- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
Cyclone Coaster
Rating Details »
Category: Amusement Parks [Edit]
Neighborhood: Coney Island834 Surf Ave
(between 10th St & 8th St)
Brooklyn, NY 11224
(718) 265-2100
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
88 reviews for Cyclone Coaster
Only in NY can you take the train to ride a roller coaster!
This coaster is crazy fun. That's why other amusement parks try to duplicate it. It's shaky as hell and if you're riding solo, you might bang up your hips and get some serious bruises. Then again, it's all in the name of fun!
People sometimes complain about the price, but if you actually do the math and calculate how long it would take you to go to Six Flags and how many rides you get to go on in the span of a day, and then the time it takes you to line up, I think it's possibly costlier than paying the price for one ride.
The best part is, once you ride, you can re-ride for half price. How cool is THAT!
Love it. This is a must do in your lifetime.
I have to say, I was very skeptical of this coaster when my friends and I walked up. I've been on some crazy fun coasters all over the place but I had to try this one out because it's a legend. Those newer coasters are better for the mere fact that they are more comfortable and you don't feel the need to see your local chiropractor the next day.
The price is a bit steep for an old ride at Coney Island but it's pretty fun. The turns whip you around just as muchas I imagine they would 20 or 30 years ago. The option to ride again gor $5 is decent considering the fact that you have to pay $8 per ride.
Overall, if you're at Coney Island for the day you should check out the aquarium, Nathan's, and the Cyclone.
Maybe I'm looking at the Cyclone the wrong way. Maybe what people SHOULD like in a roller coaster is a ride that acts like a chiropractic drop-out, that is overpriced, and hard to reach. Then, given its age in a city that thinks anything over twenty years is a "classic", wrap up all the memories of years gone by into a ball of fun that you can pretend you're having while your spine is being mangled. Maybe the point of being scared on a coaster like this IS the fact that you could, at any moment, die.
...
No, wait. I was right all along. Ride the Cyclone and take your life into your own hands.
I remember when I was little my family would take day trips to Coney Island, holding my mom's hand, craning my neck, and my jaw dropping simultaneously as I tried to glimpse the peak of the roller coaster.
I couldn't see the top with the sun in my eyes, but then with a rush of sound, and screams of delight fading in and out in a Doppler Effect; I knew that I wanted to be seated into the roller coaster, to feel closer to the sun, having it warm my skin, and then in gushes have the wind chap it, and screech along with everyone in my cart.
I sauntered over the the entrance with my twin sister and pouted when I realized that the cardboard clown was going to tell me I was too short.
My mom realizing how badly I wanted to ride the roller coaster said the perfect words:
"You'll be tall enough next year"
Knowing in myself I couldn't grow enough to have the crown of my head to reach the palm that declares who can ride and who can not; But I knew that it would be one of those things that would be another right of passage into being older and more mature (I thought the same about callouses when I was young, I thought that getting my first callous proved that I was now an adult).
Fast forward to about 7 years later, I was now a tall and gangly youth. I just finished my freshmen year of High School and I felt I could handle anything. Again I sauntered over to the clown; and now saw that the palm of his hand came up somewhere to my chest, and smiled at myself.
It was going to be my first Roller Coaster, I sat uncomfortably, not quite sure what to expect as we reached the tallest peak, a short pause...
Then we fell forward, I was falling, leaving the ground and tumbling towards it. I clasped my best friends hand, and we both threw them into the air that we were leaving behind us. My eyes closed, afraid, but a devilish grin taking up my face, and I hollered:
Screamed out any fears, tensions, and inhibitions. Yelled through frustration, disappointment, and against everything I detested.
My heart wanted to lurch in to my throat, I swallowed it down, took a turn with the car, and fell again through more space.
I quickly looked up and gazed at the expanse of blue in front of me.
It was a beautiful day, to finally ride the Cyclone.
If anything below applies to you, please ride the Cyclone Coaster.
1. I am so depressed and don't want to live. - After the ride, you
certainly want to live again b/c it was a near death experience.
