Coney Island (Cinci) 9/7

This past Sunday turned out to be a very geogeous pre-autumn day. Since PKI is closed till the end of September we decided to chech out Coney Island, which is roughly about 15-20 minutes from PKI.

My friend April and I have been wanting to see the park for a while so the day couldn't of been any more perfect. From what I have learned Coney Island used to be *thee* place to be before King's Island opened in 1972. Actually, didn't some of PKI's early rides come from Coney?

The pink-ish entrance to the park, I am guessing, has been there since the park opened in 1886 and reminds me of something found in RCT.

The park's obvious main attraction is the 200X400 Sunlite pool, along with a few waterslides.

The Pepsi Python is not a bad little steel coaster, but ONLY if you sit in the front of each train. Both trains have two cars with two rows, and the back row seems a bit more jerky and rough, especially when you don't expect it.

The coaster has a very decent mini-helix at the end. Besides needing a good paint job, the Python was mildly suprising.

Coney has a decent collection of flats, including a Ferris wheel, scrambler, tempest, bumper and paddle boats, a new Frog Hopper, and a very intense Round Up, which I am convinced runs longer than what it probably should. The G's on those things are massive. There is also an old Giant Slide that you don't find anymore.

At the front of the park is a beautiful lake, and the Riverbend Music Center is right next door. The park is surrounded by picnic shelters, volleyball, basketball, and softball feilds, as well as plenty of shaded walkways. There is also a miniture golf course and tennis courts.

The park was flooded with small children, which means that it's a perfect family and picnic park.

No DDR (darnit) in the arcade but you can play a giant-size version of the game Operation.

I can just imagine how hoppin' this place was pre-PKI. In any event is was a nice day out.

-Tina

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Gimme speed, height, airtime and plenty of LAUNCH!!!

Did you notice the watermarks on walls, buildings, etc., from the almost-yearly floods (the same floods that resulted in PKI's more-inland location)?

If you wanted to play DDR, Eastgate mall is like 2 exits away on I-275. I believe that is "the" hangout for Cincinnati DDR players.

Coney Island mini-golf is the most boring course ever made. It's supposed to recreate famous golf holes. The result is that there are no barriers or blockers... every hole is a giant green. Lame.

My favorite thing about CI is studying the giant I-275 bridge. Neat.

/observations

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A day is a drop of water in the ocean of eternity. A week is seven drops.

So....THAT is where you've been hiding these past few weeks, eh? Hanging out by the sunlite pool getting that Pre-PPP tan going....

Several of PKI's early rides came from Coney, along with the "Island" portion of the name...;)

bill, thinks that the "flooding with small children" problem is why PKI went up and away from the riverbank in the first place...
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"Ju-ju-just like the bad guy, from Lethal Weapon 2, I've got diplomatic immunity, so Hammer you can't sue, can't touch me...." The Peter Griffin Rap

Why haven't I heard of this place? All in all, though, sounds like you had a blast! Count me jealous.

See you at PPP!
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Rob - Jerk/Loser - Standing up for the unfunny and unattractive. - Click here for details

Rob, you really haven't heard of Coney Island? Get the book, "Goodbye, Coney Island, Goodbye." Mainly a coffee-table book, but it's the one that fueled my coaster enthusiasm when I was a kid...

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A day is a drop of water in the ocean of eternity. A week is seven drops.

Den, is that the coffe-table book that has legs that fold down so that it *turns into* a coffee table...;)
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"Ju-ju-just like the bad guy, from Lethal Weapon 2, I've got diplomatic immunity, so Hammer you can't sue, can't touch me...." The Peter Griffin Rap

That is brilliant. They should write that idea into a sitcom!

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A day is a drop of water in the ocean of eternity. A week is seven drops.

Actually, Charles Jacques has a newish book on Coney Island that covers the park in pretty deep detail - "Cincinnati's Coney Island - Americas Finest Amusement Park."

I visited Coney for the first time about a month ago just before my visit to Stricker's Grove (open to the public on Sept. 27 I think). It's a beautiful little park - I just wish it had more rides. The gift shop/museum is facinating and you can even purchase old Coney brochures (for $25 or so). I found it neat that the picnic shelters are named after some of Coney's old rides. Be sure to take a walk down there and take a look at the old stone riverboat entrance.

I planned on posting a trip report but never got around to it but some pictures can be found here

I'm curious about which Coney rides Kings Island had when it opened and which ones are still there. I'm only sure about the Carousel and the Flying Scooter.

Oh, there's also a secret discount - a Kroger plus card gets you buy one get one free admission! :)
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Ripple Rock Amusement Park

(Oh, there's also a secret discount - a Kroger plus card gets you buy one get one free admission! :)

Oh man! Now you tell me!!! :-) Well, at least I will know next time. ;-) Thanks for the tip, Millrace.

Nasai, you will have to stop by Coney Island the next time you are in the Cinci area. I will treat you to a 3-way (chili of course...hee hee).

Gator, I could never hide from you. ;-)

Oh, Den, I forgot about the Eastgate Center DDR! Great idea. It's in Wonderpark right? I haven't been to that shopping center in ages.

-Tina

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Gimme speed, height, airtime and plenty of LAUNCH!!!

oops, I meant ride pass not admission. Coney has free admission (too bad about the $5 parking fee). :)
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Ripple Rock Amusement Park
Flying Scooter coming soon!

Even the admission itself wasn't too bad. $7.00 or $9.50 *combo* pass that includes use of the pool.

-Tina
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Gimme speed, height, airtime and plenty of LAUNCH!!!

Will do, Tina! ;) Den, no I really haven't ever heard of this before. I thought Coney Island was (only) in NY. :)
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Rob - Jerk/Loser - Standing up for the unfunny and unattractive. - Click here for details

Coney Island is the Coney Island of the Midwest. :)

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A day is a drop of water in the ocean of eternity. A week is seven drops.

Wow, sounds like the prices dropped for the fall. A ride pass was $8.50 when I went. Don't remember how much the pool coast but I know it was more than a ride pass. Combo was somewhere in the teens.

Too bad about the dang parking charge as it's a nice park to take a walk in. They even held the Cincinnati Flower Show there this spring (much to the chagrin of a co-worker who thinks that amusement parks are cheesy and thinks a flower show is above being held at such a place).
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Ripple Rock Amusement Park

The prices did drop for the park's fall "Bonus Days" only.

:-)

-Tina
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Gimme speed, height, airtime and plenty of LAUNCH!!!

*** This post was edited by coasterqueenTRN 9/13/2003 9:14:06 AM ***