15 Best Coney Island Luna Park Rides and Tips to Know | The Exploreist (2024)

By Todd Maurer | Updated: May 15, 2024

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About Coney Island’s Luna Park

NYC’s most iconic destination for fun and thrills, Luna Park, opened in 2010 on the site of former Astroland and Dreamland. It is named after the original 1903 Luna Park, which operated until 1944 just north of the current park’s location at 1000 Surf Avenue. The year following Dreamland’s demolition, the park was designed and developed, and the new owner, Central Amusem*nt International, added 19 new mechanical rides.

The new Luna Park was widely advertised across the city in posters, billboards, and bus advertisem*nts with the slogan “Thrill is nothing without speed.” You’ll also find interactive games, food and beverage concessions, and live entertainment throughout the year. New Yorkers affectionately call Luna Park “the people’s playground,” and it certainly isn’t an exaggeration.

Luna Park Hours and Location

The first thing you see upon entering Luna Park is a creepy sign of the original Funny Face — with a wide, exaggerated smile showing as many as 44 visible teeth. It was once the logo of Steeplechase Park, another amusem*nt park on Coney Island that closed in 1964. You can drive to Luna Park via NY-9A S and Belt Parkway or take the Q Train towards Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue from Times Square. The trip takes about an hour.

Luna Park is open daily from Memorial Day through Labor Day and remains open on weekends until the end of October. From September 25 to 31, the park will be re-themed to celebrate the spooky season with activities like pumpkin decorating, tractor racing, and trick-or-treating. In winter, the park will transform intoFrost Fest, featuring an ice rink, Santa, and tree lighting.

Luna Park Ticket Prices

You can get the Extraordinary Wristband, which gives you 4 hours of unlimited access to select rides. Prices are height-specific, ranging from $43 to $65 per person. If you’re planning to just check out a few rides — each costs between 3 to 7 points — you can get a card at the ticket booth and add money to it. The minimum is $20, which gets you 20 points. For $40, you can cover 3-4 rides for two people. There are also seasonal packages throughout the year.

Best Luna Park Rides And Attractions

1: Circus Coaster

• Credits needed: 4

• Ride type: moderate thrill

• Minimum height to ride: 42” if alone and 36” if accompanied

Circus Coaster is a fun ride you’ll want to do again and again! It won’t keep you on the edge of your seat, but it offers a great family experience as it’s gentle enough to keep the scares at bay while giving everyone a dose of excitement. Board the colorful train as it begins its exciting climb. You’re setting off on a high-speed romp over a downhill course with a series of tight turns and slopes and an exciting mid-course helix section. Enjoy the wind whipping through your hair and an aerial view of the park.

2: The Tickler

• Credits needed: 7

• Ride type: moderate thrill

• Minimum height to ride: 48” if alone and 42” if accompanied

If you’re seeking a bit more thrill, opt for The Tickler, the original Wild Mouse roller coaster featuring over-the-edge switchback turns and unexpected g-force-causing drops — all in a half-moon-shaped car that spins 360 degrees. You’ll spin so much that you forget to look out for sudden drops ahead that make the ride accelerate to its fastest speed. Despite being marketed as a “moderate thrill,” this steel roller coaster is great for families with kids.

3: Steeplechase

• Credits needed: 7

• Ride type: high thrill

• Minimum height to ride: 48”

Steeplechase, a nod to the original attraction at Steeplechase Park, is another great ride for thrill-seekers. Hop on the saddle of life-size ponies as you launch to 40 mph in just two seconds. Giddy up along a 1,476-foot track featuring sharp turns, jumps, dips, and 60-degree banked turns. You’ll enjoy the carefree sensation of horseback riding that feels almost too realistic to be true.