2. I am so hyper, I can not stop talking - After the ride, you would be
mute for a while b/c you were so scared and almost s$&*^&*.
3. I hate everybody - After the ride, you will start to love again b/c God
still loves you enough to let you live.
4. I am lazy - After the ride, you will live your life fully and busy b/c there
must be a reason why you are still alive, maybe some God sent
mission awaiting for you.
5. I am a thief - After the ride, you will turn yourself into police b/c you
just had a hell of experience.
Whatever the reason is, do not underestimate the Cyclone by the looks, the coaster is older than your grand parents (don't rely on my words - look at wikipedia or something - addendum: I did look at wikipedia, opened on June 26, 1927 charging 25 cents per ride, as of 2009, $8) but sturdy as Mr. Clean and shake you like construction jackhammer.
All wooden and jumpy and shaky, I felt the entire time thinking I might die from a mechanical failure.... But I didn't.
Thank God........................................... Let's do it again!! After a beeline to the restroom.
Before:
Anticipation.
Nerves.
Thinking to myself, "God, I hope that beer doesn't come back up."
Excitement.
Feeling like a little kid at Christmas.
During:
Screaming.
Giggling.
Non-stop happiness.
Afterward*:
Adrenalin rush.
Wind blown hair.
Wobbly.
Almost better than sex....or is it?
Let's do it again!
Whew. I need a cigarette.
Best $8 I've spent in one day (ride again for $5.)
Just do it.
*I have bruises on my legs. But I'm proud of 'em. Dammit.
The theme of this age-old attraction should be Rocked Me like a Hurricane, because not only does it deliver the thrills (you're getting this from a total death-junkie thrill-seeker), but if you had kidney stones I believe that a ride on the Cyclone would possibly pulverize them. I think I actually suffered from a minor concussion from riding this, but the hysterical laughing fit I experienced during the ride was probably worth it.
I actually watched someone give birth on the cyclone. The baby flew out and landed on the ferris wheel.
I did have a headache for about 3 hours afterwards--let's call it the Cyclone hangover.
Clearly I have been spoiled by the likes of smooth, steel roller coasters at Cedar Point, such as Millennium Force and Maverick, where you feel like you are riding on air. Not so with Cyclone - good lord. I felt nauseous, had a headache, my spine hurt and I'm pretty sure I came close to seeing that "white light" that leads you to whatever comes after death. Not for the faint-hearted. I had to sit down immediately to get my balance back and wait for the throbbing pain in my neck and head to subside.
If bashing the back of your head into a metal cart several times while your entire body is violently shaking and you're imagining what your funeral will be like sounds like a good time to you, then you should definitely check this out.
To be fair to my other coasters and consistent in awarding my stars, I have to judge the Cyclone on the same criteria and standards as the rest of my rides today. However, that may be a tad unfair as it's the grand-daddy of rides and although it was a record breaker at its birth, today, it's starting to show its age a bit.
It's still fast but a rough ride these days. It rattles like all good woodies but a lot of lateral G forces with the sharp turns so brace yourself!
However, no coaster fan should come to New York and not give this a ride if they can
What is there to say? It's historic and still fun no matter how old you are! I went to Coney Island for the first time when I was 15 and it was the first ride I went on. I swear that it was not $10 when I went! $4 more like it but hey, it's NY and I was 15 nearly 15 years ago. =)
And for the ones comparing it to other modern coasters at Six Flags and Cedar Point saying it makes you sick etc....there isn't much you can do about that considering it's made out of wood and not steel. It is meant to feel like your body has been slammed all over the place.
Enjoy!
It's cool to ride a part of history. This is one of the original roller coasters from what I hear. It's like burgers. everyone claims they made the first burger...Hard to figure out who had the first. I think the same goes for coasters. Anyway, this is fun. When I rode it, it was $7 a ride. It goes around, then the guy asks if you just want to stay on for $5. I think it's up to $10 now.
