Astroland is Dead

[robbalvey]

Some photos of Astroland's demolition:

http://www.coneyisland.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?num=1232725117

 

--Robb

[Wood Dragon 1988]

Glad I visited then on the last day of operation.

[Speeddeamon128]

I had 3 trips to Astroland & got on Cyclone 15x & enjoyed every ride on it. I liked all of the dark rides in both Astroland & Wonder Wheel. Hopefully SpookORama will be staying anyone no if it is? At Astroland besides Cyclone I rode Big Apple Coaster (I'm a Credit Whore), the Pirate Ship, & the drop tower. I enjoyed Astroland & hope to still ride Cyclone sometime in 2009. Will that operate in 2009?

 

Me under Astroland's sign in August of 2007.

[Cygnus12]

^ Cyclone will be open in 2009 as well as Deno's Wonder Wheel Park (where Spook-O-Rama is.) Some of the independant operators will also be open like El Dorado auto skooters and maybe the rides on the street next to Deno's.

[Speeddeamon128]

^Thanks will Cyclone open on Good Sunday again or will it open in March because I want my 2009 season to start as early as possible.

[Cygnus12]

No, although I wish it would open in March again! Cyclone is going to open on April 5th this year.

[Kennyweird]

They're tearing down Dante's Inferno?! I thought it was portable...

[Cygnus12]

That's what I thought too, but maybe they're going to keep the track and props and just tear down the building. Someone over at the Coney Island Board made a point that the building was basically just a shell for the actual ride anyway.

[Speeddeamon128]

April 5th I'll be at GADV either opening day or the 5th if I can get off work 2 weekends in a row or at least one day. Virginia for BGE March 27-29, GADV 4th or 5th.

[Hercules]

I know that a lot of people are very upset about the whole Astroland thing, but I really do see this as a great opportunity for the city and Coney Island. Granted, there will be a lot of debate, time, money and planning, but it would be a great start to cleaning up the area. Sure, a lot of the nostalgia is gone, but, honestly, I don't really care that much about it. In my one trip to Coney, I absolutely hated the environment. And, of course some very good rides are gone now, but the rides and attractions that really matter are still around (Cyclone, Wonder Wheel, independents like El Dorado). I like the idea of development in this area. I'm sure it won't happen for a while, but I really hope that it all goes through.

[Capitalize]

I know that a lot of people are very upset about the whole Astroland thing, but I really do see this as a great opportunity for the city and Coney Island. Granted, there will be a lot of debate, time, money and planning, but it would be a great start to cleaning up the area. Sure, a lot of the nostalgia is gone, but, honestly, I don't really care that much about it. In my one trip to Coney, I absolutely hated the environment. And, of course some very good rides are gone now, but the rides and attractions that really matter are still around (Cyclone, Wonder Wheel, independents like El Dorado). I like the idea of development in this area. I'm sure it won't happen for a while, but I really hope that it all goes through.

 

Amusement parks > condos, at least imho.

 

I've never been up there, hopefully this next summer I can make the trip up to NY and get on Cyclone finally.

[Hercules]

The world doesn't revolve around amusement parks. Plus, there won't just be condos, there is a plan for a city-owned but privately operated amusement park set up on the Boardwalk. There are a ton of things that need to be discussed and drawn up though, which makes everything very unlikely.

 

http://www.brooklynpaper.com/stories/32/3/32_3_mm_coney_main.html

 

I just kind of feel like there is going to be a big empty lot there for a very long time. Progress needs to be made on the site ASAP, or else it will turn into a bad idea.

[Capitalize]

It just seems highly likely it will be like SFAW or The Pavilion, shut down and razed just to leave a big, litter-filled field for years...

 

To say the least I'm not optimistic when it comes to these things.

[Hercules]

I would rather take a chance that something good will happen. If nothing were at least being attempted, it would just be a big, litter-filled field with rides on it for years.... Disgusting.

[DCody]

I am definitely a preservationist, and one thing I truly love about Coney's old amusement area is how non-corporate it has remained. I would rather have the "Brooklyn flavor" that seems to put people off than some sanitized corporate playland. (I enjoy those places as well, but we have enough of them!) If the latter comes to fruition, the entire Coney/Brighton Beach neighborhood will suffer, believe me. People will be driven out by gentrification.

 

My fiance and I are getting married at Coney in August-- that's how much I love it there. And I can't wait to have photos in front of the Cyclone, the old Child's building, and of course, the Parachute Drop. These things might not be shiny and new-- they probably look derelict to most people-- but they're an important part of American culture. Think of it as an outdoor museum.

 

Astroland admittedly wasn't great, and I'm not that sad to see a bunch of portable rides go. But I do hope Coney retains its spirit and doesn't turn into Joe Sitt condo hell.

 

ETA

<---- this is me on the old Coney Zipper. It ran FAST!

[Rideslover]

Huh uh? Astroland rides are pack up and moving to down under in Australia? Check it out on the daily news and what do you think about Astroland in Australia's Gold Coast?

 

www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/brooklyn/2009/01/19/2009-01-19_coney_islands_astroland_in_talks_for_aus.html

 

Yawn, I have to go sleep. Good Night TPR.

[Cygnus12]

I am definitely a preservationist, and one thing I truly love about Coney's old amusement area is how non-corporate it has remained. I would rather have the "Brooklyn flavor" that seems to put people off than some sanitized corporate playland. (I enjoy those places as well, but we have enough of them!) If the latter comes to fruition, the entire Coney/Brighton Beach neighborhood will suffer, believe me. People will be driven out by gentrification.

 

My fiance and I are getting married at Coney in August-- that's how much I love it there. And I can't wait to have photos in front of the Cyclone, the old Child's building, and of course, the Parachute Drop. These things might not be shiny and new-- they probably look derelict to most people-- but they're an important part of American culture. Think of it as an outdoor museum.

 

Astroland admittedly wasn't great, and I'm not that sad to see a bunch of portable rides go. But I do hope Coney retains its spirit and doesn't turn into Joe Sitt condo hell.

 

ETA

<---- this is me on the old Coney Zipper. It ran FAST!

 

Congratulations! I hope your CI ceremony is great!

 

I too like the certain 'brashness' that Coney Island has and would like to see it keep that edge. And I think the reason I personally liked Astroland was because that was the only park that actually ran their rides fast and/or on long cycles. Actually, many of the CI ride operators seem to do that. Especially the Zipper while it was still there; unfortunately my one ride on the CI Zipper was during a misting rain which caused the drives to slip resulting in just an OK ride.