4: Brooklyn Flyer

• Credits needed: 7

• Ride type: high thrill

• Minimum height to ride: 48” if alone and 42” if accompanied

Jump aboard this towering attraction and rise above historic Coney Island for a sweeping view of the beach, which is gorgeous during sunset, the boardwalk, and the entire Luna Park. You’ll sit comfortably in a double-seat open-air chair and gracefully swing through the clouds at varying heights. Take a spin on the Brooklyn Flyer after dark as it lights up Coney Island like a brilliant neon star. Lynn’s Trapeze is a milder alternative if you’re traveling with small kids or someone who isn’t a fan of thrills.

5: Soarin’ Eagle

• Credits needed: 7

• Ride type: high thrill

• Minimum height to ride: 52”

If you’ve ever had flying dreams and loved them, Soarin’ Eagle won’t disappoint. You’ll ride in a prone position with the track above you as you climb up a spiral lift, and off you go, drifting off in a free-flowing flight over 1,293 feet of track at 41 mph. Experience a series of heart-line inversions, hairpin turns, barrel rolls, sudden drops, and exciting twists—soar, as the name suggests, like an eagle.

6: Thunderbolt

• Credits needed: 10

• Ride type: extreme thrill

• Minimum height to ride: 50”

If you’re feeling really brave, ride Thunderbolt. NYC’s first major steel roller coaster and the first of its kind, Thunderbolt, made its debut in 2014, paying homage to the historic Thunderbolt roller coaster demolished in 2000. Strapped in, you’ll right away face an audacious vertical lift hill and careen over the edge before dropping 90 degrees at 55 mph. From a 100-foot-tall loop to corkscrews and overbanked turns, you’ll definitely get off the ride with white knuckles.

7: Coney Island Raceway

• Credits needed: 12

• Ride type: extreme thrill

• Minimum height to ride: 56” if alone and 40” if accompanied

Coney Island Raceway is a perfect attraction for families, friends, couples, or fans ofFast and Furious. Get behind the wheel of a quick and maneuverable gas-powered go-kart and test your driving skills over a 900-foot racecourse featuring switchback curves and hairpin turns as you race toward the finish line.

8: Sling Shot

• Credits needed: 22

• Ride type: extreme thrill

• Minimum height to ride: 48”

If you’re feeling extra brave, check out the famous Sling Shot. Be mentally prepared — there is no warning before you are shot 150 feet in the air at 90 mph. Gravity will then hurl you back with numerous inversions as you spin, drop, and launch into the air. Just as the name suggests, you’ll feel like a human slingshot on this ride. You can also capture your Sling Shot experience with an in-flight video recorded on a bracelet flash drive that’s easy to edit and upload for sharing.

9: Coney Island Cyclone

• Credits needed: 10

• Ride type: extreme thrill

• Minimum height to ride: 54”

At the intersection of Surf Avenue and West 10th Street stands the world’s second-steepest wooden roller coaster, The Cyclone! Debuted in 1927, it features adrenaline-charged drops, curves, elevation variations, and a twisted layout, making this iconic wooden coaster a timeless classic even after over 90 years. Climb up a 45-degree hill and careen over the edge before dropping down at 60 mph.

10: Clockworkz

• Credits needed: 7

• Ride type: high thrill

• Minimum height to ride: 48”

Clockworkz is a spinning, twisting, stomach-churning experience that should be on the bucket list of every Luna Park-goer — only if you can handle the power. Buckle up and rise sky high as the arm moves through one gravity and two motor-driven rotations. Quickly take in Coney Island’s seascape views while in the air before you’re turned and tossed about like a stuffed animal.

11: Wonder Wheel

• Admission is free and there is no height requirement

• Location: Deno’s Wonder Wheel Amusem*nt Park

• Ride type: moderate thrill

In a stricter sense, this Ferris wheel isn’t in Luna Park, but it is worth the trip to experience it. In continuous operation with a perfect safety record since its opening in 1920, Wonder Wheel has welcomed over 40 million riders! Marvel at the incredible views from 150 feet high atop the Coney Island beach all the way to the Manhattan skyline. Its blue or red cars swing in the air, while the white cars are stationary if you prefer a more traditional ride.

