About

Luna Park in Coney Island is the largest amusement park in New York City and its most famous playground with a heritage that stretches back more than 120 years. Luna Park in Coney Island provides New Yorkers and tourists from around the world an unforgettable seaside experience with family-friendly attractions and entertainment, shopping and dining on the scenic landmarked boardwalk, thrill rides and special events.  Luna Park in Coney Island lights up the famous Coney Island skyline with its timeless charm, historic landmarks, and exciting novelties.  Adjacent to  nearly three miles of sandy beaches, two and a half miles of boardwalk and other top attractions, Luna Park in Coney Island is a fun-filled world-class destination for all ages.

OUR HISTORY

Where it all began

The best way to know where you are going is to remember where you’ve been. It is in this spirit that we present a snapshot look at the rich history of Coney Island, with an eye toward the present and promising future that is taking shape at Luna Park in Coney Island, New York City’s most iconic destination for fun. Home of the Cyclone and Thunderbolt roller coasters, attractions, dining, shops, and more.

First Rollercoaster

1884

That's when the thrill started

Coney is home to the first rollercoaster which debuted in 1884, the Gravity Switchback Railway, drawing lines of trailblazing thrill seekers and setting off a craze that quickly spread around the globe.

Steeplechase Park

1897

Steeplechase Park was an amusement park in the Coney Island area of Brooklyn, New York created by George C. Tilyou which operated from 1897 to 1964. It was the first of the three original iconic large parks built on Coney Island featuring the Steeplechase ride where riders straddled horse-shaped single cars and launch simultaneously, as from a horse-race starting line.

Luna Park

1903

Luna Park opens at Coney Island and becomes the first and most famous amusement park in the world. At the time, Luna Park was located on the north side of Surf Avenue on a site between 8th street, 12th street and Neptune Avenue.

Original Thunderbolt

1925

The Thunderbolt was a wooden roller coaster operating from 1925 until 1982 and remained standing until it was demolished in 2000.
It was designed by John Miller.

Coney Island Cyclone

1927

The success of 1925s Thunderbolt led Jack and Irving Rosenthal to buy land at the intersection of Surf Avenue and West 10th Street for a coaster of their own. With a $100,000 investment, they hired coaster designer Vernon Keenan to design a new coaster. The Coney Island Cyclone opened on June 26, 1927, at only twenty five cents a ride.

Parachute Jump

1939

The Jump, which attracted as many as half a million riders annually, was as described as "flying in a free fall and operating until 1966.

Luna Park in Coney Island

2010

CAI revived Luna Park in Coney Island the first new amusement park in Coney Island in over 40 years. Luna Park in Coney Island reopened on May 29, 2010, and immediately created 247 jobs for the local community, attracted hundreds of thousands of visitors and brought a world-class amusement destination back to Brooklyn.

Parachute Jump

2013

A now defunct ride, the Parachute Jump regained some of its former glory that season when CAI covered it in 8,000 LED lights.
Steeplechase Plaza also featured the restored B&B Carousell, once again owned by the City but operated by Luna Park in Coney Island.

B&B Carousell

2013

Built in 1906 by Coney Island-based manufacturer William F. Mangels, the B&B Carousell is known as Coney Island’s last traditional carousel, and features fifty hand-carved wooden horses and two chariots which were restored by a team of carousel restoration.

New Thunderbolt

2014

The Ride of your Life

In the summer of 2014, Luna Park in Coney Island introduced the new Thunderbolt roller coaster, an exciting custom made steel thrill ride iteration of the legendary ride that operated from 1925 until 1982.

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