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

 

Check out Luna Park's new ride! This looks like a great replacement for Air Race.

 

There's still all the stuff going in with the log flume too. They're putting in serious work there. I wonder if it has anything to do with Legoland?

I don't think so, they are almost 90 miles apart and aren't going for the same age bracket of customers anyway.

in Six Flags' defense, I think rides like the Zamperla Air Race intimidate many guests. I think many quests see all the directions of motion going on with the many plains and they don't think they have a strong enough stomach for it. I think the simple looping motion of the Larson Loops make the ride seem a lot more appealing to the general public. Plus they require less space. I mean, just look at the small amount of space that Discovery Kingdom, St. Louis, and America had to work with for those rides. But yeah, I do hope that Six Flags gets at least ONE of these new Air Races. I could totally see one going to La Ronde, Darien Lake, or maybe they could add it to parks that don't have a Wonder Woman themed ride and theme them like the Invisible Jet. Or I could see something like this going in a new Screampunk District area.

Six Flags doesn't care about intimidating their guests with crazy rides, look at Cyborg at SFGAdv, or all the free spins they've been installing.

I couldn't find any definitive information, but do you have to buy a pass to get into the park? Or, do you have the option to buy an unlimited wristband or tickets? We pretty much only want to ride Cyclone a couple times and walk around. We're going to head there Monday. I know if we do decide to go the wrist band route we'll buy ahead of time online. Do we have to print tickets or can they scan or look at an email?

Any suggestions? I've heard parking is a problem.

We also plan on getting a hot dog from the original Nathans.

^ It's free admission and then you can either get a wristband or pay per ride.

Usually I take the subway, but last year I parked in the lot for the Brooklyn Cyclones. I think it was $10-15?

^ Yeah, if you're going on a Monday, park in the MCU lot (right next to the baseball stadium). Monday through Fridays parking is $11 and it's better than running back to feed the meter or taking a chance that your vehicle won't get towed. Then from there, it's your choice if you want to take a stroll down the boardwalk or walk down Surf Ave to stop at Nathan's.

Not sure if you're into this or not, Zach, but if you have more time to kill and want to check something out, I'd recommend stopping in at the New York Aquarium. It's just past the Cyclone, and they have a pretty good shark exhibit that just opened up recently. It's not a huge place so you can easily get through everything in two hours or less, but definitely worth a stop.

How long has the Cyclone required the front two cars to be filled before anyone car ride in the back car? That rule made it quite tricky to get the back row yesterday at the end of the night. Fortunately I got my back row ride earlier in the day. It's a glorious, air-time filled car wreck back there.

I don't remember that being a thing back in 2016. Last year, I went on $5 weekend so it never came into play.

^ I think whatever ride op is working that day just kind of makes up those rules on the fly. Last time I was there, they wouldn't let anyone in the back row until all the rows in front of it were filled. And of course they wouldn't let you wait either. I've learned to just accept it and it doesn't affect me much being local.

The front and middle cars are still great (better laterals), but that back row is truly a near-death experience with all the airtime.

^ Back row Cyclone rides are a rite of passage for our people

Download the Nathan's app for coupons, you don't want to pay full price. Free street parking could be difficult to find, but you should be able to find parking meters (can pay with credit cards at kiosks), but you can also find asking lots west of Coney Island by the minor league baseball stadium.

Luna Park allows you to buy an unlimited ride card or you can load credits on to a ride card. Based on the cost per ride on the cyclone and the cost per other ride, you can decide which is a better deal.

Rides at Deno's Wonderland Park are not part of Luna Park, nor are a individual ride operators or the B&B Carousel.

I hope that covers everything for you.

It's good to know the plans for the log flume and ropes course were not abandoned. The roller coaster is news to me.

https://www.amny.com/things-to-do/luna-park-contest-1.34977727

Coney Island's Luna Park wants customers to name its new attractions

The new attractions -- a ropes course, a log flume, and a coaster -- open in 2020.

Coney Island's Luna Park wants you to help

Coney Island's Luna Park wants you to help it name three new attractions coming in 2020, including this ropes course.

shaye.weaver@amny.com

Updated August 13, 2019 12:16 PM

If you have a knack for naming things, you could be part of Coney Island history.

