Coney Island- Dreaming of Flats?

[CincyMan98]

I'm not worried about Coney's coasters. I love small parks with their "signature attraction", which would be Coney's Pepsi Python. The flat rides are great too, just like you're at a carnival. But for me when I go to to Coney, I mainly go to all the attractions. And it's in a great area, near to downtown Cincy, on the river, and near Riverbend. Whenever I go down there, I go to Coney. They couldeasily take out maybe one of the shelters and add a new flat ride. What I mainly think they need is more water slides.

This is all just IMO.

[Diamondback FOF]

They just added some. I think it was four that are a part of one structure...?

[CoastersRZ]

Yep. Twister opened this year occupying about a third of the site that was formerly home to the Zoom Flume. Twister is comprised of four slides (Zoom Flume had only two flumes). Two of the slides on Twister are for inner tubes, while two of the slides are body slides.

And keep in mind that Twister occupies only 1/3 of the land that the Zoom Flume used to occupy. So there is room for additional water slides to be added in the future. When and if more water slides will be added at Sunlite Pool remains to be seen.

[Coney Islander]

A Big Apple/ Wacky Worm would be wonderful at Coney. http://www.rcdb.com/3777.htm

http://www.rcdb.com/284.htm?p=3897

It looks fairly inexpensive, and it looks fun for children. (As well as adults) I bet they could even fit it near the front of the park if they move two of the kiddie circle rides off to the side a little bit.

And it would be beautiful addition if they plant trees around it.

[Coney Islander]

Looking at the Gravity Group website, I found an interesting new design... The "Splinter" coaster.

This coaster has a very small blueprint (85 by 100 feet), is family friendly, and according to the video, is inexpensive (hopefully around a million dollars?). Not only that, but the video shows a large number of air time hills, that appear to pack quite a punch.

Happy New Year!

Edit- Upon review, a Splinter coaster has a footprint of 8,500 square feet, compared to Pepsi Python's footprint of 6,812 square feet.

[DropZone99]

^'Splinter' is pretty much Lost Coaster of Superstition Mountain. LoCoSuMo was built by CCI, but once CCI went out of business some of the people started Gravity Group. So it'll be about the same. LoCoSuMo is a really odd coaster, in a good way though. If Coney was to ever get something similar I'd for sure go, but until than I could honestly care less about going.

[CoastersRZ]

And where did you get the square foot number for the Python?

And do not expect to see anything much in the form of new attractions at Coney in 2010. Remember, the multi million Twister just opened last year.

[The Interpreter]

...If Coney was to ever get something similar I'd for sure go, but until than I could honestly care less about going.

If you could care less about going then you care at least some, and could even care with all the essence of your being but one tiny little part of you...

Terpy...a new year, but still the same old Terpy...just a day older

[raptor]

The Whip

[Coney Islander]

And where did you get the square foot number for the Python?

And do not expect to see anything much in the form of new attractions at Coney in 2010. Remember, the multi million Twister just opened last year.

D.P.V. Rides - Amusement Equipment Rides - Our amusement rides

The D.P.V. rides website says a Classic Family Coaster is 40 by 16 meters.

I do not expect a 'Splinter' in Coney's near future. This thread is to give out ideas, realistic or not.

[Coney Islander]

Just a classic Dark Ride that would be wonderful at Coney.

Njoy

[Coney Islander]

Another great ride.

[Coney Islander]

Quote from Coney Island Central-

The ride [spin-a-ree] was relocated in 2003 from next to the Carousel to the former location of the Antique Car Ride. The Antique Car ride was removed from the park after the 2002 season.

All I can say is, What!?

Wasn't sure where to post this...

[CoastersRZ]

What are you questioning? What I have posted on that page is entirely correct.

There was a ride on the spot where Spin A Ree was relocated in 2003. The ride was indeed called Antique Cars. The ride in question was an "umbrella kiddy ride" similar to this also now defunct Coney ride: Kiddy Circle Freeway. The only difference between the two rides was that Antique Cars featured, well, cars that looked like Antique Cars. By comparison, Kiddy Circle Freeway featured the typical fire engines. Antique Cars was retired after the 2002 season (I operated the ride one of the last days it was open back in 2002 as I wrapped up my first season at Coney). That site (as well as the final site of Spin A Ree and Baby Bumper Boats) is now home to the River Runner. And Kiddy Circle Freeway was retired after the 2007 season, and replaced with the Turtle Parade. However, one of the fire engine cars from that ride has returned this season as a photo op, on the side of the administration building, near the restrooms.