I got up out of the coaster. It's really bumpy, rattles your teeth. Guys, watch the nuts, it can do some serious damage if you're not paying attention. I forgot which side, but one of the sides you sit on, you do the crushing, the other side, the victim gets crushed. A note to all riders, watch out for whiplash. I know a bunch of people who've gotten it from this ride. I didn't, just something to watch out for...So, review:
Guys: Watch the nuts
Everyone: Watch out for whiplash
It's a good time. Enjoy!
Here's some free advice: don't ride if you're hungover. Especially if you plan on sitting in the very back. And don't even sit in the back if you're a man who values his testicular health.
Seriously, I've been on quite a few coasters in my day, but when i try to make a comparison, there is none. You might take a first look and think 'eh, this old thing doesn't look so bad.' Well, this old dog has plenty of bite left in it. The cyclone (at least the back seat) is BY FAR the roughest ride i've ever experienced. I'm wearin a jock strap next time, i'll tell ya that. If you're occasionally prone to acting like a wee sentimentalist bitch like myself you'll enjoy the nostalgia of this bk institution if not the ride itself, and thankfully it should be here in perpetuity since being recognized as a historic landmark. Even if you don't like the beach for some strange reason, this ride alone is worth the subway fare to coney island.
Ouch. Just, ouch.
I wanted to go on the Cyclone and sit in the back row, because I usually love roller coasters, especially wooden ones.
Bruises, bunged-up knees, whiplash, repeated terrifyingly crunchy sounds coming from one's spine - the Cyclone is less thrill ride and more masochist's playground.
I guess all these Yelpers are closeted S&M fetishists. Me, I'm not too keen on paying $8 to spend two entire minutes wishing and hoping for the ride to just end already. Or death. Whichever.
You aint from Brooklyn if you dont ride the Cyclone.. Bottom Line.. This ride is awesome, as old as it is, still a good time. Kind of like getting a massage at an asian massage parlor, you know what your getting, nothing fancy, not much to look at but u leave satisfied and with your bloom pumping.
After riding the Cyclone my right knee felt like it was hit with a bat and my neck hurt for about 2 days after. All worth it, kept my arms in the air the whole time like "Ace Ventura after returning the womans white poodle." Sick sky line view as your climbing in the beginning of the ride and creepy rattling make this old beauty a Must ride yearly experience for people of all ages. Well worth the eight bucks in my opinion... You can even experience the ride again after your initial ride.
Cool pictures and gimmicky merchandise available as well. Also some nice tourist ass lurked outside of this place along with the assortment of carnival junk food that can be found next door.
Truly frightening, and therefore truly exhilarating. A tradition. A landmark. If you visit New York City, I insist you ride the Cyclone.
Ahh the legendary cyclone. This is a real Brooklyn roller coaster; if you aren't careful, you will get your head smash on the guard rail during one of the drops. You might come off with a few bumps and brusies. But thats the point, and its why this coaster is so good. Its a true woodie: rough and out of control. Only negative is price, which was like $6 and $4 for a reride (sometimes $3 if business is slow). On the other hand, you get your pick of car in the train on many days! Hopefully it is here FOR YEARS TO COME
The Cyclone is a New York City institution and deserves all its accolades. Its wooden structure and rickety feel give the coaster a psychological edge as part of your brain keeps wondering "Is this thing going to fall apart on me?!" The ride is super fun and that initial drop is pure awesome. Even the smaller turns and drops make you scream!
It's currently $8 for a ride, but if you go right back on, it's only $5 for a second ride. I was too dizzy to do it afterwards, but I may try later in the summer!
You cannot judge the Cyclone by the same criteria as you judge "Batman, the Ride," okay? It was first built in 1927, show respect for your elders!! It is steeped in history and myth, how many rollercoasters have the distinction of having as riders three generations of screaming families? Sure, you'll need back adjustments for months after the jolting, and sure, $8 is a bit much, but ultimately, it's well worth it, and packs some thrills, even for the most seasoned rider.
A New York institution! The fastest roller coaster in the world for 45 years and something that should not be missed. A ride on the Cyclone will cost you $8 bucks and you will be shaken like a British nanny, but it is well worth it. You will step out of the car and will feel ill and check yourself for bruises...but you will seriously consider, riding again.
