Coney Island Advice

I'm making a trip up there. Planning to spend 5 or so hours there. I'm gonna hit the Cyclone a few times and the place for what its worth before they mess it all up. Is there anything else I should check out? Hows parking near the park? Expensive? Hows the area safe? Any other rides should I should check out.

Thanks,

There is an awesome portable set of bumper cars in the rides section. These particular cars have lap bars instead of seatbelts and hit really hard. If you like to bumper, don't miss them. Do not confuse these with the indoor set called El Dorado "Bump Your A..." Those are fun too, but the outdoor set I mentioned are great.

On the Wonder Whell. make sure you get a swinging car and not a stationary one. The Saturn 6 is a rare flatride. And the Zipper allows single riders (very rare). The Break Dance and Top Spin are SICK.

There are three darkrides; the oldest and most important one is Spook-A-Rama which is located at the base of the Wonder Wheel. The other two are of the portable variety. Dante's Inferno is in Astroland, Ghost Hole is an independent.

Rides can get expensive with most adult rides costing $4-5. Cyclone is $6 and you can get a reride for another $4. Deno's and Astroland both offer POP plans for under $25 or so on weekdays but neither of these will get you on the independent rides. You have to be careful to buy your ticket at the right place for the ride you want. Astroland's POP is split into day and evening ride sessions and only allows 4 rides on Cyclone.

There are free fireworks on the beach on Friday nights.

You'll probably hit up Nathans for the famousness of it but I discovered a fantastic and cheap taco stand on the boardwalk.

A lot of Coney is run down and seedy-looking but isn't really unsafe. It can be very crowded at night and the daytime is full of daycamp kids. But keep in mind that it is a crowded urban area and anything can happen.

I was just there about a month ago, took the subway from Manhatten, kinda a last minute decision on the last day of our vacation to New York (which was amazing overall)

I wasnt impressed. Cyclone was fun, im glad we made the trip, but I almost enjoyed the subway ride over there more than the park itself...I really only rode the Cyclone and Wonder Wheel though. Bottom line, I can see why they are tearing it all down. Its an eyesore.

If you go first thing in the morning you can get parking at a meter and sabve the bigger expense of a commercial lot. That will also keep you out of CI at night. Wouldn't call the night experience unsafe, but it is certainly different. You do get the lights and fireworks on Friday if you go at night.

Cyclone and Wonder Wheel are don't miss. The rest is according to taste. 5 hours is plenty.

If you go on weekdays there are two POP ride plans at Astroland (only one on Friday) - check their website for more info (www.astroland.com) - this gets you 4 rides on the Cyclone, 2 on the bumper cars previously mentioned, and unlimited rides on the rest of Astroland attractions (Top Spin, Break Dance, Log Flume, Wacky Worm, and Dante's Inferno are all musts in my book).

Denos offers a 5 rides for $20/pass which is good for all of their attractions (Wonder Wheel, Dragon Coaster, Spookarma, ARM Tower - tons of kiddie rides).

Private concessions include the great Zipper, El Dorado, and Saturn 6 (all are $5/each) - you can get re-rides for the El Dorado for $1-2 depending on how busy it is.

The safest parking is the aquarium but it's pricey ($20 includes on admission to the aquarium). If there is not a baseball game you can often park in the stadium lots. Street parking is hard to come by unless you're there very early due to the large numbers that come out for the beach.

For food - obviously a Nathan's Dog, but Denny's Ice Cream has amazing banana-pistachio soft seft (next to the El Dorado), and Pete's Clam house has some of the best corn on cob ever! Also, make sure to duck into Ruby's bar on the boardwalk to check out the amazing postcard/photos they have on the walls.

Enjoy!

Jim 'jimvid' McDonnell

If you go to Nathan's remember: mustard only on the dog!

mOOSH [remembers the horrified look on Jimvid's face when he saw I'd put ketchup on it, lol]

^Ketchup? Blasphemy! ;)

SO many great things can be done to a tomato...ketchup is NOT one of them...

Wow, I thought I was the only person who depised ketchup!

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depotrat said:
If you go first thing in the morning you can get parking at a meter and sabve the bigger expense of a commercial lot. That will also keep you out of CI at night. Wouldn't call the night experience unsafe, but it is certainly different. You do get the lights and fireworks on Friday if you go at night.

Cyclone and Wonder Wheel are don't miss. The rest is according to taste. 5 hours is plenty.

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I agree those are 2 rides that are a must. I actually thought Wonder Wheel was the best ride there. Cyclone beat the crap out of me and WW was the best ferris wheel I have ever ridden, just make sure you get a swinging car. The veiw from the top is awesome and you can get some great pics from the top of it.

While you won't see "Sea-World" quality shows or displays at the aqarium, it's a nice way to pass an hour or two.

The best deal on the boardwalk is/was in Brighton. There used to be a place that sold kosher hot dogs, knishes and other stuff called Hirshes Knishes. It is/was a cheaper alternative to Nathan's and the food is/was quite good. I just don't know if it's still there. It was cool to watch the predominantly Russian senior citizens playing chess, cards and dominos on the benches in the sitting area over there.

No matter what you do at Coney...pee when and where you can.

Despise? That's pretty strong language for a condiment isn't it? Guess this means I'll be having a hot dog with ketchup sometime during PPP this year. :)

Ketchup is getting off easy with despise. The English language doesn't contain a word strong enough to express my true feelings towards that vile condiment of Satan.

I now wish I wouldve rode the Spook A Rama. Im actually a pretty big dark ride fan, and after reading up on it, it sounds like its pretty good, definatley a classic, not many left like it. If your into that sort of thing at all Id say its worth a look.

Leave at dusk.

Spook-A-Rama is an excellent ride. Fortunately, it's under the care of Deno's which hasn't sold out to Thor, and my understanding is they are pretty commited to Spook-A-Rama and Coney Island.

And nobody needs to be afraid of the dark at Coney Island. It is not unsafe and it's a completely different experience at night. (Although it would be better if the the "C" lit up on the "YCLONE" sign!)