NEW YORK — The first 2022 clack of the venerable Cyclone roller coaster welcomed hundreds of hardy guests back Saturday to Coney Island for an early celebration of the summer ahead.
The crowd lined up early for opening day at Luna Park, rushing inside at noon to hop aboard the classic ride that celebrates its 95th birthday this year. Screams of fright and delight soon filled the ocean air as the renowned wooden coaster took its first climb before making its first plunge against a backdrop of the Atlantic Ocean.
“It’s great that everything is back,” said local artist Harold Moeller, 52, who sported a multicolored outfit as he zipped through the crowd on a unicycle. “This is one of my favorite events that I do. You just know after the pandemic how important, how valuable it is to you. You just look forward to it every year.”
The first guests received a discounted entry for day one, with a portion of the proceeds donated to local community groups. State Sen. Diane Savino, D-Brooklyn-Staten Island, broke a bottle of egg cream on the first car of the Cyclone to kick things off.
And the first 95 riders, in honor of this year’s anniversary, received a free trip on the longtime attraction.
The revelers included the deposed “Mayor of Coney Island,” longtime local resident Dick Zigun — ousted three months ago as artistic director of Coney Island USA, the organization that he helped create in 1980. Zigun appeared anyway, holding a homemade “key” to Coney Island and drawing a crowd of his own.
The revelers included the deposed “Mayor of Coney Island,” longtime local resident Dick Zigun — ousted three months ago as artistic director of Coney Island USA, the organization that he helped create in 1980. Zigun appeared anyway, holding a homemade “key” to Coney Island and drawing a crowd of his own.
Brooklyn’s own Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., recalled his first Cyclone ride as a 9-year-old boy, back when he rode a bicycle to the park. He viewed opening day as a link to the past and a harbinger for a better future.
“Coney Island’s best days are ahead of it,” said Schumer. “Coney Island is back. When Coney Island is back, Brooklyn is back. When Brooklyn is back, New York is back.”
The park was shuttered by the pandemic in 2020 before its reopening last year. Nearby Deno’s Wonder Wheel Amusement Park, a neighborhood staple for 102 years, plans to open for the season on April 10.
Guest Christopher Guillermo, 23, acknowledged the Cyclone paled in comparison to the current crop of terror-inducing rides offered at theme parks. But that’s missing the point, he said before taking advantage of the day’s free rides.
“It’s fun, but it’s also historical to the city,” said Guillermo, who heard about the opening on TikTok.
And he appreciated the day one discount: “It’s nice for New Yorkers, because everything is really expensive.”
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