Saying Good Bye On Coney Island

As some have been saying all winter, this is the swan song for Astroland. If you have never been there, get your trip plans together. There is no fear of losing the Cyclone credit, Mom isn't going anywhere, neither is the Parachute Jump or Denos Wheel.

If you have never done a Breakdance on steroids or a Top Spin over the top or any ride worth its weight in gold, you need to get to Coney this summer before it is gone. A new Coney is being built and Astroland and many other properties are not invited to the dance. What the new Coney will be like is anyones guess,but we know what Coney was like. We can only hope we don't long for the old days.

This is how the local ABC Station reminded everyone that now is the end and we should get out there or lose the chance to say good bye in a very sentimental way.

http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=local&id=5339408

Ed

I'm actually kind of excited for the transformation. I'll try to make a trip out there sometime this summer, but I certainly will not miss the garbage and rundown look of astroland.

With millions of dollars set for development, I hope they can splurge for a bathroom.

I'll be in NYC for a few days in late June, (first time in NY) and I was trying to decide if I will have enough time to do Coney Island.

This answers my question. *** Edited 5/27/2007 4:27:56 PM UTC by stljason1***

If you don't have the time, make it. I've been to Coney Island in the past, and fully plan on getting back there this summer before it's too late.

If you don't want to spring for a qauarter for the restroom, you can always use the facilities on the beach :)

Ed

Ewwwww...

I'm still trying to get up there this summer. Not sure if it'll work out.

Hey, it works for the seagulls!

Last time we were there we drove,that was crazy.

Is there any easier way to get there besides driving(coming from Pittsburgh)?Can you stay outside the city and take a train in?

Thanks

^Take a train into Manhattan, then catch the subway down to Coney.

I used to be reluctant to considering drving to Coney, but after going with Ed and Kyle last year, I don't think it's that bad at all.

Thanks Acoustic..

What is the furthest away can you catch the train to Manhattan,Philly or further?

Actually, your better off going to Hoboken and catching the train or even PATH from Harrison or Hoboken. All good. You can even catch a Bus from any of the cities across the Hudson from the City and just go downstairs at the Port Authority and catch a subway.

Just make sure you find a parking lot because most spaces in these towns have parking meters, but the NY Subway is extremely easy to get and the closer your car is to the city, the faster you can get out.

Although, I still feel the best way in and out is by car.

Ed

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Acoustic Viscosity said:
I used to be reluctant to considering drving to Coney, but after going with Ed and Kyle last year, I don't think it's that bad at all.

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It's not. My girfriend and I managed to make it there blindly. We were in Manhattan (took a bus from Jersey) and just went to the nearest subway station. It looked like the Q train ran to Coney Island, so we got on. It did.

I'm pretty sure that NYC public transit is mostly idiot-proof.

I heard on the news in the past couple of days that they want to put a big top kind of tent and they are keeping the cyclone so dont say the redevelopment will be bad yet.

My first trip to Coney, I drove right in, parked about a block away, caught some Cyclone rides, a couple Nathan's, a few flats, and left. Traffic sucks, but it's NYC, I expected nothing less.

Of course, being new to the enthusiast game at that point, I missed the Jumbo Jet...one I'm *still* kicking myself over.

http://rcdb.com/id306.htm

*** Edited 5/31/2007 2:42:46 AM UTC by rollergator***

I sure hope the 'new' coney/astroland or whatever will be a real amusement center. Everything in NYC is well.. I dunno, it's all 'gap and starbucks' and the crowd that comes along with that.

Astroland is rough and wild, the way NYC used to be, a city should have elements of danger. We have 'cop cams' on every other corner here in Chicago.

I drove past and around where Riverview used to be here, and I just close my eyes and wish it was still there. What a shame.

It's funny how everyone is going on about how Astroland is closing, but that plot of land that makes up the 'Coney Island' amusement park has changed so much since it was first developed into the hotels along the beach in the 1860s and then into Luna, Steeplechase, and Dreamland. I wish some of those were still around today, that was the original Coney Island.

The new plans for the amusement park look interesting (with the possibility of them adding two new coasters). Plus it looks like it could continue the big, overextravagent look of the area which started which which was what Dreamland pretty much was. What Coney Island is now is a different slice of life that you'd be hardpressed to find elsewhere, but I guess it will maintain some of that feeling, since the Nathan's isn't going anywhere. :)

You guys and your Nathans, the place sucks. You can get a Nathans at any mall or along the highway, it just isn't what it was. The places to go are the small stands like Gregory and Pauls right across from the entrance to the Cyclone. Those are the true Coney Food stands.
Yes we will lose those little places.

Sorry about the misunderstanding, there are free restroom facilities on the beach, I didn't mean use the beach :)

Will anything but Condos appear in the future? Depends on how much money passes hands, I personally don't trust any developer.

Ed

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Blue Side said:
We were in Manhattan (took a bus from Jersey) and just went to the nearest subway station. It looked like the Q train ran to Coney Island, so we got on. It did.

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How long did the ride on the Q take you from Manhattan to Coney Island? I vaguely remember looking at this when I was at school in NYC, but thought it was too far to go by myself.

Taking the subway to Coney is easy. I think it took me about 50 minutes from Penn Station in '99. I was saying I was reluctant to drive there, feeling the subway was the way to go, but driving there isn't bad. *** Edited 6/4/2007 2:20:18 AM UTC by Acoustic Viscosity***