Trust me, I know what I`m talking about, considering I was around and working at Coney back when this ride was still at the park! Again, its hard to believe I started working at Coney in 2002! I`ll be working again tomorrow at Coney as well as a lot next weekend!

[Coney Islander]

I had known you knew what you were talking about, and was just wondering what the ride was.

For a second I was thinking Coney had had KI styled antique cars.

Edit- I'm going to start working at Coney Island next year (for the 2011 season.) Are 16 year olds allowed to be handymen? (As in people that dump trash, clean pathways, water gardens, etc.)

I'll almost certainly be getting my eagle award this coming fall, so I'd think I'd be qualified.

[thejoker34]

Yes, I think you can work as a handy man. Don't see why not

[CoastersRZ]

Well, there are no "handymen" positions really as you put it. There are several positions in the park like what you mentioned. Landscaping (I`m not certain if they hire any seasonal workers) take care of watering the flowers. I`m not certain about people emptying trash cans on the park side. I know there are two or three people that do this every year. On the park side, the ecology department (sweep) has consisted of one person the last few years. However, Sunlite Pool hires about twenty pool porters each year. A pool porter is responsible for cleaning the pool deck, emptying the trash cans in the pool area, etc. It sounds to me like that would be the type of position you are looking for. It is a lot of physical work (my brother was a pool porter manager for a year before becoming a pool manager, a position he still holds).

If things stay the way they are, you should put in your application early next year. The rides department has a waiting list this year, as nearly 75% of the department this year is comprised of returning employees. There are only about 30 new hires in the rides department this year!

[Coney Islander]

Thanks for that information. I'd most like to be a landscaping/ watering guy, though I'd enjoy operating the rides as well.

Would I have the opportunity to suggest rides I would like to run? I myself would most enjoy running the Tilt- A- Whirl, Tempest, or Carousel.

[CoastersRZ]

Yes, you would be able to eventually work the rides you want to, within reason. Typically, the new hires or first years will spend a lot of time at the kiddy rides, since they are the easiest to operate. Although the Carousel and Tilt A Whirl are fairly easy to run as well. By the end of my first year, I had worked every ride except for the Ferris Wheel, which is by far the most difficult ride to operate at Coney.

In part because it is not a simple start and stop button to control the ride. The ride is controlled by a stick which is attached to the throttle and brake. To safely operate the ride, you must carefully balance the ride. And the controls can feel different depending on how hot it is out. The hotter it gets outside, the more touchy the controls get, which isn`t good if the ride gets slightly off balanced.

[Reon]

This is why I always keep a pocket notebook to write down suggestions with co-workers...Heres my current collective wishlist (non-coaster) for Coney:

-Flyers: Great ride, very interactive, and fit the classic vibe perfectly. I'd love to see a set over Como, ala Indiana Beach

-Chairswing/Yo-yo: Another classic that would go beautifully over Como. Thanks for showing what good placement could do, IB!

-Go Carts: This one goes a bit away from Coney's theme, but we have Eurobungy as a modern ride aswell. All it would take is a fenced off paved path, possibly multi-level, and the purchase of some decent karts. Make it an upcharge and Coney has another hit!

-Fun House/Haunted House: Plenty of variations here. Be it a walk through or tracked, Houses are staples at Traditional parks...

-Troika: A nice new spinner, but maybe not since we already have a bunch of variations on that theme....

-Magic Carpet: Another classic, would go nicely with our current flat lineup, and its a nice mix of forces for new riders....

-Chaos: I'm sorry, I just love this ride. Its soo insane, and Coney could use another flipper.

-Disk-O/Rockin Tug/Skater/etc: Some varient of this ride would be good as it works as a viking ship/spinner ride and they are fairly cheap to purchase.

