Luna Park: Coney Island Amusement Park Reopens

by Jordan Yerman | May 28, 2010 at 10:30 am

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Coney Island's Luna Park Comes back to Life after 66 Years

Coney Island's Luna Park is rising anew from the ashes of disrepair, with 19 new rides to challenge the public's relationship with lunch. First opened in 1902, Luna Park closed in 1944 after two fires, and its land was put to other uses.

Fast-forward 66 years, and Luna Park is rising, phoenix-like, from the ashes of Astroland. Luna Park opens to the public at 11am on May 29, 2010, and will be open until midnight each night throughout the summer.

17 of the 19 new rides will be ready for Luna Park's opening day. To get to Coney Island by subway, take the D/F/N/Q to Stillwell Ave. The B36 bus pulls up along Surf Ave.

Other Luna Parks Beyond Coney Island

Other Luna Parks exist around the world, not officially associated with the original. Melbourne's and Sydney's Luna Parks bear the closest resemblance to the Brooklyn original; Luna Park Melbourne features a slightly more menacing clown face at its front gate, but Sydney's is somehow more creepy.

The Italian company Zamperla, which is the largest ride manufacturer in the world, is investing tens of millions of dollars in Luna Park here on Coney Island. Zamperla chose the name "Luna Park" from the famed park from Coney Island's heyday long ago.

Don't even think of calling it a Disneyland knockoff... Brooklyn will have none of it.

"We don't have to invent our freakishness," said Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz. "We don't have to import characters to Brooklyn. We've got the greatest assortment of messhuganahs right here.