Luna Park Coney Island: Rides, Prices and Smart Tips

Luna Park in Coney Island first opened in 1903, and it has been entertaining New Yorkers and visitors for nearly a century since.

This Brooklyn amusement park is full of charm, mixing 1950s carnival games with state-of-the-art rides. You have to go!

It is nothing like Disneyland or Six Flags. At Luna Park you get classic carnival rides, including the Cyclone, the oldest roller coaster in the United States (if you love amusement parks, take the chance to visit LEGOLAND, an hour from Manhattan).

It is an iconic New York spot that has been filmed in hundreds of movies (one of Woody Allen‘s favorite locations). You need to see it.

Rides at Luna Park in Coney Island

Luna Park is a fantastic plan if you are traveling to New York with kids, but it works just as well for grown-ups. There are modern rides that will get your adrenaline going and others that will take you straight back to the 1950s.

The park has more than 40 rides, from nostalgic carousels and Ferris wheels to the classic carnival games you have seen in so many movies.

Luna Park roller coasters

Among the rides at Luna Park, do not miss the two roller coasters: the Cyclone, a historic landmark, and the Thunderbolt, a modern, cutting-edge steel coaster.

Cyclone

The Cyclone is a must. In fact, this roller coaster is considered one of the most important attractions in New York outside Manhattan.

It opened in 1927, so it is close to a full century of thrilling generation after generation. It is striking to see that it is built of wood.

This emblematic New York roller coaster and symbol of Coney Island already carries 98 years of history on its back. It is the main attraction at Luna Park, and if you have to pick just one, this is my recommendation. You will be riding a little piece of history.

Thunderbolt

The other roller coaster at Luna Park is the modern Thunderbolt. It is all steel and opened in 2014. Its beautiful design has already become another Coney Island icon.

It was built as a tribute to the original 1925 Thunderbolt, which was demolished in 2000. It has every modern safety feature, plus 90-degree drops, inversions and twists where you really feel the g-force.

How much do the rides cost?

Entry to Luna Park is free. You can walk around freely, marvel at the rides and take great photos.

If you want to go on the rides, there are 2 ways to do it:

1. Buy tickets for the ride you are interested in (each ride has its own price)
2. Buy a day pass (all day wristband) for unlimited rides.

Tickets and day passes are sold at the ticket booths you will find in several spots around the amusement park.

1. Luna Park tickets

Tickets are sold at the ticket booths around the park, and they are called «credits».

Each «credit» is worth one dollar. For example, to get on a ride that costs 6 dollars, you need to buy 6 credits.

If there are several of you, it is very convenient to buy 100 credits, because you get a bonus 40 on top, meaning you can spend the equivalent of 140 dollars.

You can also redeem credits for food and at the carnival games.

2. All Day Wristband

If you want to spend a whole day at Luna Park and ride things more than once, your best bet is the all day wristband, which gives you unlimited access to the rides.

Wristband prices depend on the day and time of your visit and on the height of the child or adult buying it. They start at 38 dollars and go up to 69 dollars.

Deno's Wonder Wheel

Right next to Luna Park you will find Deno's Wonder Wheel Amusement Park. It is another famous Coney Island amusement park.

You will recognize it by the enormous Ferris wheel, visible from anywhere on the Coney Island boardwalk.

This wheel, the Deno's Wonder Wheel, was built in 1920 and, along with the Cyclone, is one of Coney Island's other historic attractions.

It also has 5 more rides, which you can go on by buying individual tickets (each one costs 8 dollars).

There is also an area with rides for little kids, at 4 dollars per ride.

Swinging or stationary?

The unmissable ride here is the Deno's Wonder Wheel. Beyond being a vintage gem, its trick is that it has cars that swing.

If you want extra excitement, get in the red or blue cars, which are the ones that move. The white ones stay fixed in place.

Another strong reason to ride the Deno's Wonder Wheel is that it makes a great viewpoint over the amusement park, the beach and the ocean.

Summer fireworks show

From the last week of June through August, every Friday at 9:30 pm you can enjoy a fireworks show from this park.

Deno's Wonder Wheel hours

Just like Coney Island itself, Deno's hours depend a lot on the weather.

In principle, they are as follows:

• April, May, June, September and October: opens at noon, weekends only
• From late June through August: opens at noon every day of the week.

Closing times depend on weather conditions.

Luna Park hours

The Luna Park season starts in late March and runs through late October. The exact dates depend on weather conditions.

Between June and August it opens every day; the rest of the year it only opens on weekends and holidays.

Hours are honestly pretty variable, so I recommend checking the park's website before you go.

Address
1000 Surf Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11224

How to get to Luna Park in Coney Island

As with everything in New York, the most convenient, direct and cheapest way to get there is the subway.

To reach Luna Park in Brooklyn, take the Q or F lines and get off at the West 8th Street station.

You can also take the D, F, N or Q subway lines to the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue station.