Thats it for now, but I think of new ideas all the time....

[Purplehaze]

Yes, you would be able to eventually work the rides you want to, within reason. Typically, the new hires or first years will spend a lot of time at the kiddy rides, since they are the easiest to operate. Although the Carousel and Tilt A Whirl are fairly easy to run as well. By the end of my first year, I had worked every ride except for the Ferris Wheel, which is by far the most difficult ride to operate at Coney.

In part because it is not a simple start and stop button to control the ride. The ride is controlled by a stick which is attached to the throttle and brake. To safely operate the ride, you must carefully balance the ride. And the controls can feel different depending on how hot it is out. The hotter it gets outside, the more touchy the controls get, which isn`t good if the ride gets slightly off balanced.

Kinda like the Monster at KI. Not just a push button operation unless it has changed since the early 80's.

[Reon]

A good majority of the rides at Coney are some variation of holding down some sort of button or foot petal until the ride stops. Most of the more complex stuff like Python or Super Roundup are usually learnt later in the first year, and stuff like Rock-O-Planes, Ferris Wheel, and Golf are usually reserved for returning employees and so forth. On average, you should be able to learn everything but RockO, Wheel, and the cash attractions by the end of your first year as a ride operator....As for me though, I know everything after 5 years, but I usually just stick with Python.

[CoastersRZ]

Or tickets if you are the only one who is working that knows how to run that...

[CincyMan98]

I haven't even ridden anything at Coney Island except for Python and Frog Hopper. Last time I went I was 7 years old.

All I want from them is a big flat ride, no more carnival - like rides.

[CoastersRZ]

And the last rides installed back in 2008 included River Runner, which is not a typical carnival ride. And don`t forget that a multi-million water slide was added to Sunlite Pool last year. Will we see another ride added to Coney at some point? Sure. When or what is anyone`s guess at this point in time.

[Reon]

I'd love to see something for the 125th next year. Would I prefer it be a coaster? Sure...Do I have an extensive list of coasters that would fit the park's atmosphere and possibly budget? Of course, but I just want something. As I adressed before, laketop flyers would be EPIC

[The Interpreter]

And I, for one, hope that if they DO get flyers, they buy an older set. The older ones are not only less expensive, they are far more fun for the riders...for many reasons. The new ones, especially the ones from Larson (see Indiana Beach and Camden Park for examples) leave a lot to be desired from the rider standpoint.

http://www.larsonintl.com/rides/fs.htm

Sadly, perhaps the best set of Flying Scooters in the USA was once at Coney, visited Mason for a while and now lives in the Carolinas...

[CoastersRZ]

And it is a fine ride indeed, continuing to thrill riders down at Carowinds.

A little tidbit that I learned is that Coney tried to get the flyers from LeSourdsville Lake back in 2006. Unfortunately, they were outbid. The park was successful in placing the winning bid for the Rock O Planes, which actually arrived on Coney property in mid-summer 2006, before being repainted and erected in its current location for the 2007 season.

[The Interpreter]

Given the very unfortunate retrofit of the tubs that LeSourdsville had done (along with a similarly unfortunate retrofit of the Whip cars), I am actually happy that Coney did NOT get the LeSourdsville Scooters. The tubs, as redone, were very heavy and the ride was leaden, to be nice.

[Coney Islander]

^

Thats great news! My mother's favorite Kings Island ride used to be the Flying Scooters. And, in a matter of fact, she hasn't made a Kings Island visit ever since their removal.

__________

Also, I have a question about Coney that I've been meaning to get out. The more rides Coney has, the more money has to be spent on workers. Because of this, I have been under the impression Coney has reached a max in size, and the park will decrease in profitability every time a new ride is added, and another is not removed. It sure seems like it, as the last three attractions have meant the removal of others... All three rides, I much enjoyed.

So is this true? Has Coney reached its max in size? (At least for now...?)

And on a side note, I believe the Wallenda Family Thrill Show has the ability do wonders for Coney, attendance wise... As long as it is marketed correctly. Maybe this year's was a test trial for more extensive things to come? I sure hope so.

Edited July 5, 2010 by Coney Island Rocks