Coney Island: A Look Back At The Top 10 Rides of 2014

Here’s a look back at the the top 10 amusement rides at Coney Island in 2014, according to TheConeyIslandBlog.com (The classic rides always have an advantage).

10. Tilt-a-Whirl (Deno’s) I’m sorry but I really enjoy this ride even more as an adult!  Although a latecomer, a version of this ride survived a series of fires at the original Luna Park. It’s one of the few rides that adults and children can equally have fun riding together.

9. Spook-a-Rama (Deno’s) Any ride with the name  a-Whirl or a-Rama you know is going to be an old fashioned good time!  Although shortened over the years this classic 1950’s dark ride manufactured by the Pretzel Amusement Ride Company has been spooking me since I was a child. The Post- Sandy ride has recently added some new frightful ghouls.

8. Luna 360 (Luna Park) Although I preferred the original incarnation, this new ride kicks some serious a$$! It will get you dizzy in the process!

7. Zenobio (Scream Zone-Luna Park) Say Zenobio really fast ten times. Since the day it opened we have enjoyed it’s thrilling grandfather clock turns. Lovely.

6. The Tickler (Luna Park) C’mon! It was inspired by Mangel’s original ride. A classic at original Luna Park. Great views of the ancient Grasshorn Building!

5. Boardwalk Flight– (Luna Park) Bye Bye Boardwalk Flight it was great knowing you. Or throwing you. Or you throwing us. After an afternoon at Ruby’s I was the second person to take flight. Hmmm. I wonder who the first person was?? New attractions will replace this ride in 2015.

4. Sling shot- (Scream Zone -Luna Park) Ever want to know what it’s like to take a rocket ship into outer space?

3. Thunderbolt- (Luna Park)  [KGVID width=”568″ height=”320″]http://www.theconeyislandblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/IMG_0304-11.mov[/KGVID]
Hey! It’s not the Thunderbolt that we remember but it was one of the most buzzed about new rides of 2014. Riding it numerous times last summer it was every bit worth $10. It’s major drop and corkscrew turns have officially put Coney Island back on the worldwide amusement map!

2. Wonder Wheel– (Deno’s)  [KGVID width=”568″ height=”320″]http://www.theconeyislandblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/IMG_0626-2.mov[/KGVID]
What can I say? Coney Island wouldn’t be Coney Island without the world famous Wonder Wheel (even Disney built a replica in California). The oldest ride in Coney Island carrying almost a century worth of marriage proposals. Originally owned by the Garms family (Mrs. Garms an avid card player lived around the corner from me) and for the past few decades operated by the Vourderis family, the Wonder Wheel is a Coney Island icon.

1. Cyclone (Luna Park) America’s most famous roller coaster! Built on the same spot as the first commercially successful coaster, L.A. Thompson’s 1884 Switchback Railway. Growing up in Brooklyn it was a rite of passage to be tall enough and brave enough to ride this wooden marvel.

And there you have it! The top 10 rides of 2014!  Looking forward to what 2015 brings!