighter around it

Talk about a place for the Polercoaster concept. Amusements like the building in NYC need go up to maximize the limited space

Luna Park already has a StarFlyer. In regards to parking, I agree that it's not optimal. However, whenever I go to the park, I take NJ Transit train into Penn Station NY and then hop on the NYC Subway.

They already have the star flyer, so a Larson/ARM drop tower with a similar height would be perfect!

They already have the star flyer, so a Larson/ARM drop tower with a similar height would be perfect!

I agree, a drop tower is a logical addition here. A Larson ARM would be ideal.

If CAI wins the contract, I assume they will add Zamperla rides and would like to see the following rides. I think it would benefit Zamperla to have these installations in the US if they want to showcase them to other potential buyers.

Twist and Bounce

Super Spin

Backflash - Suspended Windshear

Energy Storm

Sombrero