12: Luna 360

• Credits needed: 7

• Ride type: high thrill

• Minimum height to ride: 48”

If you’re looking for a new perspective on Coney Island, go and check out Luna 360. Feel the deck drop below your feet, and off you go on a rhythmic ride that glides back and forth like the pendulum of a grandfather clock. Even if this is your first time in Luna Park, you won’t miss Luna 360, as it fills the air with screams of joy and lights up the night in a magical swirl of color.

13: Zenobio

• Credits needed: 12

• Ride type: extreme thrill

• Minimum height to ride: 52”

Grab your brave friends and brace yourself for an exciting ride high above Coney Island on the towering, two-armed Zenobio. Catch a glimpse of the ocean, sand, and sky as you are swept 130 feet in the air at speeds over 60 mph, traveling in consecutive rotations with some scream-inducing somersaults.

14: Eldorado Bumper Cars

• Price: $8 per person and $5 for any additional round.

• Ride type: moderate thrill

• There is no height requirement to ride

While we didn’t ride Luna Park’s bumper cars during our visit, as it was part of the Halloween package, my pal found Eldorado Bumper Cars just outside the park. And for $8 per person, you get to ride a modern or vintage car for 6 minutes with the latest soundtrack by Migos and Cardi B. After each session, you are welcome to stay in the car for another ride for $5 — we rode 5 times.

15: Coney Clipper

• Credits needed: 7

• Ride type: high thrill

• Minimum height to ride: 48” if alone and 36” if accompanied

This is a great ride for the entire family, perfect for cooling down on a hot summer day. Jump into a captain’s seat and feel like a pirate for a day! As the boat swings back and forth, you’ll hang in the air for a second before rushing back down up the next wave with adrenaline-rushing momentum.

Tips for Visiting Coney Island Luna Park

• To get to Luna Park, you can take the D, N, F, or Q to the Brighton Beach station and walk for about 2 minutes. You can also take the B Train, but you’ll have to get off in Sheepshead Bay and transfer at the B36 bus station at Avenue Z and East 15th Street.

• If you’re planning to ride the park’s high-speed roller coasters, be sure to arrive with an empty stomach.

• Grab a park map to help you pinpoint the do-not-miss rides and attractions and in what order you may want to check them out.

• Bring a backpack to squeeze all the stuff you need into as small a space as possible and keep your arms free.

• There are no lockers in Luna Park, so when you ride, you’ll have to leave your backpack to the side. Keep valuable items with you.

• Bring water and snacks to keep yourself hydrated and energized. There are also hot dogs and grilled goodies on the boardwalk you can try.

• Make sure you and your family are wearing weather-appropriate clothes as well as comfy shoes for walking around. Dress your little ones in brightly colored clothes so they stand out in the crowd.

• If your kids aren’t old enough to have their cell phones, have them each carry a slip of paper with your phone number on it — make sure they know what it’s for too. You likely won’t use it, but just in case.

• The best times to visit Coney Island are between Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day weekend when everything is open. Try to avoid weekends if possible when it can be busy and chaotic.

• If you plan to get your toes wet, bring sunscreen, a hat, a bathing suit, beach towels, flip-flops, and a waterproof dry bag. If not, paddleball, football, or frisbee are great for a fun afternoon on the beach.

Other Fun Things to Do in Coney Island

If amusem*nt parks aren’t your cup of tea, here are a few other fun things to do in Coney Island.

1. Relax on the Coney Island Beach or take a walk on the Coney Island Broadwalk.

2. Watch a Coney Island Circus Sideshow.

3. Explore the underwater world at New York Aquarium.

4. Watch the 4th of July Macy’s fireworks.

5. March with the Coney Island Mermaid Parade!

6. Appreciate Parachute Jump as it lights up the Coney Island night scene.

Read More: Best Things to Do in Coney Island, New York

FAQs about Coney Island Luna Park