Welcome to Coney Island
When I told my thirteen year old son this summer that we were headed to Brooklyn to take in some history, I received his expected moan as he said “Mom, enough with the history trips already”. I just laughed and told him to call a friend to join him, because this history lesson revolved around roller coasters and thrilling rides.
Coney Island is just a stone throw from Manhattan. Okay, not really, it is the last stop on both the D and F subway lines, but well worth the trip. If you haven’t been there in the last two years you might have a different opinion, but since the renovations in 2010 it is a really fun place to spend the day. The best thing about Coney Island is the atmosphere that places like Disney World, Six Flags and Busch Gardens can’t replicate. Coney Island has many attractions like the New York Aquarium, the Brooklyn Cyclones (Met’s Farm team), the Coney Island Circus Side Show, and the Coney Island Museum. Our mission however, was to spend the day at Luna Park and Deno’s Wonder Wheel Amusement Park and then end the day chowing down at Nathan’s Famous Hotdogs.
The original Luna Park was open from 1903 to 1944. It recently reopened in 2010 and many of the rides pay homage to the original parks, Steeplechase Park and the first Luna Park. As soon as we arrived we loaded up our Luna Cards with Luna Credits (40 credits- $35, 60 credits – $60 & 125 credits – $100). The Luna Credits were valid at Luna Park, Scream Zone, and the Cyclone Roller Coaster. We were able to use the cards for rides, games, and food. The boys loved the Scream Zone and did a lot of screaming themselves on the Soarin’ Eagle and the Steeplechase. The Steeplechase was ridiculously fast and it was cool to know that this ride was based upon the original mechanical horse ride over a hundred years ago. The only thing that was missing was the attendants were not dressed in jockey uniforms like years past.
Soarin Eagle
Steeplechase
The Coney Island Raceway which is also in the Scream Park just opened this year. It was a great track and my son gave it a ten when comparing it to the many other go-kart tracks that he has dragged me to over the years.
Coney Island Raceway
The Luna Park Rides were divided into high, moderate and mild thrill rides. We focused on the high thrill rides and the Brooklyn Flyer (swings), The Tickler and Wild River were our favorites.
Electro Spin
Of course the grand daddy of the rides was the historic Cyclone Roller Coaster which was declared a NYC landmark in 1988. 2012 marked the 85th Anniversary of the cyclone, so of course we had to celebrate by riding the landmark. All I have to say is that I thought The El Torro was scary at Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey, but the first drop on the Cyclone brought back the same frightening feeling 10-fold. In addition to the rides, there were plenty of games in Luna Park, and both boys came home with many angry bird prizes.
The Grandfather of the American Roller Coaster
Deno’s Wonder Wheel Amusement Park
This amusement park is sandwiched in between the Scream Zone and Luna Park. The Luna Card is not accepted here since it is under different ownership and you can buy tickets at one of the booths in the park. Deno’s has a great kiddie park with 17 rides and four adult rides including the famous Wonder Wheel. The Wonder Wheel was built in 1920 and is 150 feet high. No matter if we were looking at the Atlantic Ocean or the skyline of Manhattan, the views were amazing. The boys also had a great time on the bumper cars and I loved the Thunderbolt mainly because it brought me back in time to the days I visited Pontchatrain Beach in New Orleans when I was young.
Deno’s Wonder Wheel
You can’t go to Coney Island without eating a hotdog from Nathan’s Famous. Charles Feltman actually invented the hotdog in Coney Island in 1867, but it was a Polish immigrant named Nathan Handwerker that opened up a small hot dog stand in 1916 that now is the home of the “World’s Best Hotdog”. Ninety-five years later my son, his friend and I ended our exciting day of thrill rides and games with an original dog and a cheese dog just like the many generations before us that flocked to Coney Island for some family fun.
It’s time for the original
The original and a cheese dog
Have you been to Coney Island? What was your favorite thrill?
Both amusement parks are open on the weekends through the end of October.
If you want to get the full educational lesson, click this PBS website before visiting America’s First Amusement Park.
The fun never stops at Coney Island!
Sherri's Traveling Classroom 
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