PW June 09 P6-7.qxd 5/26/09 1:07 pm Page 6
Park News
www.parkworld-online.com
ParkHoppin’
Freestyle Music Park
with Paul Ruben
refreshes for 2009
Boardwalk Blues
Freestyle Music Park, the former Hard Rock Park in Myrtle
Beach, South Carolina, has renamed and re-themed the
New York's Coney Island opens for the season each year on
rollercoaster formerly known as Led Zeppelin – The Ride. The
Palm Sunday. This year that was April 5. I was there, as it is the B&M-built attraction will now be known as The Time
symbolic kick-off for the start of the amusement park season in Machine.
this part of the world. But this year was different. Although the
Towering more than 150ft into the sky, the looping, steel
sun was shining, the area had a patina of gloom.
coaster features a high fidelity, on-board audio system
Astroland, which opened in 1962, is no longer there. The
playing music from the 1960s, '70s, '80s, '90s or 21st
property was sold to developer Thor Equities in 2006. In its
place is a wasteland, what looks like a war zone (see for
Century. The 3,738ft-long ride is the tallest and fastest
yourself on page 29). Except for a few shells of buildings, the
coaster in the Carolinas and offers a total of six inversions.
park is empty, the area fenced off. Across the street, the
“We are excited to unveil The Time Machine,” says John
venerable Coney Island Cyclone opened on cue. It remains a
Stine, director of marketing and sales for Freestyle Music
thrilling ride, albeit as rough as ever. Carol Hill Albert, the
Park. “The enhancements we have made, including adding
former operator of Astroland, continues to operate the coaster,
five different audio tracks, will allow our guests to enjoy a
which is designated a historic landmark and cannot be totally different musical experience through time with each
removed. Beneath the Cyclone in a former souvenir stand the journey.”
Coney Island History Project has set up shop, hoping to preserve
Freestyle Music Park has also unveiled a new children's
the legacy of the area.
area, Kids In America, as it aims to increase its appeal to
Next door is Dino's Wonderwheel
family groups. The 17,000 sq ft new area features four new
Park, which was not sold to Thor. It
has opened for business. Good for
Zamperla rides, including Get Off Of My Cloud (Samba
owners Steve and Dennis Vourderis.
Tower), Fly Like An Eagle (Kite Flyer), Wheels In The Sky
The park’s signature ride, the classic
(Magic Bike) and Life Is A Highway (Convoy).
150ft Wonder Wheel, was built in
There are also plans to add a rollercoaster, a performance
1918 and continues to charm
venue featuring a themed show, play area and basketball
guests. More than 30 million riders
court as part of Kids in America, in addition to relocating a
have enjoyed its 16 swinging cars climbing wall, jungle gym, train ride and other attractions
and eight stationary cars. It, too, is from the park’s former children’s area.
an official New York City landmark.
There are also several smaller RIGHT: The Time Machine
operators at Coney Island, each with
INSET: The logo for the
a collection of anything from one to
new children’s area
six portable rides. Independent game
operators dot the area, but none
appeared busy when I was there in
April.
Meanwhile Thor Equities and the City of New York are at an
impasse. Thor wants to build what appears to be a token
amusement park and surround it with condominiums and
shopping venues. The City wants to maintain the recreational
nature of the area, and has blocked Thor's plans and offered to
buy the property. Many of the former businesses on the
Boardwalk are now closed, having been sold to Thor. Their
stores eventually have been rented, and are now expected to
open for the summer. I walked the Boardwalk, wistfully
imagining the glory days of Coney Island. This former
playground of the masses now stands forlornly by a beautiful
bathing beach.
A new “amusement park” at the former site of Astroland will
be open by the time you read this. There will be more than two
dozen carnival rides operated by Anthony Raffaele on behalf of
Thor Equities. The new park is called Dreamland Park, named
after the legendary Coney Island spot that ruled the Boardwalk
for seven years before burning down in 1911. For all of us
wishing for a Coney Island renaissance, this small step brings us
hope.
6 JUNE 2009
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