About Theme Parks: Coney Island's "Homeless" Coaster

Theme Parks In the Spotlight | More Topics |   from Arthur Levine In a sure sign of spring and the annual rebirth of the amusement park season, Coney Island's beloved Cyclone will reopen this Sunday, April 5. However, visitors to the Brooklyn, New York landmark will discover that the Astroland sign that sat at the apex of the iconic coaster for decades will be gone--as will the entire Astroland amusement park. Also, more parks are dealing for your dollars (assuming you have any), and a new Six Flags coaster will offer Salvation.   In the Spotlight Coney Island's "Homeless" Coaster Reopens Sunday The Albert family, which had operated Coney Island's Astroland for many years, was unable to negotiate a lease extension with Thor Equities, the land development company that owns the property on which Astroland used to sit, at the end of the 2008 season. A patch of dirt is all that remains. But the circa-1927 Cyclone roller coaster, a National Historic Landmark that is protected in perpetuity, lives on. Virtually the birthplace of the amusement industry, the historical importance of Coney Island can't be overstated. There's no denying that today's ragtag Coney Island bears little resemblance to its high-flying heyday in the early 20th century. And with Astroland now gone, there is even less to connect the area with its glorious past. However, Coney Island's other major park, Deno's Wonder Wheel Park, as well as the Cyclone and virtually all of the other independent concessions will reopen for the 2009 season. Park fans really should plan a visit.              More Topics Coney Island Overview (Still) Home of the Cyclone The Cyclone at Coney Island Roller Coaster Ride Review Coney Island Photo Gallery Wonder Wheel at Coney Island Ride Review Spook-A-Rama at Coney Island Ride Review What's New at Theme Parks? Six Flags Magic Mountain Overview New Six Flags Coaster to Offer Six Flags Magic Mountain has mostly kept the wraps on its new coaster, but a few more details are emerging. Based on the movie, Terminator Salvation: The Future Begins set to be released in May, the fairly standard wooden coaster will feature a pre-show, budgeted at $1 million, that will warn guests about impending doom and invite them to join the resistance. Actors from the new film, Common and Moon Bloodgood (gotta love the names!), will appear in pre-show videos. The boarding station will double as a training room, and the coaster will serve as fighter vehicles. While the theme sounds promising, I still find it odd that Six Flags chose an old-school wooden coaster to tell a new-age sci-fi story. And it's doubly odd that nearby park competitor, Universal Studios Hollywood, has its own attraction tied to the Terminator franchise. Read more about the Terminator coaster coming to Six Flags Magic Mountain.   This Week's Theme Park News Don't Dally on Dilly of a Deal I can't believe I wrote that headline (and I don't blame you if you can't believe it either). But it is true that the limited-time deals just keep on coming. Read about some California theme park travel deals.     Sponsored Links   Best Moves in a Bad Economy Save & Invest the Right Way Find out how to beat a bear market, make smart choices, and keep your cool even when the economy is unpredictable. Theme Parks Ads Idaho State Parks Camping Parks Dog Parks RV Parks National Parks Advertisement     Visit Related About GuideSites: Hotels / Resorts / Inns California for Visitors Florida for Visitors Travel with Kids     Search About      Sign up for more free newsletters on favorite topics. You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the About Theme Parks newsletter as ignoble.experiment@ARCONATI.US. If you wish to change or remove your email address, please visit: http://www.about.com/nl/usgs.htm?nl=themeparks&e=ignoble.experiment@ARCONATI.US About respects your privacy. Our Privacy Policy. Our Contact Information. 249 West 17th Street New York, NY, 10011 © 2008 About, Inc.