Coney Island To Get New Rides This Summer

Here's a description of some of the new rides-http://www.metro.us/us/article/2010/02/17/05/4640-82/index.xml Its a good thing that they are planning to preserve Coney Island and actually transform it into a year round destination. Hopefully it will become a money spinner for the City as I know Coney Island is quite special for many New Yorkers.

This one is high on the list of things to do with the kid this summer, though I might try to maneuver her away from the screamer rides and more toward the carousel. Try is the operative word here. I can't get much past her, unfortunately. I do want to make sure she has memories of being there as a kid, though. So, yeah, Coney Island is special in some way.

I have never been to Coney Island! I was so bummed when I thought that it was closing -- although there was something about going to see it with the abandoned rides that kind of appealed to me too -- but, this just makes my heart soar. I will be out there this summer for sure! Everyone should experience it, in my opinion. I'm glad those that haven't are given another chance.

That is really exciting news, especially since I've never been to Coney Island either! New rides are obviously more of an incentive for people to visit, so hopefully this helps out the place and they continue to preserve it....

Me neither, I've never been to Coney Island. Have we all just failed the "Real New Yorker" litmus test?

@Uraniumfish I suppose so - though the only people I know who've been there go to take artistic photos of the place, which from the looks of many of my friends' friends' profiles is a really common thing to do.

Trust me folks. I am as guilty as the rest of you. This is why I want to pay it a visit before I do decide to leave NY. It sounds like a fun, fun I do not want to miss out on.

@Uraniumfish guess so maybe we can redeem ourselves soon or someone on this forum will soon breathe fire and brimstone on learning this.:)

I've never been to Coney Island either, to be honest - I always thought it sounded a bit depressing. That said, maybe now it's a good time to go - better than after Astroland closed...

This needs immediate attention, guys...

I too have never been to Coney Island. Maybe we should all go together! Ha. But do real New Yorkers go to Coney Island? That is the question.

I have been to Coney Island, everybody. Several times. Back when I was a teenager and my friends and I thought it was alluring to take the train out there in the middle of the night. We had pimples and drank bad wine. We'd walk around a while telling stupid stories. What teenagers do. The coolness of doing that was short lived since most of us got lives and went to college. Some of us not, but that happens often enough. Anyway, I've been to Coney Island. Because it happened before the age of 20 I can look back on it now fondly.

Ohhh... so it's something you do if you don't have a life! That explains things. :) Seems like a good place to bring kids; they would appreciate it more than I ever could. Kids and photographers.

Hey, if you can have fun and go on rides, why not take advantage of it. When summer gets here, I plan to go.

@DBlack the impression that I have of it is that its an old world amusement park, of course I need to go see it for myself to see if it lives up to the image .

I vote for DBlack to be the bus driver when we all take that group field trip to Coney Island. He can show us around.

Coney Island is not only a famous tourist attraction, but has been around since before WWII. It is definitely a historic landmark, if nothing else. I would love to be a part of history, just by being there.

@Uraniumfish sure thing!

@Uraniumfish: Sounds like a great idea to me. DBlack can drive, and the rest of us can talk or sing.

Does DBlack drive? The man is a native New Yorker, after all.

Good question, NeverSleeps. If DBlack can't I know how to drive.

I drive but we won't all fit into my car. Plus there is that block of ice around it to consider. I'm guessing this trip is best left for the summertime anyway....

Original Nathan's hot dogs, here we come... And by the way, Coney Island is reportedly the only place where you do get the original recipe. The other locations just do down-graded franchise stuff.

I think the only time I've ever been to a Nathan's is at the chains in mall food courts - including one at South Street Seaport. So the original recipe is somehow not the crap they serve in malls? And what is this recipe for? The actual hot dog? Some kind of magic sauce? I guess it's just weird to me to think that there is a such thing as a hot dog recipe, but I suppose it must be so.

I guess it's a whole technique plus recipe? People who talk about the original Nathan's at Coney Island roll their eyes a little with pleasure. I'm guessing the experience really is very different from the mall crap.