There is nothing quite like the rickety halting, ascent and then the plunge down to the bottom. I have been on some scary roller coasters in my life and the Cyclone is right up there with them. Granted, a lot of it has to do with riding an 80 year old piece of metal and wood, but c'mon, what are the odds its going to collapse while you're actually riding it?
n.b. Barring natural disaster, the Cyclone isn't going anywhere. It was granted landmark status in 1991. Astroland may have gone the way of the Dodo, but the Cyclone is here to stay.
I haven't cussed this much in a 2-minute window since I was in high school.
Feel like a fat ass though weightless in one fell swoop. About 15 seconds into it, you think: "whoever the bleep built this was an evil, sadistic genius I'd like to stab repeatedly!"
Laugh hysterically while both you and your seat partners' coccyx fracture into mosaic art. You notice crazy "No-thumbs" Gideon (don't stare lest u get the evil eye) manning the main switch upon your boarding and think: "$4?--this ish better be good."
I've never seen, heard, or felt as a child quite like those fleeting moments my life flashed before my eyes blurring through a humid, gray backdrop of Brooklyn.
Skydiving 2 yrs prior invoked half as much pleasure and terror.
Hurts so good.
I used to ride this whenever I came to CI, what fun!! It was a bit
rough but I still love it. A classic!!
So, a couple weeks ago one of my good friends got whiplash on The Cyclone and bulged a disc in her neck. That same week, The Cyclone was featured as RotD, urging me to ignore my friend's injury. In a moment of either tremendous bravery or stupidity, Justin and I decided to give the wooden wagon of death a go--immediately after downing dogs at Nathan's Famous.
Last car. Squashed (and I mean SQUASHED) next to my husband. A surprisingly quick ascent to the first stomach-lurching drop, a very quick view of Coney Island and the water (it really is a lovely view, but the terror of anticipating the sheer steep drop sort of obfuscates its beauty)... and down we went, me screeching my head off all the way as I was lifted off my seat again and again and again.
When you look at The Cyclone, it's sorta hard to tell just how many drops there are. None of them are unbearably high, but the steepness makes each drop terrifyingly fun. Like Elisabeth A., my elbow is black and blue from being knocked around, but it's a proud battle wound.
$8 is a pretty high price for one heart-stopping ride, but the resulting feeling of accomplishment (that you survived seems nothing short of a miracle) makes it worth it. Bulging discs and bruised elbows be damned; ride this at least once.
Oh my God, I'm gonna die, this thing is gonna collapse, I am going to scream like a little schoolgirl. You better not vomit on me. Who said I was going to vomit? I can't say anything due the forces of gravity propelling me up and down like a bat out of hell. Or at least thats what i thought. I was laughing and screaming the whole time as I gripped the handles so hard I thought i was going to break it. But it kept me in place even if i bounced around and given a good scare of my life. What fun! I love this roller coaster!
This ride is terrifying, expensive, makes me cry, and I come away with bruises along my arm (my elbow bangs into the side at the bottom of every drop), BUT I WILL NEVER STOP! It's just too fun. It makes me feel alive again! If I come off the cyclone relatively unscathed, I feel like I can do anything!
If you are small, I recommend sitting next to someone so that your butt is tightly in the seat, otherwise you will feel like you're about to die. I was sitting next to a fellow skinny person and both of us were lifted off our feet... literally. The drops forced me into a standing position... and then suddenly there was nothing under my feet. Absolutely terrifying. SO MUCH FUN!
The Cyclone is a magical bit of enduring, old-time, Coney Island magic for you. It's old as hell and possesses a certain unique, rickety charm. I really love it but gotta admit that it's seriously scary! Last summer, my friends and I rode it in the rain, in the midst of a thunderstorm! (Yes, it was still running even in the rain.) And although the Cyclone operators were almost going to give us one more free go 'round with the rain pouring down, we were all drenched and terrified and begged them to stop.
That being said, I can't wait until this summer because I'm already craving another wild ride on the Cyclone!