Luna Park, the seaside amusement park known for the Coney Island Cyclone and Steeplechase, has three new attractions coming in 2020 and it wants the public to help name them.

Through Sunday, Aug. 18, Luna Park will be taking name ideas for a new ropes course — and the person whose name is chosen will get VIP access with 10 of their friends to Luna Park for a day.

The ropes course will be set within a circus-themed area that will allow visitors to climb and zip line and get panoramic views of the beach and boardwalk.

The other two attractions are rides — a log flume ride and a roller coaster, which will be unveiled in the coming weeks, according to lunaparknyc.com.

The second naming contest will open Aug. 19 (the log flume) and the third on Aug. 26 (the roller coaster). Each contest will be open for one week.

"We are excited to offer the Coney Island community and amusement park goers the opportunity to name our upcoming attractions," said Alessandro Zamperla, the president of Central Amusement International Inc. "These competitions engage the community and allow amusement fans to directly impact Luna Park’s legacy. We look forward to seeing all the submissions."

Contestants must be older than 18 to enter and be a citizen of the U.S. and submit an original idea.

VIP access to the park includes unlimited rides and food. Winners will be notified via email by Oct. 23

They just opened the second round of naming (this time for the new log flume), and the rendering makes it appear that the log flume and new coaster will be intertwined. It looks like it's going to be a mild family-friendly coaster, no great surprise there.

Renderings from the Luna Park FB page

When I looked quick, I thought they were making a water coaster. It makes sense to have the two rides intertwined since the park has limited space.

This is gonna look pretty cool, I think! Smart move to make the most of the space and add a clear family coaster option, though the Wild Mouse and Steeplechase are clearly family geared, too.

With the new log flume coming next year, Luna Park has announced today that the last day of operation for their current flume, Wild River, will be on Sunday, September 8th. Not surprised to see this happen, absolutely no need for multiple flumes at the park, and to be quite honest, the existing one wasn't all that great anyway.

Yeah, that definitely makes sense. Excited for a more 'permanent' looking flume. Frees up a good chunk of space in the park, though. Wonder what they'll put there. Assume it will be replaced with some flats for next season, or they wouldn't really be removing this flume.

RCDB is already showing a new Zamperla coaster for 2020. I have not read anything else about it yet. I'm about to do some online research.

EDIT: I found the article

https://www.amny.com/things-to-do/luna-park-contest-1.34977727

Coney Island's Luna Park wants customers to name its new attractions

By Shaye Weaver

shaye.weaver@amny.com

Updated August 26, 2019 2:17 PM

If you have a knack for naming things, you could be part of Coney Island history.

Luna Park, the seaside amusement park known for the Coney Island Cyclone and Steeplechase, has enlisted the public's help in naming three attractions planned for 2020.

Through Sunday, Sept.1, Luna Park will be taking name ideas for a new roller coaster — and the person whose name is chosen will get VIP access with 10 of their friends to Luna Park for a day.

Located next to the Thunderbolt, the coaster will be "massive," with many "thrills, twist and turns," according to lunaparknyc.com. It will be a steel coaster that gives riders a semi-circle, panoramic view of Coney Island. Luna Park does not currently have a rendering of the roller coaster.

Last week, Luna Park solicited names for its forthcoming log flume ride, which will have 12 boats (seating six riders each) that offer a semi-circle/panoramic view of Coney Island before it plunges riders down at more than 30 mph for a big splash. Two weeks ago, it took names for a new ropes course, which will be set within a circus-themed area that will allow visitors to climb and zip line.

Each contest was open for one week only.

"We are excited to offer the Coney Island community and amusement parkgoers the opportunity to name our upcoming attractions," said Alessandro Zamperla, the president of Central Amusement International Inc., which owns Luna Park. "These competitions engage the community and allow amusement fans to directly impact Luna Park’s legacy. We look forward to seeing all the submissions."

Contestants must be 18 and older to enter and be a citizen of the U.S. and submit an original idea.

VIP access to the park includes unlimited rides and food. Winners will be notified via email by Oct. 23.

Fresh news out of IAAPA, it sounds as if there will be a SECOND new coaster coming to Coney Island for 2020! Well, technically, coming to Deno's. Even more technically, a kiddie coaster. Even more specifically, a Visa Micro Coaster.