Okay, count me in then. I want to roll my eyes with pleasure. Is Coney Island open all year round?

@NeverSleeps here's the Coney Island event calender-http://coneyislandfunguide.com/ .. glancing through it appears as if certain attractions are indeed open all year round.

Yeah, some things are open year-round. I hear they have an aquarium too. http://www.nyaquarium.com/

@ everybody: Yeas, I do indeed drive, and I'm very proud of my hybrid. LOL! I'm so excited to be the bus driver. I never got voted bus driver before. It's almost like being voted Most Likely to Succeed, only with gears and brakes. I feel like Cinderella at the ball. Coney Island, here we come.

The fact that Coney Island has an aquarium makes me think that Times Square needs some roller coasters - they can build them above the skyline, could be the best NYC attraction ever.

@BroadwayBK great idea they are guaranteed to be a hit .. most visitors to NYC seem to love roller coasters and head out to Six Flags or some such park on their NYC visits.

Oh, I like Coney Island hot dogs. When are we leaving. Maybe we should plan a day for the outing. Perhaps someone should contact each person in this forum about the day so we all know. I think it would be better to wait till it gets warm. What do you guys and gals think.

Really - I think a Busch Gardens/Six Flags-like roller coaster could be the thing that pulls the city away from total bankruptcy... I would so be there every time I needed a pick-me-up. As long as the line was under five hours.

I would be so in for a Six Flags -- unfortunately, I don't think the amusement parks in general are doing so well these days.

Right... people have better things to worry about.

@BroadwayBK They used to have a ferris wheel in Little Italy. I kid you not. I don't know what happened to that as an idea, though. @JenMac Yeah, maybe, but the chance to go screaming and careening past some tenement buildings and little old ladies watering their plants? I'd pay money for that.

I waaaana go on the carousels! Or the ferris wheel. Something.

I've always been mildly creeped out by Coney Island, to tell the truth - I always thought of it as a depressing, run0down place. Time for me to rethink my stereotype and give Coney Island a proper chance!

@ajadeidealist It's run down but depressing is probably in the eye of the beholder. Anyways, as we learned on this forum, photographers love it.

Why doesn't it surprise me that there was a ferris wheel in Little Italy? It's as if that place was ALWAYS a horrible tourist pit. @ajadedidealist I've actually always thought of it as sort of run-down, too, but in a more interesting, aesthetically pleasing and sort of vintage way.

Well, folks, March is here and it is getting warmer. When are we planning our outing?

@hhusted its still a bit cold for think a theme park.. was out this afternoon and it was quite chilly with the wind don't think it was as warm as yesterday.

@hhusted I think you spoke a bit too soon. The weather was gorgeous for a few days...but not so much anymore. I don't know what's worse, two feet of snow or all of this cold windy rain.

Yeah this weather is for the birds. And of course I'm going out for my birthday dinner tonight - why does the weather in this city hate me so!!

@BroadwayBK: Hey, Happy Birthday. May your birthday be filled with goodness, plenty of food, and good companionship. @NeverSleeps: I agree with you. I did speak to soon. But of course, March is always unpredictable, don't you think.

@BroadwayBK Happy Birthday!! have a wonderful time no matter what!! @NeverSleeps the Cold, Windy rain wins hands down .. hate it!!

@BroadwayBK How was your birthday dinner?

@everyone Thanks for the birthday wishes; I couldn't have asked for a better weekend (well, I could have done without the flood). I think I actually met a nice boy for once, too.

@BroadwayBK Yay!! rooting for you enough of the evil trolls.. bring on the 'nice' boys.

@uptowngirl Whoo! Me too; I need some nice boys in my life.

@BroadwayBK: Hope the guy pans out for you. Good luck, or should I say be happy.

If he doesn't pan out, I have a feeling there's probably more than one nice guy in New York City. Here's to hoping.

Maybe even two or three, @BroadwayBK!

Hurray for BroadwayBK....