Coney Island (NY) now owned by Disney?

[CinderellaIam]

Yup, It's mean old Thor Equities that bought it all up, except for the Wonder Wheel which has always been family owned and has refused to sell. They just cancelled the condos but will be developing the park, a water park, Hotel, restaurants and lots of retail. For sure. My company is helping to lease the retail spaces. Believe it or not, they already have some offers on the table (and no I cannot say who, confidentiality agreements).

 

[CinderellaIam]

My sister refuses to go on rollercoasters b/c the cyclone freaked her out so much!

The Cyclone did it to me to! All that creaking and cracking I thought I was going to die on that thing!

My funniest Coney Island story has nothing to do with the park, well, not really. When I lived in Queens I rode the M Train into lower Manhattan to work. At the time I had an 18 month old who refused to sleep through the night and I would often fall asleep on the train. The M runs from Middle Village Queens through part of Brookly, loops through lower Manhattan and then into Brooklyn again ending in Coney Island. Yup, one day I slept the entire two hours it took from first stop to last stop. The conductor woke me in Coney Island. It was already 9:30, I was an hour late for work and had to call my boss and tell him what happened. He said okay, when you're done riding the Cyclone, grab me a Nathans and get your but in here! That was almost 20 years ago, and to this day every time he sees me he asks me where his Nathan's is.

 

[Jonas Grumby]

A day doesn't pass where I don't google at least 10 times.

I wish I could google 10 times a day!

 

[RickinNYC]

The Cyclone did it to me to! All that creaking and cracking I thought I was going to die on that thing!

My funniest Coney Island story has nothing to do with the park, well, not really. When I lived in Queens I rode the M Train into lower Manhattan to work. At the time I had an 18 month old who refused to sleep through the night and I would often fall asleep on the train. The M runs from Middle Village Queens through part of Brookly, loops through lower Manhattan and then into Brooklyn again ending in Coney Island. Yup, one day I slept the entire two hours it took from first stop to last stop. The conductor woke me in Coney Island. It was already 9:30, I was an hour late for work and had to call my boss and tell him what happened. He said okay, when you're done riding the Cyclone, grab me a Nathans and get your but in here! That was almost 20 years ago, and to this day every time he sees me he asks me where his Nathan's is.

ROFL!

Something similar happened to Joe and I. We live in Queens and went into Brooklyn for a party. When we left it was pretty late. We got on the subway and got a little dozy. We looked up and saw the Wonderwheel. Both stupidly looked at the other and said, "When did we get a ferris wheel in Queens?"

DUH!! We were going the wrong way. Didn't get home until almost 4 in the morning that night.

 

[CinderellaIam]

ROFL!

Something similar happened to Joe and I. We live in Queens and went into Brooklyn for a party. When we left it was pretty late. We got on the subway and got a little dozy. We looked up and saw the Wonderwheel. Both stupidly looked at the other and said, "When did we get a ferris wheel in Queens?"

DUH!! We were going the wrong way. Didn't get home until almost 4 in the morning that night.

Glad I'm not the only one!

 

[punkin]

Glad I'm not the only one!

When we were in High School DH (to be) used to joke that we got on the "Montauk Express...next stop Montauk." at penn station. (I lived in Flushing-he lived in Bayside)

 

[Robinrs]

My favorite picture EVER was a black and white of me and my nephew coming down that LOOOOOOONG drop on the Cyclone when he was 10. He just turned 42!!!!

My last apartment was on Ocean Ave in Brooklyn, I just took the bus to Coney Island. I LIVED for those Nathan hot dogs!! And those fries... there are nothing like them.

Even back then I was a roller coaster fiend... we'd go just for the Cyclone and ride it over and over and over... I remember spending my allowance on it.

Question: Are the rides still pay per ride? I remember the Cyclone being $5 a ride! How much is it nowadays???

 

[DISUNC]

Friends that came by from NYC went to Coney Island and heard from workers and guests that Disney bought Coney Island and will take control in 2008. Has anyone else heard this?

That rumor has been floating around since 1968!!!!!

It would be a great thing if they did....Coney Island is by far the BEST BEACH in the world!

 

[DISUNC]

My favorite picture EVER was a black and white of me and my nephew coming down that LOOOOOOONG drop on the Cyclone when he was 10. He just turned 42!!!!

My last apartment was on Ocean Ave in Brooklyn, I just took the bus to Coney Island. I LIVED for those Nathan hot dogs!! And those fries... there are nothing like them.

Even back then I was a roller coaster fiend... we'd go just for the Cyclone and ride it over and over and over... I remember spending my allowance on it.

Question: Are the rides still pay per ride? I remember the Cyclone being $5 a ride! How much is it nowadays???

It is still 5 bucks!

My Mom grew up there. ALL of her side of the family worked there, my father was the Bartender for the Melody Inn Bar, right across from Nathans for yeeeeeears! My Grandmother lived there until '77! We never paid for a ride in our lives. The family claim to fame was my Uncle, as a Teen was one of the "Studs" who worked the Parachute Jump. They used all the goodlookin guys to get the girls to ride it. He pic was in the Daily news every year for the opening of the parks.

I still have very vivid recollections of Steeple Chase. Been all over the world & STILL NO Beach compares to CI!

 

[Aisling]

Question: Are the rides still pay per ride? I remember the Cyclone being $5 a ride! How much is it nowadays???

The Cyclone is $7 a ride now, with stay-on-re-rides for $5.

 

[Robmom]

I was just there a few weeks ago. It still seems a little run down, so maybe with the development it will be much nicer. I was reading in the paper that they may close Astroland, so I want to go back so that my DS can experience it before they take it down.

 

[Aisling]

A few pictures I took this evening:
The Stillwell Avenue Subway Station on Neptune Avenue:

The famous Cyclone:

 

[Aisling]

The Parachute Drop, which is now an official landmark :

The Carousel, which is for sale:

The height requirements:

Nathan's

Where the yearly Nathan's frank eating contest is held;

Down Neptune Avenue: the lights fuzzied this pic:

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Thank you, Aisling. I was hoping you caught an image of the height requirement. Enjoyed the shots.

 

[Robmom]

I just read in today's paper that Astroland will still be there at least until 2009, and then after that they will move it over near KeySpan Park.


Hey, Aisling, nice photos!

 

[SamRoc]

When I got married 25 years ago and moved here to Brooklyn, my dh took me to Coney island. He said we had to go to Nathans and try the frogs legs! He loved them, there is no way I was going to eat them!!!

 

[DISUNC]

Did you know that the whole "Immigrants coming to the New World first saw the Statue of Liberty" thing is a myth!

The First American Icon Immigrants saw on the boats coming over from Europe into NY Harbour was THE CONEY ISLAND PARACHUTE Ride"!