* Helpful hint: Apparently you can get a free ride if you flash the ticket taker. (I haven't tried this and don't plan on ever doing it, but a girl in front of me once pulled it off.)
I'm kind of a roller coaster addict, so how could I not love the Cyclone?
Even after all these rides of today that have loops and magnetic launches and ridiculously high and steep drops, the Cyclone is still a great thrill ride. The drops are steep. The wood is rickety. The cars shake you around. It's a great ride and well worth the cost. It's an absolute classic.
One thing, the cars are really hard to get into, so just be warned about that if you're slightly larger than average. Or, rather, even just AVERAGE by today's standards.
The old-school terrifying coaster. Let me preface by saying that I HATE ROLLERCOASTERS. I hate being on them, I have a fear of heights and I hate the feeling of falling. I still go on them because of the thrill and anxiety AFTER I get off. I feel like I conquered my fear and did what scared me the most.
Anyway, I had never been to Coney Island and it was kind of raining and foggy in the morning. We came out here and were walking around. My friend insisted that we go on it, as it was actually open, and he literally dragged me into the line and made sure I got into the car.
The next 3 minutes or so were sheer hell for me, as the ride progressed. Not only was I scared of the heights and the drops, I couldn't help but thinking that I'm on a wooden roller coaster, right by the ocean, and there's probably been a lot of erosion of the soil underneath and the wood's probably rotting and we're going to die and etc.
Well I'm still here and writing about it, so I guess I survived. Amazing coaster, well worth the terror.
The Cyclone roller coaster is NOT going anywhere when they demolish and rebuild Coney Island. As part of the agreement with developers they agreed to keep the coaster up and running.
This coaster is the only one that gives me white knuckles when its going up and down on the track. In an age of so many electronic smooth running coasters, it is nice to have this gem 10 minutes from my apartment. $1 a ride!
As a kid I use to be able to go on this ride over and over again. I remember the first time going on as a kid with my grandfather and he held onto my sister and I for dear life!
I just went on it again a few weeks ago, and I was petrified, it's amazing what age does to you lol. But at least I have some great memories here, growing up in Bklyn.
If you want the full Coney Island experience, I can't stress enough the consumption of two jumbo dogs and extra large coke from Nathan's BEFORE you get strapped to the rails known to Brooklynites as "The ass whacker"
^Jaq S. is still picking Cyclone shrapnel out of mine (aRs).
Unfortunately, there wasn't a freeze flash to capture her distorted coaster face - *picture Robert De Niro in all his Cape Fear iniquity.
A great ride for a thrill seeker or someone with a death wish! I grew up going to Coney Island and have been on the Cyclone a million times. Each time I wonder if the Cyclone will be the end of me...If it is, I am okay with that!
The days are passing quickly so catch a ride before it is gone!
First off, I have to admit, I hate roller coasters. The sensation of repeatedly being taken very high and dropped to a free fall at a sharp slope trajectory is stuff that nightmares are made of. That said, I do things, just like you, that scare the freakin' bejesus out of me just because. I mean, what is life without a little AHHH! F-ING HELL!! in it?
Before you get on this roller coaster, divulge yourself of your bags and any belongings that will not comfortably fit in your pockets. Not your shirt pockets either unless they have a closure to keep the items in. There is a handy bag check right before you get into your seat.
Do not bother to bring your camera on the ride. The idea that you might actually be able to take a picture while on this creaky wooden death machine is absolute foolishness. I brought my little camera and had to tuck it under my butt cheeks once the ride got going. It was like having a doody hanging out in my drawers, a discomfort that was only fleetingly experienced since most of my mind was busy screaming a death cry.
My third bit of advice is to not have eaten too much boardwalk fun food. Ice cream, fried funnel cake, fried seafood whatever and lots of beer make for discomfiting playmates when you're being twisted like a pretzel through the sky.
These swerves and drops are totally scary shit. It feels like you are the dice in the hand of G-d and he's working it hard for baby's new pair of shoes.
