New York Today: Roller Coasters Within Reach

May 24, 2017 · 20 comments
Stephen (Geneva, Ny)
I remember a group of us went to Downey Park, dropped acid, and went on the roller coaster (not the current one-this was 1971) so many times they ticket taker just let us get back on for free.
Rode the roller coaster, then the bumper cars (down below), then back to the roller coaster, ad infinitum (or ad nauseum). Periodically, we'd go into the fun house. Ah, kids.
Leon Freilich (<br/>)
CYCLONE FACES

You make me want to be a better man,

Like Donald Trump, the 3 Stooges or Genghis Khan.
Beth (Bronx, NY)
The fellow next to Mailer is Jimmy Breslin. Given the dress of the rest of the passengers it looks like a press outing during their run for Mayor and City Council President in 1969.
Jack Bush (Haliburton, Ontario)
I wondered why there were so many jackets and ties. That explains it.
DebBee (Bronx, NY)
How could the Dragon Coaster at Rye Playland (Rye, NY) be overlooked? Rye Playland is accessible by public transportation. The Dragon Coaster is a classic roller coaster ride with decent drops. And the best part of the ride is entering the dragon's mouth while it's eyes glow red, traveling through it's body and exiting its tail.
tom (Wakefield, RI &amp; Bronx)
got to agree. it's a classic.
Sara Tonin (Astoria NY)
No, no - for Dorney take the Bieber bus out of Port Authority to Wescoville stop (the former Charcoal Diner), and all you have to do is cross Hamilton Blvd to get to Dorney. No transfers, two hours, and a really pleasant bus company. Still about $54 round trip.
Cirincis (Out east)
I remember persuading my then-husband, a Brooklyn native, to ride the Cyclone for the first time--his words, as we went over the first crest and into the drop: "I'm not enjoying this!!"
Phil (Scottsdale, Az)
The roller coaster or the marriage? Sorry, I couldn't resist.
Wendy (New Jersey)
Does anyone remember Palisades Amusement Park? "You'll have fun, so come on over!"
JimmyMac (Valley of the Moon)
Immortalized in the Freddy Cannon song (by Chuck Barris) with the great line "You never know how great a kiss can feel 'til you stop at the top of a Ferris wheel."
B. (Brooklyn)
I longed to go, but never did; and still see its lights when I look across the Hudson.

I wanted to visit Freedom Land too, but my father wouldn't take me; too many mosquitoes, he said. That said, Coney Island was our place.

(Rockaway Playland was lovely.)
Steve K (NYC)
Not to forget Freedomland (Guess that means I'm old...)
Mike A (Princeton)
Mets mother Padres
Anne Russell (Wrightsville Beach NC)
When my mother and father were first married, they rode the Cyclone at Coney Island. My father fainted and had to be carried off by my mother at the end of the ride. This set the tone for their marriage--my mother saving my father.
Fred (Mineola, NY)
It is a disgrace to allow the FALN terrorist to be honored in the Puerto Rican Day Parade. My condolences to the Connor family who have had to live without their father, killed in the Fraunces Tavern bombing. This piece of dirt gets to breathe and honored while the Connor family is deprived of a father's love. For shame, for shame!
genepool1 (news1)
I can't believe that you left out one of the best roller coasters in the area, The Dragon Coaster at Rye Playland which was built in 1928. A short train ride on Metro North and one of the best wooden roller coasters in the country.
Freddie (New York NY)
How to combine thrills in New York City and Allentown – a Billy Joel tune, of course.

can be sung to tune of ALLENTOWN

There’s a thrill ride there in Allentown
And the rumors have been going down
That the jo jo roll is really neat
There is no floor
Dangle your feet

But we’d have to go by Greyhound bus
Is a thrill ride worth that much of a fuss?
So we take the N, D, F or Q
Cyclone’s right here
That’s gonna do!
Still there’s that coaster there in Allentown

Which has gotten so much fame and renown
We can ride the Cyclone any day-ay-ay-ay (Hey, hey, oh, oh, oh)

Though by bus it seems so far away-ay-ay-ay
We’ll be driving out to Allentown.
Tal Barzilai (Pleasantville, NY)
Once upon a time, NYC had amusement parks all over the boroughs including Manhattan itself. However, that was at a time when much of the city wasn't so developed and the population was smaller at the time. Unfortunately, many of them were just seen as key prime real estate sites that lead to their demolitions. Some of them were just abandoned for a while after being burned down or having to be shut down due to bankruptcy. Another thing is that for the amusement parks that were lost, no trace of them still exist today except for archived photos of them found in books or in the case of subway artwork over at the Beach 98th Street-Playland Station not to mention the subway stop maintaining the name. It's too bad now for most New Yorkers to make it to amusement parks these days, they have take huge rides for them when they used to be a subway ride away.
Barbara (Brooklyn, NY)
The Cyclone is all the roller coaster anyone needs. My husband and I rode it every summer since the eighties. We can't take the banging around it gives you anymore and look at it with longing every summer.