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Park News - (8/31/10) A big congratulations goes out to Luna Park, as they celebrated their one millionth ride last Friday, less than 3 months after opening.
    (8/18/10) I’ve heard in from a few New York area locals who have confirmed my early suspicions, that the Coney Island businesses in question who are up for lease review from Zamperla are nothing to get upset about. Most have been described to me as being a mix of “unimportant”, “low end”, “run down restaurants”and “dives”. The “remnants of the old sleazy Coney” that is quickly on the way out. Then there is the bizarre “Shoot the Freak” where people pay to shoot a paintball gun at a “Live Human Target” who runs around in “an empty garbage-strewn and overgrown lot”. You know… somehow I don’t think that one is going to make the cut as part of the new Luna Park.
    Much like how New York’s Times Square was cleaned up and really blossomed into the popular tourist staple that it is today, Coney Island also needs to evolve, move on and reinvent itself for the 21st Century. Let the old dive bars pass and tacky tourist shops pass into oblivion to make way for the new Coney Island.
    (8/17/10) One the more exciting new prototype rides that Zamperla has introduced at the new Luna Park has been the Air Race. This wild looking ride looks at first like a harmless Red Barron style airplane ride… but once it picks up speed, the action gets serious very quickly. I think we’ll be seeing more of these very soon. Check out the video embedded below of it in action.

    (8/14/10) As the first season for Zamperla’s new Luna Park is starting to wind down, they have begun preparations for next year’s Scream Zone expansion. However as part of this expansion, Zamperla is now taking some heat from local business owners ever since they letters to 11 local sites asking them to document evidence needed to justify having their leases renewed, or else they may not be returning.
    I’m not familiar with the area of businesses affected but the article lists things like: Shoot The Freak, Lola Staar Boutique, Ruby’s Bar and Cha Cha’s amongst others. Like I said, I’m not in the know about this, but based on the sound of things… it doesn’t sound like any big loss on the surface. Zamperla is a pretty savvy company however, one with a long history of their own, and I think they will take into consideration the history and long-term impact of the older mainstay Coney Island business before they opt give a business the boot. (and no, Nathan’s is not on the list.) Speaking of food… Zamperla is also said to be in talks to bring in some new popular food competition to the area: Shake Shack and Atomic Wings.

2011 - Phase 2 / Scream Zone at Coney Island - (5/31/10) Is Sally building a dark ride for the new Luna Park? I’m not sure where the rumor is coming from, but it’s out there that Sally may be working on some secret haunt ride for Luna Park that may open for the 2011 season. More when we find out.
    (4/27/10) A new animated fly-through video of Luna Park has been posted to the NY Daily News website and embedded below. While you check out all of the main rides that will open soon at the park, keep an eye on the horizon for some big rides in the background for next year’s follow up. In the background of the video about the main Luna Park you can see several attractions at next year’s expansion site. This includes two large steel coasters in the background, The Monocoaster with yellow track and what seems to be a Zamperla Flying Coaster with pink track, as well as a sling shot style ride and a Skyscraper style attraction. Your reward for watching all the way through to the end is a quick flash of what seesm to be a Zamperla Flying Coaster car flying past the camera while doing a barrel roll, and in the background below you can make out a Motocoaster train on the yellow track.

    (4/26/10) Screamscape has heard that the non looping coaster going into Luna Park in the second year will be a new Motocoaster. This item is actually confirmed in the NY Times article about Zamperla as well near the end.
    (2/17/10) By Summer 2011 a second amusement area will open called “Scream Zone at Coney Island” which will include 4 additional attractions that will include two (2) custom designed roller coasters, a human slingshot ride and go-karts. Scream Zone will take up 3 acres between West 12th and West 15th Streets. According to City Planning Commissioner Burden, “This park is the first step towards a permanent year round 27-acre amusement and entertainment district.”