The best thing to do is just Zen. On the first drop I learned that lesson. I was so freaked out, I was as tight as on of those rubber band balls you make when it gets really boring at the office. Well, that first drop doesn't fall from a level placement. It goes forward and then just a bit up and then straight down so that you actually lift upwards from your seat, suspended in air as the car begins hurling earthbound at mach speed.
When you finally, thankfully, bottom out, it is possible to slam the bottom of your chin on the rail bar. Fortunately the rail bar is padded.
Do not be screaming with your tongue out of mouth as this could result in very serious injury. It's a blessing and a surprise that I didn't yak myself.
It helps to have your friends next to you screaming bloody murder. I had a sore throat from drinking and partying my way through Germany for 10 days and couldn't scream for myself. My friends screeching was horrifically cathartic enough to effect an emotive release for me.
The crazy ride experience hearkened me to the natal birth process. Remind me to call my Mom and tell her how great she is.
Its more about, will this old wooden shaky structure survive another run, a must as its going down to development they say.
I knew that little punk hated me. My bf and sons were going to ride the cyclone, I was going to wait. But after looking at the ride it didn't seem that scary - the drops weren't that high - just looked like a lot of twist and turns. After hearing that little jerk say it was a baby's ride - I acquiesced. Big mistake, huge! Those drops were so steep I had to keep grabbing my sunglasses so I wouldn't lose them. The turns were so jerky and sharp that three days later my neck finally has full range of motion without causing me pain.
Yeah yeah it isn't scary - you little sh**
Riding the Cyclone at night is an unforgettable experience. It is indeed terrifying, largely because it sounds and feels as if it's going to crumble into little pieces or fly off the rails, flinging you like a rag doll into the Atlantic Ocean. You stomach will drop like nobody's business, and you'll scream, numerous times, at the top of your lungs--and put your hands up on that first drop so you come up out of your seat a little, or you'll miss all the magic.
Something I also love about the Cyclone is how delightfully rude the staff is. They always yell at you, almost in unison, to get on. In a way, their attitude mirrors the Cyclone: it's bossy and takes no prisoners. It's probably the only time I can honestly say that poor service is kind of sweet.
I just heard the Cyclone is now up to $8, which is highway robbery. I know the thing is legendary, but the price has literally doubled over the course of two years, and that's crazy. It's worth it every now and then--and if you're visiting, it's a must.
I can't believe they're finally tearing Astroland down (the Cyclone, which was declared a national landmark, will remain). Go see the real deal before it's too late! And if you're going to ride the Cyclone, you need to experience Coney Island in all of its strange and sweet glory too...or what's left of it, anyway.
Ok, everybody's right. The Cyclone is insane! It looks innocent from street-level but it's NOT! It's basically a death trap.
Can't say I didn't love it though. I haven't been so terrified in a long time! I literally was holding on for my life, just praying I wouldn't dislocate my neck or something. And I bet tomorrow I'll have neck pain... But it was so worth it!
A wild ride, and a must when you're at Coney - old and rickety, just the way I like my coasters to be.
Pretty much the greatest roller coaster ever built.
Definitely ride it if you wanna feel violated.
Its good. But it is not worth the $8. i mean the ride is way too short to be worth $8. its a fun ride though. it goes as fast as the nitro and the coaster goes at crippling speed. savor every moment of this ride. its short but very enjoyable. definitely give it a shot. and yeah, each reride is $5
With your ticket comes a legendary ride on the Cyclone roller coaster located in atsroland of coney island, brooklyn and that nagging thought in the back of your mind "Am I going to die?"
When was the last time this thing passed inspection? Are you sure this rusty bar pushed up loosely against my stomach will keep me from flying out? 100% of the last group that went on made it....
So you're finally moving..
Wow this thing is realy made completely out of decades old wood!!Haha its like the little roller coaster that could rattling up the first hill!Ok here we go....TURN TURN TURN..WE'RE GOING TO RUN OFF THE COASTER...WE SHOULD BE TURNING BY NOW!!!..and rinse and repeat till the ride comes to a stop!
Come to astroland, hold on for dear life, and see the cyclone and ask these questions for yourself before threy are both gone forever... is it true this is the last summer??