Not sure if this is planning on replacing their current kiddie coaster or simply an addition to their existing rides.

With a layout that compact, it could easily replace a kiddie flat.

Is the Micro Coaster the one with the Hamster Wheel front car?

Was hoping they were going to pick up that last Raptor on discount

Is the Micro Coaster the one with the Hamster Wheel front car?

I think the hamster wheel is the Big Air Coaster. I think the Micro Coaster just looks like an oval with your standard kiddie coaster cars.

In my opinion, Zamperla did a great job getting rid of the tacky places on the boardwalk, but it is going to be a real loss for the boardwalk and community if Zamperla continues to play hard ball on rent with these reputable and established business.

https://www.brooklynpaper.com/coney-island-boutique-to-close-following-massive-rent-hike/

Coney Island boutique likely to close following massive rent hike

Posted on January 2, 2020 By Rose Adams

A Coney Island business owner may shutter her boutique in response to a dramatic rent hike at the hands of amusement park’s international landlord, the store owner announced on Wednesday.

“New Year’s Day is my favorite day in Coney Island. But today I didn’t go. My heart is too broken,” wrote Dianna Carlin, the owner of Lola Star Souvenir Boutique, in a Jan. 1 Facebook post. “It might also be the final day of the shop I’ve owned for the past 19 years. I am supposed to be moved out of the store in less than 15 days.”

Carlin went on to add that she has until Jan. 15 to reach a deal with Zamperla — although she claims that a deal is unlikely.

“I proposed a 50-percent rent increase . . . and they’re still wanting 400-percent,” she said on Thursday. ” It’s getting close… but not definite.”

Six Riegelmann Boardwalk businesses — including 85-year-old Ruby’s Bar and Grill and 57-year-old Paul’s Daughter — had from early Nov. to Dec. 31 to negotiate the proposed rent hikes.

Carlin, who goes by Lola Star, said she initially faced a nearly 500-percent rent increase when the amusement park’s operator announced the hikes in November, two months before the tenants’ eight-year leases were set to expire. On Dec. 5, Carlin claimed that the rent increase had been knocked down to nearly 400-percent — still above her ability to pay.

“I would have to close,” she said at a Dec. 5 rally protesting the proposed increases. “I have no choice. I don’t know any business that could pay that much.” Carlin did not answer how much she paid in rent.

All the other tenants are in the process of finalizing their eight-year leases, sources said. One affected business owner, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said his rent increase was reasonable.

“I believe the deal was fair,” said the owner, who previously claimed he was facing a 25 to 75-percent rent hike, not the five-fold increase Carlin reported. “I would’ve liked to pay less, but I believe it was a fair deal.”

Lola Star’s impending closure isn’t the first time the amusement district’s operator forced out local businesses. In 2010, Zamperla, the Italian corporation that operates six acres of the People’s Playground on behalf of the city, tried to kick out all eight boardwalk businesses, including Ruby’s and Paul’s, but ended up ousting only five after facing public pressure.

Local advocates have blasted Zamperla, which has operated Coney Island amusement district since 2010, for its allegedly unethical business practices, claiming that the corporation asks tenants to sign non-disclosure agreements and fork over 10-percent of their profits every month.

“It’s one thing for private landlords to have non-disclosure agreements, but it’s another thing when the city and the City Council issues non-disclosure agreements,” said civil rights lawyer. Norman Siegal at the Dec. 5 rally. “What do you have to hide?”

However, an anonymous business owner claimed on Jan. 2 that he never signed a non-disclosure agreement, after he declined to comment on the matter in November.

“There was never any non-disclosure agreement with anybody,” he said.

Representatives from Zamperla, the Mayor’s Office, and the Economic Development Corporation — a quasi-government agency that helped negotiate the lease renewals — did not respond to requests for comment by press time.

Certainly a bit worrying. Without knowing the numbers it's hard to judge whether it's truly fair or not. Especially on an eight year lease in NYC.

I don't think it matters what the numbers are. I can't imagine any scenario in which a 400% increase in rent (or even 50%) is "fair." I get upset with my landlord when they try to raise my rent more than 3%.